It's one of the many reasons I hate Malfoy Manor.
"Taking a midnight strole, Ms. Granger?" It's Lucius' portrait. I swear he follows me as I walk through the mansion.
"It's Mrs. Malfoy now." I reply smoothly. I resist the urge to call him dad, there's no use antagonizing a painting. Well, no use in antagonizing one too much, anyway.
"I'm quite aware of your relationship with my boy." He says.
I nod and continue with my walk, I'm trying my hardest to make it to the library. I just remembered that I left my favorite book there this afternoon and if I don't retrieve it quickly, it'll never be seen again.
"How's Narcissa?" He's a few paintings in front of me now. He moves quickly for something that should be attached to a canvas.
Narcissa took down all of the portraits in her room so that he couldn't visit her. She couldn't bear to hear him tell her how unhappy he was with her for turning her back on him after the war. He couldn't believe she had helped Harry. For that she was a blood-traitor. For that, he could hardly consider her his wife.
Or, that's what he had said before he was executed.
"She's doing well." I keep walking.
"That's... good. Do tell her that I miss her."
I nod knowing that I won't say anything of the sort to her. Talking about her late husband is painful, I hate seeing her hurt.
"And, Ms. Granger? Keep my boy out of trouble, will you?"
I stop walking and look at Lucius. Although he's just a painting there's so little emotion on his face, even after saying this, that I can't help but think for a split second that he's alive again and staring me in the face. He was always so cold in life, why should he be any different in death?
"I'll try." I reply.
"And one more thing!" He calls as I finally pass the line of portraits.
"Yes?"
"Try to resist the urge to name your son after me." He's smiling.
I just nod. Maybe cold Lucius was an act. Maybe, just maybe, he wasn't always the cruel man that I had come to know through the years.
Maybe he just like the rest of us, a shade of grey. Not pure evil, but not entirely good.
But I don't have time to ponder over the way Lucius acted when he was alive, or how he's acting now that he's a portrait.
I really really need to find that book before it disapears.