(Untitled)

[vincere_aut_mor]

Date: July 25th
Time: Roughly 7am
Location: Malfoy Manor, Wiltshire
Characters Involved: Lucius Malfoy and Narcissa Malfoy
Rating: PG-13

The usual sleepy images danced before his eyes, strange scenes of a cracked garden wall, wrapped in green vines. A small hand gripped his, holding with unnatural tightness, the noise of a small child's cry. He tried

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[vincere_aut_mor]

Lucius fought the desire to roll his eyes, sometimes it seemed that Narcissa thought him an incredible fool who desired their downfall. Of course he knew that she was simply concerned, just as a wife should be. He shook his head, dismissing the sarcastic answer that formed upon his tongue Oh, dear, and me having already told him all of our most inner secrets.

"I haven't told Severus a single detail, I haven't even mentioned an intent. He is agreed that the collars are worthless, and taxing. Our conversation was mild, I gave little, and Severus gave little. I am choosing not to trust in him Narcissa, just as I am sure that he has chosen not to trust in me." Lucius met her gaze steadily, letting her know he was unwavering on this point "there is no bad feeling between us, and I should wish to keep it that way. Severus may no longer be prepared to stand shoulder to shoulder with us, but there is an understanding." For a moment he thought of countless scenes that in some way bound him to Snape, things that he would not have desired to share with his wife even if she had asked. Certainly he felt no debt to the man, but a friendship forged of spilled blood.

"I do not think Severus would discuss me too carefully with Lupin. I would anticipate that he finds Severus' continued association with me distasteful. Particularly after the more recent events with the female werewolf. No one likes to dwell upon their own selfishness, and even Lupin cannot have failed to realise that Snape need only have said the word...the gold, the influential words. She would have been saved."

[gilded_ice]

Oh, her husband wasn't stupid. Narcissa knew that. But he sometimes took more risks than she was comfortable with. They had been incredibly lucky, twice, now. She did not think their luck would hold a third time if Lucius pushed it.

"But your plans, Lucius. How are they proceeding? Nothing seems to have happened in a long time ..." She was anxious: this state of indecision left her more nervous than outright action or no plans at all. If Lucius was dithering, things were difficult, and it was not safe to act.

"Is there anything you want me to do?" she asked. "Anything you need me to do?"

[vincere_aut_mor]

"Things are progressing steadily. It is essential that details are cared for. It will be very dangerous..." he hesitated, Narcissa would settle for all or nothing. At this point he would prefer her to know nothing, but when it all happened, Narcissa was adaptable but was it too much to expect her to take it all in her stride? This should be her decision.

"You know my feelings concerning you knowing any details which might implicate you, but I think after so many-" sour words flew through his head dissapointments, failures, displys of inadequacy. "That is, after the risks I have taken...it must be your choice."

"Some time in the reasonably near future you and I will take a trip abroad. When we return there will be something that has happened, and our reaction to it will be vital. Your options... You can stay abroad, perhaps a week longer than I do. I will return, deal with matters, then you can come home. Alternatively, you return with me with no idea of what will happen and must deal with it the best you can. Or I tell you everything now."

[gilded_ice]

All through the first war, Narcissa had maintained a position of not knowing what her husband was up to. She knew when he went out to do things for the Dark Lord, but she did not know what they were, and even when she saw the results in the Daily Prophet the next morning she did not ask for details. She'd tried to do the same in the second war. It hadn't worked.

Now, Narcissa was all to aware of the risks of what they were doing. And it would endanger her to know what was going on. But if they were caught, she doubted much clemency would come her way. And she wanted, this time, to know. For once, it was probably safer to know.

"Tell me the bare bones of it, Lucius," she decided. "You know I can act my part perfectly, and I think, this time round, I will make better decisions if I know what you're doing."

[vincere_aut_mor]

Lucius took a deep breath, forming in his mind the words he would use. It came to this: He could use delicate phrases, trusting that Narcissa inferred more from them than was given. Or he could lower the barrier, tell her with the same coldness that was employed with very deed that he never bothered consuling his feelings about. Gut instinct and intellect were all, and the thought How do I feel about this? was given an immediate by-pass. Lucius was not prone to soul searching, to wasting emotion. There was no room for it. He never experienced the thrill of killing that many of the Death Eaters did, but he felt no remorse either. He employed that feeling now, a defence against the thoughts he was afraid to feel pulling at him. Oh, not pity, or revulsion at his own actions, but fear for Narcissa and himself.

He looked at her without feeling, avoiding her eyes. He told her everything.

[gilded_ice]

It was daring, and it was dangerous. Narcissa listened, interrupting only for clarification, and when he was done, she was silent for a minute or two as she thought it over.

