Chapter One – Sound of a Breaking Heart

The pouring rain and crashing thunder seemed to externalize the feelings the ripped through the young woman as she chased the man she thought she loved to the door, crying out his name. "Don't go! Please don't do this!"

The handsome, blond man had his hand on the door, but he stopped, apparently feeling an inkling of pity for the woman he'd been seeing for months now. He turned slowly to face her. "I will not stay. I will not stain my family's name any longer, you disgusting muggle."

The words hurt, but Rose knew he didn't mean them. "Lucius," she said, "Lucius, don't say those things. You don't mean them. So what if I'm not a witch? I know about the magical world. I understand it. I understand you. Please don't go. I . . . I love you, Lucius."

At twenty-years-old, Lucius Malfoy was not a naïve man. Rose may think she knew him, but she knew nothing. This – what he was doing with her – was not worth jeopardizing his life. He didn't love her, and if she loved him . . . well, that was her own problem, not his. "Don't be an idiot," he sneered. "You haven't known me long enough to love me. Now, I'm going." He turned back to the door.

"No!" Rose leapt at him, her arms wrapping around his waist, her face buried in his back. "No. Please, don't go. Please."

Lucius felt her tears, soaking his cloak. "Get off of me, woman," he snarled, throwing her back to the floor. "You're pathetic. You really think that I could love someone as hopeless as you?"

"You don't love Narcissa, though," Rose whispered.

"Shut up," Lucius muttered.

"She's a pure blood witch. She's rich and beautiful, but you don't love her," Rose continued. "If you did, Lucius, you wouldn't be here. You wouldn't be in my bed every night."

The strong wizard felt himself shake. "Hush," he said, but his voice was weak.

"You don't love her, even though you want to. You love me, Lucius."

"No!" His hand whipped across her face, causing her to fall back again, crying in shock and pain. For a moment, Lucius regretted this, pitying this poor, delusional girl, but then he came back to his senses. He cared not for this filthy muggle. "I may not love Narcissa as a husband should," he told her, "but that does not mean I love you. Do you know what it does mean, Rose? It means that you were just there when I was bitter. You were easy. You're naïve to think that just because someone sleeps with you they love you."

Rose's young, round face was broken. It was as if you could see her soul die. "Lucius," she whispered.

He ignored her. He turned back to the door, grasping the cold door knob in his fingers.

"Lucius, you have to know something."

The wizard debated on whether to open the door or not, but his hesitation gave Rose the time to confess.

"Lucius, I'm pregnant."

Lucius's blood ran cold. "Pregnant?" he whispered.

"Yes," Rose said, getting to her feet. She pushed the strands of golden blond hair from her face. "You're the father of my baby. You may not love me, but can you really tell me you will not love your own child?"

Lucius turned to face the young woman. "I could never love something so tainted with filthy, muggle blood."

Rose was shocked into silence, giving Lucius the opportunity to open the door at last and escape into the stormy night.

Narcissa's pale eyes looked up as the front door opened. She stood and walked to meet her husband as he entered the furrier. "How was the meeting?" she asked, kissing Lucius on the cheek.

"Good," her husband replied, hanging his coat. "Sorry we ran a bit late. The Dark Lord is not happy right now. He's still trying to find those Potters."

"Really?" Narcissa said. "Well, they do have Dumbledore on their side."

"Your sister said to tell you hello," Lucius continued. "Bellatrix and her husband were still there when I left."

Narcissa nodded.

"Where's Draco?" Lucius asked.

"I just put him to bed," she told him. "I still can't believe he's almost six months old. He's a little angel."

Lucius smiled. "We do have a good son, don't we?"

Narcissa nodded.

"And, you think I'm a good father, right?" Lucius asked.

Narcissa smiled. "A wonderful father."

Lucius looked relieved. He kissed her on the forehead and said, "I'm going to bed. I'm tired. Good night."

"Good night," Narcissa repeated.

Narcissa watched her husband disappear down the hall, but she didn't move. She knew he was lying – she'd known for months. Bella had visited the manor that night, so she was certain that this meeting – like the others – was fake. He'd been with another woman, and she was sure of it. She even knew who the woman was, a young muggle who had witch for a sister.

Narcissa was bitter towards her husband's mistress. She pitied the girl. Lucius was using her. What would happen to this girl when Lucius got tired of her?

She entered the living room, collapsing in a comfy armchair as Dobby, the houself, entered. "Can I get you anything, Miss Narcissa?" the scrawny thing asked.

"No, Dobby," Narcissa sighed. "You can go to bed."

Dobby gave a deep bow and scurried off to his bedroom, under the stairs.

Easing back into the chair, Narcissa's mind was full of thoughts. Why hadn't she left Lucius when she realized he didn't love her? She really didn't know. She knew that his affair with a muggle could destroy more than his reputation. Voldemort would be angry, and considering who this girl was . . . Lucius would be dead if Voldemort learned her identity. Was that why she stayed? Even if Lucius didn't love her, perhaps she still loved him.

A soft murmur came from the next room and Narcissa got to her feet. She walked softly into her son's bedroom and peered into his crib. The tiny baby was sleep soundly. She ran her fingers through his white blond hair – then it her.

"Draco."

Draco was the reason she'd stayed. She wanted her son to know his father, to love him – even if he wasn't the man she'd like him to be.

Narcissa wiped a single tear from her cheek. She made a resolution then and there. Even though it broke her heart, she would stay for her son. She would stay for Draco.

She could not foresee the consequences of this decision. How was she to see that sixteen years later, her sweet little boy would be a Death Eater? How was she to know that, no matter what she did, Draco would grow to hate his father? Or that, in just a few short months, a baby would be born without a father.

Author's Note: While I wrote this I spent a lot of time listening to music, so each chapter will have a song that either reflects a character or what happened in the chapter. I'll give the song, the artist, and a few lyrics, so maybe you'll check the songs out and see where some of this was coming from.

This chapter's son is "Lithium" by Evanescence, which describes the relationship I created between Lucius and Narcissa and Lucius and Rose.

Here is the song. Thanks to Moonshard Kuronue, who helped me get the lyrics right.

Lithium.

Don't want to lock me up inside.

Lithium.

Don't want to forget how it feels without.

Lithium.

I want to stay in love with my sorrow.

Oh, but God, I want to let it go.

Come to bed, don't make me sleep alone.

Couldn't hid the emptiness, you let it show.

Never wanted it to be so cold.

Just didn't drink enough to say you loved me.

I can't hold on to me.

Wonder what's wrong with me.

Lithium

Don't want to lock me up inside.

Lithium.

Don't want to forget how it feels without.

Lithium.

I want to stay in love with my sorrow.

Don't want to let it lay me down this time.

Drown my will to fly.

Here in the darkness I know myself.

Can't break free until I let it go.

Let me go.

Darling I forgive you after all.

Anything is better than to be alone.

And in the end I guess I had to fall.

Always find my place among the ashes.

I can't hold on to me.

Wonder what's wrong with me.

Lithium.

Don't want to lock me up inside.

Lithium.

Don't want to forget how it feels without.

Lithium.

Stay in love with me.

Oh, I'm gonna let it go.