Their Love
Her Skin
Chapter 2
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Lucius gently fingered the mark that now marred his skin. It was a design full of twists, turns and darkness. He knew that he would now hold this mark for the rest of his life. And this fact was just now sinking in.
Lucius watched as the dark circles that resembled those of eyes seemed to follow him where he went. Watching him; not the loving careful watch of a mother, but the watchful eye of a snake ready to strike at a moment of weakness at a moment of wariness.
The mark burned. He had not been expecting that. But it did burn and not on the outside but inside. It was fire that traveled up and down his arm. The mark was so fresh it hadn't even become anything but a glob on his arm except for those watchful eyes and the swirling of darkness.
Lucius sighed and leaned father into the shadow of the alley. It wouldn't do to see someone who recognized him at this moment. He was now a dark servant to his master. With the pain he no longer could remember why it was that he had received this cursed mark.
He wasn't so sure if it was because of the mud-bloods. Were such vile creatures worth this much pain? He clutched his arm closer to his chest and started to take deep breaths hoping beyond hope that it would stop him from crying out. After all Malfoy's did not cry…ever. He leaned over the side of the alley wall to take a look at the outside world and the people rushing by. They didn't seem to notice him as they passed along in a hurried pace. It was strange as if looking through a piece of glass. He was now apart of another world and it didn't look as if he could go back to the comfortable life he was so use to. Lucius scrunched back into the ally, took his arm away from his chest and turned it to face him. It looked as if there were more lines and swirls than before but other than that it hadn't really changed.
But the pain had started to go down which was probably a good sign. He would never admit it but he had been scared back there. When it was time for the mark to be given to him. He had been brave and had traveled to the location that had been specified. Someone he wasn't sure who had held his hand. He remembered being offended until the dark lord himself had dug the wand into his arm and had started murmuring to himself. It hurt worse than any time he could recall. And than they had dropped him off in the alley told them they'd see him around and left. Just left him, as if he was no more then trash. That might have been the worst part; sitting in a dark alley. With the putrid smell of rotten food and dead rats penetrating his nose. And being all alone sitting there in who knows what, clutching his arm for dear life rocking back and forth. For a little while the pain was so intense he'd forgotten who he was. But now that the pain had dimmed he remembered everything. He sighed in relief as he watched the last blob of darkness swirl into the final design of a snake. He took a moment to stare at the strangeness and irony of the mark, before flexing his arm as the last of the pain disappeared as quickly and suddenly as it had first appeared.
Lucius quickly rolled down is sleeve and started to make his way out of the alley way that he had lived in for all of five hours. Lucius quickly made his way home rubbing his arm the whole way there. He walked up the steps and through the door as fast as he could. He had been gone for over six hours in total and he was sure that Narcissa was either sleeping or working herself into a frenzy of panic. And knowing his wife, as he did, he was sure that she had taken the later course of action and had been driving herself insane for at least five hours.
As soon as he had taken the first step into the door is suspicions were confirmed by the gentle tapping of feet running down that stairs. How someone ran down stairs and made it dainty was beyond him and he was sure that only his lovely wife could pull it off.
"Lucius thank god you're ok." Narcissa paused at the bottom of the stairs and gave her husband a quick looking over. As soon as she was satisfied that he wasn't hurt she flung herself into his chest, winding her arms around his neck. "Where ever have you been?"
Lucius flinched at the reminder of the last five hours. He wasn't sure what he was going to tell Narcissa. Truth be told he didn't want her to get involved. The thought of her in a duel with an auror brought a tremor of fear in his heart. No, he had no idea what he was going to tell Narcissa.
"And why do you smell so bad." Narcissa's comment brought Lucius out of his musing and back to the knowledge that his wife was unwrapping her arms from his neck. Lucius quickly looked down into Narcissa's face that was scrunched up at the smell radiating from his body. Her perfect nose caught his attention as it wiggled back and forth in discomfort. "I should use a spell." He muttered stupidly. How come he hadn't thought of that, before entering the house?
