Summary: Lucius had a hard time adjusting to a post-war life, especially when it effected the Malfoy name.

Rated: T

Genre: Family

Warning Tag: Racism, Bigotry, Implied Miscarriages, Canon-Typical Pureblood Views

To Make the Change

There were only a few times in Lucius' life he could shamelessly be proud of. The first was Narcissa and his wedding day. Though their marriage was arranged, they were amongst the very few purebloods who actually loved each other despite the betrothal. The couple made sure they expressed it with the tender and gentle care a family would need.

This lead to the second proudest day of his life—having Draco. Narcissa and Lucius were overjoyed to have such a beautiful and healthy son after facing so many complications before him, and they all were all so lucky for the war to end shortly after Draco's first birthday. It allowed them to raise their son without the fear and doubt that Lucius may not return home, and it gave them the clear conscience needed to not only nurture and rear a respectable heir, but to give Draco the attention and love Lucius and Narcissa rarely received as children themselves. To them, having a child was more than a duty—it was a gift.

After surviving another war, the crimes the family bore were repaid to the reformed wizarding world. The couple decided to keep to themselves and fade into the background, burying themselves with the dark history they helped manifest while watching their son rebuild his life from the damage made.

Lucius never liked the Greengrass family, and never bothered to think of them to be worthy of Draco until he started courting one of the daughters. His deep-rooted, narrow beliefs wouldn't be so easily swayed and unraveled despite his son's decision.

To him, Astoria and her family were one step above blood traitors and were modest at best in their wealth. They kept their heads down and made sure to stay away from politics on either side of the Blood War. Being foreigners from Greece didn't help their case in Lucius' book, either. The Greengrass family moved to the United Kingdom a few years after the first war ended, and he knew both had jobs as Unspeakables and had two daughters. The family disclosed early on in their children's relationship that they bore an ancient blood curse inflicted upon their ancestors, which only added more reason for Lucius to not approve the courtship.

Narcissa was quite taken with her new daughter-in-law and dotted on her with lavish shopping sprees and vacations to France. Lucius knew it helped her fill a void she carried with her they were never able to fulfill, but he couldn't erase the fact that he knew Draco could've done far better.

"He's marrying for love, Lucius," Narcissa reminded him. "Isn't that what we wanted for him? To not be tied down by our ideals and arrangements?"

"He still could have done better," Lucius all but snarled.

Narcissa scoffed at his reply. "We made a promise to not interfere, Lucius. Draco is happy, and we should be happy for him."

The two made sure the wedding for their son was perfect. They remained friendly with their new in-laws, congratulated the newlyweds, and held their tongues when it came to the career choices Draco and Astoria settled into after the honeymoon.

Lucius kept his rants locked behind closed doors while Narcissa tolerated his lack of approval about everything Draco did.

"I swear they are deliberately breaking every tradition set in place for the mere sake of it," he grumbled one evening during their bedtime rituals. "She's pursuing a career of all things. Draco has refused to take over the Malfoy Estates and title of Master. Next they are going to tell us they have no intentions of producing an heir. This is not how it is supposed to be, Cissa."

"They are still quite young," Narcissa said, eerily calm despite the irritable feeling growing in her chest. "We have plenty of years yet for things to settle, allow them to adjust to this new way our world works now, Lucius. Draco and Astoria are not in a position to walk against the crowd and get away with it anymore."

He held onto this heavy disapproval for several years until now. It was like all the hostility Lucius held against Astoria simmered out the day his grandson was born. He could gladly say it was the third best thing to ever happen to him and his family; not only for the new heir, but for Lucius' new outlook on the future and his family.

"You were right as always, my love," Lucius said as Narcissa climbed into bed with him. "Astoria isn't so bad after all."

Narcissa didn't hide the smug look on her face. "Of course I am, and I am glad you've finally warmed up to her. Now all you have to do is properly apologize for being so against them and their choices."

Lucius knew that he would have to do that sooner rather than later, holding onto the old ways only made him bitter and resentful. Narcissa made sure he knew that it was aging him both physically and mentally, and if he kept on this path of self destruction for much longer, he wouldn't see the age of one-sixty. He should've stopped trying to control Draco's from afar from the start, but now he realized he needed to let his son go in order to properly flourish and live the life he desired.

"We're having lunch with them tomorrow, I recommend doing it then," Narcissa prompted, placing her wand on the nightstand before pulling the blankets up.

"Don't push it," Lucius muttered.

It was going to take a little bit of time on his part to swallow his broken pride and allow the humbled life he resisted for so long to settle in.

Originally Written for:

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry (Challenges & Assignments)

The Houses Competition

Monthly Challenges for All

Originally Written: April 2019

Word Count: 949