"All I did was hug the girl, Aethel. I've never heard you protest to me embracing Adina or Terentia or Beatrice."

"She isn't your daughter, Abraxas! She's Lucius's wife, and you have a closer relationship with her than he does! It isn't right!" Aethel cried, hating her husband's cool, unaffected manner.

"Narcissa is my daughter by law. She is a perfectly charming girl, and I do not understand why your feelings towards her have always been so hostile." He replied patiently.

"She isn't a good girl! She's sullen and miserable and drags about. Any other girl would have been ecstatic to marry our son. But she-"

"She's young and still believes she cannot move on."

"'Move on'? From what?"

"I dislike it when you raise your voice, Aethel," His tone was low, words cold. "Especially whence addressing me."

The paused, taking several deep breaths to calm herself. "Of course, husband. But-"

He held up a hand, cutting her off abruptly. "This discussion has ended."

…

Across the Manor, Narcissa was jarred from her fretful distraction by two knocks on her door, far sharper than usual.

"I have to ask." Lucius's tone was brusque, and he wouldn't meet her eye as he hovered in the doorway. "The child- is it mine?"

Narcissa couldn't speak with shock. Of all the tactless, thoughtless things he could have said to her regarding the situation he and his mother had walked in on, this was certainly the worst. It was just a hug! Her mind screamed futilely, and her eyes narrowed with fury.

"And what if it isn't yours, Lucius?" She hissed. His eyes remained blank, but she saw his hands clenching and unclenching in his pockets. When he spoke, it was in an emotionless monotone.

"If it were my father's child, and male, then it would be named heir to the property. It would still be of direct Malfoy descent to the wife of the current heir. My name would, of course, be listed on the birth certificate, and the affair hidden from the public. You and your child and I would move from the Manor and to another Malfoy estate, probably to our French holdings. The child would be raised as my son, though everyone in the family would be well aware of the ruse." If she hadn't been quite so furious, she might have noticed the strain in his expression, or the slightly pained note in his voice.

Narcissa rose to her feet, eyes glittering dangerously as she glided across the floor towards him. "For your information, Malfoy," She spat. "This is your baby. Your father is a wonderful man, a good person, and reminds me of my own father, who I never get to see any more, because I'm stuck here! But I wish it weren't yours. People like you shouldn't have children, and you probably already have half a dozen scattered throughout the country by other whores that showed up at our wedding!"

He was silent for a moment. "They told you about Chelsea."

"Yes, your mother was hardly discreet about it. I don't want to be here anymore than I'm wanted here, but I will not have such hypocritical, disgusting accusations thrown at me by you!"

They were standing quite close now, and Narcissa could feel her face flushed with rage as she glared up as him.

"Now, get out of my room."

She was only a little surprised the he didn't fight back. He wasn't fond of confrontation, and evidently had no interest in arguing his stance. Still, she did not feel as though she had won anything; she felt as though she wasn't worth even disagreeing with. He didn't want to waste his time on something he cared so little about.

…

Narcissa could officially say she had ruined the wedding. Not to the guests- no, every individual fortunate enough to receive an invitation had attended and declared it the most spectacular wedding of the year, excluding her brother's, obviously, with no luxury spared for the oldest Malfoy daughter. Despite the false faces worn by the family, underneath the surface, tension boiled. She'd overheard Adina whispering ferociously to Terentia that 'That Black girl is a selfish little whore who only thinks of herself!' while her sister murmured in soft agreement. Adina's new husband, Thorfinn Rowle, seemed oblivious to the conflict. Narcissa was sure he was the tallest man she'd ever met, more then two and a third metres tall, broad at the shoulder and heavily muscled. He was decidedly dense, but appeared to be beyond delighted with his wife, smiling broadly whenever their eyes met, and touching her hand tenderly whenever the opportunity presented itself to do so. Adina did not give any one at the entire gathering so much as a kind look. At the end of the ceremony, Adina traveled Manchester with her new family, and the solemn Malfoys filed back to the Manor in stony silence.

