Harry Potter 1. Likes Repel

Night had long fallen and the sky had turned dark as though a black piece of velvet had been draped over the heavens. The moon shone brightly like a brand new silver coin, casting an eerie glow across the scene. Scorpius climbed the rarely used stairs at the front of Malfoy manor, his long legs capable of taking them two at a time, and knocked angrily on the large, heavy door. Slumped against the cold wall his mind began to wander as he waited what seemed a lifetime for an answer.

His mother and father didn't understand, they never did; he was well aware of the pureblood tradition but he just wasn't ready to marry. Never mind ready, he hadn't even met anybody he would consider making such a commitment to. After another heated argument, where his temper had once again gotten the better of him, he had stormed out leaving his father blazing and his mother close to tears. He knew he should feel guilty but he didn't.

His head snapped up and he was pulled out of his thoughts and back into reality as the front door slowly opened, a smile spread across his face when he saw a familiar face appear from behind it. "Narcissa" he sighed with relief, addressing his grandmother by her first name as he so often did, "Can I-"he was cut off before he could finish his question.  
"Come in, love" Narcissa, looking half asleep considering the time, stepped back and pulled the door wide open to allow him entry, her soft pink lips curling into a smile.

Despite the distress and grief Narcissa Malfoy had experienced throughout her life due to her husband's involvement with the Dark Lord, the years had been kind to her. Her long sleek flaxen hair fell beautifully around her shoulders, clashing perfectly with her pale porcelain skin. Her slim face was merely a reflection of her entire body structure; her black, floor-length dress, though not at all provocative, hugged her paper-thin waist and highlighted her petite figure.

"I'm sorry for arriving unannounced so awfully late" he apologised, stepping across the threshold and closing the door behind him with a soft thud, one had already snaking around his grandmothers waist to pull her into a hug. Much taller than her, he arched his neck to bury his face in her hers, revelling in the familiar, mesmerising smell of both her shampoo and natural scent.

"You know you never have to inform me in advance, Scorp" she chuckled quietly, returning the hug and patting his back affectionately. "Come along". Without another word she broke the hug and took his hand, entwining her fingers in his, and pulled him along the dark gloomy hall towards a slightly ajar door of which a tiny slither of light escaped. Scorpius followed closely behind without hesitation.

He loved his grandmother so very much. Her presence alone seemed to calm him, she was always willing to listen and had never once turned him away and denied him a shoulder to cry on. When he felt he couldn't talk to his parents, as he often did, he knew he could count on her to be there for him with invaluable words of advice.

Narcissa pushed open the door with her spare hand and entered the dimly lit sitting room. The fire, being the only source of light, flickered energetically in the centre, conquering the shadows. After guiding him to the couch and sitting him down she turned to the armchair she had currently occupied and recovered the book on charms she had been reading. She placed it carefully on the floor, being sure to note her page, sat down, and turned to her grandson, a grave expression of seriousness and worry on her face. Neither spoke for a while, a mutual understanding between the pair that a moment of silence was needed to calm the situation. Scorpius let out a loud sigh and slumped into the cushion filled couch, mumbling only three words "I hate them".

Narcissa expression softened as she also let out a sigh, however, hers one of relief, immediately understanding and being glad there was nothing seriously wrong. "Again?" she asked, biting her lip to hide her slight amusement, knowing exactly who he was referring to. She was very aware of her grandson's short temper, of which he inherited from Draco and Draco too, from Lucius. It was one trait that made the Malfoy's the Malfoy's. Neither of the three generations could spend more than ten minutes in each other's company without the results being disastrous; likes repel.

