from Time to Time | Lucius Malfoy

Christmas

1990, December 24th

"This is for me?" I looked at Severus wide-eyed.

Of course things got touchy between us after just a few days and of course it happened what had to happen which is anything but professional in the end when you work together. But goodness gracious, who cares? You're only young once! Severus of course was my type of guy and obviously I was his type of women too. The first kiss happened already after 3 days of working together, we ended up in bed after another 5 and now we were sitting here. Under a Christmas tree in his living room in his chambers and I held a small box in my hands.

"Of course for you, I hope you like it." He looked at me dreamily. Oh Merlin, those eyes... I smiled and looked back down at the package, wrapped in emerald green paper with a black bow tied around it, how fitting. It was absolutely no coincidence that I ended up in Slytherin. I wanted it. The sorting hat wanted to put me in Ravenclaw but I wanted, no, I had to go to Slytherin... I guess that's called female intuition. I grabbed the ribbon and undid it, removing the paper and staring at the book.

"You're crazy!" I blurted out. Severus grinned. A first edition of Alice in Wonderland. We both shared an obsession on muggle books, Alice in Wonderland was my absolute favorite. I stroked the leather cover and sighed, looking at my boss, friend, lover, soul mate and murmured a low "thank you...". It was muffled by his lips. Severus kissed me tenderly. The book slipped from my hands and I leaned further into his arm. My arms naturally found their way around his neck and I slid into his lap. "Besides, I love you."

I widened my eyes and looked at him. Did he really just say that? My heart almost jumped out of my chest. "Calm down, you're about to explode. You don't have to say it. I said it. And I stand by it. If you don't want to say it, that's okay, I can-" he stuttered to himself but I cut him off with another kiss. Then my lips parted from his and it felt so light and carefree to utter the following words: "I love you too."

We sat like that for a while staring at each other, both with huge grins on their faces. Who falls in love with their workmate? We. Who speaks out loud the holy three words after only 3 months? We. I felt pure bliss, Felix Felicis couldn't bring forth such strong feelings as I had during that magical moment.

"And I will always love you." He broke the silence and sealed it with another kiss. Yes, Severus, I will always love you too, I thought to myself, melting into his arms once more.

1962, December 24

Lucius was sitting in the living room eating an apple. It was Christmas and his father wasn't home. It was probably better that way, because now he could sit here in the living room, stare into the corner where last year there was a magnificently decorated Christmas tree, and imagine with every bite of his apple that it was a cookie baked by HER .

After his mummy left last year, she never came back again. His father told him it was his fault, no woman would want such a naughty child, that's why his real mother died and his nanny ran away. He hadn't believed a word his father said. She had gone, yes, but she would definitely come back. One day she would come and get him, take him with her and celebrate a wonderful Christmas with him. And birthday. And every other day of the year. And they would eat cookies and cake, drink hot chocolate and lemonade, eat strawberry ice cream and lemon ice cream and hazelnut ice cream and play with his tin dragon. His only toy, for which, according to his father, he is much too old. But what did the old fella even know?

1963, December 24

Lucius was sitting in the living room eating an apple. It was Christmas and his father wasn't home that year either. It was better that way, because now he could sit and wait again, staring into the empty corner where there was a magnificently decorated Christmas tree two years ago and imagining with every bite of his apple that it was a cookie from HER. Maybe today would be the day. Maybe she would come this year...

1964, December 24

Lucius was back in the living room once again. As in previous years, his father was not at home. He held his little dragon in his hands, the almost eaten apple lay next to him on the coffee table and he stared into the empty corner. Should he have stayed at Hogwarts this year? Twelve giant Christmas trees had been set up in the Great Hall and professor Slughorn had offered to stay at school for Christmas. He had chosen to go home, he wanted to wait. But she didn't come...

1965, December 24

Lucius was lying on his bed in his dorm. His dragon was gathering dust on the shelf above his bed. "I wish I had some cookies...", he murmured to himself and closed his eyes. After a while he fell asleep. He didn't care that the other boys and girls were at the feast. He wanted to be alone. His father hadn't allowed him to come home for Christmas this year, he was away on business over the holidays and felt Lucius should stay at school and study.

None of this would have been so bad if the boy hadn't been afraid that SHE would come back this year. And what if nobody was there to greet her? He was panicking and eventually wrote  a letter to Dobby.

The house elf couldn't believe how lucky it was when receiving a letter from young master Malfoy for the first time in his life. In fact, for the very first time in his life he received a letter from a wizard. Or from anyone. "Living room", nothing more was written on the piece of parchment. But Dobby knew. The whole night he stood in the living room and stared into the corner, not even wanting to blink so as not to miss when it finally happened. Wanting to describe every detail of HER return to young master Malfoy, he stared and stared and stared. But the corner remained empty and Dobby waited in vain.

1980, December 24

Lucius sat in the living room staring into the corner. His son sat on his lap. In the corner was the largest Christmas tree imaginable. On the table by the fireplace were 5 plates full of fragrant biscuits, each more delicious than the others. There was a wonderful scent of pumpkin punch and hot chocolate filling the air. There also was a mountain of presents under the Christmas tree, all for his son. Lucius smiled. What he only had once in his life his son would get every year from now on.

"Don't you think that's a bit much?" Narcissa sat down next to him. Of course he had to marry the youngest Black sister... The blond, blue-eyed, boring Black sister. He turned his head and looked at his wife. Andromeda was kicked out from the family, Bellatrix became a loyal follower of the dark lord. Much more loyal than he was himself. Perhaps he had struck a better deal with Narcissa after all. 

"It's spot on, if you'd ask me." he said, turning his head back to the tree, his eyes grazing the little tin dragon perched on the mantelpiece.