Lucius emerged from the shower wearing nothing but a lazily contented smirk, though he decided to wrap a towel around his waist after a moment of deliberation. He was happy, and his world made sense again. It was a strange, abrupt change, but he most certainly liked it.
"Narcissa, beautiful," he called, pushing his fingers through his wet hair as he emerged into his bedroom. "I was thinking-"
He froze. Narcissa had not changed into her pyjamas, as he'd expected, but instead was cramming the last of her loose garments into her trunk.
"Narcissa..." he tried to say more, but his throat was suddenly dry. "What're you doing?" he managed at last. She looked up with regretful but determined eyes.
"Lucius." She rose to her feet, and her tone was placating albeit firm. Lucius would have none of it.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" He didn't mean to sound angry, but he suspected he already knew the answer, and the truth made his stomach twist and his heart thud uncomfortably.
"Lucius, surely you must know."
"No." his voice was too loud, but his hands were trembling. Narcissa hesitated, wondering if perhaps she should have waited a bit longer; the sudden return of his mother was joyful, yes, but he was still probably emotionally drained and consequently unstable. Well, she was packed now; it was rather too late for second guessing.
"I came here because I was worried about you and your father. But your mother is fine and the three of you are fine now; you don't need me anymore."
"I do!" he insisted, trying to repress the note of desperation in the words. "You can't leave. You can't go back yet," he informed her brusquely, striding past her and opening her trunk once more. "Classes don't start until Monday, and we'll leave Sunday night, so you'll want to unpack."
"Lucius..." her tone was pitying now. "I'm going back tonight. I'm staying in London, and then taking the Express tomorrow morning."
He ignored her words, picking up her nightdress from the tangle of clothing. "Here. You should change." He held out the garment, but did not meet here eye; he didn't even look away from her trunk. He refused to understand the meaning of her words; instead, he grappled with the challenging question of why he wanted her things in his room so badly when, not so very long ago, he hadn't even been able to tolerate the presence of another in his private sanctuary.
"No, Lucius," she replied softly. "Will you call a carriage for me, or shall I walk to the station?"
"No!" he roared suddenly. He lashed out in a swift, violent motion, and Narcissa cried out in alarm as her possessions went flying across the floor, her trunk overturned. However, her moment of fear quickly hardened into fury.
"Lucius Malfoy! How dare you! You're acting like a child- pick those things up this instant."
"You can't leave me," he growled, closing the space between them in three long strides and grasping her upper arms. Narcissa stared up at him defiantly despite his attempts to intimidate her; she was not afraid of him, and knew he could never, ever harm her.
"Let go of me," she commanded in low, icy tones. For a split second his grip tightened, but then his hands slackened, sliding down her arms before he let them hang at his sides.
"I don't understand," he murmured; his anger had left as abruptly as it had come, leaving him sounding hollow. "After everything... you're just going to go back to school?"
"Lucius, this didn't change anything between us," she reminded him gently. "I still love you, for now, and I know you love me too, so I came to comfort you during a terrible tragedy. But your mother is alive and well and I need to move on. So yes; I'm just going to go back to school. And you're going to be finished soon, and then you're going to go off to work at the Ministry and I'm going to be in school for another two years. And we aren't going to see each other again after this June."
He shook his head stubbornly, refusing to accept her words. "Stay for one more night. It's been a long day, and we can discuss it in the morning."
Narcissa hesitated. What was one small lie, compared to what he'd done to her? "Yes, alright, I'll stay."
Satisfied, Lucius turned and climbed into bed, watching her expectantly. With a small, inward sigh, she sat down on the opposite edge. He held out a hand, and she grudgingly accepted it. She flicked her wand to darken the room, and waited patiently.
Lucius was exhausted, but he was loath to fall asleep first. Every time he began to drift off, he'd jerk himself awake, comforted by her small, warm hand in his, but wishing her light breaths would sink into those of sleep.
His eyes flew open suddenly, and he realized he'd fallen asleep. But for how long? He desperately reached out, devastated but not entirely surprised to find only empty space.
"Dobby!" he barked, rolling out of bed and stumbling in the dark.
"Master?" The creature appeared before him, nervous.
"Where is she? Is she in the Manor?"
"My... My Mistress?" he squeaked. "She is sleeping in her room-"
"No, you idiot cretin, Narcissa! Miss Black! Where is she?"
Dobby swallowed. "She.. she is leaving almost an hour ago. She is not saying where."
"Fuck!" Lucius bellowed, sending the elf flying with a sharp kick to the gut. "Damn it, the train- maybe it's not too late..." Without bothering to dress, or even find shoes, he took off.
Miles away, Narcissa was arriving at King's Cross. Her eyes were blurred with sleep and tears, and she staggered slightly as she maneuvered through the narrow aisle of the train. A familiar figure stood patiently on the Platform, eyes wide and sympathetic.
"Thanks for coming," Narcissa whispered, wrapping her arms around her sister's shoulders.
"Cissy, sweetie, I'm so sorry I even have to be here. Are you alright?" Andromeda stroked back the blonde tendrils that stuck to Narcissa's face.
"I'm fine. Fine. Mrs. Malfoy- like I said in my note- she's back and she's fine, so... Time for me to come back to school, I reckon."
"The Hogwarts Express leaves at eleven tomorrow. We'll go back, and everything will be better. Maybe not now; maybe not even soon... but eventually."
