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Blood and Vows	By : MJurjevic Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female Views: 38654 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 2
Disclaimer: Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or the Harry Potter Fandom, nor the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
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Chapter Eight: Pretence and Pretentiousness by nagandsev

Summary: The importance of pretences becomes known in more ways than one.

oOoOoOo

Cushion under her knees, Astoria lay in the botanical conservatory listening to the silence. Occasionally in the distance, a faint sound of a peacock’s call or an answering cry registered now and then, piercing the soundless air.

As the greenhouse’s natural lighting dimmed to early dusk’s darkening hues, a chill went through her, and ever so slowly, she sat up, Accioed her clothing, and began to slowly dress. In a stupor-like state, she mechanically tidied her work place, putting away the catalogued notes she had been making before he appeared. Lucius!

Feeling drained, she slowly walked back to the main hall of the manor, halting now and then when she felt the come flow out of her. Her breathing became heavy as she made her way up the cold black-marbled stairs, her thighs rubbing together, chaffing from the sticky friction between them.

Making her way to her chamber and quickly warding it, she headed straight for her en suite and soon lay soaking in a hot bubbled bath. She touched herself, feeling a flare of anxiety, hot and deep, within her body and spirit. Draco! What have I done? What am I doing? Where are you tonight?

Lethargically, she finished bathing and dressed herself in a plush sleeping gown and robe, feeling securer in the multiple, thick layers. With one last burst of energy, she plunged under her bed coverings, as if she could burrow away from the world, seeking shelter from her conflicting emotions and fear of the unknown future of what her actions, their actions, would bring. Lucius!

oOoOoOo

A firm, repetitive knocking was heard on her bedroom door as Astoria awoke, muddled and confused. Sleep had obviously come to her while hibernating under her bedding, and she found herself disorientated, not knowing if it were day or night at first.

"Astoria? Astoria, dear. Are you all right?" It was Narcissa. "May I come in?"

Astoria unwarded the room, and her mother-in-law slowly entered.

"We were worried about you, as you didn’t come down for dinner. I had the house-elf check on you… You were sleeping so soundly…." Narcissa gave Astoria a concerned look. "We have a big day tomorrow, the morning presentations and speeches for the upcoming charity ball. Our luncheon with Potter and Longbottom. Fund-raising is not as glamorous as it’s thought to be." Narcissa gave her a small smile and sat on the side of the bed.

"You miss Draco?"

Astoria’s heart was hammering in her chest, and she found she couldn’t look Narcissa in the eye. Flashes of Lucius, his scent, his touch, his taste, made it impossible. She could only stare at a patterned spot on the duvet and nod her head in affirmation.

"Yes, Draco shouldn’t be leaving you so alone so often… But a wizard has to do what he has to do." Narcissa offered Astoria a light pleasantry. "When he’s made Minister of Magic, we’ll forgive him, won’t we, dear?"

Astoria acknowledged the courteous, somewhat playful remark with another nod.

"This too shall pass," the blonde witch said softly. Astoria flinched as she felt Narcissa take her hand in hers.

"Men can be such… brutes, dear Astoria. Insensitive. Selfish. Quite clueless." Narcissa gave her a strange look but then quickly smiled again. "It is up to us to tame them."

Astoria felt her face burn, flushing. She forced herself to give Narcissa a polite smile.

Narcissa’s face became unreadable in response; she rose and said, "I’ll have some dinner brought to you. You must keep your strength, my dear." Unexpectedly, Narcissa leaned down and gave Astoria a soft kiss on her forehead, as if she were a child. "For Draco…" Her mother-in-law straightened up and repeated, "You must keep your strength… and nerves, Astoria. One day, you’ll look back at this period in your marriage, and it’ll be like a long-ago dream…." Narcissa’s gaze was as intense as if she were about to incant Legilimens on her, and Astoria held her breath, occluding her mind as fast as she could.

But Narcissa only smiled gently at her again. "Rest well, tonight. I’ll see you in the morning." And with that, she left Astoria to herself and pensive thoughts.

oOoOoOo

Hours later, Astoria tossed and turned, unable to sleep as she desperately wished to. She longed to lose herself in deep sleep, wishing for time to go by as quickly as possible until Draco would return from his ministerial travels. She tried to deny that his time away, which had become more and more frequent, created longer and lonelier gaps in her life. With an exasperated sigh, she sat up abruptly and stared around in the soft glowing moonlight filling her bed chamber. Draco… I need you so badly… Where are you?

