Disclaimer: JK Rowling is the creator of the HP universe and its characters. I do not own anything except the rather strange plot bunny, and I solely profit in reviews.
Years Ago From Now: Chapter Seventeen
Lucius walked down the hallway following one of the freaky silent elves toward his "Master" and comrades.
He was one of the last to arrive and was surprised to see that Severus Snape was seated next to the Dark Lord in the spot usually reserved for Rodolphus Lestrange. Lucius took a spot near the other end of the table next to Antonin Dolohov, a brooding Russian several years older than himself.
"Malfoy," the man greeted.
"Dolohov," he replied, taking a sip of the red wine once it had magically appeared in front of him.
The meal served was eaten mostly in silence, and none complained if they (like Lucius) had been summoned right after eating their own evening meals. One would rather risk being unpleasantly full than risk angering the Dark Lord for refusing to give thanks for his provisions.
The Dark Lord was chatting happily with Severus Snape, and Lucius thought Snape looked quite pleased with himself.
As the meal finished up and people finished the last of their pudding, Voldemort cleared his throat, calling for their attention. Everyone put down their utensils and the table was suddenly devoid of any dishes. The Dark Lord stood.
"Tonight, though many of you are not aware, we are honoring one of your brethren. Severus Snape has seen fit to bring intel that is vital to our success. From now on, I will not hear of anyone disparaging young Severus in any way. If all of you served me with as much eagerness as he does, we would have accomplished so much more, thus far. Few have risen above the blood they were born to, but Severus has."
The table murmured quietly, and the Dark Lord raised his hand to silence them. "I was informed of a prophecy that has been spoken. Albus Dumbledore heard it and took the source very seriously. While he is the worst sort of wizard, we must acknowledge his intelligence and power. We must take the prophecy seriously ourselves."
Bellatrix looked eager, and Lucius understood that. The Blacks had always been believers in prophecy, having been related to a few many years past. Narcissa had liked to brag that she could read tea leaves as well as anyone, and Bellatrix believed she was talented with crystals. A prophecy was sure to excite her. "What did it say, my Lord?"
Voldemort inclined his head. "A baby is to be born soon. At the end of July, a Light family that has defied our cause will give birth to a son that supposedly will be fiercely powerful. So powerful, in fact, that if he reaches maturity he could even be a threat to me, and our plans by extension."
Murmurs started up again as to how anyone could be powerful enough to challenge the Dark Lord, and Voldemort looked pleased by the skepticism.
"Fortunately, thanks to Severus and his eagerness to follow my orders and become hired on as staff at Hogwarts, he overheard the prophecy and told me about it. After much deliberation with Severus, I have determined that this is a situation we can get ahead of. We shall find this child and end him before he can become any sort of threat. In fact, we shall kill the entire family because they will only continue to stand in our way. The loss of their promised one will be a blow, and I am sure that success will be ours once the child is in a grave."
"What can we do to serve, my Lord?" Lucius asked, wanting to make his presence there known in a supportive way. He needed to work his way in.
Lord Voldemort met his eyes and nodded. "I require names of all light families expecting a baby at the end of July. Any births you hear that happen during that time are paramount to look into. Even if the family seems neutral it is worth investigating. That being said, does anyone know of pregnant witches on that side?"
"What about that Molly Prewett? Married that Weasley and has been popping them out a mile a minute. She's definitely light, the whole damned bunch of them worship the ground Dumbledore walks on."
The crowd murmured while McNair spoke up. "No go on them. She had another one just a few months ago, I believe. Wouldn't be due in July if she were pregnant again."
"The new Longbottom heir is due at the end of July," Sterling Parkinson said. "Augusta is making a big deal out of it. Both parents, Frank and Alice, are Aurors. And Order Members, it is believed."
Lord Voldemort smiled, evilly, and Lucius suppressed a shudder, trying to focus on the now and not what he knew would be.
Rabastan snapped suddenly, "I know another! That girl that graduated the year before me! Married James Potter. Evans? You were friends with her, weren't you Snape?"
Lucius looked to Severus to see that he had seemingly paled as fear danced across his features. Panic was seeping in, and Lucius jumped in.
"No, she's due in mid to late August. Narcissa and I saw her at an appointment before Draco was born. I listened to her talking to the receptionist at check in," Lucius interjected. Severus seemed to almost sigh with relief.
Roderick Nott nodded, "That's true. August. Sirius Black was going on and on about being asked to be godfather to the boy at the Ministry a few days ago."
Rabastan laughed at Severus, "A shame, eh, Snape. If you had stayed friends with the mudblood, maybe you'd be godfather to her little brat."
Severus snorted, pulling up a guarded expression quickly. "Lily Potter can rot in Hell for all I care, and her whelp, too. In fact, I never want to hear her discussed around me."
"Sensitive," Bellatrx taunted, smirking at him.
"Fellows! Are you really taunting our most esteemed Potions Master? We all have pain and embarrassment in our pasts. Our brotherhood is off limits. Unless she is a threat or we face them on the field of battle, I see no need to speak of the Mudblood," the Dark Lord said. Then, he changed the topic, and whatever it was was well received by the group.
