It's a doubleheader upload! Reviews keep me going :)
Lucius kept his promise and the very next day had his wife proudly displayed in the window of Twilfitt and Tatting's, an incredible variety of wool and silk and fur draped across her for inspection. And although Narcissa didn't make a show of what little belly she had, no one passing by could have doubted the cause for such an extravagant family outing. It would have been one thing to have Narcissa browsing gloves or buying a new robe by herself, but to have Lucius there, holding her hands and whispering in any moment the tailor stepped away, was quite different.
Telling Narcissa's parents was a delight, exactly as they had predicted it would be years before. Bellatrix was less thrilled, and left the room as soon as their speech began after Sunday dinner. But Druella wept and sat beside her daughter on the couch for an hour, talking incessantly and incorrectly about her "first" grandchild. Cygnus took Lucius to his study and gave him a cigar and told him about the mysteries, and expenses, of fatherhood. Lucius did his best to keep a straight face and not choke on the smoke.
"You stink," Narcissa said as soon as they landed on their own hearth.
"I've been in the proverbial smoke filled room, hearing about how I had better hope this baby is a boy or else I'll never have any spending money again."
"What a silly old man. As if he ever ran out of money. Go take a shower honey, and then I want to talk."
It remained one of Lucius's greatest pleasures to find Narcissa waiting for him in their bed with her face washed and hair braided. A dream he had persisted in dreaming his whole life, even during the bitter years when it seemed a given her sister would have been there instead. And that night she had gone beyond perfect, as she sat there cross legged with her arms wrapped around their growing baby.
"I am the luckiest man in the world tonight," he said, sliding in behind her so she could lean on his chest. "And every other night as well. What did you want to talk about?"
"When you were gone, I brought the things home from the townhouse nursery."
"Yes, I saw them in the bedroom down the hall."
"And you didn't say anything?"
"It seemed normal enough to me. Although I'm sorry you had to do it alone. But there will be plenty of things left to pick out together."
Narcissa pivoted a bit and wrapped her arms around his neck.
"We never talked about that baby," she said, somehow managing to keep her eyes on his.
"No," he agreed, "and I regret it. But I was so afraid then of losing you. Discussing anything seemed out of the question then. I didn't want to push you one step too far."
"But you do think of her?" Narcissa pressed on.
"Yes, Narcissa, I think of her often. I think of how she should be here between us right now, warm and sleepy."
"I'm pleased you agree she was a girl."
"Oh yes, Cissy," he breathed. "Just like her mum."
The next week news arrived via owl that new baby Pansy Parkinson had come to stay.
"Well there you go then," Narcissa said coolly, handing the announcement over to Lucius at the breakfast table. "Her father hasn't owned up to her, the poor thing."
"You couldn't have expected he would. In the long run, it'll be better anyway. Parkinson is a good name, and people may think her Nathan's daughter."
"No one will think that, and you know it,"
"Are you going to tell her?" Lucius asked as he helped her pin her hat in place. Narcissa smirked at him in the mirror.
"Really, Lucius, I think that would be unkind. She's laying there with a fatherless newborn in her overbearing mother's house."
"Narcissa Malfoy, it isn't like you to be so smug."
"It also isn't like me to kill my childhood best friend in cold blood, is it?"
"Oh, Cissy."
"Well. I'm not going to forget."
They visited Cecily and the new baby Pansy for as long as they could stand to stay in the stuffy house. Nathan stood with his arms crossed leaning in the corner, failing miserably at looking happy at all. No one would say it, but the baby looked very much like her father. Narcissa held Pansy with Lucius standing behind her, hands on her shoulders and beaming. She looked up at him as the baby cooed, and they shared the wonderful secret of their own life to come.
"Oh Cissy, I hope someday you can be this happy," Cecily said, holding her arms out to get Pansy back. "I'll keep hoping for you."
"That's too kind of you, Cecily, really. You should only be thinking of yourself, and your tiny family."
They walked in the countryside nearby before Apparating home.
"You're right, Cissy. She is interminable."
"She's always been that way. I'll give her a month of colic and diapers with only her mother's help before we tell her our news. She'll be primed for it then."
"Wicked girl."
"Reap what you sow, Lucius. She's laid herself a hard road."
"And you would send her down it alone."
"I would."
There was nothing to be done for it. They were on a collision course, buoyed along on either side by Christmas shoppers. Narcissa was alone for a moment while Lucius picked up his new dress robes, and Andromeda appeared to be tugging futilely on the arm of the pink haired toddler by her side, trying to get her out of Narcissa's line of sight.
"Hello, Cissy." Of course Andromeda would yield first, would feel less the eyes of every busybody in Wizarding London on them.
"Andromeda."
"I heard your happy news," Andromeda said, and then she hoisted Nymphadora up into her arms to stop her whining from being ignored in the much taller crowd.
"Did you?" This truly took Narcissa by surprise, although she should have known how secrets spread.
"Yes, Cissy, I don't live on the moon."
Andromeda picked up her daughter's hand and waved it.
"Say hello to your aunt then, Dora."
Narcissa could not help but crack a genuine smile at that, and reached out a tender hand to press against the child's.
"She's a Metamorphmagus," Narcissa wondered amidst her cooing.
Andromeda ignored her and lowered her voice suddenly, leaning in.
"Look, Cissy, I know what Lucius did for us, with the wards at the house and I –"
Narcissa leaned back and snatched her hand away. The noises around her that had dimmed in her blissful moment of babyhood came back, along with a ringing in her ears.
"Really, Andromeda, I haven't the slightest idea what you mean," she snapped. At the same moment a well known presence arrived behind her, and a hand rested on her shoulder.
"Andromeda," Lucius said, matching Narcissa's tone perfectly.
"Lucius. Congratulations to you both."
Narcissa could almost hear Lucius's mouth twist at that, and he began to steer her out of the island the sisters had formed in the crowd.
"She's a very pretty baby, Andromeda. Good afternoon."
Narcissa didn't dare turn her head back.