"You wished to see me my Lord."
Draco bent low as he entered the study of the old mansion. The Dark Lord was sat in the armchair a glass of whisky held in his hand. Sneaking a look Draco thought that the creature could almost pass for nobility. It was just his looks that held him back. He had often wondered how his master had started out in life but he was reluctant to ask anyone.
"On the table."
Draco was rather confused by this tiny sentence. But he made his way over to the table. On his last visit it had held a number of books and ingredients for some sort of potion that Snape was making. Now however it was clear of everything bar a piece of paper.
"My Lord it is a letter."
"Read it Draco … out loud so that I may have the pleasure of the words once more."
"I have information that indicates that You-Know-Who has set in motion a plan to get another spy within the Order. From what I have learnt you are the intended target of this scheme. Draco Malfoy will approach you with a fabricated story of repentance. Do not believe a word he says. This is You-Know-Who's plan to replace Snape since he will no longer be able to keep his cover with you since his murdering of Dumbledore."
Draco looked up from the letter. No names were mentioned in it but he knew that it was intended for Nymphodora Tonks since it stated that the person was the target. But what really sent chills through his spin was the way the y's were looped at the bottom and the way the f's had little tails. He knew that handwriting.
"A chilling letter is it not Draco."
"Yes my Lord."
"It would seem from that that we have a spy among us. Wouldn't you agree?"
"I would my Lord."
"And who is the spy Draco?"
He gulped and lowered his eyes to the letter once more. He refused to speak the word that he knew the Dark Lord wanted him to speak.
"I want you to kill the spy Draco."
"What?"
In his panic he looked up and meet the red eyes of the creature that ruled over him.
"Manners Draco I know that your mother taught you them."
"But my Lord I can't kill –"
"You have failed me once already Draco. A second failing will result in your death. But ahh I see you are afraid to kill your mother. I understand that reluctance. But Draco I promise you that there is nothing more freeing that taking away the worthless life of ones parent. I should know I did kill me father. You will do this Draco. Tonight."
"Yes me Lord."
Draco bent low in a bow and stumbled backwards from the room. He refused to look up as he left for he didn't want the Dark Lord to see the tears in his eyes. He had been told once in the weeks before that he was not a murderer and he had known it true. He knew he was a lot of things but when it came down to the moment he was unable to kill Albus Dumbledore. And now he would have to face a task tougher than that and kill his own mother. His heart pounded in his chest as he turned and headed for home.
"Is everything alright Draco?"
He pushed the mash around his plate as he looked up at mother.
"Yes."
"You're playing with your food."
"I'm not hungry."
Draco felt sick to his stomach as he looked down at his plate. His father was still in Azkaban prison so it was still just him and his mother living in Malfoy Manor. Normally it wasn't all that bad but tonight he was feeling it. He knew that his family was not considered once of the best for morals but there was something that they hid from the world, and that was love.
He couldn't help but remember the words of his Aunt Bella. He had long ago learnt that his mother had two sisters but it was always off limit to talk about them. He had learnt that one lived with a muggleborn and the other was in Azkaban. Then of course his Aunt Bella had escaped and all the norms had been changed.
It was less than a year ago he had come home from Hogwarts to find her sitting in the dinning room with his mother. He had known who she was from the pictures in the prophet. She had taken one look at him and laughed. He remembered more clearly now those haunting words.
"A woman doesn't marry for love she marries for honour. She marries because it's her duty. Cissa you've done your duty well you give him a bastard of a son. That's my one failing."
Draco had been maddened by that. His parents loved each other he knew that well enough. It was then that he realised why his third Aunt was never mentioned. Because like his own mother she had married for love, only she had fallen in love with the wrong man, a muggleborn. He found then that his family was split into two and some how his mother had fallen between the two of them. She put her family first, she loved them. But she also had the capability to see the importance of the purebloods and to keep the line pure.
Love had always been something he had known and although he could put on a cold front as well as any other pureblood he couldn't imagine not having love. His mother had always been that source. She was capable of loving when no-one else around was. How could he take her from the world? He just didn't know.
"Draco what is the matter?"
Taking a breath he looked up.
"Why did you do it mum?"
"Do what?"
"Don't play games. The letter was intercepted."
The little colour that she bore drained from her face as she placed her knife and fork neatly on the plate. He watched as she crossed her fingers and lowered her hands to her lap.
"There is a better way than all this Draco."
"The Dark Lord knows everything mum! How could you really think you'd get away with this?"
"He doesn't know everything Draco and that was proven the night that Dumbledore was killed. The Dark Lord didn't know about the unbreakable vow that Severus took with me to protect you."
"What?"
"And even if he had known he wouldn't of understood because of the other thing he doesn't know. He doesn't know or understand love Draco. Love is the biggest weapon that the others have against him. He can't stand it. Draco you understand love don't you?"
It was the most bizarre question he had ever heard in his life.
"What is to understand?"
"Draco love is the most precious thing in the world. I've tried to teach you that but its hard. This family is one of the few of our standing to have love. I love your father and I love you. It's the hardest thing in the world to find but it's even harder to lose it."
"Mum –"
"The Dark Lord has no understanding of it Draco. And that makes him weak. He underestimates what others will do because of it."
"Mum!"
Narcissa fell silent as Draco stood up and walked over to her.
"He wants me to kill you."
"And will you?"
"I don't want to. But he said that if I don't he'll kill me."
"Do it!"
"What?"
"Draco my life won't be worth living if you're dead. That's why I went to Severus for the unbreakable vow. I love you son more than words will ever be able to express. So I want you to kill me."
"But –"
"Draco I will happily sacrifice myself for you. Any mother would do that for her son. Kill me."
She stood up and wrapped Draco into a tight embrace. He felt her lips brush his cheek as she held him close. He closed his own arms around her and held her tightly.
"Promise me something."
"Anything."
"When you find love, and you will find it Draco. Don't throw it away. It won't matter who the woman is if she's poor or rich, pure or tainted. If you love her don't let her slip away."
Narcissa released him and took a step backwards. She closed her eyes and gave a little nod. Raising his wand Draco said the two words that hurt him the most. His mother opened her eyes again and looked at him.
"You have to mean it Draco. You can't just say the words."
"But I don't want to kill you."
"In this moment is there anybody you would want to kill?"
Before his eyes flashed the image of the Dark Lord. The man who was making him do this. The words flew from his mouth before he could prevent it. And then he heard the sound of a body hitting the ground. Looking he saw his mother lying on her back with a small smile playing across her face.
Without thinking Draco walked into his hallway. He found his black cloak and threw it over his shoulders. Then stepping outside the door he pointed his wand to the roof of the house. As he had done in Hogwarts only three weeks earlier he said the spell that would bring the mark of the Dark Lord to float over the manor. Then with a final look at his childhood house and a promise never to return there he left the grounds and his mother forever.
Okay I don't know if any of you will think that Narcissa is out of character here or not. But I always got the impression that although she agreed with what Lucius did she put Draco and her family first. I see her as a mix between Bellatrix and Andromeda. Bella only thought of the purity and Andromeda only thought of love and family. They didn't have a middle ground. But I always felt that Narcissa did. That's why she is the way she is with Draco.