Lucius saw that Severus looked calmer but still quite disturbed. Fortunately, everyone else was too busy to notice.
The Dark Lord dismissed them with instructions to be on the lookout for any more pregnant witches. They would not strike until they were sure of the Target. If babies suddenly started cropping up dead from Light families, it would make the others hide. The Longbottoms were put on the short list, though, and Nott was assigned to start gathering information on where they might be if not at Longbottom Hall.
Two weeks later, in the middle of a very warm and humid July, Hermione was resting in the library with a book. Draco was on the floor on a pallet of large blankets laid out next to her. She had enchanted several stuffed animals to swirl about the air above him, and she would occasionally see his hands jerk as if he wanted to be able to reach up at grab them.
Lucius walked in with a smile at her before joining his son on the floor. "Guess who gets to sleep in his nursery for the first time tonight?" he said to Draco, ticking him lightly. The baby's seemed to smack his lips in excitement, jerking his little fists toward Lucius's hand.
Hermione put her book down. "It's… ready?"
Lucius nodded. "The elves just put the finishing touches on it. I'm sure you are eager to get a good night's rest."
Hermione looked down at Draco, feeling a rush of sadness come over her. It was true that she could do with better sleep. She had mentioned to Lucius that it was almost impossible to fall into a deep sleep with him in the same room because she couldn't seem to stop listening for and reacting to every little sound he made. He seemed to be sleeping just fine in his bassinet, though.
He had, with the best of intentions, dove into preparing the nursery. She had not known what that would mean, though.
When Lucius and Narcissa had married, she had made it plain that if she were to carry and birth the children, she definitely wouldn't be responsible for them in the night. As a result, Lucius had made sure that when he took over the Manor upon Abraxas' move to France that he choose a Master Suite with a connecting nursery… one in the opposite wing of the house from where Hermione slept.
Draco would not only be out of her bedroom, he would be on the other side of the house. Even if he screamed as loudly as he could, she wouldn't be able to hear him from her bedroom.
She felt tears come to her eyes as she tried to reason with herself. Lucius was just trying to be helpful. He didn't know how much she wanted to be involved. He didn't realize that the idea of Draco needing her and not being there for him made her heart feel like someone were taking a hole punch to it.
She sniffled, and Lucius looked up from the baby on the floor to see his wife in tears.
"Cissa?" he asked, confused.
"He- he…. He will be too far away! What if he needs me?" she said, wiping at her cheeks and trying to contain herself.
Lucius stood from the floor and came to sit next to her. "But, love, I'll be right next door to him. I'll bring him to you if he needs you. Otherwise, I'll rock him back to sleep, and you can rest on. I've been expecting this duty for years now. I truly do not mind you getting the extra rest."
Hermione shook her head, and she felt Lucius wrap an arm around her. "What… what do you want? Do you want to sleep closer to him? I thought you would be okay with the nursery over there. It's the only set of two rooms already connected. I could change things, but its all set up for tonight. It would take time to change it. I… I really don't mind. I haven't been getting up with him during the night since you were feeling good enough to walk about on your own. I'm looking forward to it a bit, honestly."
Hermione looked up at him and saw the disappointment in his eyes. He truly was wanting to have the room off of the nursery. Just as she was.
She thought quickly about the options. Set up another room from the nursery? It, honestly, seemed silly. She had slept with Lucius in her bed those first few nights with Draco. It hadn't been bad. Quite… nice, actually. He didn't kick or snore or steal the covers. In fact, he had been a rather pleasant snuggler, and… well, if their marriage was supposed to be turning into a marriage for real….
She swallowed while she gathered her Gryffindor bravery. "Could we…. Could we both sleep in the room next to the nursery?"
His face remained carefully blank until it wasn't. Hope entered his eyes as suddenly as the strike of a match. "You mean… us share a bedroom?"
She blushed and nodded.
A smile warmed his face. "Boden!"
The elf appeared, bowing deeply. "Yes, Master?"
"Please get Mistress Malfoy's things and move them to mine. Make the room suitable for accommodating us both. She intends to sleep there from now on."
Boden, never lacking professionalism, didn't react other than to confirm that it would be done before popping away. Then, Lucius smiled and leaned down, pressing his mouth to hers in a chaste but meaningful kiss.
After dinner, Boden appeared to inform the couple that Hermione's things had been moved over to Lucius's to create a master bedroom suited to both of them. As if excited to see his new room, Draco woke up in the Moses basket they had levitated into the dining room. Hermione scooped him up and Lucius joined her as they walked up to bed.
They walked straight by the entrance to Lucius's room to the second door to the opposite side of the stairs from Hermione's old room, and Lucius opened the door for her.
The nursery was lovely, and Hermione smiled at the dove greys and soothing blues that adorned the room. Very lightly glowing stars lit the ceiling of the room, and Hermione noticed that constellations had even been put up to find. She could also imagine trying to point them out to Draco in a few years time, sitting cross legged on the floor together as she showed him his namesake.
