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Rain battered against the tall windows of the Black manor hard enough to rattle the glass.
Narcissa stood beside the drawing room fireplace with trembling hands hidden carefully within the sleeves of her dark gown. The storm outside swallowed the world in silver-grey shadows, lightning flickering across the polished floors of the ancient house.
Across from her, Lucius Malfoy watched her in complete silence.
That was somehow worse than anger.
If he shouted, she could survive it.
If he accused her, she could force herself not to cry.
But Lucius only stood there in that terrible stillness of his, pale hair immaculate despite the weather outside, silver-blue eyes fixed entirely on her as though he already knew something dreadful was about to happen.
“Say it again, Cissy” he said quietly.
Narcissa swallowed. “Lucius—”
“Say it again.”
Her chest tightened painfully. “We cannot continue this.”
The silence afterward nearly crushed her.
The fire crackled softly between them.
Lucius did not move. “You do not mean that.”
She looked away first.
That alone told him everything.
“Narcissa.”
His voice softened immediately when he said her name. Always softer for her. Always.
She hated herself for nearly breaking right there.
“You heard what happened at the gala, Lucius” she whispered. “People are speaking about my family again. About Andromeda.”
His jaw tightened almost imperceptibly at her sister’s name.
Andromeda Black had disgraced the House of Black by abandoning pureblood tradition entirely. Eloping. Choosing love over blood status. Society had not forgiven it.
Neither had the Malfoys.
“My father spoke to me this morning,” Lucius said flatly.
Narcissa closed her eyes briefly. Of course he had. “What did he say?”
“That continuing this relationship would damage the Malfoy family beyond repair.” His mouth twisted bitterly. “Apparently associating with one rebellious Black daughter means risking contamination from the rest.”
Her stomach turned. “Lucius…”
“He suggested several more suitable matches.” His tone became colder. Controlled. Dangerous in the quiet way only Lucius Malfoy could manage. “As though I were selecting dress robes.”
Narcissa forced herself to breathe. “That is exactly why this has to end.”
“No.” His answer came instantly. Sharp. Absolute.
Her eyes burned. “Lucius... you cannot fight your parents forever.”
“I can.”
“You are their heir.”
“And you are mine.”
The words shattered something inside her.
“Do not say things like that, Lucius.”
“Why?”
“Because you make me weak.”
For the first time that evening, emotion cracked through his restraint.
Lucius crossed the room in three swift steps.
“Narcissa.”
His hands cupped her face gently, so gently it nearly destroyed her composure entirely.
“You are shaking.”
“I am trying to do the right thing.”
“For whom?”
“For you.”
A harsh breath escaped him. “You think leaving me is kindness?”
“You deserve stability. Your inheritance. Your future.”
“My future is standing in front of me.”
Tears blurred her vision immediately. “Please do not make this harder.”
His thumbs brushed beneath her eyes carefully. “You are asking me to give you up.”
“Yes.”
“No.”
“Lucius—”
“No.” His voice deepened. “I will not accept this simply because my father demands it.”
“You may lose everything.”
His expression turned almost offended. “I do not care.”
“But I care!” Her voice broke unexpectedly.
The room fell silent again.
Narcissa stepped away from him before she lost what little strength she had left.
“You do not understand what people are saying” she whispered. “The Black name is poison right now. Every pureblood family is watching us. Your parents will never forgive this.”
“I do not require their forgiveness.”
“You require their name.”
“No,” Lucius said quietly. “I require you.”
Merlin. She could not survive this.
Not when he looked at her like that.
Not when he spoke to her as though she were the only thing in the world capable of hurting him.
“You say that now,” she whispered shakily. “But one day you will resent me.”
“I could never resent you.”
“You say that now because you are in love.”
“I will say it in fifty years.”
The tears finally slipped free.
Lucius’s expression changed instantly. His entire face softened. “Oh, darling.”
That nearly broke her completely.
He reached for her again, but Narcissa stepped backward.
“No,” she said quickly. “Please. Please do not touch me right now.”
Pain flashed across his face so quickly she almost missed it.
“You truly intend to leave me.”
She pressed trembling fingers against her lips. “I have to.”
“For them?”
“For you.”
He stared at her for a very long time.. Then, quietly “And what about you?”
The question nearly destroyed her.
Narcissa looked toward the storm beyond the windows because she could not bear looking at him anymore.
“What happens to you if I walk away tonight?”
She laughed shakily. “It does not matter.”
“Narcissa, it matters to me.”
“You cannot keep loving me at the cost of everything else.”
“I can.”
“You should not.”
“I do not care what I should do.”
Lightning flashed violently outside.
Lucius’s voice lowered further. “I love you.”
Fresh tears rolled down her cheeks. “I know.”
“No.” He stepped closer again. “Listen to me carefully. I love you more than this family name. More than inheritance. More than society. More than any expectation they have ever forced upon me.”
“Please stop.”
“I will not.”
“Lucius—”
“If this is truly the end, then at least allow me honesty.”
Her breathing turned uneven. “You are cruel.”
A sad smile touched his mouth. “Only because you are asking me to survive losing you.”
