When the Mind Starts to Wander
Title:When the Mind Starts to Wander
Author/Artist:![[info]](http://www.insanejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif)
melfinatheblue
Rating:G
Pairing(s):Narcissa/Lucius
Word Count:1570
Warnings (if any):mention of torture and character death, sad fic
Author's notes:When I say sad fic, I mean it. There is no happy ending, and everything is not going to be okay.
'Today is one of the bad days. Not that there are really any good days anymore, just shades of bad. And today's one of the worst. She's locked herself in her room, and is screaming for her mother. Clawed me when I brought her breakfast. Apparently I'm an old pervert who's kidnapped her and is going to rape her. A not so bad day is one when she knows me, knows I'm her husband, and that I love her. On her best days she might even remember Draco. Maybe it's a blessing she doesn't. That way she can't remember he's dead.
The healers wanted me to lock her up in St Mungo's. She's only going to get worse, they said. But I couldn't do that to her. She stood by me, through everything. I love her. I'm not locking her away in a mental ward. So I went to the Muggle world, found a Squib psychiatrist who was willing, for a great deal of money, to treat her at home. Not that the money matters, not much matters anymore. My family's gone, one way or another. '
Doctor Robert Greengrass stuck his head into Lucius Malfoy's study. The room was not exactly what he'd expected. He'd expected grand and rich, with a great deal of wood and expensive-looking dark furniture. Instead it was small and bright, with a comfortable-looking sofa, and a small desk. Rather reminded him of the dean's office at school. Malfoy was sitting at the desk, writing. There were claw marks on one of his cheeks, and he looked tired, old.
“Mr. Malfoy?”
Malfoy looked up.
“Sorry to interrupt, but is there anyone from her childhood still alive? She's scared half to death, and a familiar face might help.”
Malfoy pinched the bridge of his nose. Robert fought the urge to go over to him, pat him on the shoulder. Malfoy's eyes were full of liquid, but none escaped.
“Sorry, didn't mean to...”
“You are not to blame for her condition. That is mine to bear.”
“It's not your fault, Mr. Malfoy. You didn't point the wand at her and use the Unforgivable.”
Malfoy looked down again. His voice was very faint as he replied.
“I might as well have.”
There was silence in the room for a moment, then a faint screaming began. Both men looked up, towards the sound.
“A relation, friend, someone?”
“One of her sisters is still alive. I will contact her, though I cannot promise she'll come.”
“I'll do what I can in the meantime.”
Greengrass turned and began to walk out of the room. At the threshold he turned back around to look at Malfoy.
“Mr. Malfoy, why don't you get out of the house for a while? Go somewhere, be around other people. It might do you some good.”
“I'll think about it.”
Robert Greengrass walked out, and Lucius put his head in his hands. He sobbed once, a dry heaving sob, before he got himself back under control. He didn't cry, hadn't even as they laid his golden boy into the grave. He would do what he needed to do to help 'Cissa. And if that meant groveling to Andromeda Tonks, he would.
About fifteen minutes later he stood in front of a small cottage. It was old, a bit ramshackle, but very well taken care of. He took a deep breath and knocked at the door. He was completely unprepared for who answered.
“You!”
Harry pointed a wand straight at Malfoy senior. The man was obviously up to no good. Malfoy looked at the wand, but made to move to draw his own.
“Potter. Returned to England I see. May I please speak to Mrs. Tonks?”
“And why should I let you?”
“Let her make that decision. Last I had heard, you were not employed as the Tonks family's gatekeeper.”
“There's hardly anything left of the Tonks family anymore, and that's all your fault!”
“Harry, dear, who is it?”
“Just a Death Eater. Shall I hex him into oblivion?”
“A Death Eater?”
Andromeda's voice was shrill. She ran up to Harry, her hands coated in flour. Harry stepped aside to allow her a clear view of Lucius Malfoy.
“Oh, you.”
Lucius inclined his head towards her.
“Mrs. Tonks.”
“What are you doing here? You aren't welcome, you know.”
“I had rather suspected.”
“Then why are you here, Lucius?”
He grimaced.
“Can we speak in private?”
“We speak in front of Harry, or not at all.”
