21 July: I Won't Tell Your Man the Things We Do (Lydia)

[Lucius Malfoy]

Friday, 21 July 1978

It was very rare that Lucius Malfoy found himself at St. Mungo's - especially on a Friday night. He had plenty of other things that could occupy his time than wandering the halls of the wretched hospital. But he was a man on a mission, and not one that he was going to give up on simply because he had to be seen in such an awful place. He had told Narcissa he would be working late and to not expect him home for a few days, and she wasn't one to question him. After all, their loyalty to the Dark Lord was important, and she had known going into this marriage that it would require him to be away from home sometimes.

Foolish woman.

It was the easiest excuse for him to use, and one that would be frequent if today's visit went well. It had been far too long since he had seen his favorite girl, one of Hogwarts most recent graduates. It had been a surprise to hear that she had taken a job at the hospital, as he had pegged her to be ready to settle down with her betrothed the second she got out of school. It seemed however, that he had misjudged Avery. The girl was not content to simply be a housewife, but instead was playing on playing the role of a spy for the cause with her work here. It was admirable, really, that she would dedicate her life to the cause when it wasn't expected of her.

"Lydia," he purred as he caught sight of the girl, his ever so familiar smile plastered on his face, "Just the beautiful woman I was looking for. I've missed you dearly."

[Lydia Avery]

"Is that so," Lydia replied smoothly, concealing her surprise at seeing Lucius in Reception, of all places. She kept moving towards the Artefact Accidents wing, her pace clipped, and hoped her moss-green robes weren't terribly disheveled from the long day she'd had so far. Running around from educational seminars to practical applications was exhausting, but with any luck her magical concealer was yet hiding the circles under her eyes, and the alertness potion she'd taken at dinner wouldn't wear off any time soon. Because if Lucius had sought her out - as he clearly had, she would've heard if any of his family members were at the hospital, a family like that - then she would most certainly need her energy.

To be frank, the handsome older man had hardly crossed her mind lately. The last months had passed in a blur, and while the experiences shared with him were undoubtedly memorable, Lydia had more going on now than simply worrying about passing classes, keeping the peace in her dorm, and learning how to please her Charlie. But him being here could lead to an entertaining diversion, and she was ahead of schedule, not due to her next meeting for a nice slice of time...

"How's the wife?" she asked benignly as she pushed open the doors to the wing, moving to the side as a pair of Healers rushed a patient out of one room and into another. The need to be on high-alert here was something that the new graduate found she thrived on, and Lydia watched, shark-eyed, as the patient yelped about the inconvenient status of his Probity Probe...the things we do for people like you.
 

[Lucius Malfoy]

The fresh Hogwarts graduate looked magnificent, even while wearing Healer’s robes. They’d had plenty of fun while she was still in school, Lucius all too pleased to seduce the younger sister of one of the men he despised the most. Nicholas Avery was an absolutely absurd individual, and quite frankly, his competition. The older boy had been an annoyance during the school years, always getting the girl he wanted. It’d been positively delightful to watch him lose everything when he’d told Avery’s precious Violet about her boyfriend’s extracurricular activities.

And yet, the agreement the Avery’s and Fudges had come to was never called off, at least from what he had been told. That had been thrown in his face when he’d suggested the girl to his own parents, when they had first told him it was Andromeda Black he was to court. He was lucky that the middle Black sister had fooled around, because Narcissa was better match for him. And so what if he had a few extracurricular activities of his own? It wasn’t hurting anybody. “She’s doing well. How’s the boyfriend - or has he a fiancé now?” he asked in return, eyes drifting down to her hand.

He took it in his own, grinning up at her. “Fiancé then, I apologize for not extending my congratulations sooner,” he said with a laugh, letting her hand go as he took a glance around the hall, looking out for those who might feel the need to listen. “Come, take a break from all this and tell me all about it.”

