Old wound heal hard

Disclaimer - J.K Rowling's owns Harry Potter and all it's franchise

A/N - written for QL round 4 -Don't Take Things Out of Context!

Prompt- KEEPER: "Well as long as we're digging up the past, we may as well dig up your mother." Grimm

Warning - mild mention of some violence

Word count- 2147

Lucius groaned as Narcissa and he stared at the wooden door with the nameplate: 'Annabella Young, Therapist and Relationship Expert'. Lucius snorted uncharacteristically. Narcissa nudged him. Draco better know what he put them into or Lucius will hex him. They pushed the door open and entered.

The office had cream coloured walls and a very homely, welcoming vibe. Narcissa saw a woman in her mid-thirties with short brown hair, hazel eyes and rosy cheeks sitting patiently. She smiled at them. Narcissa smiled back but Lucius didn't. His face was blank and emotionless. The woman's smile dropped a little bit but she maintained her cheerful demure.

"Ah, Mr and Mrs Malfoy. I have been expecting you. Please, have a seat. I met your son, Draco, he takes after you, Mr Malfoy," she said in a friendly manner, but Lucius didn't reply or acknowledge her at all.

"Ask someone if we can have a pureblood 'therapist ', I will not talk to a Mud-ggle-born". The therapist- Annabella didn't miss Lucius's deliberate slip.

"Lucius!" Narcissa scolded her husband who just rolled his eyes and sat reluctantly.

"Now, Mr and Mrs Malfoy, your son mentioned that you are having marital issues?" Annabella asked.

"Yes."

"No," they replied simultaneously.

The therapist cleared her throat and spoke, "Alright, Mrs Malfoy can you tell me what those issues are?"

Narcissa opened her mouth then immediately closed it. She glanced at Lucius and pursed her lips. Lucius just huffed and looked away. Annabelle faced Lucius who glared at her.

"Mr Malfoy, could you please give us some privacy?" She pointed at a sofa where she indicated that Lucius should sit. Immediately, Annabella cast a silencing charm around her and Narcissa, and then she transfigured Narcissa's chair into a comfortable sofa, identical to the one Lucius was sitting on. Narcissa lay on the sofa as Annabella spoke.

"Now, Mrs Malfoy?"

"It all started after the war . . .

Narcissa watched helplessly as Draco packed his bags. She approached him cautiously and gently put her hand on his shoulder. The way Draco flinched made Narcissa's heart clench painfully. She wished her son would look her in the eyes, but he didn't turn. Narcissa sighed and turned to leave, but before she could Draco spoke.

"Mother?"

Narcissa spun around and come face to face with a saddened Draco. His eyes were red and puffy, his lips were trembling. She was immediately by his side holding him close.

"Please, Draco don't leave. Your father and I can't live without you," Narcissa pleaded.

Draco shook his head stubbornly. "I-I have to. I can't live here. This place has so many bad memories, and I don't want to relive them," Draco said pulling up his sleeves exposing the Dark Mark.

Narcissa shuddered to see the mark again. Draco went back to packing, leaving Narcissa numb inside, after all, she understood how Draco felt. That night after Draco left, Narcissa approached Lucius who was sitting by the fireplace, his back turned to her.

"Our son, our little boy has left home Lucius! Aren't you going to say anything?" she asked.

Lucius didn't speak for a while, until finally he said nonchalantly, "It was his own decision,"

Narcissa was beyond shocked. How could Lucius be so indifferent about Draco leaving the house?

"You could have stopped him, Lucius," Narcissa cried, her frustration lacing her tone.

Lucius spoke calmly, not even turning, "And what good would it have done? He's gone, deal with it. He doesn't want to live here; the place where he was born, the place he spent his entire life. . ." before Narcissa could say anything he spoke, his tone reserved and moody, "Leave, I wish to be alone."

"But—"

"I said leave!" Lucius shouted as he stood up. His grey eyes were blazing with anger. Which only caused Narcissa to back up and leave.

"So, your son's departure caused a rift between you two?" asked Annabella.

Narcissa shook her head. "No, he was acting strange even before Draco left," Narcissa replied.

"Alright Mrs Malfoy, I think we're done for today. We'll meet again next week," Annabella said.

Narcissa just nodded before getting up. "By the way, Mrs Malfoy, what is your husband's favourite drink?" she asked.

"Red wine, why are you asking?" asked Narcissa.

Annabella just smiled before removing the silencing charm. Lucius stood up immediately. Narcissa and Lucius were about to leave when she looked directly at Lucius and spoke to him in a tone that left him with no delusions that he had a choice. "Mr Malfoy, I want to have a private session with you tomorrow, alone."

Lucius muttered darkly and left while Narcissa followed.

"Are you happy now, after infuriating me in front of a bloody Mudblood!" Lucius shouted.

Narcissa was fed up with her husband's tantrum. She pulled out a wand and pointed at Lucius. Who pulled out his wand as well.

"That woman is helping and if I have to put the Imperius Curse on you to make you go there, I'll do it," Narcissa said determinedly.

Lucius scoffed. "How could I forget? The Blacks love putting the Imperius Curse on people. It's how you always get what you want! Your grandfather cast it on your dear uncle once, right? So he would stop sleeping with blokes," Lucius sneered.

Narcissa's blood boiled after hearing that. "At least my uncle wasn't Dark Lord's lapdog like your father. You ruined our lives by deciding to follow him, " Narcissa shot back.

At the mention of Voldemort, something snapped inside Lucius. He lunged at Narcissa who dodged him, resulting in Lucius failing on floor. Before he could get up and attack Narcissa again, she ran upstairs locking herself in one of the rooms.

