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Astoria Malfoy ([info]porcelain_doll) wrote in [info]wished,
@ 2010-01-27 13:52:00

Previous Entry  Add to memories!  Tell a Friend!  Next Entry
Entry tags:!1998: 01, !complete, lucius malfoy, narcissa malfoy

WHO: Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy
WHAT: Lucius hasn't been telling his wife what he's been doing lately, and she's getting fed up with everything
WHERE: Malfoy Manor, specifically their bedroom
WHEN: Very, very late at night
RATING: TBD, but mostly they'll just be arguing about secrets



Everyone reached their breaking point sometime. Narcissa wasn't sure what exactly had sent her over the edge, whether it was Lucius being put in prison or Draco being Marked. Whatever it was, she'd reached it long ago. All she had left was her home, and now it had been reduced to nothing more than a luxury hotel for Death Eaters. Her name had been degraded, and while Lucius was out trying to build their reputation back up to what it once was, Narcissa was left alone with only her thoughts to keep her company. The company she kept with herself was not that of a happy sort. She felt isolated and alone, with no one to confide in. The holidays had been pleasant enough, but it was more like a bandaid covering a wound. They weren't going to heal until they cleansed the wound thoroughly, and there was no way to do that if they weren't together. Draco was not going to be home for a long time, but Lucius ought to be home now. However, he'd be coming home far later than what Narcissa would consider a reasonable time. It wasn't just him losing track of the time. Something was keeping him out, and he wasn't telling her about it. That did not set well with her.

Narcissa was trying to give Lucius the benefit of the doubt. He knew by now after so many years of marriage that she did not sleep until he came home (if he was expected, that is). Therefore he had to have some inkling that she knew how late he was coming home. She never said anything, but would lay in bed until she felt his presence beside her. Perhaps he thought she'd given up her habit of waiting up for him after all that had happened. She was hoping that he would tell her himself what he'd been doing and what was going on, but he hadn't. That meant she was going to have to demand it from him, and that was not a discussion she wanted to have with her husband. Quarrels were not her choice of activity to engage in with him when they had time together, but she had no choice. For the sake of her sanity she had to know what he was doing. It angered her that he was keeping something from her, after everything they'd been through.

Though she had long since dressed for bed, Narcissa was not intending to sleep or even lie down. She was not going to give Lucius a way to avoid talking to her tonight. Instead of waiting in bed for him, she remained sitting at her vanity, combing her long blonde hair. She wore no readable expression on her face, but only because she could not decide which emotion she felt the strongest. Anger, yes. Sadness, certainly. But because she'd already been pushed far past the breaking point of what she could react to, it was hard to know which emotion was the right emotion to convey. Why is he doing this, to me? she thought, staring at the reflection she hardly recognized.



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[info]in_deep
2010-01-28 03:47 am UTC (link)
Lucius took the stairs quietly, and went carefully down the hall in darkness, his wand hidden away in his robes. It was a useless vestige of caution; if she were asleep, she wouldn't wake for him, and if she wasn't, no amount of stealth would see him to bed unchallenged. It may have been no more than an attempt to compensate for the extreme lack of discretion he seemed to be tumbling into, these days. He was still careful enough, of course - always someplace deserted, never twice the same, only generic spells that could be explained away if necessary - but he was doing it all unbidden, which troubled him. He'd done his fair share of violence as a younger man, under orders (usually), but had somehow expected - perhaps because of the long peace that had allowed him to raise his family - that he had left those days behind him. His skills hardly lay in the physical labor ... why his passion was trending there, he couldn't explain. Or didn't care to think through.

He silently unlatched the door, stepped inside the bedroom - and there she was. Not so long ago, he'd have been very pleased to see her waiting up. He walked by her, brushing his hand briefly along the back of her chair and meeting her eyes only in the mirror.

"It's very late," he said with half a smile before stopping at a chair to tug his shoes off, his back to her. "Surely you ought to be in bed?"

