Security
By Nathonea
Summary: Many reasons are given for Lucius joining the Dark Lord. Wealth. Hatred. Spite. Power. Family is not usually one of them.
A young man walked quickly through the Ministry, his cloak drawn tightly around himself despite the stuffy air of the hallway. His blond hair, once drawn back tightly and neatly, could only be described as mussed.
His grey eyes were dark and narrowed, but that didn't prevent others from jostling him around in their hurry to leave. A few people gave him measuring looks, but quickly dismissed him. Everyone knew him, Lucius Malfoy, but few considered him worthy of respect.
He made it to the ground level, and briskly walked out. It was sunny, but he just wrapped his cloak tighter around himself before continuing on, apparating in mid-step.
He appeared at his flat, his small wife jumping in surprise at the loud noise before smiling at him. Narcissa was beautiful. Where he was pale and colorless with his light blond hair and grey eyes, she was tanned, blue eyed, and her honey blond hair had abundant curls. "Did you get the job?" She whispered, briefly hugging him.
Lucius shook his head, a pinched look appearing on his face. "No, according to them, I was 'too much of a risk' to employ. Said I needed 'more experience and loyalty' before getting such an 'important' job."
Narcissa drew away from him, her eyes narrowing. "More flack about your father?" She guessed shrewdly, waving away a house elf. "Lucius, they know the will! Your loyalty has been proven many times." Her voice ended shrilly, and she sat down with a huff on the ottoman.
Lucius scowled, but not at her. "Damn father." He muttered, but Narcissa didn't respond besides raising an eyebrow. His father had died, thankfully, in a raid of Lucuis' boyhood home, the Malfoy Manor. Items found within the Manor all but proved Lucius' father's guilt in a widely publicized murder of an assistant to the Minister. All Lucius was left with was the will, which told him that only when he brought honor to the family would he receive the fortune.
For three years after his father's fortunate death (Lucius was never very fond of him) Lucius had been trying to get a job within the ministry. Just that, a job. He was trained to be an Auror, and while he wasn't the top of his class, he was moderately good. His application to get the interview was refused only two days after his father's death.
He next tried to get a job in the Department of International Magical Cooperation. They refused to interview him. He tried to be a secretary for some obscure part of Ludicrous Patents Office, and while they did grant him an interview, they declined to give him the job.
Narcissa had been trying as well. She had been refused three secretary jobs, an assistant seamstress at Gladrags, and two internships within the ministry.
Lucius' attempt today was another interview to be an undersecretary for the Goblin Liaison Office. He had the interview, then he was informed that they did not believe him 'loyal' to the Ministry.
Lucius sat on the sofa, scowling at the bare wall. Him and Narcissa were poor now. The mere thought of him, a Malfoy, being on a lower paycheck than a Weasely, rankled him. He leant against the sofa, staring moodily up at the ceiling. "God, Narcissa, what do they expect me to do?" He asked softly. 'I thought that the Goblin office would accept me, at least." He sighed. "And we need the ministry protection. You-Know-Who's still out there."
Narcissa, still sitting moodily on the ottoman, stirred slightly. "You mean they can't protect the manor?" She asked quietly, her blue eyes intent. There was a distinct threat that You-Know-Who would annex the Malfoy Manor. He already had several isolated Mansions, Muggle and Wizard alike, under his control for headquarters.
Lucius shook his head, gazing down at his small wife. "Nor can they provide security for the inheritance." He said grimly, looking her in her brilliant Sapphire eyes. "The ministry wants it, there's no doubt." Her brilliant eyes widened. "I don't think they want the Malfoy name to have anything."
Narcissa opened her mouth slightly, then she closed it, a look of almost desperation on her face. "What if we want a family?" She asked quietly, more quietly than normal.
Lucius would have shrugged, but he didn't want to waste the energy. "I dunno, Cissa, I doubt they've thought of that." He scowled up at the ceiling again.
Narcissa looked at him steadily for a few seconds, then got up, telling their one house-elf to make dinner.
Three weeks later, Lucius left the ministry building in an eerily similar setting. They refused him another job, this one because they did not feel him qualified to be a bookkeeper in the Department of Magical Transport. The irony of it almost made him retch.