Looking at her through sad pale grey eyes, Scorpius simply nodded, a sullen look upon his beautifully handsome face, a look that it pained Narcissa to see.  
Cupping her chin in her hands, supported by her elbows propped on her knees, Narcissa smiled encouragingly "What happened?" she asked.  
"Pretty much the same as usual" he groaned, running a hand through his tousled blonde hair, feeling himself becoming irritated simply at the thought of his parents "They never listen to me and I don't think they ever will" he continued hopelessly, receiving understanding nods from Narcissa as he explained.  
"Love, I know the idea of marriage seems completely preposterous but one day you _will_ have to 'tie the knot'. Your mother and father are simply looking out of you, preparing you in a way that you will be grateful for in the future" she insists, hoping he will not react badly to the truth.  
"I'm not stupid, I know it is the right and proper thing to do" he snaps "I just need a little longer!" His words generated a flinch from Narcissa, making him feel instantly guilty and causing the rough tone in his voice to soften, "I understand, I'm just not ready…"  
Moving to sit next to him, Narcissa took his hand a squeezed it reassuringly, "You don't have to marry unless you are certain you want to, I will make sure of that, I promise".  
Scorpius' mood lightened slightly with the knowledge that his grandmother never broke her promises. "Can I ask you something, Narcissa?"  
"You can ask me anything" she replied, her voice soft and soothing whilst she gently stroked his hair.  
"Would it be possible for me to stay here, with you?" he asked hesitantly, unsure if he had already overstayed his welcome after showing up practically in the middle of the night. He rested his head on her shoulder, avoiding her eyes as he nervously awaited an answer.  
"Of course you can, my darling" she answered without a second thought, finally putting a smile on the young man's face. "Come on, it's late, we should get you upstairs and settled, we can talk more in the morning".

After taking out her wand and extinguishing the fire, the pair made their way upstairs. Narcissa ordered the house elves to prepare a room for Scorpius as they went. Half an hour or so of hustling and bustling passed as the house elves hurried about upstairs and the house eventually fell silent. Scorpius slept soundly in his newly made bed, his temper at bay and his mind free of worry.


	2. A Man Of His Word

The following morning the sun rose in the east, as always. Narcissa woke to the absence of her husband, as always. Despite this, she managed to clamber out of bed without spending hours persuading herself to. Stretching her arms above her head and sighing softly, Narcissa sat up.  
The morning sun beamed down, the light streaming through every window, bypassing the thin useless curtains. Happily tweeting birds occupied the endless colourful gardens of Malfoy Manor, but for once, rather than irritating, Narcissa found their tunes intriguing and welcomed them as they met her ears.  
She sat for a moment, eyes closed, basking in the natural light seeping in whilst she wondered what pub Lucius had ended up in the previous night. More importantly, whose bed had he occupied? Anger and jealousy began to swirl like a red tide within her, rising to choke her.  
"Stop it" she scolded herself, subconsciously gripping the soft silk bed sheets through frustration.

Narcissa tried so desperately not to dwell on what had been, but the truth was; she loved her husband and cared for him deeply. She missed him and there was no way she could simply turn off her affection for him.  
Their wedding had been arranged but that didn't stop it from being a happy, loving and supportive marriage. Once. She didn't know how it happened but they had found themselves slowly but surely drifting apart over the years. Their love was a thing of the past.

She jumped up from the bed and walked the length of the room, grabbing her black silken dressing gown and shrugging it on before quietly opening the bedroom door, not wanting to make any excess noise seen as Scorpius was just across the hall. She padded quietly along the landing the soft, the deep red carpet tickling her bare feet as she went. It was a peaceful morning and the house was quiet. She had expected her grandson to be sleeping until she opened the dining room door and was met by the breath-taking aroma of breakfast.

The huge dining table consisted of an endless selection; it was fully covered by so many choices to choose from. There was a variety of jams all placed one next to the other, all of different colours and flavours; red, pink and orange. There was wheat bread, rye bread, white bread; how would she choose? Numerous china plates were hidden by the amount of sausages, eggs, and rashers of bacon that were piled on top of them. The biggest bowl of fruit Narcissa had ever seen was placed in the middle, adding a dash of colour to the so beautifully made table.