"Here I'll do it." Narcissa said as she brought out her wand and quickly muttered the spell before putting it back up her sleeve. Narcissa looked up as her husband who had one brow raised in question. She blushed at the silent question feeling stupid. And at the moment she really didn't fell like telling him why she had her wand up her sleeves so late at night.
He wasn't going to sidetrack her anyways. As she looked closer at Lucius she could see that something wasn't right. His forehead was wet with sweat and his eyes held dullness to them as if he had been in pain. Her rising temper quickly fell flat as concern took over.
"Lucius, sweetheart what's wrong what happened?"
She looked up into his face with worry. Lucius closed and opened his eyes. He was so tiered it took everything he had not to fall over and sleep on the base of the stairs. Narcissa seeing this quickly took his arm and started pulling him up the stairs. "Come Lucius, let's get you into bed. Then you can tell me all about it."
Lucius winced as he started to walk up the steps. Half in pain and half in what he knew would be coming next. He didn't want to tell Narcissa anything, yet he knew she'd only make him tell her in the morning. He felt like getting it over with tonight. Although he'd rather she never find out. This was one of those times that he wished Narcissa was a sleeper and not a worrier. But a part of him couldn't help but be happy he had someone to worry about him now. That cared enough to wait up for him at the latest hour of the night for him. Lucius lied down in the bed with relief. It was so much better than any alley. He felt Narcissa's cool finger tips against his forehead as she brushed his white hair away. "Lucius what happened."
This time when she asked there was a clear sign of worry in her voice. It twisted his heart. It was at this point that any doubt of not telling her flew out the window. How could he not tell her and at least ease her worry that the pain was gone.
"I got it Narcissa." He whispered as softly as he could
"Got what Lucius?" Narcissa asked in confusion.
Lucius brought his arm up level with his heart and pulled down his sleeve where she could see the mark. It was now a full snake and the only sign that it might have hurt was the red color surrounding the black ink or was it the blood of the dark lord? Lucius heard Narcissa's gasp of fear, he quickly turned to look at her face. It was as white as his hair and true fear shown brightly in her eyes. "Narcissa what's wrong?"
Narcissa gulped down the fear that had clogged her throat as she tried to calm down. She knew what that mark was, it was for a servant of the dark lord. It was also the mark that her older sister had. In fact she had gotten it right before she had changed. She didn't want Lucius to change as well. "Nothing"
Lucius started to sit up when the look of fear didn't leave her face. "Cissy it will be alright, you do not have to worry about me." When Narcissa's face did nothing but become even paler he knew nothing he had said had made anything better. He took her hand and led her onto the bed with him. He quickly situated her where she was facing him so he could see her face; he wrapped his arms around her, to give her what comfort he could. "You understand why I did it right?"
Narcissa blinked as she was brought out of her musings by the fear in his voice. "Of course I understand why you did it, but I don't have to like it."
"I know" he whispered as he ran his fingers through her hair, it never failed to calm him down. Narcissa curled into him and laid her head on his chest and closed her eyes. Lucius fallowed her example and laid his own head on hers closing his eyes in exhaustion.
"I suppose I will have to get one next." Any thoughts of sleeping disappeared at Narcissa's sleepy comment. He shot out of bed and turned to her showing all his shock on his face. "Absolutely not,"
Narcissa looked up into the face Lucius showed the world. With his chin set, his eyes blazing, and his face muscles a hard mask of stone. He truly looked like the cold person he showed the world, but he didn't show this look to her and she had no idea what had set him off. All she had done was show her support by offering to get the mark. And then it hit her. He didn't want her to get the mark.
"Why not Lucius you got it?"
"It's different I will not have you bearing the mark of the dark lord." Lucius was not going to budge in his decision. Not only was Narcissa not going to bear another mans mark but she was also not going to go through the pain he had to.
"Lucius I do not understand. My sister has the mark just as her husband does I know they do I've seen them. Why can I not show my support for you?"
"Narcissa you are not you're sister and I do not need you to show you're support for me." Lucius said in the same ice voice he'd use at his work.
"Tell me why! Please just tell me why!" Narcissa exclaimed with tears in her voice and eyes.