[Lydia Avery]

You came to see me. Lydia couldn’t help but smirk at that, at knowing that Lucius Malfoy needed her in a way that she, frankly, no longer did. No longer an uncertain and bored schoolgirl, she still wanted him, of course - who would be fool enough not to? - but she’d been so occupied with her work that her usual holiday diversion hadn’t been thought of enough to warrant arranging a meeting. She was adoring the earned exhaustion brought on by these long days of purposeful work, in a place where she was freed from the shadows of friends and family. And, by Lucius’s eye, he could tell she was thriving. Still so dull at home, then? Gracious, Narcissa, what a waste you’re making of him.

She nearly laughed at the congratulations extended to her by this man (her eventual marriage would make meetings like this end, as Charles would certainly catch on, and in no world did she want to deal with that), although she was feeling wonderful about finally progressing with her Charlie. Now that they were both out in the world, the only thing holding them back from their wedding was her desire to pour herself into this work first. Lydia hadn’t thought of herself as a career woman, but as graduation had drawn nearer, a lonely life on the Selwyn estate was supremely less appealing than finding something with merit to direct her attentions to. And Healing - the quick-thinking of assessment and rush of adrenaline at fast action, never knowing exactly what the day would bring and what skills you’d have to use to save a life - was nearly surpassing her expectations. Surely it wouldn’t be too long before she was a proper Healer herself, with patients to handle on her own. Oh but she was already longing for the day when an unsuspecting Auror near death’s door had her to thank for the shove through it…

"Oh Lucius, my good man, you know I can’t resist an invitation to talk of my glorious future," she simpered, giving a nod to Healers as she led him towards the level’s on-call room, admiring her ring on the way. With any luck it wouldn’t be occupied and they could steal away some privacy, but she made sure her words were loud enough to be caught by passing ears. "It’s a Selwyn heirloom, wouldn’t you know, belonged to his great-grandmother. Not that you can tell, he got it all kinds of shined up before asking, of course…" She gave a swift knock to the on-call room’s door and entered, talking of the merits of vintage rings over modernity until it shut behind them. The emptiness was welcome, and Lydia gave her first true smile up at her visitor.

"So...you’ve missed me? And I presume you’ve come here for me to remind you why? You flatter me, darling."

[Lucius Malfoy]

If Narcissa ever found out about any of his affairs, well, he didn’t want to think of how she would react. He’d taken his vows to her, and he would remain her husband for life. While his fling with the young Avery girl may have seemed like he was breaking his vows, he’d made a point to make sure it wasn’t breaking any of the vows he had taken. He was a smart man, of course, and he knew how to get what he wanted. Besides, all Narcissa seemed to go on about was trying to have an heir. It was exhausting to hear about it from her, how after years of trying she’d failed to conceive. He had no plans for children anytime soon, and the house-elves were under strict orders from him to not tell the lady of the house that Lucius was making sure to prevent any children. And when sex had become all about making a child instead of pleasing him, he’d started to find it boring. It was only natural he would seek his thrills elsewhere.

And who was better than a pretty young thing like Lydia? So inexperienced but wanting to learn, it was always a good experience with her. He nodded to her words as they walked down the hall, his mind more on his hands roaming her body than caring about the heirloom of a ring on her finger. He could please her in ways the young Selwyn boy could not - that much was obvious, or she wouldn’t be leading him to an empty on-call room. “It’s a beautiful ring, your fiancé did a fabulous job. It suits you,” he said as they walked into the room, appearances being kept up until the door was closed.

She smiled at him, a real smile, and he smiled back at her question. Wand pulled from his cane, he made quick work of locking the door before he closed the space between them, hand snaking around her waist as he pulled her close. “Of course, I’ve missed you darling, who wouldn’t? Am I to believe that you truly haven’t missed me?” he answered her, his other hand reaching up to tilt her head up. He’d remind her what a wonderful time he was however many times she wanted, very thoroughly. “Green really suits you, and your ambition to serve the cause?” he mused quietly, moving his hand to tuck stray hairs behind her ear, “Although I’d much rather see you out of these robes.”