He apparated home, and Narcissa greeted him exuberantly, throwing her arms around his neck and kissing him. She wore a huge grin on her face, and her eyes sparkled with what looked to be tears.
Lucius just gave her a wary look before smiling back at her, his eyes lightening. "Did you get the job?" He asked eagerly. Narcissa had been applying for a job at a small potions store on Diagon Alley.
She looked momentarily surprised, then she shook her head and laughed. "No! Nothing like that, Lucius." She hugged him again, her curly hair just brushing his chin. "Lucius, I'm pregnant." She giggled strangely, hugging him again.
Lucius wrinkled his nose at her. "What…oh….Oh!" He laughed as well, hugging her back. "That's good…isn't it?"
Narcissa grinned. "I got Emmy to make us something good for dinner." She said, drawing away from him.
Lucius smiled at her, then that smile faded slightly, and the brief euphoria faded. "Cissa, what are we going to do?" He asked loudly, making her stop in her tracks and look at him.
"Eat dinner, of course." She replied tartly, still grinning. "Why?"
Lucius felt as if he had been dumped with a gallon of ice water. "What about money, though? I didn't get the job!"
Narcissa gave him an exasperated look. "We'll just deal with that later." She summoned a glass of water from the table and handed it to him. "The potions job just fell through, they got a former Beauxbatons Potions professor to cover the job. It's okay that they gave it to him. But Lucius," she started again, her eyes shining, "imagine it! You might have a daughter! Or a Son!" She summoned a water for herself. "Can't that be more important than jobs just this once?"
Two months later, Lucius still hadn't found a job, and Narcissa's pregnancy was preventing her from getting one.
Narcissa's pregnancy was not going very easily, and the cost of healers kept on being driven up. Lucius hated being in debt, and couldn't even bear to face some of his old friends.
Especially after one slyly suggested that the Malfoy name was going in the direction of the Weasely name.
That night, after another disappointing day looking for jobs, Lucius came home to a pale and forlorn looking wife. As he came in, she gave him a wan smile and gestured him over to the sofa.
"I talked to Bella today." She said softly, and Lucius froze. The last they had heard from Bellatrix, Narcissa's sister, she had eloped and joined You-Know-Who's ranks.
"What did she want now?" Lucius asked wearily, putting his head in his hands. "Did you tell her we don't have the inheritance yet?"
Narcissa nodded, biting her lip. "I contacted her through the Floo network. She…has a way for you to get a job. Some backing in the ministry." Narcissa sighed, her honey-blond curls falling over her shoulders. "It seems like it might be enough for you to get the inheritance."
Lucius froze again. "You contacted her?" He exclaimed incredulously. "Why? She'll only disgrace our family even more."
Narcissa winced and put a hand over her stomach. "You-Know-Who is said to be interested in you, Lucius." She said quietly. "I heard from a few people. I…I don't want you to be killed."
Lucius raised an eyebrow at her slowly. "You think he's planning on killing me?" He asked, feeling like he was speaking in a hollow, large room. "Why?"
Narcissa winced again. "I…I don't know." She put a hand on her stomach. "But Lucius, think! We'll get the inheritance. We can pay for the baby. He won't have to live in poverty."
Lucius put his head in his hands again. "What job is it?" He asked wearily. "What would I have to do for…You-Know-Who?"
Narcissa sighed, then put a hand on his arm. "I think it's a job in the Minister's office. You-Know-Who wants a pure-blooded look into the workings of the Ministry. I've talked to Bella, and they have enough connections to get you the position." Her voice dropped to a whisper. "They said it's guaranteed. All you have to do is spy. Report to You-Know-Who. Then we'll get the inheritance, the manor, and our baby can have some…I dunno, security in life!" A few tears collected in her eyes. "Lucius, think! Please, think of the baby!"
Lucius, who had lifted his head to watch her, put his head in his hands again. "Let me think, Cissa." He said hollowly, his mind working. "Let me think."
A/N: This is a one-shot, obviously. I just like writing about characters in ways some don't think of. I know this probably isn't how it happened, but I thought it would be an interesting fic.