Many thanks to paracosim and DarkwingDuke for beta-reading me !

(I also have a French version on my profile if you're interested! The English version is self-translated with the help of my native speaker beta-readers)

Lucius Malfoy waited nervously in a small room. Soon he would come out and take his vows. He was anxious to see Narcissa's dress, which was undoubtedly gorgeous. He was counting on the Blacks to go all out.

He was confident in his marriage to Narcissa. They had so much in common.
Only a few years apart, they'd had most of their years at Hogwarts to get used to each other. If at one time he had been destined to marry Bellatrix instead, the families had quickly come to their senses. There was something akin to trading currency in the way the girls were visibly interchangeable, but he refused to dwell on it.

Their marriage would be a success. They had wealth, beauty, health, pure blood, ambition and verve. Soon he would be the head of the Malfoy family, given his father's mental decrepitude. He could see how his mother looked at him insistently at every dreadful decision his father made in his fits of dementia. It was clear that she had accelerated the date of his wedding because it was easier to negotiate (or impose, with lawyers if necessary) a transfer of power once the son was settled.

Therefore, he didn't have much to complain about per se. He would finally be wed to Narcissa, he would no longer have to hide to see her. They could spend afternoons talking about literature and intra-ministerial politics, plotting to stay in the good graces of the Dark Lord without risking too much, to challenge all the Pure Bloods who still saw him as a nouveau riche. Then they could end the day in their bed - blessed by the deities revered amongst wizards only for weddings and funerals. He couldn't wait.

But there was a shadow in the picture: this rush would prevent him from spending more time with his other love - Severus Snape.

He had never imagined he would grow so fond of him. At Hogwarts, Severus treated him with great respect, almost like an older brother, a mentor who would guide him through the intricacies of Pureblood society. Although he had never told him the details, prevented by aristocratic modesty, Lucius knew full well that Severus was trying to escape his rubbish hometown, his weak mother and alcoholic father.

They spent several years apart, and were content to exchange just a few chaste letters, with no ulterior motives. Lucius began to serve as a Death Eater while Severus finished his studies. When they saw each other again, at a pureblood meeting whose not-so-secret purpose was to introduce Severus to his future fellow Death Eaters, it was like an illumination.

They spent the evening avoiding each other so as to restrain themselves. As soon as he found an excuse to take Severus to the library, out of sight, they threw themselves at each other. Severus had been with a man before - he hadn't. He hadn't laughed at him, he'd guided him.
Lucius had totally forgotten about Narcissa.

Had he been a proper pureblood man, he would have thrown Severus out of his life like he was garbage. He would have threatened him with one thing or another - typically, to remind anyone who would listen about his origins, stopping his much desired social ascent. Narcissa would have known nothing about it, he would have been faithful to her til death would do them part, and would have taught their future children that there was no salvation outside of the opposite sex.
But he was not a proper man, otherwise he would not have gone so far with Severus. He would not even have let himself be tempted if blood or gender had meant so much to him.
And he wouldn't be a Malfoy if he didn't try to get the best of both worlds.

There was a knock on the door. It was his witness.
"Severus. There you are."

"Not too stressed out?"
He forced his nervous laugh into a chuckle.
"I'm not a frightened little virgin. Everything's going to be alright."
"I would know something about that. By the way, have you made any progress on that topic?"
Awkward silence.
"Ah, I see," he snapped. "The proud Malfoy is willing to lie, steal, torture if it's for the right cause, but when it comes to being honest with his darling little wife, there's no one in sight."
"It's not like that. I have every intention of telling her, but... tonight... If I act now, she can still call the whole thing off."
"What a lovely wedding present. Shall I put gold and silver gift-wrapping on my head to complete the picture?"
"Don't make a bad matter worse, Severus. I'm just waiting for the right moment. Worst case scenario... even if I don't like it, I'll alter her memory."
"Funny, I had a feeling I was the second choice. How do I know it's not my memory that you're going to tamper with, erasing all our times together? What wouldn't you be willing to do?"
"Severus!" He was outraged. "Even I have my limits."
"Says the man who just admitted that he would erase the memory of his future wife at the slightest problem…"
"What the hell do you want, anyway? You came here of your own free will, as far as I know."
He sighed and wiped his forehead. He didn't like coming to these ends, but circumstances forced him to.
"Perhaps you're right, Severus. Maybe I am a bit of a coward. Maybe in some parallel universe, we're on the other side of the world. In the meantime, trust me. Would I have chosen you as my best man if you meant nothing to me?"
He looked him straight in the eye as he said that last sentence.
"For that matter, if I wanted to preserve my reputation at all costs, I would have chosen a Pure Blood. I would have asked a Macnair or a Rockwood to come to the stage."
Severus was about to protest what he probably considered condescension when someone knocked on the door. Malfoy Senior entered.
With a simple nod, he let them know it was time.
Fortunately, Lucius had cast a very powerful spell against eavesdroppers.
Severus went ahead. As per custom, he was supposed to go to the stage before the ceremony began, but it gave Lucius a twinge of sadness.

