Disclaimer: Anything recognisable does not belong to me. Story is based on the books by JKR and inspired by other writers of this genre.


FAMILY MATTERS

On December 23rd Harry woke up to the late morning light streaming through the thin curtains of the artificial window in Snape's bedroom at Hogwarts. The entire Order was supposedly very busy with something over the holidays. Thus, he and the Weasley children had to stay at the castle this time.

Honestly, he did not even want to know what they were up to. If it were in any way important, Snape would have informed him at once. The man in question seemed to be still asleep for a change, thus he turned over carefully to make good use of the opportunity to catch him in his relaxed state. To see him like that was a rare treat indeed. It was like a good decade was taken off his face. Like here and now he was truly at peace with himself and the rest of the world. Which was actually the case, he smirked slyly to himself, since it was Snape and he was asleep.

Once again he could not help but wonder how a man like that could love anyone the way he did, much less him. What could he have possibly done to ingratiate himself with this man's heart? Or was it simply the improbability of Harry to ever notice him that way that had made him fall for him so hard? Just another way for the gods or Fate or whatever to fuck him over yet again and add the pain of an unrequited love to his already fucked up life?

Well, Harry did not have the best standing with Fate, as far as he was concerned, but even he did not believe the Higher Powers to be quite that cruel. He was here after all, was he not? He was Snape's against all odds. And it did not even matter that he would never be able to return the man's love in equal measure, since it was not Harry's love he wanted, but Harry, and Harry was what he got.

In the end it was all a matter of balance he supposed. For all the bad that had happened to Snape for one reason or another he got this one thing he desired more than anything else to compensate.

Thus, lying in his sleeping lover's arms and contemplating the meaning of life and the justice of the universe, his own role on the greater stage of things became clearer to him than ever before. He was the Child of Prophecy and his reason of existence was not just to kill the Dark Lord, but to restore the balance between the Light and Dark. To that purpose of course he had to kill the Dark Lord and to at least disempower the Light one, to weaken the position of the Light and to strengthen the position of the Dark, to balance out the scales of power in the world with himself as their centre.

"Tut-tut, such heavily philosophical thoughts so early in the morning."

Harry's gaze focused again to find the Potions Master's awake and smirking face right in front of him.

"Bloody Legilimenses," he grumbled blushing in embarrassment and turned his back on him. "Couldn't keep their oversized noses out of other people's minds, if they tried."

"Now, now, Harry, I find your reflections highly enlightening, which is by no means a given where you are concerned, I assure you."

Harry turned back to face him and did the only thing that he knew would shut him up and make him forget about the whole matter for a good while. He showed his tongue down Snape's throat and grabbed his cock rubbing it to hardness with clear intention.

It worked like a charm, as always. He was pushed back into the pillows and his thighs were lifted and pulled apart, before a bottle of lubricant soared over his head right into Snape's outstretched hand. Not that he was complaining, but even now, almost five months into their relationship, the man was taking him nearly daily, more than once even, if he could arrange it. Thus, he barely required any preparation before the fingers in his arse were replaced by a nice, long cock.

It was not much of a chore by any means and yet, he could not help but notice that despite being a young man and liking sex very much, his own ardour for it was nothing against that of the Potions Master. Snape's desire for him seemed to be like a burning fire that could be sated for a while, but never truly extinguished. He did not know for sure of course, but he sincerely doubted that the lapse of time, be it months, years or decades, would change anything about it. Not that he had anything to compare against, but this could hardly be normal. It made him seriously wonder how the man had managed to get through his days before that.

They both rotated their hips for a couple of moments to adjust to each other a bit, before Snape withdrew and pushed himself back in at just the right angle to make Harry arch and moan in bliss. But instead of repeating the action, he took Harry's face in both his hands, stoking his cheekbones with his thumbs to make him look up into his unfathomably dark eyes.

"It was like a unique sort of torture. Ever since you have returned to the school for your fourth year I got hard just from watching you eat your meals from across the Great Hall."

His voice was deep and ragged, reverberating through Harry's body in a strangely enticing way that he just could not get enough of.

