The Female of the Species

Chapter 12

Alan was sitting at the shop counter, flicking through the pages of The Daily Prophet as he waited for his next appointment to arrive. Cho was in the workroom sewing. Alan turned to the next page, and his eyes widened at what he saw. He took the newspaper with him, and opened the door at the back of the shop. Cho looked up, and Alan was pleased to see that she smiled at him, even though it did not quite reach her eyes. He wondered what exactly had taken place at Glen Moy Castle. Cho had told him very little, and had been very quiet and almost pensive since she returned. She still looks very drawn, he thought. Alan waved the paper in the air.

"There's some very interesting news in here, my love. Prepare yourself for a shock!"

"What is it?" asked Cho, but she did not sound as if she really cared, and she carried on with her sewing.

"Cho, you want to know this news, believe me." He held out the paper, but Cho did not take her eyes off her needle and thread. "Read it to me then," she said.

Alan obeyed Cho's instruction. He had not said more than a few words before Cho put down the blouse she was making, and stared wide eyed at Alan. "Dead?" she said. "Dead – but how?"

Alan scanned the page, then shook his head. "It doesn't say how she died. It just says 'unexpectedly'. The funeral is on Friday at Malfoy Manor. She's to be interred in the Malfoy family vault." He examined Cho's face carefully. "How do you feel about it?" he asked gently.

"I'm sorry she's dead of course. She wasn't my favourite person, but I didn't wish her any ill. Oh, Alan, last time I saw her, she talked about what might happen after she died! I think I know what happened to her. You remember she told us both there was something dangerous in the dungeons at Glen Moy Castle, and it attacked Lucius? Mrs Malfoy talked to me about having to investigate herself, because the house elves were too scared to go into the dungeons. She knew it might kill her, and it did." Cho's eyes filled up with tears at the memory of her last conversation with Lucius' wife. "I didn't tell you what she said to me. She asked me to stay at the castle while she went to look. She even thought Lucius might marry me if she were dead."

Alan walked over to Cho, sat beside her, and put his arms around her, so that her tears soaked into the shoulder of his jacket. Stroking her back with one hand, he asked her softly, "Would you like to marry him?" At this question, her sobs increased in volume, and she gave a bitter laugh.

"He would never ask me. He told me to leave, remember? Once his memory came back, he couldn't get rid of me fast enough. His eyes were full of hate. You were right, he was just using me to buy jade from Grandad! And – and – another thing: Mrs Malfoy told me he was seeing other women at the same time as me – women plural, not just one woman! She said he'd never been faithful to her. If I married him, it would be just the same. I'd have to share him just like Narcissa did. I couldn't bear it, Alan. I found out I was already sharing him when I thought he was just cheating on a wife who didn't care about him. He lied about that too. She loved him, I could tell. He told me they never slept together anymore, but I accidentally caught them in bed together that last morning at the castle. It was obvious they'd just had sex, she was lying asleep on top of him, they were both completely naked.

"He's such a selfish bastard! He took what he wanted from me, and then he dumped me, but not before he made me fall in love with him. I still love him so much, it hurts! If he came back to me, I couldn't say no to him, he makes me want him so much. I dream about him all the time. But I could never, ever trust him again. I hate what he's done to me! That's the effect that damned Lucius Malfoy has on women."

Alan hugged Cho to him, kissing the top of her head, and listened to her anguished sobs, waiting for her to calm down. Then he helped her tidy her streaky face so that she could maintain her professional image in public.

When Cho had somewhat recovered her composure, she said, "I'd like to send a bouquet. I'll send it from the business, then nobody will think it's odd. I'll just nip out to Flaubert's Flowers, I don't have another appointment for an hour." So saying, Cho donned a cloak, and stepped out into Diagon Alley.

In Flaubert's Flowers, Cho spoke to Madam Flaubert, selecting her blooms. She chose her colours carefully, with the same skill she used when designing a dress for a client: white arum lilies and black roses sparsely interspersed with cornflowers, the whole surrounded by delicate gypsophila and green ferns. Cho felt this complemented Narcissa Malfoy perfectly: white lilies for the Ice Queen, with blue for her piercing eyes, and green for Slytherin and the Malfoys; black for the Blacks, with the heady rose perfume for Narcissa's essential femininity; and the tracery of gypsophila representing that underlying fragility Cho had glimpsed at Glen Moy Castle.

Cho had just finished dictating her message to Madam Flaubert, who wrote it in copperplate handwriting on a piece of stiff black-edged vellum. She turned to leave, when a door leading to an inner room opened, and Lucius Malfoy stepped through, closely followed by Madam Flaubert's older sister, Madam Fleur. "The flowers will be sent to Malfoy Manor first thing on Friday, Mr Malfoy," said Madam Fleur, "And may we say once more how sorry we are for your loss."

But Lucius had stopped listening. His gaze fell on Cho Chang. "Hello, Cho," he said, and waited for her reaction.

