||Now It's Just Us||

Chapter 10

The gardens were nearly lifeless. The ground was barren and cracked. The bushes were leafless, and only had their tangling branches and brambles that were woven together in a macabre form of a mesh. The thorns could be seen very prominently. The hedges weren't pristine like they once used to be. They had shrivelled and died, and now looked like just twigs stacked up high. A wall of branches and thorns. The fountain was silent. The white peacock had died a long time ago. In winter, everything would be covered with a sheet of snow. Everything would be cold and cracked and devoid of life.

Of course, the garden hadn't always been like this. There had been a time when the grounds were covered in grass, well kept and lush, and if one were to take a walk their feet would suck into the grass. The flower bushes had actually been flower bushes, not thorn bushes. The leaves were a bright green, the flowers added spots of colour. The trees had been glorious, offering shade under their canopies. The hedges had been those one might see in the palace of the muggle Queen, if not better than hers. The fountain had once bubbled merrily, casting small rainbows on the grass when the sun caught the water at an angle. It's sound of whispering and gushing and bubbling could be heard from afar, never leaving the manor in complete silence. The peacock had been alive as well. The estate of Malfoy manor had been esteemed and prestigious.

Narcissa sighed as she looked out upon the gardens. It was barren and lifeless, much like herself and Lucius. It was a comfort to have him back again. But he spent most of his time in the sitting room, or doing the community service that was required of him. She couldn't, and wouldn't, unburden herself on him.

A spot of colour caught her eye.

A lone dandelion. It was full with its white, fleece like seeds, and danced gaily with the wind. Narcissa smiled a small smile. There was still hope, then. Perhaps, come spring, the garden would come to life again.

Narcissa's thoughts wandered to Hermione Granger.

At first, she didn't know what to make of the girl. She was kind, and caring, and was willing to help her when nobody else was. Her friends must have surely disapproved of what she had done. Narcissa had seen the whispers and murmurs of admonition that had spread throughout the crowd at the trial when Hermione had come down from the benches. No doubt, Hermione had heard it was well, but she wasn't affected by it in the least. She was completely okay with standing alone, without support. She bloomed gracefully wherever she was placed. Very much like the dandelion. Since would say dandelions are but weeds. Narcissa thought different. Besides, weeds could be beautiful too.

"Cissy."

Narcissa sucked in a sharp breath and turned around to face her husband. The small smile disappeared from her face at the sight of him. 

His skin was pulled taut across his face, making his cheekbones appear very prominent. His eyes looked sunken, and almost as lifeless as the garden. His long hair had grown haggard and stringy, and his air of self importance was absent from his countenance. His face was starting to show wrinkles of old age, and his forehead was nearly always creased in a frown.

"Lucius," she said in way of greeting, "you-they left you early."

"I asked to be left early," Lucius said somewhat tensely. 

Narcissa's lips parted as she processed his words. 

"You are not well, are you?" she asked sternly, fixing him with a withering glare. He immediately averted his gaze.

"I just needed some rest," Lucius sat down on a settee and rested his walking cane against the back of a chair. He closed his eyes and took several steadying breaths. Narcissa placed a hand on his shoulder, stroking it gently and lovingly with her thumb.