Waiting | Lucius Malfoy

Chapter Four | Broken Promises

Lucius and Guinevere sat in shared silence. The clock read 6.30 and Draco had yet to make an appearance. She had been met in the foyer, with a kiss on the cheek this time from Lucius, as he handed her a glass of an unnamed liquor. It wasn't the usual Firewhiskey that Draco and Guinevere consumed. This was sweeter and a lot more pleasant. He ushered her to his drawing-room, where they exchanged pleasantries awaiting his son's arrival.

Tapping her foot against the stone floor, she was growing more and more anxious. Guinevere wasn't sure if this was some clever tactic of Draco's and if he was using her obsession with time as a wizard's chess piece. It was either that or he had little regard for mending their relationship. Either way, she and Lucius avoided speaking while they looked anywhere around the room, except at each other. She heard him clear his throat and looked up to find him grinning back at her.

"Yes?"

"It's just... Miss Grace. Guinevere. I was going to compliment you on your attire, but I wasn't sure if it was wholly appropriate, given our last encounter." His eyes shone brightly with humour, even in the dimly lit room.

Guinevere was horrified as she giggled like a schoolgirl. Coughing, trying to cover up her laugh, she brought her hand to run it through her hair. She was growing impatient. At this rate, Draco and she would be finished with things left unsaid. Lucius could sense her growing restlessness.

"Have you ever been to the library?" He asked all of a sudden, taking his hand and running it through his platinum blonde locks, almost mirroring her moments earlier. Intriguing.

"Draco said he'd take me. Never did." Guinevere smiled weakly at him, feeling a sudden wave of sadness coming over her. Three years and this was how it was going to end.

Lucius extended his arm, signalling that he would accompany her to the Malfoy's private library. Guinevere tried to hide her giddiness and instead focused on putting one foot in front of the other. As they left the drawing-room and made their way down the extensive hallway, the portraits muttered their hellos and made passing comments. They passed Abraxas Malfoy.

"Father." Lucius nodded towards the portrait. It sneered in response and Guinevere caught his eye. "He's always like this. Pay him no mind. This way." She felt closer to Lucius than she had before, not only in proximity but in understanding. His earlier parenting towards Draco had been questionable, but it came down to the age-old question of nature or nurture. He repeated the behaviours of his father before him, and so on and so on. It was all quite tragic really.

She audibly gasped as he swung the library door open, revealing two floors of books from wall to wall. Without thinking, she embraced him and pressed a kiss to his cheek. "Thank you!" Guinevere stalked off towards the nearest section, revelling in the embarrassment of her outburst and honing in on the excitement of the texts before her. She spotted an ancient book, which appeared to glow blue from within its cover. Intrigued, she reached out for it.

"Ah! Guinevere. I wouldn't recommend that one. Rather dark if you ask me." He didn't need to say any more. She pulled her hand back. The Malfoy's beliefs may have died along with Voldemort, but there were still several dark artefacts spread across the Manor. Guinevere wasn't sure why they kept them, or if she even wanted to know.

"He loves you, you know." He stated plainly while adjusting the collar of the white shirt beneath his dress robes. She looked at him sceptically.

"I know he's your son, but you don't need to cover for him. If he loved me, he'd be here." He muttered something that Guinevere didn't catch and stalked away, leaving her alone in the section. She was fearful to touch anything else in case it inwardly cursed her, so instead, she walked down each aisle observing the titles.