A/N: I think this is one of my favorite Lucissa stories I've written thus far; I had a lot of fun with it. It's set not long after Deathly Hallows, so of course there are some minor spoilers for the series outcome. Please enjoy!
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, I just love them.
Narcissa disrobed herself of her hat, coat and gloves as she stepped through the manor doors, and hung them up on the coat rack near the entrance. She was thankful to be home after spending her afternoon and much of her evening shopping for both necessities for the manor and frivolities for herself - an endeavor in which Lucius had been vehemently against taking part in.
She carried the several bags she'd brought home with her into the sitting room where she found her husband sitting near the fire crackling in the mantle, currently engaged in reading the latest reports of the Evening Prophet. He looked up from the paper and offered her a smile.
"How was it, Cissa?" he asked with a subtle nervous glance toward the bags he knew he could have easily been coerced into carrying had he agreed to accompany her.
"Oh, I had fun… But I'm glad to be home." Narcissa set her items on the coffee table and took a seat on the finely upholstered black sofa next to Lucius, glad to be off her feet.
"That makes two of us, then." He folded the Evening Prophet, and it soon joined Narcissa's things on the table. His right arm quickly found its way around her slight form, and he pulled her in close for a kiss. He could feel her soft lips move to form the beginnings of a smile beneath his own before they parted.
"Lucius," the woman giggled, "just what's put you in such an… affable mood today…?" It was not every day, after all, that returning home from running errands warranted her such a romantic response, no matter how long she happened to be out. While there were several matters which she had intended to discuss with him upon her return, being greeted with a kiss like his drove them from her mind, if only temporarily.
Lucius shrugged and answered, "I suppose 'you did, as you're my wife and you always put me in a good mood' wouldn't be a good enough answer?"
"It might be, if it weren't such an obvious lie," she laughed, and leaned her head against his shoulder.
"I'm not lying, Cissy, truly."
She shot him a skeptical look, but made no further argument. It seemed to Narcissa that their relationship had improved considerably after Voldemort's fall, and Lucius seemed to be just as affectionate with her as he had been before the second war began. No longer did they exchange nervous glances in the manor corridors, turn out the lights without so much as saying goodnight, or use only the most subtle of looks and touches to reassure one another that things would turn out all right. They were, Narcissa thought, more in love now than they had been in ages and it was starting to appear that Lucius felt the very same, difficult as it may have been for him to say so.
"Well, should that be case… Why don't you make me happier by staying here with me for the remainder of the evening and talking with me?"
"I can think of nothing I'd rather do," he assured her. "Anything in particular you were hoping to speak with me about?"
"Oh, this and that…" Narcissa mused as she felt her husband remove the clip from her hair and begin running his fingers through it. "I thought I'd show you the new robes I bought today so you could tell me how lovely I'll look in them, for one thing."
"It would be my pleasure, I-"
"Lucius, how would you feel about having another child?"
Her abrupt change of subject startled him, and he truly couldn't be sure if he'd heard correctly what she'd asked him. He shook her head from his shoulder and turned to meet her eyes. "You're asking what I would think of us…conceiving again…? After seventeen years…?"
"Yes, Lucius, that's essentially what I'm asking." Narcissa's tone remained calm and casual, as if the subject she were addressing were no more out of the ordinary than asking her husband what he'd like her to make for dinner.
"Well, I… I don't know about that, Cissa, not now…" he began, hardly sure of what to say. "We both know how very difficult it can be to raise a child… Why do you ask so suddenly, if I may inquire?"
"Ah, it's… just something I've thought about in recent days." She could see clearly in his eyes his desire for further explanation and continued, "I remember better than anyone that it was the farthest thing from easy, but raising Draco brought me some of the happiest moments of my life. And I think you and I became closer through it as well," she added with an unusually demure smile. "…Perhaps I'm just being foolish."
"Now that's not it at all, Narcissa. It's been years since I've given any serious thought to becoming a father again. It's very hard for me to say if that's something I'd still want at my age."
"…I'd be lying if I said I didn't understand your concerns; I can't count the hours I've spent thinking about that myself. However…" She took his hands in hers and looked down at them. "I also realize that I'm no longer young, and I don't have too many years left in which I'd still be capable of bearing another heir for the Malfoy family. Maybe that's why I'm so sure now that it's something I know I would want."