"I was horrified with myself... you looked so much like a child still. And yet, there was nothing I could do to control my reactions. My Occlumency failed me for the first time in my life."

He withdrew his hips and pushed back in, sending another jolt of pleasure down Harry's spine and making him close his eyes for a moment in enjoyment, before losing himself in the dark pools above him again.

"My conscience plagued me day and night. The only way I saw to give myself at least some respite was to brew a Growth Potion and make sure you would receive it regularly. If I could not stop desiring you, then at least you should look old enough to be desired."

He withdrew and thrust in again.

"It was torture. To see you daily, to dream of having you at night, only to wake up to the reality that I most likely never will."

He withdrew and thrust in again. Harry could barely hold onto his sanity from the sensory overload he was receiving.

"To stand close enough to take in your enticing smell, to want to reach out and touch you so badly, but to never dare in fear of rejection. You would have run away creaming for sure."

Thrust.

"It became progressively worse as the school year drew to an end. So much actually, that I have seriously considered taking an impotence inducing potion, lest I slip up and give myself away."

Thrust.

"To find you in my bed that first night was like a dream that came alive..."

Thrust.

"To be the one to take your virginity felt like a taste of heaven itself..."

Thrust.

"To see you return to my bed by the end of every day..."

Thrust.

"To hold you in my arms night after night was sweeter than any blessing the gods could possibly bestow..."

Thrust.

Harry screwed his eyes shut, teetering on the blank edge of orgasm.

"To be chosen your companion for life was beyond anything I could have ever dared to dream..."

Snape's hips snapped forward and Harry shattered into thousand pieces, screaming his pleasure for all the world to hear. He came back down breathing heavily, black spots dancing in his eyes again. Gods and heaven above! And Snape had not even touched him! No way a pure human would be capable of that.

"You have Satyr blood in you, don't you? Because I don't think it's Vampire despite your best efforts."

Snape threw his head back laughing with abandon.

xxxoooxxx

After making an appearance at breakfast to avoid suspicion they both returned right back to bed. Dumbledore, McGonagall and most of the staff were absent, either on business or at home with their families. Thus, they wanted to make the most of the opportunity to be alone for a longer period of time than the duration of a detention.

They were basking in the afterglow of yet another nice round when the bedroom door opened suddenly and an elderly gentleman of apparently wealthy and noble descent strode in, stopping abruptly and staring at the scene before him in mild shock, clearly visible even through the closed off and aloof features he presented to the world.

He was tall and thin, dressed in flowing black robes and a winter cloak decorated with elegant silver embroidery and wore his long, white hair loose. The most remarkable feature was however his pitch-black eyes, just like those of the Potions Master, that looked down on them with unwavering calm, despite the two wands pointed at him threateningly.

All three of them were eying each other for several long moments. No one was offering any sort of explanation, so Harry decided to take the honours of opening a conversation upon himself.

"Who the hell is that and how did he get through your blood wards?"

"Well," the sneer in Snape's voice was unmistakable, "though we never had the pleasure of an introduction, I believe this is his Lordship Augustus Prince, Head of House Prince."

"Oh, I see. Well, no, actually, I don't see. I thought your mother was magically disowned."

"She was. He must have kept a vial of her blood though and used it to restore her to the family under the re-adoption of family members clause of the new blood adoption legislation."

"Oh."

"Indeed."

"And why would he do so?"

"An excellent question, is it not? What could have possibly happened to change his Lordship's mind? Did cousin Gustav get himself killed in a drunken brawl at a brothel in Madrid or some such?"

Lord Prince's lips quirked in amusement. "I like you, boy."

Snape's sneer turned into a glare of most venomous quality. Lord Prince seemed even more amused by that, if possible, and rather pleased with what he saw as well.

"I must express my sincere regrets for not seeking contact with you before. Three minutes in your presence are enough to tell me that you are more of a Prince than Gustav ever was. You have everything I always wanted in an heir; power, intelligence, cunning and ambition. Your actions are strictly in accordance with the family code of conduct; from the people you associate with, to the profession you have chosen, to the lover you have taken. I am most pleased."