…

Narcissa arrived promptly at the dining room for breakfast, not wishing to incite any further wrath. She took her place of dishonour across from Beatrice, and the others took their places as well. However, once everyone had settled, there was an evident problem: Adina's seat was empty. With a little half-smile, Terentia rose to take the spot of the highest ranking daughter on the opposite side of the table, but Abraxas lifted his hand to halt her movement.

"Narcissa, perhaps you should sit by your husband." He gestured casually to the empty seat beside Lucius.

Narcissa paled, not daring to look at the faces of the other Malfoys. Keeping her gaze focused on Abraxas' kind one, she rose and moved to the indicated chair. It wasn't as though she didn't appreciate the esteem he held her in to grant her the seat, but Narcissa knew the timing could have been better. The meal passed in utter silence, punctuated only by scraping silver on the plates. Abraxas rose when he was finished, indicating the others were permitted to begin their days as well.

"I'm to the Ministry today, love." Abraxas announced, giving his wife a peck on the cheek. "I'll see you this evening."

Aethel nodded but remained silent, and her husband swept from the room. Lucius exited next, leaving Narcissa alone with three hostile women.

"Terentia, Tricey, we'll read today in my study." She turned to go and Terentia followed, but Beatrice hesitated.

"Just a minute, Mum. I need to get a book from my room." She scampered off, and Narcissa was abandoned without instruction. With a heavy sigh, she turned to trudge back up to her room, though she would most certainly be criticized later for idleness.

She had just reached the top of the stairs when it happened. Believing she'd heard a noise below, Narcissa whirled on the spot to see who followed, but the landing was empty.

"Expulso!" With the force of a brick wall smashing her from behind, Narcissa was launched forward and down the staircase, unconscious of the fact that she had screamed until she was harshly being told to 'shut up!'. The tumble down the stairs had her covered in bruises, but that wasn't what concerned her- it was the sharp, seizing pain in her lower back and womb that left her breathless in terror. Her head throbbed and back ached, but she knew immediately that something far worse was wrong.

She rolled over onto back with a low moan, to see Beatrice towering over her, face full of loathing.

"How dare you?" The girl hissed, looking murderous. "You think you understand so well, don't you? That you suffer so much, living in such luxury? You are miserable because any thing you could every want is within your reach! You hate my brother because you think he made you marry him; as if he had any more choice than you did! He never tried to make you miserable!"

"Please," Narcissa whimpered, clutching at her abdomen, attempting in vain to will away the agonizing ripping there. Beatrice ignored her.

"I guess you don't know the real story of Chelsea then, do you? No, Lucius wouldn't tell my mother or Adina and certainly not Terentia- but he told me. He was ashamed of himself, embarrassed by what had happened. He thought he should have seen through the nasty little slut's plotting- and he likely would have too, if Terentia hadn't begged him to take her dearest, smitten friend out and be nice to her. It was only meant to be a brief lunch, but Chelsea had adored him for so long, and she knew of his engagement to you, so she was desperate." Beatrice paused. "She put Amortentia in his drink. They left the restaurant in the middle of the meal, and by the time the potion wore off, it was too late. She was pregnant. He let everyone think he was just acting irresponsible and stupid the way boys his age do, but he's not so careless."

Narcissa's knees were drawn up, and tears were leaking silently from her eyes. She could barely hear the girl's words over the dull roar in her ears.

"I-"

"Beatrice?"

"Lucius!" Her tone changed instantly; it was suddenly overwhelming concerned. "She just fell! I'm so glad you're here- I startled her when she heard me behind her, and then she turned and tripped and she fell!" The panic was executed perfectly, and Narcissa began to sob loudly. This evil child was going to get away with it. It was her word against Narcissa's.

"Liar," Narcissa moaned, certain the words were to no avail. Lucius was leaning over her, but his hands froze at the sound of her voice. "She's lying," The words sounded weak, even to her own ears. "She pushed me." Their eyes met and she begged him to understand, trying to convince with silence where her body failed. He undoubtedly hated her right now- why should he trust her over his beloved little sister?

"Obviously she's delusional-"

"No!" Narcissa wailed, slumping in defeat.

"Beatrice," Lucius spoke slowly and quietly. "I think you should go."

Relief flooded her, and everything went black.