"Good morning, Mr Malfoy," replied Cho stiffly. "Please allow me to extend my commiserations to you and Draco on the death of your wife. It must have been a terrible shock for you both." She looked at Lucius, searching his face to see if he had completely recovered, and to see how Narcissa's death had affected him. He looked back at her steadily, and she saw that the attack had left its mark: he was not standing as tall as previously, he leaned almost imperceptibly on the snake-headed cane he carried. His face looked careworn, the eyes hooded. Whether this was due to his illness or his feelings for his wife, it was impossible to tell, but he looked older than previously. Lucius was wearing his usual black cloak, but it was thrown back over his shoulders, and Cho saw he wore a black arm band on his left arm.

"Thank you, Miss Chang," replied Lucius neutrally. Then, "May I ask, are you returning to Cho's Chic now? Would you allow me to escort you there?" He offered Cho his arm. Cho could not reasonably refuse such a chivalrous gesture in front of the Flaubert sisters, as she had no wish to be a source of gossip for Diagon Alley. Therefore, she took the proffered arm, and they left the florist together.

It was not far along Diagon Alley to Cho's Chic. At first, they walked in silence, Cho thinking to herself that this was the first time she and Lucius had ever been seen alone in public together. Then Cho said, desperate to know, "How did Narcissa die, Lucius?" She wondered if he would tell her, if he would be angry that she had asked.

Lucius sighed deeply. "I can't tell you, Cho. But she was the bravest woman I've ever known. I don't think I realised just how loyal she was, and how she would do anything for her family, for me and for Draco. I owe her so much, I can never repay her. Now all I can do for her is to honour her name, and perhaps treat her better in death than I did in life."

"She loved you, Lucius," said Cho quietly. "You told me she didn't care. But she did, I could tell."

"I know," he replied hoarsely. "I pretended to myself that she didn't care what I did. I refused to see what was staring me in the face. She loved me so much, but she let me do what I wanted, and never complained. I didn't deserve her love, I ignored her so often." Lucius' voice had become lower as he spoke. Cho glanced over at him. His face wore a haunted expression, as if he had lost an essential part of himself.

"Did you love her, Lucius?" She had to ask.

Lucius turned to Cho. "I'm not sure I'm capable of love, my dear, now that I finally realise what it means. Love is selfless. I know perfectly well that I'm far too selfish to love anyone the way she loved me. When we first married, I thought I loved her. I certainly desired her. But then I got bored with her."

Cho nodded. "Like you got bored with me."

Lucius did not reply to this remark. Instead, as they stood before the door to Cho's Chic, he took his leave of her, saying that he had further matters to deal with in connection with his wife's funeral. Cho stood awhile on the doorstep watching his retreating back, then turned and went into the shop.

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Sun Chang leaned back in his seat, and regarded Lucius Malfoy thoughtfully. Lucius did not notice his expression, so relieved was he to have concluded his business with the head of the Chang jade empire. He had successfully negotiated a price for the sale back to Chang Jade Holdings of all the jade he had so recently purchased. Lucius had considered the option of selling privately, but had decided that it would be an unwise move. The introduction of such a large quantity of the highest quality nephrite jade on to the market would have affected the world price, and Sun Chang would have been extremely unhappy. Lucius knew from Narcissa's experience what happened when the Changs were unhappy, so he had decided to approach the old Mandarin once more. He did not tell Sun Chang, who had never asked why he had bought the jade in the first place, why he needed to sell just as quickly. Sun Chang did not enquire, he merely offered Lucius a much lower figure than he had paid for it. This Lucius had expected, and he tried his best to increase the offer, but with no success, for now he had no bargaining power: Narcissa had paid Chang Jade Holdings most of what was owed, including emptying Lucius' vault when he had told her where he had hidden the key, but there was still a sum outstanding. Lucius therefore shook on a deal which meant he would once more be a very rich wizard, but which also meant that his loyalty to the Dark Lord had cost him very dear indeed financially.

Lucius was preparing to take his leave, when Sun Chang said to him, "Lucius, before you go, there is something I wish to ask you. Please sit down again." Lucius sat, a small frown between his grey eyes.

"I would like to know, what are your intentions towards my granddaughter?"

So he did know! Lucius had thought that the old man had seen the frisson between himself and Cho when they were together: now he had had his suspicions confirmed. He thought for a while before replying: "Cho and I are no longer seeing each other. Our relationship ended some weeks before my wife's death."

Sun Chang raised his eyebrows a little. "This is a very strange answer. I know that you used Cho as a messenger to pay my son, and to ask for more time to pay the rest. Your wife was still alive then. She died only a few days later.

"I know your reputation as a womaniser, and I have seen the way you treat women. I know they come to you of their own free will, even knowing that you will soon tire of them. So it was with Cho. I warned her about you, but she wanted to be with you, so I permitted it to continue. You do not need to lie to me about her. She is a woman now, she can choose her own lovers, even if I do not approve.