"How fortunate for you. Was this the reason you barged into my quarters uninvited? To evaluate my suitability as an heir?"

"As a matter of fact, yes," Lord Prince was all but rubbing his hands in glee, "and as I said before, I am most pleased with what I found. It is decided then."

He turned on his heel and was about to leave two bewildered wizards behind when Snape found his wits again.

"What in the name of Merlin are you blathering about, old man? What exactly is decided?"

Lord Prince turned back to them and declared with a nonchalance of someone talking about the weather, "Gustav is not dead yet. However, now that I saw you and how well you have done for yourself all on your own merit with my own eyes, he soon will be. Within this very month most likely. I have tolerated his squandering of his allowance and whoring around long enough. My patience is at an end. As I see it right here before me, a lowly half-blood of honour and integrity is more preferable than a pureblood drunkard and whoremonger."

He eyed them both up and down suggestively. "And do not wait too long with great-grandchildren, do you hear me. I am not getting any younger after all."

And with that he was gone.

Harry blinked at the closed bedroom door. What the heck had just happened here? A tentative look at Snape told him that the man was absolutely seething in anger and thus not amendable to answering any questions at the moment. He sighed and put his wand away, leaning back into the pillows to wait until the man was done stewing.

"Why now? Now, that I do not need his fucking name nor his fucking money he decides that I would be a better heir than Gustav! Where was he when I had to wear rags and go hungry? Where the fuck was he then!"

Harry sat up and wrapped his arms around him from behind, leaning his head against his neck and shoulder. He of all people understood where this resentment was coming from perfectly fine. Standing in front of a huge pile of gold in Dudley's hand-me-downs and cellotaped glasses with his stomach rumbling he had felt not much different.

"Will you refuse him?"

"Refuse him?" Snape snorted derisively. "I am not a fucking Gryffindor, Potter! This estate is mine by the right of birth and would have been mine this entire time, if not for one old fart's caprices. I am going to take it and I am going to enjoy it! Oh, how I am going to enjoy it as soon as the old codger is dead! He may have looked sprightly over there, but I have it on good authority that he does not have much time left anymore. An old curse eating him up from inside. That is the true reason why he is bothering with his legacy now of all times and not because his patience with darling Gustav has run thin."

Suddenly, something made click in Harry's head.

"You were aiming for the Prince estate and titles all this time! Just waiting until the old Lord passes away, so you could assassinate the heir and evoke the ancient laws of virtus et puritas, claiming everything because you are not only the next in line of inheritance through blood only, but also the most powerful of all potential heirs."

There was a long moment of silence. "You said it, Potter, not me."

Well, that was an answer in and of itself. He giggled shaking his head in exasperation.

"I'm not complaining. I was planning to have quite a few children with you. So, the larger our joined fortune, the better."

Snape turned around to face him with narrowed eyes.

"Just how many children are we talking about here, may I ask? If you are aiming for your own Quidditch team, you can forget it immediately."

"Oh, well, just six then," Harry quipped with a falsely innocent mien.

"Four, Potter, and not even one more. An heir and a spare to the House Potter, an heir and a spare to the House Prince. That will be more than enough and definitely far more than I have ever considered having."

"You have actually considered having children of your own at some point?"

"Of course I have. I am a follower of the Old Faith. Reproduction is a part of the life's circle, a natural desire and a part of the purpose of existence for every living being. It does not matter that I despise the brats of others with abandon. It is supposed to be different when they are your own, as the saying goes after all."

Harry stared at him in shock. Who would have thought that Snape of all people was deeply religious? What hidden depths were there to discover still?

"Alright, four then. Two boys and two girls?"

"That would be reasonable," Snape inclined his head in agreement. "There is another matter I wanted to discuss with you, since we are on the topic. Children adopted through the blood adoption ritual tend to retain some of the genetic material of their biological parents. Not enough to be still recognised as their offspring, but enough to be affected by curses directed against an entire bloodline, if they have been its members for some time.

