Love Thy Enemy
folder
Harry Potter › Het - Male/Female › Lucius/Hermione
Rating:
Adult +
Chapters:
48
Views:
57,030
Reviews:
442
Recommended:
2
Currently Reading:
3
Category:
Harry Potter › Het - Male/Female › Lucius/Hermione
Rating:
Adult +
Chapters:
48
Views:
57,030
Reviews:
442
Recommended:
2
Currently Reading:
3
Disclaimer:
I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
Shadows of a Former Self
CHAPTER 22: Shadows of a Former Self
“What have I done?” Lucius asked aloud as he watched Hermione flee from him. He had not seen a person look at him with such terror in a long, long time. He had forgotten how sickening it could be.
“You have terrified your wife over something that occurred by accident.” Draco said softly. Lucius turned to the painting of his only child and his large body slowly drifted down onto the stool. “I’m glad you finally decided to visit.”
He looked just as he had the last time Lucius had seen him alive. Young, handsome, his eyes filled with mischief and promise. Guilt and grief swamped Lucius and his stomach lurched.
“Draco, forgive me.” He begged, his eyes burning with unshed tears.
“It’s not my forgiveness you need, it’s hers.” Draco said, the wisdom sounded strange coming from the lips of one who was so young at the time of his passing. “You had nothing to do with the choices I made, you were in Azkaban at the time. This was my destiny.”
“It’s my fault, if I had been a better father….”
“You were a good father. I always knew I was loved. I was telling Hermione the same thing when you came in here and tore into the poor girl. She didn’t deserve that. She seems quite fond of you actually.” Draco smiled. “I never thought you would have a mudblood bride.”
“It wasn’t by choice.” Lucius mumbled, wishing he could reach out and touch his son.
“She explained it to me. You could do worse you know. I mean if it HAD to be a muggleborn.” Draco said, smiling. “She said she would work on getting me moved someplace where I can visit.”
“She’s mentioned it before. How did you wind up talking to her anyhow?”
“For the first time since I crossed over, I felt a presence near the painting. I thought it was you. You can’t imagine my surprise when the cloth fell away and I saw her standing there. Then to discover that she was my step-mother. I mean, wow, dad…..do you hate her so much?” Draco was watching his father closely. He looked the same, maybe a few more lines around his eyes, but he was still a commanding presence.
“No, I don’t hate her.”
“Do you love her?”
“No.” Lucius started laughing. “But I like her, some times. She has a mouth on her.”
“She seemed rather fond of you.” Draco saw the look of remorse on his father’s face.
“She can be, and I can be almost fond of her, but we have a rather volatile relationship; we tend to argue more often than not.”
“I don’t think I ever heard you and mum argue.” Draco said.
“Your mother was not the type to raise her voice; it wasn’t befitting a lady of her birth.” Lucius said. “Hermione however could care less. She has called me a bastard, an ass and a pervert, among other things. She had regular fantasies about killing, cursing, maiming and emasculating me.” He chuckled and shook his head.
“Doesn’t sound as if it is ever boring.” Draco said a smug smile on his face.
“No, it’s never dull.”
“So how are you going to fix it?” Draco asked, gesturing towards the door through which Hermione had fled.
“I have no clue.” Lucius sighed wearily. In a moment of rage he had unraveled the tenuous bonds of trust they had formed between them. He felt disgusted when he thought about how he had shook her, gripping her arms so brutally that he knew she would be bruised. His rage had blinded him to her injury and the terror in her eyes made him long for the mask that had shielded him so long ago.
The man, no, the thing that he had once been had resurfaced for a moment and caused harm yet again to someone under his protection.
“I wish you luck. I like her.”
“Where do you wish to be placed, Draco?” Lucius asked. Now that he had faced his grief over his child, he wanted to be able to connect with him however he could.
“Well I certainly don’t want to be anyplace where I might witness anything untoward….so perhaps your study.” Draco saw his father’s cheeks flush. “Really? Maybe the family room then.” Lucius cleared his throat and Draco’s eyes widened. “Aren’t you a little old for that?” His father frowned and Draco laughed. “What about the front hall?”
“I will see to it.” Lucius smiled.
“Go take care of her. She was pretty upset.” Draco smiled. “I will visit again soon.”
“I miss you, son.”
“I miss you too.” With a smile on his face Draco’s portrait became still once more. Lucius looked around his son’s room and realized that the pain he had carried didn’t seem quite so heavy anymore. He closed the door behind him and went in search of his wife. He had some serious apologizing to do, and he needed to assure himself that she was alright.
