Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, etc, etc. Nor do I own any part of Browning's "Porphyria's Lover."

I hate this cell. I hate this whole God damned place. It is hell - my hell - the hell that I created for myself.

She never visits me. Not that she's even allowed to do so. No one can visit Azkaban. But I still blame her when she doesn't come.

Thank Merlin the Dementors are gone. They drove me insane while they were still here. I cannot even remember what Narcissa's face looks like because of those faceless leeches. Bastards.

(Can they be bastards? Can beings that grow like mould be bastards?) Now I'm engaging in a dialogue with myself. Again. I think a monologue is quite enough.

Narcissa. My butterfly. Mine. Even though she never comes to see me, I know she's still mine. Or is she?

Lucius Malfoy's eyes narrowed, becoming mere slits in his gaunt face.

She's with Snape. I know she is. She won't be able to deny it. When I am reunited with her she won't have a chance. Whore

Stop it. What am I saying? How can I say that about my wife?

A door grated in the distance.

Lovely. Someone's come to feed me. What's it been? Four days since food? One since water? Do I get fed again, before – Fucking bastards. They preach justice and humanity, yet they starve me. Me! A Malfoy. And there will be taunting... They say my son has disappeared. Or was it reappeared? Re-appealed? He was on trial. I remember now. But he can't have been re-appealed. He followed in my footsteps and served the Dark Lord. He must be here, somewhere, rotting in a dank cell just as I am. And I swore I wouldn't let him become like me. A monster. That's what I am.

A light shone from the corridor and filled his cell.

Lucius blinked and shielded his eyes from the glare.

'Ten minutes,' the guard stated flatly.

'Hello, Lucius,' a cool voice drawled.

Narcissa!

'Hello,' he said. His voice cracked.

'Enjoying yourself?' she asked, a look of calm determination strengthening her features.

'My love,' Lucius said. His voice wasn't so rusty this time.

Is she still mine?

She lifted her chin upwards.

'No. I am not your love.'

So final. But then why are there tears in her eyes?

'Thank you for coming, my sweet,' Lucius said in the silkiest voice he could manage.

'You don't deserve it,' she whispered. Her resolve was crumbling.

Distract her.

'Just to see your face,' he replied softly. 'So lovely.'

I must tempt her. Tempt her? To what? Why?

A tear slipped down her face and she approached the bars of his cell.

Mine.

He reached out and fingered her pale hair.

It's darker than it was. Or maybe it's the light. She looks like an angel.

Oh, repeating ourselves, are we? She's no angel. I know what she's done. I've seen her use an Unforgivable.

He looked into the clear blue depths of her eyes.

So perfect. So pure.

He grasped her hair in his fingers, in his hand.

In one long yellow string l wound 


Three times her little throat around,

And strangled her.

'Porphyria…'

A shrill scream broke from Narcissa's vocal chords before she jerked away from him, leaving several pale strands dangling from his bony fingers.

The guard and a man with long black hair darted from the shadows and a jet of light hit Lucius in the chest. Lucius was thrown back.

BASTARD! You stole her!!

Narcissa appeared stricken.

'Severus,' she whispered, going over to the black haired man.

FUCKING BASTARD!

'Let's go, Cissa,' Snape said, his voice caressing her pet name.

'BASTARD!'

Snape was positively livid. He sneered at Lucius.

'No, Lucius. I've done nothing wrong. You are the devil's spawn. You nearly killed her again. You won't live another day.'

'Your word is rot with the Ministry, Snape,' Lucius spat.

Mine! She's mine! You took that perfection. That one moment of purity just now. I was going to preserve her!

Snape sneered again.

'You've been rotting here so long you don't know what's going on in the real world anymore, Lucius. Voldemort is dead. Your son has married Hermione Granger.'

Traitor! Blood traitor! My own flesh has betrayed me!

Snape smiled a true smile and Lucius' blood ran cold for the first time in his life.

What's happening?

A young man with pale blond hair stepped out of the corridor, a young woman at his side.

What's happening? You took Narcissa, Snape. Let that be enough. Enough already. You've won.

'Lucius.'

The name dripped off Draco's tongue like venom. Slow venom. And Lucius' blood ran cold again.

Traitor. I didn't want you to be a monster. But marrying a Mudblood, that's just ridiculous.

Draco whispered something in his wife's ear. She shook her head and twined her fingers through his. And she looked straight at Lucius. Without fear.

What's happening to me? What is this?

'What you're feeling is fear,' Draco said in a low tone.

Fear? Malfoys do not fear. I do not fear. You should fear me

'I came because you need to know, Lucius,' Narcissa said.

Know what?

A feeling very like dread filled his being.

'I do not love you anymore.'

His blood was rushing to his ears.

'I haven't loved you for a long time.'

What's happening? Why does it hurt? Why do I hurt? She's only a woman. Only a thing. Mi- Not mine. Why does it hurt? Somebody tell me. What's happening?

'Hermione found a loophole in Wizarding Law, Lucius. I divorced you yesterday.'

DIVORCE! Have you gone completely savage?! Wizards do not divorce. Hermione. Mudblood. Loophole. Fuck them.

'Lucius, do you understand?'

'Of course I understand,' he spat. 'I'm not stupid.'

'Could've fooled me,' Draco muttered.

Traitor. You foul the name of Malfoy. You will pay. You will all pay.

'I wanted to tell you all this before…' Narcissa was saying.

He looked at her in annoyance.

Damn you, woman. Don't interrupt me. I'm speaking.

'…You do know what is going to happen, don't you?'

'YES, I KNOW!' Lucius shouted.

'Goodbye,' she said, slipping her hand into Snape's. They turned and began to leave.

'You're MINE!' Lucius yelled.

Snape hurried Narcissa out of the room.

'Goodbye,' Draco said coldly.

Hermione put her arm around her husband.

'Let's go.'

'TRAITOR!'

The footsteps receded.

'Come with me, Lucius,' the guard ordered, making the bars disappear.

When Lucius didn't move, ropes shot out of Lucius' wrists and bound him. The guard grabbed his arm and dragged him to a small room down the corridor.

A grim looking wizard was already in the room. His raised his wand at Lucius when the guard left the gaunt, blond wizard standing by himself.

'Any last words?'

Lucius sneered and raised his head high.

The lights went out.

FIN