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[info]porcelain_doll
2010-01-28 03:57 am UTC (link)
As soon as she saw him enter their bedroom she held her breath. In the not too distant past, it would not have been out of the ordinary for her to flock right to him when he returned home and shower him with attention and affection, expressing her happiness at his return. To her, it felt as though and entire lifetime had passed since those days. Narcissa made no move to stand at first, opting to watch him through the mirror as he began to go through the nightly rituals of undressing. Talk to me, she thought, silently trying to will her husband into just telling her the truth.

What got to her the most was that he knew she always wanted to know what was going on. He knew that she had to know something was going on, and yet he still said nothing to her. It hurt, and he had to know that, too. Perhaps Azkaban had really changed him; she could not bear to allow herself that thought and it was immediately erased as soon as it emerged.

"Surely you ought to be as well," she said quietly, resuming the combing of her hair.

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[info]in_deep
2010-01-28 04:27 am UTC (link)
"I was kept out." He so rarely bothered to formulate excuses, anymore. Things were so much more open than they ever had been before, and sometimes it felt like it was only habit that kept him from going about and saying exactly what he was thinking. Strange feeling. "I'm very much looking forward to it, I assure you. Damned tiresome stuff, all this horse-trading. I'd forgotten." He sank into the chair and loosened his collar, turning in his seat to look at her after taking a moment to steel himself.

... She wasn't going to accept that for an answer. Well, no one could have said it wasn't like him to waste his breath trying. "I mean it, my dear. You look tired." A genuine note of regret crept into his voice. "You really shouldn't stay up waiting." Off came the cuff links, the waistcoat, the tie. "I don't like to trouble you more than you already must be."

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[info]porcelain_doll
2010-01-28 04:46 am UTC (link)
Narcissa turned in her chair to watch him as he continued to undress. If there had been the slightest doubt in her mind that he was keeping anything from her, that flew out the window. He wasn't exactly lying, but she knew for certain he was hiding something, or perhaps keeping multiple secrets from her. It hurt, but it also was insulting. Did he believe her to be a fool? She knew him better than anyone else, or at least, she thought she did. That thought hurt worse than anything else right now. Not only was he hiding something, but he was trying to usher her off to bed to avoid it further.

Finally, she stood and removed the soft robe she had draped around her shoulders, laying it on the back of the chair she'd just been sitting in. It left her in her silk nightgown, but she had no intent of seducing her husband with it tonight. "Are you truly concerned with troubling me, my darling?" She asked. "If that worries you, then perhaps you ought to address what is most troubling me right now. You have been 'kept out' several nights, and I've no idea what exactly is keeping you."

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[info]in_deep
2010-01-28 05:14 am UTC (link)
Lucius looked up at her, halfway through unbuttoning his shirt. After a moment, he passed a hand over his face. "I'm sure you could guess at the gist of it," he said, trying not to sound snappish. He certainly didn't think her a fool, nor did he expect her to let off simply because he asked for it. He felt tired - beyond tired. "If it were something that would do you any good to know, I would tell you. Surely you'll concede that ignorance is safer, when it comes to some of what I do in the course of my - work." He hadn't really examined his reasons for secrecy, but that one presented itself conveniently, and he settled down to it. No sense connecting his wife to a string of somewhat-sanctioned murders. "I'm sorry if it's worried you," he added, looking down to nudge his shoes under the chair. "That was never my intention."

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[info]porcelain_doll
2010-01-28 12:14 pm UTC (link)
She was not going to let this drop so easily. Of course she understood that at times it was best to be left in the dark, but she'd never let that slide as an excuse. They were a team, even if she did not bear the Mark that both he and their son carried with them. "I believe I made myself perfectly clear long ago, Lucius, that the consequences of me finding out what you've been dong mean very little to me. I would rather it rest on my conscience so that I may know what we are facing together, than be kept in the dark only to find out later that my husband might not be coming home to me."