Despite the extravagant spread, the most enticing thing in the room was not the food. Scorpius sat at the head of the table, sprawled across a tall throne-like chair with the cheekiest grin she had ever seen on his face.  
"Good morning, Narcissa" he beamed, his arms outstretched to present breakfast to her.  
"You are a darling" Narcissa chuckled, closing the distance between them to take a seat near him, but before she could place a band on the back, he was on his feet, the chair already pulled out for her. She kissed his cheek and sat down, her eyes glancing across the table as she took in all the delicious smells.  
"Pleasant sleep?" She guessed, taking his messy hair, chaos personified, as a sign of a good night's rest.  
"The best!" Scorpius exclaimed, his smile making his handsome features even more stunning. He reached across the table to pick up a jug of fresh orange juice and poured a glass for her. "Did you?"  
Narcissa hesitated before answering "Pleasant enough" she smiled, nodding to thank him for the glass.  
"Is Lucius joining us?" Scorpius asked naively whilst helping himself to a plate of sausages, unaware of his grandfather's absence.  
"Shortly, I imagine" Narcissa lied but secretly hoped that maybe he would indeed make it home in time for breakfast.  
He ignored her answer, having never been a huge fan of his grandfather, and continued to question his grandmother, desperate to make sure she had not lured him into a false sense of hope the previous evening. "Did you mean what you said last night? Can I stay with you? Will Lucius mind?" he chattered on like an overexcited child.  
"Love, of course you can stay. And Lucius won't mind, he occupies himself with work in his study for the majority of his time anyway" she shrugged, biting her lip to hide her amusement at her grandsons eagerness "I am afraid you will be stuck with me for company" she trailed off, hoping not to disappoint him too much.  
"Are you crazy?" He mocked her, sensing an uneasiness in her tone "I want to spend all of my time with you, you're the only one who cares, you're the only one who gets me" he replied, flashing her another coy smile.  
Waving his comment away, she reached elegantly across the table and took his hand, squeezing it gently in a way of thanks.  
"You must get terribly lonely" he ceased movement and looked into her eyes, the most beautiful pools of blue he had ever seen. He searched for some sort of sign, a weakness in the barrier she had put up to contain her emotions. The barrier had been there for as long as he could remember but he was determined to break through it. He could tell there was something not right, but what, he was unsure.  
"Narcissa is-" He had begun but was cut off by the sound of the heavy front door slamming shut so loudly it may have well be pulled off its hinges.  
Narcissa's head snapped up and relief and worry flashed across her pale face before she managed to compose herself, unfortunately not before Scorpius had noticed.  
Narcissa's heart pounded in her chest, she could hear the tympanic rhythm of Lucius' heavy leather boots as he made his way towards the now silent dining hall.

The door swung open and in stepped Lucius Malfoy. He noticed Scorpius as he entered but made no effort to greet him. Narcissa glanced up at her husband to find his dark and mysterious yet oh so gorgeous eyes locked on hers. They were hooded and framed by a quite detectable shade of purple, it was evident he had had very little sleep. The scent of his musky cologne still lingered on his clothes and was sent drifting around the room by the breeze created as he closed the door behind him. The smell overwhelmed Narcissa as it reached her, reminding her of those long blissful nights they had once spent at the mercy of each other. It was as strong as midnight sex. She found herself in awe of his hard, muscular frame as he moved towards her. She tried to tear her gaze from him but it was no use, his devilishly handsome features shifted into a knowing grin as he caught her staring.  
He placed a soft but cruel lingering kiss on her cheek before sitting down and finally acknowledging his grandsons presence "Scorpius" he nodded, an air of danger surrounding him.  
"Lucius" he replied, eyeing him suspiciously as he straightened up in his chair, squaring his shoulders and suddenly feeling very protective over his grandmother.

Breakfast passed at an excruciatingly slow pace. After partially explaining Scorpius' predicament, (Narcissa was sure to exclude his reluctance to marry, knowing Lucius would probably hit the roof), the rest of morning consisted of never-ending uncomfortable stretches of silence. Silence of which was only broken every now and again by Lucius' deep rough voice simply _demanding_ Narcissa pass him a variety of foods from across the table.  
Scorpius remained rigid in his chair, his jaw clenched as he witnessed his grandfather repeatedly disrespect the woman he looked up to and adored so much. The only thing stopping him from drawing his wand and inflicting the worst possible pain upon Lucius he could was the respect he had for Narcissa; he had been welcomed into her home with open arms and the least he could do was remain on his best behaviour. He wouldn't make a nuisance of himself.

