Dusk was falling and Narcissa found it difficult to make out the pages of her book. It didn't really matter; she wasn't reading anyway. She closed the volume with a sigh and set it aside on the table
( Read more... )
Lucius stood at the window of his study, looking out. The room was dark with only a few candles lit, so he could see the shapes of shadows in the gardens. Depression had clawed at him all day, tearing away pieces that he could ill afford to lose. He had made promises to be aware of the darkness within him but it was difficult. No one understood what they were asking.
Occasionally, he dreamed of giving in and allowing it to take him. It would be so easy to let go, easier than falling asleep, easier than falling in love. Sometimes, he couldn't remember why he hadn't. And sometimes, he wasn't sure if he didn't already.
He stood at the window and looked out, letting those dreams slip away, letting his mind go still.
In the doorway, Narcissa paused. "Are you busy, love?" she asked, after only the briefest of hesitations. She moved on into the room without waiting for an answer, drawing her wand and lighting the lamps.
He blinked, remembering how. He blinked again, drawing himself out of shadowed dreams, and slowly turned to face Narcissa. What had she asked?
"Busy?" There was a tiny pause then he remembered to smile. "Not for you."
Moving away from the window, he sat on the plush settee in one corner of the room and patted the cushion next to him. "Come sit with me and tell me what troubles you."
She moved to sit beside him, lowering herself slowly onto the cushion. As she sat, she felt the sharp corner of Bella's letter, folded into tight creases, dig into the front of her thigh. She smoothed the place with her palm and then reached out to take Lucius's hand.
"I heard from Bella today." Not from my sister. Not just now. She glanced up to meet Lucius's gaze and then dropped her eyes to her lap. "An owl arrived late this morning."
Her eyes widened and she turned in Lucius's embrace to meet his gaze directly. "That's marvelous! I don't see, though, how we're going to link..." Her voice trailed off and an odd smile twisted her lips. "Pack creatures, aren't they?"
"For the most part." Lucius recognized her smile and was thrilled by it. It all but demanded a kiss and he saw no reason to deny either of them. He caught her lips, nipping the bottom before sliding his tongue along the delicious bow.
Pulling back a centimetre, he murmured against her mouth, "What are you thinking, love?"
Her smile widened, becoming rather smug. "Only this. There's another of them among our acquaintance, and foolish little Nymphadora has had the spectacular bad taste to fall in love with him."
Lucius pulled back to look at her, startled. "No." There was no real denial in his tone, only surprise, and after a second, he laughed. "Oh, that is too delicious. If anyone could satisfy a Dark Creature, perhaps it is a metamorph."
He smirked and sat back, pulling her back against his side. "So. Andromeda tells her mongrel offspring about the bolthole at some point in her life, Miss Tonks tells her lover, Lupin, and Lupin tells Greyback. A little complex but not unworkable. Hm. Lupin was the one to free Greyback from Azkaban, I believe, so Greyback returning the favour by saving this child is not an unreasonable conclusion."
Comments 23
Occasionally, he dreamed of giving in and allowing it to take him. It would be so easy to let go, easier than falling asleep, easier than falling in love. Sometimes, he couldn't remember why he hadn't. And sometimes, he wasn't sure if he didn't already.
He stood at the window and looked out, letting those dreams slip away, letting his mind go still.
Reply
Reply
"Busy?" There was a tiny pause then he remembered to smile. "Not for you."
Moving away from the window, he sat on the plush settee in one corner of the room and patted the cushion next to him. "Come sit with me and tell me what troubles you."
Reply
"I heard from Bella today." Not from my sister. Not just now. She glanced up to meet Lucius's gaze and then dropped her eyes to her lap. "An owl arrived late this morning."
Reply
Reply
Pulling back a centimetre, he murmured against her mouth, "What are you thinking, love?"
Reply
Reply
He smirked and sat back, pulling her back against his side. "So. Andromeda tells her mongrel offspring about the bolthole at some point in her life, Miss Tonks tells her lover, Lupin, and Lupin tells Greyback. A little complex but not unworkable. Hm. Lupin was the one to free Greyback from Azkaban, I believe, so Greyback returning the favour by saving this child is not an unreasonable conclusion."
Reply
Leave a comment