Chapter Text
Narcissa
The gardens at Malfoy Manor were Narcissa’s favorite place. From the moment she moved in, she was in love with them. They were the product of countless hours and effort. She spent so many galleons importing rare plants and on the charms needed to maintain them. Each blooming petal was a testament of Narcissa's love. Before Draco was born, the garden was her most prized possession. Now they were second.
Narcissa escaped to the garden when her husband pissed her off, like he had just now. She took her anger out on the weeds, pulling them the way she desired to pull out Lucius’ hair. The Dark Lord had been defeated by the young Potter some five years ago but Lucius was convinced that he was not truly gone. The Dark Lord had long been a stain on their relationship, the cause of the few arguments they had.
Narcissa had never been as avid a supporter as those around her might’ve liked, namely her sister Bellatrix. If anything, she was firmly against a good portion of what the Dark Lord stood for. He brought out the absolute worst in Bella.
Thank Merlin, she was in Azkaban. Narcissa might be able to make amends with her sane sister now. To this day, Narcissa had no clue what she had done for her letters to be returned unopened. Narcissa had been visiting a friend in France the summer her sister left without a word.
Narcissa’s lack of faith was part of the reason she and Lucius had rowed earlier. He was convinced the Dark Lord would return yet would not tell her why he felt so. It wouldn’t be so much of a problem if he didn’t still behave as though they were at war. At times, he was closed off from her - a far cry to who he was. He seemed to believe the war only paused and any day now the Dark Lord would sweep into their drawing room. It was putting a strain on both their relationship and his relationship with Draco. He used to muse about all the ways he’d be different from his father but now he was dangerously close to being the same. Narcissa would not allow it.
She loved Lucius, she did, but the man he was after the war was not the man she agreed to marry. She wanted him back. Narcissa cared about tradition as much as the next lady but the Dark Lord was not about tradition, it was power. He was cruel and hateful and wrapped it all in a pretty package. From the moment Narcissa had met him, he had rubbed her the wrong way. She had begged Lucius not to pledge his loyalty yet he did it anyway.
Halfbloods and muggleborns were not the threats to tradition as the Dark Lord spewed, they simply needed education. How can purebloods expect them to know anything if they kept everything hushed up in private libraries. Narcissa didn’t understand why Lucius tossed himself in with that man. He was a halfblood himself spouting pureblood supremacy. If anyone was a threat to society it was him killing wizards and witches when the population was already so low.
After their fight, Narcissa had located Draco and the young Nott boy, who had come over their house while his parents attended some meeting, and taken them both outside. The two of them were like nifflers and shiny things, inseparable. She often felt like she had two sons. They both were such adorable boys and Narcissa did not want that to change. Narcissa wished she could stop time and live forever with the five year olds.
Narcissa snipped at a stem with her de-thorner, huffing. She just couldn’t believe Lucius would try and take their innocence. She couldn't imagine that ugly brand on the arm of her son or young Theo. In the midst of her grumbling she didn’t notice the sound of approaching tiny feet.
“Mummy! Look what Theo and I found.” Her Draco’s voice startled her but the lady didn’t jump.
Narcissa looked up to see Draco and Theo both holding ferrets out to her. The creatures looked at her with beady eyes, content within the boys’ hold. Narcissa sighed, counting in her head.
“Can we keep them, Aunt Cissa?” Theo smiled at her shyly, a twinkle in his wide brown eyes.
Sweet Merlin. Narcissa should’ve known taking them outside would lead to one of them or both bringing back some kind of pet. Animals seemed to gravitate towards the pair of them. Just the other day, somehow Draco brought an otter into the sitting room. Where he got an otter from, she had no clue but now it resided in a habitat in the menagerie.
She did need to learn to say no to them but not today. “Of course you can. Let us take them inside and have Missy find them a spot in the menagerie.”
Both boys made excited noises as she stood up from her kneeling position. As she dusted the knees of her pants, she listened to Draco regaling her with how they found the ferrets. Narcissa only semi understood what he was talking about. He went on a lot of tangents in the midst and Theo inserted information he found she must know. As she listened, the idea that these two could never face war only strengthened.
~~~
After sending the two boys off with the house elf, Narcissa resolved that she would not let this argument with Lucius go. She had to protect her boys from the Dark Lord. She could not let Draco be tarnished by war like Lucius was. Narcissa wanted her son to grow up with war being a thing of the past, something he read about in history books. She didn’t want him to have to look over his shoulder for enemies all the time.
With this in mind, Narcissa returned to the study she had left her husband in. She would remind her dear husband who exactly he had married. After taking a few deep breaths, she let herself in. Lucius looked up at the intrusion and tensed at the sight of her. He opened his mouth and she swiftly spoke over him, “You are one hundred percent certain that the Dark Lord will return?”
A look of exasperation crossed his features, “Yes, my love, I-”
She pushed on as though he had not spoken, “So would I be correct in assuming that there are measures in place to ensure this?”
“Yes.” Momentarily her husband seemed surprised at being interrupted.
“And you will not inform me of these measures?” Narcissa closed the door behind her as she spoke, throwing up a silencing charm.
Lucius only glanced at the door, “It is better you don’t know, my dear.”
Narcissa processed this, taking measured breaths as she thought. “You will make it so that these measures are out of place as soon as possible.”
Lucius shot up from his chair, a shocked expression flashing before he evened out. “Narcissa-”
“Lucius Abraxas Malfoy, our son will not survive another war. I barely survived this one to give birth to him.” Narcissa’s tone raised fractionally as she stalked closer to her husband’s desk.
Lucius moved around the table, slowly as if approaching a scared animal. He reached for her hand but Narcissa pulled away sharply. She inhaled deeply, breathing in composure and softly occluding. Lucius closed his eyes, “My love I cannot betray the Dark Lord.”
Her occlusion fractured and she practically shouted, “He is dead, Lucius! Your family is not. You cannot betray a dead man by ensuring he remains dead.”
Lucius’ eyes remained closed. Silence weighed on their shoulders. The moment was tender like a fresh bruise that hurt to touch. Too much pressure and the wound might begin bleeding. A minute passed, and then another. Narcissa continued in a steady voice. “I had such a hard time trying to give you a child and I vowed to protect them. Even if it is from you.”
Lucius flinched at the direct cut in her words. They tried for years to have children, Draco being their third attempt. Both of them wanted children so bad. Wanted to fill the manor with love and little feet. It had been a hard time for both of them and she’d rather forget it herself. She hated to throw something like that in his face but desperate times.
“You must pick either the Dark Lord or your family.” Lucius looked like he might interject but she pushed on, “I love you but I will not hesitate to divorce you if I feel my Draco is at stake. You will never see us again shall you pick the Dark Lord.”
She hated the idea of not being with Lucius. She had loved him since she met him her first year. But she hated the idea of her son being forced into a war even more. Narcissa was a Black, she would do anything for those she loved. Her son’s survival was of the utmost importance to her. If that meant divorcing her husband and taking Draco to France, so be it.
Lucius swallowed as he leaned against his desk. He reached for Narcissa’s hand again, this time she let him grab it. His warm hand chipped at the ice of her occlusion. He contemplated for far too long in Narcissa’s opinion or maybe he was finding the words. He squeezed her hand once. “Narcissa, I love you and Draco. I will do my best.”
Narcissa eyed him with a blank expression, “Your best better be success. You will do well to remember who my sister is.”
Lucius said nothing to this, instead kissing her knuckles reverently. That was an answer in its own way. He rested his forehead against her hand, breathing in and out slowly. The silence wasn't heavy anymore but it was expectant. It held its breath.