Thank you all for your wonderful reviews. Keep them coming. Hope you
like this chapter. It's a bit shorter than my other ones and not so funny,
but it is important. I promise the next chapter will be funny. Draco is
going to get drunk and Lucius is going to help his son so that he doesn't
get caught by Narcissa, who would be absolutely lived should she find out
that Draco got himself intoxicated.
Thank you all also for your suggestions. I haven't decided yet what he is going to get. Should it be a book, German hair gel, etc. I don't know. So many things. If you have any more suggestions, please let me know.
Thanks again for all your reviews. I absolutely love them. The next chapter should be coming very soon. I'm trying to get as much written for you guys as possible since I am leaving on the 27th to go to Ireland to study for the next ten months at the University College Cork. Don't worry, I'll definitely write while I'm there. There won't be really long delays, I hope. Anyway, hope you enjoy the chapter. Review and let me know what you think. Love ya all.
Chapter Thirteen: Do You Believe Me?
Narcissa woke the following morning in a sneezing fit. As far as sneezing goes, they were very feminine; not really being any louder than the soft squeak of a mouse. Narcissa fumbled for her handkerchief that she always kept on the bedside table. Once she had grasped it she covered her mouth and nose until the sneezing had subsided. She laid her head back into the pillow and gave a small sigh of relief. She then turned her head slightly and began to open her eyes slowly to see if she had woken Lucius up. However, to her surprise he was not lying next to her. Instead her eyes feel upon a single white rose that lay on his pillow. She looked at it curiously as she raised herself to rest on her elbows. She then reached out and picked up the delicate rose in her hand. Never before had Lucius given her a rose, or kind of flower for that matter. Narcissa's lips curled into a smile as she propped herself against her pillows and began to turn flower around and around to gaze at its perfect beauty. Suddenly her gaze shifted from the rose to the rest of the room and her jaw dropped in utter amazement. The entire room was covered with vases and bouquets of roses of all different colors. Rose petals were strewn across the floor and even on the furniture. Narcissa couldn't believe what she was seeing was real. All of the sudden her nose tickled and she began a new wave of sneezing. They were definitely real. Narcissa quickly pulled herself out of bed and made her way to the bathroom for her anti-allergy potion.
* * *
On a small blanket on a grassy slope by the side of the manor, Narcissa sat, reading the novel that she had started the night before. It was a very pleasant day, the air was warm, the sun shone brightly, and there was a slight breeze that blew every so often. After several doses of her potion, Narcissa's allergy symptoms disappeared and she couldn't help but go outside and enjoy the beautiful day. However, her mind was barely on the book that she was trying to read. She kept thinking about the night before and all that Lucius had told her. The story had sounded so unreasonably ridiculous that it was hard for her to comprehend what he had told her. The more she thought about it the crazier it seemed. Had Lucius indeed gone crazy? This was the most obvious explanation, however, there was something inside her that told her the story was true. The sensible side of her brain kept saying that Lucius must have simply hit his head and had had a dream or some other logical explanation, but then the other side of her brain told her that her husband was telling the truth. Her mind was in a constant battle with itself, fighting to make sense of the previous night.
Narcissa was right in the midst of one of these battles when she noticed a shadow coming over her. She looked over her shoulder to Lucius standing above her. For the moment before either one of them spoke, Narcissa marveled at how different Lucius' appearance was. As he looked down at her he did not wear his usual expression of cold, stony, indifference; instead there was a warmth in his eyes and a smile upon his lips. A few moments passed as the two of them stared at each other. Finally Lucius broke he silence.
"I hope that they make up in some small way for all the times that I should have given you flowers before." Lucius moved and sat down next to Narcissa, his gaze resting upon the pond that lay at the bottom of the hill.
It took Narcissa several moments to respond. "They were lovely, Lucius, thank you." Narcissa smiled, the memory of her allergies lurking in the back of her mind.
Lucius smiled as he looked back at her. Silence fell between them. Narcissa shifted her eyes nervously over to the pond. She could feel Lucius' intense gaze upon her. She hated the way he looked at her so intensely; it made her feel uncomfortable as she felt like he was reading her like a book.
"You do believe me, don't you?"
Narcissa turned to face him, a confused look upon her face.
"About what I told you last night."
"Oh." Narcissa looked down at the cover of the book, her mind racing. What should she tell him? She hadn't made up her mind yet as to whether she actually believed him or not. It was, after all, a difficult thing to ask someone to accept. She looked back at him. His face held a grave expression as he gazed apprehensively at her; his eyes were piercing into her own. The silence was deafening as Lucius waited for his wife to answer him. Suddenly Narcissa came to a decision. To hell with logic and understanding; her husband could be completely crazy, and she could be crazy for believing him, but she did believe him.
"Yes, Lucius, I do believe you."
Lucius' solemn expression instantly disappeared and was replaced with a large smile.
"Thank you, Narcissa." Silence fell once again as the two of them looked at each other. For some reason Narcissa could feel herself begin to blush under Lucius' gaze. She felt like a little school girl all of the sudden and couldn't understand why. She nervously shifted her eyes back towards the pond, the grass, her dress, the book; anywhere but at her husband. Lucius noticed how uncomfortable she was feeling and was slightly amused. He then broke the awkward silence as he cleared his throat.
"Where is Draco at? It doesn't seem like he's in the manor."
"Oh, no he's not. Right after breakfast he left to meet Marcus and few other friends in Diagon alley. He should be back later this afternoon."
"Ah, good. I'd like to have him practice some more Quidditch moves."
"Please go easier on him toady than you did the last time. He's not like you."
"What do you mean he's not like me?" Lucius asked, slightly affronted.
"Whenever you set your mind on something you don't let anything distract you. You don't think about meals, sleep, or really anything else until you've completed what you set out to do."
"And what has that got to do with Draco's Quidditch practices?"
"Last time you went on for hours and drove Draco to the point of exhaustion. So please, just go a little easier on him."
Lucius gave a look of reluctant consent. He didn't feel like he had pushed Draco that hard the last time, but he conceded to his wife anyways.
"Oh, while we're on the subject of Draco," Lucius said, "do you think that I should tell him what I told you?"
"No!" was Narcissa's very quick reply. Lucius looked startled over at her. "I mean, it would probably be best if you waited a bit longer before you tell him. It might be a lot harder for him to accept it." Lucius nodded in agreement. Narcissa was a bit relieved. If Lucius had told Draco that he had died and was shown little aspects of his life by an angel, thus being the reason for his sudden change, then Draco would probably think that his father really had flipped and probably contact St. Mungo's himself.
Thank you all also for your suggestions. I haven't decided yet what he is going to get. Should it be a book, German hair gel, etc. I don't know. So many things. If you have any more suggestions, please let me know.
Thanks again for all your reviews. I absolutely love them. The next chapter should be coming very soon. I'm trying to get as much written for you guys as possible since I am leaving on the 27th to go to Ireland to study for the next ten months at the University College Cork. Don't worry, I'll definitely write while I'm there. There won't be really long delays, I hope. Anyway, hope you enjoy the chapter. Review and let me know what you think. Love ya all.
Chapter Thirteen: Do You Believe Me?
Narcissa woke the following morning in a sneezing fit. As far as sneezing goes, they were very feminine; not really being any louder than the soft squeak of a mouse. Narcissa fumbled for her handkerchief that she always kept on the bedside table. Once she had grasped it she covered her mouth and nose until the sneezing had subsided. She laid her head back into the pillow and gave a small sigh of relief. She then turned her head slightly and began to open her eyes slowly to see if she had woken Lucius up. However, to her surprise he was not lying next to her. Instead her eyes feel upon a single white rose that lay on his pillow. She looked at it curiously as she raised herself to rest on her elbows. She then reached out and picked up the delicate rose in her hand. Never before had Lucius given her a rose, or kind of flower for that matter. Narcissa's lips curled into a smile as she propped herself against her pillows and began to turn flower around and around to gaze at its perfect beauty. Suddenly her gaze shifted from the rose to the rest of the room and her jaw dropped in utter amazement. The entire room was covered with vases and bouquets of roses of all different colors. Rose petals were strewn across the floor and even on the furniture. Narcissa couldn't believe what she was seeing was real. All of the sudden her nose tickled and she began a new wave of sneezing. They were definitely real. Narcissa quickly pulled herself out of bed and made her way to the bathroom for her anti-allergy potion.
