Narcissa headed off to Malfoy Manor using her own carriage with her own crew. When she thought of the horrible conditions all the other students were travelling in (five-six people in uncomfortable wooden boxes with some fleabags instead of horses!), she involuntarily started humming a simple tune. There was something childishly pleasant and even a little cocky about it. Mother never allowed her to hum the songs arguing that it's appropriate for the village servants, but not representatives of noble family.
Lucius is waiting for me, Narcissa thought and smiled. It was strange and absolutely wrong so Black immediately pulled her lips down until nobody noticed.
Lucius blackmailed her, Lucius didn't love her, Lucius cheated on her, but soon he will belong to Narcissa completely and totally and nothing's going to change it.
The sensation of forthcoming marriage that earlier caused a slight shock was replaced by a sweet anticipation. She was impatient to try the role of mistress of big house and wife. Narcissa didn't really understand how Andromeda could trade Lestrange, now given to Bella, for some muggle-born. Lestrange is not Malfoy, of course, but -
"We're here, my lady."
The servant opened the door, gave Narcissa his hand, and she took it with extreme displeasure. Lucius was simply obliged to meet his fiancée in person, but such little things didn't really bother him.
Malfoy Manor was horribly cold as if a huge Dementor sucked its soul out. Narcissa shivered, giving the house-elf her yellow coat and white scarf. The elf squeaked something obsequious and walked forward. Boiling with anger, Narcissa was forced to follow.
Her steps echoed in the empty hall and Narcissa involuntarily remembered her first acquaintance with Abraxas Malfoy as Lucius's fiancée. She was so worried then that couldn't utter a word. Abraxas, watching her, only nodded briefly; shy and useless daughter-in-law will not make any problems.
It's good that he died.
Lucius Malfoy, unhealthily pale, in his shirt and white trousers were sitting on the sofa, listening attentively to his mother. What Narcissa first took as a rattle was the voice of Erica Malfoy.
Lucius glanced at the sound of the heels, his half-mad look, darting to and fro, finally stopped at Narcissa. There was relief in it, and Narcissa could barely keep her eyebrows in place.
"Narcissa," he jumped up and started toward her like a man running from fire. He bowed, gently lifting her gloved hand to his lips, and only now, over his back, Narcissa saw another guest.
Eliza Yaxley.
Eliza slightly raised the corners of her lips in a smile and rose to meet Black, about to bow her head in greeting. But her fake politeness could not fix anything. The girl dared to come to Lucius ─ her future husband ─ before Narcissa's arrival!
Lucius let go of Narcissa's hand and silently stepped back.
"Eliza," Narcissa smiled, masterfully controlling her voice and adding as much poison to it as possible. "What a lucky meeting."
Her face radiated majestic tranquility, but there was something wild and diabolical in the curve of her lips intended only for Eliza.
"Narcissa," Eliza bowed her head.
"Do you know each other?" Erica smiled dazzlingly, quite happy from this turn of events.
And only now, looking at her instantly smoothed white face and glowing eyes, Narcissa realized one extremely unpleasant thing: Eliza Yaxley took her roots into the soul of this woman. Black glanced at Lucius and met his eyes. They looked at each other for a moment after which Malfoy stepped a little closer to her. Well, Narcissa had one ally then.
"We'll talk later, Eliza." Lucius said politely with a much more confident smile. "My fiancée needs to get settled and I want to escort her personally."
"You know, Lucius, your blatant disregard for our relationship is unthinkable!" Narcissa outraged, following the long corridor behind Lucius. "Not only that my own servant opens the door to me, and then some wretched elf, so after that I'll find out that it's all because of the mudblood upstart!"
Lucius felt numb, even his face had become wooden. With a broad gesture, he flung open the doors, letting Narcissa into the chambers that had become almost her own during the frequent visits to Malfoy Manor.
Lucius tightly closed the door behind Narcissa, quickly approached the girl and turned her to himself, grabbing her forearms painfully.
"Lu─"
"We have to get rid of her," he hissed.
Narcissa blinked, "Did Eliza have such an effect on you?"
"Even you call her by first name," Lucius replied. "That means something."
It was true. Narcissa did not call any mudblood by name without a reason, and now she didn't even think about it. She cautiously freed herself from Lucius's grip, walked along the carpet and sat on the bed. Lucius looked down at her silently.
"She's a half-blood," Narcissa said half-questioningly, answering him with a stubborn look. "It's not the same thing."
"She's a very dangerous half-blood," Lucius corrected. He closed his eyes, dropping his arms wearily. "I didn't know she came here. I just went down to breakfast and found this... this Yaxley, sitting at a family table next to my mother. Very, very happy mother, I must add."
Lucius sat on the edge of the bed next to Narcissa, and only now did she notice how thin he had grown.
"Mother was inconsolable. She cried at night, forgetting to put a muffling spell, beat the dishes, tore her clothes, screamed. I thought I was going to go crazy," Lucius looked at the floor and probably did not quite understand what he was saying. "And this... this bitch!"
Narcissa twitched, but Lucius had already swallowed his anger, only something ominous flashed in his eyes that always appeared in Abraxas' ones when someone refused to obey him.