"There's not all that much I can do, then," she said, and shook her head, with a half-admiring, half-amazed expression on her face. "I don't know how you think of these things, darling, but you do." She lifted her head to kiss him, slowly and lingeringly, on the lips.

"Where shall we go, when we take our trip, then?" she asked. "Tuscany would be lovely in the late summer, or the early autumn ... remember the last time we went there?" Her lips curved in a reminiscent smile, and she kissed Lucius again, with more feeling.

[vincere_aut_mor]

No relief flooded through him at her approval. He had never asked, nor desired for her approval in matters of this nature.

Lucius was unresponsive to her kiss, lost in the detailing of his plan. Her words floated about him, anchoring only when a smile touched her lips and he softened. "Tuscany, I think that would be ideal."

Her kiss was returned with equal vigour as he moved to lay by her side, a hand lazily sliding along her thigh. The nightdress was silky and easy to ease upwards. "Late summer, I think. I thought perhaps you would care to do some entertaining during August. Perhaps something on the grounds." It was said distractedly. Her skin was soft and warm, and talking seemed such a tragic waste when he could be kissing her.

[gilded_ice]

Hands snaking upwards, Narcissa wound one set of fingers into Lucius' hair, at the back of his head, the other cupping the nape of his neck. His hand was warm and strong on her skin, and his kisses laced with hunger. It was no chore - and it had never been a chore - to respond in kind. The duties of husband and wife were easy to fulfil.

"Entertaining?" she asked, in between kisses. "A dinner party, a social evening, or something bigger?" It was difficult, however, to keep her mind on the details of planning a party when Lucius was awakening all her nerves with his sensuous touches. When Narcissa had been growing up, she'd always hoped that those kind of urges, in her mother and father, had died right after her birth, because who wanted to think of their parents doing that? Now Draco probably felt the same about herself and Lucius - and, of course, it was not the truth. Not at all.

[vincere_aut_mor]

"Yes," he said patiently, though impatient lust threatened to overwhelm his patience. "Something fairly informal, social."

Somehow dullness had never managed to capture their intimate moments. Of course, if he closed his eyes it was easy to imagine this as any number of moments. Years ago, stealing moments in the empty Slyhterin Common Room before bed. In his room, furtively glancing towards the door for the entrance of his father. Being caught with Narcissa was marginally safer than casting some form of seal on the door. His father would not abide secrecy, though he was the creator of much himself. He knew what sustained his passion for Narcissa, it was that it was never enough. Touching her, tasting her, breathing in her scent. It was satisfying, but he had always craved more of her. If he did not love her, he could have broken her endeavouring to find what he ultimately wanted, perhaps the desire existed because he did love her.

He watched her for signs of continuing the conversation, determined to intervene this time. "My beautiful Narcissa," he brushed her lips lightly with his thumb, tracing their outline.

[gilded_ice]

She smiled, softly, a more gentle smile than he'd ever seen on her face before their marriage, before the birth of their son. She was pliable in his arms, slippery silk and soft skin and smooth hair, eyes clouded with desire.

"A large party, then?" she asked, attempting to keep up matters of business even as they indulged in matters of pleasure. "Will this be friends, or all the social dignitaries?" Her hands slipped down, roaming over his chest, and they kissed again and Narcissa decided that this party, or whatever it was, could wait.

* * *

"This party, then," Narcissa asked, lying on her side of the bed with only the thin sheet wrapped around her - it was far too warm for all the blankets now, and sunshine was streaming through the windows. "Do you want to invite our friends, or do you have political intentions?" The latter, of course, she knew it already - and her mind began to construct lists of those who should come to achieve different things, and what kind of party they should hold.

"A ball," she decided, glancing up at him again. "Something to make them wear their very best, most glamorous robes. They'd fall for it like a house-elf for a bit of dirt."

[vincere_aut_mor]

Lucius made a half-hearted effort to tie back his hair, a pleasant sort of tiredness settling in his eyelids. A short sleep would be welcome, followed by a cool bath and then perhaps a walk. His thoughts dithered about, untroubling and not driving him to movement.

"Hm? Oh, yes of course." He turned his head a little to look at her, realising a little more was expected of him. "I will arrange for a robe designer to come to the Manor." Lucius knew that she enjoyed shopping, but surely the offer of a dress designed for her alone would be irresistable.

He sat up, encouraging energy back into his limbs. "I think...we should invite without apparent agenda." Lucius looked towards the floor, using the search for all of his clothes to cover up his slight quietness at his next words "It might be tactful not to invite Bellatrix." He pulled on underwear and a shirt, deciding not to replace his robes until after a bath. He wasn't entirely sure whether this would meet terrible objections, or agreement. Lucius didn't want to think that this view was caused by his dislike for Bellatrix, though in part of course it was. It was simply impractical to invite her.