The next day Lucius swallowed his pride and went to see the therapist. He didn't know what had come over him yesterday. Maybe Narcissa was right; he was just like his father. Lucius entered the office and the first thing he saw was two glasses of red wine on the therapist's desk. He looked around but the woman wasn't there. He sat on the chair reaching for the glass then pulled his hand back. Just then Annabella entered. She looked pleased to see Lucius there.

"Ah, Mr Malfoy. I didn't think you would come since you don't trust me," she said.

"I don't," Lucius confirmed.

Annabelle offered Lucius the drink but didn't take it.

"Offering your client alcoholic beverage to open up. Very professional, Miss Young," Lucius taunted.

Annabella just shook her head. She transfigured Lucius's chair and again but he refused.

"You might put poison in it or Veritaserum," he stated.

"I'm no ministry official, Mr Malfoy. It only has calming drought," Annabella confessed.

Lucius searched her eyes for lies and deception. Finding nothing, he took the drink and after a long sip he laid back. Immediately wave of calmness overcome him.

"Now, Mr Malfoy just l concentrate on my voice," Annabella said in a voice which people refer as 'The Siren's Murmur'.

Lucius closed his eyes and concentrated on the voice.

"Now, Mr Malfoy, I know you're a high born, aristocratic, Pureblood wizard. Was your marriage with Mrs Malfoy forced?"

"No, the moment I saw her, I decided that I had to have her. I convinced my father to fix our alliance."

"Betrothal? With the youngest Black girl. You've lost your mind Lucius," scolded Abraxas Malfoy. His cold grey eyes fixed on his son.

"Narcissa isn't insane like her sisters. She's docile and obedient. She'll be a good, subservient wife," Lucius told his father.

Abraxas pondered for a bit then spoke, "Alright, I'll talk to the Blacks. She better not turn out like your mother, or I will have to take care of another blonde bitch," Abraxas muttered under his breath.

"What did you say?" Lucius asked

"I said that I'll talk to Orion and Walburga! Are you happy?"

"Wait, but she isn't heir daughter.".

Abraxas just snorted to hear that. "Despite Cygnus being the girl's father, everyone knows who the real head of that family is," Abraxas said patting Lucius' shoulder.

"So, you and your father were close?" Annabella asked. Lucius just sighed.

"Yes, he was the ideal father. I am what I am today is because of him," Lucius said fondness filling his tone.

"And your mother? What was she like? As long as we're digging up the past, we may as well dig up your mother." she asked.

Immediately Lucius sat up glaring at the therapist as he spoke, "My mother died when I was very young. When she was alive, she was never around. My house-elves raised me. Can I go now?" he asked.

Annabella sensed a tint of hatred when Lucius spoke about his mother. Before she could say something, Lucius left, leaving Annabella confused and concerned.

That night Lucius slept restlessly, twisting and turning in his slumber. A recurring dream haunted him. It was so vivid, almost like a memory.

Seven-year-old Lucius found himself tied to a stone altar. He tried to get up, but no matter what he did, he failed. The room was dark and he was scared, and alone.

"Misty, Tilly, Father, Mother, help me, help me!" he shouted.

Someone entered the room and with a quick 'Lumos' the whole room brightened. Lucius saw a hooded figure enter with a bowl in her hands. When it removed the hood, Lucius was shocked to see his mother there. She approached him pulling out something from the bowl and spreading it all over him. Lucius recognized the smell; it was scented oil.

"M-mother, what are you doing? Where's father?" Lucius asked shaking with fear. The smell of the scented oil was making him dizzy and nauseous.

"Sending you to a much better place than this, my dear," Cordelia Malfoy said pulling out a dagger. She looks upward and chanted, "Oh Inanna, my goddess, my mistress. Take the innocent child, untouched by any sin and give me his youth in return.".

She ignored her son's screams, and was about to stab him when an unseen force threw her against the wall. A terrified Lucius tilted his head to see his father standing there. He was livid.

"I warned you, Cordelia. If you did not stop your madness I would kill you. You crossed the line this time. Avada Kadevra."

Lucius saw the flash of green light, and then everything went blank. Abraxas untied his son who was trembling like a leaf. He clutched tightly to his father, crying. Abraxas patted Lucius' head

"Don't worry, Son, she's gone."

Lucius woke up with a start, his body covered in cold sweat. Despite his father's assurances he never got over the ordeal.

The next time Narcissa met Annabella, the therapist told her:

"See, Mrs Malfoy, your husband's issues have nothing to do with your married life, it's something else."

Narcissa was shocked. "What could that be?" Narcissa asked innocently.

Over the next few minutes, , she started to get an idea of what might be bothering Lucius. She bid goodbye to Annabella and apparated home.

Lucius was sitting alone when the door was flung open with a bang. He looked up to see Narcissa there who looked extremely worried. Before he could say anything she was by his side.

"Lucius, why didn't you tell me?" Narcissa asked.

"What is there to tell," Lucius replied nonchalantly.

Narcissa shook her head as she asked, "We spent twenty-five years together, Lucius. I was foolish to think that whatever was bothering you had something to do with us. Please, Lucius, what's bothering you? I've already lost my parents, my sister and now I have probably lost my son too. I don't want to lose you as well."

Lucius turned to Narcissa and gently cupped her face. He looked her in the eyes and told her everything. How Voldemort used to torture him and threaten that he would murder both her and Draco if Lucius didn't follow his orders. He also told her about his mother, and how much he hated her, and what she had done to him. After hearing everything Narcissa just sighed.

"Oh Lucius, I wish I had known this before."

"It's alright, Narcissa. And we are not going to that therapist anymore! She used 'The Siren's Murmur' on me," Lucius said scandalised.

"B-but there's no way a mud-I mean Muggleborn knows it," Narcissa said.

"Maybe she's an exception. You were right, she was helpful, but I'm not going to her again," Lucius said stubbornly.

Narcissa just shook her head.

END