It wasn’t the first time she had longed for him when he had been away. But it was the first time she felt so intensely marked by despair and anxiety by the lack of his presence. Where did the Minister send him? Prague? Paris? In her irritable grogginess, she threw herself back against the plush pillows and stared up at the mirror hanging above the bed, staring at her form, as if she were a stranger. A forlorn, solitary figure who didn’t belong there. Her facial muscles began to tense as she tried to control her lips, which began to tremble as she welled up with sadness and clutched at the nearest pillow to squeeze and cried out unexpectedly, "Lucius!"

She gasped as the mirror above her changed from reflecting her shadowed figure and bedding to the incredulous sight of two forms, two very blond and pale forms, in the dire throes of passion, heatedly consummating their carnal acts before her. Lucius’ damn charm!

Astoria was caught between looking away and wanting to watch. Needing to watch. For she found herself mesmerized, witnessing Lucius and Narcissa’s harmonious, synchronised, flow of fucking and love-making.

As she watched Narcissa glide on top of Lucius, swaying and riding him in mounting pleasure, Astoria panted heavily, her chest tightening at the exquisite expressions on Lucius and Narcissa’s face, apparently both seconds away from coming. And come they did.

Astoria took in every breath and touch they gave each other, every thrust and clenched muscle, every grunt and moan, escalating to a climaxing cry. Narcissa had frozen in orgasm on top of Lucius; Astoria watched as Lucius slowly sat up, gathering Narcissa in his arms, and turned her over. With his apparently-still-hard-cock inside his wife, he began to thrust in earnest, his tight-muscled buttocks vividly flexing in and out as he pumped Narcissa thoroughly.

Astoria touched herself, searching for her clitoris in her wetness, watching Lucius and Narcissa. She whimpered in frustration as she witnessed him come inside Narcissa and listened to her own heavy breathing as she saw Lucius kiss and caress his lifetime lover and partner with indescribable tenderness and attention.

Turning away from the view, she forced her eyes shut. The vision of Narcissa and Lucius, their intimacy, was too searing a sight for her to bear. So… beautiful and… painful…

It was something she longed to experience for herself, have for herself, fill her gaps. But not with Lucius… or do I? She cried out in frustration and confusion, with guilt.

Is that what Draco and I have, the same as Narcissa and … Lucius? Draco loves me, I know… but… Astoria reflected; she thought thoughts she’d never allowed herself to think before. She became overwhelmed with a wave of doubt, all-encompassing, and squeezed her pillows tighter than ever before in her life. She refused to look again into Lucius’ charmed mirror, taunting her with that which was missing in her life.

oOoOoOo

Narcissa arched her perfect eyebrow at Harry. "So, Mr Potter, the Auror department will provide security and clearance—"

"Along with our own inner-department donations and," Harry grinned cheekily at Narcissa, "at least three dances with you during the evening, Mrs Malfoy. It’s a deal then?"

Narcissa gave him a smile. "If I’m going to dance with you, we can do away with the last name formalities. Shall we?"

"I’d like that very much," Harry’s smile broadened triumphantly as Narcissa arched her eyebrow again in anticipation, and he added, "Narcissa."

"Such a beautiful name," piped in the other wizard at the restaurant table. "One of my most favourite flowers, one of the most beautiful flowers. Sad—but beautiful."

Narcissa’s eyes shined with a secret as she gave Neville Longbottom her full attention.

"Becoming a Hogwarts professor has made you so very eloquent, Neville." She complemented him further, "Eloquent and handsome. Wouldn’t you agree, Astoria?"

"Neville’s an exceptional Herbologist; he always has been, actually. Even as a student, he had a green thumb and expansive knowledge in his field of interest." Astoria’s felt her face burn at being put on the spot by her mother-in-law’s unusual inviting behaviour during this lunch meeting with Potter and Longbottom, this last comment being one of many she’d gone out of her way to tease and entertain them with. Astoria tried to glide over and divert Narcissa’s subject of interest, saying, "So naturally he has a great appreciation for all things floral, names included."

"How are you with other names, Neville? Astoria’s, for example?" prompted the blonde witch bluntly.