"But the matter has taken on a new perspective in the current circumstances, do you not think? So I ask you once again, what are your intentions towards Cho?"

Lucius looked perplexed. "Do you mean, because my wife is now dead?" he asked. "I am still in mourning for her. I believe it would look very ill if I were to remarry so soon. Also, as you so eloquently put it, I am a womaniser. Even should I wish to marry, why should it be Cho that I choose?"

Sun Chang looked hard at Lucius. For a while, he said nothing, as if weighing his words. Finally, he said, "Why indeed? I am sorry that I raised the matter." He stood up in clear dismissal. Lucius stood also, and Chang escorted him to the door of his office and bade him farewell.

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Alan waited until the last customer of the day had left the building, and firmly closed and locked the door of Cho's Chic. He turned to Cho, and said, "Cho I need to speak to you. Come upstairs, and I'll make you some tea." Cho looked surprised, but did not argue.

Relaxing in Cho's sitting room, sharing a freshly made pot of camomile tisane, the two companions sat awhile in silence. Cho kicked off her shoes, and curled her legs under her. She closed her eyes, and rested her head against the back of the sofa.

Alan leaned forwards, and said gently to her, "Cho, when were you planning on telling me?"

"Telling you what?" asked Cho guardedly, opening her eyes. Alan shook his head at her.

"Cho, this is me. I notice things remember? I know. I've been watching you for the past couple of weeks. Every morning you look as green as can be, and you can't hold any food down until lunchtime. Let me guess: you've been throwing up every day before I arrive, haven't you?"

Cho looked at Alan from miserable dark eyes, and nodded her agreement.

"Say it, my love, or I'll say it for you."

"Okay, okay. I'm pregnant. Happy now?"

"What I think isn't important. What matters is, how do you feel about it? I presume it's Lucius's? I take it he doesn't know. Have you told your family?"

"Questions, questions!" Cho shook her head irritably. "How do I feel? I feel bloody stupid. I always take precautions, I'm always so careful. How could this happen to me? But I know how it happened. One mistake, and I was caught."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"No, no, no! Oh – yes, I do need to talk to someone. And you're the best person I can think of. It would be a relief to tell someone really, I've been bottling it up ever since I found out. No, I haven't told any of my family."

"Or Lucius?"

"No, not him. Oh, Alan, while we were together I was so careful. I took my cuscuta every morning without fail. I never forgot. I made sure to take some with me when I went with him to Scotland too. But then when Lucius finished with me, I stopped taking it. I felt so bad, I couldn't eat, and there was no point if I had no man in my life. Then Mrs Malfoy came to the shop, and I went with her to Scotland. I packed in such a hurry, it never occurred to me to pack some cuscuta too. Even if I'd thought about it, she would be there all the time anyway. But she went away to France for two nights. I didn't tell you that, did I?"

Alan shook his head. "No, my sweet, you haven't told me anything at all about that last visit to Scotland, except that you found the Malfoys in bed together. So it happened while she was away, did it?"

Cho nodded. "Yes. Lucius was still unconscious, and I was so tired, I decided to sleep beside him so I would be there if he came to. Well, he woke up, and – well you can guess the rest."

"He shagged you. Must have been desperate after so long out of action."

Cho laughed in spite of herself. "He was rather eager. He was very weak though."

"So you helped him out, shall we say? 'Oh, it's okay, Mr Malfoy, you just lie back and think of Scotland'?"

Cho was blushing furiously by now. She laughed again in an embarrassed way, and refused to say more.

"Okay, so why haven't you told him?"

"Because I don't know what I want to do about it. I have to decide before I tell him. If I tell him."

"What if he wanted to marry you, and give the baby the name Malfoy?"

Cho shook her head. "We already had that conversation, Alan. What would be the point of marrying Lucius? He'd always be off shagging other women. I would never be enough for him. Anyway, he dumped me, remember? Then when he remembered he'd dumped me, he threw me out."

"Cho, my love, you're going to have this baby. I know you are. You would never do anything else, be honest."

Cho smiled weakly. "You know me so well, Alan. Oh, in some ways I wish the baby were yours. You'd make a great dad."

"I'll be its godfather if you like," Alan said gently. "I'll always be there for you, you know that. Whatever you decide."

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Note:

The plant referred to here as cuscuta is Cuscuta californica, and related species. It is a parasitic plant with various common names, including dodder, witches' weed and golden thread. It is found in different parts of the world such as America, Africa and India, and is used by various indigenous peoples as a medicinal plant. One of its many uses is as a contraceptive. For this purpose, the whole plant is eaten. In the Earth's Children books by Jean Auel, this is probably the plant called "golden threads" used by Ayla as a contraceptive, although Jean Auel has Ayla drinking it as an infusion in her morning tea.