[Lydia Avery]

"I never said that," she smiled, coy, as Lucius locked them in and drew her against him. He tipped her chin up with his fingers, and she met his gray eyes curiously, hands already fiddling with the finery he wore. A call like this, so out of the blue? Was he simply bored, or had he really been thinking of her lately? Lydia was no fool, she knew that their futures were spoken for...But Lucius did give her something that she was otherwise lacking in life, during their rare indiscretions. "I've been preoccupied with establishing myself, that's all." And when I do think of you, it's of how to end this before Charlie finds out. You won't be cross, will you? "How did you learn I was here?"

These few weeks at the hospital were showing her - far more than seven years at Hogwarts had - that there was more to life than she'd known. She would always be entertained by petty arguments and gossip, she would always put her best face first, but here...Here, she was learning for a purpose, not to get the grade. She would apply what she did to a cause larger than herself, all the while making herself an integral piece of it in a way never attempted before. If she did it right, she could change the game. It was a good source of pressure, and she was tired, yes - but exhilarated from it all the same, feeling herself growing stronger as she pushed against its force. Lydia had long known that she was more powerful than she was given credit for, more powerful even than she'd been allowed to realize. And here, with the burdens of House and family lifted, she could finally thrive.

And Lucius sees you. He understands, he truly does.

Lucius Malfoy was proud of her, honestly proud of her, and Lydia glowed. When initially approached with the idea, Charlie had thought her plan was...cute. That she should leave everything to him. She was proud of the growth her fiancé had made since that evening, but perhaps part of his issue with her involvement was their growing up together. When they'd met, she'd been told to quiet herself to him, to follow, to support. They had been so young, so naive, and their growing pains had left marks on them both. But Lucius saw her for who she was and who she could be. He would never belittle or demean her, only lift her up. She didn't need his approval...but it was icing on the cake, wasn't it?

"Ambition is a funny thing, isn't it?" she whispered back, leaning into him at the affection. "I never felt lacking in it, but now that I've chosen this direction for it...I'm happy, Lucius. As much as I don't belong here," Lydia admitted with a soft laugh, "I really do." The parts of her that were flattered, buoyed by his praise, held so closely against him, they so wanted to betray her mind and her heart. But seeing Charlie's ring against Lucius's chest...She sighed, raising her eyes to his. "After I wed, we won't be able to do this anymore. Our families are granting us this delay, but we'll be starting on our heir once we've married, and I couldn't..." Her child favoring another man? It would break her husband, and Merlin only knew the lengths he would go to regain his position.

[Lucius Malfoy]

There it was, that coy smile he loved to see on her lips. This whole affair had started due to his annoyance with Lydia’s older brother, a rival to him in many ways during years at school. But he had found he enjoyed Lydia’s company immensely, he liked to hear things she was thinking about - even when it had been school gossip. On their secret nights together, as he held her after very good sex, they talked about things he didn’t even talk to Narcissa about. He loved his wife, but he didn’t care to talk about the Apothecary, or the failure to produce an heir, or whatever drabble Bellatrix was bringing into their lives. Fooling around with Lydia reminded him of the early days of his relationship with his wife, where they really talked about things. The fun secret flirting and kisses where no one could see, no tarnishing of either of their reputations. Those had been the days of falling in love with Narcissa. Not that he was in love with Lydia, they both knew there was no future between them.

Her hands were already making work of his robes, and it was satisfying to know that she hadn’t really forgotten about him since her graduation. He kept his hand on her chin, smiling as she spoke of establishing herself. “From the horse’s mouth, actually,” he teased, holding back a laugh. It wasn’t as if Charles Selwyn had been proud of the words coming out his mouth - nor had he known that Lucius was listening to his conversation. “He sounded quite bitter about it actually, does the fiancé not approve of this?” It was obvious that Selwyn had gotten no say in Lydia’s plans after school, but Lucius did hope the boy would come around. To be married to someone who wanted to help the cause was magnificent, and there had been a day when he thought perhaps Narcissa would be taking the mark herself. Until the Dark Lord hadn’t approved of her, and while he was proud of his wife for her fantastic work at the Apothecary, he felt she could hardly look past her own desires and see the bigger picture.

