The life of a pureblood wife was not an easy path. Duty to family and your husband were the rules a pureblood wife lived by. Narcissa Malfoy was no different from any other Malfoy bride, but never in her life did she expect to regret it. Lucius was supposed to be her guiding light. Together they were supposed to live a life of privilege, and until the Dark Lord, that is exactly the life they lived. The reign of the Dark Lord turned out to be the darkest times of Narcissa's life instead of the glorious utopia Lucius promised.

Narcissa once prided herself on being a model wife and a daughter that made her family proud. Fate was a cruel mistress. The only family she had left was her son whom almost died because she chose the wrong path. The only sister that survived the second war refused to speak to her or even acknowledge that she existed. Narcissa deserved no less after how she treated Andromeda. Narcissa's long list of mistakes made her eyes sting as she gazed out one of the many windows in the drawing room.

The same room she had stood by and watched children get tortured. The room where she watched a young girl show more strength than Narcissa ever imagined possible. The day she watched three children fight for their lives changed the way Narcissa looked at the world. Some think she saved Harry Potter's life because she saw an opportunity to save herself or her family but that's not why she did it. It is true that she saw an opportunity to rid the world of the Dark Lord. It's also true that by helping Harry Potter she would be saving herself and her family, but again that isn't what made her lie to the Dark Lord.

The day she watched Hermione Granger tortured in her drawing room by her sister showed Narcissa a valuable lesson. A lesson that at any other time in her life would have fallen on deaf ears and blind eyes. A mudblood of all things was better than her, Narcissa Malfoy. A mudblood had the strength and perseverance Narcissa prayed every night to possess. Three children showed her an opportunity. A mudblood and blood traitors showed her hope. Narcissa had experienced many emotions before that day. Greed, hate, envy, disgust, love, and lust but never hope. Narcissa learned guilt later, but that day she learned to hope. Hope for a future where her son could grow to become a better man.

Even Lucius seemed thankful that Narcissa had betrayed everything they stood for until he was sentenced to Azkaban. Narcissa and Draco were acquitted, but Lucius could not escape his crimes. The night Lucius was to be escorted to Azkaban he had tried to strangle Narcissa to death. Lucius was foaming at the mouth. Screaming that Narcissa ruined their lives and his imprisonment was her fault. She had cursed them to a life of disgrace instead of the exalted life they would have lived under the Dark Lord. Then Harry Potter had saved the day once again. He arrived just in time to stun Lucius before Narcissa had succumbed to the darkness. When Draco saw the marks on her throat, he vowed to kill his father.

Even after Lucius tried to kill her, she visited him in Azkaban once a week. It took two years for her to convince Draco to visit his father. Even then Draco only visited for Christmas and Easter, and each visit lasted only minutes before Draco cursed Lucius through his cell bars and stormed out. At the time Narcissa was thankful to have them in the same room.

Narcissa still didn't understand what made her plead for her husband's release. Maybe the love she still felt for the man who brought her flowers or the father who taught his son to ride a broom clouded her judgment. She thought perhaps eight years in Azkaban would show Lucius the proper path. In the end, it was just another mistake to add to the long list of transgressions Narcissa had committed.

Draco and her, in the absence of Lucius, had flourished. Harry Potter made sure that Narcissa and Draco escaped the harsh penalties of the war tribunal. In fact, over the years Narcissa had learned the real value of family from Harry. Harry frequently wrote to her while Lucius was in Azkaban. Harry would tell her about his life and even placed her in the front pew at his wedding. Narcissa had a magically concealed box of photos under her bed from the Potters of their children. Before Lucius's parole, Narcissa had attended most functions hosted by Harry and his wife. The Weasleys who Narcissa and her family had always treated as inferior welcomed her with open arms. It was more than she deserved and far more than she would have given if circumstances were reversed.

So why did she think bringing Lucius back into their lives would make things better. Hope is the only answer Narcissa could think of. Hope that her husband would leave Azkaban a changed man. The naivety of her thoughts on Lucius was not lost on Narcissa. If anything her musings only rubbed salt in her festering wounds. She had stupidly let her husband threaten the safety and happiness of her son.

Narcissa wondered idly when the love she once felt for her husband turned to hate. Love that once made her feel larger than life but now left the taste of ashes in her mouth.

A lot changed in two years but Lucius would always remain the same. She preached to Draco about forgiveness, but now she realized she should have been listening to her son. Lucius was not worth forgiveness. Narcissa's smarting eye and aching wrist proved that. She had stupidly sought out Lucius in his study after his talk with Draco. She wanted to help him see the world was changed and that their son had finally found his place. A place that did not include Lucius's way of thinking. Instead, Lucius's viciously backhanded her causing her to fall and injure her wrist.

Perhaps this was penance for her many crimes. I penance she would gladly pay if it ment Draco could live a life of happiness. However, Narcissa knew the abuses Lucius vested on her would pale in comparison to what Lucius would do if he knew the identity of the witch Draco loved. Narcissa could not allow her mistake to affect her son any more than it already did. Lucius monitored her comings and goings, but most evening he spent down in his cups. A simple sleeping potion in his fire whiskey would give Narcissa the ability to floo to the Potters house. Her black eye would be all the evidence needed to send Lucius back to Azkaban.

Narcissa turned from her position at the window when the sound of approaching footsteps reached her ears. Lucius stalked toward her in dark robes.

"Narcissa do not look so melancholy. We do not want others to think you are unhappy" Lucius lectured. In a different time, Narcissa would have apologized and corrected her behavior. Now she simply stared at her husband, but she needed to keep him from becoming suspicious. Even without a wand, Lucius Malfoy was still a dangerous wizard.

"Do you know where your son as ventured off to this time?" Lucius inquired.

"I am not sure. I have not seen him since the day he left your study my love" Narcissa kept her voice demure and cast her eyes downward.

Lucius clicked his tongue, "but I am sure you have an idea about where your only child spends all of his time." Narcissa knew exactly who Draco spent all of his time with but would rather cut our her own tongue than tell her husband.

"I assure you that I do not know any more than you." Narcissa chanced a look at Lucius's face and found his eyes calculating.

"Now Narcissa both of us know you aren't telling the truth. Are you wife?" Lucius hissed the word wife in deadly fury. Narcissa could feel perspiration begin to dot her forehead but resisted the urge swipe it away.

"Lucius please, I do not want to argue. When Draco arrives back home I promise to alert you immediately" Narcissa pleaded.

"Would that be before or after you drug me?"

Narcissa snapped her head up. She reached for her wand, but Lucius already had a wand pointed at her chest.

"You always were terrible at shielding your thoughts from me," Lucius stated as he brought the wand he was holding down in a sharp arc.

Narcissa's last thought was of Draco and how she failed him again.