I Love You
by maybeknot
Disclaimer: Characters belong to J.K. Rowling and dialogue belongs to Katherine Mansfield. Plot belongs to me, however.
Narcissa stared out of the giant, floor to ceiling window. The house was giant, but she never felt lonely in it. It never felt too big for her. Unlike some people, she was made for richness, grew up with nice things. She understood them, those items that were fine. Aged wine, luxurious fabrics, imported tea…
Tea. She remembered. It was tea-time. Narcissa called one of the many house elves and ordered it to have tea ready. Knowing that her tea would be ready, she lounged in a comfy green armchair. Green was her color, after all. She was a Slytherin princess. She reminisced about the days in Hogwarts, so long ago. But that brought her mind to what she had been trying to avoid.
Lucius. He had been gone for a long time. Business, he said. Narcissa tried to tell herself. For some reason, everything made sense now. Now that her husband had been gone for so long, she realized that she missed him.
So perhaps there was something more to their relationship? She tried to say no, there wasn't, it was just a business deal, like what existed between dignified pureblood families, but she knew she was deluding herself. She loved her husband. But she would never say it to his face.
Just as she thought that, she heard the front door open. She rushed down to look at it, and sure enough, it was who she had been thinking of.
He looked at her, with those cold grey eyes. But they didn't look so cold today. She even caught a glimpse of something that might have almost been a smile.
"Not busy?" He said, as if surprised to see Narcissa in his home. No, their home.
"No," She replied. Brushing an invisible wrinkle out of her skirt. "Just going to have tea."
The walked up the stairs, almost in silence. "And you are not expecting anybody?"
"Nobody at all."
"Ah! That's good."
Narcissa smiled. So he was happy to see her too. It dawned on her that this conversation would seem very strange to an outsider. They were, after all, a married couple.
But they were Malfoys. It simply wouldn't do for them to act like common filth. Like Gryffindors. Or worse, like Weasleys. Narcissa almost let out an involuntary shudder at the thought. Her, Narcissa Black Malfoy, like a Weasley. No, she was better than them.
She snuck a look at Lucius, who also seemed to be absorbed in his own thoughts.
They sat down in the living room, taking the cups of tea offered by the over-enthusiastic house elves.
"Umm.." said Lucius, looking almost uncomfortable.
"Why should we speak?" said Narcissa, taking another sip of tea. "Isn't this enough?"
Lucius gazed at her, seeming relieved at her words. "More than enough. I never realized until this moment…"
"How good it is just to be with you…" Narcissa finished with a weak smile.
"Like this…" said Lucius, completely forgetting his tea, just looking at Narcissa, his expression unreadable.
She had missed him, the loneliness was what that feeling in her stomach had been. She had missed him. And he had missed her. Narcissa smiled. Sometimes, fate knew what it was doing. Perhaps some pureblood marriages were meant to be real, not like dear Bella's.
She was happy, just to be drinking tea with her husband, looking into his eyes, looking at his face.
"It's more than enough."
I love you.
They both said it, in their heads, right there. But neither of them said it out loud, but they didn't have to. Sometimes you can just tell.
Author's Note: Okay, so I was reading "Psychology" by Katherine Mansfield (wonderful author, by the way), when I read this exchange. In my head I realized the moment I saw it that it was perfect for Lucius and Narcissa. So, this fic was born.
Please review, I always appreciate it.