Title: Placeholder, You Are Not
Rating: T
Pairing(s)/Character(s): Rodolphus/Narcissa
Warnings: Mentioned Past Character Death
Disclaimer: Don't own 'em - not making any money off 'em. Dern it.
Word Count: 1,519
Summary: It's Draco's seventh birthday, and what is up with Narcissa?
Notes:
Last Ship Sailing Competition: Action: setting a dinner table / Action: staring at a clock / Dialogue: "You don't mean that." / Word: weakness / Color: Magenta - Bonus: Dialogue: "There's no need to be so rude." / Color: grey / Object: Knut
Greek Mythology Category Competition: Hestia - Write a family fic
Pokemon Trading Card Collection Challenge: Junx - Platinum - Write about a character (either male or female) performing (or attempting to) a seductive dance.
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry: Muggle Studies - Task 6 - Write about someone who becomes a mother, or father figure to their partner's child(ren)
Rodolphus watched as the house elf set the dinner table. He forgot the house elf's name, but it didn't really matter. The elf was peppy and happy as he placed the plates and silverware in the proper place. His eyes were wide, and Rodolphus saw how eager he was to please.
Rodolphus sat at one end of the table, staring at the grey table cloth. He then looked up at the wall and stared at the clock.
It was almost dinner time, and still, Narcissa hadn't arrived home. He hoped she would make it in time. It was Draco's birthday, and he would never understand why his mother missed his birthday dinner.
He was distracted by hurried footsteps and looked at the door, easily smiling at seven-year old Draco Malfoy.
"Hey, Birthday Boy," Rodolphus greeted, letting out a surprised sound when Draco lunged at him. He barely caught the boy, his hand gripping Draco's magenta shirt, and almost had a bony knee in his groin. "Warn a guy next time before you decide to become a human jumping bean, won't you?" Rodolphus joked.
Draco pouted. "It was an accident. There's no need to be rude."
Rodolphus laughed. "I'm rude? You jumped on me, Draco."
Draco grinned. "I'm excited. I'm seven-years-old today, and we're having my favorite dinner." He hopped a little on Rodolphus's lap.
"I see that you're excited, but try to settle down a little bit."
Draco nodded and looked at the table. He grinned when he saw the knut laying innocently on the table. He reached for it.
Rodolphus stopped him with a gentle hand to Draco's wrist. "Is that yours?"
Draco nodded. "Dobby always leaves me a knut on my birthday. He has ever since Dad died."
Rodolphus furrowed his brows. Dobby must have been the house elf. "Really? Why?"
Draco shrugged. "He knows it makes me feel special that I can carry money on me. Even if it's not a lot."
Rodolphus allowed Draco to take his present from Dobby and wondered where Dobby got the knut. He shrugged the thought off. He could always investigate it later if he wanted to.
Draco stared at the knut for a moment before he looked up in Rodolphus's eyes. "Where's Mommy?"
Rodolphus hesitated, but in the end, he told his stepson the truth. "She's not home yet."
Draco's silver eyes became clouded. "She'll be home in time for dinner though, right?"
He knew Draco's birthday was hard on Narcissa since Lucius had died not even a week before his son's third birthday. It wasn't too hard on Draco since his memories were foggy, but Narcissa was always withdrawn on Draco's birthday."I'm... not sure," He admitted, hating the fact that it was the truth.
"She missed my birthday dinner last year."
"I know."
"If she misses it this year, I won't ever forgive her," Draco steadfastly vowed.
Rodolphus brushed Draco's blond locks out of his eyes. "You don't mean that."
"Yeah, I do. It's my birthday, and she should be here."
Rodolphus swallowed, and he realized today could forever ruin Narcissa's relationship with her only child. He gently pushed Draco off of his leg and stood up. "I need to go make a Floo call. Why don't you go play until it's time for dinner?"
Draco nodded and ran from the room.
Rodolphus hurried to the bedroom and knelt in front of the fireplace. He knew where Narcissa was and Floo called Andromeda.
"I want to talk to my wife," he demanded when Andromeda's head appeared.
Andromeda hesitated, and he saw her glance over her shoulder. "I don't think she's up for a conversation."
Rodolphus nodded. "Then you need to tell her something for me. Draco said he would never forgive her if she misses another birthday dinner. I understand that she still grieves for Lucius, and I accept that, but she has to remember she has a son that turns seven today. And he would like to celebrate with his mom. Will you tell her that?"