To avoid that very liability the Princes have modified the usual procedure to a point where no previous genetic setup remained. The exact proceedings are recorded in the family grimoire, which I will have access to now sooner than I have expected. The point is however that it will no longer be an adoption as such, but a magically created foetus implanted to a surrogate mother. It would contain both our genetic material only. The woman would be nothing more than an incubator."

Harry licked his lips nervously. "I assume this procedure is very illegal."

"Very."

Damn! And yet, he really did not see why they should not do it. It would make absolutely sure that their children were indeed one hundred per cent theirs.

"And how do we maintain discretion? There is no guarantee that the witch or witches in question will keep quiet despite the generosity of the compensation. And even the strongest security spells and contracts can be worked around one way or another."

"Since the woman would be just an incubator, it does not have to be a witch."

"Muggles?"

"Yes. We could utilise the muggle surrogacy program. Sign up as a barren couple disguised under Glamour, imperius the doctor to do the egg extraction and later the implantation and obliviate him afterwards. No one will ever know."

And just like that Harry was all for it.

"We would not even need to wait until I'm out of school. We could start as soon as we are married without much investment on both our parts. We could have more than one on the way simultaneously even!"

He grinned in eager anticipation. It was perfect! More than perfect actually. It would take all his worries about the security of the continuation of his bloodline off his shoulders and allow him to concentrate on the war without any distractions nagging at the back of his mind.

"We'll do it," he looked up at Snape in determination. "A proper paper trail with the Ministry could always be arranged afterwards."

"I complement your wisdom for seeing things my way," Snape smirked and kissed him soundly.

xxxoooxxx

Hermione watched as Lucius signed the last of Draco's and Theodore Nott's betrothal contract papers and affixed the House seal with a deep sigh.

"Is it such a hardship?"

She had wondered about his reluctant behaviour for a while. He did not strike her as overly homophobe as such. He and Professor Snape were best friends after all.

"No, and yet, I would have never imagined even in my wildest dreams that I will marry off a son of mine one day."

She laughed heartily. "You are being ridiculous. He could be hardly the only gay Malfoy ever born."

"As a matter of fact, he is the first in at least five hundred years, and the first ever submissive one at that. Must be his mother's fault. The Blacks have taken the concept of blood purity a bit too far in the last few generations."

"Yeah, says just the right one."

"I will let you know that even the most staunch blood purists are well aware that there is such a thing as too pure a blood."

He rose from behind his desk gathering up the documents and putting them away in a secured drawer, before approaching her to offer her his arm. They left his study and made their way towards their rooms to change for lunch. Theodore would arrive shortly to join them and Draco for today's meal and to finalise the last of the formalities right afterwards. It staggered her a bit just how fast Nott was moving in this instance and she told Lucius as much.

"They are afraid that I might change my mind or some such. Thus, all that haste."

"Would you? Even now?"

"No. And if Draco has had the courage to come out to me sooner, I would not have even considered marrying him to a female. There are always ways and means of obtaining heirs outside of wedlock, as long as it is in agreement between the spouses and within the contractual stipulations. Alas, Draco and I do not have, and never had unfortunately, such a close relationship that such things as consideration towards his sexual preferences would be assumed as granted."

"That's unfortunate indeed."

She thought about her own relationship with her parents for a moment. It had been fairly close, until her Hogwarts letter arrived. Afterwards, it was simply not the same, getting progressively distant with all the lies she had to come up with and all the secrets she had to keep.

As if reading her thoughts, Lucius addressed that very topic. "Your relationship with your parents is different I assume."

"It was once. Before I found out that I was a witch. I think it's the disappointed expectations more than anything else that drove us apart. Before my Hogwarts letter they had every reason to imagine that I would go to a nice exclusive boarding school and to a college afterwards. Maybe even choose the dentist profession and take over their surgery one day. And until then it was more or less my own life's plan as well." She sighed heavily stepping into the Master bedroom and going over to her walk-in closed. "They were always very supportive, despite everything they suspected I was not telling them. But as you would know yourself, normal parents want normal children. Children that they can understand fully and relay to completely. They did not have that and had to adapt accordingly."