"Narcissa, please, don’t make him—"

"Well, she’s—" Neville gave Astoria a bold, appreciate gaze. "The name itself is a variant of Asteria… She’s a goddess," Neville seemed momentarily flustered and blushed deeply, but continued on, "a star maiden… While fleeing a sexual union with Zeus—I mean," Longbottom cleared his throat, "Asteria was pursued by the god Zeus…." Neville hesitated, apparently rethinking how to tell the story tastefully in front of the ladies present. "In order to escape from Zeus’ embraces, she attempted to flee, only to be metamorphosed into a quail, threw herself into the sea, and was there metamorphosed into the island Asteria… The island which had fallen from heaven like a star… Zeus made sure she would be forever rooted in one spot, unable to ever flee from him, or anyone else actually, again…"

Neville gave Astoria an odd look as Harry commented, "The ladies didn’t need a history lesson, Professor Longbottom."

"No, Harry, I’m quite impressed by Neville’s thoroughness in any given subject. We could listen to him all evening, couldn’t we, Astoria?" Narcissa added coyly, "Your wife must be a very happy woman."

Neville blushed an even deeper shade of red at this.

"How far with child is she?" asked Narcissa pointedly.

"Eight—eight months pregnant… We’re counting the days for the new arrival."

"I’m sure you are," purred the Malfoy matriarch. "It’s such a special time, for the witch as well as the wizard. Waiting for the newborn to be born… as well as returning to normal relations between one another. But you’re a stellar example of manhood and husbandhood; why both of you young wizards are." She gave Potter an enticing look. "Each generation brings forth its own tributes to the times, those of noble deeds and bravery—"

"And witches of great wisdom, cleverness, and skill," Harry complimented the older blonde witch back.

Something passed between Harry and Narcissa, something that Astoria couldn’t quite put her finger on as she watched them lay on the charm and compliments to one another, but Harry interrupted her sober musings by his abrupt standing up and offering, "Shall we?" He walked over to behind Narcissa’s chair and pulled it out for her as she rose.

"Harry and I have several meetings over at the Ministry and around London for the fundraiser this afternoon."

Astoria blinked in understanding. "I’ll see myself back to the Ministry or Floo home once we’re finished going over the strategic planning for our areas—"

"Or perhaps Neville could escort you to the manor?" suggested Narcissa eagerly turning to Longbottom. "I don’t believe you’ve seen our lovely botanical conservatory, have you? Astoria, you must give him a private tour—I’m sure he’ll be quite impressed."

Astoria and Neville stared at each other as Narcissa pushed, saying, "As the two of you will be working closely together within both the potions and herbology circles on all sides, liaising with Ministry, St Mungo’s and Hogwarts staff for the Charity ball—"

"Exactly, Neville’s too busy to—"

"I’d like you to feel welcomed to visit us at the manor whenever you like," continued Narcissa and then turned to Harry. "Let us leave Astoria and Neville to their collaborative efforts, and we shall to ours. Divide and conquer, yes?"

"That’s one way of looking at it, a useful strategy at times—if used in the right way," agreed Harry, chuffed by Narcissa’s enticing allure. With a nod, Harry allowed Narcissa to sweep before him, attentively following her to the front doors of the restaurant, exiting.

In the awkward silence, unable to speak, Astoria and Neville gave darting glances to one another in between looking at the tablecloth until Neville spoke first. "I’m sorry if I embarrassed you."

"Embarrassed me?"

"With the goddess story—"

Astoria softly huffed. "No, I’m sorry that Narcissa is fixated for some reason on forcing you to flatter me—"

"I’m not," Neville said bluntly.

Astoria felt her face blush warm. She couldn’t deny, as Narcissa had shamelessly noted, that Neville had become a handsome, confident man, who appeared to know himself and his strengths well. She acknowledged that he had a gentlemanly charm that lured her into him on one level, but not knowing for certain how far his intentions could lead, she kept her shield up.

He quickly shattered it by saying, "I think you’re sad… and perhaps Narcissa thinks we could be—I could be… Everyone could use a friend, Astoria."

"We are friends, Neville."

"We’re colleagues at times when forced to be—when we’re in contact and work together on projects; and we’re acquaintances of a regular sort in our potions and herbology circles that overlap, but friends…" He swallowed hard. "I would like…."

Hesitating, as if in conflict with something he was debating, Neville slowly covered her hand with his. "If you ever need a friend, someone just to listen or… I-I’d—"

"Well, well, what have we here?"

Astoria and Neville looked up to see four figures in front of their table, but the commenter of the utterance was someone she could not tear her eyes from—so cold yet burning in his anger. She inhaled sharply. Lucius!

oOoOoOo

A/N: Forever thankful to the one and only star_girl for everything, for the beta work, on top of everything else to keep my Muse and Lucius happy! She's expanded my universe as only a Ravenclaw can!
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Blood and Vows