“Fine. As you are no doubt aware, Draco died ten months ago.”
“If you're looking for pity, you've come to the wrong place.”
“Wait, Draco's dead?”
Harry looked at Lucius in confusion. Draco Malfoy had been one of the constants in his life since he was eleven, generally a constant thorn in his side, but always there.
“Yes, Draco is dead.”
“What happened?”
Andromeda answered quickly.
“Killing Curse. But that doesn't explain why you're here.”
“There is something else that happened that day. Narcissa was subjected to the cruciatus, likely for more than a hour. The Aurors surmised that she would not tell Draco's assassin where he was, so he tried to torture it out of her.”
Andromeda paled.
“So, the story about prostrate with grief?”
“A lie. Most days she doesn't even remember she has a son.”
“And what do you want with me? I can't cure madness.”
“No, but you can calm her down.”
“That's your job, Lucius. I doubt my sister would find my presence very calming.”
“Her mind drifts backwards and forwards in time. Today, she thinks she's fourteen, and that I am an old pervert who's kidnapped her and plans to do unspeakable things to her. She doesn't remember me, but she remembers you, and you might be able to convince her to let the psychiatrist talk to her, if not give her something.”
“If she's so sick, why isn't she in Mungo's?”
Harry's voice was challenging. He was angry and he didn't know why.
“Because I would not leave her there. She is my wife, and for as long as she lives, the Manor is her home.”
“St Mungo's could help her.”
Lucius pinched the bridge of his nose again.
“St Mungo's can do nothing. The best mentalists in the world have been unable to keep her mind steady. At least the Manor is comfortable and full of reminders of her life. She was in St Mungo's for a week, at the beginning. They insisted on reminding her, every day, that she'd had a son and that he was dead. Every day the grief hit her anew. They were torturing her, and it wasn't helping. Andromeda, I know I have no right to ask you for anything and I expect nothing from you. But 'Cissa needs you. Please.”
Andromeda nodded.
“Harry, can you watch Teddy for a while?”
“You can't honestly be thinking of going with him!”
“For my sister's sake, I can.”
Lucius looked relieved.
“If you wish to take the boy with you, the nursery is still intact.”
“Planning on having a kid, Malfoy?”
“I would never do such a thing to 'Cissa. She expects there to be a nursery, when she remembers Draco, so I made sure one was there. Everything of Draco's was still in the attic; it wasn't hard to recreate.”
“Harry, please watch Teddy. Just let me get my coat, and we can go, Lucius.”
“Thank you.”
Harry was visibly fuming, but he walked back inside. Andromeda came back out, carefully closing the door behind her. Lucius extended his arm.
“Still the pureblood gentleman, I see.”
“Old habits die hard.”
“Are you going to remarry?”
“Honestly, I don't know. I love 'Cissa.”
“Did she love you?”
“I believe so.”
“I'm surprised you're willing to let the Malfoy line die with you. No doubt some pureblood woman would be willing to marry you, for the money if nothing else.”
“Probably. Shall we?”
“Yes.”
////////////////////////////////////////
A few hours later, 'Cissa was safely sedated, and Lucius was back in his study. Andromeda sat across from him with a glass of wine in her hand.
"You need help, Lucius. You're not coping very well with this."
"I thought you didn't care whether I lived or died."
"Your obvious love for my sister is worth saving you for."
Lucius smiled sardonically.
"How nice that I have one redeeming factor. What do you suggest I do?"
"Find someone to act as a nurse."
"Don't suppose you could use some extra money?"
"Do you honestly think I'd stoop to helping you?"
"No, I think you might be willing to help your sister."
"And what would I do about Teddy?"
"There's a nursery, and Narcissa still loves children. She may not remember who he is, but she'd likely enjoy playing with him."
"I'll consider it. Now I need to be getting home. Shouldn't leave Harry to deal with Teddy all by himself for too long."
Lucius stood up, ready to escort her to the floo.
"You're welcome here anytime, Andromeda."
She raised an eyebrow in surprise.
"Even after marrying a mudblood?"
"Family should be more important than that. I'm just sorry it took me so long to figure that out."
She moved towards him and put a hand on his shoulder.
