You stood in the dark, long abandoned corner of Knockturn Alley, waiting for one of the last people you wanted to meet with. Checking that your wand was in your pocket for the eleventh time, you exhaled, trying to calm yourself.
“Twitchy, aren’t we?” A velvet voice purred from behind you and you instantly turned, wand at the ready. “Now, now Peacock, no need to be rude.”
“Don’t call me that,” you said calmly, glancing around the alley, “Are you alone?”
“Yes... Come now, do you really not trust me to be a man of my word?” Lucius smirked, stepping closer to you, only to frown when you backed up. “You really don’t trust that I won’t hurt you?”
“Hurt takes more than just a physical form, Lucius... You could’ve told me that he knew, you could’ve saved my brother and no one would’ve had to know.”
“I was under the—“
“Don’t you dare lie to me.” You kept your calm tone, but it was laced with a subtle poison. “You know very well that you did everything he asked willingly, no imperious curse made you do anything.”
“Iolanthe, I—“
“We aren’t here to talk about that now, I shouldn’t have brought it up... Does Narcissa know you came?”
Lucius scoffed, “Does your precious Remus know you came?”
You couldn’t help the breathy laugh that escaped you. “Yes, as a matter of fact he does... Are you still jealous after all this time?”
“You’re a pureblood, Iolanthe. You could’ve had a practically godlike status if you’d married me and the dark lord had won.”
“But he didn’t win, and where would I be now? Hmm? Sitting alone in the parlor drinking my days away, and berating myself for choosing money and status over morals and love... Be thankful you have Narcissa, because I guarantee I wouldn’t put up with you the way she does.”
“I treasure Narcissa as much if not more than you do Remus, but we’re not here to discuss that either, are we?”
“No... So what have you heard?”
“The dark lord was given information as to the whereabouts of a weapon he needs. The prophecy of his downfall.”
“There’s a prophecy?”
“Yes, only he won’t be able to retrieve it himself.”
“Why? It’s about him that should—“
“Do you really think the dark lord will go strolling into the ministry under the nose of every auror and the minister himself simply to claim his prophecy?” He hissed, “He’s been trying to find and even force wizards to get it for him.”
“Will he know you’re here talking to me?”
Lucius stepped closer, “legilimens, remember?”
“Yes, as am I, remember?” You sassed, your eyes locking with his cold gray ones.
After ten more minutes of fighting for information, Lucius had given all he was willing to give, teasing that he wanted to leave at least a little mystery between the two of you. You thanked him politely and turned to walk away, but he gently wrapped his fingers around your arm. “Iolanthe, the war will only worsen, and the dark lord is willing to do anything to win this time around, he will go after Harry.”
“And that’s what I hope we can stop... how long ago did Snape tell you about the order?”
“Right after Dumbledore asked him to be apart of it.”
You shook your head, rolling your eyes. “Must be nice having a lap dog to tell you everything the other side is doing.”
“Speaking of dogs, I noticed a particular black dog nosing around my manor. If Sirius comes near there again, I won’t be able to control who sees him, or how they will respond to the intrusion. Thankfully for you and Remus, I was alone when I saw him.”
“Fucking hell.” You groaned, running your fingers through your hair.
Lucius quirked an eyebrow, “Using muggle exclamations now, are we?”
“Picked them up from my husband.” You smirked, knowing it would make his blood-purist skin crawl. “Good bye, Lucius, and thank you for meeting me.” You smiled sincerely. “I know it was dangerous for you.”
“And it’ll only get worse,” He sighed, stepping nearer and leaning in close to whisper, his large form looming over you. “May I ask you to promise me something?”
“That depends on what you want me to promise.”
“I worry that my rank is fading with the dark lord, I was given a second chance after the World Cup, but I’m already on thin graces because of my testimonies after the first war.”
“I don’t understand.” You looked deep into his eyes and he looked away, knowing you were trying to access his mind.
“I trust you not to harm my son. He told me about third year when you brought up my marriage proposal, but he also told me how kind you were to him afterwards and that you told him he could make a good potions master... If something should happen to Narcissa and myself, I ask you to promise that you would take in Draco.”
You would’ve laughed at the absurdity of his request, had the immense desperation not been plainly visible in his eyes. “You really are scared.” Your voice shook at the thought of what was to come, and you raised your wand, checking for anyone else in the area. Once you saw it was clear, you took his hand, that had not been holding his walking stick, in both of yours and made eye contact once more. “I don’t know if he’d accept, but you have my word that I would offer Draco the option to stay with us.”
“You’re a good woman, Iolanthe. Remus Lupin is a very fortunate man.”
“And Narcissa must be a very exhausted woman.” You giggled, letting him know you were somewhat joking. He quirked a small smile and nodded his head in a silent goodbye. “I wouldn’t worry too much, Lucius, if there’s one thing I know about you, it’s that you can lie and manipulate your way out of anything.”
“If this goes the same as last time, let the ministry know I gave you information.”
“I don’t know how much they’d listen to me after what happened, but I’d tell them... you have my word for that too.”
“Iolanthe Euphemia Potter... Lupin.” He corrected, giving a small nod, “The only witch or wizard whose word I consider to be enough.”
~~~
You arrived at number twelve Grimmauld Place, and silently made your way into the hallway and towards the kitchen, walking exceedingly quietly, praying you wouldn’t wake the portrait of Sirius’ mother. Pressing open the kitchen door, you saw Remus sitting alone at the table, an unsettled look on his face. You cleared your throat and his head shot up, a smile consuming his expression as he nearly knocked over a chair to get to you, closing you in a suffocating hug that you merely reciprocated with a giggle. “I’m glad you’re happy to see me, that look on your face had me worried.”
