Epilogue
They entered Malfoy Manor, hand in hand, very late into the night after a long stroll in the lawns, talking. Lucius led his exquisite bride upstairs to his study to introduce her to his father. Abraxas Malfoy sat brooding by the fire, one arm fingering his wand. He looked up as they entered and stood up, smiling.
"Ah, yes," he said, taking Narcissa's hand and bending over it. "How long I have awaited this pleasure of making your acquaintance, my dear." Then he lifted his head and peered at her closely.
"I have heard a lot about you, but was never told of your matchless beauty though." he continued. Narcissa found herself going pink. She smiled back. Mr Malfoy patted her hand gently.
"I hope you will be very happy here, my dear," he said. Narcissa felt a lump in her throat; no one had ever been so concerned about her before. She felt her eyes filling up with tears.
"I am sure I will, sir." she managed at last. Mr Malfoy smiled and touched her cheek briefly. Then he rested his hand on Lucius's shoulder and smiled lovingly up at him. Lucius smiled back. Narcissa was suddenly struck by how similar they looked. With their gentle gray eyes and long, silky hair.
With a flick of his wand, Lucius turned on the lights of the master bedroom. The room was very lavishly and painstakingly decorated, with wreaths on the curtains and a carpet of roses surrounding the gigantic king-sized bed in the middle. Narcissa entered behind slowly, her eyes wide and appreciative.
"It's beautiful!", she exclaimed, gently stroking the soft, velvet arm of one of the rocking chairs by the fireplace. Lucius turned to her, smiling at her delight.
"I'm glad you like it." he said. Then, taking her arm, he took her to a large wardrobe on one side of the room and flung the doors open. Narcissa peered in to see several delicate looking robes of pastel colours. She reached out and felt one of them; letting its silky folds caress her bare hand.
"They were my mother's." Lucius said huskily. She turned in alarm. He was standing by the window, wiping his eyes with his sleeve. On seeing her expression, he put on an unconvincing smile. "They are for you. Both Father and I think she'd like you to have them, and it would please Father to see you in them." She nodded, feeling touched, then shutting the wardrobe softly, went to stand beside him. He looked down at her.
"I'm sorry you could not wear Mother's wedding dress. She desired to have it buried with her." he said softly. "Actually, this room has not been used since her death; Father could not bear to stay in here anymore...and," his voice broke. "Neither could I". Narcissa knew how he felt. To lose a loved one. She had never lost anyone to death, but she had lost Andromeda and knowing that she could never see her again had almost broken Narcissa's heart. She slipped her hand through Lucius's and he looked down at her again and squeezed her hand, lovingly.
"But Narcissa,my love," he said, almost in a whisper. "This is the happiest day of my life." She smiled and snuggled closer to him.
"Mine too, Lucius." she answered. He bent and kissed the top of her head and slipped an arm around her. Together, they turned and faced each other, while outside, high above them, the beauteous moon showered its tender light on the happy couple, and the delicate fragrance of fleshly picked roses filled the air.
