a/n1: Hello my lovely readers! I hope you had a less stressful advent than I had! We have actually surpassed 200(!) reviews last chapter, yay! All betalove to reynardinepttr (on tumblr). Now we'll read about the last Malfoy hearing, enjoy :)
Draco conjured a mirror and looked at himself. Yesterday in the store it had seemed like a good idea to buy the forest green dress shirt and black trousers. But today, Draco felt itchy in it. It looked like somebody else should wear it, not him, and it felt as if it wasn't fitting properly, although it was.
Cursing, Draco pulled off the dress shirt and got out a black one. But it already felt wrong while he put it on, and cursing even louder he threw it into the corner. Draco sat down on his bed and put his face into his hands.
Suddenly he heard a soft knock and his mother asking whether she could come in. After rubbing his face again he pulled on a simple sweater and went to open the door. He didn't want his mother to see the Sectumsempra scars on his torso and the…others on his back.
"What do you want, Mother?" Draco asked quietly when she stepped inside.
"I just wanted to see if you had any trouble with deciding what to wear," Narcissa explained, levitating the discarded dress shirts onto their respective hangers. "And I obviously was right."
"They just don't feel right," Draco explained, sitting back down on his bed.
"Did you think of wearing robes?" Narcissa asked curiously, turning to him.
Draco looked up at her, startled. "I thought we wanted to make a statement today?"
"Your father will have to make a statement today," Narcissa said with a smile. "You already wore muggle-like clothes for your hearing and trial, and women's dresses and robes look nearly identical."
"So, you think I should wear robes today?" Draco asked cautiously.
Narcissa nodded and turned back to his wardrobe. She pulled out a dark green robe with black and silver ornaments. Salazar knew why the elves had sent it since it was way too formal for daily life.
"Don't you think that one is a bit much for a hearing?" Draco asked doubtfully, but Narcissa shook her head.
"No, it's perfect. It will remind the people that we are still very rich," Narcissa said with a cat-like smile. "They will need the reminder when we announce that we want to fund research."
Draco laughed, stood up, and kissed his mother on her cheek. "Devious, Mother, devious. But of course I will wear it, if you think it is the right thing to do."
"Of course I do," Narcissa said with a wink. "Just remember to wear trousers under it, those courtrooms are always awfully chilly."
Draco nodded and Narcissa left him to change with a small smile. Putting on the robes, Draco felt a little bit better than he had in the dress shirts. He would have to live with the rest of the uneasiness. Re-doing the glamour on his knuckles, so it would hold for the duration of the hearing at least, Draco left the room with a last look in the mirror. He really did look good in these robes.
Lucius hated the shackles around his wrists and ankles. He couldn't even move enough to clench his fists to hide the shaking of his hands. And they were shaking visibly. So much so that the photographers would probably be able to get a picture of them.
You're a Malfoy, don't you dare show emotion! The voice of Abraxas Malfoy echoed through Lucius's mind. But even the old terror couldn't scare him into keeping still.
Lucius listened to his solicitor arguing with the Wizengamot. He knew he was lucky that the man decided to continue work for him. Many other families had lost their solicitors when they were revealed to be Death Eaters. But Filius Crowley was a loyal man if one continued to pay him.
Lucius swallowed and looked over to the part of the amphitheatre that was reserved for his family. Narcissa looked as pale as he felt and Draco was brushing his knuckles absentmindedly. Lucius had noticed the strange new behaviour of his son whenever the boy was nervous or stressed. He wondered whether it was Draco keeping himself from punching something, or if it was just a random movement.
The sudden rustling of robes pulled Lucius's thoughts back to the Wizengamot. The members stood up and left for the deliberation chamber. Mr Crowley turned to Lucius.
"I think we have good chance to get you on a long probation period, similar to your wife's," he said quietly.
Lucius nodded. "How are the chances that they'll send me to Azkaban for only a short period of time?"
"To be honest I don't think Parkinson and his people would allow that," Crowley said. "I think it is more likely for them to up the probation time until Longbottom and her side accept it."
"Alright," Lucius said tightly. They waited half an hour until the Wizengamot finally returned. Madam Longbottom looked disgruntled to say the least, but Cassius nodded his head curtly when he caught Lucius's eyes.
"Mister Lucius Malfoy is hereby sentenced to fifteen years of probation and social work. He will not be allowed to use any kind of dark magic. He is not allowed to have any kind of dark magical object. If he is found to condone dark magic without reporting it, he will be prosecuted. If he is found guilty of any crimes the probation will turn into a prison sentence. His wand will be checked every week. An ease of the sentence can be negotiated in five years from today."
Lucius very nearly crumbled in relief as he heard the sentence. This was manageable. He could do this! And working on the infant formula would definitely take at least seven years if his calculations were correct.
The shackles released his hands and feet and Lucius stood. He thanked his lawyer and said goodbye, turning to leave for the foyer where he would make a statement. His wife and son were waiting outside the door that led outside from the ground floor of the courtroom. He greeted them with a small smile, more emotion than a Malfoy normally showed in public.
Lucius took a deep breath before he tucked Narcissa's hand into the crook of his arm and exchanged a nod with Draco and Hermione, who had just joined them. Andromeda had already left to tell the journalists that Lucius planned to make a statement.
One of the first things Abraxas Malfoy had taught his son about politics and lobbyism was to never learn a speech by heart. Know what you want to say and improvise according to the mood of the crowd. Nobody likes listening to a rehearsed speech; look like you were inspired by them to say something grand.
Taking this advice to heart had helped Lucius many times over the years and he would use this knowledge once again. But now for something so different that it probably had Abraxas rolling in his grave.
The little group stepped out of the lift at a controlled pace and went over to Andromeda.
