Amortentia Dolorosa

Thursday, June 27th, 1974, early afternoon, the manor


Narcissa walked passed the wards at the Malfoy estate with ease with her hands swinging lightly at her side. She hoped, that even thought she was unannounced that Lucius would be there and she could surprise him. Thus, once arriving to her destination she knocked on the front door with determination.

A house elf answered the door. "Miss Black," it said, bowing. "You are looking for Master Lucius?" it asked looking at her face. "He's in his lab, but I'm sure you could come down to see him." With this, the elf waited patiently for a responce.

She smiled, walking in, "I would like to yes. Lead the way." she said, following the elf down to the lab.

The house elf led her into a set of rooms in the basement that looked rather as if they'd once been dungeons. Lucius was standing in front of a table, some sort of potion brewing in front of him.

He was dressed in an old, worn set of Slytherin student robes, his sleeves rolled back to above his elbows, and tendrils of hair were escaping the usually neat queue of hair at his neck. His bottom lip caught between his teeth as he added some crushed ashwinder skin, stirring in a meticulous fashion.

"Yes?" he said, apparently having heard someone enter, but not looking up from his work.

She said nothing for a moment, leaning on the frame to the door way, and watching Lucius.

She suddenly felt nervous for not announcing her self in a letter. "I was wondering if you were busy." she said , folding her hands in front of her.

"Narcissa," he said, pleasure in his voice. "Only for a few more minutes. As soon as I have this bottled, I'm all yours." With very precise movements, he added a couple more ingredients, stirring them into the mixture carefully.

"Now, another five minutes, and then I can bottle," he said, finally looking up at her. "So what is your pleasure?"

he smiled and moved away from the door frame, closer to the table to sit on a bench on the other side of Lucius's work space.

"Well," she said, "It's actualy a surprise.....you just have to get changed and trust me."'

He chuckled warmly. "I'm afraid I'll need to know a bit more than that, Narcissa," he said playfully. "Such as what sort of endeavour to get dressed for. After all, as is obvious by my current choices, it helps if one's clothing suits one's plans."

"Well," she said gestering to herself slightly, "Dress how I am dressed. I wouldn't want to ruin the surprise would I?"

"Somehow, my dear, I doubt that you'd find women's robes suitable on my for the occasion. But if that's what you want?" Lucky said, leaving the end of the sentence hanging, as he gathered up the bottles he would need to pour the potion into for storage.

she laughed, and shifted slight to lift her robes. Under them she had a light and flowery sun dress. "You are more welcome to wear the robes if you wish." she replied with a chuckle, "For none will see us."

He laughed. "So Muggle clothes, or some such, under a set of robes. Fair enough." With that, he gave the potion a final stir, and began pouring it into the bottles he'd gathered carefully.

"But what you intend that no one will see us, that has me wondering."

"But that's the surprise isn't it? Not knowing where we are going, or what we are doing." she smiled,"If you don't like it, we can do something else, but I would at least like to give it a try."

She paused and looked around, "Times are getting dark Lucky, I want to take advantage of this calm while it last. Don't you agree?"

Lucky smiled. "It's always darkest before the dawn, Narcissa," he said gently, walking over and wrapping his arms around her. "And I don't mind surprises, I just don't see them often."

He let his arms slip from around her. "I suppose I should go find something to wear, so that we can go."

She hugged him lightly, and nuzzled his ear gently. "Take you time, I am in no rush to leave."

Lucky smiled, and slipped from the room.


Perhaps 15 minutes later Lucky came back into the room, wearing black robes with ice blue accents over a silk dress shirt in a deeper blue, and a pair of black jeans. "Suitable?" he asked. His hair was now immaculately groomed, and all traces of the busy and distracted man he'd been earlier had been erased.

"Are you comfortable? " she asked with a smile.

"Of course," he said. "And the robes can be discarded if it's useful wherever you've intended us to go."

"Good, then if you are ready, let's go to the aparation point and get out of here." she said with a smile.

He nodded, and went with Narcissa to the apparition point upstairs. "At your discretion, my dear," he said.

She looked around and noticed that there was no one around, and took out a small bag from her pocket. Then, taking out her wand she enlarged the bag, taking off her robes she placed them in the bag.

Holding it out to Lucius she waited for him to mimic her.

Lucky sighed, and slipped out of the robes, folding them carefully before sticking them into the bag. "Not exactly the sort of thing I want to chance my father spotting me in, so let's hurry," he said.

She grinned and took out a blind fold, holding it up to his face and looking around. "Don't worry, if we hurry, no one will see."

