Chapter One:
"She is absolutely precious," praised Narcissa, sipping her tea while her granddaughter sat by her feet, feeding her doll a biscuit. The toy wrapped its cloth hands around the treat and greedily devoured it.
Gabrielle bopped it on the head, wagging her podgy finger in admonishment. "That is not the proper manners for a young lady," she scolded.
Draco laughed pleasantly, sitting back on the white couch of his mothers London flat. The windows lay bare to the western horizon, letting the morning sunlight fill the room with innocent beauty. He basked in the glory, not regretting his mother's choice to let the mansion go after his father's death.
"She really is something else," he finally replied, placing his soft hand on her downy covered head. Gabrielle giggled, her wide blue eyes staring up at him, happiness twinkling on the crystalline surface. "Lucy had the Minister's wife for tea last Sunday, and she brought along her young lad, Virgil. The two young ones hit if off immediately, and if my deciphering skills are as good as I believe, the two women already had wedding bells chiming in their ears."
Narcissa nodded in approval. "I'm glad to see you are taking my advice to heart, there is absolutely nothing wrong with making as many connections as possible while you are young so that by the time you need a favour, there is a hand ready to extend you an offer. Lucius had a knack for networking, which is probably the only reason we are where we are."
"We wouldn't have needed those people if Lucius hadn't put us where he did."
"Your father fought for what he believed in."
"There was no way he was going to win!"
"But he still fought for it." Narcissa was proud of what her husband had done, proud for what he had tried to make of the wizarding race. She could handle all of society telling her she had married a villain, but she would not tolerate it from her own flesh and blood. They had all been on the battlefield at least once before the end; they had both done their fair share of damage. "And so did you."
"Not in front of Gabby," he said, grabbing her around the waist and hoisting her onto his lap. She snuggled close; grabbing bunches of his robes between her fingers.
"She's beautiful, Draco," Narcissa said calmly. "But she doesn't make up for anything you did."
&
A life for a life, that was what he had told himself as the midwife stood over Lucy's bed. Eyes fixated on her wide-open legs, Draco could feel his salvation squiggling closer to the light.
The first time he held his daughter, all he could see in her face was Hermione staring up at him, Death reflected in her eyes.
&
"How is your mother?" Lucy asked, taking Gabrielle from Draco's arms. The child squealed with delight, looking perfect in her pale blue coat, the buttons glittering like sapphires in the iridescent light radiating from the magical orbs hovering inches below the ceiling.
"She's just fine, why don't you come with us next time and see for yourself," Draco said, unclasping his travel cloak. An arm from the coat rack extended down and took the cloak from Draco's hand. He paid it no attention, not even a muttered thank you.
"Because she hates me for taking you away," Lucy replied, her words echoing down the granite hallway. "She didn't even come to our wedding."
"She was sick."
"In the four years we have been married she hasn't been sick a single day."
Draco sighed, no matter how much he denied it; there was no mistaking the animosity his mother and wife shared. The last time they had been in a room together, he was positive storm clouds were beginning to circle violently right over the building where they sat.
"Now hurry up," Lucy shouted, "dinner is about to served!"
At the table, Draco sat on the end, Lucy opposite him. Lucy situated Gabrielle next to herself in a high chair, making her four seats away from her father. The Malfoy's regularly entertained guests; usually they were members of the Ministry, though on occasion the table actually saw real family friends, though they were few and far between.
After the war, all the families of convicted or known Death Eaters had to sever ties in order to keep public face, no one needed to know that the organization ran deeper than Voldemort's chosen followers. This is why Malfoy Manor had been sold, along with everything the family ever owned.
Everyone had to start afresh, and Lucy was Draco's way of doing that. All she knew was his father had been involved and that it was a family disgrace so it was never brought up, saving Draco from having to lie to the only person in the world he truly loved, besides his daughter.
"What did you get up to today?" Draco asked, making small talk.
"I hired a new chef." Lucy took a sip of water from her goblet. "Pierce just up and quit right after you left."
"What?! When I spoke with him this morning he seemed perfectly normal, he had even started making those amazing sugar cookies for Gabrielle."
"Don't worry, he finished them. His reasoning was that he had been offered a job at a four-star restaurant, which would pay way better than we ever could. I can't say I blame him, but it was really unprofessional of him to do such a thing on such short notice. Luckily, a friend of mine had just been forced to let her chef go after her husband left her. So I sent her an owl asking for his name, and within the hour he was on my doorstep, willing to start immediately."
Though she didn't like to admit it, Lucy was very much enthralled with the idea of being a rich bitch that spiced her conversations with hot gossip and always ending with getting something she wanted, even if it was just a cook.
Draco chuckled to himself, knowing full well that Lucy was much more distraught about her friend's husband leaving then she let on. His wife cared too much about the world around her. "What's his name?"
"Xavier."
"Well, let's hope his cooking is up to snuff."
Within minutes their maid entered the dining room her wand held out, balancing their trays of food in midair. Lowering them gently to the table, she nodded her head and shuffled out of the room to take her supper in the kitchen with Xavier.
Draco uncovered the small dish before him and almost passed out as the savoury aroma of the food wafted over him.
"I had him make your favourite. If he can pull that off then I'm sure we will keep him around."
Malfoy didn't say anything; he just dug the serving spoon in and scooped copious amounts of the dish onto his plate. The first mouthful was just short of heavenly. Draco felt himself melt as the warm goodness radiated through his body.
"He's a keeper."
Lucy just smiled and fed Gabrielle a spoon full of mashed potatoes smothered in chicken gravy.
&
Getting ready for bed that night, Draco couldn't help but feel drained by the day's activities. His arms were heavy with sleep, and it took all his willpower to not just crash down into the bed and let the covers take control.
When Lucy sauntered out of the bathroom in a red, lacy slip Draco knew going to sleep now was out of the question. Through the fabric he could see her normally pale skin, flushed with desire. Her smile was small and seductive, something that normally turned Draco on instantly.
"Of all the nights," he muttered to himself, trying to keep his eyes open. That's when he remembered a bottle of potion down in the kitchen that he used on the long nights that all he wanted to do was sleep, but the amount of work he had left to finish wouldn't allow him the luxury.
Growing groggier by the second he explained to his wife that he wasn't sure if he had secured all the locks downstairs, and excused him, planting a sloppy kiss on her lips while sliding a hand down her smooth thigh.
Down in the kitchen he threw open the cupboard door and reached for the potion bottle shoved all the way in the back, sparkling green in the light from his wand.
&
Lucy lounged on their bed, her blonde hair undone and cascading over her thin shoulders. One hand was absent-mindedly fondling her breast, while they other lay docile at her side.
Her heart skipped a beat when Draco came striding into the room, wearing silver pyjama bottoms that hung off his thin hips, showing off a tuft of blonde curly hair. He was shirtless, his skin was as pale of the moon, and muscles that rippled like the water, but were as hard as stone.
She rose up to meet him as he straddled her, grinning wildly. Their lips met, his teeth nibbling on hers, his tongue caressing them softly. His hands brushed the straps away from her shoulders, allowing the slip to fall away from her pert breasts.
When he went down on her Lucy almost wanted to die, it felt so amazing. Never had Draco been so passionate, so cocky, in bed. He was a good lover, but this electricity was something she had never experienced before.
For almost two hours this went on, until finally after so much teasing he brought her to orgasm. As she was riding the pleasure waves, her eyes rolling into the back of her head Lucy began to feel faint, the intense ecstasy she felt was overtaking her. As it subsided she felt herself black out, his lips still massaging her inner thighs.