The ceremony took place in the orangery of the Blacks. Halfway between a Gothic chapel and a greenhouse, with one side of stone and huge windows on the other, rising up to a rib ceiling, the room welcomed the hundred or so select guests without any problem.
The trees, which had been left in their pots for decoration, had a wonderful scent. He took a deep breath. His mother gave him a big smile, and approached to take his arm. Severus was already in place.
Narcissa was breathtaking. Her dress resembled that of the Greek goddesses: a drapery, yet close to the body, with a silk belt at the waist and a slight cascade of fabric down. The V-shaped décolleté was modestly covered with very fine lace.
Her hair was up, and the veil intertwined inside, every braid visible. Another part of the veil covered her eyes, down to her chest.
He took his vows as if in another world. He knew perfectly well that the Dark Lord had come to the wedding, as he was keen to do for his Inner Circle, under the features of another man, courtesy of polyjuice. He knew the evening was going to be difficult once the party was over. He wouldn't let that ruin his day.
She was shaking slightly. No one else could see him, but he had had a hard time, for a second, putting the ring on her.
Now the evening was in full swing. Everyone congratulated them. Even the red-glowing, insincere eyes of his Master behind the potion could not change his mood. Severus had the good taste to stay away for a while.
Lucius intended to make amends. No later than tonight.
He danced more or less with all the women present, as was the tradition. Between that, the champagne and too many petits fours, his head was spinning a little.
"Narcissa, where are you? I barely had time to dance with you!"
She immediately gave up on a conversation with one of her distant uncles to join him.
Now that he was closer, and that he didn't care so much about other people's looks, he discreetly detailed his wife's body - he couldn't believe it - and, with his hand on her side, thought about what would happen next.
Her hand in his, she pressed it down with a look of connivance.
"It is almost two o'clock in the morning. I think we can go, she whispered."
They made their goodbyes, and went up to her room.

How could he introduce the subject? Suddenly, the alcohol mixing with the stress, he felt like the worst of fools. He should have told her long before. He should have confessed to her pitifully, right after his first indiscretion. She would have slapped him, pouting at him for a month or two, and they would have left it behind them. Now he was going to ruin her wedding night like a selfish bastard.

Severus was right, he thought bitterly as he climbed the stairs to their room. He would never be able to face the consequences of his actions, that's what happens when you've been raised in a gilded cage.
He walked back into the room. She sat on a charming brocade velvet armchair, dark blue flowers on a brown background. Her dress contrasted with the heavy, very ornamental style of the room, simplicity versus almost suffocating comfort. She was beautiful - too bad he didn't have a camera with him.

He took a deep breath, preparing himself to destroy the enchantment.
"Narcissa, before we begin…"
He blurted the first words that crossed his mind, so that the moment would not pass and he would not be able to put off indefinitely to the next day. What an idiot. How presumptuous to say "before we begin", as if it was taken for granted that she would forgive him such an affront.
"I know, Lucius."
Oh no, oh no, she was going to tell him about her fear of her first time, if only she knew he had much worse to confess...
"I know about you and Severus."
He definitely had had too much to drink.
His head was spinning, this time with anguish. Why had she waited so long? If she knew, it was because she was going to get her revenge. She was probably recording their words to claim a significant part of the inheritance in the divorce. How much was cheating worth in court, again? Especially with another man? No, she wouldn't dare to cause such a scandal... or perhaps her spite would take her so far? He thought he was protecting himself, what kind of lion's den did he get himself into?

Paralyzed, he just fiddled with his glass of champagne, without drinking it, letting the last bubbles go. He tried to open his mouth, without success.
"It matters not. I've been aware of it for a long time. The time you spent together, your worry when he was wounded in battle, and now your choice of best man... his behavior during the dance today, the way he can't look me in the eye anymore. I'm not blind."
He'd never felt so mortified before. He was barely breathing.
"I'm willing to bend the rules, provided, of course, I get my way. You want to keep seeing him? All right. You've been through things I can't imagine in the service of the Dark Lord. That could only create camaraderie, couldn't it?"
He didn't know if she was mocking him. He thought he was so clever. Yet the lust in her eyes during their last dance... wasn't there sincerity in it?
"In exchange, I want the right to see other people if I feel like it. As long as we keep a low profile and don't spread little bastards everywhere, I don't see any harm in it. Starting with some time with him, if he doesn't mind."
"Pardon?!"
"So you think it's your privilege to be free to move around? I waited for you, Lucius, and I'm disappointed in you," she mocked him.
He finally managed to say something.
"No, I…"
He took a deep breath. His world was upside down.
"I... of course, see whoever you want, it is only fair, but... Severus?"
"Well why, yes. Let's inaugurate my sex life with panache, what do you say?"

