What's Going On?
An owl tapped at the drawing room window, and Draco eagerly opened it. The message was brief, but it brought a wry smile to his lips.
"Vic sends her love," he told his mother. "Alys smeared porridge through her hair and knocked the bowl on the floor."
Narcissa chuckled reminiscently. "She takes after her father, then. You kept Dobby and me running constantly."
The sun shining through the windows seemed to dim as Draco registered her words.
"But not Father?" he asked.
Realizing she had told him more than she intended, Narcissa sighed and said, "Malfoy men don't care for whinging babies."
This one does, thought Draco indignantly.
Their eyes met and no words were needed.
"Shall I see how it's going upstairs?" asked Draco.
She nodded rather apprehensively, but a knock on the door brought them both to their feet. They were not expecting company.
"Sorry to disturb you, Mrs. Malfoy," said Kingsley Shacklebolt. "I wonder if I can have a word with you."
She stood aside, gesturing him inside and led him toward the drawing room. Turning, she saw the Auror squeeze her son's shoulder reassuringly. Her eyes widened, and Draco smirked faintly.
"It's all right," he told her. "Kingsley's a friend."
"I'm trying to help," said Kingsley in his deep, soothing voice.
Draco controlled his expression with an effort as he watched Kingsley apply what Zelda Snape called "that slippery Shacklebolt charm" to calming his mother.
While his mother struggled with depression in the years after Voldemort's defeat, Draco had left school and begun his career in the Dumbledore Clinic at St. Mungo's. Alone, he grew close to Michael Fletcher, the Muggle co-founder of the clinic. This brought him into contact with Michael's partner Kingsley. He had learned what it meant to be a man from those two, and he loved them.
"Is there any word about what this fever might be?" asked Kingsley. "Vince reports that his father is extremely sick and may need to be transferred to St. Mungo's."
Narcissa was startled to hear the Auror speak in a friendly way about Vincent Crabbe.
"Professor Snape and Pye are with him now," replied Draco. "He's in better shape than Vince's father, but he's not a cooperative patient."
"Well, since he's your dad, that doesn't surprise me," Kingsley said, chuckling. "By the way, any idea where Macnair might've gone to ground? We seem to have misplaced him."
"Merlin, no! He always disgusted me," Draco snarled. "Did he simply walk out of the Ministry without anyone paying attention?"
"The Auror who was to watch him was detained in an administrative meeting and by the time it was over, Macnair was gone." Kingsley looked disgusted. "We're lucky we can trust you boys to look after your fathers, since we blew it."
"You trust Draco and his friends…" said Narcissa wonderingly.
"Of course," he replied impatiently. "They're good men."
The sound of footsteps on the stairs made them all turn. Augustus Pye and Professor Snape entered, looking grim.
"He's been Imperiused," said Pye bluntly. "We cannot tell who cast the spell or what he is to do. He is unaware of it and not acting under it yet, but that time will come. He must be carefully watched."
"He was also poisoned. Probably used in combination with the prison conditions to weaken him. Lucius is not one that could be easily Imperiused," said Snape. "We gave him an antidote, but he must be carefully watched, since we have no idea what will trigger the Imperius."
"Does he know about the Imperius?" asked Draco.
"He's not fully conscious, but I believe he should be told," said Snape. "If he chooses to, perhaps he can fight it. Perhaps he'll even remember it."
"What next?" asked Kingsley.
"We must examine Goyle and Crabbe," said Pye. "I fear they'll be similarly cursed. Crabbe sounds to be the most ill. Luckily, young Vincent is well trained, so if we bring the correct potions he can care for his father."
"We'll go now, but I'll return after I've seen the others," said Snape. "Will you wait here for me, Shacklebolt?"
Kingsley nodded. "I'd like to know what you find before I decide my next move."
Having been largely left out of Lucius's Death Eater activities, Narcissa listened in fascination. These men seemed to understand and to trust each other. She was proud that her Draco was one of them, respected by these people who were once their enemies. She watched Snape and Pye leave the room and wondered what she would do until they returned. Playing hostess to Kingsley Shacklebolt would likely be awkward.
