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Chapter Text

Severus Snape had always been skittish. He didn't trust very easily, and he had plenty of reason. At the first sign of danger, he'd hide. Like a feral animal you admire for their strength and aloofness, but can't help wanting to tame and keep as a pet.
It started when they were Death Eaters. Narcissa hadn't seen much of Severus at Hogwarts despite being in the same house (she was five years ahead of him), but she had heard a little about him from Lucius, who had been a prefect and recognized his talents. When Severus started attending the Dark Lord's meetings at Lucius' invitation, she saw a young, brilliant man hungry to prove himself. She could see it in those intense black eyes. He didn't have Lucius' aristocratic good looks or wealth or connections, but he had some raw appeal, and he definitely had potential.
She started making an effort to get to know him. He was civil, but while he clearly wanted to fit in, he had reservations. He kept everyone at arm's length. There was a mask up at all times, and she knew it. It felt like the mask she wore to look like the dutiful pureblood wife. It had been Lucius' idea to follow the Dark Lord, and Narcissa had gone along with him. Logically, it made sense to align yourself with the more powerful side more likely to win. But she was already bored, bored with her arranged marriage, bored with the meetings where the Dark Lord droned on and on. Severus presented a challenge, a novelty to explore.
He had stoically accepted the honor of being marked, kissing the Dark Lord's hem to further ingratiate himself. But when Narcissa found him later, he was sitting alone and clutching his inflamed arm, gritting his teeth from the lingering pain he didn't want to show anybody. He was only 19, still fresh from Hogwarts. So young, so alone, so desperate to appear strong and belong.
She came up to him quietly, holding out a vial of pain reliever. He drew back, offended.
"I can brew that myself," he snarled.
"But you haven't. You're sitting here trying to tough it out, with no audience to see how resilient you are. Or are you saving that for the next meeting?"
He glared at her, but she simply stared back, still holding out the vial. At last, Severus snatched the potion, gave it a brief whiff, and gulped it down.
"... Thank you."
Narcissa sat beside him. "You should have seen Lucius when he took the mark. As soon as the Dark Lord was out of earshot, he was bawling at me to fetch potions and salves. I spent all night having to soothe him."
Severus looked at her with mixed skepticism and amusement, but said nothing.
"A strong front is necessary, but it helps to have someone you can let your guard down with," she continued. "Do you have someone?"
Severus scowled, ducking his head to hide his face behind a curtain of greasy hair. Narcissa knew the answer. Many of the Dark Lord's followers were purebloods who wanted supremacy, but there were also plenty who were simply outcasts, who had no one else and were hoping to be protected by the Dark Lord's power. She knew Severus had no family left to care one way or the other, but apparently he didn't even have friends.
"Not even one friend?" she asked.
"I don't need them," Severus rumbled in a bitter tone.
"Not ever?"
Severus' shoulders shook slightly as he inhaled. "No."
"I thought there was that Muggleborn girl Lucius said you liked."
"... Not anymore."
"I see. It is probably for the best. The Dark Lord wouldn't approve. You may find, however, that better options are available to you now." She set a manicured hand on his shoulder and he flinched, pulling away.
"Severus?"
He got up, still holding his arm, and scurried away, leaving Narcissa alone in the room. He was definitely rough around the edges.
And she couldn't wait to start polishing him into a gem.

Lucius agreed to invite Severus over for dinner, and Severus agreed to come. It was a quiet, polite meal, with the usual pleasantries, and afterwards they retired to the parlor for more conversation. Narcissa observed the way Severus moved, how he walked, how he sat, the way he handled his cutlery and tea cup. He was a bit twitchy at times, like a nervous spider, but he was no oaf; there was some natural grace emerging in the aftermath of gangly puberty. It just needed to be coaxed out further and refined.
When it was time for Severus to leave, Lucius cordially bid their guest goodnight, and Narcissa walked him to the door.
"Thank you for coming, Severus. We enjoyed having you."
"Thank you for the invitation."
"I hope I can persuade you to visit again. I would like to get to know you more."
Severus dropped his gaze. "There is not much to know."
"I'm not sure I believe that. I'd rather find out for myself."
He didn't look up. "Goodnight, Narcissa." He turned on his heel and left.
She wasn't discouraged. It would take time, but she was up for the challenge. It would be fun to have a puzzle to tackle.

"Is Lucius not coming?" Severus asked as Narcissa poured him tea.
"I'm afraid not. He had business at the Ministry." She handed him the cup. "He was just elected to join the board of governors for Hogwarts, you know."
"Good for him," Severus said dryly.
"Unimpressed?" she asked with a smile.
"I am sure it is a good move for him."
"But?"
Severus sipped his tea. "I do not recall Hogwarts with much fondness."
"Really? That's a shame. I loved it. I was able to hone my magical skills, I made friends, and I met Lucius."
"It is as good a place as any for honing magical ability," Severus admitted.
Narcissa nodded thoughtfully. She knew that there were still no friends for him in the picture, and to her knowledge he hadn't met a potential mate. "You haven't met anyone else you liked?"
A cloud fell over his features. "No."
"I'm sorry. That sounds lonely."
He set his cup down with an audible clank on the saucer. "I don't require your sympathy, Narcissa. You and I had very different experiences, and that is all. I managed just fine."
"I know you did. You're very resourceful. Achieving your potions mastery at such a young age, that takes talent as well as effort. It's no wonder the Dark Lord is impressed with you."
Severus stared into his tea cup, like he didn't believe her.
"You are talented, Severus, even if no one has told you this before."
He sighed.
"With a little extra effort, you could be quite formidable. A force to be reckoned with. No one would ever underestimate you again, unless you wanted them to."
Severus didn't reply, but she could tell he was listening. The wheels were turning behind those deep black eyes.
"Imagine," she went on, "being respected and admired, as you ought to be. You could be envied and wanted, never cast aside again by people who don't see your brilliance."
Severus thought for another minute. "Why are you so interested in my reputation?"
"I like to think I see potential. I have the audacity to want to bring it out. And it would reflect well on me to mentor one of our younger members." She reached for his hand, but he drew it back. "It's in your best interest as well. Wouldn't you take the opportunity to distinguish yourself?"
After a few seconds of thought, he nodded.