Narcissa studied his face. The fact that he was not meeting her eye meant that what he was doing certainly must have extreme consequences should it be discovered. It did not set well with her at all; had he not done enough? Risked enough? "I am your wife, in case you have forgotten. The home I have kept for you all these years has been taken from me. Our son has been taken from me. You have been taken from me. Do not take what trust I have in you and our marriage away from me too, Lucius, for I don't believe I have it in me to bear it."

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[info]in_deep
2010-01-29 12:00 am UTC (link)
Lucius looked up at her, stung out of his reticence. "I do remember," he said with an edge to his voice, though he looked more pained than annoyed. It should have made him angry, he was sure, the way she was presenting him with things he told himself he never could have prevented - but they weighed on him enough that all he could muster was defensive posturing. "And I'm your husband, as you might recall. - It's nothing, anyhow," he added hastily, knowing he had taken a wrong step. He dragged his eyes away from hers, and went back to his shirt. "Menial nonsense, for the Ministry. Unpleasant stuff." He felt a little ridiculous when he realized he was simply embarrassed to explain it to her. The way he'd been frittering away his evenings was certainly below him, and while he'd have told one of his colleagues happily enough, this was ... different.

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[info]porcelain_doll
2010-01-29 02:41 am UTC (link)
Was that shame she saw for the briefest moment before he shifted his gaze away from her? It hurt her to see him in such a way; he'd reached a point where he was too shamed by his actions to even speak to his wife about it. This should be a time when he did talk to her. Did he not think she could help him? They needed each other now more than they ever had before, or at least, that was the way she saw things. She certainly needed him, but how could she ask anything of him anymore? "If it's nothing, then I don't see why you're making such an issue over telling me about it. I promise you, Lucius, there is nothing you could tell me that would either shock or dull me. We're living in a lost circle of Hell."

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[info]in_deep
2010-01-29 03:14 am UTC (link)
Lucius knew she was right - it shouldn't have been an issue, and he doubted it would shock her. Disappoint, perhaps. And even if she felt he'd been taken from her, he was quite certain she was the last person standing who didn't hold him in contempt, and he was in no hurry to let her know he was still lowering himself to these sorts of ... chores. He pushed himself stiffly out of his chair and gave her a pleading sort of look before crossing to the wardrobe. He was tired.

But he did owe her something. The way she lived now ... Well. He already had plenty to be ashamed of. What was one more thing? "I've killed a man," he sad wearily, pulling out his robe. "A few, actually. A couple women. No one important. The sort of thing any bloody-minded half-wit could be set to doing." He would not be telling her he was doing it because he wanted to. "I truly didn't think you'd be interested." He kicked his clothes out to the middle of the floor, tugged his robe on. He didn't know whether he was more angry with himself for succumbing to it, or with her for pressing so.

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[info]porcelain_doll
2010-01-29 03:52 am UTC (link)
True to her word, she showed no sign of shock or disdain. It did anger her that he was engaging in such behavior. Were they not trying to rebuild their image in society? There was no doubt in her mind that he was covering his tracks, but shouldn't his efforts be placed on the task at hand, rather than on dirtying his hands further? Killing wasn't anything that was going to surprise her or cause her to recoil from him. Sick as that sounded, she was desensitized to that sort of thing by now.

"If you think we've reached a point where I'm uninterested in what you're doing, then we have bigger problems to worry about, my darling," she said, forcing herself to internalize any pain she felt.

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[info]in_deep
2010-01-29 04:19 am UTC (link)
He turned to face her and leaned against the bedpost, meeting her eyes as he tried to form an explanation. His mind was moving maddeningly slowly. "I just thought it would be best," he said finally, not wishing to contradict himself. "If you didn't know. It isn't that I want to keep things from you." A blatant lie and massive understatement, all at once. "Everything else we have is hopelessly tangled up in this mess, and it would be better if you ... weren't." Not that she'd been left any choice, but he did miss having her for a sanctuary. He didn't know why he felt unable to treat her as such anymore, but after destroying her home and allowing her son to fall prey to a mad reptile, somehow unburdening himself on her seemed wrong. It would be unfair to her; it would give her more power over him than she already had. Nevertheless, the urge to give in was just as strong as the need to rebel.