"How are they adapting to Australia by the way?" She heard Lucius' muffled voice from the other end of the room.

"Surprisingly well actually." She pulled out a nice set of afternoon robes and began to change out of her morning attire. "According to them everything seems to be beyond their expectations. The people are decent, the neighbours are nice, the weather is excellent, this time of the year especially, and they have established their new business almost as if they have been always there to begin with."

Leni popped in as she was sitting down in front of her vanity to help her with her coiffure.

"I was very tempted to forego our winter season obligations and go visit them for the duration of the holidays."

"Maybe, next year." She heard him say some distance away. "I would not mind to make their acquaintance."

Yeah, that was going to be one hell of a meeting. She cringed inside just thinking of it. Though, the expressions on their faces would be most interesting to watch, that much was for sure.

"Maybe," she said vaguely. Not anytime soon, as far as she was concerned.

She was refreshing her make-up when she noticed him standing in the doorway, leaning casually against the frame and watching her at it with obvious curiosity.

"Never seen a woman doll herself up before?" She joked carelessly turning back to her task.

"As a matter of fact, no. Narcissa and I have never shared the Master suite. She was using a set of chambers in an entirely different wing."

She froze for a moment chastising herself for her thoughtless comment. But then gave herself a mental nudge and finished up, pretending that it had been just a random response. The last thing he wanted was her pity after all. Not to mention that she did not want him to know just how much she was aware of what exactly he meant.

"Not even your mother when you were still a child?"

She stood checking herself over one last time, before approaching him.

"Again, no. My mother was very strict in her notions about having another male in her rooms. Even if he was little and her own son."

"A pity," she smiled teasingly.

"Indeed," he offered her his arm again to escort her downstairs. "Now that you have remedied the gap in my education, I must complement you on your brush and pencil wielding skills. Such precision in application is nothing short of awe-inspiring."

"Why, thank you, darling, it is an acquired skill," she smirked mischievously. "Practice makes the master, as the saying goes. Nothing stops you from trying it out for yourself, if you are so jealous."

"Ha, ha, very funny."

"No, honestly, it would look not even half so bad on you I'm sure. With the hair and all."

She giggled at the death glare sent her way. Something was telling her that it was not the first time he was hearing comments along those lines.

They entered the drawing room and stopped abruptly when they saw what was going on inside. Draco and Theodore were doing their best to snog the life out of each other on one of the lounges with their hands decidedly not in any decent places. Lucius was about to step inside and reprimand them, but she pulled him away and through the backdoor onto the warded terrace.

"Let the children have their fun, darling. Kudos to them for jumping straight to desserts," she grinned at his slightly disgruntled expression, which cleared somewhat at her remark.

"You are not much older than either of them, if I remember correctly and yet, you are not in there engaging in appalling displays of affection for all to see."

"And whose fault is that?" She pouted leaning in closer as she steered them towards the carved wooden bench.

"Oh, forgive me, my love, such a lapse must be taken care of at once."

He sat down and pulled her onto his lap making good on his word in all due fashion, until Draco and Theodore walked in on them not long after.

"Ahhhhh! Someone obliviate me! Now!"

Draco hightailed out of the door, as if the devil himself were on his heels, dragging a goggle-eyed Theodore after him.

Hermione smirked smugly at their retreating backs.

"Now that we had our revenge, I believe it is time for lunch."

"Have I told you how much I love you today?" Lucius purred into her ear.

"You have, but one more time never hurts," she pecked him on the lips and hopped off his lap.

xxxoooxxx

Finally, they all gathered around the table. She had chosen a simple menu of potato cream soup, a variety of salads and delicious sandwiches, with a fruit-compote for desserts. It was supposed to be their first family meal at the manor and she wanted to give it a homely, welcoming feel.

"I only hope that the display earlier had not put me off my appetite," Draco drawled predictably.

To pass up an opportunity to comment on Lucius' and her "unholy union" was not in him, despite the truce they both had negotiated out and officially declared between them.

