from Time to Time | Lucius Malfoy

Family dinner

1991

"Your beloved...son...is coming to dinner tonight, he has signed up...I have to go back and get something in Diagon Alley, I'm behind on the production of the boost potions." Severus waited for my reply . The way he said it... your beloved son... he kept teasing and couldn't just let it go.

6 weeks had passed since afternoon tea in the Malfoy's conservatory. Lucius and I have seen each other almost every day since, first trying to work through what was needed and then creating a bond that neither Severus nor Narcissa could understand or comprehend. Even Draco was a little suspicious that his father was spending more time with a different woman than his mother and seemed really... well... happy about it. What did we do? We read. We played the piano and sang. we cooked We brewed potions and flew on broomsticks. We were acting like best friends or mother and son... the only weird thing about it was that this son was 10 years older than the mother. But we didn't care, we were happy. Lucius needed this. I needed this. We needed this. It was a welcome change and distraction from the ever-increasing wedding stress... two weeks from now.

"In arrears? I don't want to start a fight again, but the basement is jam-packed... did you look into the future and see a severe flu epidemic from September?" I smiled. not Severus. "Future, past... it's more your thing, isn't it? Anyway, I have to go. See you later, I'll be back at 7." And with that he was out the door.

I sat in the kitchen and listened to the clock tick. Severus and I were constantly countering each other, but love is known to tease, isn't it? At least we didn't have any problems in our relationship... we loved each other. We cuddled and kissed, we had sex and bathed together - Lucius and Narcissa on the other hand... the relationship or what was left of it wasn't just asleep it was dead. Dead than dead. Already crumbled to dust... Lucius At first he avoided me when I asked about Narcissa, but before long he started giving me details about their life together. That after Draco was born everything was still going reasonably well... but after the war the relationship went completely out of control. Narcissa grew more and more jealous for no reason - until finally there were many reasons. He took refuge in affairs, was only rarely at home and spent at first hardly any time with his wife, then no time at all. He was always there for Draco, however, but the boy was growing older and was well aware that his parents' relationship to each other was different than that of his friends' parents. Not only did they not share a bed, but they also slept in different rooms on different floors. And they never spent a single night together, not even secretly...

I knew Lucius wouldn't consider divorce. He would stay with Narcissa, or rather with Narcissa. And one day Draco would get married and the two would take care of the grandchildren. He's already looking forward to that, because then it wouldn't be so suffocatingly quiet in the house... as it is now that Draco isn't at home...

Would Severus and I ever feel like this? Would we ever stop talking to each other? Would either of us ever move into the guest room? I couldn't and didn't want to imagine such a life... And I wish that my Lucius... my little Lu... that something like this had never happened to him. That he could be happy with his wife... that he could love and allow himself to be loved...

The clock struck 6 o'clock. Oh Merlin, I was late! Lucius would be here in half an hour and I should have finished the soup by now-

30 minutes later, pumpkin soup was steaming on the stove and a roast was in the oven while I wrapped green beans in strips of bacon. The doorbell rang and a smile spread across my lips, finally he was there. I almost missed him! I quickly wiped my hands and walked to the door, opening it and- "Oh, hello...come in-" I hadn't expected Draco to be there. "I was going to send an owl but it was right...on short notice..." Lucius whispered apologetically and pushed his son into the anteroom. "Mom's drunk. I wanted pizza but Dad said that wasn't a good idea, so-" - "Draco! What were we talking about before we flew here?" - "Don't tell around that mother is drunk..." Lucius glared at his son while he kicked his shoes off his feet.

Drunk? It was Tuesday. I hadn't received any information about this, did that happen more often? I looked questioningly at Lucius, but he avoided my gaze and took off his shoes as well. Unlike his offspring, however, he placed them neatly next to those that belonged to my fiancé and entered the living room. "I think we could organize pizza as well," I muttered to myself as I walked through the living room and into the kitchen. Draco's eyes sparkled.

Just before 7 o'clock, Severus came rattling straight down the living room fireplace with a loud whoosh and looked straight into the eyes of the youngest Malfoy offspring. "Family dinner, am I interrupting?" I rolled my eyes, did he always have to comment on everything? After a short time, the two men were talking splendidly about medicinal plants while Draco helped me in the kitchen. The question of why we didn't have a house elf was answered relatively quickly and when the table was set and all the plates were filled, I was finally able to stop the growling in my stomach. The soup was great, the roast spot on, the beans couldn't have been better, and Draco was still raving about the crispy pizza over dessert. It's nice when your own family praises the food so much... The constellation at the table was very strange. If Lucius was my foster son, then somehow Draco was my grandson. And Severus was his godfather... and my fiancé. I smirked to myself until-

"And where is Narcissa?" Severus looked around. We really didn't want to discuss the topic much... Draco said nothing, put another spoonful of chocolate cream in his mouth and stared at his father. I folded my napkin and put it on the table, no, there's no way I would say anything on the subject... "Indisposed." What a word. Lucius stared at Severus and he seemed to understand immediately. Apparently this wasn't the first time... "She should control herself better..." That was all Severus had to say to that.

"It was a nice evening, don't you think?" I put my book aside and closed my eyes. "Maybe Narcissa needs help? Do you know a bit more? What's the problem?" Severus huffed. "Don't make their problems ours. I can imagine that you feel responsible but honestly, Cait... you can't help them both. She hates him, he hates her, both love the child. Better not mix a." I opened my eyes and looked at my fiancé. "They hate each other? Are you serious? So as far as I understand-" - "Cait, you only know Lucius' version. He's making it seem like it's all Narcissa's fault, of course! He was never a child of sadness and this drinking is an escape from the current situation..." Current situation? I sat up straight and gasped for air. "Are you suggesting that it's my fault that she gets drunk?" - "Just a little bit. Not exactly... I mean... she's jealous! He loves you but she doesn't. I can't deny that I'm not a little jealous too... but I know that it's not what part of me thinks it is...or is it?" he swallowed. "WHAT!? Do you think we're dating- Severus, are you still sane?" He rolled his eyes and sighed. "You see, it's not easy for Narcissa or me right now. I'm a bit more enlightened than Misses Malfoy though...she's 100% convinced you're shagging. You ask how I know? She texts me all the time. She suspects that you guys are having an affair, that the whole time travel story isn't true and it's just an excuse so you can meet up." I was beside myself, but calmed down relatively quickly. "And you? Do you believe me? The story?" I looked hopefully into his eyes. After half an eternity he nodded. "Yes, I believe you. Good night, princess."

My fiancé's regular breathing made it obvious that he had fallen asleep. It was around 2am when I got up and went into his small office and grabbed some parchment and a quill. Excitedly I began to write, folded the small letter and tied it to my owl's leg. I caught a glimpse of her as she flew up into the night sky... straight to Wiltshire. The content of the letter was as brief as my sleep that night. "She thinks we're having an affair?" No more words were necessary. The answer to my question I received at breakfast was "Yes." Great, my own wedding would be a disaster if I didn't plan an interview with Narcissa in advance...