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Red cheeked from the biting cold wind that howled outside, Draco stepped into the Manor foyer beaming at his fiancée. Anyone would think they’d never seen each other before the way they swapped soft smiles and gentle touches. They were almost oblivious to their company that piled in behind them, banging shoes against the hard floor to dislodge the snow that had stuck there.
Rogers, Lucius’ house elf, appeared at the top of the stairs with a crack, and let out a strange sounding squeak, his blue eyes widening in horror.
“Don’t track water all over the flooring, I just waxed it! Stay in one place, don’t move.” He growled in his usual gravelly voice, disappearing once more to fetch towels to dry the floor.
The young woman with untameable bushy hair glared at the mistress of this manor – who had just glided in through the double doors to the left. “I can’t believe you still keep house elves.” Hermione said with a slight hint of disgust.
Narcissa wasn’t fazed by the hostility. “We’ve had this discussion many times with the Ministry, and your dear father in law,” She shared a pointed look with Arthur, who looked a little sheepish, “We have only two house elves now, and we let them do as they please. They don’t wish to leave us; they’ve been with us since they were born, and since we were children.”
Hermione grumbled, but her displeasure was soon drowned out by Molly’s greetings. “Narcissa, how have you been it’s an age since I last saw you!” The rosy woman moved to pull Narcissa into a hug, almost tripping on Rogers who had just appeared to mop up the water they had all tracked in.
Narcissa returned the hug gladly. The Weasley family had become good friends, and then almost family thanks to Draco’s fiancée. “Well, you have been rather busy with grandchildren springing up like flowers.”
It was growing difficult to keep up with how many Weasley’s there now were. The eldest two now had children, with the youngest two boys soon to follow. Hermione had been fretting for weeks about naming her child; she wanted it to be original. There had been an evening at the Manor where they had all gone through the extensive family tree, Harry being most surprised at how the Weasley’s linked to their own family. He had found it interesting, and Hermione had teased Ron about the connection to the Malfoy’s for days.
Speaking of Draco’s fiancée, the man in question also stepped further into the foyer (much to Rogers annoyance) and smiled brightly at Narcissa. Harry Potter embraced her after Molly, and then shot a quick apology at the house elf.
“Wouldn’t worry about him, Harry.” Draco said, pecking his mother’s cheek in greeting before sliding his warm hand back into the grip of his fiancé. “He’s father’s elf, and they share a few traits after all these years.”
Everyone laughed, and Narcissa set about greeting the rest of their company, Ron, George, Ginny, Pansy, Blaise, Theo, Luna, Neville, Oscar and Wendy Granger, and finally, her sister Andromeda. The patching up of that particular relationship had brought Narcissa more joy than she had ever imagined it would. She had truly missed her sister, and now the two saw each other at least once a week. Today however, they were going Christmas shopping. It was a trip that the Malfoy family had always done – bar one or two unsightly years – and as their three started to become four, the invitation to join on the festive outing had stretched to their new extended family and friends. It was always a joyful day full of laughter and love, and it served to remind Narcissa how different their lives had become, and how better off they were for it.
Well. It was a joyful day for everyone currently in the foyer. There was one, who did not always find the day quite so pleasant.
Narcissa slipped away to find him before they were ready to leave, her own house elf Eloise would serve everyone her own special brew of mulled wine before they left, and that gave Narcissa the chance to flush out her husband from hiding.
Lucius was lurking in his study, as she thought he might be, not dressed for the occasion and definitely not ready to leave. When it had just been the three of them, Lucius had been more than happy to attend the Christmas shopping day. She remembered with a pang of sadness the tradition of the three of them feeding the white reindeer the Manor used to have before they left for the day, but of course the Dark Lord had slaughtered them all, he couldn’t have something so pure living in his claimed headquarters. Draco would always try to wipe the slobber off his hand and onto his Father’s trousers when they gave them too many carrots. As they left for town Lucius would tell them that Santa would collect them soon to pull the sleigh, and Draco’s eyes had lit up with excitement. They would leave joyous and happy and Lucius would spend the day making his wife laugh, pointing out new and exciting things to his son, and spoiling the two people he loved more than anything.
That changed after the war.
“Lucius.” Narcissa said softly, approaching where he stood by the window, gazing out at the thin layer of snow that covered the Manor gardens.
He hummed his response, shoulders tense with his hand wrapped tightly around his cane.
She sighed, and slid her arms around his waist, resting her head against his shoulder blade. “Why are you not ready?”