“I was worried about you, I wanted to follow you but I knew you would find out and I knew you’d be mad once you did.” He leaned down, pressing his forehead to yours, caressing your hair. “Did he come alone like he said? He didn’t raise his wand to you or threaten to summon Voldemort did he?”
“Remus, calm down, my love. I’m fine, Lucius never even had a hand on his wand, only the walking stick part. I had my wand ready for anything at the start and once we started talking I lowered it but never put it away. I’ve told you before, he won’t hurt me.”
He let out a sharp laugh, and wrapped his arms around your waist, holding you close to his chest. “Yes, because that’s a such a comforting thought for your husband, Lucius Malfoy has such a deep affection for you that he would betray Voldemort.”
“I just spent nearly a half hour with him, can we please not talk about him more? Plus, I have a nasty headache now, I haven’t had to think so hard about not thinking for a long time.”
“Perhaps, I can help with that.” He offered suggestively, the smirk plainly evident in his tone.
“Oh?” You pulled away just enough to look up and see that he was, in fact, smirking. “And just what sort of remedy do you suggest, Professor Lupin?”
“Four squares of chocolate, and having your entire body worshiped by your husband.”
“Chocolate solves everything with you, doesn’t it?”
“Doesn’t matter if it solves everything, as long it keeps working on you, that’s all I need.” Remus scooped you up bridal style and carried you to your room beside Sirius’, setting you down gently on the bed. “Here, let me.” He smiled, lovingly.
“Remus, you know you don’t have to.”
“I know,” He knelt down, slipping off your flats and lifting your tee-shirt over your head, “but I want to. How many times have you helped me dress and undress, cleaned dried blood off me, and brought me back to life from the brink of complete exhaustion... Let your husband repay some of your many selfless favors for once.”
“Yes, Sir.” You purred, closing your eyes and fitting your lips perfectly to your husband’s as he leaned you back on the bed and began undoing the button of your jeans, not once allowing his lips to leave yours. He pulled back, guiding your jeans and thong off your legs and settling beside you. Remus propped up his head with one hand, his other coursing along your feminine curves and he looked down with a deep affection, admiring the beautiful witch beneath him.
“I love you, my darling.”
“I love you too, my handsome husband... It’s weird to think that if my family had been just a bit more traditional, I could’ve been forced to marry a monster.”
“Ahh, yes.” He smirked sarcastically. “Instead you chose to marry one.”
“Remus John—“
He silenced you with his lips against yours, “I know, I know, not a monster, just a man with an affliction or whatever you tell me.”
“The most amazing and handsome man in the entire wizarding world. A man who, might I add, also has the biggest heart of anyone I’ve ever met and the most addicting and mouthwatering... endowment... of any man too.”
“And just how many ‘endowments’ have you seen, Mrs. Lupin?”
“Well, only one. But that doesn’t matter, because I know you’d have have ‘em all beat by a mile... or should I say by several inches?” You teased, giggling like a schoolgirl when Remus tried, and failed, to give you an admonishing look instead giving you a half scolding,half smirking expression that only served to make you love him even more. “Remus... As much as I hate to miss any opportunity to have passionate sex with you, would you mind just... holding me?”
He stared for a moment, trying to decide if you were serious or not and when he realized that you were, he smiled softly and whispered close to your ear. “I’ll never mind holding you in my arms.” He stood up and quickly stripped of everything but his boxers and rejoined you, covering you both with the blankets and tucking you close to his side as he lay on his back.
“Thank you. I love you so much, and I just need you. Everything about you.”
“Love, please don’t make up some excuse when I ask you this, but what exactly did Lucius say to you to make you so upset?”
You contemplated making up something but knew that you could never deceive Remus that way without being guilty until the time when you decided to confess. “He was talking about what life could’ve been like had I married him, saying that if you know who had won that I could’ve had a godlike status because I’m a pureblood and then he started hinting at how bad the war was going to get and he recognized Sirius while he was on that mission, and then I made him a promise and I don’t know what to do because I don’t mind it necessarily but I don’t want to make you or Sirius mad and Harry would definitely kill me if I ever took in Draco.” You broke down sobbing and Remus moved down to be level with you in bed, and pulled you tightly against his chest. “And I’m scared, I’m so scared Remus, I can’t lose you and Sirius like I lost James. It’ll kill me, and I can’t lose Harry either.”
He cupped your cheek wiping away the tears, and cooed reassurances. “Iolanthe, you know that I will do everything I can to protect you, Harry, Sirius and myself. I have no intention of ever leaving your side, until we’re four hundred years old and you finally kill me for continuing to leave my shoes by the kitchen door for you to trip on.” You genuinely laughed, and he felt a small surge of pride. “And as for Sirius and Harry, you and I will just have to keep a closer eye on them, I suppose.”
“Thank you.”
“Of course, Love... So what is this about us possibly parenting Draco Malfoy?”
“I guess Lucius is on thin ice with his positioning as a top death eater, he’s worried that you know who will punish him or maybe even kill him and Narcissa. So, he asked me if I would take in Draco if something happens but I told him that I could only promise to offer it to Draco, I couldn’t make him come stay here.”
“Well, considering the way he was raised and by who he raised, I’m sure Draco wouldn’t be accepting your offer any time soon.”
“So are you mad at me?”
“No, I’ve known you long enough by now that I wouldn’t have expected you to do anything different.” He kissed your forehead and draped his leg over yours, effecting trapping you beneath him once he wrapped his free arm around your back. “Try and get some rest.” He whispered, pressing his lips to yours once more before you nestled against his chest and tried finding sleep, a content smile making its way to your lips when you heard your husband’s soft snores only a few minutes later.