Chapter 3
Just as it had been the night that Narcissa died, the moon was high in the sky. But the house certainly was not quiet.
"I know, I know, it ok prince of mine." said Lucius, hushing his son. It was the middle of the night and Draco wasn't going to sleep. He was just going to scream apparently. And nothing could dissuade him from it.
Little brat…he thought to himself. Just like his father. And so damn well stubborn. He got that from both his parents.
"Daddy's here," he said to him, kissing him again, trying to comfort him. He bet if his mother had survived then he would be comforted by her. She would have known what to do. Narcissa would have known just what to do. "I bet your mama's boy, aren't you? Your mama's boys." he questioned bitterly. She should be with them, not six feet under.
Tears stung him, for the first time that week. He hadn't cried as much as he thought he was going to. But the thought of Narcissa and Draco being together. Of all of them together. That was enough to make him cry. He just wanted to break down at the sight of the mental image it conjured up.
"But all you have is daddy. So you are just going to have to make do with me," he said almost pleadingly. Lucius needed Draco to need him because of the simple fact he could not have his mother. There was no one but him.
It was going to be a long night.
He tried Draco on the feed that the wet nurse had left him with, he had changed him what felt a hundred times. He didn't know why else he could do for the boy. And he was not going to ask for help. No one knew his son like he did. No one could help Draco if he couldn't. Whatever his son needed had to come from him. The boy would soon learn his father was stubborn too.
There was only one conclusion he could come too. Draco was grieving, just as he was.
For nine months all he knew was Narcissa. He had been part of her. And suddenly there was no more mama. No gentle hand patting him every so often to reassure him it was ok. No voice telling him they were going to do so much together. She was gone and that scared him.
He didn't know how he was going to comfort him. He couldn't be Narcissa.
He didn't know what he wanted him to do.
"Draco, come on, be a good boy…" he said to him. They had both been through so much lately was it any surprise.
His father just wanted to go to sleep…sleep. They both needed it.
Draco looked up at him with his eyes, tears on his cheeks and whimpered on. There was nothing Lucius could do but hold him and let him cry it out. Something no one had done for him since they had lost their wife and mother.
"OK," he said as he relaxed, accepting it was going to be a long night. Kissing his son on his forehead he begun pacing and jiggling him about.
"You know if you ever need a brake from the boy we can take him for the night." said Rod as he held his nephew. He had gone round to see the Malfoy's. His wife had not come with him. He was sure she was grieving more than Lucius was for her sister. He had come to the conclusion apart from the dark lord Narcissa had been the only one she had ever really had any real love for. They had been so close and the way she had been over the last few weeks since the death had been unbearable. It was not like her at all to wallow in self pity. But now she just seemed unable to grasp the fact life was still going on about her. So he had had to get out of the house for a while.
He had come to his brother in laws but he didn't know why. He had needed to get away from the grief so he had come to the place of the death. That didn't make sense. But he had done it now. And he had the deceased child in his arms. And yet he wasn't all that sad. Unlike Bella Lucius seemed to be fighting to find a way though his grief.
"No, not Bella." he said to him. He wasn't going to trust that women with Draco for a while not seeing the way she had been with him on the day of the funeral.
"Well maybe when she gets better we can." he said to him. Rod has always wanted to be a father. He was sure in due time he and Bella were going to be parents. It just didn't seem high on her list of things to do. Unfortunately it was on his. There was no happy compromise either for them to come too.
"I'll think about it," he said to him but he was sure it was unlikely. He wasn't going to let her near his son alone. He didn't trust her with the one good thing he had left.
"Can I get you a fire whisky Rod?" he asked as he poured some for himself. God knows he needed it. The night before had exhausted him, though seemed now to have little effect on the baby he was sitting happily in his uncles arms.
"It would be rude to let you drink alone." he said to him. Lucius got the drinks and sat on his chair as he watched his brother in law hold his son tenderly. He wouldn't make such a bad father if Bella would only give him a chance he thought to himself. Rod had a paternal streak that much was clear.
"So when are you thinking of going back to work?" he asked him. Lucius was going to have to keep his life back on track some time. Rod thought he seemed ready too as well. He was coping wonderfully.
"Soon. Not this week, but the next. I am going to have to get a nanny in for him. The wet nurse is going to watch him till he is three months but that isn't going to be very long. I have to start making plans for the boy." he said to him.
"I know it is early days, but talking of plans have you chosen a school for the boy yet." these things had to be arranged early on he had heard.
"Yes I have. The trouble is his mother had as well. When I was going through her draw I found her diary…" he sighed. It had been the previous week when he had tried to start going through her things and he had just come across it. Wrong as he knew it was to read it, he had just been so interested on what her last thoughts were as she had come up to the birth, so he had opened it.
Amongst other things he had learnt she had always planned for their boy to be a Hogwarts student and not a Durmstrang one. That would have been his preference. But sending him there now would be a betrayal to her memory he thought. Draco would go to the school his mother had chosen. She had so little say in his life now. What say she could have he would give way on.
"So she may be gone but she is still punishing for me for doing things like reading her diary from beyond the grave as you can see." he said to him.
Rod nodded sadly. It was good however to see he was getting on with things unlike his wife. He had to admire his brother in laws strength and his courage.
He had to be careful or he was going to turn in to a Gryffindor, thought Rod though he did not say it out loud. That was all Lucius needed.
"Well I think she did a good thing when she wrote it down. I mean come on Lucius- Durmstrang is a nice dream but Hogwarts - he is going to find meaning there. It was where his ancestors got there education. It is only natural and right that he should go there, when he turns eleven. It is going to be where he belongs, that castle, the same as it was for all of us," he said. He was caste back in his thoughts back to a fairer time when they were both young, as were the Black girls. When they were young, and they were all together. And they did not live in mansions and manor, but rather the Slytherin common room. They had been very good days indeed he thought to himself.
"Yes but until that day comes which is not for over a decade he is going to belong right here with his father," he said to him.
"Yes. And how is his father doing? Really Lucius. With him on top of everything else, it can't be easy. I mean you said you tried to go through her things already." he said to him unsure. The two men had been bonded since they had been young. The brothers that they had always wanted had been found in one another.
Lucius shook his head. He wasn't sure he was ready to think about how he felt. It was easier to ignore it and focus on the son he had been given.
"The boy has been a blessing. Perhaps the only one I have." he said to him. The money and the manor had not meant much to him since he had lost his wife.
"He is a fine one too. " he said and Lucius nodded. He was a very proud father indeed.
In truth he didn't want to go back to work. He didn't see the point very much. He had the money he needed. He could be a house father. Look after the boy. But he knew that wouldn't work. He needed to get out. He couldn't hide behind Draco forever. He had to face up to things on his own. Plus despite the fact he hated the idea of there being another women in the place and role that Narcissa should have taken he did need a feminine influence in his life. He needed a nanny. Lucius was going to need help. He could not do it all on his own he knew that.
Reaching out his hands he took his son off of his friend. Draco settled into his father's chest in a moment. The familiar sensation of Lucius's arms tightly about him made Draco gurgle with delight.
Rod and Lucius shared a lot before chuckling together. They raised their glasses to Narcissa and the Dark Lord.
Father and son, Rod was sure somehow would be fine.