* * *

The library was dim yet somewhat alive. Little candles flickered energetically around the room, revealing the bookcase lined walls. To Narcissa it was place of knowledge and wonder. She often enjoyed hiding away in her own personal space, the only sound being the turning of crisp pages as she lost herself in a good book. If not to read, a favourite pastime of hers was simply admiring her collection, she could roam the space for hours simply touching the smooth bindings of the both ancient and new books.  
It was late afternoon and Narcissa had been in desperate need of some relaxation after the uneasy event of breakfast. She had slipped away whilst the house elves clattered about the dining hall to clear the table, making a hasty escape to the library on the top floor of the manor. She had remained there since. She sat curled up and hidden in a corner on a black upholstered chaise longue.

Narcissa raised her head at the sound of a soft knock on the door. Scorpius entered with a doleful smile upon his face. "There you are" he sighed with relief as he sat down next to her, draping an arm around her shoulders "You disappeared without a word."  
Narcissa leaned into him and shrugged, "I like to come here for some peace and quiet". Scorpius immediately felt uncomfortable, as though he was intruding.  
"I could go, if you want…" he shifted to stand back up but was stopped by a hand on his knee.  
"Don't be so foolish, my darling" Narcissa rolled her eyes and kissed his temple. "You are not going anywhere" she attempted to add a stern tone to her voice but could not be strict with him; she adored him too much.  
"Narcissa, can I ask you something?" he asked, biting his lip, having decided to continue the conversation he had had planned for that morning before they were rudely interrupted by Lucius.  
Her brow furrowed but she replied "You can ask me anything, love, you know that".  
"Where was Lucius last night? He wasn't upstairs, was he? He was out." Scorpius had concluded, his grandfather's rough appearance suggesting an even rougher night.  
"Where was he?"  
"At the pub, I presume, or with one of his fancy women..." Narcissa sighed, closing her eyes to hide her pain.  
"I could kill him," Scorpius growled "He should be here looking after you, treating you like the princess you are; he is your husband".  
"Darling, my marriage is not something you have to worry about. He is busy most of the time with work, it would be awful rude of me to disturb him" she meekly insisted, gently rubbing his thigh with her thumb as she made excuses for her husband's despicable behaviour.  
"Work is not a valid reason for neglecting you" he spoke flatly as anger began to rage inside him.  
"It is hardly neglect, Scorpius, I am well used to the lack of closeness between us."  
"You must get lonely, this is a big house" he mused, the thought of her being alone in such a dreary place causing turmoil in his stomach.  
"I have my books" she opened her arms to add emphasis to the scene around them, attempting to force an unconvincing smile.  
"I worry about you. When I look into your eyes all I see is sadness and pain. As a husband it is his role to be there for you." He placed a finger under her chin, lifting her face to look at him.  
"Tell me you're happy," he demanded, placing her hand on her chest above her heart. "Tell me your heart is complete, tell me he doesn't leave a gaping hole and I shall never bring up the matter again."  
She groaned quietly and looked to him through sad blue eyes "I won't lie, Scorp, I miss him…"  
A sharp pinch was felt deep within him as he registered her words. He pulled his grandmother closer to him and kissed her forehead, mumbling "You have me here now, I won't let you feel lonely, I will be here for you, night and day, I promise".

Scorpius was a young man who was always true to his word and from that moment he vowed to keep his promise to his grandmother. Narcissa rested her head on his chest and closed her eyes once again. She felt a strange sensation in the depths of her stomach. Being in her grandson's arms made the hole in her heart seem less deadly.