Lucius was thorough in teaching Severus the finer arts of navigating noble society, but was gratified to see his protégé was a quick study. Severus picked up fine table manners, how to address peers, and general formal etiquette well enough that he could be mistaken for a pureblood.
Narcissa was fine tuning his gait. Severus wasn't one to lumber around, but she worked with him until the twitchiness melted away and he moved with total economy and grace, fairly gliding across the floor, elegantly sitting and rising, using his long fingers to deftly manipulate any object.
"That's it. Just wrap the fingers, as if you were caressing a kitten's head."
Severus gently curled his fingers around the porcelain tea cup as though the slightest pressure might shatter it.
"Now use your little finger to support it as you pick it up. It should be one smooth movement."
He tried, and the cup grated against the saucer.
"Again."
He tried a few more times, getting the idea but still rather wobbly.
"Narcissa, why the hell does it matter how I pick up a cup?"
"Because if you snatch it up, you're liable to spill."
"I know how to pick up a cup without spilling."
"Here. Watch me." Narcissa demonstrated lifting her cup in a fluid, elegant manner without rattling it against the saucer. Then she placed her hand over Severus' fingers. "Like this." She gently manipulated his hand through the movements. "See?"
"I think so."
Her hand lingered on his for a moment before letting go. "Try it again."
Severus slowly wrapped his fingers around the cup, sliding his little finger underneath it as he lifted it with barely a sound. Narcissa smiled encouragingly.
"Better."
There was a hint of an upturn on Severus' thin lips.

Chapter Text

Lucius had known that Narcissa was taking the lead in mentoring Snape, and hadn't given it much thought. It would reflect well on them to mold new recruits, and if she was doing the bulk of it, it freed him for other important matters. It gave her something productive to do while he was busy, so he only checked in every once in a while.
Once he got the news, however, that his wife had not only made Severus her lover and dominated him in their own bed but gotten him pregnant, he was not pleased.
"What were you thinking, Narcissa?" he hissed. "Sleeping with him behind my back? Is that what you've been teaching him all this time, to be your little whore?! And now he's carrying your get!"
"He is not a whore, he's my concubine. We made it official."
Lucius spluttered. "You can't take a concubine!"
"Legally, I can. And I did."
Lucius was fuming. "And what do you think people are going to say when they find out? That I am so incapable of pleasing my wife that she had to take a concubine?"
Narcissa waved him off dismissively. "Pureblood husbands have been taking concubines for centuries, and so have wives. It simply isn't talked about as much."
"We don't even have any children of our own yet! You couldn't give me an heir before knocking up your plaything?"
"That's the other thing, Lucius. This child has Severus' and my blood, so I've decided they will be counted as a Black heir. We can talk later about producing a Malfoy heir, when you're not so busy. Maybe you can carry them yourself."
Lucius was nearly shaking with fury, but Narcissa sat there calmly. They both knew there was nothing he could do about it.

Severus was brewing in his new potions lab, just as well-stocked and spacious as Narcissa had promised. It was his favorite room, and he spent plenty of time there. He couldn't brew anything that would harm the baby, but that was a small, temporary concession.
He smiled to himself as he placed a hand on his firm stomach. He wasn't showing yet, but there was a small bump forming. Narcissa was happy to have a child on the way that she didn't have to give birth to, and Severus was just as pleased to be expecting.
Lucius was avoiding Severus, which was fine with him. He knew Lucius could be vicious when angry, and he was definitely angry that his wife's first child was not theirs but growing inside her concubine, which he felt she shouldn't even have. Not to mention he also felt betrayed that the younger wizard he'd helped mentor was now helping himself to his wife.
Severus could understand why Lucius was upset, but he wasn't sympathetic. If Lucius had taken care of his wife and paid attention to her like he was supposed to, it wouldn't have been this easy.
Severus ladled the potion into a cup and drank it. It helped keep the morning sickness at bay, but it was easing anyway. Then he started prepping ingredients for the nutritional potion he would be taking for the next several months. He had to keep his little one healthy.

It didn't take long for the Dark Lord to find out what was going on in the Malfoy household.
"I hear you have good news to share, Narcissa," said Voldemort in a tone that made it clear to start sharing.
"Yes, my lord. Severus and I have grown quite close while I was mentoring him-" she heard Lucius grinding his teeth to her right, "-and I decided to take him as my concubine."
"Interesting. How do you like being Mrs. Malfoy's little house spouse, Severus?" Voldemort asked with a toothy grin.
"I am happy with my lot, my lord." Severus was sitting to Narcissa's left, one hand on his slightly distended stomach.
"Is it true that you are already fulfilling your concubinely duties?"
"I am with child, yes."
Voldemort laughed his high pitched laugh. "You have wasted no time, Narcissa, in making use of him! You should feel honored, Severus, to be carrying the child of such an ancient, noble line."
"I do, my lord. I am very pleased to be the first to bear a Black heir." He cast half a glance to the Lestranges, who had no children.
Bellatrix gave him a dirty look. Sirius Black wasn't worth mentioning as a blood traitor, as well as Andromeda, and Regulus had disappeared, so continuing the Black line fell to the other two daughters, even though both of them were married; using a concubine was the perfect way to get a Black heir without perpetuating her husband's line, and they all knew it.
"Perhaps in time, a spare as well?" Voldemort asked with a leer.
Severus gave a little smile. "I hope so, my lord. I wish to do all I can to promote the pureblood lines."
"He is mocking us, my lord!" Bellatrix screeched. "See how smug he is, just because he is carrying my sister's child! He doesn't deserve the honor of continuing the line of Black! He's only a halfblood!"
"I am aware of this, Bellatrix," Voldemort said in a dangerously cool tone. "He admitted it to me himself that his father was a muggle. I even helped him dispose of such filth. His mother, however, was from the Prince line, a worthy pureblood family. He, like myself, must own both the pride and shame of being from both worlds. But see how he is making up for it, becoming the concubine of a pureblood witch and bearing her child. A child with Black and Prince blood. I look forward to seeing the results."
Severus nodded slightly in respect. "Thank you, my lord."
Bellatrix slunk in her chair, pouting.
"I do have some concerns, however," Voldemort continued, addressing Severus, "that your condition may prohibit your ability to brew what I require."
"I am still able to brew most potions, my lord. There are a number I cannot brew without endangering the child, but I have a competent house elf to assist me." He had already been training the house elf Narcissa had given him as a present to assist him in the lab and handle any toxic ingredients. "You may continue to rely on me for your brewing needs."
"Excellent." Voldemort grinned. "You are indeed valuable, Severus."
"Thank you, my lord. I live to serve."
Bellatrix and Lucius weren't the only ones scowling over this blatant favoritism, but they were scowling the deepest.

