"I feel it's oddly appropriate that I should be giving you away," Lucius says loftily.
He doesn't mean to jibe at me about my dead father. We both know that. He's helping me get ready. His long fingers brush my bare back as he does the laces up.
"Mmmm."
"This hurts me as much as it hurts you, darling," he says, this time, his voice more tender.
I catch his eye in the mirror. He turns me around roughly.
"If you ever need anything…. Anything at all…." His voice is quiet, fierce. "I'm here."
"I should hope so, you will be my father in law." My voice is like ice—cold and sharp.
"Don't say it. Don't. That's not why and you know it. I'll be here for you always. If you ever need anything, anything at all, do not hesitate to ask."
"Lucius, I'm marrying your son in half-an-hour…"
"If he ever hurts you, if he ever mistreats you, come to me. I love—"
The door opens and he stops mid-sentence. It's Daphne. I glower at her.
"Your gown," he finishes lamely.
But I know what he means. I pull myself gingerly from his grasp. There are tears in my eyes. Daphne asks if we are ready. Lucius nods slowly. When he takes my arm, I notice that we are both trembling.
Disclaimer: All recognizable characters belong to JK Rowling. "Seperate Ways" belongs to Journey.