A/N: I don't own Harry Potter or any related characters
This is for the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Word Count: 956
Warning: character death, dying in childbirth
Lucius wasn't one to extend an olive branch, he wasn't one for forgiveness. It was at Narcissa's funeral when he saw Ted Tonks. He was standing there in a muggle suit, a small girl holding his hand. Lucius' heart sank slightly realizing it must be Nymphadora. The girl turned and looked at him with a pair of almost too large brown eyes.
"Lucius, I'm sorry for your loss," Ted said, extending his hand. Lucius shook it without even thinking about it. He knew Ted had lost his wife, Andromeda during the war. Now he was in the same boat, a widower with a child. Baby Draco was sleeping at the moment. He looked like a small blond angel. Part of Lucius wanted to hate the child, it was because of Draco that he'd lost Narcissa. She'd died from complications of childbirth. It wasn't really Draco's fault, Lucius wanted, no almost needed, someone other than himself to blame. He'd been the one who had wanted a family, an heir to carry on the family name. He'd been the one who had pushed Narcissa.
"Thank you," he said, not meeting Ted's eyes. He knew the haunting expression he'd see there, knew he'd never want to look away. Ted had been there when things had been bad, when Lucius had lost his own parents. Part of Lucius had always wondered if he'd gone against their wishes, if he'd stayed with Ted, if things would have been different. Instead, Lucius had married Narcissa, the witch to whom he was contracted. Ted had married Andromeda. Part of Lucius had wondered then if Ted had only done so to remain close to him, that hadn't worked out. The Blacks had disowned Andi, burned her from the family tree. Now she was gone, now Narcissa was gone. The only one remaining was Bellatrix and Lucius prayed to every deity he knew that she would stay locked behind the bars of Azkaban.
"If you need anything," Ted offered. Lucius had heard those words repeated and repeated until they were a skipping record in his head. Need anything, what could anyone possibly give him? No one would raise the dead. No one could bring back Narcissa.
"Thank you, Ted," Lucius said. He was about to say something, anything, to make the the man stay when Draco decided announce he was awake with a loud ear piercing scream. Lucius grimaced and turned his attention to his son. Gently he picked Draco up, holding him. He knew the child was probably hungry. He snapped his fingers summoning a house elf, who brought a bottle. Lucius knew some people had the elves raise their children for them, or hired a nanny at the earliest convenience. He wasn't planning to do that, this boy, this baby was all he had left of Narcissa. He was going to raise him himself, no matter how difficult it might be.
"Would you like a hand?" Ted asked, nodding to Draco. Lucius blinked. The idea of having Ted help him, the idea of a Malfoy needing help... that was what had gotten him into this wasn't it? Being a Malfoy, believing all the hate his family spewed. Slowly Lucius nodded, allowing Ted to take Draco and hold him for a moment. Lucius watched as Ted showed him the best way to hold the newborn, the best way to get him to drink. Lucius had missed Ted's caring side, the side that had convinced th hat to put him in Hufflepuff.
"Here," Ted handed Draco back.
"Thank you," Lucius whispered, looking at his son, and then back up at Ted. The feelings he'd had for Narcissa had grown into something akin to love, but it wasn't the same heart pounding feeling he had now, it wasn't like the heavens had opened and bathed the world in light.
"Lucius, I know how your feeling, how you're wondering how you're going to go one without her," Ted said. Lucius knew he was probably one of the few people in this world that did truly understand how he was feeling.
"If you need someone to talk to, I mean, I know the wizarding world isn't big on talking about emotions, but if you do want to-"
"Move in with me," Lucius interrupted. His heart was echoing in his ears. He'd lost Ted once because of the ways of the wizarding world, and now, they were both alone, both trying to raise their children in that same world.
"Did you just ask me to move in?" Ted asked, his brown eyes wide in confusion and shock.
"I did, you're right. I have no idea how to raise a child. Draco's so small and I'm terrified I'm going to do something wrong. You have experience, I mean, Nymphadora seems happy enough," he stated. The eight year old girl in question looked at him, tilted her head and caused her long brown hair to form into blond curls instead.
"Are you asking me to move in as a servant, a nanny for Draco, or..." Ted seemed to be searching for the right words.
"I don't know, honestly. I know how I feel about you, how I've always felt about you. I was a fool, Ted, a bloody fool to think..."
"I accept, Lucius, as I know it's for the best for everyone here. I'll help you raise Draco, while you provide Dora and I a place to live, Merlin knows the world has not been kind to either of us," Ted replied. "And I still care about you too," he added, giving Lucius a tight smile. He returned it wondering if this could be the start to finding the happiness he'd given up before, or maybe something new, something stronger.