Sex, Lies and Malfoy Madness

4 - Mother dearest

Narcissa

'Here you are, Mrs Malfoy. How's the measure?'

'Just right, Theodore.' I flash him an approving smile as I accept the small sherry glass from his hand. He has filled it right to the brim, just the way I like it. 'And please... as I keep saying, call me Narcissa. We're friends, aren't we?'

'Sure, Mrs Malfoy,' he says, a colour rising to his cheeks. I am pleased to observe that he has shaved since arriving here, giving his face a nice, clean finish. I resist the urge to reach out and run a hand along his jaw.

Lucius used to always keep a clean shave. He knew how much I detested the stubble. Something he quickly forgot about after he got out of Azkaban the first time. I watched him deteriorate in front of my very eyes. My lovely handsome Lucius had left me the night he went to the Department of Mysteries and never truly came back.

'Do help yourself to a whisky,' I encourage, my eyes widening as he rolls back his sleeves and stokes the log burner, the muscles tending beneath his sinewy left arm.

'Sure, Mrs Malfoy.'

My eyes linger on him as he moves to the drinks cabinet and pours himself a large measure. Silence remains as he takes a deep sip, grimacing as he swallows.

'I never realised you are left handed,' I point out, 'Lucius was, too.'

'Oh,' he says, his voice stiff as he took another long sip.

His mind is clearly elsewhere and I know exactly where.

'They're adults, Theodore. Please don't fret. I'm sure your sister is making sensible choices.'

'I just can't bear-'

'It's natural you should worry. She's your little sister after all. But I can assure you my son loves her, anyone can see that. It's just sex, Theodore. A healthy way in which two people show how much they love one another-'

I flinch as the glass in his hand shatters. Quickly removing my wand, I clear up the mess.

'Theodore,' I say, keeping my voice steady. 'Talk to me. Talk to me about Daphne.'

His whole body shudders as he sobs in his hands. I flick my wand again and the repaired glass is refilled with whisky, hovering mid air in front of him.

'I- I love her so much.'

'Of course you do,' I soothe, 'young love... it seems like everything at the time.'

'It is,' he says fiercely, taking me by surprise as his piercing blue eyes burn into mine.

'I know it seems that way right now, but things will change.' I pause, waiting for him to take in my words. In the end, he looks away as though our eye contact is too much for him.

'Tell me about it,' I continue, patting the space on the couch next to me. 'Tell me about how you two came to fall in love.'

He looks hesitant at first, and then, as though resigned, he sighs heavily and sits himself down next to me. I catch his scent, taking me back to a time of youth and sex.

'She was always pretty to me, the prettiest of them all.' I watch as his eyes glaze over; losing himself in a fog of whisky and memories. 'And the day she agreed to be my girlfriend was the happiest day of my life. I had to pinch myself because I thought I was dreaming. I dreamt about her a lot, you see... I still do.'

He flushes red, and I suddenly feel wistful, recalling the way times had once been for Lucius and I - once so young and in love, driven by our desire to simply be close to one another.

'She must have thought so too,' I say, putting a hand on his arm, 'she must have seen how lucky she was to have such a handsome gentleman noticing her.'

His face goes an even deeper colour. 'You're too kind, Mrs Malfoy.'

'Oh, don't be so modest!' I laugh, not removing my hand from his arm. 'So... where did you take her on your first date?'

'It was just a walk to Hogsmeade, we were only fourteen. I was shy about holding her hand, scared my palm would sweat against hers, making her feel disgusted. But it wasn't... it was nice.'

A smile curves at his lips, and I feel something once redundant stir inside me as I am reminded of those wonderful early days of romance.

'And your first kiss?' I press, suddenly yearning to hear more, needing to place myself deep in the middle of this teen romance and just remember how it could be.

Theodore rubs his neck, looking shy once more as he avoids my eye. 'Well... it was nothing really. It was night of the Yule Ball. She got angry and accused me of staring at one of the girls from Beauxbatons all night- which I was because this particular girl was hot hot and had a body which no straight male in their mind wouldn't have fantasised about. But of course I didn't tell Daphne that, and instead I silenced her accusations with a kiss.'

'I thought you said you found no one prettier than Daphne?'

'I don't. But there's pretty and there's hot.'

Our eyes meet, and I feel a frisson of electricity in the air.

'Now, be a darling, won't you and put another log on the fire. I feel we ought to give the lovebirds a little longer.'

Perhaps I am being a little generous towards my son, but I am rather enjoying the atmosphere in the winter cabin, feeling younger than I've had in a long time.