The room blurred through tears. She loved him so much it physically hurt.
That was the problem.
If she truly loved him, she had to let him go before the damage became irreversible.
“You once told me,” Narcissa whispered brokenly, “that duty matters.”
His eyes never left hers. “Yes. But Narcissa, for me... you matter more.”
“Not to your family.”
“I do not care about them right now.”
“You will.”
“No.” His voice sharpened. “I will not.”
She shook her head desperately. “You say that because you are emotional.”
“And you say this because you are frightened.”
“I am realistic.”
“You are terrified.”
Silence. Because he was right.
Narcissa was terrified.
Terrified that the Malfoys would force him into another engagement.
Terrified he would someday regret choosing her.
Terrified that love alone would not survive the cruelty of pureblood society.
Lucius stepped closer again.
This time she let him.
Rain hammered violently against the manor windows.
“I need you to tell me the truth” he said quietly.
She stared at him helplessly.
“Do you love me?”
The answer lived inside every breath she took. “Yes.”
His eyes closed briefly. “Then look at me and tell me you truly want this to end.”
Narcissa opened her mouth. Nothing came out.
Lucius gave a faint, aching smile. “That is what I thought.”
She hated him for understanding her so completely.
“I cannot do this anymore” she whispered.
“You can.”
“No.”
“You can” he repeated softly. “You are the strongest person I know.”
“I am tired.”
At that, something inside him visibly cracked. Lucius looked suddenly exhausted.
Not angry. Not cold.
Just heartbroken.
He reached into his coat slowly and removed a small velvet box.
Narcissa stared at it in confusion. Then horror. “No.”
“I bought it yesterday.”
“Lucius…”
“I intended to ask properly.”
Her knees nearly gave out. “You cannot do this to me.”
“I intended to marry you,” he said quietly. “I still do.”
She began crying harder. “Please stop making me love you more.”
His face crumpled for the briefest moment.
Then Lucius stepped forward and pressed the velvet box into her trembling hands. “Keep it.”
“I cannot.”
“You can.”
“I do not deserve this.”
“You deserve everything.”
She shook her head frantically. “You should hate me right now.”
“I could never hate you.”
The sincerity in his voice hurt more than cruelty ever could.
Narcissa clutched the ring box against her chest like it was something holy.
Lucius stared at her for several long seconds.
Then he leaned down slowly and pressed a kiss against her forehead. Tender. Lingering. Devastating.
“If this is truly what you want,” he whispered against her skin, “I will leave.”
Her heart shattered.
“But understand this, Narcissa Black.” His hand trembled slightly against her cheek. “There will never be another woman for me.”
She made a broken sound. “Lucius…”
“I love you.” His voice cracked quietly for the first time all evening. “I think I will love you until I die.”
And then he walked away. The front doors closed heavily downstairs.
Narcissa collapsed beside the fireplace sobbing.
Outside, the storm only worsened.
Three days passed.
Three unbearable, miserable days.
Narcissa barely left her room.
Bellatrix had threatened three separate people at dinner for speaking Lucius’s name too casually.
Druella watched her youngest daughter with quiet heartbreak.
“You should eat something, Cissy” her mother said gently one evening.
“I am not hungry.”
“You cannot survive on tea forever.”
Narcissa stared blankly out the rain-covered window.
The storm had continued for days now. Appropriate, really.
Everything inside her felt ruined.
“You loved him very much” Druella said softly.
Narcissa laughed weakly. “Still do.”
Druella sighed. “Then why did you end it?”
“Because loving someone sometimes means ruining yourself before the world can ruin them instead.”
A long silence followed.
“You sound like your father.” Druella said.
Narcissa smiled bitterly. “That is unfortunate.”
The manor doors slammed loudly downstairs.
Voices echoed through the entrance hall. Bellatrix sounded furious about something.
Narcissa barely reacted anymore.
Until she heard his voice.
Everything inside her stopped.
“No” Bellatrix snapped downstairs. “You do not get to appear here after making my sister cry for three bloody days.”
“I am not here for you, Bella.”
Lucius.
Narcissa stood so quickly her chair nearly overturned. Her pulse thundered violently.
Another voice echoed downstairs.
Cygnus Black this time. “Lucius, perhaps this is not appropriate—”
“With respect, sir,” Lucius interrupted coldly, “I did not come for permission.”
Narcissa’s heart nearly stopped.
She rushed from the room.
The grand staircase overlooked the entrance hall below.
And there he was.
Completely soaked from the storm.
Black coat drenched.
Wet platinum hair clinging to his forehead. Breathing hard.
Eyes searching only for her.
The second he saw her, everything else disappeared from his expression.
“Narcissa.”
Her name sounded like relief.
Bellatrix looked between them with narrowed eyes. “You fought with your father, didn’t you?”
Lucius never looked away from Narcissa. “Yes.”
“What happened?” Cygnus demanded carefully.
Lucius’s jaw tightened. “He informed me that if I continued pursuing your daughter, I would no longer be welcome as heir to the Malfoy estate.”
Narcissa felt cold all over. “Lucius…”
His eyes finally lifted fully to hers. “I told them no.”
The world went silent. Rain crashed outside the manor windows.
