AFTER DARK- Lucius Malfoy x Reader

Rational Reasons

Ahhh sorry guys I've been working on research for my prof and taking a million naps!!! I've been so stressed:(

Hope those of you that have been reading haven't forgotten the plot HA!

Much love,
FJ
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Draco and I walked down the drive toward the Malfoy manor, having just left behind a Professor who was endlessly enraptured with the items in my fathers study.

His fascination and obsession with all of it was bordering on pathological.

Snape had barely lifted his head when I'd told him I'd be staying at the Malfoy manor. His eyes were trained on some old, worn journal—his magic drifting over it to see what curses or enchantments might lay there.

And no doubt to snoop inside its contents afterwards.

At least someone was enjoying my father's collection of warped items.

The afternoon breeze cooled my skin in relief—the cloudless day's unobstructed sunlight beat down on me. Draco's pale face was already pink from it, his eyes squinting from the sun as I glanced at him.

He carried both of my bags as though he didn't trust me to do it...and not bolt.

Draco's silence was difficult to decipher—whether it was irritation, exhaustion, or just quiet consideration of his own thoughts.

He wanted us to try to be better friends to each other—to have more honesty and openness between us.

I wasn't sure I could give that to him. Not after everything that happened during the war... or with his father.

But however much I wanted to explain that to him, I couldn't.

The doors of the manor opened when we were mere steps away. Those eyes that I knew too well landed on me and I might have stopped breathing.

Idiotic—so so idiotic and foolish to have let myself care for him.

To have ever reached for him or let him hold me.

To think we could be anything...

Seeing him standing there, his own son walking next to me, only confirmed it—the idea that we could somehow bask in our happiness without consequences—hit me like a ton of bricks.

The reality id tried to avoid.

Draco's father... how could we ever make such a thing work?

I'd known it was a fools hope and still had let myself pretend. That safe house estate had been far too removed from reality.

"Glad to see you managed to come to your senses," Lucius said to me as way of greeting, his eyes pinned on me.

He was referring to my decision to stay here but somehow it hit too close to the thoughts that swam in my head—though I doubted he'd read my mind. He seemed to be against such things.

Still...My heart guttered.

Had I been carrying my own bags I might have turned right around and left at that comment.

"We prepared your previous room—I hope that will be satisfactory," he said as Draco stepped in front of me and into the house, determined to go set my bags down.

I gave Lucius a brief glance.

"Yes, that will be fine," I responded without emotion and he gave me a slight nod, his eyes lingering for far to long to be casual.

I turned to follow Draco where he'd already begun up the stairs.

"Dinner is at 6:30," his voice called up to us.