[gilded_ice]

"Bellatrix would be inappropriate," Narcissa agreed softly, watching Lucius' back, eyes tracing the muscles as they moved beneath his skin. She did hold affection for her sister - how could she not, they were blood - but she was very aware of her sister's ways, her reputation, and the way her presence at a social function would be dangerous for a family rebuilding their respectability.

"You'll want all the Ministers," she said. "A member of the Wizengamot or two, and their wives. Some of the right families ... the Notts, the Belbies ... Snape, he's an important figure ... a school governor or two, which helps because we know most of them ..." She paused. "I know we want to invite without apparent agenda, but the werewolf issue is growing, particularly after that girl. Lupin is a prominent figure, now. Do you plan on inviting him or not?" Her eyes followed his movements sharply. "Snape might bring him, who knows, as his guest, but serving Lupin with his own invitation would send a message ..."

[vincere_aut_mor]

Lucius smiled, his back still turned. He wanted to compliment Narcissa's thinking, but the implications of sounding patronising were not a welcome prospect. "You're right, of course. I would have invited Lupin anyway. He was nothing but polite when we met. But extending an individual invite would, as you say, convey a message." He thought for a moment of being introduced to Lupin in the Irish pub. It certainly was true that Lupin had been polite, but Lucius was no fool and fairly certain that Lupin probably regarded him with suspicion. At least it was not open, hostile suspicion. That, was a key difference. It was important now, as ever, to smooth over relationship and create bonds, even if they were false ones. Lupin was not an un-useful acquaintence.

"I think we should invite Severus to dinner," Lucius said suddenly, doubtlessly disrupting her planning. He wanted to ask Severus about Lupin, tactfully and perhaps a little teasingly if Lupin disapproved of Severus' association with him. To gather information was not his only intention. Severus was a pleasant dinner guest, unafraid, for the most part, to air his views with confidence. Lucius expected that after an evening of remeniscing, of pleasureable company, he just might be inclined to talk of such things.

[gilded_ice]

"You want to invite Snape for dinner on his own?" Narcissa asked, rolling onto her back. "A friendly visit? Alright, when?" She knew that for once, a friendly visit would not merely be political euphimism - for the longest time, Lucius and Snape had had a peculiar relationship. As a girl, she hadn't understood why the gorgeous Lucius Malfoy would want to hang around with a young snotrag like Snape, but she'd then grown up a bit and become aware of his phenomonal talent. Since then, she had helped cultivate his friendship - a beautiful woman smoothed so many things over, for even if Snape had no interest in her sexually, it was much harder to refuse a request from Narcissa.

Since the end of the war, however, she'd had reason to distrust Snape, and certainly counsel a little caution in their relationship. But, it seemed, the friendship between that man and her husband had not dimmed.

"Fix a date and let me know what you'd like, and I'll make all the other arrangements," she said.

[vincere_aut_mor]

Lucius turned to face her, black robes gathered in his arms "Yes, by himself, a friendly visit" he affirmed.

No meeting with Severus was ever has carefree as he might have liked. The man seemed to carry seriousness with him like a protecting cloak. Suspicon was heaped upon suspicon, and had been even when they were apparently on the same 'side'. Even Lucius, who had never been opposed to the deaths of muggles, could not help notice that the coldness with which they dispatched whole families could be turned upon his own wife and child. Perhaps two men who had locked gaze over corpses could never indulge with frivolity in each other's company. Perhaps it was Severus' protection against him. Lucius had always found Severus' defences against the world admirable, even if it was the case that Severus had never believed in the Dark Lords ideals, had never believed the things that Lucius did...it was remarkable that he had survived them.

Severus was undoubtedly a talented man, but with the shared situation of being in the Dark Lord's severice gone there were few things that bound them now. Lucius had not suggested such an invitation to his home out of politeness, and did not for one moment expect that Severus would accept it out of the same.

"A couple of weeks I think, I have matters to attend to."

[gilded_ice]

Finally Narcissa slipped out of bed, striding past Lucius, naked as the day she was born, and into their bathroom. She started the shower and stepped inside.

Already she was planning their party - Narcissa had a gift for such things, or at least a passion. As a little girl, her tea parties had come with elaborately embellished invitations for her dolls, sisters and parents. These days she restricted herself to perfectly run, effortlessly enacted social events with the best of Britain's magical community as delighted events.

Or, at least, before the second war she had. These days parties were far less common, and Narcissa was rather glad to be able to organise one again. But there was more to it than a girlish delight in ballgowns and dancing - Narcissa shared her husband's love of political intrigue, and she was an expert at crafting guest lists to meet any agenda or message. Already she was ticking off names on a mental list and wondering if the Minister for Magical Transportation's eldest son should be invited.

As the water washed down over her, she let the matter of Snape be cleansed from her mind, and continued to plan.