A/N: After so long, I am back to posting here. This is a Lucius/Narcissa novel, mostly set during the first war - in their sixth year of Hogwarts. Because of this, even though the novel is about their relationship with each other and their family and friends, darker elements - blood purity, violence, Death Eaters, etc - will be a part of this story. This story was first written for the site Harry Potter Fanfic Talk, which only allows darker themes to go so far, so while this story will be posted here and on AO3 as well, I probably want edit anything.

As well as the above, this story also looks at mental health and suicide. Should anything else come up, I will let you know beforehand.

I also post on AO3 as AgentHenry and HPFT as The Heir of Slytherin. If you see a different name post my stories, please let me know, because that will not be me.

I hope you enjoy this story.

Sam.

I: Teenage Dream

Let's go all the way tonight, no regrets, just love

We can dance until we die, you and I, we'll be young forever

Teenage Dream, Katy Perry

May, 1999

"You're here to do what exactly?"

After surviving a war where the monster lived within the very walls he was currently pacing around, there wasn't a lot that surprised Draco Malfoy anymore, and even less he feared. But as he circled his corner of the room to watch the psychiatrist, Narcissa caught a bit of both in her son's eyes. A woman brave enough to take on his father inspired such reactions.

A Muggleborn happy to walk into Malfoy Manor was enough to demand their attention. She sat straight against the couch, her ankles crossed, and a notebook on her lap. Professional. Ready. Comfortable. Narcissa watched her, counting her breaths to push away her envy, and the woman across from her only smiled in return.

"To hear about your father," she repeated. "Mr Malfoy was very specific; if I want to know him better, I must ask the person who knows him best."

The Healer tipped her head to Narcissa. She remained still. The letter, stating Healer Sutherland's request to visit and her intentions for it had arrived a week ago and Narcissa had taken three days to read it thoroughly and talk it through with Draco. She'd gone to her sister Andromeda, her and Lucius' friend David Nott and his partner Stephen Odell, and wrote to anyone else still alive to make sure they were okay if she followed the instructions in the letter before sending her response. Narcissa knew what the woman wanted to hear, she just didn't understand why.

"Draco." She patted the seat beside her and waited for him to sit before continuing. "What we want to know is how this is relevant and why Lucius would agree to it in the first place. If the answers you provide are adequate, you may ask whatever you like and I will answer truthfully."

"Okay." Sutherland tucked a stray hair behind her ear and pulled herself up even straighter. "The point of the rehabilitation programme is to assess an individual, to make sure they leave Azkaban as functioning members of society and are worthy of early release if and when it comes up. But I hope Mr Malfoy genuinely learns something from it." She paused, nodded to herself. "When this idea was presented to Law Enforcement and the Minister, Head Auror Odell went to Mr Malfoy first, because they know each other and Odell figured that, given everything Mr Malfoy did during the wars, the battle, and the trials, he might be the most open to trying something that would help bring him home. We've been meeting for a few weeks, and though he wants to do this properly from what I can tell, he freely admits to not being the best at honest communication. When it comes to himself, at least. He can talk for the entire hour about you two. Unfortunately, it isn't about you two, so when I asked if he had any suggestions for what to do, he said to come to you, Mrs Malfoy. Maybe, like him, you will be better at talking about someone else. If this works and I can build on our conversation to keep going with Mr Malfoy, in time we may call this programme a success and he could be home long before his five years."

Narcissa took a second to turn to Draco, who shrugged. They'd already discussed everything; her son would happily try anything to help his family. But he didn't know his father like Narcissa did and his childhood idolisation of Lucius was too biased for it to help much. This was her decision to make.

"Let me make this clear, Mrs Malfoy; you don't have to. Mr Malfoy only made a suggestion. I can tell him you said no and keep working with him."

He won't be home as fast, though. The words were on the tip of the Healer's tongue. Narcissa wondered if they tasted as bitter to Sutherland as they did to her, or if Lucius was merely a test subject and the woman actually didn't care what happened to her husband. Narcissa wouldn't

blame her; it was a miracle a Muggleborn was working with a Malfoy at all. On both sides. It showed Lucius' commitment to coming home; it showed the Wizengamot his readiness to change. It was just a job to Sutherland. She needed a success story.

It can only be a good thing at this point.

Narcissa laughed suddenly, a soft sound they only heard because it broke the silence. Both Draco and Sutherland watched her curiously and waited for her to explain.

"I'm sorry, it's just -" She laughed again. "Everyone called him Lucky or Luck when we were kids, because nothing bad could really touch him. Even when his luck turned sour, it never lasted. Still doesn't. He got away with it completely after the first war, he escaped his first time in prison, and now he could cut down a five year sentence to one, maybe two, because he's got a Muggleborn to fight his corner. All these years I've known him and I still don't know how he does it. It was infuriating when we were teenagers, I tried to knock him down a peg or two more than once."

"Summer 1971?" Sutherland asked.

Frowning, Narcissa nodded. "How did you know?"

"He made a comment a couple of weeks ago." She flipped a couple of pages in her notebook. "I asked him was there a time in his life when his ideals or beliefs were different to the ones he had during the war and if he was happier. He said summer 1971 to summer 1972. He said that, besides the birth of his son, that was when only one thing mattered and that year has the best and worst days of his life, because you and him were the best and worst versions of yourselves. He said to ask you about it."

That year flit through her mind like scrapbook memories, glimpses that never showed the whole picture. A life neither they nor their friends ever really spoke about. She found herself silently grateful that she'd asked their permission.

"Okay." She took Draco's hand. "If you're staying for this story, I'll warn you now. It doesn't often show your father in the best light and I have my moments as well."

Draco rolled his eyes. "After everything that happened in the war, I think I can handle it."

"That's not what I meant," she said, shaking her head when he asked her to explain. That would get ahead of the story.

"Because it'll help," she whispered to herself. "I'll start at the beginning."