The table of noble women admired the young man pouring their tea with such elegance.
"Can I interest you in a scone, Mrs. Nott?" Severus asked one guest in his silky deep tone.
"You may indeed, thank you." Mrs. Nott helped herself to a scone, keeping her eyes on the young concubine.
"Can I tempt you, Mrs. Travers?" Severus held out the porcelain platter of scones.
"Oh my, yes," she said with a giggle, taking two scones.
"Wherever did you find him, Narcissa?" asked Mrs. Yaxley. "He's utterly charming!"
Narcissa smiled with the humblest of pride. "He was an acquaintance of Lucius', and I got to know him when Lucius brought him around. I knew he had potential as soon as I saw him. Doesn't he clean up well?"
Severus couldn't be persuaded to wear clothes that weren't black, but he had agreed to wearing expensive black robes with dark green trim from a fine tailor, made loose enough around the waist to accommodate his steadily thickening middle. Even now he could sense several pairs of feminine eyes glancing at his visibly rounded stomach.
"He looks very fine," Mrs. Travers agreed. The other ladies nodded, and Severus gave a gracious smile of thanks.
"You are too kind, ladies.”
"Do sit down, Severus," said Narcissa. "I'll pour your tea."
Severus gracefully took the seat beside her and accepted his tea with milk and a biscuit.
"You are looking quite well, Severus," said Mrs. Yaxley. "You're simply glowing. May I ask how far along you are?"
"Twenty weeks."
The ladies Awwwed.
"Have you dealt with any sickness?" asked Mrs. Nott.
"Some, but I was able to mitigate it with the right potion."
"Severus is a genius with potions," said Narcissa. "He's already achieved his potions mastery."
"Really?" They turned to him. "You look as though you graduated Hogwarts yesterday!"
"That was almost two years ago," he said lightly. "Plenty of time to get a mastery."
"My, my,” said Mrs. Travers. “He's charming, intelligent, and he's giving you a baby. I envy you, Narcissa."
Narcissa beamed.
After their tea party, the guests prepared to leave, bidding their hosts farewell at the door before leaving the property by apparition.
"Thank you for a lovely time, Narcissa."
"Thank you for coming."
"It was wonderful meeting you, Severus."
"Likewise, madam."
"I may just have to get one myself!" Mrs. Nott said to Narcissa. "You've inspired me, Narcissa!"
"I wish I could get one,” said Mrs Yaxley, “but my husband would cast a kneazle if I did!"
"So did mine, but I'm keeping him anyway," said Narcissa, taking Severus' hand. The ladies laughed.
"I don't suppose I could convince you to break your bond and be my concubine?" Mrs. Travers teasingly asked Severus.
"I am afraid not, madam," Severus said in a teasingly silky tone of his own. "I belong to my mistress… body, and soul." He lifted Narcissa's hand and brought it to his lips in a reverent kiss. The ladies nearly swooned on the spot. Narcissa puffed up with pride. What Slytherin didn't enjoy making her friends insanely jealous at her good fortune?
It was a very different affair that evening at dinner. Lucius had spent the day either out of the house or holed up in his study, actively avoiding his wife's boy toy, walking away if Severus came near. He had been taking most of his meals in his study, but sometimes of late he ate in the dining room with them, as if to occasionally remind them that he was still a resident and the head of the household. Dinner was quiet as cutlery clinked softly against plates, no one making conversation. No one made eye contact, focusing on their food.
Lucius finished first, quietly excusing himself and leaving his dishes for Dobby to clean up, his knife pointed in Severus’ direction. Severus and Narcissa finished eating in silence, playing footsie under the table.

The healer had come for Severus' 24 week check up; Narcissa watched as the healer palpated her concubine's round stomach and cast various charms, and they both smiled to hear the baby's heartbeat.
"Everything is looking good. Both of you are in great shape. Would you like to find out the gender?"
"I don't mind waiting," said Severus, calmly reclined in bed.
"I would like to find out," said Narcissa. "I want to know how to decorate the nursery and which names to consider."
"You can do that without knowing the gender," Severus pointed out.
"I know, but I'm really curious." She turned to the healer. "Do it."
The healer cast the charm, and smiled. "We have a boy on the way."
After the healer left, Narcissa was slowly stroking Severus' bump to feel the baby's wiggles and flutters.
"A little boy of our own." Narcissa was smiling.
"Were you hoping for a boy?" Severus asked.
"I would have been happy either way. I would like to have one of each, though, if we can. Did you mean what you said to the Dark Lord a while back, about hoping to have another?"
"Yes. I wouldn't mind having another child or two." They smiled at feeling a twitch of movement. "What about you?” Severus murmured. “Will you give Lucius a child?"
"I don't know. I know that I should, theoretically, to preserve the Malfoy line. But I love this." She tenderly stroked the curves of his bare stomach. "I'm more interested in having children with you."
"In other words, you're more interested in making me do all the work," Severus said dryly with a knowing grin.
"You are my concubine. That's part of your job," she said with an unrepentant smile.
"Then, you wouldn't allow Lucius to use me to get an heir for himself?"
She frowned. "Of course not. You're mine, not his. He can get his own concubine if he wants, I wouldn't complain. Why, are you worried about Lucius taking advantage of you?"
"It's just… the way he looks at me." Lucius no longer left the room when Severus came in, but he still wasn't speaking to him. He would glare at Severus' round stomach and watch suspiciously as the knocked up upstart moved about the room with all the grace he'd learned from his dastardly mistress. Severus could feel the wizard's eyes boring into him as long as he was in the room. "He hates me. What if he uses me for revenge?"
Narcissa had certainly noticed her husband's behavior and was about to say Lucius wouldn't go that far to seek revenge, but then realized it wasn't beyond the realm of possibility. Lucius was definitely jealous, which she was rather enjoying, but he could also be petty and malicious when he wanted to be, especially when he felt slighted. If he was pushed too hard, he would retaliate.
"If he ever does anything to you that makes you uncomfortable, you tell me right away. I'll keep you and the baby safe."
"Thank you."
She kissed his forehead and gazed at him proudly. He was truly a gem now, genteel and elegant as he reclined on the bed they shared. He was no longer scrawny but filling out in all the right places, his skin had a rosy glow and his hair was soft and thick. He moved with grace and his voice was a sexy purr. She had molded him into the perfect concubine and companion, and he was giving her a baby and wanted to have more. No one, not even her husband, was going to take Severus or harm him and get away with it. He was hers.