"Lucius Malfoy, there may be hope for you yet."
Author/Artist:
melfinatheblueRating:G
Pairing(s):Narcissa/Lucius
Word Count:1570
Warnings (if any):mention of torture and character death, sad fic
Author's notes:When I say sad fic, I mean it. There is no happy ending, and everything is not going to be okay.
'Today is one of the bad days. Not that there are really any good days anymore, just shades of bad. And today's one of the worst. She's locked herself in her room, and is screaming for her mother. Clawed me when I brought her breakfast. Apparently I'm an old pervert who's kidnapped her and is going to rape her. A not so bad day is one when she knows me, knows I'm her husband, and that I love her. On her best days she might even remember Draco. Maybe it's a blessing she doesn't. That way she can't remember he's dead.
The healers wanted me to lock her up in St Mungo's. She's only going to get worse, they said. But I couldn't do that to her. She stood by me, through everything. I love her. I'm not locking her away in a mental ward. So I went to the Muggle world, found a Squib psychiatrist who was willing, for a great deal of money, to treat her at home. Not that the money matters, not much matters anymore. My family's gone, one way or another. '
Doctor Robert Greengrass stuck his head into Lucius Malfoy's study. The room was not exactly what he'd expected. He'd expected grand and rich, with a great deal of wood and expensive-looking dark furniture. Instead it was small and bright, with a comfortable-looking sofa, and a small desk. Rather reminded him of the dean's office at school. Malfoy was sitting at the desk, writing. There were claw marks on one of his cheeks, and he looked tired, old.
“Mr. Malfoy?”
Malfoy looked up.
“Sorry to interrupt, but is there anyone from her childhood still alive? She's scared half to death, and a familiar face might help.”
Malfoy pinched the bridge of his nose. Robert fought the urge to go over to him, pat him on the shoulder. Malfoy's eyes were full of liquid, but none escaped.
“Sorry, didn't mean to...”
“You are not to blame for her condition. That is mine to bear.”
“It's not your fault, Mr. Malfoy. You didn't point the wand at her and use the Unforgivable.”
Malfoy looked down again. His voice was very faint as he replied.
“I might as well have.”
There was silence in the room for a moment, then a faint screaming began. Both men looked up, towards the sound.
“A relation, friend, someone?”
“One of her sisters is still alive. I will contact her, though I cannot promise she'll come.”
“I'll do what I can in the meantime.”
Greengrass turned and began to walk out of the room. At the threshold he turned back around to look at Malfoy.
“Mr. Malfoy, why don't you get out of the house for a while? Go somewhere, be around other people. It might do you some good.”
“I'll think about it.”
Robert Greengrass walked out, and Lucius put his head in his hands. He sobbed once, a dry heaving sob, before he got himself back under control. He didn't cry, hadn't even as they laid his golden boy into the grave. He would do what he needed to do to help 'Cissa. And if that meant groveling to Andromeda Tonks, he would.
About fifteen minutes later he stood in front of a small cottage. It was old, a bit ramshackle, but very well taken care of. He took a deep breath and knocked at the door. He was completely unprepared for who answered.
“You!”
Harry pointed a wand straight at Malfoy senior. The man was obviously up to no good. Malfoy looked at the wand, but made to move to draw his own.
“Potter. Returned to England I see. May I please speak to Mrs. Tonks?”
“And why should I let you?”
“Let her make that decision. Last I had heard, you were not employed as the Tonks family's gatekeeper.”
“There's hardly anything left of the Tonks family anymore, and that's all your fault!”
“Harry, dear, who is it?”
“Just a Death Eater. Shall I hex him into oblivion?”
“A Death Eater?”
Andromeda's voice was shrill. She ran up to Harry, her hands coated in flour. Harry stepped aside to allow her a clear view of Lucius Malfoy.
“Oh, you.”
Lucius inclined his head towards her.
“Mrs. Tonks.”
“What are you doing here? You aren't welcome, you know.”
“I had rather suspected.”
“Then why are you here, Lucius?”
He grimaced.
“Can we speak in private?”
“We speak in front of Harry, or not at all.”
“Fine. As you are no doubt aware, Draco died ten months ago.”
