Given
"Need me"
Bellatrix is adjusting. Her focus is this child. Personally, I take it as a loss, for she was valuable in magic, but there is no time to console her. While most of my elite are diligently celebrating, there are still preparations to be made. At least Lucius and his son have kept their wits about them. I am allowing them to handle two duties that, by necessity, I cannot myself. It is difficult to place such trust in them, but I see no other option, and I would have someone competent.
The task I have set for Lucius is to find a reliable doctor. I have made a mistake in not doing this before now, three months until my heir will be born. Naturally, I require someone with legitimate talent in the field; most of those people are employed by the Ministry, so that narrows the field considerably. Lucius can manage.
What Draco must do is distract everyone at Hogwarts, including some of his allies. I have selected which of my Death Eaters to inform with care, and none of their offspring need to know anything of this. Treason abounds on it's own; I do not want Bellatrix harmed in such a vulnerable state. Of course, only I realize her lamentable affliction. Speaking of traitors, I have instructed Draco to spy upon Severus. Where his loyalties are, only he himself knows, if that. Whatever the truth in that matter is, I know that Dumbledore has attempted to scry and discover things about me. Draco has to hinder him, and watch Potter. I want the damned boy gone before my heir can be manipulated against me.
For the moment, I am laboring over more mundane difficulties: where to keep the child. Ideally, it would stay with me, so I know it is raised properly. However, I must travel often, I would likely have little time for a baby, and in the event that I need fight, I would not have my heir near as an easy target...
"My lord?"
"What is it, Bellatrix?" I ask harshly, roused from my musings.
In her eyes, I can read that she regrets disturbing me, but she chooses to forge on despite it. Nervously, she crosses into the chamber-one among dozens of underground lairs in the wizarding half of Paris's catacombs-and curtsies awkwardly, one hand supporting her swollen waist.
"Henceforth, you need not do more than bow your head. What did you desire?"
Despite my forgiving her annoying interruption, she is apprehensive of speaking. Her eyes turn away from my face and she shifts her weight with more than mere discomfort at her burden. When I glare impatiently, she finally answers. "You see...my lord, I was simply thinking and...What will you have me do once the child is born? How can I be of further use?"
"You cannot if you are not loyal," I respond coldly. Does she think I would but cast her out? What idiocy! As though I would send such a potent weapon to the hands of my foes!
"I did not mean to imply that-"
With a motion, I silence her. Rising from my chair I glower and tell her "Too often I hear this from you! If you incorrectly believe that your standing is any higher, it falls unto your own head, and you deserve whatever punishment comes. Do not question me, Bellatrix. I had intended to allow you some part in raising the infant, but if you continue to demonstrate such weakness and defiance, you force me to reevaluate your usefulness, the very thing that you are so concerned for. You will find yourself the catalyst in a self-fulfilling prophecy if you do not exercise restraint. Do you understand me?"
Instead of complying, as I anticipate, she begins crying. The rapid flux of disposition and new sensitivity are distressing, and not a problem I wish to bother with. Practicing the afore mentioned restraint, I sit down once more to wait until she is finished.
When it appears that the woman refuses to calm down, I say, admittedly conniving "Bellatrix, you are stronger than this. When I chose you to bear the child, I believed I had decided upon someone who could tolerate the consequences. Do you wish to disappoint me?"
"No, never, my lord," she replies, dainty hands furiously wiping away her shameful tears. Even she must acknowledge the great change in her personality. Hopefully, she will come back into herself.
"Good. Now, don't you agree that I am better equipped to find your purpose?"
"Yes."
"Then do not again impose. You conjure your own doubts. If you must cry, go to your sister and do so, for I have other business. Since you truly want what is best for the child, let me alone to arrange it, and don't work yourself up again. You will only make yourself ill, and that is the least of what my child needs. I am the last person you should mistrust."
"Of course. I will go now," she returns, her composure restored. With innate grace, Bellatrix exits, resolved, and shuts the heavy doors behind her.
"Bella, love, have you been crying?" Narcissa inquires from the bed in her makeshift room. Rising, with genuine concern in her eyes, she opens her arms to embrace her sister. Without reserve, Bellatrix returns the gesture. Narcissa smoothes her hair and asks again.
Stepping back, the dark-haired woman settles on the bed's edge, her frame slumped slightly in weariness. She crosses her ankles, turning her feet so the sides touch the floor in order to relieve the pressure on them, and nods in embarrassment.
"Oh, what happened?"
"I only got too emotional, I suppose. It's so unnatural."
"Do not worry, though. I was the same when I was pregnant, though I imagine the situation is more stressful for you."
"Why do you say...Oh. Narcissa, honestly, why have you never officially joined the Dark Lord? I've seen that you respect him, obey him..."
Narcissa sighs, and sits at her sister's side. For a long moment, her expression is blank, her sight inward, and at last she answers slowly "I have not because that is what Lucius wished, and at first I was unwilling to be his ally. I feel safe though; the pledge is there, unspoken. Perhaps when Draco is eighteen...I will speak to him, and Lucius too. Is that enough to reassure you on that account?"
She receives no response, but it is there, by tacit, when Bellatrix moves on to another, lighter topic. Leaning back against the cool, stone wall, she says "Tell me about Draco. I haven't seen him for so many years"
"Well, he still looks almost exactly like his father. Mannerisms are quite akin too. He's more...rebellious now though, but it's not really something that is easily perceived...You'll have to see for yourself. He will be here for the winter holidays."
"What's he rebellious over? Not the baby, is it?"
"No, I'll tell you his reaction to that in a moment. He's angry because Lucius informed him that we're wanting him to marry Pansy. I don't think it's such a bad match. Lucius and I didn't get along at first, but you learn to live with such inconveniences."