Lucius looked up from his writing and glared at the pregnant concubine casually perusing the bookshelves in the library. Every time he laid eyes on him, the belly was a little bigger as his wife's issue grew. It infuriated him every time. Narcissa was his wife, and she was supposed to be carrying his heir. He knew they were having a boy, and it only added salt to the wound. That could have been his son. It should have been his son. But Narcissa was uninterested in fulfilling her wifely duties and giving him an heir; she was having too much fun doting on her boy toy and preparing for their spawn. She didn't even sleep in her husband's bed anymore, spending her nights with her knocked up concubine.
He should never have agreed to mentor Snape. All his tutoring and guidance and commending him to the Dark Lord, and all he'd gotten in return was a stab in the back from both of them. How could he have guessed, though, that it would turn out like this? Who would have seen it coming that Narcissa would decide she wanted a concubine? Maybe Lucius should get one. It might be the only way he could produce a Malfoy heir at this rate, unless Narcissa wanted to knock him up too. But he couldn't bring himself to be physically dominated by his wife to carry his own heir. He had better things to do, and he was not a simpering submissive like Snape. And he shouldn't have to take another spouse to get what he needed.
Snape selected a book and glided over to a chair, settling in. Lucius' fist crumpled the parchment he'd been using as he watched Snape read in blatant serenity, one hand slowly running back and forth over his visible baby bump. The audacity was galling. Snape really had the nerve to act like he'd done nothing wrong, like he hadn't wormed his way in and taken over everything. Even the Dark Lord was impressed with him for being a willing vessel to continue pureblood lines, and had exempted him from missions, happy to still get the potions he wanted. Snape was being pampered by both the Dark Lord and his wife, and the more Lucius thought about it the angrier he got. It wasn't fair. He had worked hard to be in the Dark Lord's favor. He'd shelled out money and connections and any resources he had access to, and what thanks had he received? What promotions had he gotten? None. Nothing. Everyone was too busy fawning over Snape and the brat in his belly.
There was Bellatrix, his sister-in-law, who wasn't fawning. She was jealous that her sister was having a Black heir, when she couldn't conceive one herself, and Rodolphus struggled to carry a child (he'd had two miscarriages). The attention and favor they were getting from the Dark Lord only made her more jealous, and she and Narcissa currently weren't speaking to each other. Snape was ruining everything, and he was either too clueless to realize, or too happy to care. But he'd never known Snape to be clueless.
Lucius got up from his desk and went to stand over Snape's chair. Snape didn't look up, still reading and stroking.
"Are you proud of yourself, you conniving, traitorous upstart?" Lucius hissed.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Snape said calmly, eyes on his book.
"Yes you do. You came here and acted all helpless, and we took you in out of our own generosity. And how do you repay me? You seduce my wife and let her dominate you so you can be a kept man, you curry favor with the Dark Lord all for yourself, you are living under my roof and eating my food and sleeping with my wife and carrying her bast-"
Snape finally looked up, eyes blazing. "I am her legal concubine. There is nothing illegitimate about this child."
"She doesn't need a concubine! Thanks to you, she is forgetting her duty to me! I can practically forget about having an heir with my own wife now, when she's spending her nights with you and won't even touch me!"
"If she is happier with me, that is your own fault, not mine. Don't blame me for your own problems. She was lonely before I arrived." Snape returned to his book.
Lucius was struggling to keep his temper, and failing. "How dare you. Acting as though this is all my fault. Sitting there as though this wasn't all your own doing."
"It was not my intention to be a homewrecker," Snape said softly. "I was skeptical that you and Narcissa truly wanted to help me, but I gave you the benefit of the doubt. I'm not used to having friends. It felt nice. I appreciated someone looking out for me for once, and I am grateful for all your assistance. When Narcissa started showing interest, I assumed you two were on the way out, but she said you never truly loved her. That has nothing to do with me." He resumed stroking his belly. "The baby was a nice surprise, and it prompted her to make it official so we could raise him together and ensure he's provided for. I was not about to refuse a situation where my child would be safe and cared for. And besides… Where else could I go in this condition? I have no other home, no family to speak of. This is all I have."
Lucius was only slightly placated. "I would have been willing to pay you off, set up a place for you. Hell, I would have paid child support if it got you on your own feet."
"That is generous of you. But Narcissa wants to be involved with our son, and I don't see why she shouldn't. He's our child, not yours, and she is willing to take responsibility. You needn't be obligated."
Hearing this only reminded Lucius why he was angry. "She should have given me a child before knocking you up. She is obligated to me first, not you. What am I supposed to do now to get an heir? Knock you up next?"
Snape looked up with concern, one hand spread protectively over his belly. "You wouldn't."
Lucius leaned in, hissing in fury. "I have half a mind to put my own child in you as soon as you pop out that brat. Let's see how Narcissa likes that, watching you swell fat with my issue. Two can play that game."
Snape shrank back, shielding his belly. The book fell to the floor. "I won't be your baby maker."
"Too late," Lucius growled. "You're just a concubine, not a husband. Technically, I have access to you as I have access to everything in this household. I could have you bear as many of my heirs as I want, and she wouldn't have a leg to stand on. You don't just belong to Narcissa Malfoy, you belong to the house of Malfoy. And I am the head of the house."
Snape's rosy cheeks from pregnancy had gone pale. "That can't be right…"
"It may be a gamble in court, but I have a fair chance of succeeding should it come to that. After all, she didn't consult me before taking a concubine. I could sue her for taking another spouse and endangering my line. I could even gain custody of your brat if I wanted."
Snape's mouth fell open. He stumbled out of the chair and pressed his back against the wall, keeping Lucius in sight. "You can't. You can't have this child. He's ours."
Lucius stomped towards him, making him inch away along the wall. "He should have been mine! I am within my rights to ensure the Malfoy line doesn't end! And you're in the way," he added ominously.
Severus hurried out and didn't stop until he reached his room, locking the door. He stayed there for some time, trying to calm down his heart rate.

Chapter Text

Narcissa was angry to find out that Lucius had threatened her concubine and unborn son, frightening Severus to the point that he no longer felt safe leaving his room or lab and had his house elf Hoblin bring all his meals to him. A massive argument ensued between the Malfoys, culminating in Lucius threatening to sue and Narcissa threatening to move out. She had her own family fortune, easily capable of supporting a concubine and however many children they wanted to have. She didn't need Lucius and she let him know, infuriating him even further.
Death Eater meetings were tense. Narcissa and Severus sat together while Lucius sat across from them, exchanging glares with his wife. Gossip erupted as people took sides. Those who supported Narcissa sat on her side of the table, and vice versa. The exception was their latest recruit, Peter Pettigrew, who didn't take a side, so he sat wherever he could, kissing the Dark Lord's arse whenever possible.
Severus was surprised to see him among their number. Wasn't he one of Potter's cronies? He remembered seeing Pettigrew tailing after the Marauders all the time, practically inseparable. What was he doing here?
"I am curious," Severus said to Pettigrew before one meeting. "I was under the impression that you were Potter's friend. Was that a ruse, or have circumstances changed?"
"You could say circumstances changed." Pettigrew fidgeted with his fingers, like a rodent. "Times change, the winds of fortune change. I see things have changed for you, for instance." He glanced at Severus' belly. "I wouldn't have guessed you'd end up a concubine. It sounded like you were going places."
"Yes, well, things do happen." Severus ran a hand over his bump with a smirk. "I decided it was best to settle down with a sure thing and not take any big risks."
"Exactly! That's what I did too! I knew I had to throw in my lot with the winning side." Pettigrew gave a toothy, ingratiating grin, and Severus worked hard to resist wincing at the man's overbite. "In fact, I've already got something of value to sweeten the deal. Something I recently learned."
"Indeed?"
"Intelligence from the other side. Something Dumbledore told the Order."
"Oh? Is it good?"
"It's bad. I mean, it's good intelligence, but it's bad for our side."
"May I ask what it is?"
Eager to please, Pettigrew leaned in conspiratorially and whispered.
"It's a prophecy."