** *** *** *** *** ** *** ****
So, while Mione’s accidental discovery of Draco’s painting has begun the healing for Lucius, it has put another brick in the wall between the two of them.
“What have I done?” Lucius asked aloud as he watched Hermione flee from him. He had not seen a person look at him with such terror in a long, long time. He had forgotten how sickening it could be.
“You have terrified your wife over something that occurred by accident.” Draco said softly. Lucius turned to the painting of his only child and his large body slowly drifted down onto the stool. “I’m glad you finally decided to visit.”
He looked just as he had the last time Lucius had seen him alive. Young, handsome, his eyes filled with mischief and promise. Guilt and grief swamped Lucius and his stomach lurched.
“Draco, forgive me.” He begged, his eyes burning with unshed tears.
“It’s not my forgiveness you need, it’s hers.” Draco said, the wisdom sounded strange coming from the lips of one who was so young at the time of his passing. “You had nothing to do with the choices I made, you were in Azkaban at the time. This was my destiny.”
“It’s my fault, if I had been a better father….”
“You were a good father. I always knew I was loved. I was telling Hermione the same thing when you came in here and tore into the poor girl. She didn’t deserve that. She seems quite fond of you actually.” Draco smiled. “I never thought you would have a mudblood bride.”
“It wasn’t by choice.” Lucius mumbled, wishing he could reach out and touch his son.
“She explained it to me. You could do worse you know. I mean if it HAD to be a muggleborn.” Draco said, smiling. “She said she would work on getting me moved someplace where I can visit.”
“She’s mentioned it before. How did you wind up talking to her anyhow?”
“For the first time since I crossed over, I felt a presence near the painting. I thought it was you. You can’t imagine my surprise when the cloth fell away and I saw her standing there. Then to discover that she was my step-mother. I mean, wow, dad…..do you hate her so much?” Draco was watching his father closely. He looked the same, maybe a few more lines around his eyes, but he was still a commanding presence.
“No, I don’t hate her.”
“Do you love her?”
“No.” Lucius started laughing. “But I like her, some times. She has a mouth on her.”
“She seemed rather fond of you.” Draco saw the look of remorse on his father’s face.
“She can be, and I can be almost fond of her, but we have a rather volatile relationship; we tend to argue more often than not.”
“I don’t think I ever heard you and mum argue.” Draco said.
“Your mother was not the type to raise her voice; it wasn’t befitting a lady of her birth.” Lucius said. “Hermione however could care less. She has called me a bastard, an ass and a pervert, among other things. She had regular fantasies about killing, cursing, maiming and emasculating me.” He chuckled and shook his head.
“Doesn’t sound as if it is ever boring.” Draco said a smug smile on his face.
“No, it’s never dull.”
“So how are you going to fix it?” Draco asked, gesturing towards the door through which Hermione had fled.
“I have no clue.” Lucius sighed wearily. In a moment of rage he had unraveled the tenuous bonds of trust they had formed between them. He felt disgusted when he thought about how he had shook her, gripping her arms so brutally that he knew she would be bruised. His rage had blinded him to her injury and the terror in her eyes made him long for the mask that had shielded him so long ago.
The man, no, the thing that he had once been had resurfaced for a moment and caused harm yet again to someone under his protection.
“I wish you luck. I like her.”
“Where do you wish to be placed, Draco?” Lucius asked. Now that he had faced his grief over his child, he wanted to be able to connect with him however he could.
“Well I certainly don’t want to be anyplace where I might witness anything untoward….so perhaps your study.” Draco saw his father’s cheeks flush. “Really? Maybe the family room then.” Lucius cleared his throat and Draco’s eyes widened. “Aren’t you a little old for that?” His father frowned and Draco laughed. “What about the front hall?”
“I will see to it.” Lucius smiled.
“Go take care of her. She was pretty upset.” Draco smiled. “I will visit again soon.”
“I miss you, son.”
“I miss you too.” With a smile on his face Draco’s portrait became still once more. Lucius looked around his son’s room and realized that the pain he had carried didn’t seem quite so heavy anymore. He closed the door behind him and went in search of his wife. He had some serious apologizing to do, and he needed to assure himself that she was alright.
** *** *** *** *** ** *** ****
So, while Mione’s accidental discovery of Draco’s painting has begun the healing for Lucius, it has put another brick in the wall between the two of them.