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[info]porcelain_doll
2010-01-29 04:39 am UTC (link)
She didn't buy that for a second. She knew of course that he did not want her caught up in the tangled web they were trapped within, but the rest of it was just an excuse. Narcissa knew him better than that, and he had to know that, too. "It's a little late for that sentiment now. I am part of this tangled mess whether I want to be or not." If only he knew just how tightly bound to the situation she'd already become. She only felt a little guilty about not telling him what part she'd already played, but she most definitely had her reasons. It was for Lucius' own good that she had not told him what she'd done while he was in prison. If she had it her way (which quite often she did), he'd never find out.

"I'm your wife," she said again. "We're in this together, as we always have been. Do not start blocking me out now after all we've been through. It's not fair, and I won't allow it."

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[info]in_deep
2010-01-29 05:14 am UTC (link)
Lucius let out a breath that might have been a laugh. Of course; she hadn't lasted this long with him by being easy to cajole. "Well - if you won't allow it," he said, looking at her again with a hint of a smile. "I suppose there's no point in arguing it any further." How nice it would be, just to confide freely. In some ways, it was tempting - he would have a sympathetic ear, impossible to find elsewhere. But there were things he knew wouldn't bring him compassion. "Will you come to bed? I'll bring you up to speed, my dear - as much as you want." As much as he could bear to. He needed to keep her as happy with him as he could manage. The alternative was miserable to think on.

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[info]porcelain_doll
2010-01-29 05:50 pm UTC (link)
"You know I would still argue about it until you gave in to me," she said, slowly moving to her side of the bed. Narcissa wasn't entirely convinced, but she supposed it was a start. She could not demand too much of him when she was carrying such deceit on her own shoulders. The guilt would have eaten away at her too much, despite having no regrets over what she'd done. This would have to do for now. If she pushed him too much more he'd be liable to shut her out completely, and that would have been unbearable. Slowly, she pulled back the soft comforter and slid beneath it. "How much longer must you continue these.. killings?" She asked, looking up at him. Did she care much for
Lucius to be murdering others? No, but that wasn't exactly why she was asking. She missed him and she was sick of being alone all the time. "Is there not anyone else that can share this assignment with you? Your presence has been missed here."

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[info]in_deep
2010-01-30 02:06 am UTC (link)
He followed her into bed, leaning heavily against the headboard rather than collapsing immediately, as much as he would have liked to do so. He shut his eyes, and made a show of rubbing at the bridge of his nose. "I can ask, I suppose. I thought it better to do as I was told, considering, but it's possible I've put in enough effort for the time being. - Appearances, you know." Which were much easier to maintain when he didn't have to look her in the face, but that couldn't last forever. He opened his eyes, and reached out to curl his arm around her shoulders. "I think maybe you're right. I've done my share of errands." If being home with her were the alternative, he doubted he ever would have started, but the house was full of far less pleasant things for him - even without all their guests. There was less hanging over him just about anywhere else.

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[info]porcelain_doll
2010-01-30 02:48 am UTC (link)
It pleased her when he agreed to try to spend more time at home. She'd been expecting him to put up more of a defense, to tell her that he was doing his duty and she should respect that. Instead, he laid beside her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. It was a familiar presence, for certain, and one that had been terribly missed. How long had it been since she was able indulge in his warmth? It was tearing her up inside that she still had such secrets of her own that she could not breathe a word of, but she was trying very hard to keep that guilt from surfacing. Instead she just wanted to pretend that there weren't intruders in their home, they weren't constantly living day by day in the hopes that one day things would be better, that their son wasn't having such struggles.

"Of course I'm right," she said, pulling a smile to her lips as she turned more towards him. A delicate hand traced up the front of his chest to rest in the center of it. "I'll thank you to always remember that." Well, at least they weren't fighting anymore tonight. She could not guarantee that it would remain this way beyond the night, but, she would recall this moment when things turned dark again.

