This story picks up at a complicated time in Lucius and Bellatrix's relationship written collaboratively with @pvrebloodlucius She is around 2 years into her marriage to Rodolphus at age 20. Lucius is 18 and just a couple months into his marriage to Narcissa. They'd always planned to run away together once he graduated Hogwarts. He let her down unable to disappoint his father and instead going through with the arranged marriage with Narcissa. All children in Sacred Twenty eight pureblood families , being the equivalent of royalty, have arranged marriages. They'd decided Bella should go through with hers to Rodolphus Lestrange until Lucius finished schooling. They'd leave it all behind and be together. Until he couldn't defy his father and instead broke her heart. A week later realising he couldn't have only in secret , only in the shadows Lucius takes Bella and they run away to Italy never intending to return . Leaving the shadows to live in the sun. That is until his father falls seriously ill and they have to return just after a week. He tells his father of his wishes, of where he's been but his father doesn't approve . He has Lucius make a death bed promise to not break the match he'd made for Lucius and thereby sully the family name. That he won't run off and leave his newly widowed mother to fend for herself. Lucius agrees, duty bound to his father to produce a Malfoy heir but only promises to remain in the marriage until the child comes of age. The star crossed lovers go back to stolen moments . Love in the shadows . The story picks up as they return from a three day trip to Spain , a brief taste of living in the sun. Rodolphus was on a mission for The Dark Lord freeing Bella to run off. Unfortunately for her , he returned home before she did. There will be mature content at times. I'll advise at the beginning of the chapters if there Is and what type .