"Everything is ready," she whispered while kissing him on the cheek in greeting. Of course their every move since they left the lift was calculated.
"Thank you," Lucius said quietly and watched as Hermione and Andromeda positioned themselves to either side of his family. A perfect display of their new alliance, and probably a beautiful picture.
The journalists were already shouting questions at them but Lucius ignored them to smile at his wife and son. That would made for an even better picture.
"Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen," Lucius said calmly with a small smile again tugging at the corner of his mouth. "I hoped to make a short statement about my hearing and my sentence."
The crowd quieted down and only the clicks of the camera were still audible. "The first thing I want to- no, need to say is the most important. I am truly and deeply saddened by the consequences of my ignorance of the truth about so called 'blood purity'. My actions in the past decades were led by antiquated and misanthropic views that I took way too long to re-evaluate."
Lucius made a small pause to look over to Hermione, who smiled encouragingly. "My wife's friendship with the probably most famous muggleborn of our world forced me to finally face the truth and accept it. Hermione is a brilliant witch, and a compassionate human being, with a commendable amount of patience. My family will forever be in her debt for saving Draco, and more so for looking past our history and accepting our hand in friendship."
Lucius paused again, this time to look over to Andromeda. "These past weeks we have lived with the formerly estranged sister of Narcissa, who, like Hermione, taught us with patience and kindness to see muggles and muggleborns as our equals. Many of you might wonder why I am telling you this." A few people in the crowd that had assembled by now chuckled. "One and a half weeks ago I wondered about the infant formula Andromeda was feeding her grandson Teddy, whose parents, Dagda bless their souls, died in the war. I learned that the standard wizarding formula was at least sixty years behind the standard of the muggle one. Can you believe it? Granted they have a better version at St. Mungo's, but how many families can realistically buy it if even my sister-in-law can't?" A murmur rippled through the crowd of journalists, but Lucius didn't let them speak up. "How many wizarding families have ties to the muggle world that allow them to get their formula? Narcissa and I both knew we had to change something. Malfoy Apothecary will start funding the research and development of a wizarding infant formula as soon as I get back to work tomorrow. For this project we need at least one master potioneer who knows about muggle science, a midwife, and most importantly: muggle scientists and doctors that will be able to work together with their magical counterparts."
There were startled gasps all through the crowd of journalists, ministry officials and visitors. The journalists started shouting questions, but Lucius raised his hand and they fell silent again. "We trust that there have to be muggleborns who either returned to the muggle world to be scientists or whose informed family members work in the field. When my dearest wife told the Chief Sorceress about this plan she agreed to credit this project as our social work. Afterwards I am sure there will be more work to do at the front of cross-world research and science."
For a few precious seconds the crowd was silent before some spectators started to applaud and cheer, and Lucius allowed himself a small, pleased smile. He answered the questions from the journalists as well as possible, but after roughly ten minutes he closed the questions and excused himself to leave for Andromeda's home.
Arriving in the living room through the floo, they brushed the soot from their clothes and then Narcissa was hugging him fiercely.
"You did so well," she whispered and kissed him gently.
Lucius felt a bit unsure since he didn't normally kiss her in front of others, but finally he pulled her closer and when the kiss stopped he buried his face in her neck.
When he looked up he saw that the others had left the room to give them a bit privacy. Lucius used it to kiss Narcissa again and revel in the happiness he was feeling right now. Even a month ago he wouldn't have believed anyone who told him that he would be this happy so soon. It felt like the first time he had ever kissed Narcissa and it was nearly as perfect.
"Lucius, Lucius!" Narcissa's amused voice broke through his reverie.
"What is it, princess?" Lucius asked, looking up from the Black Lake into the face of the most beautiful girl he had ever seen.
"Don't call me princess or I won't tell you the good news," Narcissa replied tartly while sitting down next to him, carefully pulling her skirt under her legs.
"I'm sorry, milady," Lucius said smoothly, catching her right hand in his left and kissing her knuckles.
"You are a terrible flirt, Mr Malfoy," Narcissa said, blushing happily.
"Now, what good news do you have?" Lucius asked, leaning back against the tree.
"My parents just wrote me! Your father has accepted the betrothal contract!" Narcissa said with a big smile and only his impeccable pureblood manners kept Lucius from gaping at her.
"Really now?" he asked quietly. He couldn't believe his father would do that, after all a marriage to Lilian Selwyn would be much more favourable.
"Yes, isn't it wonderful?" Narcissa said her eyes shining with happy tears.
Lucius moved his hand to her cheek to brush the tears away and before he knew it he was leaning in and kissing her for the first time. Her lips were soft and incredibly perfect, and after the first moment of surprise she returned his kiss.
"Lucius, Lucius!" Narcissa's amused voice pulled him out of his reverie, again. "Where were you just now?" she asked gently.
Lucius didn't answer at first and just pulled her closer. "I remembered the day my father finally accepted the betrothal contract. It feels like a lifetime ago."
"It was the best, well, third best day of my life," Narcissa said quietly leaning her cheek against his shoulder. "Only our wedding and the day Draco was born surpass it."
"I'm glad you feel like that," Lucius whispered into her ear and laughed as she shivered.
"Let's go into the kitchen before anyone gets ideas," Narcissa said, lightly slapping his chest.
Chuckling, Lucius followed his wife into the kitchen, still holding her hand and smiling more happily than he probably had in years.
Daily Prophet, 27th May 1998, Notices
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a/n2: I really love Lucissa and I hope you liked this chapter! What did you think of Lucius's speech, wasn't it amazing? If you'd like to read something Christmas-y in the next days and like flintwood, keep an eye out for my new five chapter Muggle AU, which plays during WWI! Merry Christmas to those of you who celebrate and a belated: Happy Hanukkha to my jewish readers! :)