Chapter 6

Everything about Narcissa's funeral was pure elegance, because she'd made every single decision herself prior to her passing. The color scheme was gray and silver with only one arrangement of red roses allowed and it framed the portrait of her from her youth.

Young Narcissa was beautiful, but with a hard look in her eyes.

There was no viewing of her dead body, she considered that tacky, but her elegant coffin was in the front for everyone to see. Theo had allowed for no skimping on that. The black ebony wood shone and the genuine silver handles and fittings were immaculately crafted. Inside, Narcissa was dressed in one of her favorite haute couture designer gowns, favorite Valentino heels, and a selection of her jewelry that she'd purchased herself. The safe with all the family pieces was left to Draco to give to a future wife.

Not at all a religious woman, Narcissa had hired a French jazz singer who was crooning sad songs in French that only a handful of the people in the room understood. Theo was pretty certain that the last song had actually been a metaphor for orgasms rather than about death, but his French was rusty so he just attempted to keep a straight face.

Draco stood at the front of the receiving line next to his mother's portrait shaking people's hands and thanking them for coming. Theo could tell that he was horribly nervous and uncomfortable with his role but was attempting to do it out of respect for his mother's memory.

Theo had Adrian and Blaise stationed at the back of the funeral home. Theo wasn't expecting any trouble from any of the other Los Angeles families but it was always better to be safe than sorry.

Pansy and Fleur were both in small black dresses with tiny hats and funeral veils holding each other's hands in the front row. Narcissa had been something of a role model to both of them. Theo knew that Narcissa had given Pansy a great deal of advice before she went into her line of work. Narcissa had been a huge fan of knives and Theo had watched her working with Pansy on multiple afternoons on her technique with different types. Pansy had been the daughter that she had never had.

Narcissa Black Malfoy had been a one of a kind creature. Theo felt a great deal of sorrow at her being gone. The world had lost one of its stars.

He felt restless and didn't know what he should be doing. He hated not having a task but he couldn't very well be standing next to Draco—that was a place for a spouse—and Theo wasn't that, no matter how much he might wish otherwise.

Surveying the space, he saw Hermione wearing one of Pansy's black dresses trying to keep her face serene, but struggling. She looked everywhere but at her boyfriend. A sense of purpose flooded Theo as he looked at her tense body. He was crossing the space in the space of moments, sliding into the pew next to her.

"Hey Hermione," Theo whispered, "are you doing alright?"

"Theo," Hermione looked up in surprise, "what are you doing?"

"Talking to you?" He raised an eyebrow. "You looked terribly uncomfortable so I thought I'd check and make sure you were alright. I have a pocket flask if you need a drink; no one will notice."

Hermione nodded and took the flask, her face screwing up at the bitter taste of the gin before handing it back.

"I suppose it's the thought that counts." She smiled, but Theo could tell that her heart wasn't in it.

"So are you going to tell me what's the matter," Theo asked, "Or am I going to have to tie you to a chair and interrogate you?" He was only half kidding, but she didn't need to know that, so he gave her a charming half smile.

Hermione laughed and smacked him on the shoulder. "Theo, you are ridiculous."

The slight sting from where she'd struck him left him feeling a bit breathless, he wondered if she'd scratch bloody tracts in his back when he finally fucked her. It was only a matter of time now. He was going to make both her and Draco his.

"My parents died a few years ago, it was very sudden and it's still hard." Hermione sighed. "I don't think that I properly processed their deaths. This is just bringing up some very intense emotions for me, and I'm English—we don't express feelings well. Stiff upper lip and all that." A single tear fell down her cheek and Theo reached out to wipe it away. His thumb lingered over her skin, and he resisted the extremely strong urge to bring it to his tongue and taste her sorrow.

He'd love to fuck her until she wept and then lick the tears from her cheeks as he pounded her pussy.

"I'm so sorry for your loss," Theo took her hand. "It's hard for me too. Narcissa was really the closest thing that I had to a mother. Mine abandoned me when Draco and I were little. And my father, well, he made Draco's dad look like a pussy cat." Hermione interlaced her fingers with the hand where the knuckles were emblazoned with the word "FUCK." Theo thought that it was one of the most obscene things he'd ever seen. Her little hands looked like innocence personified. Her nails unpainted, a single small sapphire ring on her pinky. Her skin was flawless, but tan, a tantalizing color considering her supposed English-ness. Theo had to wonder. He watched his hand against her skin and was intrigued by the contrast between them.