It made it into the Daily Prophet that the Malfoys' marriage was in danger of collapsing, and everyone took sides on whether Lucius or Narcissa was in the right. The Dark Lord said that they needed to resolve this as soon as possible. He couldn't have their family drama distracting them and interfering with his grand plans, and pureblooded couples needed to set a good example to society by having a unified front.
Bellatrix blamed Severus - everything had been fine until he showed up. She couldn't convince Narcissa to give him up, so she tried getting Severus to see reason.
"You!" she screeched as she stormed over to Severus, making him flinch. She cornered him and pointed at him, eyes blazing. "This is all your fault! You seduced my sister and put these ideas in her head! Who do you think you are, you common halfblood?! You don't deserve to bear her child! Not when she could have had all the pureblooded children she wanted!!"
Severus was on his guard, shielding his belly. "If your sister was unhappy in her marriage, that is not my fault. She came onto me."
"She would have been fine without you! Everything was fine without you! The Dark Lord barely pays any attention to me, so concerned about Cissy and her failing marriage and her precious Black heir!"
"I am sorry," Severus said slowly. "I never meant to come between you and the Dark Lord. I thought the Malfoys were only going to assist me in joining the Dark Lord and moving in good society. One thing led to another, and then with the baby on the way… I just wanted to be taken care of."
She wasn't sympathetic. "You may be my sister's concubine, but you're nothing but a gigolo! Toying with her emotions and confusing her and disrupting everything! How is she going to serve the Dark Lord when she's distracted with you? How am I to get the Dark Lord to look at me?!"
"If you like, if it will make it up to you… I will help you gain the Dark Lord's favor."
At this Bellatrix stopped screeching, gazing at him with wide eyes like an intrigued owl. "How?" she squeaked.
"I overheard a prophecy, not too long ago. I thought nothing of it at the time, assuming it was false, but recently I've come to believe it's genuine. And it concerns the Dark Lord."
"What is it?!" Bellatrix demanded. "Tell me!!"
He held his ground. "If I tell you, you'll tell him, then you'll have his gratitude instead of me. What do I get in return?"
Bellatrix hummed casually in thought, tapping her fingers on her chin. "I'll refrain from killing you, I guess."
"If you kill me, you won't learn the prophecy. And you'll lose the next Black heir." He ran his hands over his belly. "Narcissa would certainly hate you for killing me and her child."
"Fine, fine, I promise not to kill you. Happy?"
"What else?"
"Aaaaand…" She thought some more. "I'll pay you handsomely. As much as you want. Enough that you could leave forever and ever."
"I am bound to Narcissa. I couldn't leave her."
"Sure you can! I'll just tell her you're dead!" She cackled and snorted. He didn't laugh.
"I am legally bound to her, and carrying her child. As long as I am her concubine, she has the right to track me down and bring me back. I cannot leave."
"Awww, poor Snapey!" Her lower lip stuck out. "I'll figure out how to make you go away, you'll see. For now, I guess, I'll just pay you lots of money!"
"In that case, I may even sweeten the deal. How would you like… an intoxicating beauty potion?"
Bellatrix shrugged.
"One that the Dark Lord will be unable to resist?"
She perked up. "I'm listening!"

Bellatrix was more than happy to be the one to tell the Dark Lord very important information: Dumbledore had personally heard a seer give a prophecy that spoke of the Dark Lord's demise at the hands of a secret animagus. Naturally, the Dark Lord was very upset at the thought of being defeated by anyone, especially someone with a lowly creature form. He thanked Bellatrix for bringing this to his attention, and she was on cloud nine. She was getting as close as possible to the Dark Lord at every opportunity, hoping he would notice the effects of the potion Severus had given her. Indeed, Voldemort was reacting, growing more hot blooded and violent whenever she was near, which only excited her. But he was mostly directing this energy towards finding out who was secretly an animagus and destined to defeat him, so he could kill them first. Since they were secret, they obviously wouldn't be registered, which made finding them tricky.
In the meantime, Severus was continuing to prepare for his child, taking the allowance Narcissa gave him and having his house elf buy supplies. She found him in the nursery one day, folding little clothes. She smiled as she picked up a pair of tiny socks. "It's getting more real, isn't it."
"It's felt real to me for some time." Severus patted his swollen belly before reaching for a onesie.
Narcissa chuckled and sat beside him, cupping his belly with one hand. "Sometimes I wonder if you might end up resenting me, for doing this to you and putting you through all this."
Severus put the folded onesie down. "I still question what you see in me. Why would you pursue a poor, ugly halfblood when you already had a rich, handsome pureblood husband? You have everything, so why would you want me?"
She rested against his side. "You're too hard on yourself, Severus. Even with my baby inside you and everything else I've given you, you still doubt that I want you? What more do I have to do?"
"I'm sorry." He put his hand over hers. "Old habits. I am grateful for this child. I never thought I would belong to a pureblood witch and give her children. You've done so much for me."
"And I loved every minute of it. I rather miss those days sometimes, when you would come over for lessons, when it was just the two of us and no one knew about it."
"Shall we obliviate everyone?" Severus said dryly.
"It is tempting. Maybe we could find some way to recreate those days, just the two of us."
The baby kicked, making them smile.
"You mean the three of us?" said Severus.
"Yes. That's perfect. You know, I never took you on a honeymoon."
"It's not required for concubines."
"Let's do it anyway. We've already disappointed everyone. Where would you like to go?"
"... Somewhere the Dark Lord won't find us."
Her smile fell. "I'll work it out with the Dark Lord."
"And Lucius?" Her husband was still upset and threatening to dissolve their marriage.
"I don't care if he comes around or not. I'm sure the council would agree that I'm in my legal rights to keep you. I'd rather divorce him."
"That could cause more of a scandal."
"I said I don't care. I'm happier with you. I want to have a family with you. Didn't you tell me you never had a real family, that you wanted to have one of your own?"
Severus was gazing down at his belly they were holding, feeling their baby boy rolling around. "Yes. I want that."
"And that's what I want to give you. You'll see. We'll be happy together, all of us." She kissed him.

