Child of New Beginnings

Chapter 3

Lucius knelt in front of Hermione, inches away from her. He watched her cry with her arms around her knees, her face buried in her arms. He knew pain all too well, whether they were physical or emotional. The woman in front of him was clearly in pain and had been suffering with it for months on end. “Hermione,” he called her. It occurred to him that it was the first time that he addressed her by her first name. “You can talk to me.”

Hermione slowly lifted her face up, and let her chin rest on her arms. Through her tears, she saw a man with understanding written all over his face. “He didn’t know…” Without even thinking, she threw her arms around his neck, and buried her face beneath it, crying harder.

Lucius wasn’t surprised when Hermione had embraced him and fell into his lap. He knew when women needed to be comforted. Naricssa too had her times were she had broken down during the war. He was used to it, and felt the need to take away her pain. He didn’t like women in pain, most definitely pain that was very dark—pain that was hard to forget. He embraced Hermione and whispered comforting words to her, allowing her to cry out the emotions that had been trapped within her.

After about an hour, Hermione’s cries and sobs had subsided. When she had come to her senses, she found herself sitting in his lap, being embraced and comforted by him. She was very much surprised and wondered exactly how she got into the position. She didn’t want to leave though. It had been awhile she had been held close and comforted by anyone. She missed it and needed it more than she could measure. It felt good, and she wished that he wouldn’t let go.

“Okay now?” Lucius asked her ever so softly.

“Yes,” Hermione murmured against the skin of his neck. “Is it okay if you just hold me for awhile? It’s been sometime since I was held.”

“No problem,” Lucius replied. He continued to rub small circles on her back every so often. After a short time of silence, he heard Hermione speak to him.

“I snuck out of Hogwarts that night. I needed sometime to myself and decided to walk in muggle London. Knowing the dangers of getting caught, I wore a glamour charm. After my walk, I headed back to the muggle entrance at the Leaky Cauldron. That’s where it happened. That is where I got kidnapped by some Death Eater.

“And then, there I stood, amongst other muggle women in the middle of Voldemort’s throne room. I knew what was about to happen. I heard the stories. Voldemort then appointed me to Professor Snape. I was scared and knew that if I had taken off my glamour charm and exposed myself, I’d be killed instantly. Not risking anything, or wanting both your covers to be blown, I just let it happen. We were still in the middle of a war—a war that we needed to win.

“Then… I saw it. The pain in his eyes. I could see that he wanted to refuse, but knew the consequences if he refused his ‘gift.’ As he… took me… he kept on whispering to me, saying he was sorry. When it had ended, I was dumped back to where I had been found. Later, when the coast was clear, I made my way back to Hogwarts.”

Lucius kept silent until she had finished telling her story. There was no need to continue on further. The rest of the story, he already knew. That being with Sybill’s prophecy and then her disappearing and running away from the wizarding world. Reflexively, when Hermione started to cry again, his arms wrapped around her tighter as he comforted her again.

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The screaming of Sebastian’s crying behind the bedroom door had immediately caught Hermione’s attention. Slowly, she pulled back with a sniffle as she looked at the long platinum blonde haired wizard.

“Sounds like baby Sebastian is awake,” he noted.

“He even has Professor Snape’s temper,” Hermione said with a small smile.

Lucius chuckled at what Hermione just said. He knew Severus’s temper all too well, and couldn’t help but find it funny that his actual son had inherited it. What else did Sebastian inherit from him? What traits did he inherit from his mother? With both their genes and intellect combined, the child would very well be powerful and intelligent like his parents. “Then you shall tend to him right away,” he said as he helped her to his feet.

“Come, I’ll let you see him,” Hermione said as she pulled on his hand, leading him into the bedroom.

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“Bastian, Mummy’s here,” Hermione cooed as she bent over and picked him up from his crib. He was wearing light blue romper with dark blue linings. “Don’t cry baby, don’t cry,” she said as she rocked her in her arms. Eventually, the crying stopped.

Lucius couldn’t take the eyes off how Hermione had held the crying infant. Despite how the child was conceived, she did truly love the child as any mother should. He could see that Hermione was a natural at being a mother. She held the child with ease, unafraid like other first time mothers.

“Would you like to hold him?” Hermione offered as she stepped forward.

“Sure,” Lucius said as he reached out and held the small infant in his arms. Even though it had been over seventeen years in which he held someone so small, he never lost his touch. Immediately, he could feel Sebastian’s magical aura. For someone so small, and newborn, he had a gift of strength and power. Usually children after the age of five years started showing their powers and auras, but newborns....never. Sebastian was in one word, special.

Small black eyes had met his grey-silver ones. Eyes that were so similar. Eyes that were exactly like his father’s. Sebastian’s hair was also just like Severus’s as well—flat and black. He was almost a carbon copy of his father except for the little nose that he had. it was like a little button, just like Hermione’s.

“Aren’t you a handsome little one?” Lucius smiled as he talked to Sebastian. “Just like your father.”

Sebastian gurgled and smiled at the man above him. One of his little hands then reached out and touched Lucius’s long hair.

“Looks like he’s quite fond of you already,” Hermione said with a hint of surprise. “In the hospital, he would cry if anyone other else than me held him.”

“Well, I am your Uncle Lucius aren’t I?” Lucius cooed to Sebastian, making him gurgle again. He looked at Hermione and then paused before he spoke. “Hermione, I would like to become Sebastian’s godfather… that is, if you would allow me to.”

Nerves started to toss and turn within Hermione. “Mr. Malfoy-“

“Lucius,” he corrected her. “You may call me Lucius.”

“Lucius… I don’t think I can,” she shook her head. “I am not ready, and I don’t know if I’ll ever be.”

“All I am asking you is for me to become his godfather, as Severus is to Draco. I will protect him and you, even if you’ll say no. You may not be ready yet, but please, allow me to help you to raise him and protect him. There are still evil beings out there that wish to get him if they knew of his existence. His magical aura is already strong as it is. You feel it too when you hold him, I know.” He saw her think for a moment, and knew he was correct.

“I-I’m not going back.” She didn’t want Sebastian to be raised and exposed into the wizarding world in which evil could grab a hold of him. Not after losing her parents, she couldn’t lose him.

“Then I will come to the both of you. Please Hermione. I will not just protect him, but you as well.” he pleaded. “Please. I will keep my word and speak to no one of him for now. Just accept my offer.”

Hermione knew that Lucius was right. There were still rogue Death Eaters out there. If they found out about Sebastian and the prophecy, Merlin only knows what would happen. “Okay,” Hermione answered, teary and emotional. “You may be his godfather.”

“Thank you,” Lucius smiled as he looked back down at Sebastian who never took his eyes off him. “You Sebastian are going to be quite a Slytherin when you grow up.”

Hermione kept silent to herself and decided not to speak. She allowed Lucius to spend time with him and talk with him. Amazingly, they had formed quite a bond or connection. Sebastian never cried when he held him.

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AN – Aww… Uncle Lucius! Review!