"Grace of the Devil"
Part Three:
The child was named Lenore Grace Malfoy, as her father Lucius had planned. He was surprised when Narcissa hadn't fought for the right to name the baby: she'd almost resorted to violence when it came to their first child's name. Narcissa had named their son Draco Haden after her grandfather. But she was downright indifferent about her daughter.
Lenore Grace, called Grace by the world and was her father's darling Gracie, was seen as a pest by her cold mother. She refused to have a hand in caring for the child, but Lucius didn't find this too strange: she hadn't done much in the care of Draco, either. But Lucius was hesitant to hire a governess for his daughter, his pride and joy. But his Death Eater duties, though small because he was currantly "hiding out", took up most of his time. So, he put out a notice for a governess, with a large salary.
The women came by the dozens, driven by the payment of a thousand galleons a month. Lucius put them through harsh interviews and background checks. Nothing was too good for his little Gracie, and he was hesitant to leave her in the hands of a stranger. It was only after Narcissa complained about all the strangers in the house that Lucius knew he had to make a decision, and quickly. He picked a young woman, fresh out of Hogwarts, named Trinity Jones. The young woman was gentle with Lucius's precious daughter, so he was somewhat comforted to leave the baby in her governess's hands.
By the time Trinity was settled in, Draco returned from his sixth year of school. Lucius felt somewhat sorry for his son, coming home to such a change after a long, hard year. He'd offered to pull the boy from school early to avoid exams, but to his surprise, Draco refused. I suppose he wants to get good marks so he can be Head Boy, like I was, Lucius thought, and didn't give the matter any more notice.
Draco was even more quiet then he'd been the last summer and over Christmas holiday. He stayed in his room all day, refusing to see anyone. Lucius wasn't even sure if the boy had looked at his little sister for more then five minutes, let alone held her. Though it bothered him that his children weren't close, Lucius decided not to let it bother him. After all, seventeen years was a huge age gap, and Draco would eventually warm to his sister. Lucius hoped so, for he knew that his daugher and her mother would never had a good relationship. Narcissa had seen the baby only a little more then her son had, and handled the child as least often as possible. Whenever Lucius saw Narcissa with Grace, he could see that his wife clearly disliked their daughter.
He, however, couldn't get enough of her. He was constantly playing with her, holding her, feeding her. He would hold her in one arm while trying to do paperwork with the other. He knew that he was paying Trinity for nothing, but he didn't care. Being around Grace made him the happiest he'd ever been, and he felt a fondness for her that he'd never even felt for Draco. He was in love with her soft, dark skin, and her little black curls. But most of all, he loved her huge blue eyes. They looked just like Narcissa's had years ago, full of sparkle and innocence. Lucius prayed that, unlike her mother, the look in Grace's eyes would never fade.
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Around the end of July, little Grace became ill and was crying almost constantly. Lucius took care of her himself as much as he could, but most of the time he was left for Trinity to care for. Lucius could see the strain that it caused the young woman: after only a couple of days of the crying, she had purple lines under her puffy red eyes. At least she's getting paid well for this, Lucius thought contently, and he got back to whatever he'd been doing. Whenever Draco had cried as a child, Lucius would retreat to the quiet dungeon as he had during his childbirth. But the sound of Grace's wails filled Lucius with happiness, and he felt young and invigorated again. He listened to his daughter's cries as one listens to their favorite music. It just didn't disturb him, not when he knew Trinity was caring for her.
But one night, as Lucius sat reading in his study, the cries were too loud and too pained. He felt worried, and he knew he'd have to go upstairs to see Grace. He went up the stairs as quickly as he could, not wanting to keep his precious child waiting any longer. He went down the hall, past Draco's eternally closed doors and the doors to his and Narcissa's room (empty, for she had retreated for a holiday in Portugal after recovering from the child labor). Grace's nursary was at the end of the hall. Lucius opened the door and the loud screams filled his ears.
And he gasped.
He saw Trinity standing by the crib in the darkness, holding the child. Not close, not gently, as Lucius had seen her do. She was holding the girl at an arm's length in front of her, and...was SHAKING the baby.
"Stop! Stop!" Trinity turned to her boss, horror and shock written on her face at the sight of him. She quickly put the screaming child to her chest.
"Mr. Malfoy, it's not-"
"Give her to me, NOW!" Lucius screamed, rage filling him at the sight of this young woman holding his daughter. Trinity handed Grace to the angry Lucius, and took a startled step back. Lucius held the child to his chest, but his eyes were fixed angrily on the governess. He saw the strain in her eyes, and realized what had happened: she'd gotten so frustrated and angry that she SHOOK the baby.
There was no excuse. "Get out," Lucius said in a dangerous whisper.
"But, Mr. Malfoy-"
"I said, GET OUT OF MY HOUSE! I will not have you abusing my daughter anymore! Get out, OUT! Take your things, don't ever come back. GO, before I take my wand to you!"
The startled young woman fled from the room. Lucius backed into the chair in the corner, and rocked the crying child in his arms. "There, there, Gracie," he whispered soothingly. "Daddy won't let that lady hurt you again, I promise. Daddy will take good care of his precious Gracie." Lucius didn't bother with baby-talk or other nonsense: he knew that Grace wasn't able to understasnd him, but she would someday.
Eventually, the baby began to calm down. Lucius kissed the top of her head, rocking her until she slept. Even then, he didn't put her back in bed. He didn't want to leave. I never will leave her, he promised himself. No more governesses or nannies or any strangers to hurt her. I will provide her with the care she needs. I can do it. She means the world to me. Lucius kissed his daughter again.
She will be mine, he told himself. Only mine.
