Lucius saw the way his grandson reacted to his question and sighed. "No Malfoy is ever ready to die," he said. "It's not in his nature." And possibly this situation was not in his. It reminded him too much of the death of his father.
"I did want the truth, I approve of you telling it to me," he added, because it needed to be said. He also reached out and patted his grandson's leg through the covers. "I'd say you will be fine, but there is no guarantee of that," he said. "But the fact that Severus is working on the curse is good news. He has a larger chance of success than the others."