He sent a patronus to Severus, who fortunately came quickly.
In the meantime, he was playing with what champagne he had left, which had become lukewarm.
Narcissa was still enjoying canapés, with a cat-like smile.

When Severus arrived, he was obviously trying to control his facial expression, but Lucius knew him too well. He had seen that face from every angle, from torture to pleasure, and at that moment he knew that Severus was terrified of that little woman sitting quietly.
"Ah Severus, I'm glad you're here."
To his surprise, there was no irony in her voice. She addressed him as she had always done, with a certain friendship. However, he wouldn't put it past Bellatrix to have a bad influence on her sister. Perhaps she was playing with her food before eating it.
"Don't just stand at the door, come over here."
They were both standing up, as if ready to run away at any moment.
"I won't say anything if you refuse. You'll both be free. If you don't want me, I'll find someone else."
He looked taken aback, like when he brazenly lied to the Master after a failed mission.
"Let me get this straight, Narcissa... To put it crudely, you want a threesome."
She burst out laughing.
"How refreshingly frank!"
She got up, and approached Lucius. Staring at him, she gradually removed her veil, and kissed him with her full mouth, with a momentum similar to their previous kisses.
As a new element, she moved her hand very close to his buttocks, and then touched his crotch. He growled in anticipation, all the while trying to hold back.
She turned to Severus.
"So? Are you bored?"
He approached her hesitantly, not knowing if she wanted him to touch her.
She took Severus' hand and put it on her hip.
He couldn't tell if it was desire, jealousy or fury that seized him, but immediately Lucius grabbed his wife by the waist, and dragged her to the bed, while waving to Severus.
He stood over her, his knee pressing against her sex, while they undressed each other. Severus moved her gently to the side, so that he could stand behind her and kiss her on the neck.

He glanced at Lucius, worried about his reaction. He looked at her with a certain drunkenness in his eyes, a mixture of alcohol and success: he would have both lawful and unlawful love, separately or at the same time.
He felt both jealousy and lust towards Narcissa. Not his type, but it was undeniable that she possessed charm and class. While caressing her breasts, he thought about their future: he would always be the mangy dog. Lucius was at the centre of their trio, and Narcissa, the legitimate wife, could get rid of him at any moment.
He comforted himself by thinking that at least he was keeping Lucius, his precious love. He was apparently invited to more with Narcissa, but he felt the stinging humiliation of being taken for granted.

Realizing his lack of enthusiasm, Narcissa stopped Lucius, who was about to give her oral sex.
"Severus first, she murmured, out of breath, red with pleasure."
Lucius made a frustrated grimace, but immediately resumed, understanding the innuendo. Narcissa let her husband, not knowing the young man's preferences.
"Who goes first?" Lucius asked.
"You."
Severus placed himself under Lucius, and they began to caress each other. Fascinated, Narcissa watched her husband give fellatio to his companion, without knowing where to stand. Who would still have energy for her, especially if they intended to swap roles afterwards? She had played herself, that would teach her to be magnanimous.
Fortunately, Severus came to her rescue. He nudged Lucius down, and with a nod invited her to join him in his efforts.
How lucky I am, Narcissa thought.

A year and a half later
"All right, everybody ready for the picture?"
Lucius held back a sneer. His father was really pathetic, clinging to his last crumbs of authority. The handover would be made the day after the child's blessing ceremony, it was customary. The patriarch refused to face reality. Lucius nodded and left him to his dreams of power.
He took the little Draco in his arms, all smiles. He tried regularly to grab his father's finger, and when he succeeded, he would not let go.
"Ah, Severus, there you are."
"Sorry I'm late", growled the young Potions Master.
The Pure Blood barely hid his disdain for his grandson's godfather. "First your wedding, now this! By Morgana, choose someone more presentable than that runt, Lucius!"
Fortunately, his prestige with their Master was an irrefutable argument. Thank Merlin, his father would never have suspected what he saw in him.
Or rather, what they saw in him.
Draco became agitated when he saw his godfather arrive. Narcissa immediately gave him to Severus.

One day, the inherent haughtiness of the son of a well-to-do family would drive Lucius to some deadly boast. On that day, it would not be an hour here and there that Severus would need to console Narcissa, contrary to the pregnancy period. They would need each other as never before, would live together, and suddenly they would have a lot of explaining to do to Draco.
No. Focus on the present, breathe, Severus. Breathe. Don't let your speculation spoil this moment.
He even allowed himself a vague smile at the moment of the click.
What an adorable souvenir for their child.

Author's note

If you have made it until here, thank you so much ! If you liked it, feel free to leave a kudo or comment, they make my day! 3