	3. A Dream

"Narcissa?" Scorpius called as he ducked, dived and weaved through the thick luscious woods that covered a fair amount of the land surrounding Malfoy manor.  
He was surrounded by lush vegetation. Shrubs, such as hazel, hawthorn and holly covered the floor, both magical and muggle types. All the wonderful colours and textures within the wood were provided by the mosses, liverworts, ferns plus an enormous array of beautiful wildflowers, bluebells and foxgloves, scattered here and there.  
He knew she was here somewhere; after residing at the manor for over a month, Scorpius was now well aware of his grandmother's daily routine. In fact, her routine had also become his.  
Narcisssa enjoyed disappearing into the cave of green that was the woods. The peacefulness it brought relaxed her greatly. She loved nothing more than settling herself beneath a tree during these warm summer months and losing herself in a good book.  
Summer sunshine filtered through the stretching, web-like branches of the various tree's above Scorpius Malfoy as he trudged along, stumbling over the above-ground roots of a large over-grown trees.  
There she was.  
Scorpius stopped suddenly in his tracks as though he had hit an invisible barrier. She was a sight to behold; her simple white cotton frock had moistened in the humidity and moulded to her frame. Tiny tendrils of blonde locks tickled her neck where they had escaped from the tight bun atop her head. Slim elegant wrists were exposed but her thin upper arms were covered down to the elbow by white cotton frills. Her posture remained pristine even when she was alone; her long legs were outstretched, Victorian-heeled boots resting upon the soil and her back supported by the rough trunk of a tree. She had a constant air of elegance.  
The majestic redwood she sat under was a stone tower, a solid and unmovable thing that had its top high up in the clouds. Scorpius might have considered it beautiful had Narcissa not been beneath it; he thought the tree was nothing compared to the beauty she possessed.  
"Narcissa." He repeated a tone of exertion to his voice; he had been searching for quite some time. In fact, he believed she has started to make quite a game of it.  
At the sound of his voice, Narcissa looked up, tilting her head in a playful manner, her eyes resting lazily upon him.  
"Hello, love." She replied, airily. Scorpius loved to see his grandmother so relaxed.  
"Goddamn you witch." He retorted as he slumped down against the trunk of the redwood beside her.  
"Every day you hide further and further into the woods. You are making it impossible for me to find you."  
The blonde's expression turned into one of mischief.  
"I like a change of scenery."  
"Witch." He jeered again, a slight twinkle to his stormy grey eyes as he leaned in to kiss her cheek.  
He could see a thin film of moisture across her skin; the humidity, he presumed. She seemed to glow.  
"What are you reading today?" He asked, nodding towards the folded book in her lap.  
"Poetry. Edgar Allen Poe, to be precise." Narcissa explained, opening the book to the page she had been up to.  
"Any good?" Scorpius asked, his expression quizzical. He had never found any particular interest in poetry.  
"Fascinating." Narcissa seemed dazed, her blue eyes transfixed on the words as her long fingers gently stroked the neat pages.  
Scorpius shifted a little to get comfortable and said, genuinely meaning it, "Read me something."  
Happily complying, she pulled her knees up to her chest and rested the book atop.

The poem on the page was entitled _A Dream_. Her voice steady and soft, Narcissa began to read.