Lucius couldn't help but dwell on those words. She was right, of course, that if he desired a second heir he should make it known to her quickly, but it wasn't easy for him to imagine even then. He and Narcissa would be in their sixties before the child graduated from school, after all, and he was well aware of the possibility that by that point, the two of them could already be grandparents.
"Cissa… the Malfoy family does already have its successor. I don't want you to misinterpret my meaning, but in that regard, I… I just don't think having another child would be… optimal, necessarily. For generations only one son was ever born into the family, and inheritance was never made a problem. Speaking simply as a pureblood, I wouldn't wish for any trouble to befall you and I, or our children." One look at his wife told him that he may not have presented his point in the best possible way.
"L-Lucius, I think I may have been right; I was just being foolish." Narcissa stood to leave, and turned back to look at Lucius. "I'll be upstairs," she said hastily, and didn't wait for a response.
He watched her ascend the stairs and sighed when she disappeared from his sight. He knew he wasn't the most tactful of men, with the way his pureblood sensibilities often got in the way of his consideration for Narcissa's feelings, but Narcissa hadn't lived with him for more than twenty years only to be oblivious to that fact. After another moment of silent contemplation, he followed her upstairs.
The door to the bedroom opened silently. Lucius was greeted by the sight of Narcissa sitting at the far edge of their bed, facing away from him. "Narcissa, I'm sorry for upsetting you so," he said, doing his best to keep his tone level. "You asked my opinion, yet you act as if it's already a certainty…"
It was several seconds before Narcissa found the words with which to respond. "…What if… What if it was a certainty, Lucius…?"
"Cissa, just what are you saying…? Do you mean to tell me that you're…pregnant again…?" he asked, hardly able to believe it.
Narcissa responded with a small nod.
"B-But Cissa, why didn't you tell me sooner? That's excellent; it 's what you want, isn't it?"
"I couldn't be sure that I really was with child until today, Lucius. That's the reason I went out today, to receive confirmation from the Healers…" she confessed, still refusing to turn and look at him.
"And that's why you asked me how I'd feel about having more children… I do wish you would have just told me. "
"And if I did that, you wouldn't have told me how you honestly felt."
Lucius couldn't deny her claim. It was true that he would never have mentioned any reservations he still had, especially when he knew that a larger family was something she desired. "…You're right," he concluded, to Narcissa's mild surprise, "but discovering that I'm going to be a father is much, much different than simply speculating the possibility. I'm thrilled, Narcissa, truly! And I know you are, as well."
She turned to look at him, and kept her eyes focused on his as she spoke, as if to analyze the truth of his words. "I am, and incredibly so. This is something that I've wanted for some time now, Lucius, and I'm so glad my wish has finally come true."
He joined her on their bed and wrapped his arms loosely around her waist from behind her, his hands folded over her abdomen. "Please disregard what I said earlier… Honestly, the more think about it, the more excited I become about the prospect of being a dad again," he said with a chuckle. As soon as Narcissa announced that she was pregnant, Lucius realized he no longer particularly cared how old he would be when his child graduated, or how many heirs his family would have, or if he would have a son or a daughter, or anything of the sort. He was simply happy, for his wife and for himself. "Please," he implored once more.
"…I'll try," Narcissa smiled. At his new enthusiasm, her own spirits began to lift, and she found it easy to believe that his sentiments were genuine.
"Thank you." He released her from his hold, and he reclined back on the bed and made room for her to do the same, should she care to join him.
"You're a good father, Lucius," she reminded him, "and you'll be an even better one now that there's no Dark Lord to bind you or your son."
"I think you give me more credit than I deserve. But I can't deny that without Voldemort around and with Draco's support, things will be much easier this time."
A smile crossed Narcissa's face. She was lucky, she thought, to have such a wonderful husband and an incredible son, with another child on the way, and no Dark Lord to control her or her family. "I can only hope so." She leaned down carefully to kiss him once more, as a silent way of expressing both her love and gratitude towards him.
"Say, Narcissa…" he said with questioning glance her way after several moments of contented silence, "Isn't there quite a bit we need to do before you have this baby? It'll need new clothing, we'll need to get all sort of supplies, make sure the manor is safe, take down the portrait of your aunt-"
"Yes, and we will have plenty of time for all of that," she said reassuringly. "Right now, however, I'd like to dress for bed and turn in early for the night, as I'm quite exhausted from being out all day. I'd be quite pleased if you would do the same and join me."
Lucius was prepared to object; to say that he wanted to make preparations for his new son or daughter as soon as possible, but quickly thought better of it. "…Yes, dear."