"I'll make sure she gets the message," Andromeda promised.
It was the best Rodolphus could hope for, and he cut off the Floo connection. Now he could only hope that Narcissa decided to be the mother he knew she was.
Rodolphus and Draco were seated at the table, waiting for the serving elf to get them their dinner.
Draco's eyes were locked on his lap as he slouched in his seat.
Rodolphus didn't have the heart to tell him to sit up straight.
A noise at the doorway caused them both to look towards it. Rodolphus smiled when he saw his lovely wife striding towards the table, nothing in her movements showing her grief or turmoil
Rodolphus wasn't surprised that she looked so normal; she hated showing weakness of any kind, even in front of her family, after all.
Draco wasn't reserved in his joy, and he jumped up and ran to Narcissa, who opened her arms for him. "You're here!"
"Yeah," she softly breathed, kissing the top of his head. "I'm sorry I'm a little late."
Draco positively beamed. "It doesn't matter. As long as you're here."
Narcissa and Rodolphus looked at each other as she led Draco back to the table. When she sat down next to him, Rodolphus reached over, underneath the table, and gently squeezed her thigh, silently telling her he was glad she came.
Narcissa smiled and brushed a hand on his shoulder just as dinner appeared on the table.
They looked at each other—all three of them—and quickly began eating.
That night, Rodolphus lounged on the loveseat in their bedroom.
Narcissa stood in front of him, a hand poised over her top. She slowly stripped it off, swaying her hips in the start of a seductive dance.
"Stop," Rodolphus quietly ordered.
Narcissa paused. "You're not interested in where this is going?" she teased.
Rodolphus's eyes darkened as they moved to her breasts. "I am very interested, but don't you think we should talk?"
Narcissa sighed. "Why?"
"Because I love you, and I'm worried this marriage won't last if we don't communicate a little bit."
Narcissa rolled her eyes and gently eased down her lap. "Okay. What do you want to talk about?"
"You and Lucius."
Narcissa's left index and middle finger gently touched his lips. "Lucius was my husband. My first love. When we decided to marry, you told me you accepted, and even respected, Lucius's position in my heart. Was that a lie?"
Rodolphus kissed her fingers. "No, it wasn't a lie. All of that still holds very true for me. I know I will never take Lucius's place in your heart. I have to know, though. Do I have any place in your heart, or are you just biding your time until someone better comes along?"
"How can you believe that?" she asked.
Rodolphus stared deeply into her eyes. "Actions speak louder than words, and it feels like I'm barely holding onto you."
Narcissa leaned forward and captured his lips in a passionate kiss.
He moaned, clutching her back, feeling her breasts pressed against his chest. He angled his head, deepening the kiss, as his lower body took notice of their close proximity.
She pulled away with a gentle nip to his bottom lip before she soothed it was a lick.
"Narcissa?" he asked, voice roughened by lust.
"I love you, and I am so sorry that my actions—or lack thereof—made you doubt my feelings. It's hard around Draco's birthday, but I didn't realize that I might have been holding you at arm's length the rest of the year as well. I guess, I'm afraid that if I let you get too close, something will happen, and you'll be taken away from me like Lucius was. I don't think I could survive another loss like that, and I'm not sure Draco would survive losing another father, especially since he's old enough to have vivid memories of you."
Rodolphus swallowed. His heart pounded loudly in his chest. "You think of me as Draco's father?"
She lightly kissed his cheek. "Of course. You love him. You take care of him. You play with him. Your protect him. As far as I'm concerned, you're his father."
"That's the best thing I've been told in quite a long time," Rodolphus admitted.
"And I'm going to try to show you how much I love you for now on. My feelings for Lucius have nothing to do with what I feel for you, and I'm so sorry I made you feel like you were nothing more than a placeholder. That couldn't be further from the truth."
Rodolphus kissed her on the lips again. Just a quick peck. "So..."
"So," Narcissa encouraged.
"About that seductive dance you started earlier..."
Narcissa grinned wickedly. "Oh, now you want to enjoy it, huh? Let me see what I can do for you," she exclaimed, standing up and getting ready to remove her top. "Sit back and enjoy the show," she whispered huskily.
Rodolphus's eyes were glued to her, and she was ready to give him something to stare at.