A/N: Don't worry, readers, the romance is coming. BTW: who says it's gonna be Lucius who falls in love? (wink wink!)

Grace of the Devil

Part Ten:

Over the next couple of years, Narcissa was away more then ever. To where, Lucius did not know...or particularly care. He thought that Grace had forgotten all about her mother. And, in his opinion, she was best forgotten.

One night, Lucius was lying in his room, reading a book in the light of a single candle. He'd already put Grace down to sleep, and the big manor was silent. But suddenly, there was a loud pop, and Lucius looked over the top of his book to find his wife standing at the foot of his bed. "Narcissa?"

"Good evening, Lucius," she greeted coldly. She turned away from the bed and headed to her wardrobe, opening it and pulling her favorite robes onto the floor.

"What are you doing?" Lucius asked, mildly curious and annoyed at his wife's presence.

"I'm packing some of my things," Narcissa replyed, still coldly, not looking at him. She dug around the wardrobe. "Where the HELL is my suitcase?" She pulled an old, brown suitcase from the bottom of a pile of junk, causing it to spill out onto the floor.

"Where are you off to now?" Lucius asked. "You've been nearly all the way around the world by now."

"Actually, I've been spending the past year in Paris," Narcissa replyed, gathering up her choosen robes and stuffing them into the open suitcase. "I've taken a lover there."

"A lover? Really?"

"Yes. I am leaving you."

"Ah." Lucius had wondered when this would happen. Now she can be out of our hair, for good, Lucius told himself. "Well, have a good life, then."

"I came here to get more then my robes," Narcissa replyed coldly, slamming her suitcase shut. "I came to get my daughter."

Lucius was surprised by this. "Really? What for?"

"I'm taking her to Paris with me. To live."

Lucius lost his cold demeanor then. "The hell you are."

"Whose going to stop me?"

"She's more my daughter then she is yours!"

Narcissa smirked. "My dear husband, don't you know? She's not your daughter."

"Not my-"

"Lucius, you're a fool!" Narcissa exclaimed, still smirking. "You should've figured it out by now! She doesn't look a thing like you."

"But...but..."

Narcissa sighed. "I knew I was pregnant before I came home from Greece. I had sex with you, to make it look like your child, so you'd pay for the abortion. But you, like a fool, wanted to keep the damn child."

"You...you KNEW..."

Narcissa laughed suddenly. "And guess what? Her father's a MUGGLE! Of course, I was shit-faced, or I never would've given him a second glance. But after a few glasses of firewhiskey...well, it just doesn't matter." She cackled again, and Lucius shivered: she was so much like her older sister, Bellatrix. "You've been raising a Mudblood as your own child! A Mudblood with the Malfoy name!"

"Shut up," Lucius muttered.

"Well, you don't have to worry about the little Mudblood anymore. I'm taking her out of your hair."

"The hell you are," Lucius repeated. "She's staying right here, with me."

"You still want her?" Narcissa's eyes suddenly had a wicked glint to them, and Lucius was reminded, somewhat, of the old days. When her eyes had been alive. But it was only artificial now, only greed could do that to her eyes now. "Well, that's just too bad."

"Narcissa, please!" Lucius cried, real panic filling him for the first time. "Please, you can't take her from me! My baby, my Gracie...oh, God!"

Narcissa's smirk deepened. "Whose to stop me? She's my daughter, not yours."

Lucius knew that this was true. Lawfully, Narcissa had every right to take Grace away. But that's not who she belongs with! Lucius thought with a panic. She's MY daugher, MINE! "Please, Narcissa. I'll give you anything."

Narcissa raised an eyebrow. "Half."

"Half...of EVERYTHING?"

Narcissa snorted in contempt. "I have no interest in your mother's furniture," she said in disgust, glaring at the dark oak that decorated the large room. "No, I mean, half of the money."

Half of the money. Lucius tried to remember how much he had in his account. Fourteen million? He figured that he and Grace could live off of seven million galleons, easily. "Alright," he said slowly. "You have a deal."

"What?" Narcissa looked surprised. "You mean, you'd give up eight million galleons for some Mudblood basturd brat?"

Guess I have more then I thought, Lucius thought, but he was angered by Narcissa remarks. "Don't CALL her that," he snapped. "Yes, I'll give you the blasted money."

"Not all at once: you know I'd just spend it." She laughed again. "Of course, my lover has plenty of money. But I'll write about monthly installments." She picked up her suitcase. "Enjoy your Mudblood brat."

"You BITCH!" But before Lucius could even think of hexing her, Narcissa winked and Apparated out of the room. Lucius sighed and sat down on the bed.

So, Narcissa had left him. With half of his fortune. This didn't bother him one bit.

Grace wasn't his. Now THAT bothered him. Her father was some Greek Muggle that Narcissa had shagged when she was drunk. Lucius sighed and blew out his single candle. He couldn't even think of reading now.

But sleep was out of the question. He lay awake for hours, listening to the storm rage outside. Flashes of lightning lit the room up every few seconds, and the booms of thunder were so loud that Lucius didn't hear the tapping at first. But when he did, he sat up and looked to the doors. Someone was knocking.

Lucius got out of bed and opened the bedroom doors. Standing out in the dark hall, clad in silk pajamas and fuzzy house slippers, was Grace. Lucius smiled down at his seven-year-old daughter. "My darling, what are you doing up?"

"I heard noises," Grace whispered loudly. "The storm..." There was another boom of thunder, and Grace sprang forward and clung to her father's legs.

"Alright, Gracie, alright. Come along..." Lucius picked up his frightened daughter and carried her to bed with him. He lay her down with her head on the pillow and tucked the linen sheets around her, then climbed in beside her. He put a protective arm around her small body and closed his eyes.

"Daddy?"

"Go to sleep, Gracie," he murmured into her hair. But the little girl was persistant.

"Daddy? Can I ask you a question?"

Lucius sighed and lifted his head up. "One question, then you'll go to sleep."

"Yes, Daddy," Grace agreed. She sighed a little. "Was Mother here?"

Lucius felt his blood run cold. Had Grace heard what they'd said? How much had she heard? "Yes, darling," he answered carefully. "How did you know that?"

"I heard you fighting."

"No, darling, we didn't fight," Lucius said quickly. "We were just discussing something. Mother had to go away for awhile."

"Where?"

"I don't know, darling," Lucius lied. "That was more then one question, Gracie. Go to sleep."

"One more?"

Lucius sighed. "Yes, Gracie. What is it?"

"Does Mother love me?"

Grace had turned her head to face her father, and Lucius looked down at her face, incredulous at what he'd just heard. How could she even suspect...Lucius looked into her daughter's eyes, and he couldn't believe that, just a short time ago, he'd seen identical eyes filled with madness. What could he tell her? She knew the truth. "Well, darling..."

"She DOESN'T."

"Grace! Don't say such things!" Lucius sighed and kissed his daughter's forehead. "Listen to me, darling, and listen carefully. You don't need anyone but me. I love you, and you don't need Mother anymore. Alright?"

"Yes, Daddy. I love you, too."

Lucius kissed his daughter again. "Now, go to sleep." As they lay in the dark, Lucius buried his face in his sleeping daughter's dark curls.

Of course, she belonged to him. No wicked witch or Greek muggle or ANYONE would ever change that, would ever take his little girl away.