Part Three:
The child was named Lenore Grace Malfoy, as her father Lucius had planned. He was surprised when Narcissa hadn't fought for the right to name the baby: she'd almost resorted to violence when it came to their first child's name. Narcissa had named their son Draco Haden after her grandfather. But she was downright indifferent about her daughter.
Lenore Grace, called Grace by the world and was her father's darling Gracie, was seen as a pest by her cold mother. She refused to have a hand in caring for the child, but Lucius didn't find this too strange: she hadn't done much in the care of Draco, either. But Lucius was hesitant to hire a governess for his daughter, his pride and joy. But his Death Eater duties, though small because he was currantly "hiding out", took up most of his time. So, he put out a notice for a governess, with a large salary.
The women came by the dozens, driven by the payment of a thousand galleons a month. Lucius put them through harsh interviews and background checks. Nothing was too good for his little Gracie, and he was hesitant to leave her in the hands of a stranger. It was only after Narcissa complained about all the strangers in the house that Lucius knew he had to make a decision, and quickly. He picked a young woman, fresh out of Hogwarts, named Trinity Jones. The young woman was gentle with Lucius's precious daughter, so he was somewhat comforted to leave the baby in her governess's hands.
By the time Trinity was settled in, Draco returned from his sixth year of school. Lucius felt somewhat sorry for his son, coming home to such a change after a long, hard year. He'd offered to pull the boy from school early to avoid exams, but to his surprise, Draco refused. I suppose he wants to get good marks so he can be Head Boy, like I was, Lucius thought, and didn't give the matter any more notice.
Draco was even more quiet then he'd been the last summer and over Christmas holiday. He stayed in his room all day, refusing to see anyone. Lucius wasn't even sure if the boy had looked at his little sister for more then five minutes, let alone held her. Though it bothered him that his children weren't close, Lucius decided not to let it bother him. After all, seventeen years was a huge age gap, and Draco would eventually warm to his sister. Lucius hoped so, for he knew that his daugher and her mother would never had a good relationship. Narcissa had seen the baby only a little more then her son had, and handled the child as least often as possible. Whenever Lucius saw Narcissa with Grace, he could see that his wife clearly disliked their daughter.
He, however, couldn't get enough of her. He was constantly playing with her, holding her, feeding her. He would hold her in one arm while trying to do paperwork with the other. He knew that he was paying Trinity for nothing, but he didn't care. Being around Grace made him the happiest he'd ever been, and he felt a fondness for her that he'd never even felt for Draco. He was in love with her soft, dark skin, and her little black curls. But most of all, he loved her huge blue eyes. They looked just like Narcissa's had years ago, full of sparkle and innocence. Lucius prayed that, unlike her mother, the look in Grace's eyes would never fade.
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Around the end of July, little Grace became ill and was crying almost constantly. Lucius took care of her himself as much as he could, but most of the time he was left for Trinity to care for. Lucius could see the strain that it caused the young woman: after only a couple of days of the crying, she had purple lines under her puffy red eyes. At least she's getting paid well for this, Lucius thought contently, and he got back to whatever he'd been doing. Whenever Draco had cried as a child, Lucius would retreat to the quiet dungeon as he had during his childbirth. But the sound of Grace's wails filled Lucius with happiness, and he felt young and invigorated again. He listened to his daughter's cries as one listens to their favorite music. It just didn't disturb him, not when he knew Trinity was caring for her.
But one night, as Lucius sat reading in his study, the cries were too loud and too pained. He felt worried, and he knew he'd have to go upstairs to see Grace. He went up the stairs as quickly as he could, not wanting to keep his precious child waiting any longer. He went down the hall, past Draco's eternally closed doors and the doors to his and Narcissa's room (empty, for she had retreated for a holiday in Portugal after recovering from the child labor). Grace's nursary was at the end of the hall. Lucius opened the door and the loud screams filled his ears.
And he gasped.
He saw Trinity standing by the crib in the darkness, holding the child. Not close, not gently, as Lucius had seen her do. She was holding the girl at an arm's length in front of her, and...was SHAKING the baby.
"Stop! Stop!" Trinity turned to her boss, horror and shock written on her face at the sight of him. She quickly put the screaming child to her chest.
"Mr. Malfoy, it's not-"
"Give her to me, NOW!" Lucius screamed, rage filling him at the sight of this young woman holding his daughter. Trinity handed Grace to the angry Lucius, and took a startled step back. Lucius held the child to his chest, but his eyes were fixed angrily on the governess. He saw the strain in her eyes, and realized what had happened: she'd gotten so frustrated and angry that she SHOOK the baby.
There was no excuse. "Get out," Lucius said in a dangerous whisper.
"But, Mr. Malfoy-"
"I said, GET OUT OF MY HOUSE! I will not have you abusing my daughter anymore! Get out, OUT! Take your things, don't ever come back. GO, before I take my wand to you!"
The startled young woman fled from the room. Lucius backed into the chair in the corner, and rocked the crying child in his arms. "There, there, Gracie," he whispered soothingly. "Daddy won't let that lady hurt you again, I promise. Daddy will take good care of his precious Gracie." Lucius didn't bother with baby-talk or other nonsense: he knew that Grace wasn't able to understasnd him, but she would someday.
Eventually, the baby began to calm down. Lucius kissed the top of her head, rocking her until she slept. Even then, he didn't put her back in bed. He didn't want to leave. I never will leave her, he promised himself. No more governesses or nannies or any strangers to hurt her. I will provide her with the care she needs. I can do it. She means the world to me. Lucius kissed his daughter again.
She will be mine, he told himself. Only mine.