Snakes and Ladders (Fem!HPxLM) (DISCONTINUED)

Aonaran

"I want to see him."

Those were the first words Hyacinth had uttered in two weeks. It had been two weeks since she learnt she would never have children—two weeks since she had spoken a single word. Lucius spent every waking hour with her, reluctant to leave her side, fearing she would do something to herself while he was gone.

It wasn't like Lucius was the only one, either. When the others weren't taking turns torturing their plaything, they were at her side. Bellatrix seemed to be the one there the most. Bellatrix had long since known of her own infertility. She had learned of it in her late teens after she had contracted gonorrhoea that went untreated. The infection led to pelvic inflammatory disease, which caused scarring that blocked the fallopian tubes. Everyone in their school year knew that Bellatrix was going through a deep depression at the time but not the root cause of it.

Lucius looked at Hyacinth and saw a mirror image of Bellatrix back in school, and his heart broke for her just as it did for Bellatrix all those years ago.

"Are you sure that is wise?" He asked calmly, placing the book he had been reading down on her nightstand to look at her.

She hadn't pulled her eyes away from the window she was staring out of. They had built in a window seat for her months prior, and for the past two weeks, she hadn't moved from it, not even to sleep. She sat there day and night, silently staring at the grounds of the manor.

She hummed quietly, considering his words before finally, finally pulling her eyes away from the view outside to look at him. Her eyes were glassy and glazed, full of the silent grief she had endured for the past two weeks.

"Maybe, maybe not. But I'll never know if I don't see him," came her reply, voice monotone and emotionless. He sighed and nodded, conceding to her wishes. He watched as she slowly stood from the window seat, wincing as she went, her internal wounds still healing and her body stiff from staying in the same spot for so long.

She silently shuffled into her walk-in closet to choose a change of clothes for the first time in weeks. She emerged holding a pile of clothes and took them into the bathroom, where she bathed and washed her hair for the first time in what felt like forever. Lucius silently picked up his book, continuing where he had left off while waiting.

An hour later, she exited the bathroom looking miles better than before. She had changed into a solid black fitted three-piece suit forgoing a shirt, simply wearing nothing under the waistcoat and finished it off with black heels.

She had pulled her freshly washed hair into a messy, basic bun, secured into place with a large claw hair clip. She had forgone makeup, the bags under her eyes prominent and stark against her pale skin.

He sent a sympathetic smile her way as she once again winced at the pain centred around her lower abdomen. He met her halfway, looping her arm with his own as he supported some of her weight while they walked.

"Are you completely sure about this? It is quite the walk down to the dungeons, and I don't want to risk you hurting yourself," He asked as they slowly exited her bedroom and gradually tackled the stairs.

Lucius was gifted with a smile from Hyacinth, something she hadn't done in over a month that he found he greatly missed. It was a small thing, a slight lift to the corners of her mouth. But it was a smile regardless, and he stored the memory away where he could look back on it as a small victory.

"I'm sure, Lucius. I need closure, and I feel like this is the only way I will get it," she replied, her cheeks and voice regaining some of their previous brightness.

The rest of the walk was spent in silence until they finally reached the entrance to the dungeons. Lucius paused here, unlooping his arm from hers to place his hands on both of her arms, ensuring eye contact with her.

"I have to warn you. What you are about to see won't be a pretty sight. Not only are the dungeons themselves simply a disturbing place to be, but the people in this manor care for and love you deeply. Every one of us suffered when we saw you in pain, so we returned that suffering tenfold, do you understand?" He asked, voice quiet with seriousness, the weight of his words hanging between them. Hyacinth nodded firmly, solidifying her understanding.

Lucius nodded back to her before turning back to the entrance to the dungeons, a steady, supportive hand planted firmly in the centre of her back. She wasn't alone, and he would make damn well sure she knew that.