“I don’t wish to go.” He said, his jaw tightening and his chin jerking upwards in defiance. He expected a fight, and annoyance surged through Narcissa. If he didn’t want to come, he could have told her before she had arranged it all.
“Why?” She growled back.
He shifted in her grasp, his head tilting to the side. There was a pause as he thought of his answer. “The company isn’t up to scratch.”
Anger flared inside her, and she beat it down as she let go of him. That wasn’t the reason and she knew it. He had spent many dinners with everyone that was waiting for them and never once had a complaint, and she knew he had formed an unexpected close friendship with Oscar Granger- a muggle. Blood was not the reason he did not want to come, he was simply hiding behind it. “No? Shall I tell Oscar that then?” She hissed, and she saw his eyes narrow.
He had the option to tell her the real reason. To confess his fears and his insecurities without her having to fight him, or coax it out of him. The emotional barrier that caged him was something she was determined to one day tear down, but perhaps, this was not the day.
“If you wish.” He said slowly, not meeting her gaze.
Narcissa bristled. Last year, there had been an incident. Lucius had been having a bad day. He had been jumpy, stand-offish, snappy, and hadn’t strayed far from either his wife or his son. When he lost sight of Narcissa in a crowd, he’d freaked out. His PTSD and his anxiety had got the better of him, but no-one judged him for that. Narcissa had thought he’d accepted it and moved on, but apparently not. “It’s not going to be a repeat of last year you know. You will be fine.”
She watched as a muscle jumped in his jaw as he clenched his teeth together. “That’s not why I don’t want to come.”
“Do not lie to me Lucius. Why can you not just tell me you don’t want to come because being in crowds makes you anxious and you don’t like the fact that people stare? Why can you not admit that to me?”
He turned to face her then, but he still didn’t meet her eye, nor did he say a word.
She tried again. “It’s not as if I don’t know what makes you tick. We’ve had these discussions about the nightmares. You know I don’t think it makes you weak, or a coward. Why can you not just tell me the truth? Why do you have to try and cover it up with bigotry and hatred towards our friends and family? You’ve come so far, Lucius, and you want me to go out there and pretend we’ve gone back in time? Really?”
Lucius stared at her then. He opened his mouth, and she could see him chewing his words over in his head, trying to get them to explain how he felt. But all that came out was, “No.”
Narcissa tilted her head back to stare at the ceiling and sighed. “Fine. Stay here then. But this conversation is not over.”
He dipped his head forward, and kept his mouth shut.
She turned to leave, but even in her anger and her frustration, she could not go without saying goodbye.
Spinning on her heel, she marched back over to him, tugging the front of his shirt to draw him down into a sweet kiss. He sighed against her lips, and she felt a pang of sympathy for him. She knew he struggled sometimes, but she had thought they had got past this secrecy and pretence. All Narcissa wanted was for her husband to tell her when he needed help.
Tucking his long hair behind his ear, Narcissa smiled gently at him. “You can put up the Christmas lights while we’re out.” She said, turning to leave. As she reached the door, she turned back, watching as the soft smile on her husband’s face falter with her next words. “Without magic.”
With that, she disappeared to return to the foyer and usher her guests out, leaving Lucius gaping open mouthed at the closed door.
*~*~*
“Without magic, sir?” Rogers asked with a twitch of his ear, his bright blue eyes going wide.
Lucius nodded with both hands across his face. His plan had backfired somewhat, but he supposed he’d have enough time to put the lights up as well as completing what he had planned. “Do we even own a ladder?” He groaned and sank back into his armchair in the most undignified manner.
Rogers nodded slowly. “I think so, Master. But, can I not simply do it with magic? Then you technically didn’t use magic…”
“No.” Lucius said with a sigh. “No, I’ve already put her in a bad mood; I don’t need to annoy her more by finding loop holes. She wants me to put up the bloody lights manually.”
Rogers snapped his fingers, and Eloise appeared at his side. “Yes?”
He turned to her, a thin smile stretching across his face. “Help me fetch the lights and a ladder. Master Lucius is putting them up.”
She nodded quickly and vanished.
Rogers straightened his shoulders, and on his arm appeared a thick black coat and beside him lay a pair of warm boots. “Well sir, best get to it. The Manor is rather large.”
Lucius bit back another groan. “Perhaps if she likes the lights she’ll leave this conversation she wants to have til tomorrow. Or never.”
“Conversation, sir?” Rodgers asked. He had always been the only house elf to get away with conversing with Lucius like another human being. He’d always been Lucius’ favourite, rarely ever having to punish himself for anything.
