A Faithful Wife

A Faithful Wife

Narcissa Malfoy strode past the grand front doors of the school where she had spent some of the best years of her life. She was expected of course; despite the years she'd spent using the rights that came with being a Malfoy, she had never forgotten her less than grand start in life as a Black. Forgetting wasn't something someone could easily do after being told for eighteen years that their family was nothing but a lie that could easily be discovered; a good name was all that hid their debts in a society that was far too nosy.

She was here because the problems that her son had over Lucius' incarceration were beginning to affect his schoolwork, and the matron feared his mental health as well. Normally people who see giant spiders climbing over the walls are considered disturbed, but she could never think that about her son. These latest developments bothered her a great deal though, it meant that his condition was worsening, he had merely seemed slightly depressed over the summer.
Though it may have seemed unusual for her to be visiting the school so late at night, to her it made perfect sense;
this way she wouldn't have to talk to Draco when he was surrounded by his cronies; something told her he wouldn't like that too much. She could also hopefully avoid seeing Severus; after the way she had felt last time she had seen him, she could no longer trust herself in his presence.
She pushed open the door to the Slytherin dungeon, and began to make her way down the steps that she had descended so many times in her youth. Partway down the dank corridor, there was a door that separated the corridors between the entrances to the Slytherin common room and the head of house's office.
Just as she approached the door, it flew open, and who should be stood there but Severus Snape, the one man she had been keen to avoid.
"Severus," she said as way of greeting, after so many years she had become almost as cold as the people who were born Malfoys.
"Narcissa," he replied, and she couldn't help but notice the look in his eyes, but as he showed emotion so rarely, it was hard to venture a guess at what he was feeling, although she was pretty sure it wasn't hatred.
He stood back to open the door for her, always the gentleman, she mused, but cursed herself almost immediately, why was she so weak to this man? It was hardly his charm or good looks.
She passed through the door, although it seemed as though it had shrunk since the last time she had walked through it, or Severus' and her adult body were larger than their child bodies had been; either way she had to pass very close to him.
Once she was safely on the other side of the door, she faced him again, though this time they were facing each other directly, one standing either side of the corridor.
"Tell me," Severus said in his damnably silky voice, "why is it necessary to reveal that much cleavage when the only person you're hoping to see is your son? That is why you came in the middle of the night, is it not?"

His words were harsh but his tone was not, and there was something behind his eyes, something that she didn't quite trust herself to analyse.
"You're certainly as beautiful as the last time we met," he said quietly, and she stepped forward, pulling the door out of his hands so it slammed shut and pushing her body into his.
The next thing she knew, their lips were moving against each other, and she was pressed between the cold wall and Severus' warm body.
"I've always wanted you, you know that," he gasped before sliding one hand up to touch her hair, and one hand under her robes and across he stomach.
They were so caught up in each other that the approaching footsteps seemed to be apart from them and they paid it no attention. It wasn't until the door began to creak open that they sprung apart. Professor Dumbledore stepped through the door then, no doubt wanting to find out if she was making any progress with Draco. The look in his eyes meant that he did not need to ask for an explanation.
"I was just telling Mrs Malfoy the password," Severus said, and she admired his steady voice, Lord knows hers wouldn't have been had she needed to provide an explanation.
"I see," Dumbledore replied. She knew he saw much more than what Severus had just told him, he was no fool, and giving someone the password to the Slytherin common room did not make you look flustered and hot under the collar.
"Well, hopefully I shall see you seen, Mrs Malfoy," Severus said, before walking off, his robes billowing behind him.
"I too, shall see you later," said Dumbledore before walking off.
And Narcissa turned the opposite way to them, the only reason she did not look back was because her view of Severus would have been blocked by the door.
She was very proud of the fact that even after so many years in an arranged, loveless marriage she was still faithful to her husband, and though she was rather less faithful than she had been earlier in the evening, even now she was not completely unfaithful. Although, she thought as she looked at the entrance to the Slytherin common room, her faithfulness was not going to tell her the password.