Chap.2

Lucius apparated in a barely audible pop on his front door step; he twisted the door open with a sigh. The stately house was silent and dark as he expected it to be at 1'o clock in the morning. No inviting fire. No gurgling baby. No loving smiling wife. Hell, there wasn't even a bloody house elf to take his traveling cloak; Lucius was the only person in the house who was not sleeping. He placed his cloak on a hook and carried his tired body upstairs. He paused by the nursery adjacent to the master bedroom to peak at his 8-month-old son. Lucius smiled as he watched Draco sleep in his navy and grey striped onesie that his older brother Fabien gave him during his last visit. Thumb in mouth, chubby and peaceful as the moon shine brightly through the nursery's window. He lifted his son careful and kissed his sweet smelling wispy silver hair before leaving for his own bedroom. As he entered the room, he was surprised to find an empty bed. She should have been sleeping. She wasn't in the bathroom or the nursery. He went out on the balcony and there she was descending from the roof. She looked like an angel as she climbed down the moonlight shown through the thin material of her robe and pajama pants. Her pale skin reflected the moonlight ,making her seem even more ethereal and untouchable.

She smiled warmly with the full pouty lips that she inherited from her father as she finally noticed him. That smile was reserved for him; he loved that smile.

"It's rather cold to be star gazing. You should be out there, especially in your pajamas" he reprimanded his wife. She hated that.

"'Good Evening Narcissa, How are u darling?' 'Oh, I'm fine darling, how are you? Did u have good day at work? I hope it wasn't stressful you have been getting home later every night.' That is how one greets their wife." She said walking into the bedroom. He noticed her dainty bare feet as she walked to the bed.

"Where are you shoes?"

"In the closet where they usually are" She removed her robe revealing the thin camisole. She swung her body into her large bed.

"Are you determine to get sick?" he asked tensely

"I'm already sick darling." She said matter-of-factly as she removed her head scarf revealing her pixie-like dirty blond hair. Her hair was coming in nicely; she was even gaining weight back. The chemo had weakened her at one time to the point where she couldn't lift their infant son, perform even the most remedial spells, or keep any food down. Even magic couldn't cure cancer, but she was better now; Still not 100.

"You are not sick, you're in remission." He said as he started disrobing "I want you to be well that's all. Dray needs a mum and I kinda like having you around" Lucius smirked as he watched his wife admire his nude physique. She blew a wolf-whistle as he turn to put on his pajama bottoms. "You are such a perv!"

Narcissa laughed and patted his side of their bed giving him an invitation to join her. As soon as he hit the sheets, she covered his mouth with hungry, passionate kisses. She grazed the head of his penis; it was like a rock just with a brush of her soft hands. She begin to kiss his chest. She worked her way down to his abdomen just above the top of his pajama pants. As she tugged at them and cupped his manhood with her soft hands and prepared to service him orally, he pulled her up quickly with one word of: "Don't!"

She was fuming. She hated when he pushed her away like this. Ever since she had gotten sick, Lucius either pushed her away or treated her like she was fragile. She was about to give him a piece of her mind until Draco saved him with his nightly milk cry. She rolled off her husband to go tend to her baby. Lucius grabbed her wrist for a moment as if to ask:" Are you sure, babies take a lot out of you?"

He didn't say it, but Narcissa knew he meant it. She hated that too; treating her like she was weak. She knew he meant well but she this shadow over them- she hated it.

"I've got him darling" she called as she reached Draco's crib. Draco smiled and reached up his chubby arms as he saw his mommy's face.

"Oh, how is mummy's big boy? Is my little man hungry?" the baby giggled and cooed as she lifted him out the crib and covered him with sweet kisses.

"Accio Baby Bottle!" she said doing a bit of wandless magic, much to Draco's amusement. The bottle zoomed in from the kitchen, she held her hand out to catch, but Lucius was in the doorway and intercepted the bottle. He walked over to where his wife stood.

"DA,DA,DAAAH!" Draco clapped as he saw his daddy appear with his meal. Draco reached for his father; Lucius took his son from his wife's arms. She sighed and released the baby to her husband.

"Damn, I can't even feed my own baby." She thought resentfully as she walked back to the bedroom, but not before she glanced back to watch her husband begin to feed their eager cherub. She should be happy that her husband was so hands on, and she was, but he would intervene on her time with the baby. She hated that, it was fucking annoying!

She climbed backed in the bed, and before she got comfortable, Lucius had return to the bedroom.

"Back so soon?"

"Yeah, the little guy was out halfway through his bottle." Narcissa could hear the smile on his face as he talked about their son. He climbed into the bed and spooned himself around her protectively. He kissed her short hair tenderly.

" We have an appointment with Dr. Adams tomorrow at 4pm, it would be nice if you would actually show up. The whole point of marriage counseling is that both spouses are there." She said

"I don't think we should have to tell some squib all our bloody business. Some things should stay between a husband and wife, Cis."

" It is a requirement sweetheart," she said through clenched teeth; she tired of having this conversation every week. "I can't stop seeing the Mediwizard without her approval. Besides, it will be helpful, between all we've been through these past couple of years. You can't pretend nothing's happened."

"I don't…"

"You do. Anything that makes you uncomfortable, you don't want to talk about. We can't work if we don't work on our marriage. We need to be good parents to Dray, and I wish to get back to some form of our former livelihood." She felt him tense up.

"I have work at the ministry…"

"Take a personal day, even a half-of one. I'm sure they will understand."

"I really have a lot of work…"

"Damn it Lucius, you need to pick which is more important to you; paperwork or your family!" She raised her voice and turned to face him with fire in her sapphire eyes. Her eyes always did something to him. "I'm not even asking you to take the whole day off, just two hours earlier. Baby, I'm asking you to invest a few hours in us." Her features softened. "I know you're hurting too. Let Dr. Adams help us; she's rather good."

"Fine I'll be home to get you around 2:45." Lucius relented

" Good, I'm glad." She kissed him and smiled "Everything is gonna be fine; you'll see." She stroked his face gently " I love you."

"I love you too"

Lucius spooned Narcissa again protectively as they drifted off to sleep in the stately house with a warm loving wife, a sleeping baby, and a guilty husband.