Ella's Oneshots

[Ella]

Fandom: Harry Potter
Summary: Lucius/Narcissa; post-DH
Words: 631

Your Favourite Place in the World

"You took me to [i]your[/i] favourite place on earth," she said. "Don't you remember? Now it's my turn."
He did remember. It had been a holiday years and years ago, before Draco had even been born – before they were even engaged. It was the year that Andromeda had renounced her family, and Narcissa had been terribly upset. He had taken her to the Seven Sisters, where he used to go for the summer holidays with his parents. It had cheered her up. He knew all this, but he didn't understand what she meant by asking. His wife never spoke of that moment again, because she never spoke of her sister again.
"This garden is my favourite place on earth," she stated. It was mid-summer, and the sun was high up in the sky, reflecting in the small river coursing through the garden and adorning the brightness of the swans' feathers. "Will you not ask me why?" she questioned. He saw their reflection in the water. It had been some time since he had last come to this place. He hadn't had the opportunity in a while, and had long forgotten what it was like to breathe into fresh air.
"Because I know," he said, simply.
"I wonder if you really do." She offered no explanation.
They were sitting on a white bench attached to the tree above it, softly swinging due to Narcissa's movements.
He didn't know how to respond.
"Why do you think this is my favourite place?"
"Why do you ask?" he said, becoming slightly irritated by all these questions. The Ministry had done nothing but question him for the past two months, and he didn't need any more of that from his wife.
"Just answer the question."
He sighed. "Because I proposed to you here."
"And…?" There was a meaningful look in his wife's eyes.
"It's a good memory," he said. And it was. It was a memory of better times. He remembered how in that moment he thought that nothing could ever change the happiness he felt at that moment. Apparently he shouldn't have tempted fate, since it had found a devious way of proving him wrong.
Narcissa softly took his hand in hers. "It's not a memory, Lucius."
He didn't look at her.
"It's not merely something from the past I happen to remember. I have a lot of those moment stored in my memory, but this one is not like them. This one is still here, right now, as it will always be," she said. It remained silent for a while, but he could feel her gaze on him. "Lucius, I will never stop loving you. Through the good and the bad times, remember? Why do you refuse to believe that?"
"Because [i]I[/i] was the one who created the bad times, [i]remember[/i]?" he spat, pushing her hand away. "It is my fault that you and Draco had to go through all that, and there is literally no way in which…"
"In which I still love you despite all of that?" she replied just as sharply. "I think I get to decide that for myself. Besides, part of the blame is on me either way. I never opposed your actions."
"I wouldn't have listened, would I?"
She smiled. "Perhaps, perhaps not. You underestimate my capacities."
He smiled too. "Perhaps… Perhaps not."
That earned him a kick against his leg before Narcissa buried her head against his shoulder.
"My favourite place isn't Seaford," Lucius finally said.
"It is not? Well, then you must certainly return my favour and take me somewhere else. Where is it?"
"That is of no importance," he said. "As long as you are there."
Narcissa smiled at the closest Lucius Malfoy had ever come to an 'I love you.'
"I love you too."