Words : 1,112

Warning: Self-harm, May Trigger, Swearing

Draco was back at the manor for Christmas. Narcissa thought he looked thinner. He was avoiding her, and she didn't like it at all.

"Draco, we're having dinner tonight at six. Your mother and I will both be expecting you there." Lucius said. Draco looked at his father and nodded in acknowledgement. He then turned around and walked quickly out of the room.

"Why is he doing this?" Narcissa asked softly. "Why won't he look at me?"

"I don't know. I'll try to talk to him though." Lucius told her.

"No, I'll say something at dinner." she replied

"Are you sure?" he asked. She didn't reply.

o.O

Later, at dinner, there was an awkward silence over the table. Lucius decided to break the silence. "Draco, how has school been?"

"Fine." he answered, not looking up from his plate.

"Keeping up in all of your classes?" Lucius tried again.

"Yup." Same response.

Lucius had enough. He was tired of Draco giving this I don't care attitude to himself and to Narcissa. "Your mother wants to talk to you Draco, and you will look her in the eyes when you talk to her." he said harshly.

"What?" Draco snapped at Narcissa finally looking up.

"Why are you being like this Draco?" Narcissa asked him softly. "Why aren't you talking to your father or me?"

"Because mother," Draco drawled, " You obviously think I can't protect myself. The Dark Lord needs me, and you've got Severus Snape trying to butt into everything I do!"

"We only did that to protect you Draco!"

"Exactly! I can protect myself! I don't need Severus trying to help me and take all my glory!" Draco yelled angrily.

Lucius replied to that in a deep harsh tone, "Severus is not trying to do that and you know it. You will stop speaking to your mother like that Draco."

"I think I'm finished here." Narcissa said pushing her chair back from her barely touched food.

"No," Lucius replied in a much softer tone, "we will finish this dinner as a family." A part of him knew that it really wouldn't make much of a difference. He knew that none of them would touch the rest of their food. But, his authority in the house made Narcissa and Draco stay at the table.

No one was touching their dinner. Narcissa was pushing the food around with her fork. Draco was staring so harshly at his meat, if it were still alive, it would be dead. Lucius seemed to have a combination of Narcissa and Draco's actions.

"May I be excused?" Draco asked trying to control his voice.

"Not until you're done eating." Lucius replied.

"Why? You and mother aren't touching your food either! Why can't I just go to my fucking room?" Draco yelled at his father.

"You will not talk to me like that!" Lucius roared standing up from his seat. The chair crashed to the ground behind him. Narcissa was at his side in a second. She quickly grabbed his arm that he was raising in the air.

"Lucius, no!" she yelled pulling on his arm. The larger man could have quite easily pulled his arm out of Narcissa's grasp. But he didn't. He turned slowly to look at her, unshed tears swimming in her eyes.

Lowering his raised arm, he pulled her into a hug. Narcissa finally felt okay. She had stopped Lucius from hurting Draco. From the look on Draco's face, he appreciated her stopping Lucius. She wanted to let go of Lucius and hug Draco. Let him know she really cared, and that was the reason she was doing all of this.

All of this relief quickly drained from her as she heard a groan of pain issued from both of the boys. She gripped Lucius tighter as she heard Draco rise from his seat. "No." she begged. "No, no."

Lucius kissed her forehead as he turned to follow Draco up the stairs. Narcissa turned around and stared at the empty dinner table, with completely filled plates of food.

She held back her tears for quite a while. She slowly made her way to Lucius' fallen chair and picked it up. She stacked the plates on top of each other and carried them into the kitchen.

Narcissa hopped up on the countertop next to the sink. She pulled her legs up, rested them on the edge of the counter and leaned her head back. She really didn't want to cry this time. The Dark Lord liked Lucius and Draco, as much as He could like someone. As long as Lucius and Draco obeyed Him, they would be safe, just like Lucius was always promising her.

Narcissa sat like that for hours before sliding down from the counter and slowly walking to the sitting room. Her will to not cry was exhausting her. She wanted to lay down, but she didn't want to go to bed without Lucius.

Sitting down on the sofa, she started thinking. She thought upon all of the happy years, when all Draco wanted to do was impress her and Lucius. Lucius was tough on Draco, but never too harsh. They all loved each other, and if one was gone, who knows how the other two would survive.

When Narcissa thought back upon Draco recieving his Hogwarts letter, a tear slipped from Narcissa's eye. She quickly wiped it away but it was followed by another one.

Just one cut, she thought. Just one will make this hurt stop. She pulled her wand out and put it to her wrist. Blood ran out of the line she just traced. She felt relieved, but she wanted more. Just one more, she thought again, and then I'll go to sleep. Narcissa put the wand to her wrist again and the crimson liquid came out again.

The blood was dripping onto the sofa, but at this point she didn't care. She had magic to clean up the mess tomorrow, but deep down she knew, if Lucius found her like this, he would clean it up for her.

She made two more cuts, just as long, just as deep, before curling up into a ball on the couch.

o.O

Draco and Lucius apparated into the house in a good mood. Lucius figured his wife was upstairs sleeping, so he and Draco went into the kitchen. The Dark Lord was so pleased with them both. It was a great night to be a death eater. Lucius poured him and Draco each a glass of fire whiskey.

Draco set off for the sitting room, while Lucius closed the bottle and put it away. As he was shutting the cupboard, Lucius heard glass shatter.

A/N: I was pretty sick this past week so that is why there was more of a delay in this chapter. I hope to post the next few soon. Let me know what you all think! (: