𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓖𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓻𝓷𝓮𝓼𝓼 || 𝐋𝐮𝐜𝐢𝐮𝐬 𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐟𝐨𝐲

Chapter 23 - Tipsy

Ophelia and Lucius walked hand in hand from the maze, her fingers clasped between his, though they were sure to quickly drop their touch when they reached the Ministers manor house. They drank champagne, shared a dance, wine, more dancing, more champagne. Draco was collected from the nanny, his father attempted to wake the sleeping boy from the sofa of the parlour, but Draco barely stirred. Instead, Lucius plucked him effortlessly into his arms, and the three of them headed home in a crackle of green fire.

Lucius set Draco down in his bed, his feet dragging on the wooden floors, whilst Ophelia was tasked with finding more wine in the kitchen. Lucius could practically hear the governess from the other side of the house, bashing and fumbling about in the pantry.

"I don't... I don't think Hogwarts could quite hear you, my dear." Lucius smirked sloppily from the doorway, his cravat hung loose around his neck, three buttons undone revealing his sculpted chest. His arm rested against the frame, the only thing keeping him standing straight.

"Shh," Ophelia giggled, as she pulled out a bottle by its neck. "You'll wake Draco."

"No, I think- I think it is you who will wake him," Lucius smiled with a slight sway as he took the wine bottle from her hand. "What have you... got here?" Lucius asked as a he squinted at the bottle, where the letters supposed to move around like that? Lucius rubbed at his eyes. "Merlot."

"I don't know my wines; I just drink whatever I can get my hands on!" Ophelia slurred as she stumbled towards the kitchen counter. Her heels were long abandoned, she had little excuse for her faltering feet.

"And I- Don't I- I know it, you will drink my stores... dry!" Lucius chuckled; his own slurring speech not much better than hers.

"Nooo!" Ophelia feigned a whine, but couldn't withhold her giggles, "I do not drink... that much, never,"

"You drank a bit tonight,"

"Barely a little bit drunk," Ophelia hiccupped, "You are more tipsier than I ever am tipsy!"

"That doesn't make sense," Lucius eventually said after he drunkenly analysed her words

"You... don't make sense," Ophelia yawned with a girlish giggle.

"I think... we should go sleep, it's really late." Lucius rubbed at his eyes.

"No," Ophelia swallowed as she straightened up, she held up her finger matter-o-factly. "It's actually just really.... Early." Hiccup.

Lucius moved for her, his steps swaying, he latched onto her arm and pulled her towards the doors. "Time for... bed."

"You know, I'm not a-" Hiccup. "Child."

"Don't care," Lucius shook his head with a cheeky grin as he stumbled down the narrow corridor with the governess in tow. Ophelia noticed her door come and go, she furrowed her brows, confusion casting over her features.

"My room was... it's back there, we missed it!" She exclaimed, but did not tug against Lucius' pull towards the stairs.

"Not your room," Lucius shook his head, "No you are my princess, you need... a princess bed!" Lucius announced as he traversed the stairs, swaying side to side as he stepped. Ophelia was not as successful on the stairs, her foot becoming tangled in her netted layers as she stepped up, sending her falling forward to her knees. Laughter filled the cramped staircase, both hers and his.

"Ophelia, oh, let me... let me help," Lucius chuckled as he stepped down to her. Wrapping an arm around her shoulder he did his best to haul her up.