Forgive Me, Lucius

Written for Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition, Round 10.

Chaser 2

Montrose Magpies

Task: Kill off a character who survived in the books. My character is Lucius Malfoy.

Optional prompts

(Object) Hourglass

(Dialogue) "Being reasonable is boring."

(Object) Vase

Word Count: 1711

The grave was situated in the perfect space in the gardens of Malfoy Manor. It was surrounded by tall trees that provided the area with a cool breeze even during the warmest of summers, and Lucius Malfoy had often been found there whenever he had a spare moment to himself.

Narcissa walked forward, her heart as heavy as the cold grey marble that concealed her husband's body. Almost a year had passed since the Battle of Hogwarts, and for most, the changes were for the better. Narcissa felt like she was the only one who wished to go back to that day so she could change the outcome. Maybe then Lucius would be standing in her place while she could rest forever in his.

White-hot rage washed over Narcissa as she relived the scene for what felt like the thousandth time. Her betrayal was revealed the moment Harry Potter sprang to life, and Bellatrix wasted no time in reaching out a hand to strike her younger sister. And then . . .

"I knew you were a spineless snake, Cissy," Bellatrix snarled as she pointed her wand at Narcissa's throat. Dark eyes locked onto blue ones as the two sisters stared each other down wordlessly. Sisterly love had turned to hate in an instant, but Narcissa couldn't bring herself to feel guilty for her actions. Motherly love caused her to go against everything she believed in and help Harry Potter, but no matter what happened to her next, it had been worth it.

"Mother!" she heard Draco yell out and she looked over at him. Lucius was holding him back. The look of anguish on their faces broke Narcissa's heart; the two men in her life had never looked more alike.

"I did it all for you, Draco. I love you. Don't ever forget that." She fought back the tears threatening to spill out. If she was going to die, she would die with dignity. Narcissa wouldn't give Bellatrix the satisfaction of breaking her. She fixed her gaze on her husband; the man she'd loved since she was seventeen. "Lucius, I . . . "

She gasped as Bellatrix dug her fingernail into her cheek and scratched her way down, leaving an angry, bloody gash on Narcissa's face. "I hate to interrupt this touching family moment, but any last words?"

Narcissa turned to look at Lucius once more. Was it her imagination, or was he slowly moving closer to her? She looked around to see who else was watching, but everyone had moved inside Hogwarts to fight once more. Only the four of them remained. "Lucius, don't worry about me. Do what you can to keep Draco safe."

Bellatrix cackled. "I always knew your love for that cowardly son of yours would bring you to a sticky end. It's my pleasure to do my duty for The Dark Lord." She raised her wand in the air and brought it back down as she opened her mouth. "Avada . . . "

Lucius pushed Draco away from him and sprang forward, using his body to shield his wife. A blinding green light burst out of Bellatrix's wand and hit Lucius in the chest. Narcissa screamed as the light left her husband's eyes. "Lucius! No!"

"Father!" Draco shouted as he ran to his parents, taking in his father's lifeless form. He knelt at the side of them, breaking down as loud sobs shook his body. Narcissa was blinded by tears as she searched for her wand—driven by her desire for revenge. When she found it, she pointed it at a laughing Bellatrix.

"We both know you don't have the guts to kill me, dear sister." Bellatrix ran a cold gaze over the broken family gathered in front of her, and she smirked. "This wasn't what I intended, but it worked out rather well for me. I think watching your darling Lucius die caused you more pain than death ever could." She glanced at Lucius disapprovingly. "I never liked him, anyway." Bellatrix lowered her wand and turned her back on them. "I'll let The Dark Lord decide your fate when he wins this war, Cissy. Until then, . . ."

"Avada Kedavra!" Narcissa hissed, putting all her anguish and anger into the curse. Her sister stopped in her tracks and dropped to the ground in front of them, the ghost of a smirk still clear on her face. Bellatrix Lestrange had laughed her last laugh, and Voldemort had lost a vital ally.

"Mother!" Draco gasped. "What have you done?"

"I did what I had to do, Draco. We need to get out of here." She stifled a sob as she kissed her husband one last time and ran her fingers through his hair. Draco took one last look at his father before he stood up, pulling his mother up with him.

