────── ✾ ──────
march 2004
────── ✾ ──────
Rosemary has never needed a father.
She's been perfectly without one. She has her mothers and uncle Jakob whenever she needs him. She has never thought about her biological father that much ― according to Mr Kane who actually turned out to be Abraxas Malfoy ― Rose's father was someone who didn't want her or her biological mother.
Now that the Malfoys had settled themselves in Fjällbacka ― much for Rose's displease ― she has had no choice than to have some "bonding" time with them. But it wasn't as simple as that. She had given the family a deadline, a serious one which she was going to hold onto.
If Rose wasn't going to be comfortable with the Malfoys and their extended family in the next days, she was going to walk away from them for good and they won't be allowed to follow her.
Rose chose to spend an afternoon with Lucius first since he was the lesser of the two evils. She talked to him and while he did look at her like she was his little girl ― he was able to keep his head cool unlike Narcissa who spilled tears every time she saw Rose.
"You are good at this," said Lucius after Rose moved her knight on the chessboard.
"I just can't believe you agreed to play the human version," smirked Rose, leaning her back against her chair to be more comfortable.
Lucius barked a laugh. "Yes well I suppose I need to expand my believes."
"You didn't want to do that when I was just Theo's girlfriend," reminded Rose. "And now you do."
"That's before I knew you were my...."
Rose arched her brow in a very Narcissa alike manner which made Lucius shut his mouth. He knew that Rose didn't feel comfortable with the word.
"I'm still just Theo's girlfriend," said Rose with a glare. "I just happen to have the same blood in my veins as you and your wife. That's all."
Lucius knew that wasn't all.
It wasn't just blood ― Rosemary was his daughter. His and Narcissa's and they didn't get to see her grow up. They didn't even know the girl was alive. So when Abraxas told them that Theodore's girlfriend is actually their daughter, they thought they could make up for the lost time and have a good relationship with their daughter.
They couldn't have been more wrong.
Rose didn't want to have anything to do with Lucius nor Narcissa ― at least not in a way that would please the couple.
"Have you thought about it though?" Asked Lucius, making a move with his knight.
"Thought about what?"
"I think you know," said Lucius.
Rose rolled her eyes. "It's really nothing personal," she said with a shrug. "This whole situation is just extremely confusing."
"But confusing in a good way?"
"No, just confusing," said Rose, earning a frown from Lucius. "I never asked for any of this. I was completely happy with my mums and I don't need new people in my life. Especially you - kind of people."
Lucius' frown melted and he sighed heavily. "Me - kind of people. You mean family?"
"Sure," said Rose quietly.
Silence fell upon them. Rose pursed her lips and moved her knight once again and when it turned to be Lucius' turn, he didn't do anything. He just looked at Rose, taking in her every feature and every manner she did.
She was his daughter and yet, he has missed her entire life. He didn't get to hold her when she was born, he didn't get to put her birth announcement in the Daily Prophet. He didn't get to see Narcissa absolutely radiant with joy when buying new dresses for their daughter nor get to see her go to Hogwarts.
"Why won't you give us a chance?" Asked Lucius, breaking the silence.
Rose closed her eyes and sighed before opening, the blue in them much brighter again. "Do you know what was the greatest part of my adoption?"
Lucius shook his head.
"My biological mother was dead and father didn't even want me, or that's what I grew up to believe. It meant that I never had to worry about getting confused by you. I have my family, my mothers and uncle Jakob. They are all I have ever needed, and all I would ever have since you were suppose to be a jerk and Narcissa was suppose to be dead."
"Now don't get me wrong, I am glad that she isn't dead but I really didn't need you to find me. Or know that I am alive."
"And yet, you're spending your day here with me," said Lucius who was trying his best to ignore all the hurtful things Rose had said.
"Because other wise my mums will say I'm not trying hard enough. Out of you and Narcissa, you're the better choice since even though you look at me like I am a little girl, you are able to keep your feelings inside. Whereas your wife can't look at me without breaking into sobs."
