Hey everyone!

So we have reached it... both the last update of the year and the last few days of what have been the craziest year I've ever known. If anyone had told me this time last year about how this year would have gone I'd have said "You're joking!" but it really has been such a crazy year. One lesson I have learnt this year is to be grateful for what I have and never taken it for granted ever again. Now onto the soppiness. Thank you all who have read my stories this year... whether you're new here this year and have boarded the LM fanship or whether you've been here a while; I just want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading my stories. I know sometimes they slow down and not much happens for a bit but the continued support keeps me going. I do look at my figures every now and again but it's ok if I don't have 10k a month. I write because I enjoy it and you all come and read my stories, hopefully enjoying them as well. 2021 will be better in some ways and not in others but we'll get through it by the power of words and stories. (and this became a LOT longer than I'd hoped it would be...) Anyway I'll pip down now so you can read. New Year's Day update are planned as normal but if I don't update I'l sure you know I'll update on the 2nd.

Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!

Lots and lots of love,

LM xxxx

Love Changes Everything-Part 12:

The first thing Narcissa did was have a bath as the cottage sprang to life the moment she'd entered. She'd apparated to the Malfoy's cottage in the south of France overlooking the beach and she instantly felt safe there. She knew that she shouldn't have left like that but she would have ended up doing something to her mother that she would have regretted and that could have been serious.

Then she headed to the library and sat reading. She wondered when Lucius would come. She hoped that it wouldn't be too long but then she needed the break from him. Tears fell as she thought how much she'd been trying to work on their relationship only for Lucius to go and do that. It hurt her deeply but she soon shook all thoughts from her head and began to focus on herself until the time would come when Lucius would arrive.

A couple of days later and the alert bell twinkled and Narcissa sighed as she knew it was either Lucius or Priscilla as only anyone who held the Malfoy name could enter the cottage, much to her relief. She didn't move from her seat on the balcony, reading a book, but heard the footsteps approaching.

"I thought I should give you the time to calm down and I had to deal with things back at home," came Lucius' voice.

"Did you now?" Narcissa asked, "what did your mother do after I'd left?" she added, her eyes not leaving the book she was reading.

"Dismissed your mother before reading me the riot act about how I'd hurt you and that you were trying to put your feeling for Severus aside and all I was doing was thinking with my…"

"Well you were… are," Narcissa said, "the fact you even invited her to the ball said as much," she sighed finally putting her book down and looked at him before making room for him.

"Anyway yes… mother read me the riot act but we have bigger things to worry about," Lucius said as he sat down and looked at her, "your mother knows everything and doesn't want my mother to go after her so won't hurt them. If anything happens then my mother will instantly go after her so they are safe as long as my mother is alive."

Narcissa sighed as she looked at Lucius.

"That was the one thing I was trying to avoid," she said, "and now she knows. I hope you got owls out to them before you decided to come here."

"Of course I did. Eira's made a quick exit and Severus is at Hogwarts where he cannot be reached because Dumbledore knows as well," Lucius said, "look I'm sorry for what happened. I wanted to have one last moment with Eira before I focused on us and our marriage and Draco. That was meant to be goodbye for us. I know how much you have given up to keep up our image…"

"Lucius stop. You just admitted that you invited her to sleep with her one last time," Narcissa said, "I will not forgive you for that but I will forgive you for being honest with me and admitting what you'd wanted that night. You have no idea how much I have given up. I have not even thought about sleeping with Severus in weeks because I know that it's wrong and I should only be sleeping with you. I want to kiss him, but you know all of that because of Eira and the fact you feel it too."

Silence fell and soon the only sounds that could be heard were the sounds of the waves lapping against the sand and Lucius watched Narcissa. She appeared to be relaxed but he could also feel the emotional turmoil crashing and twisting inside his wife and he sighed softly. He did feel so bad about what he'd caused. His eyes drifted to the book that laid on the table. The fact that she hadn't picked it up again gave him the courage he needed to ask her what he needed to.

"Do you believe in soulmates?" he asked suddenly, clearly catching Narcissa unaware as there was a sudden stiffness in her body before she relaxed.

"W…why are you asking?" came her stuttered answer as she looked away from him to bite her lip.

"Well Severus and I were discussing it and we think that that could be a reason as to why you are so drawn to Severus and me to Eira," Lucius said, "we discussed it that afternoon you were at Helena's," he explained before falling silent.

Narcissa sighed as she thought about what Lucius had said. She didn't want to believe him but he may well have had a point. No matter how much she fought her feelings for the Hogwarts Potions Master she always found her thoughts going back to him. It could also explain why Lucius thought with his trousers more than his head. She didn't really want to believe that it could be true but a part of her thought that it might have been a perfectly good explanation to what was going on.

"And you two discussed this behind my back? Very nice of you," she said as she looked at Lucius, "also why are you only just mentioning this to me now?" she asked as she looked at him, "that was weeks ago and you're only just mentioning it to me now?"

"To be honest I should have told you sooner but with the Ball it slipped my mind until my mother said that maybe I should mention it to you whilst we spent time here," Lucius said as he took her hand in his. How her hands were always perfectly soft and manicured he'd never know, "we need to consider it because it would rather explain a lot and why we are drawn to them so much. If it is that then we cannot help it and will need to discuss it with my mother. She's looking into the soulmate connection thing to see if that could explain a lot of things so we will see but I think we should consider it."

Narcissa sighed as she looked at him. She didn't really want to go along with the idea but also knew that Lucius was right in some ways and she just squeezed his hand. The last thing she really wanted to do was agree to his theory. After all it was crazy… wasn't it?