"Oh 'Dromeda, I hope you're right."
The two girls walked off hand in hand, and Narcissa felt an overwhelming gratitude towards her older sister. She wasn't as close to Andromeda as she was Bella, and she'd been furious when she'd advised her to stay away from Lucius. But she'd been right, and she was willing to forgive Narcissa for her coldness. besides, she could handle Bellatrix's shrieking and cursing and fuming right now; she needed Andromeda's calm peace and acceptance that make her so very different from most Slytherins.
"What do you mean there won't be another train until noon tomorrow? I need to get to London now!"
"I'm sorry, sir." The ticket attendant gave him a curious look. Lucius stood on the platform in only his boxer shorts, positively fuming. "Perhaps that will give you time to find your way home and pack some clothes?"
"Fuck you," Lucius spat, spinning on his heel to storm back up to the Manor. He would miss the Express tomorrow, putting him a full day behind her. It was unacceptable. Perhaps he could Floo to the Leaky Cauldron? But the chances of getting a room at this late hour... and besides, he didn't even know where in London she was. And his parents-
His parents. He would have to tell them everything, explain to them what he'd done... His mother would be crushed. He didn't want to say to upset his mother after her return. Perhaps if he waited just a day...
But Narcissa! He had to see her now, let her know that he wanted to make things right again.
Despite herself, Narcissa was rather surprised that Lucius did not turn up during the night, nor was he aboard the train when it departed at promptly eleven. If Andromeda knew why her little sister's eyes flicked about both expectantly and guiltily, she did not say anything.
"It's better this way, isn't it?" Narcissa demanded at last, unable to stand the silence of the passing countryside any longer. Andromeda considered the question before replying.
"I think it's better, Cissy. I think he's an awful person, and I think what he did to you proves it. But sometimes... sometimes the right thing isn't enough. Sometimes, the 'right thing' isn't enough- not when it's not the right thing for you. If you love him, and he loves you, that's not enough; but if you can't not love him, and he can't not love you... well, maybe that's enough of a reason."
"I won't let myself be unable to fall out of love with him," Narcissa declared decisively. Andromeda looked sympathetic.
"It's not always so easy as that."
The girls lapsed into silence once more, each lost in her own thoughts, as the Express hurtled back towards the school.
"Cissy... Cissy, wake up, we're at Hogsmeade."
"Oh..." Narcissa blinked sleepily, lifting her head. "Are we already?" She had not realized she'd drifted off.
"Mmhm. And the elves can get the trunks."
The two made their way down the aisle, stepping into the warm night air. The platform was bathed in a misty, orange light, and they were eerily alone.
"Come on, Cissy, I'm sure someone'll meet us up at the gates."
"Yes, I'm sure you're right-"
"Narcissa. Wait."
Both girls spun around at the rough, stricken voice. Lucius rose from a bench, tucked into a darken alcove. His hands were jammed into pockets as he approached, looking properly ashamed.
"You- how did you get here?"
"Carriage," he replied briefly. "You have to talk to me."
"I must do no such thing!"
"Andromeda," he turned politely to the other girl on the platform. "Would you please leave us? I assure you I will return your sister safely to the castle directly."
"I'll stay if she wants me," she replied coolly. "I won't abandon her to you."
"Andy... maybe you should go. Clearly, he simply can't get it through his head, and I have to explain, again, why I can't be with him."
"If you're sure, Cissy." She glanced suspiciously at Lucius. "I'll be waiting up for you in the Common room."
"Thanks," she muttered as Andromeda slipped off. He turned back to Lucius, eyes blazing. "What more could you possibly have to say to me?"
"Whatever it takes!" he cried. "That I love you! That I need to be with you! That I fucked up! What is it that you want?"
"I want you to have been faithful to me! To have actually loved me! To have asked me out for all the reasons you said you did- not just to sleep with me!" Her words echoed hopelessly across the platform.
"Narcissa." His voice was low and serious. "I cannot change my mistakes, and you won't tell me how to prove that I do love you."
"I don't know how," she replied. "I don't know how to trust you again."
Her tone was soft as she stared at the ground, and Lucius felt it was safe to sidle closer.
"It won't happen again," he swore quietly. "Ever."
"I wish I could believe that. This is it, Lucius."
"No." His teeth were gritted, and fists clenched. "You have to give me another chance."
"I don't have you do any such thing! I can't even think when you're around me all the time. You'll leave school soon, and then I can figure out my life again."
"And what if you figure everything out and decide that you still love me? What then?"
"I need time, Lucius!" she cried. "You have to just give me time!"
"How long? A week? A month? Until the end of summer?"
"Five years."
Lucius looked at her as though she'd struck him. "I'm sorry, Narcissa, but I just can't do that."
"Then I'll just come to hate you! Resent you for following me around! If you won't let me live my life a little, then I'll never heal, and you'll be like a... a parasite! Or a recurring infection! I need space after what you've done!"
"A year, then," he offered desperately. "A year, and then-"
"No. I'll have to be out of school, at least. Three years, then. Once you leave Hogwarts, you wait three years without seeking out or approaching me. Don't even ask about me. And then, at the end of that time, if you still want to give things a try... well then. We'll do just that. We'll try. No promises, though."
"Three years? But Narcissa, I-"
"No! Don't say anything, or the amount goes up to... to... forever!" she nodded emphatically, turned on her heel, and marched back up to the castle, fully prepared to never see Lucius Malfoy again.