Chapter 4
Short chapter, but I felt it said all it needed to. The next one will be longer.
Lucius stood in his Deatheater robes, his mask held firmly in his hands. Snape was explaining, for the third time, how extremely volatile the potion he was being given was and how extraordinarily careful he would have to be with it. Lucius had tuned out half way through the second lecture. He was now staring at his wife and son who were both managing to keep absolutely calm in front of the Potions Master, despite the sudden events of the night.
"Lucius, if you are not going to pay attention, at least afford me the courtesy of pretending," Severus snapped at him.
"I apologize, Severus, I don't know where my manners have gotten to," Lucius replied with an absolutely straight face.
The corner of Snape's mouth quirked up, though he quickly brought himself under control. "I hope you'll do a better job at the meeting," Snape sneered, pulling at the robe that Lucius had lent him. "Remember not to throw that thing before I apparate out."
"It wounds me, how little you trust me," Lucius said dryly.
"I'm sure."
Draco walked forward, holding out his hand to his father. "I suppose this is time for our 'See you in hell' goodbye," he said.
"I wouldn't want to disappoint you," Lucius replied, grasping the hand firmly. He pulled his son into a hug. "Your mother will try and take care of you, but remember that she needs taking care of too," he said softly.
"I always do, father," Draco assured him.
"I love you," Lucius added, uncaring that a nonmember of the family was present. He would be dead in less than an hour and it was important that his son should know that he had been more than just an heir to his father.
For the first time since he was a small child, Draco let the tears pricking at his eyes fall. "I love you too, Father." He backed away then, letting his mother say her last goodbyes.
Narcissa walked forward, also ignoring Snape who was beginning to feel most uncomfortable with the level of emotion in the room, and threw her arms around her husband. "Goodbye, Lucius," she said, trying to put all her emotions into the kiss she bestowed upon him.
"Goodbye, my love," he said when they parted. He gently disengaged her arms from about his neck and bent down on one knee. Without hesitation he pressed a quick kiss against her stomach, before standing again.
"If it's a boy, his name will be Lucien," Narcissa told him firmly.
Lucius smiled at her and nodded. He was about to attempt to lighten the atmosphere with a joke when the familiar burning sensation on his arm overtook him. He pressed his hand against the mark, hissing slightly, and hearing Snape swear loudly for the same reason. He felt Narcissa take his mask from him as the pain faded. She began pulling it over his head, stopping only to kiss him again. And then he and Snape were walking swiftly out the door and off the grounds of Malfoy Manor. Beneath the mask, no one could see him weep.
Short chapter, but I felt it said all it needed to. The next one will be longer.
Lucius stood in his Deatheater robes, his mask held firmly in his hands. Snape was explaining, for the third time, how extremely volatile the potion he was being given was and how extraordinarily careful he would have to be with it. Lucius had tuned out half way through the second lecture. He was now staring at his wife and son who were both managing to keep absolutely calm in front of the Potions Master, despite the sudden events of the night.
"Lucius, if you are not going to pay attention, at least afford me the courtesy of pretending," Severus snapped at him.
"I apologize, Severus, I don't know where my manners have gotten to," Lucius replied with an absolutely straight face.
The corner of Snape's mouth quirked up, though he quickly brought himself under control. "I hope you'll do a better job at the meeting," Snape sneered, pulling at the robe that Lucius had lent him. "Remember not to throw that thing before I apparate out."
"It wounds me, how little you trust me," Lucius said dryly.
"I'm sure."
Draco walked forward, holding out his hand to his father. "I suppose this is time for our 'See you in hell' goodbye," he said.
"I wouldn't want to disappoint you," Lucius replied, grasping the hand firmly. He pulled his son into a hug. "Your mother will try and take care of you, but remember that she needs taking care of too," he said softly.
"I always do, father," Draco assured him.
"I love you," Lucius added, uncaring that a nonmember of the family was present. He would be dead in less than an hour and it was important that his son should know that he had been more than just an heir to his father.
For the first time since he was a small child, Draco let the tears pricking at his eyes fall. "I love you too, Father." He backed away then, letting his mother say her last goodbyes.
Narcissa walked forward, also ignoring Snape who was beginning to feel most uncomfortable with the level of emotion in the room, and threw her arms around her husband. "Goodbye, Lucius," she said, trying to put all her emotions into the kiss she bestowed upon him.
"Goodbye, my love," he said when they parted. He gently disengaged her arms from about his neck and bent down on one knee. Without hesitation he pressed a quick kiss against her stomach, before standing again.
"If it's a boy, his name will be Lucien," Narcissa told him firmly.
Lucius smiled at her and nodded. He was about to attempt to lighten the atmosphere with a joke when the familiar burning sensation on his arm overtook him. He pressed his hand against the mark, hissing slightly, and hearing Snape swear loudly for the same reason. He felt Narcissa take his mask from him as the pain faded. She began pulling it over his head, stopping only to kiss him again. And then he and Snape were walking swiftly out the door and off the grounds of Malfoy Manor. Beneath the mask, no one could see him weep.