Narcissa stared at him in disbelief. “You what?”
“I told them no.” His voice was quieter now. Steadier. “They may keep the inheritance. They may keep every cursed galleon attached to the Malfoy name if they wish.” His breathing shook slightly. “But they will not take you from me.”
Tears filled her eyes instantly. “Lucius…”
“I spent three days pretending I could survive this.” He laughed once bitterly. “I cannot.”
Bellatrix actually looked emotional for once. Disturbing.
Druella pressed a hand over her mouth.
And Narcissa—
Narcissa could barely breathe. “You should not have done that” she whispered.
“I should have done it sooner.”
“You may lose everything.”
Lucius stepped toward her slowly. “I already lost everything three days ago.”
That did it.
Narcissa ran down the staircase before dignity could stop her.
Lucius caught her instantly.
She crashed against him hard enough to nearly send them both backward.
His arms wrapped around her immediately like he never intended to let go again.
“You came back” she sobbed against his chest.
“I was always going to.”
Oh, Merlin.
Merlin, she loved him.
Narcissa pulled back just enough to look at him.
Rainwater still dripped from his hair onto the marble floors. “You are freezing.”
“I do not care.”
“You Apparated through this storm?”
“I would have crossed an ocean.”
That earned another broken sob from her.
Lucius touched her face carefully “You are crying.”
“Because you came back.”
“I told you,” he whispered shakily. “There will never be another woman for me.”
She kissed him before he could say anything else.
Desperate.
Emotional.
Relieved.
Lucius made a soft sound against her mouth and kissed her back immediately, one hand cradling the back of her head while the other tightened around her waist possessively.
Everything melted away.
The fear.
The grief.
The last three unbearable days.
Narcissa clung to him like she would die otherwise.
When they finally separated, both of them were breathing unevenly.
Bellatrix loudly cleared her throat. “Merlin...” she muttered. “If you two are finished emotionally destroying everyone in this manor—”
“Bellatrix” Druella warned weakly, though she looked close to tears herself.
Cygnus rubbed his temples.
Lucius did not care about any of them.
His forehead rested against Narcissa’s. “I love you” he whispered.
Her eyes closed immediately. “I love you too.”
“No” he said softly. “You do not understand.”
His thumb brushed beneath her eye.
“I love you enough to walk away from everything else.”
Narcissa started crying again. “Stop saying beautiful things while I am emotional.”
A small laugh escaped him then.
Small. Quiet. Real.
The first genuine sound of happiness she had heard from him in days.
“You frightened me.” she admitted shakily.
“You frightened me more.”
“I thought you would hate me.”
Lucius looked almost offended. “I could never hate you.”
“I broke your heart.”
“You broke your own first.”
That was true. Painfully true.
Narcissa touched his soaked coat helplessly. “What happens now?”
Lucius’s expression softened completely. “Now?”
He leaned down, brushing his nose gently against hers. “Now I marry you anyway.”
Bellatrix snorted loudly in the background. “Finally. Merlin, you two are exhausting.”
Neither of them listened.
Narcissa stared up at him through tears. “You truly mean it.”
“I have never meant anything more.”
“And your parents?”
“They will survive disappointment.”
“And the inheritance?”
“I do not care.”
“You say that so easily.”
“Because none of it is you.” The sincerity in his voice nearly ruined her all over again.
Lucius kissed her forehead gently. Then her cheek.
Then finally her lips again, slower this time. Softer.
A promise instead of desperation.
When he pulled away, his silver-blue eyes searched hers carefully. “Tell me you still want me.”
Narcissa laughed through tears.n“You foolish man.”
His hand settled against her waist possessively. “Tell me anyway.”
“I want you,” she whispered. “Always you.”
Something unbearably tender crossed his face. “Good.”
He reached into his coat again. The velvet ring box appeared once more.
Narcissa stared at it with watery eyes.n“You kept it.”
“Of course I did.”
“Lucius…”
“This time.” he murmured, opening the box carefully, “allow me to finish asking properly.”
The diamond caught the firelight beautifully.
Rain still thundered outside.
But inside the manor, everything suddenly felt warm.
Lucius looked at her like she was the only thing that had ever mattered.
Maybe she was.
“Narcissa Black,” he said softly, voice unsteady for the first time in years, “marry me.”
She started crying immediately.
Bellatrix muttered another curse under her breath.
Druella outright began weeping.
And Narcissa—
Narcissa smiled so hard it hurt “Yes.”
Lucius exhaled shakily like he had been holding his breath for days. “Yes?”
“Yes.”
He kissed her before she could say anything else.
Warm hands cradling her face.
Rain-soaked clothes.
Foreheads touching.
Soft laughter between kisses.
“I love you” he whispered against her lips.
“I love you more.”
“That is impossible.”
She laughed weakly. “Arrogant.”
“Only for you.”
He slid the ring onto her finger carefully.
Perfect fit.
Perfect.
Narcissa stared at it with tears still clinging to her lashes.b“You truly gave up everything for me.”
Lucius tilted her chin upward gently. “No.”
His gaze softened into something devastatingly sincere. “I chose everything.”