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[info]in_deep
2010-01-30 02:53 pm UTC (link)
"It would save us both some time," he admitted, allowing his eyes to close again as he rested his hand over hers. It was second nature to slip away from the substance of an argument, to avoid confrontation until he could face it with some more significant weapon than assurances or plausible lies ... but doing so with her wasn't something he had ever expected to become as easy as habit. He smiled. "You're welcome to remind me as often as you like. My days would go much more easily if I had someone I could simply defer to on every point. Don't want to come along tomorrow, do you?" he teased. The problem, of course, was that he already had someone to defer to. Taking orders made him terribly resentful.

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[info]porcelain_doll
2010-01-30 04:06 pm UTC (link)
Narcissa could only imagine what he would do if she actually insisted on coming along. Or worse, if she'd taken the Mark herself. Fortunately for them both, she never had any desire to go down that road. Her excuse was always that she didn't want a tattoo that would flaw her appearance and while that was true, it was mostly fear that held her back. It would have kept her from being able to raise Draco properly too, though given his state at the moment she wasn't sure about her parenting skills anyway.

"While I would love nothing more than to be at your side pointing out better methods to accomplishing your tasks, I'm afraid I must continue to babysit our lovely guests." It was rare for her to ever leave the Manor anymore, even when she wanted to. Her status as a social butterfly had diminished, though she's tried to redeem it as they were trying very hard to make the Malfoy name what it once was, and social status was a big part of that. The problem was that Narcissa was very protective of their home. Leaving it while it was occupied by those she did not trust was not something she could easily do. "I'll settle for hearing about your day when you come home to me. Just promise me you'll always come home."

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[info]in_deep
2010-01-30 08:21 pm UTC (link)
"You know there's very little that could keep me from it - and that reluctantly." There was no sense in promising; she was the one person to whom he could promise nothing lightly. He fished around for a moment for something better to say, something less qualified. "- I think we're likely to see someone a bit more friendly take the helm at Hogwarts," he said at last - an ungainly change of subject, but at least it was good news he could deliver. "The Minister was rather set on it last time I spoke with him. I forgot to tell you." Neglected to tell you. "I'll breathe easier when that's settled." He didn't like to think of Draco having to conceal himself in plain sight ... not least because he doubted it could last for too much longer. He was doing as well as he could, no doubt, but he was only a boy.

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[info]porcelain_doll
2010-01-31 02:37 am UTC (link)
She sighed softly and turned more towards him, closing her eyes for just a moment. It would have been naive for her to actually believe he'd make that promise to her, but it also would have been uncharacteristic for her not to ask for it. It was only when the conversation took another turn that her eyes opened and she looked up at him again. "Is that so? Well, that's a relief. Who might that be? Our friends seem to be few and far between these days."

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[info]in_deep
2010-01-31 04:53 am UTC (link)
He smiled, and his fingers slipped up her arm to twine briefly into her hair. "I said 'more friendly,' my dear. I won't let you put words in my mouth." He had never put very much stock in friends, anyhow. "It hasn't been made explicit, mind. But Severus has been mentioned in connection with it." And while Lucius had no illusions about where the man's loyalties ultimately lay, he was hardly as bad as some of the others. He looked down at her, watching her face closely. It would be nice to be able to give her something to be glad about, for once.

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[info]porcelain_doll
2010-01-31 05:13 am UTC (link)
She could not help but smile as well when she saw a similar expression wash over his features. It delighted her to see him smile, as such occasions were much rarer than they ought to be. Narcissa turned her head towards his hand and lightly brushed her lips against his palm. As soon as he dropped Severus' name, she had to force herself not to perk up. Instead she lifted her eyebrows, because it was surprising news. "Severus? That's.. very interesting. And I must say a relief." A very large relief. Draco would be looked after, and that was something that had been weighing very heavily on her up until now. She would need to speak to Severus soon, somehow.