Lucius hummed as rose from his chair. Taking the coat from Rogers and sliding the warm boots on, he led the way out towards the front of the Manor. “Yes. She’s annoyed I didn’t tell her why I didn’t want to go shopping today.”
“And why didn’t you, may I ask?” Rogers said slowly, opening the grand front door for his master.
They both stepped out into the biting cold, and Lucius grinned a sly grin. “One of her presents will be arriving today.”
Rodgers let out a scratchy laugh as Eloise appeared with the ladder and the lights. “Ah, Master, you are clever.”
“Well, not that clever, I thought annoying her would be the best plan to get her out of the house, but now I’ve got to waste time putting these damn lights up, and she’ll want to talk about my mental stability when she gets back. Not exactly what I wanted to be doing tonight.”
Rodgers nodded. “Well sir, Rodgers and Eloise can help. Manually, of course.”
Lucius laughed and picked up a bundle of lights. “Of course.”
*~*~*
The sun was just beginning to disappear beneath the horizon by the time the car rolled up to the gates of Malfoy Manor. Arthur had insisted they use it. He’d spent ages shrinking it into his pocket, and charming it to perfection after the disaster that little Ford had been. So they rolled up the hill towards the big gates, and Narcissa had instructed them all to look out for clear signs of magic near any lights they saw.
She’d explained why Lucius was not coming, and everyone had found her condition of his staying to be quite amusing. Especially Draco.
“Do you think he did it?” He asked his mother while lounging across Harry’s lap. The car was, roomy to say the least. In fact it was more like a moderately sized living room than the back of a muggle car.
Narcissa smirked from where she sat beside her sister. “He’d better have.”
“It’ll probably just be a few wrapped around the pillars at the front door.” He said with a laugh.
Harry squinted into the darkness as the car slid past the gates. No light came from the Manor. It was black.
“He probably can’t figure out how to turn them on.” Andromeda said, winking at Narcissa.
Narcissa rolled her eyes, playfully shoving her sister’s arm. “He is many things, Andy, but he’s not a total idiot.”
“There’s the total idiot.” Pansy said from where she had been leaning into the front of the car. She crawled her way back towards the door, pausing only to brush deliberately against Ginny before shoving her way backwards and colliding into Draco and Harry. “Oop, sorryyy.” She drawled with an unapologetic grin.
Draco went to grab her, but she was too fast, darting past his outstretched hand and yanking the car door open.
The car juddered to a stop, Arthur having installed an emergency landing/stop after Harry and Ron’s adventure. He shouted, weakly demanding she return to the car at once but Pansy ignored him, skipping off towards the Manor.
“I thought she said she’d seen Lucius?” Molly muttered, watching as Pansy came to a halt next to one of the trees that decorated the grounds.
Draco slipped from Harry’s lap and towards the open door. “She did…”
*~*~*
“Any reason you’re up a tree?” Pansy asked cheerily, arching an eyebrow at the branches.
In the depths of the tree, Lucius was wrapping lights around it, his shirt sleeves rolled up to the elbow and his thick coat long since discarded. He was covered in dirt and dust, and a thin sheen of sweat was on his forehead, his hair sticking to his face from where it had come loose from his ponytail. “You know exactly why I’m up a tree, Pansy.” He growled breathlessly.
Pansy hummed. “Well, I know you’re meant to be decorating the Manor, but I was unaware that involved the trees too.”
“Don’t get smart. The tree is a part of the Manor. Besides, it’s going to look flawless when I’m done.” Lucius said, wrestling to get a stubborn branch into the right position.
Pansy went to reply, when she found she suddenly had company.
“What are you doing up the tree?” Narcissa said, fighting back a laugh as she watched her husband battle with wires and leaves.
Lucius paused and glared down at her. “I’m putting up your bloody lights.”
Narcissa couldn’t help the snigger, especially with her sister giggling behind her. “I only meant the Manor. Last time you climbed a tree you broke your leg.”
“Thank you for that reminder.” He growled, but there was a playful glint in his eye as he remembered. The breaking of his leg hadn’t been enjoyable, but the activities he and Narcissa had been up to before his disastrous tree climb had been more than worth it.
“Have you not finished yet, Father?” Draco called up to him, glancing at the house.
Lucius shifted in the tree, and Narcissa took an instinctive step forward as he jumped from his perch and onto the ground. She frowned when she fully saw the state of him, covered in sweat and grime, and she noted his hands were covered in small scratches, some of them still bleeding.