She leaned into his hand as he brushed her hair out of her face, and he smiled at her as she spoke of happiness. Wasn’t that what they all wanted? Lucius knew he was lucky to be able to do very little work in their world, his family with their money and connections able to get by on one Apothecary and promise that their lineage would be dedicated to the Dark Lord. Lucius would never have taken the mark of his own accord, but he’d known from a young age it would be expected of him. Not to say he hated the work, but it wasn’t the sort of work that made him happy. He’d never given it much thought, what kind of job would make him happy. “Happiness really does suit you, darling,” he said to her, doing his best to hide the surprise on his face as the conversation turned to the end of their affair. “Well I suppose it’s a good thing you aren’t wed then,” he whispered, leaning down to catch her lips in a kiss. It wasn’t as if he was expecting this fling to last forever with Lydia, but to know it would end for the sake of a child? A tad disappointing.

He pulled away, letting his hands do the rest of the talking as they found hers, taking them and slipping the ring gently from her finger to set it down on a nearby table. Without the ring on perhaps she would be less distracted about the rules that they were breaking to be together. His lips returned to hers, his hands working on her robes, body pressed against hers. If their time together was limited, not only by her work time constraints but also by her fiancé, he wanted to make the most of it. And they could talk more after if she had the time. “Let me show you how proud of you I am.”

[Lydia Avery]

"You spoke with Charlie about me? Lucius, why would you do that?" she hissed, body stiffening while he looked ready to laugh. Indignant, Lydia's eyes grew wide. Rationally, she knew that the paths of the men would cross from time to time. And that her coming up in conversation was a natural occurrence, just as Lucius would bring up his own partner. But if Charlie had any reason to think something was off between them as a couple, or picked up on something as Lucius spoke of her, she could soon be far worse off than she'd been when trying to convince him of allowing her to pursue this work. He very well could still marry her, resentful and lording this over her for eternity - or call them off for good, leaving her publicly disgraced. If life was fair, Lucius would stand to lose the same things. But he didn't, simple as. For if Narcissa had her head as deep in the sand as it seemed, believing him to be as devoted to her as she was with him when all facts pointed elsewhere, he could get away with affairs on their own property and she'd be none the wiser. 

Besides the obvious, what satisfaction did Lucius get from his pursuits? The same can be asked of you. Were you really all that lacking in excitement when he noticed you in the first place? Was Narcissa different when they were alone, or the same as she appeared to them all? All at once doting, demanding, and dull? Did he regret getting married, and want to relive his younger days? Will you regret it? Long for the freedom you've never truly had? Was he so unhappy that he sought whatever fleeting happiness he could glean from someone like her? The time left together is ticking away. No one will ever know, it is secret to you forever. Something to look back on fondly, not with such concerns. You have gotten away with it so far...enjoy him while you can.

Assured enough again to be present, knowing that Lucius's affection was for her today, that what happened would stay between them, that he accepted that they were nearing their end - Lydia did not protest his kiss. Or the removal of her robes, boxy unflattering uniforms that they were anyway. Or of her ring, even if she could feel the coolness of his own against her skin, and had to wonder how it came to be that the symbol meant so little to him. It was his words that sealed things for her, however, in the end. She was not ruled by her desires, usually able to follow her head even over the pounding in her chest. But for all that could never be between them, Lucius understood what she needed, and was there for her when she gave in. She rose up against him with a fire in her eyes, arms around his neck as she kissed him deeply. "Show me," she demanded breathlessly as her feet met the floor again, letting loose her hair and stepping out of the last of her things.