Extra
When Lucius opened his eyes, he was in a rather familiar place. He was in his family's mansion, but the atmosphere was completely different, white instead of the usual green and black tones. He looked around, perplexed, and walked to what should have been the living room, finding something unexpected: the face of his husband, Severus. Bewildered, he tried to start speaking, aware that it wasn't wise to contradict his husband, especially when he was upset.
Severus' tone wasn't aggressive, which gave Lucius some confidence. He cautiously approached the sofa and sat down at a cautious distance from his husband. The silence was only broken by a melody they used to enjoy together. Lucius shifted uncomfortably in his seat, uneasy at his husband's seriousness. He turned to look at him; Severus was nervous. It was easy to notice.
His fingers trembled ever so slightly, more than he would consider acceptable for brewing any potion; he was barely biting his lower lip, and his leg was tapping the floor softly, an action Severus considered extremely annoying and hated doing unconsciously. A doubt invaded his mind: What had his husband been doing all these years? Would they pass the same as in the world of the living? Had he spent them alone, brewing potions with no company? Just imagining it caused him an uncomfortable feeling of guilt in his chest… Why couldn't he have been more aware, less cowardly? Maybe then Severus wouldn't have died.
But he did what he had to do.
Right…?
[…]
Ten minutes of complete silence, and Lucius didn't dare to break it. He felt damnedly guilty, and he feared. He feared as if he were facing a great Hippogriff fed on his lies, staring at him but not returning the reverence. But this time it was different: Lucius no longer feared death, losing his good reputation, or the Dark Lord; Lucius feared losing the only thing he had left. He feared losing the cause of his happiness, the one who had accompanied him all his life despite his foolishness; he feared losing Severus.
His husband's foot moved a little more, tapping the floor faster and carrying with it a grimace of displeasure and disappointment. To be fair, Severus had also lied to him! But it didn't seem fair either way. Lucius had promised him: in July nineteen eighty-one, he, Lucius Abraxas Malfoy, had promised not to get more involved with the Dark Lord than necessary. In August nineteen ninety-two, he broke that promise for the first time, giving his lord's diary to the Weasley girl. And at the Quidditch World Cup, he broke his promise for the second time, being part of the masked men who caused terror at the event.
He could get angry with Severus for being a spy for the light, but certainly he never promised anything like not getting involved with Dumbledore. He hadn't failed a promise, Lucius had. And as such, he should be the one to apologize first.
"Sorry, Severus," he bowed his head under his husband's incredulous gaze.
"Lucius… What…?"
"I'm sorry I let you down. I know this doesn't change anything, but…"
He was interrupted by a quick hug from Severus that left him perplexed.
"Forgive me, Lucius…"
It was only then that Lucius realized that his husband's tears were wetting his shoulder.
He rubbed his back affectionately, drawing him even closer into the hug.
The song that was playing came to an end. Lucius thought the room would fall silent, except for his husband's sobs, but it didn't happen: the song they had always considered theirs began to play. The song Lucius hadn't heard in ten years.
"I steal a few breaths from the world for a minute, and then I'll be nothing forever. And all of my memories and all of the things I have seen will be gone, with my eyes, with my body, with me."
Perhaps it wasn't the most accurate timing, but Lucius didn't care. He started humming the rhythm quietly, as if he wanted Severus to notice.
"But me and my husband we're doing better, it's always been just him and me, together."
Maybe he could do better, even if he's dead. Maybe he could still fix all his mistakes.
"So, I bet all I have on that furrowed brow. And at least in this lifetime, we're sticking together."
Perhaps that "in this life" could change to a "forever."
Perhaps he should stop with the maybes and act for once.
He kissed Severus.
On the forehead.
Severus straightened up quickly, bringing back the heavy atmosphere to the place.
"Severus…"
"Lucius…"
And they went back to square one. But this time Lucius wasn't willing to wait so long.
"Severus. I know you probably don't even want to see me after everything that happened, but…"
"I could have left," he interrupted.
"…I… What?"
"I could have left," he repeated.
"Well…" Lucius sighed. "Then why didn't you?"
"Because I love you, Lucius. If I didn't want to see you, I wouldn't have stayed."
Oh…
Lucius held back the urge to jump for joy.
"Then… Would you allow me to be with you, even after all the lies we told each other?"
The ebony eyes crystallized with a sparkle of joy that matched his smile.
"Always."