Chapter Text

The results of the hearing hit the Daily Prophet the next day, sparking more gossip as everyone talked about this public collapse of a marriage between two formerly respectable people, and debated who was really in the right and whose fault it was and how it might have been prevented. Narcissa was too busy to pay much attention to her tarnished image - she was overseeing moving out of Malfoy Manor, now Narcissa Black once more. There was a Black family estate she and Severus were moving into, and she still possessed her vaults full of her share of the family fortune, so she was not hurt financially by separating from Lucius and the Malfoy fortune and assets.
Severus packed up his room, his lab and the nursery, with plenty of help from Hoblin who refused to let him handle anything heavy or toxic. It was welcome assistance, as his back quickly grew sore from the increasing weight in front, and he was getting easily winded. He was a little disappointed to leave behind his wonderful lab and the lovely nursery they'd been setting up, but Narcissa promised he would have these things in their new home where they could settle in and raise their family in peace.
The Dark Lord was very displeased with the Malfoys' shameful behavior. How was he supposed to prove pureblood superiority to everyone when his own pureblooded followers couldn't even stay married or refrain from making fools of themselves in court for everyone to mock them? Didn’t they care about how this reflected on him? Were they trying to make him a laughingstock? He was so angry, he Crucio'd both Lucius and Narcissa for several minutes, screaming that they deserved it and that if they pulled anything else, he would kill them.
Severus had not been present, working in his new lab in his new home on the animagus potion the Dark Lord wanted. He was interrupted when he heard Hoblin yelling in another room, as though he were terrified. Severus quickly put his potion under stasis and hurried to the parlor as fast as he could manage. He found Hoblin fussing over Narcissa, lying face down as though she'd fallen through the Floo, bloodied and unconscious.
"Mistress Black! Mistress Black won't wake up and is badly hurt!"
Severus kept his head. "Take her to our room, gently. I'll fetch what she needs."
The house elf carefully levitated Narcissa towards their bedroom, and Severus quickly went back to his lab for healing potions and salves. When he got to their room, Narcissa was lying motionless on the bed. Severus sat beside her and scanned her with his wand. He found signs of a torture curse, and guessed her meeting with the Dark Lord hadn’t gone well. He poured a few potions down her throat and had Hoblin clean her up. After that, there was nothing to do but wait, reclined on the bed beside her.
She woke up a few hours later, groaning.
"Easy," said Severus. "Don't get up."
She slowly turned her head and smiled weakly to see her concubine next to her. "Severus…"
"Do you require anything? How do you feel?"
"Pain, all over…"
Severus reached for a pain reliever and helped her drink it. "I take it the Dark Lord was not in a good mood?"
"He’s furious that Lucius and I divorced. Said it reflects badly on him. If we ever do anything foolish again…"
There was a minute of silence.
"Do you need to go to St. Mungo's? We can make up a story."
"I'll be fine. I just need to rest."
"You don't have regrets of your own now? Throwing away your reputation, your marriage?"
"There was no marriage, Severus. Nothing was real between me and him. This is real." She reached over, wincing, and tenderly stroked his swollen stomach. "This is what I want. My dear concubine, and our first child." She kissed his belly and laid her head on it. Severus ran his fingers through her hair, and she closed her eyes.
"You know," Severus said softly, "you never did take the mark. You were only there because Lucius was. Technically, you don't have to return."
"I don't want to return. I don't know if I will."
"You did promise to take me on a trip."
She smiled. "I did. Once I recover, we'll go wherever you want. A honeymoon before the baby comes."
"After I finish the Dark Lord's potion."
Her eyes opened as she remembered something. "You have the mark."
"Don't worry. I'll be cautious. Besides, he wants my expertise. He needs me alive for that."
"But if you go alone… What if Lucius tries something? What if the Dark Lord loses his temper? You and the baby could get hurt. I had better go with you."
Severus said nothing for a minute, still stroking her hair. "It was my fault for taking the mark. I wanted to fit in with Lucius, to belong somewhere. That was why I went along with him in the first place."
"It's not your fault for wanting to belong. Besides, that was how we got to know each other. That's what led to us being together, and what led to our baby." She patted his belly. "I can't regret that. Wouldn't you rather belong to me?"
"Yes."
"We'll work it out. There must be a way to break the connection."
"I don't know."
"You'll see, Severus. We'll be free of him and raise a family together."
"... I'd like that."
She lay against him for a long time, while he stroked her hair.

Bellatrix had been upset by her sister's divorce. She knew what it was like to have a boring arranged marriage to a fellow pureblood, and it had nothing to do with love. It was about duty. They had to set an example, like the Dark Lord said, and Narcissa was making them look like fools! Why couldn't she give up that boy toy?
He had his uses, at least, so she was glad she hadn't killed him. The potion he'd given her was working wonders. The Dark Lord was finally paying her more attention, and she could feel some sparks between them. It was like the closer she got to him, the more feral and violent he became, and she loved it. Sometimes he even Crucio'd his followers for little to no reason, which was very amusing.
Right now she was laughing hysterically at something else. She had been diligently searching for a black dog and a stag, determined to find those secret animagi before they could hurt her Dark Lord. She knew Snape was working on a potion that would force any animagus to transform, a surefire way of checking, but she thought it was more fun to just kill any black dogs and stags she came across. If it stayed an animal, she moved on.
Finally, she came to Godric's Hollow, an old magical village. A great place to hide: it was so small and boring, most people wouldn't think about it. She was already bored.
But then she'd heard something interesting - a werewolf's howl. Thinking it might be Greyback, who always knew how to find fun victims, she went towards the sound. In a wooded area not too far from the village, she found the werewolf, but it wasn't Greyback. It was a scrawny, unfamiliar wolf, accompanied by a black dog and a stag. And she'd gleefully giggled. What luck! They were all right here!
They heard her laugh, and the black dog stood between her and the others, crouched and growling in warning. But she was ready.
"Avada Kedavra! Avada Kedavra! Avada Kedavra!" She sang it like a song, waving her wand around. They managed to dodge her attacks for a while, but in a matter of minutes all three were lying on the ground, in human form. Bellatrix cackled in victory, dancing on their bodies as she cast the dark mark in the sky, whooping for joy. The Dark Lord would love her now!