"It turns out she's been here a long time," Lucius stared at the wall opposite, his nostrils flared, but his voice was icy. "In father's absence. She's my mother's niece and my cousin."
"She's distributing the potion at her house," Narcissa cautiously scooted closer to Malfoy, pulling the satin gloves off her hands. "She's on our side."
"I know, and it scares me even more," Malfoy remarked emotionlessly. "She spent half of her life with those people, and now she poisons them, smiling and patting their backs. Imagine what she can do to my mother then."
Narcissa looked thoughtfully at her hands, then lifted her chin and coolly said, "We can poison her."
Malfoy smiled faintly, warmly looking at Narcissa, "That's exactly what I did this morning. I didn't hesitate."
Black was silent only for a moment.
"You did everything right."
✨ ✨ ✨
Narcissa lay on the bed, pulling the blanket to her chin and stretching out her hands. She loved to fall asleep like that, she seemed to be rocking on the waves of sleep, gradually falling into its depth. But tonight, she couldn't sleep and there were many reasons for that.
Eliza. Who is she? If the Hat didn't make the mistake, is it really possible to change so much in a few years?
Erica. Narcissa clearly saw her future mother-in-law going crazy. Erica always was an appendage of her husband. She was slowly dying from the sadness that tormented her from the inside and it was scary to look at. Is it possible to dissolve in the person that after losing him you lose yourself?
Lucius... Lucius didn't change at all. Narcissa always believed that she saw through him, knew all his sides, secret desires, impulses and dreams... But it's one thing to know about this and the other is to see. Narcissa couldn't decide whether she liked what she saw or whether it repelled her.
Narcissa tossed in bed and sat up unhappily, holding the blanket at her chest and staring thoughtfully at the door. Someone scratched it and it was pretty creepy.
"Mistress?" came a muffled sound from the other side and Black closed her eyes.
Just a house-elf.
The girl elegantly jumped off the bed, slowly walked to the door and opened it, narrowing her eyes slightly from the light that filled the corridor.
"What do you want?" she asked discontentedly.
"M-mistress, can I ask you?"
And not explaining anything, the house-elf hurried away. Closing the door, Narcissa walked after her. Probably, something extraordinary happened if the servant allowed herself such a thing. Maybe Eliza choked on her own gall?
The elf stopped at Lucius's room.
"He's there... again... I don't know what to do," it said pitifully. "But he trusts you, and I thought..."
Judging by the fact that the elf wasn't writhing in hysterics, nothing particularly terrible happened to Lucius, which means that there was no reason to cross the threshold of his bedroom.
But... He's there, inside... Defenseless, perhaps naked ─ who knows what Lucius is sleeping in? ─ in his bed, a room Narcissa had never been in.
"Of course," Narcissa said. "I'll deal with it."
The poor elf sniffed thankfully and silently opened the door. Narcissa slipped inside and the door behind her closed.
Black gasped. What was she doing?! They were engaged, of course, but...
Mother won't find out, a voice drawled inside her head, the same one that once persuaded her to join AB.
Narcissa breathed in quietly, trying not to disturb the sleeper's peace.
In Lucius's room, it was dark. There was hardly noticeable huge round bed, a table by the wall, littered with papers, next to it a narrow closet to the ceiling. There were no plants, no decorations. The bedroom for Malfoy was just a place where he slept.
Narcissa heard the sound. It could not be confused with anything. It was a sound that can only be produced by crying men struggling to keep the pain inside.
Narcissa swallowed and took a step forward. Her long transparent shirt slipped over the carpet, her feet touched the cold floor, and Narcissa thought that this was exactly how the virgins being sacrificed to the dragon felt.
Narcissa sat down on the bed beside Lucius, weightlessly lowered her hand next to his head and whispered, "You're sleeping, Lucius."
She didn't know if he really was, but Malfoy stopped twitching.
Narcissa gently stroked Lucius's hair with her hand, marveled at how soft they were, and already quite bravely ran her fingers through it. She felt Malfoy relax, start to breathe again still not daring to move. Perhaps he was afraid to frighten off a sweet dream or didn't want to admit that he wasn't sleeping at all.
It was a dangerous game. Malfoy would never forgive her for seeing his weakness. He will destroy her for it. But if they both pretend that nothing happened...
And why is everything so complicated? Narcissa was filled with anguish as soon as she imagined this clown Potter and his mudblood. He probably can safely climb into her bed at any time of the day and none of her friends won't say a word. He can kiss and hug her in front of everyone and enjoy her cheeks flushed with embarrassment and happiness.
Narcissa disapproved this and envied.
Lucius, meanwhile, breathed louder, no longer trying to pretend to be asleep, but really sleeping. Narcissa didn't know that she could find so many tenderness in herself, especially toward this man, that she could so kindly caress his hair, shoulders and whisper all sorts of nonsense.
She left Lucius' bedroom in half an hour. Furtively looking back, she ran down the corridor and disappeared into her chambers.
In the morning they had breakfast together and until the very dinner, when Lucius left on business, didn't say a single word to each other.