A Rose By Any Other Name

Chapter 18

Summers passed in captivity pass all too quickly. The ones in freedom pass even quicker.

There is a guilt you could say, Narcissa thought. Sunning yourself to sleep; numbing oneself from life whilst your other half lies rotting on the slimed floor of a prison cell. But her feelings matter not now. 

"You are thinking of Lucius aren't you dear ?" a woman beside her inquired. She was tall in stature, with lengths of golden hair. The silence of age crept across her face though; seeping itself into crows feet and tributaries across her forehead. Her face had felt pain, like Narcissa's had. Of course it had. They were fed poisons from the same vine.

She was Lucius' mother. 

"How can I not Evelyn ? He was my husband for 22 years. He still is my husband. He is all I have thought about for most of my waking life, at least before Draco came along." Narcissa mused, looking into Evelyn's piercing eyes, the same shade of blue as her own. 

"I felt the same way about Abraxas !"

"For how long ?" 

"Till his last breath" Evelyn noted, sipping from a glass a house elf had just placed in her outstretched and manicured hand. "Oh it doesn't mean I loved him still. Oh no, the love died a long time ago."

"I did love Lucius. Maybe somewhere deep down, I still do. I don't even know anymore." Narcissa muttered, sighing a sense of relief and a mixed cocktail of guilt and content. It was no Pina Colada.

"I do not doubt it Narcissa. The look on yours and Lucius' faces all those years ago could tell no lies. You loved each other. What changed Cissa ? I cannot begin to know what occurred in that house once me and Abraxas left, and if my marriage to him was anything like a precedent, then I can only wish I could've helped more."

Narcissa thought back herself. 

Where had it gone wrong ? She thought, and could only speak the truth. Looking around and spotting no Draco or Evangeline, it came spilling out, as if she was under veritaserum. 

"All was fine till he got involved deeper. I never really cared about Lucius' pursuit of the Dark Arts. My job was to be the trophy wife on his arm and to bear his heirs, it wasn't to meddle in business that did not concern me. But I cannot ignore my husband coming home bloody night after night. And if it wasn't his blood shed on our floor, it was that of some filthy half breed or muggleborn. And when it wasn't theirs, it was mine."

"Yours ?" Evelyn questioned. Truly she couldn't believe the cruelty began so early on for them.

"Nothing like that Ev. Well not yet anyway. I lost so many. One after another. I began to think I couldn't fufill my one duty in this life. And when we had a child, it was a girl as you knew. And when my husband allowed that man..."

"Voldemort-"

"Please do not speak his name. If you do, I don't think I can go on." She composed herself once again before continuing her harrowing journey. "When Lucius allowed hh him to do such a thing. To kill our daughter, my little girl. That was when the love left I think. Draco was an obligation to fill, nothing else. No love was involved. And Lucius tried to make it up to me and I tried to forgive him but I think we both knew it was useless all round. We were broken beyond repair. And that's when resentment comes seeping in. And when there is no more resentment to bear, then comes the violence. And we all know that violent delights come to violent ends. I am just waiting for my violent end Evelyn. Thats it." She chuckled at her final statement. In truth her declaration was just the beginning. The beginning of the end.

However before Evelyn could weigh in on the situation with her daughter in law, Draco came into view, Evangeline in his arms. It was a sight that warmed the pair of them. The best thing to come out of the arrangement between Lucius and Narcissa.

"How are you my darling ?" Narcissa asked, hugging her son with as much strength as she could muster.

"Ok I guess, it is just weird without father here with us." he mused, before huffing. "Gosh, you are getting heavy aren't you." Narcissa chuckled before taking Evangeline off of Draco and placing her down on the grass next to her chair.

"Can I go and play quidditch this afternoon ? A couple of the local boys are quite good and have mentioned a game today." Draco asked. Narcissa pondered for a moment before nodding.

"You many, on the condition that you stay safe." She raised her finger at her only son, warning him greatly. "Also, not that any will know but..." Narcissa charmed her son's appearance, turning his alabaster skin and blue eyed gaze into a light blue eyed, tanned boy with golden wavy hair. In truth he looked nothing like her son, and that was how she wanted it to be. She wished she could tuck him up safe with her as she had done when he was young. As she watched Draco walk away, she wondered whether this would be the last time she saw him.

Would death eaters strike the chateau and kill them all ?

Would they discover Draco ?

"She is a credit to you Cissa. They both are !" Evelyn noted, gazing at her granddaughter adoringly who returned a gummy smile before returning to changing daisies into daffodils. 

"They are my life. I do nothing if not for them. Truthfully, I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for my children."

"I could say the same thing." Evelyn sighed, looking pensive. " Whilst I do not agree with Lucius' choices in life or his treatment of you, he is still my son."

"They are our children. We may not always like our children or their decisions but we always love them. Because we are them, and they are us.  A part of me lives on in Draco and Evangeline. As you live on in Lucius."

"Spoken like a true mother !" 

                                                                                                       *

The hours passed slowly and peacefully. It was never going to last.

Narcissa brushed the last piece of her chocolate brown hair into a loose braid before crossing to the four poster bed in the bedroom she was occupying, for how ever long time granted her. Draco was playing cards with his grandmother, who was rather naughtily teaching her 16 year old son how to play poker. With Evangeline also asleep for the night hopefully, it was just Narcissa alone with her thoughts.

Until...

An owl tapped it's beak on the pristine glass. one she didn't recognise clearly. She crossed over to open the window and retrieve whatever it had brought her. On closer inspection it was a letter. After paying the owl and giving it a light stroke, it flew off into the night once again. Narcissa paced back and forth as she scanned the letter from left to right, almost not believing her eyes. 

"No, no no no no"

It couldn't be, she couldn't let it happen. Time seemed to pass in slow motion; the letter dropped like a feather to the floor. Narcissa dragged her legs to the entrance hall and into her mother in law's private study where Draco and Evelyn were enjoying cards.

Draco looked up at his mother. Dishevelled was the only way he could describe her. Grief stricken almost and yet nobody she loved could have died. They were all already dead as far as he was aware.

"Draco" She sniffed, looking at her son. "I think it's time you go to bed don't you ?"

He looked disappointed, pouting slightly. "But mother, we have only just started another game. I was finally going to beat Grandmother." 

'Draco !!!" Narcissa shouted, small sparks flying from her finger tips. "Just do what I ask please. Theres a good boy." He got up from his seat, kissing his grandmother lightly on the cheek before leaving the room slowly towards his own quarters.

Once out of earshot, Evelyn turned back to Narcissa, a concerned expression across her face.

"Narcissa.... What has happened !"

Narcissa sniffed back streams of tears, cracks of day old mascara awakening and running free down her porcelain cheeks.

"Its him ! The Dark Lord. The worst has happened." She looked around before letting out her fears to the room.

"The time has come. It's coming !"