Lucius sighed, running his hand against his face. "That isn't fair," he said.
"Neither is messing my life."
"We are not here to mess your life," said Lucius, getting frustrated and stood up from his chair. "Why can't you even try? Listen I understand that this is all very confusing to you but this isn't exactly easy for us either."
Rose scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Yeah sure, it must be so hard for you to..."
"My wife thought she had killed our baby. She thought it was her fault and she blamed herself for so long. She still does. We wanted a little girl to spoil and we were about to have one, you, until things blew," explained Lucius, using his hands to gesture his words and to make them more efficient.
"Well I'm sorry for all the pain you've been through, I truly am. But you have to understand that while this is happy confusing to you, it is just plainly confusing to me," argued Rose, her voice getting louder. "And do I even need to remind you that you were horrible when we first met and only changed your opinion of me once you found out the truth."
Lucius sighed heavily but couldn't help than notice how much of a Malfoy Rose is. Her every manner and her temper screamed a mixture of Lucius and Narcissa even though she wasn't raised by them.
"Fine," said Lucius, figuring that there's no reason to fight or argue. "Just, try and be a little nicer to Narcissa. You are so hard on her."
"You don't have to be here, you know. You can just go."
Rose knew she was testing her boundaries.
She didn't know too much of Lucius but she was aware that he was a family man. A man who had taken young Theo under his wing when Theo's father didn't care of the boy. But Lucius Malfoy was also a man who hated Rose's guts just short weeks ago because she wasn't proper. He wasn't happy to find out that his foster son had fallen for a non-magical person, not that this was a problem anymore.
Rose was basically magical royalty.
"I'm sure you would love that," said Lucius, his gaze falling down to his feet. "You are very stubborn and that, you get from us. So we are not going to walk away, not while we still have a fighting chance to have a relationship with you."
"You don't have one," muttered Rose. "You don't have a chance whatsoever with me."
Lucius sighed. "What if we are in Theo's life? How would that work out?"
"Theo can have you in his life if he wishes but I don't need to be dragged into that," said Rose bluntly. "And I don't think going back to hating me is that hard."
"I-I didn't hate..." started Lucius but didn't get to finish because Rose stopped him.
"Oh, you did. You and your wife. Your mother and in-laws. Your father didn't but only because he knew," explained Rose. "You whispered about my dirty blood whenever you thought I wasn't near enough to hear. You insulted my upbringing and family just because they weren't good enough in your opinion."
"Now all of the sudden, you care. You care enough to play chess with me and talk with me. And why? Because I'm your daughter? You do realize that I am exactly the same person I was when I was only Theo's human girlfriend," Rose finished.
Lucius wasn't looking at Rose anymore. He was looking just past her shoulder, a regretful look all over his face. Rose rolled her eyes with a scoff but chose to turn around to see what he was looking at.
Narcissa Malfoy's tired and haunted face shone against the sunlight which lighted the room through the windows. She was trying her best to keep her emotions in but her quivering lips gave her away immediately.
"I-I didn't know you were here," she managed to say, her gaze changing between her husband and Rose.
Rose heard Lucius exhaling a deep sigh and watched him walk past her to his wife. He rested his hand against Narcissa's cheek and placed a kiss on her forehead ― nearly in oblivion that Rose was still in the room.
"I c-can go..." stuttered Narcissa quietly.
"It's all right love," said Lucius and he prayed that Rose won't make any objections.
For his surprise, Rose didn't make any objections but stayed quiet. Lucius looked over his shoulder to see the young woman standing still, her defiant look still on but not as threatening as it was mere minutes ago.
"Yeah, we just finished," said Rose.
"Rose showed me the muggle version of chess," explained Lucius, his hand still resting against Narcissa's cheek.
Narcissa nodded with a quivering lower lip. She was happy that her husband was bonding with their daughter ― she really was and she knew how much it meant to him ― but she couldn't hide the sadness and jealousy she was feeling.
"That's nice," said Narcissa quietly.
