Hand That Binds

7

"Don't you want to hold her, Hermione?"

Lucius studied his wife, knowing that she was barely capable of holding her own head up, let alone a tiny baby. Still, she smiled at Luna Lovegood-Scamander and nodded.

The front parlor was nearly full, but Ronald Weasley had ushered the children out to let the adults visit, leaving Lucius looking at the Black Family tapestry with Potter and Rolf Scamander. The women were sitting on the armchairs and couches, but Lucius wanted to confront one woman in particular who sat singularly in one of the armchairs. Padma Weasley looked despondent one moment, then guilty the next. Lucius noted that Ginny Potter, despite giving birth for the third time, seemed quite energetic, and was frowning at Granger, as if realizing something.

He watched Lovegood-Scamander pass a green bundled child across its mother's lap to Granger, who smiled widely and cuddled the baby close. The baby was rather sweet looking with its fuzzy red hair and its pink cheeks and little suckling mouth. Draco had also been a sweet baby, but with white blond hair and rosy cheeks that seemed impossible for a Malfoy baby to have. Lucius was told that he was a rather skinny baby with a brooding countenance and rarely ever cried. His mother told him often when he was young that Lucius had not cried when he was born and just looked irritated.

"She smells nice," Granger whispered, and then sighed weakly.

Ginny Potter frowned. "Are you alright?" she whispered, leaning closer.

Granger smiled sadly down at the baby girl, and sighed, nodding her head. "Here, I...I am just tired."

Ginny Potter took her daughter, and opened her mouth to say something, but thought better of it.

Lucius looked at the tapestry again. Potter and Scamander were talking softly near the burnt spot of Sirius Black. Lucius gazed at the woven interpretation of Narcissa and himself. His face looked rather generic while Narcissa's was quite accurate. His eyes moved to Draco's face, still so young, and Astoria Greengrass. Under them was the face of a boy, blond, keen eyed. Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy, that was his grandson's name. It was a good name.

The women were talking, no, Ginny Potter and Luna Lovegood-Scamander were talking, Granger was trying to appear as if she were interested, and Mrs. Padma Weasley was staring a hole into the floor.

They had only been to the ancestral Black home for perhaps twenty minutes, and in that time Lucius had only said a total of five words. Ronald Weasley had given him a hard look when he came out of the Floo with Granger, but nodded to him. Yes, he felt very out of place, even as the Lovegood-Scamanders shook his hand and asked about the Granians, which surprised him. It seemed as though the Lovegood-Scamanders knew all magical breeders in Britain and Ireland. The Longbottoms had sent their regrets, and Lucius wished, for perhaps the first time, that Neville Longbottom had been there.

Lucius remained silent, only following Potter, and watching Padma Weasley and Granger. It had been something miraculous to get Granger ready for the visit to Grimmauld Place. Mariah had asked her to stay at home so the private Healer could monitor Granger. Granger had merely asked for Fortifying Draughts and for Maizy to lay out one of her warmer dresses and a winter cloak.

'Punitive Charm, my Lord, that is all it could be. Coitus interruptus, the presence of semen, but not in the proper place...it's cruel. I am concerned that it might activate again if you do not consummate in the monthly time limit. And I've not encountered such a thing, but I'll consult with others,' Mariah Wainscott had whispered to him after Granger consented to a Dreamless Sleep. 'I'm not seeing any permanent damage, just...pain on par with the Cruciatus. It has not affected her magic or her bodily function. That Charm you used...'