"Why does he oppose to her?"
"Draco said in no uncertain terms that...well, she was just not attractive enough."
"Really? Such a meager argument?" Bellatrix asks, bemused. A general understanding exists that one cedes to their parents' wishes in some areas, and marriage is one of them.
"And Lucius answered that whether or not Pansy was attractive, it didn't matter. In fact, Lucius said quite plainly that he could have as many mistresses as he pleased. I don't think that's what concerns Draco though. Pansy's not the most clever girl, and you know how intelligent Draco is..."
"Is that it then?"
"No, it's his pride too. I can tell that he hates how Pansy has a claim to him when she wouldn't if he had his own way."
"Could there be someone else that he wants to marry, perhaps? This is all very sudden, this attitude."
"No, it isn't. I think he's only realizing now though that he'll be with Pansy forever if he doesn't defy us."
"How do you feel about it?"
"I can't say yet." Narcissa mutters, pensive.
"Ah...What was his reaction to the news?"
"He was obviously surprised in the beginning, but he is sincerely pleased now. You see, I think that is one of the things that concerns him so-he can't envision Pansy as the mother of his children."
"Children? I had no idea he was so inclined."
"Honestly, I think he would be far better off if he had a brother or sister. It seems he never even saw another child until he was seven or so, but Lucius told me that he had been an only child, and his father before, back to the point that the Malfoys stopped producing daughters. Anyway, we were just like him at that age, remember?"
"I do."
"He'll get over the fancy. That's all it is, and then he'll realize that wedding well is the best way to serve our Lord."
"Indeed. I think he'll be a good role model for my baby."
"Did you find out what he plans for it?"
"Not much. I should not have questioned, and you should not have encouraged me to do so."
"And this was what upset you?"
Bellatrix nods, looking down at her round waist. Narcissa laughs suddenly and takes Bellatrix's hand, saying "It's been so very long since there has been an occasion to formally celebrate! The young ones all get married about the same time, and then come these awful periods during which nothing happens."
"No, no, it's not long after that they all have children," Bellatrix responds, a wistful smile coming to her face where one would anticipated only sadistic ones. Like two school girls, after having been parted many years, with so much to unite them now, they both smile and begin gossiping like they did in the past.
"Won't Draco have lovely children?"
"Children?"
"Well, child then," his mother answers.
"Well, of course he shall! I can hardly wait to see him again!"
"You, Dr.Wright!"
"Pardon, sir?" a flustered, young doctor asks, straightening his square glasses.
"Listen, but a moment, Doctor. You see, the nurse-"
"Greta?"
"Yes, her...She told me about your troubles with your... ah, financial affairs. I have a solution, if the means aren't below you?"
"Well...Oh...Mr...Um, what's your name, sir?"
"That's not your concern, yet. Back to what I was saying. I am in need of a doctor, obviously, someone reliable for my sister-in-law. However, we are in a somewhat...delicate situation. We enjoy our privacy, if you take my meaning?"
"I believe so, sir."
"Good, now money-"
"But I couldn't accept...bribes!"
"Quiet, please, Doctor."
"Oh, but..."
"Just listen, please. You work for your uncle, don't you?"
"Yeah. How-"
"He knows about your Annie's illness, doesn't he? Yet he will not give a raise, a loan even, nor supplies from the hospital, but you work for him. What is the difference, except that your little girl shall get better?"
"I haven't finished school yet..."
"And it'll be easier to do so if you agree."
"How could I live with myself?"
"How could Annie live at all? How do you live with yourself then? Trust me; I'm a father, Dr.Wright. You can help my dear sister-in-law, and your daughter will get help."
"I wouldn't be doing anything...illegal, would I?"
"Not directly."
"Oh..."
"Come to this place two days before the date written," Lucius says, handing him a slip of paper, then walks out of the small, privately owned hospital, faking a limp.
"Draco, why are you so eager to grade essays, of all things? There is a Quidditch game coming up."
The blonde boy shrugs and continues to read the scroll, a quill poised to mark errors. Once he finishes with that sentence, he sets the parchment down and looks up at his professor.
"I can't tolerate being with the rest of them much longer. Granger made some very dramatic speech about the NEWTs a couple days ago at breakfast, and then one of the Gryffindors pointed out how much better their scores on OWLs were than the Slytherins, so they're seriously having a studying contest. I have never seen so many idiots in the library before, but they all come back to the Common Room to quiz each other!
"And then this years batch of first years...It's really, truly disturbing, Professor, and they're scared of us! I wasn't scared coming here! Oh, and there is this one girl...has a crush on Potter!"
"A Slytherin?" Snape asks, aghast.
"Isn't it horrid?" Draco muttered, returning his attention to the scroll, "Plus, there's Pansy. She was pestering me to come to her house a while over the holidays, so I told her we're going to Paris this year, which is true, but now she keeps asking me to bringpresents back for her...Anyway, can I give Granger a lower grade? She forgot two commas, and she misspelled 'paregoric'...Oh, wait, it's a quote..."
Severus smirks, and says "Two points off. So, why are you heading to Paris?"
Draco's eyes narrow suspiciously at the casual inquiry, the crimson-tipped quill pausing a moment. In the span of half a second, he gains his composure. His answer is "Because my mother wants to"
Snape listens, curious, wondering why Lucius would indulge his wife, but decides not to pry. Instead, he asks what Draco intends to do about Pansy. He runs a hand through his pale hair in exasperation, saying "Well, I suppose I'll pick up a necklace. Maybe I should make a card or something, and then act hurt when she's disappointed."
"Even she won't fall for that." he answers, laughing quietly, meanly.
Draco says suddenly "What if she's brilliant, and just pretending?"
"It couldn't be. Pride conquers intelligence, always."