"It is fortunate then that the display we have witnessed in the drawing room before that had not put us off our appetite at all," she smirked at the blush rising on his cheeks. "The house-elves would have ironed their ears for sure, if the entire meal returned to the kitchens uneaten."

"You and your house-elf rights again."

"Well, someone has to stand up for the week and oppressed, if they are incapable of doing so themselves after all."

"Typically Gryffindor," he rolled his eyes good naturedly.

"You and Potter are quite a pair in that respect," Theodore joined in. "Is it true then that you are planning the legalisation of the first rites at the spring session of the Wizengamot? I thought you as a muggleborn would be against it. Feeling underprivileged and all that, since they can be performed only within the first year after birth."

"I do feel underprivileged, but to forbid them entirely was most certainly not the right way to remedy that. And besides, who has said that we would feel less underprivileged, if they were forbidden anyway? The muggleborn certainly not, from what I have read about it. Only because some patronising old codgers though they were doing what was for the best, it does not mean that it was indeed so." She took a sip of her wine. "As I see it, the greatest problem with the traditionalist policies is that you have never tried to work with us, instead of against us. You seem to automatically assume that the muggleborn would not agree with conservative political and social agendas, because they are advocated mostly by Dark wizards. Which is complete nonsense of course. People are people, be it wizards or muggles. There are traditionally thinking muggleborn, just as much as there are liberal."

She turned to face Lucius. "You told me once that the Light extremists have made the muggleborn their weapon to undermine the Dark policies. That could have been avoided rather easily, if the Dark extremists would have done the same. They should have courted the conservative muggleborn favour, instead of sneering down their noses on them all out of bigotry and misplaced sense of superiority. Not to mention that there are Dark witches and wizards among the muggleborn too. I do not see how you could possibly assume otherwise."

"Are you a Dark witch then, Granger?" Theodore joked sceptically.

"No," she smirked at him over the brim of her spoon, "nor am I a traditionally thinking one for that matter. I'm just using you all as my weapon."

Draco and Theodore were staring at her in shock. Lucius however just chuckled in amusement.

"Aha! And here I have been wondering. Now, it all comes out."

"Oh, you don't know even half of it, my love," she smiled at him sweetly. "I'm just the second in command after all. Harry is the one with the reigns in hand in these lands, my dear, not the Lords, not the Ministry, not Him and most certainly not Dumbledore. You all just don't know it yet."

That wiped the indulgent smile off his face rather quickly, replacing it with a calculating gaze. She could almost see the cogs turning in his head and had to take another sip of vine to suppress the urge to crow in delight. It was really amusing how easy it was to put them off balance with a few choice words. Even more so, because she was just putting on a show. She and Harry had agreed that it would be best to not become too predictable. The Dark ones were old and experienced sharks and could turn their game on them rather easily, if they sniffed out a weakness. If they wanted to play with the big boys, they had to keep them on their toes, not the other way around.

"But that is just another point in favour of this argument." Time to move on and leave them to chew on it at their own leisure. "Despite not being Dark or traditional, I still agree with many traditional believes and practices. And not only because of the interesting historical and cultural background, but because of the beneficial influence they have on body, mind and magic of the practitioners.

Take the first rites for example, if we are at it. It is definitely proven and officially documented by experts that the observation of the rites of Welcoming In This World and Blessing Of The Child among others are augmenting their magic, health and emotional balance. I do not see why they should not be practiced, even if the muggleborn are excluded from them, because of the current legislation being as it is, and them not being allowed to be aware of magic until the age of eleven. Which yet again is complete nonsense, if I ever heard any. I was aware that I was different as long as can remember and if you ask any given muggleborn, they would only confirm it to you. And even if they are excluded themselves, they would still want the first rites to be performed for their children."

She gave Lucius a reassuring smile.

"I for one would most certainly want them to be performed for our children. And I am hardly an exception. The most prominent example of that attitude is actually none other than Lily Potter."

"Potter has received the first rites?!"

That was Draco in understandable, if annoying, disbelief.