He shook his head for a moment, and then closed his eyes. "I suppose the blindfold is neccesary?" he asked teasingly.

"It does make it easier for me to take advantage of you." she said seriously, but grinning from ear to ear.

"It wont be for long, it's to save the surprise."

"Of course it is," Lucky said with a sigh. "Lead on." He was a bit disturbed by the blindfold in that it limited his abilities to defend tham both, if necessary.

"Hold my hand and relax. This won't take long at all." she smiled and focused, and with a pop they were at their destination.

Leading him gently she pulled him in the direction she wanted and took off the blindfold, "Welcome," she stated with a smile, "To our private picnic in Kew Gardens."

He smiled, and took a seat on the ground. "Lovely," he said.

"I hoped you would like it." she said smiling, sitting next to him, "I found it's simplicity just what the doctor ordered for lately."

He smiled. "A far cry from a formal dinner, and a pleasant change."

Lucky carefully placed one hand on hers. "So what've you been up to lately?"

"Nothing much." she said with a shrug, "Reading, keeping away from the relatives. The norm." she said with a chuckle.

He laughed. "I see. Then again, I can't say I blame you, I try to stay away from Bellatrix as well."

She laughed, and shook her head. "Bella isn't really a bother, we never really talk much. It's my wonderful aunt that I speak of."

"In the end it doesn't matter. Since I have lots of things to occupy mysefl with."

"Oh?" he said archly, one eyebrow raised. "And how do you occupy yourself these days, my dear?"

He smiled as he poured himself something to drink, and offered to pour for her as well. "I have to admit I've been rather wrapped up in research."

"Reading of course." she said with a shrug, "I don't have anything else to do."

"You can't seem to make up your mind whether or not you have enough to occupy yourself with, Narcissa," he said teasingly, one hand reaching out to cup her chin.

"You know, you could always do some of what I'm doing. Freelance research work for the Ministry, as well as private individuals. I find it gives me some freedom, as well as something to do with myself." Lucky watched for her reaction carefully.

She tried to focus her thoughts and nodded. "I'm sorry." she said, shaking her head lightly, and rubbing her eyes. "I'm actually quite tired." she said with a chuckle.

"I'd....rather not to be honest. One never knows who's hands that sort of thing could fall into."

Lucky laughed, his amusement bringing warmth to his frequently still expression. "Perhaps. I simply don't take work that I feel is a risk. Some information is easily enough gained, that I feel no guilt doing something that they might have managed eventually. And one could always find esoteric spells for bettering fashion, or any number of other purposes. Half of the 'research' I do for the ministry involves better ways to transmit information, or a more functional filing system. Those aren't particularly things I worry about falling into the wrong hands."

"I'd ask you why you're tired, dear, but I have a feeling that would only lead to more contradictory answers."

"Insomnia." she said with a shrug. "Just can't seem to sleep." she said, stretching.

"Have you tried a sleeping draught?" he asked. Lucky watched her stretch, a very male light in his eyes.

"Or perhaps you're hinting that you'd sleep better with someone next to you?" he asked in a teasing sort of voice.

She blushed slightly at his suggestion and grinned. "Well, if you can become an animagus, and make it so that no one will know we are sharing a bed then I am all for it, but if not I will have to settle for sleeping alone."

"As for potions, on occasion I will have one, but that's something you have to be careful isn't it? As to not be dependent on them...."

"A bit careful, yes. But I doubt you've ever taken them nearly long enough to worry," Lucky said with a soft smile.

"And no, I'm afraid I don't have an animagus form. I was more thinking you could come stay with me down in my lab, if you wanted. I've a bedroom down there, for when I'm busy with a potion, and my father hasn't set foot down there in years. We came to an agreement, and he stays out of my lab entirely."

She sat pensively for a moment, before moving to take the things out of the picnic basket.

"But how then..." she finally said, "Do I explain my absence to my mother? As much as the idea of spending the night with you is alluring,the process of doing so has the potential to be problematic."

"The same way Bella does?" he suggested. "Or don't explain yourself. You are an adult now, Cissa." Lucky shrugged, willing to let this one go, at least for now. "Most of the more entertaining things I do could cause problems, honestly."

“Bella lies and hides….and is branded a whore by not only our mother, but our society….it’s hard. People expect things of me, and at the moment I am still living with my mother and father, so it’s hard to sneak off with out them noticing.”

She paused, and poured them a glass of wine. “I am not as brave as you are.”

Lucky nodded. "Your rules are different than mine, perhaps, although I would not say you are less brave," he said with a faint smile. "After all, I travel on business, from time to time. And men aren't expected to protect their virtue in quite the same way."