"Do they know when all of this might take place? Will it be soon? I'm so worried about Draco."

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[info]in_deep
2010-01-31 05:58 am UTC (link)
"I think he should prove useful, at least." Lucius had hoped she would, too - it was nice not to be disappointed. His posture relaxed a little, and he pulled her in closer. "We can pester Severus for news, if nothing else. - That boy doesn't write you frequently enough, you know. You ought to set him straight. His own mother, and all. I'd have been given quite an earful, indeed." Lucius didn't mind being utterly transparent, on occasion. He wasn't going to write and ask how his son was faring, but luckily he had a partner he could turn to for that sort of delicate work. He kissed her temple, brushing her hair away form her face. "It's shameful, really."

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[info]porcelain_doll
2010-01-31 04:29 pm UTC (link)
Narcissa nodded in agreement. It would be very useful, and comforting. She felt him relax, and let herself melt into his arms a little more. She smiled, a little playfully. "Oh, is that a hint of jealousy I detected in your voice?" She asked, knowing full well that she often gave Draco an easier time than she did Lucius. "Still, you're right. His messages to us are much too sporadic than what would be deemed acceptable. I'll have to speak with him about that." She paused for a bit, then decided to test the waters. "I wonder, if perhaps once Severus takes his position I could pay our son a little visit. You know I am loathe to leave our home unattended but for Draco I would make such a sacrifice."

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[info]in_deep
2010-02-01 12:41 am UTC (link)
Lucius gave a haughty sniff. "Jealousy, indeed. Merely disapproval," he said, not trying too hard to fight the smile that was creeping back over his face. "I know you're up to the task. He takes correction better from you, I think." Another epic understatement. But it was familiar ground, and retreading it with her felt ... better than anything else had, recently. He lifted her hand to his lips as she spoke, and only felt his heart sinking a little at her question.

"I really don't know, my dear. It would depend - that is, you would have to think of how it would look. It would be highly unusual, no matter what, and given my position ... well. You'd have to ask him," he concluded, giving her a wary look. "But I've just said it isn't set in stone, you know; nothing is, until it happens. You shouldn't go making plans upon it." The last thing he wanted to do was disappoint her.

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[info]porcelain_doll
2010-02-01 03:03 am UTC (link)
"I'll see if I can give him a little push to communicate better," she said, smiling. It would never become mundane for him to bestow affection on her. Even the slighest brush of his lip made her heart flutter. It seemed a bit childish, as they'd been married for a long time now, but she hoped that his affection would always have that effect on her. Even while in such dark times, she felt comforted in his presence beside her. It had been utter Hell when he was imprisoned, which had truly been a testament to her sanity.

Lucius' response to her proposal for a Hogwarts visit was about what she expected it to be. It mattered very little. She was going to find a way to go, if Severus was there. And if she couldn't do that, then she'd find a way to meet him somewhere else. "I know it's not a conventional request. I suppose waiting to see if Severus would be the reasonable first step. I'll just have to be patient."

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[info]in_deep
2010-02-01 03:38 am UTC (link)
"I think that's an excellent idea." Lucius did feel that way about most of the ones he initiated, of course. "And patience, you have - in spades. I'm not sure how you do it. I suppose it must help not to waste it on every poor fool who asks." She really had waited up too late for him. But part of him was glad he hadn't simply found her asleep - going to bed with the evening's work still fresh in his mind rarely made for peaceful nights, these days. And this made him feel almost normal, like he was pulling back just that much farther from the edge. He pressed her hand briefly, and let it go. "I'm very sorry if I've tried it. You'll have to let me make it up to you, sometime."

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[info]porcelain_doll
2010-02-01 03:53 am UTC (link)
Narcissa would not push the issue further tonight. Though she wanted to contact Severus right away, she knew she had to bide her time and wait until it was made official before she reached out to him. At least if he was at Howgwarts she could contact him under the guise of being a concerned parent, which, of course, she was. All in good time, she reasoned with herself, and let the idea shift into the recesses of her mind. For now, she would simply enjoy this moment with Lucius before the night was chased away by the dawn. Her smile pulled upward more to one side, forming a knowing smirk on her lips. "How many times have I heard such a proposition?" She teased, trailing her hand up the center of his chest. "I suppose as many times as I've accepted."

