Hey, Soul Sister [Lucius/Narcissa]

Chapter Forty-One

A/N: Thanks to my friend justforpractice for writing this with me and to all of you for reading. x

***

Narcissa had made her way downstairs and located the elf, and he was currently preparing breakfast for Lucius and Seraphina on her order. For the first time, in the face of such tragedy, she felt she'd found a purpose. She would keep her new family together and happy in any way she could and do everything within her power to help them.

Narcissa was on her way back upstairs when the hooting of an owl caught her attention. She turned her head to find that one had flown in through the open window behind Abraxas's desk chair in the study and had landed on his desk. She started forward again, but the owl let out another hoot and ruffled its brown feathers, and Narcissa moved tentatively into the study and toward the desk to find that the owl held a letter addressed to her. She reached out to take it, glancing around as she did at the room that seemed colder, now that its usual occupant was gone.

She opened the envelope and removed a folded stack of papers that she recognized immediately as the emancipation documents Abraxas had sent back to the Ministry. They now bore the signature of Minister Eugenia Jenkins and a black wax seal in the shape of an 'M.' As she flipped through the paperwork, she found a small piece of parchment bearing a handwritten note from Minister Jenkins wishing her well and stating that she was now legally emancipated from her parents and capable of making her own legal decisions.

This is actually happening, she thought. ...But why now?

She was thrilled by the arrival of the documents, and yet she felt strangely hollow.

Narcissa blinked and looked around at the brush of arms against her waist as they slid around her, and she immediately relaxed when her mind caught up to her and she processed that it was Lucius.

"Something troubling you?" he asked in a whisper in her ear.

She didn't want to upset him further, but she knew he was too perceptive not to know she was hiding something if she didn't admit what she was feeling.

"I appreciate your father's help with all of this, and I just wish he'd been able to see it succeed." She laid her hands on his and scooted back against him.

She heard him draw in a breath and felt him let it out against her neck, which he kissed a few times along with her shoulder as he squeezed her middle tightly.

"He knew, my rose. His soul is smiling somewhere, right now."

"I'm glad he knew," she said quietly, turning her head for a better look at him.

Lucius drew himself up to his fullest height, and Narcissa shifted to face him and rested her head against his chest as she wrapped her arms around him.

"We can marry, now," Lucius breathed as he rested his chin on her head. "I do wish he could've been there and lived long enough to see the looks on your parents' faces when they find out... I'm sure, though, just like I know he's somewhere around here watching over us, that he'll be able to see their faces. I just wish they could've seen his." He sighed.

Narcissa knew Lucius was right, and she hoped that however Abraxas was watching over them, he would enjoy her parents' reactions when they finally learned what she'd done and planned to do.

"I wish that, too," she said. "And I can't wait to marry you, Luc."

Narcissa's cheeks burned—she hadn't entirely meant to let the nickname slip out, but she'd been considering it as he'd slept earlier, and she hoped he didn't mind. She'd wanted to have something that only she would call him, something special, as he'd given her.