There was a dark wooden crib with a matching dresser and rocking chair, and a lush deep blue rug adorned the floor. "It's beautiful, Lucius. You did a great job," she said.
He shrugged. "Well, you picked most of the things out. I just bought it all and told the elves where to put things or color things."
"So, you did most of it," she said, smiling at him as she bounced Draco slightly. His little eyes were open as he peered at the ceiling before he started to whimper, turning himself toward her. She sighed, smiling at the baby as she walked toward the rocking chair and took a seat on it. "I'll nurse him and get him to sleep. Do you intend to go to bed soon?" she asked.
He shook his head. "Unfortunately not. I have to look over a few things. I got a new book that looks promising for Lily."
Hermione helped Draco latch on before speaking again. "Shall I just… plan to go to bed without you?"
Lucius walked toward her and knelt down, kissing the baby before kissing her on the lips. "Yes. And, while it is a change…a welcome one… don't make it more than it is. I expect nothing of you just because we are trying to share a room, Cissa. Go to sleep when you are ready, and I will be up when I can."
Hermione blushed, happy that her reservations had been answered, even if she hadn't directly asked. "Goodnight, Lucius," she said, gently, feeling a bit shy around her new roommate.
"Goodnight, you two," he said in response, rubbing his hand over Draco's small bits of tufted white blonde hair.
He left, and Hermione put her focus on the baby, humming at him until he had finished and fallen back asleep. Carefully, she stood and laid the baby in his new crib. Fortuntely, he remained asleep, and she leaned down to kiss his forehead before backing away from the crib. She cast the charm to make sure that she would be woken up if he started to cry and headed through the adjoining door to her new room.
The lights came on as she entered, and she looked around in approval. The color scheme was quite similar to the nursery, actually, though the hues were all deeper. The dark wooden sleigh bed curved elegantly at the head and footboards and was covered in creamy sheets and a dusty midnight blue duvet. There were two armoires, as well as a vanity for Hermione and a small writing desk for Lucius that were suited to match the bed. A vase of white chrysanthemums were on each nightstand in small delft vases, and Hermione smiled at the elegant feminine touches that she had doubted were here a few hours previous.
She walked to the armoire nearest the vanity table and found her clothes, quickly changing into one of her more modest gowns (though due to Narcissa's taste it was still rather sheer and silken). She had originally wondered when it would be acceptable to shop for clothes more to her taste, but she found that she was growing accustomed to Narcissa's classically elegant and perfectly poised style. The woman's physique pulled it off effortlessly, where as Hermione would have felt as if she was trying too hard if wearing it in her old body.
She went into the adjoining bathroom to see that it was situated the same as her old one had been. A large shower dominated the corner of the room behind the door, easily large enough to shower at least six people at a time if it had had four additional shower heads. To the left and around a half wall was a large claw footed tub easily built for two. His and her sinks were laid out on the wall directly across from the door. She walked to the one on the left, seeing her perfume bottles on a silver tray next to the wall where she brushed her teeth and wondered how long Lucius would be. She brushed her hair and cleaned her face, absently wondering what Lucius wore to bed. She didn't realize she was blushing at the thought until she looked up to moisturize her face.
Deciding it would just be silly and stressful to wait (and she truly was quite tired) she walked back into the bedroom and climbed into the left side of the bed, hoping that he didn't have a side he was attached to. There was nothing to indicate a side had already been claimed, and this one was farthest from the door to the hallway which she preferred.
Putting her wand on the nightstand, she laid down, fidgeting with the blankets for several minutes before closing her eyes.
She was sure she had been asleep for a while when it seemed like a person was crawling into the other side. Her eyes opened blurrily, seeing Lucius scoot downward to lay next to her. She smiled at him sleepily with a light blush to her cheeks, and he returned it reaching out to push some of her hair behind her ear.
His chest was bare, but she was too near sleep to think too much on it. Instead, in a state of sleepy boldness, she rolled properly to her side, sliding an arm over his chest.
He responded by pulling her close and sliding an arm underneath her head, drawing her head to rest against his shoulder. She sighed in contentment, draping her top thigh over his waist. She was quite sure it was just the beginning of what would be a nice night of beautiful dreams that a smooth voice whispered into the darkened room- "A real family." Perhaps it was just a dream, though.
Author's Note: Personally, I empathize with Lucius a lot here. The idea of feeling as if your life was going to go in a direction you weren't happy about, a loveless marriage with no partnership and hiding who you are... and then to find yourself living what others take for granted every day. Having thought all of these things unachievable, I imagine even the smallest of milestones would seem momentous. He's a closet idealist and romantic; something that Hermione will love him for but never be herself.
Also, I have been very naughty and spending too much time planning and not enough time actually writing. It doesn't help that school just started back. I think I will make my personal deadline of putting up the next chapter in 5 or 6 days. However, if I don't, it is because I am breaking through a bit of a writer's block at the moment concerning Halloween 1981. I don't really want to write it. Or the month of November and part of December... Don't be too concerned. I just hit the halfway point posting of what I have already written.