Waiting | Lucius Malfoy

Chapter Thirty-Three | The Malfoy Matriarch

She'd sent Narcissa an owl before bed that night, declining her invitation as politely as she could manage. She and Lucius had participated in an awkward dinner, before retiring to bed, with Guinevere attempting to act as normal as she could, considering her secret owl message. She'd managed to be discreet and had completed the task at hand. So, how was it that Narcissa was now standing in her bedroom the next morning, eyes wide, taking in the sight of her?

They stared at each other in silence for a moment, and she noticed the bags that sat under Narcissa's crystal blue eyes. Her hair was tied neatly in a bun, secured with her wand. Her robes were loose emerald green silk, with a hood that sat upon her dainty shoulders.

"My dear, I came as soon as I could."

"Oh, Godric! I mean-"

"Hush now, Guinevere. I don't have much time. It's likely that Lucius will be aware that I'm here and that he'll come running to your aid as quickly as physically possible. So, listen closely. When did it begin?" Narcissa was tapping her foot impatiently, her eyes shifting to the large bay window at the right side of the room.

"I," Guinevere's eyes scanned the perfectly polished wooden floors. "I'm sorry, Narcissa. I don't know what to tell you."

"Tell me everything. But first, when did it begin?"

"This doesn't seem fair to you, having to listen to me reciting about my relationship with your ex-husband. That seems cruel."

"Guinevere, I loved Lucius. He gave me my Draco, for Merlin's sake. But that has absolutely nothing to do with why I'm here. I need to know exactly what happened."

"He hasn't imperiused me, Narcissa. I'm with him of my own free will." And for my sins, she almost added.

"He knew that you were linked. Did he tell you? He knew that your magical signatures were aligned from that singular moment in the Manor that night. Do you remember it?"

"Yes, but-"

"He knew and he bided his time. He waited to see how your relationship would develop with Draco, all the while knowing that there were deeper factors at play. He kept you in the dark, Guinevere because he knew. He knew that you were going to be his. Doesn't that scare you? It should. It's only a fraction of what he's capable of. And even then, he couldn't wait to let it all play out how it was supposed to."

"What? I'm not in danger, am I?" Guinevere asked honestly, her voice small.

"Not yet. But Guinevere, if you try to leave him or find someone else, I don't know what he'll do. He's waited years for this moment and he won't let anyone take that away from him."

"I love him. Is that real? Is what I feel real?"

"Yes," she paused, her tongue darting out to wet her lips. "But you must understand - your relationship is far from normal. You're drawn to each other, in every sense of the word. Your worlds are destined to start and end with each other. Draco and I are irrelevant in the matter, we're a footnote as far as this is concerned."

"That's not true, Narcissa. He loved you. You have a child."

"Yes, but that was only the beginning. I was the start of the story, it ends with you. What if you want a child of your own, have you thought about that? Whether he wants that too? Whether you'll give up everything you could have for him?"

"I haven't even thought about it. I don't know if I even want children."

"You haven't considered it, ever?"

She had, truthfully. Never with Draco. She'd never wanted children with him. But before him, she'd imagined having children of her own. She closed her eyes and thought of tiny socks and mini brooms and children with blue eyes and Lucius' long hair. Shit. Maybe she did want children with him.