“What have you done to yourself?” She scolded him, taking his hand in hers and inspecting some of his injuries.
He simply smiled and gestured towards the Manor. “Want to see it?”
“If it’s not symmetrical you fail.” Pansy said with serious expression that faltered into a grin when she caught Ginny giggling.
Narcissa’s lips twitched, but she kept a straight face. “Of course. Turn them on.”
Ushering the herd of people back onto the drive up towards the Manor, Lucius brought two fingers to his lips and let out a loud whistle. At the sound, beyond where anyone could see, Rodger and Eloise switched on the lights, and the Manor lit up the darkness.
Bright white curled around the front pillars of the house, framed by more white across and around the door. The ground floor was decorated entirely in dazzling white, accompanied with silver tinsel entwined to cover the wires. On the front door was a giant wreath, with berries than had been charmed to look silver and holly that shook itself and sent glitter across whoever stood before it.
The rest of the Manor was bordered with light, and every other window held a different illuminated image; Santa, reindeer, Christmas pudding, snowmen, Lucius had bought them all. Even the very tips of the Manor towers had been decorated, red and green lights spiralling up underneath the stars that were perched at the tops.
Rodger and Eloise stood on the porch dressed in tiny Christmas jumpers as everyone approached with their mouths hanging open. “Merry Christmas, Mistress Malfoy,” They both said with a synchronised low bow.
“Lucius…” Narcissa breathed, her eyes glinting in the light. She looked at him, watching the way he studied her every move, the way his hair still managed to look glamorous even with sticks and leaves caught in it, the way he smiled breathlessly at her as he waited for her approval. The Manor was beautiful. He was beautiful. “You did all this without magic?”
He nodded once, and glanced at Rodgers. “The physical putting up of the lights yes. There is magic powering them, and Rodger used a sticking charm on the ladders so I wouldn’t fall off the towers to my death, but yes. All without magic.”
She shook her head in amazement. “It looks wonderful.”
“It does,” He didn’t spare the Manor a glance, his gaze fixed on her. “I have something else for you.”
Narcissa shook her head. “What more could you have possibly done with all this?”
He grinned at her, and she felt a few cold drops fall onto her face. Snow began to fall from the darkness, large and delicate snowflakes drifting down past the Manor. They were too perfect not to have been caused by magic, and judging by the pleased smirk plastered across her husband’s face – it was his magic.
She opened her mouth to comment, only to find his finger pressed against her lips. He didn’t say a word, merely beckoned her to follow him around the side of the Manor and into the back gardens. Everyone followed without a sound, creeping through the snow with hot breath sending smoke up towards the heavens.
Narcissa stopped dead when she saw it, and she vaguely heard Draco’s gasp behind her.
Lucius had constructed a pen (decorated with lights of course) and inside contained nine dark reindeer each wearing a collar made of different coloured tinsel. Eloise and Rodger sat perched upon the gate, buckets in each hand.
“Do you like them?” He whispered in her ear, warmth radiating from him.
She gazed at the beautiful creatures as they all approached the bright fence, gently taking food from the house elves. “They’re…”She broke off, sliding her arms around her husband and squeezing him against her. “They’re perfect.”
He hugged her back, brushing snow from her hair. “I didn’t get white ones because I didn’t think you’d want to replace the old ones. But these are just as friendly, and Santa will still borrow them.” He said, looking to his son and winking.
Draco laughed; his eyes bright and twinkling in the soft light Lucius had provided. “I never believed that.”
“Liar.” His father shot back with a grin.
The group shifted into a gentle murmuring of awe as they shuffled forwards in the settling snow, lining up along the fence and reaching out with cold hands to stroke at the silky fur of the reindeer.
Two remained standing afar, shrouded in the shadows as they watched the laughter rise from the edge of the fence.
“You never fail to amaze me, you know that?” Narcissa said, turning in Lucius’ embrace to press herself fully against his chest, inhaling the mixed scent of the outdoors and just him.
Lucius made a low noise of contentment, leaning down to press his cheek against the top of her head as they watched Draco doing the same with Harry. “I hope to never stop.”
Smiling, Narcissa hummed her agreement, unable to resist squeezing her husband against her again. “As you’ve done so well, I suppose I can hold off that conversation I want to have.”
Successfully concealing the roll of his eyes, Lucius nods, wrinkling his nose as Narcissa’s hair tickles it. “Whenever you want, my love.”
*~*~*