"Let's go."

They walked away as fast as their legs could carry them. Narcissa's heart grew heavier with every step she took. Each one was taking her away from the only man she'd ever loved; the only one she'd ever love.

She knelt to pick up the hourglass and ran a finger over the ornate silver pattern. It was a Malfoy family heirloom that Lucius had always been attached to, and Narcissa liked to keep it by his graveside. She set the hourglass down beside her and watched the emerald green sand trickle down. Narcissa would sit and reminisce until all the sand had reached the bottom. On bad days like today, she would repeat this process over and over until she had no tears left to cry.

The cause of her latest upset was none other than her son. Since the death of Lucius, the mother and son were becoming increasingly distant. What was Draco thinking—getting engaged to that frail, goody-two-shoes Greengrass girl? Now Astoria was filling her darling boy's head with nonsense about being more tolerant to Muggles. Poor Lucius was probably turning in his grave.

Narcissa whirled around when she heard footsteps approaching. Her eyes landed on her sons face; the face that reminded her so much of her husband's. It could be a blessing or a curse, and right now Narcissa was veering towards the latter. "I see you managed to tear yourself away from Astoria. We're honoured." The bitterness in her voice was impossible to disguise, and Draco winced as he kissed her on the cheek.

"Astoria thought it would be best if I came alone. She didn't want to upset you, Mother." He handed her a green vase. The colour was identical to the sand in the hourglass, and the vase was just the right size to fit at the other end of the tombstone. "I thought we could put father's favourite flowers in there. He'd like that."

Narcissa set the vase down on the tombstone, irritated by how good it looked. She was certain that Draco was right. Lucius would've been happy at the suggestion, and that was the only reason Narcissa didn't pull out her wand to blast the object into tiny pieces. "Was this Astoria's idea or yours?"

Draco sighed. "It was my idea, but Astoria helped me pick it out." He ran a hand through the hair that he'd started to wear long, just like his father. Narcissa was torn between pride and a longing to grab some scissors and trim it to its usual length.

"I'm surprised that a Muggle lover like Astoria has such good taste. You must be having a good effect on her. It's a pity I can't say the same about her effect on you." She was aware that this comment was taking things too far, but the words slipped out of her mouth with no chance of reeling them back in.

Draco took a deep breath and seemed to be silently counting to ten. All their conversations ended this way, and Narcissa longed for the days before Draco went to Hogwarts. Back then, they were inseparable and Draco listened to her. No young woman was filling his head with nonsense and preparing to snatch him away from her. "Mother, please be reasonable about this. I love her, and I'm going to marry her."

"Being reasonable is boring," she shot back, flinching as she pictured the Malfoy ring on Astoria's pale, bony finger. "You're still planning to marry her, even when you know how I feel?"

Draco didn't even hesitate. "Yes, I am. If you carry on like this, you're going to lose me as well. If Astoria and I have children, I'm not going to bring them to see you unless you drop these toxic beliefs you have about the way the wizarding world should be."

"Your father and I brought you up to believe in those beliefs. Now you're betraying us after all that we did to protect you." Narcissa's voice rose with every word, and she could feel herself shaking uncontrollably.

Draco didn't back down from the challenge, raising his voice to rival hers. "Father died because of those ideals. I almost died because I tied myself in knots trying to be like him. Where does it end, Mother? Do you want the same for your future grandchildren, or do you want to give them a chance at a better life? Let me know when you've figured it out."

Narcissa turned her back to her son, not wanting him to see how his words had made her doubt everything she'd been taught from an early age. It was her way of life and the only thing she knew.

She thought back to when Draco was a baby, and how her heart had swelled with love every time she looked at him. Narcissa pictured Draco with his children; her grandchildren. She very much wanted to be a part of their life, but at what cost to herself? What would be left of the woman she'd once been?

Draco walked up and kissed her on the cheek. "Just promise me you'll think about it. Please." She nodded in response and watched as he walked away. The sight made her decision easier to reach.

Being reasonable may be boring, but it was a price she was willing to pay if it meant she wouldn't have to grow old alone with no one to love her.

"Forgive me, Lucius."