* * *
On a small blanket on a grassy slope by the side of the manor, Narcissa sat, reading the novel that she had started the night before. It was a very pleasant day, the air was warm, the sun shone brightly, and there was a slight breeze that blew every so often. After several doses of her potion, Narcissa's allergy symptoms disappeared and she couldn't help but go outside and enjoy the beautiful day. However, her mind was barely on the book that she was trying to read. She kept thinking about the night before and all that Lucius had told her. The story had sounded so unreasonably ridiculous that it was hard for her to comprehend what he had told her. The more she thought about it the crazier it seemed. Had Lucius indeed gone crazy? This was the most obvious explanation, however, there was something inside her that told her the story was true. The sensible side of her brain kept saying that Lucius must have simply hit his head and had had a dream or some other logical explanation, but then the other side of her brain told her that her husband was telling the truth. Her mind was in a constant battle with itself, fighting to make sense of the previous night.
Narcissa was right in the midst of one of these battles when she noticed a shadow coming over her. She looked over her shoulder to Lucius standing above her. For the moment before either one of them spoke, Narcissa marveled at how different Lucius' appearance was. As he looked down at her he did not wear his usual expression of cold, stony, indifference; instead there was a warmth in his eyes and a smile upon his lips. A few moments passed as the two of them stared at each other. Finally Lucius broke he silence.
"I hope that they make up in some small way for all the times that I should have given you flowers before." Lucius moved and sat down next to Narcissa, his gaze resting upon the pond that lay at the bottom of the hill.
It took Narcissa several moments to respond. "They were lovely, Lucius, thank you." Narcissa smiled, the memory of her allergies lurking in the back of her mind.
Lucius smiled as he looked back at her. Silence fell between them. Narcissa shifted her eyes nervously over to the pond. She could feel Lucius' intense gaze upon her. She hated the way he looked at her so intensely; it made her feel uncomfortable as she felt like he was reading her like a book.
"You do believe me, don't you?"
Narcissa turned to face him, a confused look upon her face.
"About what I told you last night."
"Oh." Narcissa looked down at the cover of the book, her mind racing. What should she tell him? She hadn't made up her mind yet as to whether she actually believed him or not. It was, after all, a difficult thing to ask someone to accept. She looked back at him. His face held a grave expression as he gazed apprehensively at her; his eyes were piercing into her own. The silence was deafening as Lucius waited for his wife to answer him. Suddenly Narcissa came to a decision. To hell with logic and understanding; her husband could be completely crazy, and she could be crazy for believing him, but she did believe him.
"Yes, Lucius, I do believe you."
Lucius' solemn expression instantly disappeared and was replaced with a large smile.
"Thank you, Narcissa." Silence fell once again as the two of them looked at each other. For some reason Narcissa could feel herself begin to blush under Lucius' gaze. She felt like a little school girl all of the sudden and couldn't understand why. She nervously shifted her eyes back towards the pond, the grass, her dress, the book; anywhere but at her husband. Lucius noticed how uncomfortable she was feeling and was slightly amused. He then broke the awkward silence as he cleared his throat.
"Where is Draco at? It doesn't seem like he's in the manor."
"Oh, no he's not. Right after breakfast he left to meet Marcus and few other friends in Diagon alley. He should be back later this afternoon."
"Ah, good. I'd like to have him practice some more Quidditch moves."
"Please go easier on him toady than you did the last time. He's not like you."
"What do you mean he's not like me?" Lucius asked, slightly affronted.
"Whenever you set your mind on something you don't let anything distract you. You don't think about meals, sleep, or really anything else until you've completed what you set out to do."
"And what has that got to do with Draco's Quidditch practices?"
"Last time you went on for hours and drove Draco to the point of exhaustion. So please, just go a little easier on him."
Lucius gave a look of reluctant consent. He didn't feel like he had pushed Draco that hard the last time, but he conceded to his wife anyways.
"Oh, while we're on the subject of Draco," Lucius said, "do you think that I should tell him what I told you?"
"No!" was Narcissa's very quick reply. Lucius looked startled over at her. "I mean, it would probably be best if you waited a bit longer before you tell him. It might be a lot harder for him to accept it." Lucius nodded in agreement. Narcissa was a bit relieved. If Lucius had told Draco that he had died and was shown little aspects of his life by an angel, thus being the reason for his sudden change, then Draco would probably think that his father really had flipped and probably contact St. Mungo's himself.