"As a matter of fact, he has," she nodded at him. "The Potter elders wanted them to be performed when he was born, but James Potter was hesitant, so they asked her opinion on the matter. She was the one who has absolutely insisted, as soon as she has learned of them, despite it being illegal. So, there you have it!"

"That is most interesting indeed," Lucius was examining the sandwich platter with a bit too obvious nonchalance. "It is also interesting how you are stressing the current when you are talking of legislation."

Hermione smirked coyly.

"Are you fishing for a bone, darling?"

He raised an eyebrow at her and finally chose a sandwich, making her giggle slightly.

"Fine, I give you a bone. Where wizard-muggle-relations policies are concerned, Harry is most definitely a separatist. But you don't have it from me of course," she batted her lashes suggestively.

"Of course," Lucius smiled just as suggestively in return, before taking a bite.

Theodore was watching the exchange like a hungry dog ready to snatch up any scrap and morsel coming his way. Draco on the other hand had only one thing to contribute.

"Get yourselves a room, for Merlin's sake! Some people are eating here, in case you have forgotten."

Lucius sighed in resignation and took her hand kissing it lightly.

"Just as well that we are planning other children."

She bit her lip trying not to laugh at Draco's confused frown.

"Indeed, my love, indeed."

xxxoooxxx

The rest of the day had passed pleasantly. Lucius and Theodore had finished up their business and joined her and Draco for tea in the sun room. The newly engaged couple had excused themselves soon afterwards, only to reappear just on time for dinner. Hermione had not minded much, neither had Lucius, since both of them had more than enough to do. Even though he did show her just how much he had envied his son his carefree pursuits and how much he had wanted her all day, but had to wait, as soon as they had retired for the night.

She lay awake for some time, watching Lucius' covered chest rise and fall under her cheek, meditating upon their relationship and what future might have in store for them.

There was no denying that she came to love this man now. He was perfectly charming and lovable after all, despite what she knew he was perfectly capable of. Neither did she doubt the feelings he had professed to have for her and yet, there was also no denying that they still were adversaries on more than one level. The trust they had in each other only went so far. Their political positions were making it necessary to keep their cards close to the chest and well away from the other's eyes. The question was then, would their love be able to withstand the weight of secrets and the struggle for control and dominance in the end?

She wished the answer to be a resounding yes, but knew that there were no guarantees. She only hoped that they would not come to hate each other when all was said and done. There was also a nagging feeling that she might be the only one worrying about such things. Lucius had been raised in such a way that the current state of affairs might be what he considered perfectly normal and it was she who had to accept and adapt. Her parents after all certainly had not been that way.

The next question was consequently, did she want the relationship her parents had or was she happy with what she got?

If she was honest with herself, it excited her quite a lot to mentally spar with this man day in, day out. He was her equal in many ways and her superior in many others. With every point she scored or lost she was honing her intelligence and skills and bettering herself, growing stronger and more confident in every respect. She would not want to have it any other way for the rest of her days. Just imagining a life with an average man was bringing on a yawn of boredom.

And the last question was of course, would she want her children to be raised in such a family? To learn to see a relationship such as this as normal and desirable?

A difficult question for sure. She did not doubt that Lucius loved and cared for Draco very much, he was simply not the touchy-feely type, like her own father had been when she was little. Or maybe it was because Draco was a son and heir and had to be raised as such, and it was different with daughters in the first place? In any case, she did not doubt that Lucius would make a decent enough father. Any deficiencies on the display of affection front could be remedied by her well enough she supposed. That much at least their children would have over Draco.

She smirked imagining that Draco was probably the way he was, because he had been desperately in need of someone to spoil him emotionally for a change. Or maybe he had been simply born a prissy queen to begin with and she was overthinking things, as usual.

She sighed getting herself back on track again. No, she would not mind her children growing up in this family. There were certainly better options, but there were also far worse. The world was what it was and to grow up aware of it would be hardly a disadvantage, even if it meant to pay for that awareness with their innocence a bit too early.

She smiled finally closing her eyes and drifting off into sleep. What will be, will be. The future was what one made of it and she had every intention to not leave her own and that of hers in the hands of others. On that at least Lucius would most certainly agree.