Second Chance

15

"I know" Hadrian gave a lopsided smile.

Lucius and Narcissa shared a dubious look.

The night ticked by. The residents of the manor were in a varying level of over-thinking, except Draco. Pregnant people get tiredBoth the Malfoys sighed deeply as the events of the past surged up. It took them almost ten years to get back on their original relationship, which was only slightly better than their current situation. Even then, the regret of joining a doomed cause and fear for their child's life brought them together. The feeling of his wife's warm body next to him suddenly made his stomach feel funny.

Hadrian rolled his eyes internally as he watched the antics of a couple late into their thirties and married for nearly two decades.

" I....can I see Draco now?" Hadrian asked, he wanted to see his beloved husband, the universe didn't matter. Losing Draco was the biggest pain of his life, he couldn't eat or drink, hell!, half the time it felt like his lungs were refusing to breathe.

Lucius and Narcissa shared a look. "We don't think it is appropriate to dump all this on him so suddenly. He was already hysterical, maybe tomorrow after he gets a good night of sleep." Narcissa was already up on her feet, deciding to spend the night watching over her son. Lucius nodded, also raising from the seat.

" The guest room-"

easily, especially pregnant people with alternate- dimension husbands. Hadrian laid on the familiar blue silk sheets, it was scary how everything was almost the same. Even with the huge difference in how the events unfolded, including the alleged tragedy of his pa and whatever his dad did, he still ended up with Draco, who like in his own world, got pregnant with his child. It did make him wonder what happened between Draco and this universe version of him. At first glance all he felt was rage coming in waves nearly a foot high from his beloved, although his baby was as fierce as a car, with a prominent scowl/resting bitch face, this Draco had contempt pouring out of him in huge tsunami waves.

On the other side of the castle, Lady Malfoy sat beside the fireplace looking solemnly into the dancing flames, very much like those novel characters who have helped fill the painful silence in her life. Their life, love and sadness became her own. At thirty eight, Narcissa is able to accept that some part of her contempt for Lilly came from pure jealousy, a huge part was for Severus and the black and white mindset the woman possessed. Potter was an arrogant fool, she wouldn't wish him on any woman. But still, the commitment he showed throughout their school years to Evans. She still remembers, during her final year James Potter had approached Lilly Evans in the great hall, jumping on the table, materializing beautiful flowers of all colors into a bouquet, on one knee and asking her out for yule. She had only danced with Lucius once, the year before. Lucius had sent a beautiful dress, her mother sending loads and loads of other accessories plus additional instructions. Sometimes, somewhere in the corner of her heart, the need for love rises. She had Draco, she loved him unconditionally, but those rare times she caught herself longing for a husband, not an utter simp like Potter, Lucius but with occasional display of affection. At Least behind the doors, she wanted to be held, cherished. That one night with Lucius from which Draco was conceived was the only night when she had ever gotten something remotely close to this.

The sound of the door opening rippled through the room. The woman sitting next to the fire, the flames creating a dramatic glow around her. Her beautiful face closed, smooth like that of a baby's, lively, a mask. The man, the only man in the whole world to ever see the beauty that she was, sat next her, letting his eyes linger on the mask for a bit. Subtle signs of aging were visible on her face, you should look closely though, but that's fine, he had all the time in the world. The slight twitch in her eyebrows made him aware of her still sharp conscience. How is it that the past years had passed with him never noticing this woman? Was it the arrogant sense of ownership?

Narcissa's lips quivered, the ghost of a pout. Her eyes trembled, flooding up behind the long lashes. She gripped the handle of the armchair, there was nothing holding her back from breaking down. The years of lecture from his mother and later from her husband fighting tooth and nail to keep the woman from breaking loose. It was so tiring,

Don't do that! Don't do this!

Sit up straight!

Don't slouch!

Don't talk!

A pretty daughter! Laughter!

A seven year old girl, looking like a doll, the grown men around her praising his father for the beauty that came from him.

Oh how beautiful! She sure will earn a great deal of wealth in the future!

Her mother sat on the chair, her back straight, her hands folded in front of her, oh sure their eyes were blessed.

Warmth exploded around her, strong arms circling her. This was all she wanted, all she ever wished for. Something enough to let her know that she is alive and breathing like everyone else, not just the perfect abstract of otherworldly perfection. Sobs erupted in her, the arms around tightening in response.

Her face was probably a mess, tears must have drenched her makeup, her hair must have come undone. Yet, the man gathered her face in his arms, their eyes meeting each other, for the second time in years, there were no hidden meanings, no wordless command, just pure unadulterated affection. There were tears in his eyes too.

Oh how wonderful it was, the warmth from the flames was nothing compared to the heat that erupted in her when their lips met in a passionate kiss.

NEXT PART

Hello!  Hope you all like this chapter, the next chapter will be up after this chapter reach 10 stars.

ta