&&&&&&&&&
It was lunchtime when Severus returned, to find that Kingsley had charmed much of Narcissa's nervousness away. Lucius was asleep, the result of various powerful potions, and Draco and Kingsley assisted Narcissa in preparing lunch. The ice had been broken, and she was rapidly succumbing to the Auror's easy manner.
"Please sit down, Severus," she said with a smile. "I had helpers in preparing the meal and the result is quite nice, I think."
"Men cooking?" asked Severus with a mocking sneer. "Appalling."
Draco and Kingsley both snickered, while Narcissa looked confused.
"He's a fraud, Narcissa," said the Auror with a genial smile. "Severus loves to cook, and he's taught both of his children to do it."
Severus flushed slightly and said, "Merely preparation for Potions class. How unseemly if my own offspring proved to be inadequate at potion making."
"I see," murmured Narcissa, looking amused. "I always enjoyed my Potions classes and I enjoy cooking now. How clever of you to teach your children."
"Practical too," he replied mockingly. "Now, has Lucius regained consciousness?"
"I've checked every twenty minutes, but there's no sign yet," said Draco. "Er, is there any chance I can…"
"Visit your family this afternoon?" finished Severus. "By all means. I want to be here when Lucius awakens."
"I'll be off too," said Kingsley. "If you learn anything useful, you know how to contact me."
"I'll be back by six o'clock," said Draco, rising hastily. "If I leave now I can tuck Alys in for her afternoon nap."
Narcissa's face softened at the thought of her beloved granddaughter. "Kiss her for me," she said softly.
Draco came up behind her and kissed her cheek. "Of course I will. See you soon."
As Narcissa began Vanishing the dirty dishes to the kitchen, an owl tapped at the window. Severus opened it and the owl offered the message to him.
"A message from Zelda," he said in response to Narcissa's unspoken question.
He opened it and read quickly, trying to stifle his slight smile.
Dear Sev,
If you're too busy, you don't have to take time to read this now. I was just thinking of you, and wanted to send you a kiss.
X
There! I'm nauseatingly sentimental. Sorry.
Emmie just finished her algebra. She's as clever as her dad. She helped Beattie with long division and after lunch they're going to choose a cake recipe that they'll bake on Friday afternoon. I hope they'll choose devil's food, but I'll try not to influence them.
Supper will be at seven. If you can make it home, that'll be nice, but if not, I'll try to arrange a special dessert for when you do arrive.
All my love,
Zelda
If Draco returned by six, he could be home for supper. He smiled, forgetting he was not alone.
"I'm not used to seeing you happy, Severus," said Narcissa, recalling him to the present.
"Occasionally it still surprises me," he admitted, looking up hesitantly. "If Draco returns as he plans, I can be home for supper. I admit it would please me."
"Your wife and children are lucky. I'm glad you enjoy being with them," she said. "I wish… Lucius missed so much of Draco's life, and nearly ruined us all. I wish it had been different."
"Draco is fine now, and you're stronger and happier than I ever saw you before," Severus told her quietly. "Lucius must decide for himself what he wants, but he's a fool if he does not appreciate you."
Narcissa blushed, no longer the haughty ice queen.
"We should check on him," she said. "I'll go now, so you may tell your wife you'll be home this evening. We… Draco and I, are terribly grateful for your help."
"You're welcome," he said.
&&&&&&&&&
A hand on his forehead woke Lucius Malfoy. His head was clearer than it had been in weeks and his first sight was of Narcissa, looking down at him with a slight frown.
"How long was I asleep?" he asked.
"Do you remember Severus and Pye examining you?" she asked.
"It was in the morning. What did they find?" he asked, thinking that it all seemed in the distant past.
"Somehow you had been poisoned, so they gave you an antidote. It made you sleep for hours. How do you feel?"
