Second Chance

14

Lucius closed his eyes, letting his wife coming to terms with the sudden turn of events. He knew, better than anyone, she carried the weight of being alive. To lose someone, who you knew deserved better, to lose another to a game of entitled closet minded fools preaching wisdom. You knew them, you grew up with them, you shared melas with them, you adored them. To be alive to watch everything crumble in the name of liberation.

Narcissa sunk back into the couch, the warmth of her husband's body keeping her up from collapsing from reality.

Ofcourse.

It was clear now. The man, Hadrian Prince Riddle looked exactly like them, like the perfect mix. He had that elegance of their dark lord. The deathly charm that dug into your minds, slowly extracting your mind and thoughts. But those eyes, it held so much. So much pain and anguish, hope-Severus looked so much like that.

"Is Severus alive, in your universe-is he happy?"

Hadrian chuckled. "Of course they are. My Alpha sire treats my Pa like a queen. Quite old, suffering only from weak joints and graying hair." He grew up seeing them, the love and desire they felt for each other. To think that there existed a universe where none of them got peace, that was bizarre. Hadrian had already grasped that his dad was not the best in this universe, if the contempt that rolled off both his in laws said anything.

Narcissa leaned back on the couch, next to her husband.she always thought that Severus' life was unfair, sacrificing your life for a woman who left him for the man who tormented her friend throughout his school life?. To her Lilly was a huge hypocrite.

"It must be hard Narcissa, to have a husband so cold"

"You are the one to speak Evans, you jumped the boat the moment a rich guy came your way. Just because you have him at your side, never ever think you are in any position to judge others. You are still a lowly muggleborn who got a golden ticket. You are not known for your accomplishments or your talents. You are known as Mrs.Potter and that's that '' Narcissa sneered at Lily, who was standing next to James Potter with a champagne glass.

The charity gala the ministry hosted that year had the biggest drama in the history of dramas. True, Lucius found it difficult to express any kind of domestic emotions. She was not even sure that he possessed them. They didn't get married for love, she was aware of it and doesn't regret it. It would have been nice to have a caring husband next to you, like in the operas she frequented. But that was a luxury many of the women in pureblood circles never possessed. But an outsider who knows nothing about the politics, hell doesn't even care about them, making a snide remark, that's not acceptable. Narcissa was a proud woman.

Lily had a deep blush covering her face, suddenly caught off guard, no response coming to her. The ball room had gone silent as Narcissa, the ever polite and elegant lady of Malfoy house engaging in verbal spar. Talk about a once in a lifetime occurrence.

"Narcizssa" Lucius slid next to her, his arms around her waist. That would be the first time they made any kind of physical contact outside the standard etiquette ones.

"Great party gentleman"

He ignored the other couple as he took a glass of sparkling juice from the counter and steered Narcissa towards one of the tables, with a gentle hand barely touching her waist. He stayed with her for the rest of the night, his presence slowly helping her calm down.

The Prophet would next day write in great detail about the charity gala, malfoys and potters butting heads. There was a whole column dedicated to preaching about the rights of Pureblood Women, how the pureblood men try to bring them down, abusing them. "Lucius Malfoy looked murderous at his wife. He took her away and kept her secluded in one corner. She looked visibly shaken, it's alarming how much control he has on her"-said Mrs.Potter.

That night Draco was conceived, when Narcissa realized that love may not be a part of their marriage, but trust will always be.

She didn't like Lily way before any of this drama. Even when she was friends with Severus. That friendship was a heavy weight pulling Severus back. Severus loved Lily and Cissa respected that. If she could travel back in time, she would definitely force Severus out of the friendship that ended his life. Three years later both the Potters died of Dragon pox. If Severus had not died the previous year by protecting Harry Potter, he sure would have made them a cure. To think he sacrificed his life for nothing,

" Bring him to me"

Narcissa clenched her jaw as she watched her friend being dragged into the hall. Severus was half dead, the blood fresh and red on his face. The mad man sat, perched on the chair that belonged to her husband, his horrible face not betraying a single emotion. Severus was dumped in front of him, Narcissa looked away. Her heart ached as she was forced to watch life seeping out of her friend.

Oh Severus

There was no funeral, hell Cissa didn't even know what happened to the body. Still she bought a small piece of land, far to the east. Built two headstones, two of her beloved friends. The graves would forever remain empty.

"Stop this madness Narcissa. They brought that fate upon themselves. Stop this pathetic weeping. It's unbecoming of a lady of house malfoy to shed tears for a pathetic half blood and a disgraced pureblood, you are shami-.

SLAP!