_"In visions of the dark night_

_I have dreamed of joy departed-_

_But a waking dream of life and light_

_Hath left me broken-hearted._

_Ah! what is not a dream by day_

_To him whose eyes are cast_

_On things around him with a ray_

_Turned back upon the past?_

_That holy dream- that holy dream,_

_While all the world were chiding,_

_Hath cheered me as a lovely beam_

_A lonely spirit guiding._

_What though that light, thro' storm and night,_

_So trembled from afar-_

_What could there be more purely bright_

_In Truth's day-star?"_

Scorpius listened intently, determined to have something intelligent and meaningful to say in response. Her voice was heavenly to listen to, clear and refined. For these reasons, he found himself daydreaming and rather than taking in the words of the poem.  
"Well?" Narcissa asked after finishing. The question was vague, leaving Scorpius lost for words or even a place to start. He decided to be honest.  
"Poetry is not my area of expertise, but it sounded bloody morbid!" He chuckled, yet not wanting to insult her in anyway.  
Narcissa responded with a playful swat over the head with the book.  
"It is lovely; meaningful and easy to relate to."  
"Explain." He says, not quite understanding, whilst taking the book from her to avoid being scolded again.  
"It is about the difference between dreams and reality; how reality is nothing compared to a dream. It suggests escaping, maybe via death, as an option to relieve the harshness of the real world."  
Narcissa looked down as she explained, fiddling anxiously with her fingers.  
"The narrator, however, seems torn." She went on, finally looking up him.  
Scorpius felt his heart contract as his eyes connect with hers. He saw a flicker of the broken and lost woman he had first come to a number of weeks ago. Narcissa had done so well, he was helping her. This, the sadness in her eyes, he did not like.  
"Why?" He asked, now curious.  
"The narrator wishes to escape reality, however, in the second verse, he seems to revel in his memories too strongly to allow death to be an option, perhaps in fear of death causing loss of his memories of the past."  
Scorpius thought of his grandfather. He thought of the wedding photograph he had so often seen and how happy his grandmother looked in it. He now understood why she thought the poem relatable.  
He felt the atmosphere had changed; it felt as though loneliness, grief, depression and shame hung in the hot, humid air between them.  
Without a second thought, the young man jumped to his feet, holding out his hand for her to take. "Walk with me?" He raised a brow.  
Narcissa discarded the book and took his hand. She rose to her feet with poise and elegance. She was steady and on her feet, but Scorpius didn't let go.  
He was determined to put a smile on her face.  
Scorpius guided his grandmother out of the dense forest, one hand at her waist to steady her as they paced over stones, gravel, roots and branches.  
The pair spent the remainder of the afternoon exploring the gardens for what felt the first time to Narcissa. She saw them in a completely different light. Maybe he knew little of poetry, but Scorpius could recite the name of any plant, tree or shrub they laid eyes on.  
To Narcissa, it felt like a dream, a fantasy; happiness had been a distant memory until Scorpius had moved in. It brought a smile to her face to realise it was entirely reality.

* * *

Lucius Malfoy's personal study overlooked the grounds of the manor. He was proud of them, despite never having anything to do with them himself. He only ever ordered the house elves to keep it in a good condition. He quite enjoyed hosting garden parties to flaunt the luxuries and riches he had; his home, his money and Narcissa, his wife, was included.  
The same day, he stood and gazed into the grounds, the rays of light from the sun defined his angular features more than usual.  
He saw them, flouncing about the gardens like common folk. He had no idea what had gotten into his wife lately; she seemed more confident, outspoken, giddy and carefree. He did not like it.  
He rubbed the palm of his hand against his stubbly chin; a habit he had when thinking. He simply could not allow her to continue as she was; it was unladylike and childish. He decided he would see to her that evening at dinner and put an end to her ridiculous behaviour.

* * *

"You have something, just there." Scorpius chuckled loudly, pointing to his grandmother's cheek as they stumbled back through the French doors into one of the many sitting rooms of the manor. They looked like unruly teenagers.  
Her cheeks were more coloured than usual, flushed a bright pink after being dragged, though she secretly enjoyed it, through the grounds by Scorpius. They had run across the soft, neatly trimmed grass, strolled through the flowerbeds and waltzed around the fountains. As a result, Narcissa had ended up with a smudge of dirt across her cheek.  
After she gave him a quizzical look, Scorpius sighed and took the matter into his own hands. Placing a hand under her chin, he tilted hear head upwards towards him. He touched his free thumb to his lips, flicking his tongue against it once before brushing away the dirt from her cheek ever so softly.  
Narcissa's look of confusion changed to one of pure affection and adoration. Scorpius had always had beautiful eyes, but never until now, whilst her gaze was locked on his, had she realised the extent of their beauty. They were as grey as a black-bellied cloud; cloudy like a sky which within a storm was brewing. Yet they were soft, outstandingly gentle as they wandered across her face and down towards her slightly parted pink lips.  
Narcissa's heart rate suddenly picked up, beating so fast it felt like her heart may pound right out of her ribcage. It had been quite some time since she had experienced such a gentle touch. The distance between the pair was miniscule; she could feel his comforting warm breath on her face as he ducked his head and brought his well-defined, perfectly-shaped lips to hers.


End file.