"Pathetically weak," he replied nastily. "But my head is clearer. Tell me, is Draco really married, or was it a dream?"
Worry filled her eyes and she said slowly, "Of course he's married. Lucius, please don't hurt him. His wife adores him and your disapproval will hurt him."
"Not enough to prevent him from committing such an act!" he snapped, but he paused, seeing grief in her blue eyes. "Narcissa?"
"I can't go back to the way things were between us!" she exclaimed, dashing away tears irritably. "Lucius, you're my husband, but most of our marriage was dreadful. You were really married to the Dark Lord! I want my life to be good and I don't know if that can happen with you, but I wish it could be. I… I still care about you."
He tried sitting up and finally managed it, but physical lassitude overcame him and he slumped back.
"I don't know how to be what you want…" he muttered. "You and Draco are happy. I don't know what that is like. But… Narcissa, I wanted, no, I needed you. I missed you. May I try to do better?"
His unprecedented humility melted her defenses, so she sat down on the edge of the bed, staring into his eyes, looking for an answer there.
"I want to try," she whispered. "I can't be part of ruining Draco's family, I can't go against my conscience to support you in doing evil. But, Goddess help me, Lucius, I can't walk away from you without knowing if we can live together."
He found her honesty unbearable, as well as her willingness to leave him. He couldn't grasp the enormity of what had been wrong in their life together, but he remembered those hours before dawn where he had slept by her side. They were both lonely and she was his wife.
"I'll try," he told her. "This new world you live in goes against everything I was taught. I didn't care enough for you and Draco. I am sorry."
It was little enough, she knew, given the dreadful, cruel acts he'd committed for Voldemort, but he had spent years in prison for his crimes. If he felt remorseful, if he wanted to share a good life with her, perhaps it could work. She offered her hand to him, and he gripped it hard.
"We'll try then," she promised, smoothing the hair back from his forehead with her free hand. "Try to rest now. I'm sure it's boring, but you've been seriously ill."
His eyes closed and he relaxed under her caressing hand.
"Lie down with me," he whispered, not daring to move.
"Oh, Lucius," she sighed. "You're insufferable."
She cautiously lay down, pulling the comforter over both of them, remembering how nice it had been not to sleep alone for a few hours that morning. She drew his head down to her shoulder and rubbed his back as she had done to Draco when he was a baby.
Lucius smirked weakly. If he weren't so bloody sick and useless, he'd be madly aroused, but now the warmth and softness of her was blissfully comforting. He slipped his arm around her waist and although he was determined to stay awake and enjoy her closeness, his body betrayed him and he fell asleep.
Narcissa was filled with apprehension; quite sure she was in over her head, although it was delicious to snuggle close in his embrace. She was stronger now than she'd been before, so she would not give in to him, she thought fiercely. The lines in his face lessened as he slept and she saw something of the handsome young man she'd married. Pity and frustration mingled in her. She held still as long as she could, but once he was thoroughly asleep, she slipped out from under his arm and left the room.
&&&&&&&&&
"Severus," hissed Narcissa softly, motioning to him from the doorway.
The wizard had watched Lucius for the last few hours. After taking more potions, Lucius dropped back to sleep, so Severus had read from a book he'd found in the study earlier. Once he was certain their patient was asleep, he had read Zelda's message again, smiling at her wish to share the ordinary happiness of her day with him. And there was the prospect of special dessert…
"Draco is here and he's going to bring up a tray," she whispered. "Why don't you go home for dinner?"
"I will, but contact me if there are any problems," he replied, taking the hand she offered.
Narcissa smiled brightly, knowing how pleased he was to be returning to his family. "Have a good evening," she teased. She squeezed his hand and he left, closing the door softly as he went.
"Isthis how you have comported yourself in my absence?" purred Lucius, his eyes glinting dangerously. "You've been pathetically unfaithful, haven't you?"
Narcissa froze. She had not heard that tone of voice since before prison and it filled her with instinctive dread.
