AFTER DARK- Lucius Malfoy x Reader

Between Dreams

My eyes fluttered open.

I'd been in a constant state between waking and sleeping for...hours? Days? I couldn't tell.

Lucius had been in my dreams. Unless it had been real life. He'd been there, by the fireplace. Sitting at the desk. Sleeping on a chair. Blonde hair through my blurry vision.... Even his blue eyes.

I saw things I was never sure were real. Felt things I wasn't sure were real. I felt water down my throat, a hand on my head, the adjustment of my pillows.

But now—-I blinked. I stared up at the ceiling. I saw doubles, blinking them away a couple times.

I turned my head slowly.

Lucius was sleeping in a chair next to the bed, a blanket covering half of him.

He was slouched in the chair, his head tipped to rest against the side of it.

He looked so... relaxed. Peaceful. His frown lines softened. His hair was disheveled. His chest rose and collapsed slowly.

I began to sit up, which was quite an effort. I tried not to make a sound as I struggled up against the headboard, then had to catch my breath for a few moments. I was so sluggish.

I looked down at my hands. They were bandaged. They felt dry and stiff, feeling as though I couldn't quite bend my fingers.

My lips and throat were so dry.

"Lucius," I huffed with effort but it came out in a whisper. My voice sounded scratchy and dry and wasn't loud enough to wake him.

"LUCIUS," I tried again and his eyes fluttered open. He looked over at me and abruptly stood up.

"Y/N? What's wrong?," he asked sitting on the bed next to my thigh. I almost fell over from the shift of his weight.

"I need water" I whispered, feeling slightly nauseous as I took a long blink.

He quickly materialized a glass of water with a straw from thin air and moved closer to me. He held the straw up to my lips.

I drank the whole glass through long sips within seconds.

I caught my breath again, letting myself blink a few times.

This was so bad. So much worse than not having a wand.

"You shouldn't be sitting up. You should be rest—"

"What day is it?" I interrupted with a croak, closing my eyes.

"Tuesday."

I calculated through my foggy mind—it had been three days.

"Three days?"

"Yes," he confirmed, "You should—"

"Why am I so.... tired?" I interrupted again, keeping my eyes shut to deal with the feeling of nausea and dizziness.

"I gave you potions to help with the pain while you healed. That and the enchantment—"

"Bastard," I sighed as I opened my eyes and lazily shifted my head to look over to him.

"Fighting words. The hate must be giving you energy," he said smiling slightly.

I confirmed with a hum as my eyes shut.

Again the world went dark.

——

Which is worse, I wonder?

Nightmares that make waking a relief?

Or dreams so lovely waking becomes a misery?

-F.J.
Xxx