Voldemort looked eagerly at the pile of bodies Bellatrix had brought him, a marvelous present. He recognized Black and Potter, but not the third one.
"Who is this one, Bellatrix?" He pointed his wand at it.
"Don't know." She shrugged. "It's a werewolf. Who cares?"
Severus recognized him. He recognized all three, his bullies from school. The infamous, perfect, do-no-wrong Marauders, dead at his feet. Not that he could see his feet much these days.
"Will the potion still work, Severus?" Voldemort asked. He had sent for his potioneer when Bellatrix brought him the bodies, wanting to make absolutely sure.
"I believe so, my lord."
"Give it to them."
"I'll do it." Narcissa took the vial from him and knelt by the bodies so Severus wouldn't have to lean over. It was easy for him to lose his balance as the baby grew.
Once the potion was poured down their throats, Black and Potter morphed into a black dog and a stag. The Dark Lord grinned in triumph. These two had been a thorn in his side for too long, and now they were finally dead!
"Excellent work, Bellatrix. I knew I could rely on you."
Bellatrix beamed.
"Have them all dumped at the Ministry. Let them know their heroes are gone."
"Ooh, my lord!” Bellatrix hopped up and down on her heels with an idea. “What if you put the mark on them? A sign that even your enemies will ultimately belong to you!"
It would certainly cause an uproar. It sounded too amusing to pass up. "A fine idea! Let them see their precious heroes marked as mine!"
Bellatrix cackled with glee as Voldemort applied the dark mark to each of their left arms.
"Now take them away."
A few Death Eaters took hold of the bodies and apparated.
Afterwards, Bellatrix took Severus aside.
"Give me more of that potion. I'm almost out."
"I will have more for you in a week. Be patient."
She huffed. "You're a smug, sneaky one, Snapey. Are you happy now? You've ruined Cissy's marriage and her reputation, and she doesn't even care! Are you dosing her with a love potion?"
"I assure you I am not."
"Perhaps Imperius, hmm? Making her your little love slave?"
"Again, no. If anything, I am her slave, as I legally belong to her."
"You must have done something to make her forget her duty! The Dark Lord was so upset when she left Malfoy! Are you sure you won't leave her? I paid you more than enough! You could do it!"
"I can't. I'm legally and magically bound to her."
"All bonds can be broken…" She waved a finger with a conspiratorial grin. "For instance, a concubinage bond can be broken by death, transference or infidelity."
"Obviously, I do not wish to die.”
“Then your concubinage could be transferred to someone else!”
“Narcissa would never agree to give me away. Especially when I'm carrying her child."
"Then that leaves infidelity! You could always cheat on her, and the bond would break!"
"Hardly. Who would want me like this?" His hands rested on his swollen belly. He was quite visibly pregnant, expanding ever bigger by the day. "Especially with my child being a Black heir - who would want to take him in? Where would we go?"
Bellatrix pretended to think deeply for a moment. "Who, indeed? Who would want a Black heir for themselves…?"
A short distance away, Narcissa suspiciously watched her sister talking to her concubine. They seemed to be in deep discussion over something they didn't want overheard, a somewhat regular occurrence. What were they talking about, and why did Severus never mention it to her?

The Ministry was shocked to see the bodies piled at the entrance, and horrified to see who it was and what was on their arms. Lily was already mourning the death of her husband and friends. Remus had agreed to spend the full moon with them, and against her rising suspicions that it was a bad idea, all three friends had been outside in their animal forms. (Peter had disappeared a while ago without a trace, and they still hadn't found out what happened to him.) Sirius had been fighting cabin fever from being cooped up for so long, and James had been eager for some freedom as well, so even though they knew that Voldemort was looking for them, they all went out, confident that they could take care of themselves and would have strength in numbers. But Bellatrix had been too fast for them.
As soon as she heard a commotion in the distance and looked out the window and saw the dark mark in the sky, Lily knew something was wrong. With baby Harry in her arms and under several shielding charms, she'd gone out to investigate, and heard Bellatrix cackling. By the time she crept close enough for a look, they were all gone. But she'd known they were dead. Just like Peter who had gone missing. They were all gone.
She also knew that none of them were Death Eaters. It was absolutely ridiculous to think that any of them could be in league with You Know Who. Lily refused to believe it. She'd seen her husband, she'd seen Sirius shirtless, she knew they didn't have the mark, and it was laughable to think Voldemort would mark a werewolf. It was impossible to even consider. It had to be a final dig from Voldemort, a ploy to mess with their minds.
And it worked. It was in the Daily Prophet that some of the biggest heroes on the side of the light had secretly been Death Eaters all along and must have run afoul of their master. Lily was hounded by reporters, owls and howlers, demanding to know if she'd known that she had been sleeping next to a Death Eater every night who had fathered her son, if she'd ever considered taking the mark, if she'd ever seen He Who Must Not Be Named, if she was going to raise her son in his Death Eater father's footsteps. Suspicions arose in the Order Of The Phoenix as everyone asked each other why they hadn't noticed anything, if they had any other Death Eaters in their midst, if it was all just a plot they needed to ignore and whether they could afford to ignore it. Alastor Moody was constantly double checking everyone, which was getting on their nerves and keeping them on edge.
Dumbledore tried to assure them it was only a ploy, but he was accused of terrible leadership, not knowing he had Death Eaters right under his crooked nose, and allowing three, possibly four people under his protection to die. Those who came to his defense argued with those making the accusations. The tightly knit group started to break apart.