She laughed, and poured him a glass of wine. " I hadn't known that men were meant to protect heir virtue at all.: she said teasingly.

"Well, having a bastard child with some muggle would rather be frowned upon, I think," he said. "As would any number of other activities one might possibly do." Lucky laughed, and took the wine, sipping at it.

"After all, some things just aren't manly."

She wrinkled her nose and shoot her head.

"A Half-Blood. Malfoy or not would be a horrid idea."


She took a drink of her wine and stared at him a moment. "Would you even bed a muggle woman?" she asked curiously, "I mean, if she was pretty enough...."

"Eh, I don't know that I find half bloods objectionable. After all, they aren't to blame for the sins of their parents. " He stared at his wine for a moment, thinking of Severus.

Startled by her question, he looked up at her. "Me? Sleep with a Muggle? That's highly unlikely, and rather disturbing to boot. They can be amusing, but really, Narcissa. It's not like they're our equals. Why on earth would I do such a thing."

"I guess that's true....but what if it turned out to be a Squib!" she said teasingly.


She sat pensive for a moment, "Well, I don't know, why not? A woman is a woman right, does blood matter over body?"

"If it's a squib, it's a squib. Still not the fault of the child, Narcissa." Lucky sipped at his wine.

He leaned back for a moment, trying to think how to explain his thoughts. "It's not just blood or body, Narcissa. It's culture. If I said something to you in Latin, you would understand me. If I brought up Goblin Rebellions, or Grindlewald. There are so many things that we are raised knowing that the average Muggle will never even hear of. The Moodblood is at a disadvantage there, but their lacks can be remedied, on the whole, through a study and effort."

Lucky sipped his wine again. "I do not, on the whole believe in sleeping with someone I cannot have a decent conversation with. On most of the subjects I am interested in, not just a few things. Our very relationship, whatever it has become, was based, in part on these things, as well as friendship."

"But it would just be sex..." she said seriously, "Not a relationship, not love, just lust."

"Some creatures, I do believe, are still either too dumb, or too irrelevant to have sex with. For me, at least." Lucius seemed utterly unaware of the arrogance of that statement.

She laughed, and grabbed a sandwich, "Alright then." she said, grinning and taking a bite. "Well I will count myself to be intelligent then won't I.:

"Well, that's stating the obvious, Cissa," he said with a laugh. "What brought all this to your mind anyways?"

Lucky shifted position and grabbed a sandwich for himself, realising that he'd been ignoring food in favour of the potion he was working on in his lab for quite some time.

"Just one of those days...or weeks rather." she said with a shrug, "I'm not to sure to be honest, I just seem to be in a funk lately."

"Well, we can't have that," Lucky said in a teasing tone that hid the concern he was feeling. "So it's time to have some fun, at least after we finish our lunch.

She smiled, and continued to eat her sandwich before finally saying, "That is what the lunch was for. To get out of the house to go go something that wasn't tea or a party with all the Bloods. Something fun, and relaxing that I wanted to do."

He smiled, and nodded. "Fair enough. I have to admit that I've been primarily occupied with business and politics as of late, myself."

Lucky took a bit of his sandwich, and swallowed before drinking again. "It's good to be relaxing without a pint glass in hand, for once."

She laughed, "One can relax with out having to resort to alcohol you know. "

"Indeed," he said. "But Roddy will keep dragging me to the pub, and alcohol is generally available whether or not we've gone out."

She laughed, "I would assume so all things considered."

She continued to eat and finished her drink. "Perhaps I should spend more time with you lot, I might have more fun..."

"Of course you would," he said with a grin. "We're always up to something. Never a dull moment, when I go out with the boys," he said. "Although, I'd imagine you'd enjoy Roddy and Sev a good deal more than you would Babs. His idea of fun is a bit," Here he paused as he searched for the right term," A bit rougher, perhaps, than I would think is to your taste."

Lucky reached for one of her hands, and when he had it, drew it to his lips, kissing the top of it, his eyes lifted to watch her expression.

She smiled as he kissed her hand and cupped his cheek. "Well, maybe I'll keep that in mind. "

She looked at the remains of their picnic, "Are we done?" she said, gesturing to the mess.

"I suppose so," he said. "But I'm in no hurry to get back." He smiled at her. "The company here is far too charming for that." Lucky relaxed slightly, and his hold on her hand loosened, until their hands were just resting together touching lightly.

"All right." she said, waving her wand slightly, and ignored the mess now that it was leaning itself up, and relaxed next to him.