And so they continued for months. Sometimes they Apparated a short distance from Hogwarts and walked through the picturesque woodland to the dungeon where Severus lived. Narcissa liked to check on Draco when he slept, and then Severus gave her informal cooking lessons. He had removed anything incriminating to his bedroom. Narcissa had seemed rather concerned for him when she saw his abode and promised that when Lucius was free, and the Death Eaters had power again, he would live like a king. Luckily, she was used to his taciturn manner and didn't mind when he didn't answer beyond a nod.

Sometimes they stayed at Malfoy Manor and talked about the past, Draco, and especially Lucius. He wanted to hate Lucius, but he had discovered long ago that he couldn't. Lucius was everything he was not: handsome, charming, elegant, and even affectionate in very private circles. As for himself, it took a good deal of effort for him to make polite conversation. And it wasn't as if Severus could accuse of Lucius of stealing Narcissa's heart. His lip curled at the thought. Narcissa Malfoy—and Narcissa Black—had treated him decently, but she had never once looked at him the way she looked at Lucius.

Gods knew that not all aristocratic wizard marriages were happy ones—look at his own parents—but the Malfoys had somehow managed to pull it off. The only day he had seen Lucius and Narcissa happier than the day of their wedding was that of the birth of their son. Simple-minded people liked to think that because both were Death Eaters and undeniably evil, that they were incapable of love. The irony was not lost on him; he had sided with "good" and was a fairly unhappy person, and he knew there was no lack of people who would add 'horrible' to that. Maybe they were right, but just because he had switched sides didn't mean he should suddenly become all sweetness and light.

During all that time, Narcissa kept her dignity about her just as she always had. Except one night Severus had come one night, and one of the Malfoys' ridiculous house-elves had refused to let him see Narcissa. Lady Malfoy was indisposed.

Severus snarled something and shoved past the squeaking creature. The things were worse than useless sometimes. Narcissa had requested a mild sleeping potion from him, one that would grant her dreamless slumber, and he'd had to wait several weeks to properly brew it.

He wandered the mansion for nearly a quarter of an hour before finding Narcissa in her bedroom. He hesitated to enter, knowing all too well how he would feel if she entered his. Cautiously, he eased open the door to a scene he would never have imagined. It looked though a whirlwind had torn through the room, decorated tastefully in maroon and silver. Bed-hangings lay torn on the floor, and for a moment, the scarlet draperies looked like blood-soaked rags. Glass glittered dangerously on the rug, likely from the broken silver lamp near a vanity.

She had the largest sliver of glass clutched in her pale hand so tightly that a thin trickle of blood showed between her fingers. She seemed to be steeling herself for something, eyes closed and wrist extended stiffly. Severus dashed forward and grasped the hand that held the shard. She looked up at him but didn't see him, blue eyes flashing murder. He had seen that expression before, but this was the first time it had been directed at him.

"Accio wand," she muttered, and a slender wand flew to her free hand. She raised it and stared at Severus with those blank eyes. "Avada--"

He clamped his hand on her other wrist hard enough that she gasped and dropped her wand. "You don't want to do that."

The sharp pain in her wrist had brought her back from her trance. She frowned at her injured wrist. "Severus?" She flexed it carefully. After she was sure it wasn't broken, she gazed around her bedroom. Her eyes widened. "What happened here?"

"You did, I believe."

She looked around curiously and then nodded slowly. "Yes... I remember." Only then did she recall the piece of glass she held. She dropped it as an expression of revulsion passed lightly over her porcelain features. "I was weak." She sighed. "Today is our anniversary," she said in way of explanation.

Of course. He let go her wrists and retrieved the potion from his robes. "Your potion, My Lady," he muttered. How could he have been so stupid?

She closed her small hands over his and gazed into his black eyes. "How many times must I remind you, Severus? To you, I'm Narcissa. You just saved my life."

He turned and black hair fell over his features, obscuring his reaction to her words and gesture. "Yes." He loosened his grip on the bottle and gently extracted his hand from hers. "I have lessons to prepare. I hope this is helpful." Without waiting for her reply, he swept out of her bedroom.