Word Count: 460
She hates it here, but she does not complain. At the end of the day, she would walk through hell if it meant seeing her husband. Truth be told, Azkaban is close enough to some miserable pit of eternal damnation.
Narcissa shudders as she is lead deeper through the prison. The Auror guiding her along has assured her that the Dementors will not harm her, but that doesn't help. Their chill still sinks beneath her skin, penetrating her bones and freezing the marrow within. She pulls her cloak tighter, quickening her pace.
"You know the rules," the Auror tells her without looking at her for her confirmation. "Be brief."
Narcissa rushes to the bars, a flood of relief washing over her. Lucius no longer looks like her Lucius. His hair is tangled and has lost its shine, there's stubble on his face, and the dark circles under his eyes give him the look of a dead man. Still, despite it all, he is still here. It's a small, almost bitter hope.
She doesn't even realize silent tears have been falling until her eyes begin to sting. Narcissa wipes them away, her lips forming a smile. "Lucius…"
He smiles at her. It isn't the warm, radiant smile she knows and loves; his chapped lips crack, making him wince, but she can still see the happiness in his eyes. Narcissa is his only source of joy anymore.
"Cissa," he says fondly as he climbs to his feet. His movements are slow and stiff, and she can see how each step pains him, but he moves closer until he reaches the bars. "It has been far too long."
It's been less than a week, but she doesn't tell him that. Azkaban can mess with the mind. She can't even imagine how close he is to breaking.
"Everything will be okay, my love," she tells him.
She can't go into detail. Truthfully, she knows so little, only the few scraps of information the Dark Lord has offered her. She knows the Death Eaters in Azkaban will not be forgotten. While, for the most part, that news is terrifying, it gives her hope to know Lucius will come back to her.
"We're going to be a family again," he agrees, reaching through the bars and taking her hand.
And just like that, it's over. The Auror rushes in, quickly separating the two of them and reciting the prison's no touching policy. Narcissa wants to push the woman away, but she keeps her head held high. No need to cause a scene. Things will look up soon enough.
"Until next time, my love," she says.
As she walks through the prison once again, she is so alive with hope that she barely notices the chill anymore.