Rose grimaced. "Yes well, I better go and see if my mums need any help with dinner."
Narcissa flinched by the mention of the two women and Rose noticed this.
"What?" Asked Rose, arching her brow.
"N-nothing," Narcissa said and took a step away from Rose like she had just burned her hand.
The two blonde women stared at each other for a moment. Obvious hints of sadness and pain shone from Narcissa's eyes while Rose stayed stone cold.
"If there isn't anything else..." said Rose and tilted her head with a thin lipped smile which only proved her annoyance. "I should go."
Rose headed towards the door but stopped and turned to look over her shoulder. "The dinner should be ready around six. Mums said that if you and your whole squad want to join, you can."
"We would like that," said Lucius.
"I'm sure would. I got to go now," Rose said and glanced at Narcissa. "Theo was outside, right?"
Narcissa nodded. "He was."
"Good," Rose said and left.
She ran out and there Theo was, waiting for her with his hands in his pockets and a sweet smile on his face. Rose walked over to him and wrapped her arms around his neck before kissing him.
Theo lifted Rose up and swirled her around.
The whole Malfoys are Rose's biological family has taken a hit on Rose's relationship with Theo for many reasons but now that the shock has settled and partly put aside, things have blown over. Theo no longer felt uncomfortable for being in a relationship with Draco's little sister and no longer feared Draco for it.
"Was it okay?" Theo asked when he placed Rose down.
Rose shrugged, her arms still around Theo's neck. "It wasn't horrible but it wasn't okay either. Lucius seems to be very set on having a relationship with his daughter. And I'm not going to be that daughter."
"Okay if that's how you feel," said Theo, gracing Rose with another kiss. "Let's go home?"
"Yeah," Rose smiled.
Little did Rose and Theo know, that Lucius and Narcissa were watching the young couple from the window of their room. Narcissa watched them with sadness, knowing that she has missed milestones such as the first boyfriend of her daughter. Lucius however was feeling torn. He knew Theo was a good person but then again, he never imagined Theo dating his daughter. His daughter he never got to raise.
Narcissa turned to look at her husband. "How did it go? Really."
"Good. Until I brought up the whole situation," sighed Lucius. "She has set her mind. She's not going to give us a fighting chance..."
"Well at least she's giving us these few days. I think it's more than I ever thought I would get," said Narcissa and glanced outside to see Rose and Theo walk away.
She smiled. "They remind me of us. Running off to secret dates and defying their parents... although Rose is defying us for other reasons than Theodore. She's not sneaking out with her boyfriend unlike I did with you but she surely is crazy about Theo."
"And he better be crazy about her or I will hex him..." muttered Lucius.
"Darling, don't," chuckled Narcissa. "Remember, Theo is the same boy who use to stay with us for weeks because his father was away."
"And his seeing my daughter," reminded Lucius. "Our daughter. I didn't get to threaten Theo that if he ever hurts her, I would hunt him down and hex him."
Narcissa nodded. "I know, and I didn't have the chance to help her to get ready for her first date with him or with anyone. But are we going to ignore the fact that we had in mind to settle a betrothal between our daughter and Theodore Nott? Before everything went to hell and she was taken from us..."
"Yes but it's different now, and we never settled the matter completely," said Lucius.
"I'm aware of that. We never settled it because we thought she had died inside of me," Narcissa commented briskly.
"Cissa..." sighed Lucius and reached for her cheek. "You know I didn't mean it like that, at all."
Narcissa tried to smile but couldn't.
"We can't go through this again. Loosing Lyra nearly destroyed everything and no matter what happens now, no matter what she decides, we are going to get through it," said Lucius when Narcissa couldn't speak.
"Yeah, we will be fine. Eventually but we will. I know you didn't mean it like that, the whole betrothal thing and how it never happened because Lyra was never really here with us..." Narcissa answered and moved to wrap her arms around Lucius' torso.
She placed her cheek against his chest and sighed. "You think she will invite us for her wedding?"
Lucius groaned. "Don't even joke about that."