Lucius and his wife Narcissa were enjoying the pleasant weather outside while sipping on tea. Narcissa's smile caught his attention, and he admired her beauty and the gentleness in her eyes. He was aware of the difficulties she had faced in recent years, as her love for her family was immeasurable. Seeing her husband and son safe brought her immense joy.
Narcissa took a sip from her tea and remarked, "Isn't today a beautiful day, my dear?"
Lucius responded, feeling the soft and warm breeze on his face, "Indeed, my love. I believe my skin needed some sun."
Lucius noticed that there was now one less white peacock, reducing the count to eleven, but he had lost interest in everything except for one person.
The war had come to an end when the dark lord captured the Potter boy in the forbidden forest two years ago. To this day, Lucius remained unsure why the dark lord had spared his life.
If only the dark lord had taken the boy's life that day, Lucius wouldn't be trapped in his current mental prison.
With the war over, their side emerged victorious and the dark lord now held power. Those who supported him lived peacefully and freely, like the Weasley family who were recognized for their pureblood status and bravery. The dark lord chose not to harm those with precious magical blood.
However, the Weasley family defied him and chose to fight alongside the mudblood girl, ultimately sacrificing their lives. Lucius questioned the purpose of dying when they could have chosen to live, although he knew the mudblood friend of Harry wouldn't have been given that option.
Narcissa informed Lucius that Astoria had sent a letter, stating their plans to arrive at the manor for the upcoming yule holidays on Sunday. Narcissa got up from her chair after finishing her tea and before Lucius could inquire about her departure, she mentioned that she needed to check if "he" had eaten properly.
Lucius knew exactly who she was referring to - Harry. After the war, the dark lord initially kept Harry in the dungeons before moving him to the east wing of the manor, where he currently stayed.
"No...no, I should be the one to go."
Feeding Harry and cleaning his chambers were the only times when anyone was permitted to enter his room. The dark lord strictly forbade the presence of house elves, as he still remembered how Lucius's elf had saved Harry and his friends once.
It became Lucius and Narcissa's responsibility to ensure that Harry was properly fed and that his chambers were clean. Although Lucius was initially offended by this, he now eagerly anticipated these moments.
Standing up from his chair, Lucius briefly kissed his wife's soft lips before making his way towards the east chambers. He had no idea if Narcissa ever suspected him, but even if she did, he knew she was too exhausted to say anything. She desired a peaceful life, even if it meant surrounding herself with illusions.
Lucius's heart pounded rapidly as he approached the chambers, hoping that the dark lord or his pet snake Nagini wasn't present. Slowly, he opened the door to reveal a Victorian-style room of considerable size. The gigantic window was adorned with beautiful green curtains, providing a stunning view of the sunrise each morning. However, the window was charmed to remain closed at all times by the dark lord himself.
As he stepped inside, he found no sign of Harry. Just as panic began to set in, he felt two soft, slender hands glide over his waist. His heart immediately eased, knowing that he was once again in the presence of his beloved.
If someone had told him two years ago that he would be captivated by Harry Potter's smile, he would have arrogantly dismissed the notion. But things had changed. Harry was the sole source of life for Lucius's heart. When he was not with Harry, he could only think of him to the point of feeling suffocated.
Lucius saw Harry's long, delicate arms as prison bars. This made him question who the true prisoner was – the boy who hadn't breathed fresh air in years and was confined by the walls of Malfoy Manor, or Lucius himself, who fell for a prisoner like Harry. None of this was ever planned.
"I missed you, Lucius," Harry murmured softly, placing a gentle kiss on Lucius's back. "You're late."
Lucius knew that what Harry felt for him was not love. Love could never be a possibility. Lucius was the only living person Harry had contact with, apart from the dark lord. Harry sought solace in Lucius, treating him as a safe haven amidst his constant running from the predator known as Voldemort.
Harry would complain to Lucius about the dark lord, recounting dreams where his deceased friends visited him. And Lucius would listen intently, his gaze fixated on Harry's soft, moving lips and the occasional glimpse of a cat-like smile.
"I was caught up, Harry," Lucius replied, turning to cup Harry's face and locking eyes with him. He planted a gentle kiss on Harry's temples before delicately placing him on the bed.
Lucius had always been a tender lover, and his actions with Harry were no exception.
"Tell me about your day," Lucius requested, lying beside him. He knew that time was limited, as he was not allowed to stay for long.
"Today, the sun rose slightly earlier than usual. I thought it might rain at one point, but instead, it cleared up to be sunny again. I took a nap and dreamt about my cupboard, then I was soaring in the sky on my broomstick..." Lucius trailed off, sensing something was wrong.
"What... what happened, Harry?"
"I told you to get up and leave!"
Lucius felt a surge of panic and quickly rose from the bed. He made his way towards the door, the dirty plates floating beside him, yet his gaze remained fixed on Harry.
His once gentle expression had now turned blank, no longer focused on Lucius but instead fixated on the floor.
Upon opening the door, Lucius caught sight of the dark lord approaching the room. His breath caught as he contemplated the potential consequences if Harry had not sensed his presence.
The dark lord completely disregarded him, entering the room with his pet snake resting calmly on his shoulder.
Using magic, he closed the door behind them, leaving Lucius overwhelmed with despair. Once again, he had lost his beloved to the man he had pledged to serve.
And so, he continued walking away from the boy he had grown to care for so deeply in such a short period of time, for this was now his life, constantly yearning to be near Harry again.