It was those tears that made Lucius soften his face and stance. Rubbing his face he sat back down on the bed "Narcissa when I got this mark the pain was unbearable. I will not have you going through the same pain."
Narcissa frowned at this and opened her mouth to assure him that she could take anything he could. Before a raise of his hand silenced her "Please listen to me Narcissa."
Lucius turned to face her fully. He put his hands on either side of her face and used his thumbs to wipe the corner of her eyes where the tears had started to form. This was why he hadn't wanted to tell her what he had gotten. Because there was no way he was ever going to let Narcissa go through the pain he went through or have to go through what it meant to be a dark servant. He couldn't see his beautiful wife pointing her wand at someone and using one of the unspeakable curses. It just wasn't something he could comprehend and he didn't want to comprehend it either.
"Narcissa the pain is unspeakable, this is true, and first and foremost I would never want or make you go through that amount of pain. And I will spend the rest of my life making sure that it never happens, but it's not only that." Lucius paused to make sure that Narcissa was listening. "I will also not have you witness the dark and evil but necessary actions that will be taking place. Much less make you do it."
"But Lucius I can do it." Narcissa persisted
"I have not doubt, but I don't think I could watch or let you do it. Do you understand?"
As his words sank in Narcissa lost any feelings of doubt or unworthiness. In fact there was a large smile growing as she stared as Lucius. It was making Lucius a bit uncomfortable "What?"
Narcissa laughed as she launched herself into his arms "Lucius that's the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me."
Lucius numbly brought his arms around Narcissa "What."
"You don't want me to get the mark because you're worried about me yes?" Narcissa asked as she leaned away from Lucius
"Yeah I guess so."
Narcissa smiled again before pecking him on the lips "Exactly no ones ever cared enough to actually save me from me."
Lucius smiled at her. "Is this why you're practically throwing you're self at me for such a simple reason."
Narcissa blushed under his gaze "Ah my dear you do blush prettily but that reminds me. Why did you have your wand? You almost never have it on you when you're in the house."
Narcissa turned an even darker shade of red at the mention of her stupid fear. "I might have been a little scared tonight."
"Why is that?" Lucius asked with a grin.
"Well, you didn't come home when you said you would and I started to get nervous you know? So I decide to be prepared for the worse."
"So what you're saying is you were scared without me?" Lucius offered with a smile
"I suppose" Narcissa answered with a frown
Lucius smiled before wrapping his arms around her and lying back into the bed "You don't have to be scared whenever I'm around. And don't worry so much for me I'm sure I'll be just fine."
"Promise," Narcissa asked as she tucked her head under his chin and wrapped her arms around his back.
"Hm Hmm" Lucius mummer sleepily, already falling asleep now that his fears had been put to rest and he had his wife in his arms. "I promise."
For a little while the room was silent. Lucius was on the verge of slipping off to oblivion. Narcissa thinking over everything he said. After she was sure he had fallen into slumber she leaned over him and kissed his brow "I love you Lucius Malfoy."
The blacks and Malfoys had many secrets and this was one Narcissa had and kept from both her husband and society. After all you can't love you're husband, you can care, but never love. It simply wasn't done.
But as she was slipping into oblivion herself she could have sworn she heard Lucius's voice. And the words made her smile as she drifted off, blissfully happy.
"And I love you Narcissa Malfoy."
~.~.~.~
A/N : YAY the second chapter is out! This is actually the first chapter I wrote for these one-shots but then I thought wow I could do a mini-series. I was all yep I'm going to have to write it or it'll bother me till I do. Also I know Lucius is OC but I see that the way Lucius acts to the world is just that the way he acts to the world. I believe and hope that Lucius acts differently with his family!
Important notice: No ones reviewed! Some people have altered or favored but no reviews. This makes me really sad! So before I put out the third chapter I want at least one review!! Please!
Author's rambling: I love this paring. Well basically I love the Malfoys, especially more than potter himself. I mean we know who Potter is but the Malfoys are full of mystery and I just love to unravel a great mystery. Two more one-shots one where Narcissa's pregnant and the other when Lucius is in Azkaban.
Thanks for reading!