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[info]in_deep
2010-02-01 04:55 am UTC (link)
The last of his worries faded into the background - she was going to let it rest, it seemed. He would have some time to think over exactly what he was doing with himself, and there was no need to make promises or give assurances he couldn't support. For tonight, in any case. Good enough for now.

He grinned, catching her hand at the wrist. "You've always been very obliging about letting me repay my debts, yes. It's only sound policy." He leaned down to press a kiss to the line of her jaw. "I think I've almost always been quite timely."

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[info]porcelain_doll
2010-02-01 05:31 am UTC (link)
Lucius knew exactly the way to her heart. He was flattering her, all the while praising her with affection. Playing up her attributes other than her beauty through words, and showing his appreciation for her beauty through his kisses. Satisfaction wore through her smile. That was very clever of him, indeed. "Yes, it's one of your strongest suits," she said, tilting her head to the side to allow him better access to her neck should he desire to show that portion of her body some attention. Though really, it was a silent demand that he do so.

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[info]in_deep
2010-02-01 06:04 am UTC (link)
"My punctuality?" he said, dry, settling close against her, letting himself slide a little further under the blankets. It was hard to say why, exactly, he'd been keeping out of the house as much as he had. The need that kept driving him down to the dark hallways around the courtrooms might as well not have existed, at the moment. "Thank you so much, my dear. And here I always thought you'd only married me for the house." His lips trailed down along the arc of her throat; he was more than happy to indulge her. "So few women truly appreciate promptness. You delight me."

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[info]porcelain_doll
2010-02-01 12:25 pm UTC (link)
She had truly missed this feeling of being treasured, and all the attention he would normally give her. Narcissa sent a very silent prayer of thanks to whomever would listen to it for the fact that Azkaban had not taken her husband's mind or soul from him, or changed him entirely. She lifted one hand to lightly brush her fingers against his cheek, laughing softly at his words. How long had it been since she'd laughed and meant it? Very gently, she eased his head back up to allow her to look closely at his handsome face. "I delight you? Well, I suppose it's about time, insufferable woman I am."

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[info]in_deep
2010-02-01 11:57 pm UTC (link)
"False modesty, for shame. Stop it at once." He tipped her chin up carefully and kissed her, lingering there a moment. His fatigue was shading into tranquility, but the effect was the same. He could imagine no better place to rest; lying here with her was the best comfort he had, even if he was only allowing himself to be half truthful. He took her hand in his and lay back, pulling her along. "It's far too late for that foolishness. - I have nowhere particularly important to be tomorrow morning, however." And after a night's sleep he would be a little more on his toes.

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[info]porcelain_doll
2010-02-02 02:35 am UTC (link)
His kiss was happily accepted and returned with tenderness. She gently caressed the side of his face before settling down next to him. Her head naturally found its resting place on his chest beneath his shoulder. This was much preferred lying on her side facing away from him. She knew deep down that this moment was likely the calm before the storm, but for now it was all she had to cling to in order to avoid completely shutting down emotionally. "Yes," she agreed, "it is too late." One eyebrow rose, and she wondered if he could feel the smirk that was on her face. "Tomorrow morning then, I shall allow you to repay your debt."

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[info]in_deep
2010-02-02 04:32 am UTC (link)
"Your generosity is - unparalleled." He shut his eyes, and adjusted his arm around her. The warmth of her breath and the slight pull of her cheek against his chest were wonderfully familiar. As he reached across the empty half of the bed to take up his wand and put out the candles in their various positions around the room, it was almost easy to imagine he had slipped back in time a few years. He smiled against the top of her head in the darkness. "... Not too early, naturally," he murmured into her hair. Might as well cling to it for as long as possible.

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