He wanted that hand clenched around her throat and her eyes rolling back in her head from the force of the orgasm he was going to give her.

He looked up into her eyes and she offered him a watery smile. "Thanks for sharing that with me. It's really good to know I'm not alone in dealing with these difficult feelings." The tears on her eyelashes made her even prettier. Hermione was just so lovely. No wonder Draco had chosen her.

"You'll never be alone if I'm around," Theo smiled, "And Draco, of course."

"Of course," she said, nibbling her lip and looking over at her boyfriend, whose handsome face was frozen into a grimace as he shook the hand of some old neighbor and his wife. "Poor Draco. How much longer until we can get him out of here?"

Theo looked at his watch, "Almost another hour." He exchanged a grimace of his own with Hermione.

...

Theo had considered multiple options after the funeral, because he ought to be meeting Cedric right now. He ought to be meeting Cedric, who was dead, at their place, the one that he'd had Adrian burn down.

Yeah. He definitely didn't need to be alone this afternoon. Theo really didn't want to do shots in Narcissa's memory with the girls at the Dungeon.

It really took very little to convince Draco to have him come over to Malfoy Manor.

Theo just said, "Do you mind if I tag along with you two?"

Hermione had smiled and whispered something in Draco's ear. Theo restrained his desperate urge to know what she said. She'd never keep secrets from him when he was done with her. She'd never want to.

"Theo," Draco smiled, his eyes looking sad and tired, "You never even have to ask. We're going to watch the internment and then head back to the house. You've spent more time in that house than I ever have."

Guiding Draco and Hermione to the rented black Bentley, Theo tossed his key to Blaise.

"Take my car over to the Manor," Theo commanded.

"Of course, sir," Blaise replied with mock subservience.

"Fuck off, Blaise."

Theo signaled to the hired driver that they were ready to leave and climbed in with Hermione and Draco.

Fleur and Pansy got into their car and followed. They were the only other people who came to the cemetery to watch Narcissa be lowered into the earth.

...

When they arrived back at the house, Hermione went in search of the stack of menus to decide what to order for dinner. Draco moved slowly, and Theo stepped forward helping him remove his suit jacket and draping it over a chair. Draco continued to stand there, looking overwhelmed and staring at the ceiling.

Theo went over to the liquor cabinet to pour Draco a drink, when the phone rang.

Sighing, Draco walked over to answer the phone, just as Theo turned with the tumblers of scotch in his hands.

Draco lifted the receiver and his face collapsed. Theo watched as the man, who was hanging on by a thread, fell apart. Draco's lip began to quiver, tears spilling down his cheeks and he mouthed the word "no" repeatedly.

Already certain that he knew was on the other side of the phone, Theo crossed the room and calmly took the phone from Draco's loose grip. Draco didn't even try to stop him. Theo put the phone to his ear and stepped as far away as the corded phone would allow.

"You listen to me Draco! Theo Nott can't be trusted. You need to stay away from him. You listen to me for once you useless little piece of shit."

"Lucius," Theo interjected, "I'm deeply disappointed that you would ignore my request to leave your son alone. You've made him cry. I'm extremely displeased."

"You motherfucker, I'm going to kill you! Get the fuck out of my house!" Lucius screamed.

"That's enough," Theo sighed. "I'm going to deal with you later. Draco is far more important than me listening to your mental masturbation."

Theo hung up and pulled Draco into his arms. "Hey it's okay. Fuck him. You never have to speak to him again. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry. I'll make sure that never happens again, okay?" Draco continued to cry into Theo's shoulder; Theo ran a hand through his soft hair pressing his lips to Draco's temple, and wished that he could murder Lucius immediately. It would take at least a day or two to get it set up, more if he wanted to watch. He wanted it to be handled rather than wait to enjoy it personally. One of his contacts could probably get him surveillance footage. That would have to be good enough.

Theo looked up and saw Hermione where she stood in the doorway.

She must have overheard the whole thing. She stared at the two men, tears in her eyes. Meeting Theo's eyes, she mouthed the words "thank you."

As Theo considered what else he'd like to do to that soft mouth, he pulled Draco in tighter and wondered what it was she was thanking him for.