“If you're looking for pity, you've come to the wrong place.”
“Wait, Draco's dead?”
Harry looked at Lucius in confusion. Draco Malfoy had been one of the constants in his life since he was eleven, generally a constant thorn in his side, but always there.
“Yes, Draco is dead.”
“What happened?”
Andromeda answered quickly.
“Killing Curse. But that doesn't explain why you're here.”
“There is something else that happened that day. Narcissa was subjected to the cruciatus, likely for more than a hour. The Aurors surmised that she would not tell Draco's assassin where he was, so he tried to torture it out of her.”
Andromeda paled.
“So, the story about prostrate with grief?”
“A lie. Most days she doesn't even remember she has a son.”
“And what do you want with me? I can't cure madness.”
“No, but you can calm her down.”
“That's your job, Lucius. I doubt my sister would find my presence very calming.”
“Her mind drifts backwards and forwards in time. Today, she thinks she's fourteen, and that I am an old pervert who's kidnapped her and plans to do unspeakable things to her. She doesn't remember me, but she remembers you, and you might be able to convince her to let the psychiatrist talk to her, if not give her something.”
“If she's so sick, why isn't she in Mungo's?”
Harry's voice was challenging. He was angry and he didn't know why.
“Because I would not leave her there. She is my wife, and for as long as she lives, the Manor is her home.”
“St Mungo's could help her.”
Lucius pinched the bridge of his nose again.
“St Mungo's can do nothing. The best mentalists in the world have been unable to keep her mind steady. At least the Manor is comfortable and full of reminders of her life. She was in St Mungo's for a week, at the beginning. They insisted on reminding her, every day, that she'd had a son and that he was dead. Every day the grief hit her anew. They were torturing her, and it wasn't helping. Andromeda, I know I have no right to ask you for anything and I expect nothing from you. But 'Cissa needs you. Please.”
Andromeda nodded.
“Harry, can you watch Teddy for a while?”
“You can't honestly be thinking of going with him!”
“For my sister's sake, I can.”
Lucius looked relieved.
“If you wish to take the boy with you, the nursery is still intact.”
“Planning on having a kid, Malfoy?”
“I would never do such a thing to 'Cissa. She expects there to be a nursery, when she remembers Draco, so I made sure one was there. Everything of Draco's was still in the attic; it wasn't hard to recreate.”
“Harry, please watch Teddy. Just let me get my coat, and we can go, Lucius.”
“Thank you.”
Harry was visibly fuming, but he walked back inside. Andromeda came back out, carefully closing the door behind her. Lucius extended his arm.
“Still the pureblood gentleman, I see.”
“Old habits die hard.”
“Are you going to remarry?”
“Honestly, I don't know. I love 'Cissa.”
“Did she love you?”
“I believe so.”
“I'm surprised you're willing to let the Malfoy line die with you. No doubt some pureblood woman would be willing to marry you, for the money if nothing else.”
“Probably. Shall we?”
“Yes.”
////////////////////////////////////////
A few hours later, 'Cissa was safely sedated, and Lucius was back in his study. Andromeda sat across from him with a glass of wine in her hand.
"You need help, Lucius. You're not coping very well with this."
"I thought you didn't care whether I lived or died."
"Your obvious love for my sister is worth saving you for."
Lucius smiled sardonically.
"How nice that I have one redeeming factor. What do you suggest I do?"
"Find someone to act as a nurse."
"Don't suppose you could use some extra money?"
"Do you honestly think I'd stoop to helping you?"
"No, I think you might be willing to help your sister."
"And what would I do about Teddy?"
"There's a nursery, and Narcissa still loves children. She may not remember who he is, but she'd likely enjoy playing with him."
"I'll consider it. Now I need to be getting home. Shouldn't leave Harry to deal with Teddy all by himself for too long."
Lucius stood up, ready to escort her to the floo.
"You're welcome here anytime, Andromeda."
She raised an eyebrow in surprise.
"Even after marrying a mudblood?"
"Family should be more important than that. I'm just sorry it took me so long to figure that out."
She moved towards him and put a hand on his shoulder.
"Lucius Malfoy, there may be hope for you yet."
And thank you! Yay, someone likes my fic!