A/N:

Word of warning, the last chapter was very long, but this one is very short.

Please don't be cross! The next one will be posted soon, I promise.

Thanks for reading!

-AL


CHAPTER ELEVEN

"Regrets and mistakes..."

-Adele

Narcissa couldn't find her favorite crimson scallop cut dress anywhere. After tearing her entire home apart, she realized it must be one of too many items left behind at Malfoy Manor, in the large wardrobe beside the one holding Lucius' clothes in their bedroom. His bedroom.

She gained easy access to the Manor, took the stairs quickly, and did not bother to knock when she reached the master bedroom. Given the early hour, she assumed he would be sound asleep. She could slip in, grab her dress, and slip back out without him being any the wiser.

Unless she lost her head entirely and slipped into bed with him.

"Don't start thinking like that, Cissy," she scolded herself, her hand on the knob. She opened the door.

She entered.

He was indeed in bed.

But he was not alone.

Less than twelve hours earlier, Draco, who had no reason to go to Paris given girlfriend Mary Sue's lack of existence, decided to throw a small, impromptu pool party. He invited only Blaise and the Greengrass sisters.

After a couple of hours of drinking champagne and eating shrimp cocktail and splashing each other and chatting, Blaise and Daphne went from cuddling on the steps to full on snogging, leaving Draco and Astoria eying each other awkwardly. The two had fooled around in the past, but that was a long time ago, and didn't she have a boyfriend, anyway?

"We broke up." She answered the question he hadn't asked aloud. "And I'm not looking for another relationship right now. But if you wanted to…" She tilted her head in the direction of her sister, who was now straddling Blaise, attached at the mouth.

He almost told her he couldn't, that he had a girlfriend, but then he realized how stupid that would sound. What girlfriend? Mary Sue, the one he was supposed to be breaking up with in Paris tonight, or Hermione, the one who had no idea he was even bloody interested and was probably in bed with some smarmy bloke at that very moment?

"Let's rinse off," he suggested. He pulled himself up onto the side of the pool, avoiding the love nest that had been the stairs, and led the way toward the shower. She followed.

And before he could further contemplate what he was about to do, they were under the steady stream of water, fondling each other over the bathing costumes… and then under their bathing costumes… and, then, finally, without wearing bathing costumes.

Daphne went home with Blaise.

Astoria didn't go home.

"Good morning, Lucius." Narcissa strode past the bed en route to the wardrobe. She'd gone several steps before she stopped, frozen.

"You should knock, Narcissa."

She slowly about-faced. "I had no idea you'd be… indisposed."

"I am quite the opposite of indisposed, I assure you." He chuckled and stroked the bushy brown hair of the woman hiding her face in his neck.

"I thought you were lying about having a 'lady friend.' I see I was wrong."

"You were, indeed." He smiled smugly.

"And I thought your little problem in the bedroom was caused by something… something you couldn't cure without the help of a Healer, but now, I see I was wrong on that, too. All you needed was another woman."

"What little problem in the bedroom?" The witch huddled up to him pulled back slightly. "You haven't got a disease or-"

"Impotence isn't a disease, but its cause could be one," said Narcissa with a touch of viciousness.

"Impotence?" Hermione pulled back farther. "Is that why you didn't want to-"

"Narcissa!" he snapped, at the same time she said, "Granger!"

"Oh!" Hermione covered her face again, this time with the sheet.

"You're shagging Hermione Granger, of all witches?"

"What do you mean, 'of all witches'? Still carrying around some of that anti-Mudblood prejudice, dear?"

"Hardly! I can't even remember the last time I used the word Mudblood!"

"I can remember the last time someone used it to describe me in this house," came Hermione's muffled voice. "And on that note, I should go."

"No! You stay! You stay here and while Lucius is feeding you breakfast in bed – or whatever it is with the woman he takes home – I'll go comfort my son, because one of his parents needs to care about him!"

"What? Witch, what are you infer… Get back here!" He kissed Hermione on the temple and extricated himself from the bed, reaching for his dressing gown. He threw it on, tearing after his wife, who was already to the stairs. "What's this about Draco?"

"What's this about Draco? You… you… you horse's arse!"

"Is this because they're the same age?" Lucius tied the robe closed and reached for her upper arm, stopping her from taking another step.

"I suppose I never knew the depths of your depravity, Lucius Malfoy, now unhand me or I shall hex you into the next century!"

"What is going on out here?" Bleary eyed, Draco stumbled into the hall, wearing only his pajama bottoms. "The sun's barely up and you're already fighting?"

"Your mother seems to think my taking a woman to bed means I no longer care for your well-being!"

"You took a woman to-" Draco's face broke into a smile. "That's excellent news, Father!"

"See, Narcissa?" Lucius jerked his head toward the boy. "Excellent news! He's not cut up about it. Why are you?"

"He doesn't know who you've brought to bed!"

"What does he care? She's a friend of his, he'll be thrilled!"

"She's more than a friend, Lucius! He fancies her!"

Draco's smile slipped from his face. "Wait, who?"

"Fancies her? Hardly!" Lucius laughed, a loud, over-exaggerated laugh. "He has a girlfriend! Speaking of which, I thought you were headed to-"

"Draco? I am so sorry to… interrupt, but I have to go." Astoria exited Draco's bedroom, pulling her hair back with a ribbon. She was fully dressed. "I have to open the shop this morning, I completely forgot."

"Astoria?" Now Hermione was in the hall, also wearing the clothes she'd had on the night before. "Oh, Draco, you didn't! Cheating? What about Mary Sue?"

"Who?" asked Lucius, Astoria, and Narcissa at once.

"Draco's girlfriend! They're supposed to be in-"

"Paris!" Lucius picked up. "As I was saying, Draco quite happily has a girlfriend-"

"He doesn't have a girlfriend! He fancies Hermione, you waste of oxygen and hair product!" Narcissa slapped Lucius in the center of his chest. He finally dropped her arm.

"Draco?" Hermione's voice sounded small, confused, concerned. Lucius, Narcissa, and Astoria also turned to look at the pale blond in his pajama bottoms. His mouth was open, his eyes were wide, and he appeared to have been Stunned or Petrified.

"Draco," whispered Hermione. "What about Mary Sue?"

"Mary Sue," Draco echoed. "I… I was supposed to go to Paris with Mary Sue."

"Who is Mary Sue?" asked Astoria. "What is going on here?"

The clock in the downstairs hall chimed.

"Oh, I'm going to be late! Draco, whatever this is, I'm sorry." Astoria kissed his cheek. "Let's talk soon!"

She took the stairs two at a time. No one moved, spoke, or even breathed until they heard the downstairs door slam shut.

"There is no Mary Sue, is there, Draco?" asked Narcissa gently, reaching for her son. He backed away, looking surprised when his back hit the wall.

"Tell them about her, Draco!" The pain in Hermione's voice was mirrored by that on her face. "Tell them about your girlfriend!"

"I didn't have sex with her," said Lucius, switching his gaze from his wife to his son and back again. "I couldn't."

"I don't fancy Hermione," said Draco, finally finding the words. "I never have. At most, she's been a friend, and now…" He glanced her up and down, his nose wrinkled as if she were dirty. "And now, not even that. Excuse me."

He returned to his bedroom and slammed the door.

"Draco!" cried Hermione.

"Son!" called Lucius.

"Let him be." Narcissa pressed her fingertips to her temples. "I'm sorry, Lucius. I won't barge in on you in your bedroom anymore. Nor will I enter Malfoy Manor without your permission in the future. I could do well to remember that this isn't my home." Her voice broke on the last word. "I'm sorry."

She turned and hurried down the stairs.

"Narcissa, wait!" Lucius followed her until the first landing, but she did not pause or glance back, and so he let her go. He cringed when the door slammed behind her, and despite the heavy oak and the space separating them, both he and Hermione heard her burst into sobs upon making her exit.

"Hermione." Lucius reached for her, but she pulled away.

"I'm sorry, Lucius." She rushed down the stairs to the door, hoping she could catch Narcissa before the woman reached the apparating point just beyond the gates.

"Hermione!" he called after her. "Please, don't go!"

"I have to!" She caught his eye over her shoulder as she wrenched open the heavy door. "I'm sorry."