Chapter Text

Narcissa admired her concubine lying on their bed. His long black hair was spread across the pillow, and he was glowing from pregnancy. He was only wearing a black silk bathrobe that was open, his torso and long, pale legs exposed. He lazily rubbed his swollen belly where their baby was kicking him. He looked perfect. She patted herself on the back for doing such a good job with him - he was the epitome of the high class concubine, and he was all hers. They were so young (he was 20 and she was 25) and had the rest of their lives together to look forward to. She hoped to get a few more children out of him, continuing the noble lines of Black and Prince, and they could spend their golden years spoiling all their pureblooded grandchildren.
She walked over to him, and he gazed up at her with half lidded eyes glazed over with contentment. "What?" he murmured in his deep, velvety voice.
"Just admiring you, Severus. You lie right there." She leaned down and kissed him, slowly and deeply. He moaned as he returned it, letting her go as deep as she wanted.
"Are you ready for our trip?" she asked when she finally ended the kiss.
"Yes. I'm all packed."
"Good.” She brushed her fingertips through his hair. “Once we're there, we'll have two weeks all to ourselves to relax. Though I may not let you out of bed."
He gave her an amused smile. She already made love to him fairly often. "It isn't enough you already got me fat and swollen?"
"No. I still want to take you and taste you. And I am going to do this to you again." She cupped a hand possessively on his belly. "You said you would have as many as I wanted."
"I did."
"Maybe after our son is born, when he’s weaned, we'll take another trip, and I'll take you hard every day and not stop until we come home expecting his sibling."
"That's fine with me," he purred, his black eyes gleaming.
She kissed him deeply again, leaving him limp and happy. "Rest, my love. We have a big day tomorrow."
She left their bedroom, and Severus lay with his eyes shut, appreciating the order. He did get rather fatigued these days.
Several minutes later, he heard someone come in. But it wasn't Narcissa or Hoblin.
"I've come for my potion!" Bellatrix demanded, coming up to the bed. "Where is it?"
Severus opened his eyes, deciding not to question why she was here unannounced. "It's in my lab."
“Well?”
He summoned the vial into his hand and held it out. "I even upped the potency for you. You should have the Dark Lord eating out of your hand."
Bellatrix eagerly swiped it, wide eyes glittering with anticipation. "Thanky, Snapey. You are good for something. By the way," she tucked the vial in her pocket, "I have the solution for breaking your bond." She sashayed closer and leaned over him with a manic grin. "You cheat on her with me!"
He raised an eyebrow. "You?"
"Don't sound so surprised," she whined with her lower lip pouting. "It's perfect! It'll break the bond, and Cissy will be so heartbroken she’ll let you go. And since I was a Black too, I'm the best choice to take in Cissy's baby." She trailed a finger over his bare belly, making him flinch. "I might even keep mummy, too, so he can watch the little tyke and maybe make me a baby of my own."
"Surely Rodolphus would mind you taking and breeding your sister’s concubine?"
"Oh, haven't you heard?" Bellatrix said nonchalantly. "He's dead. I thought I'd give him a teensy weensy widdle goodnight kiss, and he dropped dead!"
"I'm afraid that's a feature of the potion I forgot to tell you. Anyone you are not meant to be with will be poisoned by your kiss, but your true love will be permanently bonded to you by your kiss."
"Ooh, goody! I can't wait!" She started climbing on top of him, and he tensed.
"You're not going to kiss me, are you?"
"I suppose not, if I need to keep you alive. But there are lots of things we can do besides kissing!"
"Narcissa is still in the house."
"Let her see. Tell her you're comforting a grieving widow." She cackled and cooed in admiration of his exposed, swollen body. "You're getting big! I'm just in time!"
"But, I'm carrying your nephew…"
"Don't worry! He can't see anything in there! Hello!" She waved at his belly and gave it a smack, making him wince. "Let him get a taste of aunty Bella!" She hiked up her skirt and grabbed his hips.
"Wait wait wait - ah!"
She started pushing into him. He gripped the bed and made little noises as she kept going.
"Come on, Snapey! Make some noise! Shall I make you scream?" She slammed into him harder, bouncing him against the mattress. Severus couldn't help crying out. The friction and force were bringing hormonal highs; he felt mild contractions, and he moaned loudly. Bellatrix laughed to feel his belly hardening.
"Now we're getting somewhere! Come on, scream!" She slammed into him over and over.
"AH! AH! BELLATRIX!"
"That's it!"
There was another scream. Bellatrix paused her assault to turn her head. There was Narcissa, hands over her mouth in shock.
"Bella, what are you doing?!"
"Him, of course!" Bellatrix pointed at the panting concubine beneath her. "Want to join in?"
"How could you?! You knew he was mine!! You've been planning this, haven't you?! Scheming behind my back!!"
"Yep!" Bellatrix chirped. "It was easy, too! I'm almost disappointed, Cissy."
"Get off of him! Now!!"
Bellatrix pouted, but removed herself, making Severus gasp.
"Severus, are you alright?" Narcissa asked.
He nodded, catching his breath.
"He's fine! I didn't break him! Besides, he liked it! Didn't you hear him screaming my name?"
It was his screams that had alerted Narcissa, fearing something was wrong with him or the baby. Until she heard him scream a name that wasn't hers and she found a scene out of her nightmares.
"He was lying there half naked, ready for me!" said Bellatrix. "His usual invitation for me to take him! He practically spread his legs himself!"
Narcissa looked like she'd been slapped. "How long has this been going on?!"
Bellatrix cackled and patted his swollen stomach. "This is my handiwork, not yours. I'm the one with a Black heir on the way, not you! You really thought I was upset over your dull little marriage? I was seeing him too, and I wanted to keep him, but you got him first! I've been having sloppy seconds ever since! I have to visit my baby in secret." She pouted, stroking his belly.
The color drained from Narcissa's face. She turned to Severus, who looked nervous. "You told me it was mine."
"Narcissa… I-"
She held up a hand, then took out her wand and cast a certain spell. It revealed the concubinage bond between them was severed. Tears fell down her face. "Get out. Pack anything you want to take and leave."
"Narcissa, please understand-" Severus tried to explain, but she stopped him again, barely controlling her voice.
"I don't want to hear it! Just go! I don't care where!" She turned and left, slamming a door somewhere.
Bellatrix cackled. "She fell for it! She actually believes it!"
Severus glared at her. "I hope you're happy. She's thrown me out!"
"Oh, don't worry, Snapey, I'll give you more money if you want. I'm a rich widow, you know. Bye bye!" She skipped out, leaving Severus disheveled and alone.

Narcissa was crying so hard she almost couldn't breathe. How could he do this to her? After all she had done for him, all the time they spent together, he'd been seeing her sister at the same time, conceiving Bella's child and telling Narcissa it was hers. Why had he done it? If he wanted to be with Bellatrix, why hadn't he said something instead of stringing her along, filling her head with hopes of having a family and a future together?
It could be because Bellatrix wasn't exactly sane. She might be incredible in bed, but hardly a steady influence to raise children with. Had he intended on having her raise a pack of Bella's babies? Had he been lying about wanting to have Narcissa's babies? It hurt to think about, but she couldn't stop thinking about it.
Seeing the bond severed had simultaneously cracked her heart in two. How long had it been broken? Had it severed months ago and she never knew? She didn't think she needed to check it. It should have been there always, tying them together.
She thought he loved her. She really had been stupid enough to believe without question that the man she'd cheated with would never cheat on her. She'd broken her cushy marriage for him, angered the Dark Lord because of him, uprooted her life for him. She'd made all those plans with him. It hadn't even occurred to her that he might be simply going along with a good meal ticket as a kept man, enjoying the attention of a rich woman. Two rich women. She would have been better off bored and married to Lucius.
She had honestly believed she was getting to know Severus, taming the feral beast, moving past his defenses and winning him, sharing his dreams of a real family. That stung the most - finding out she still never really had him after all her time and effort to train him and mold him and get close to him. She'd believed they were going to have a lovely life together, that she was going to be happy the way she hadn't been with Lucius. It had been in reach, then cruelly snatched away.
But would she have wanted to build a life with Severus based on lies? What if she'd found out the truth much later? How much worse would it have been to find out years down the line that he was sleeping with her sister, that their firstborn and possibly other children weren’t hers? How much more devastating would that have been?
They had only been bonded for a matter of months, but they had been the happiest of her life, even with all the strife involved. She didn't know if she could ever get over this.
After an hour, her sobs had subsided to sniffles. There was a knock at the door.
"Narcissa?" It was Severus. "I'm leaving now."
She didn't respond.
"I'm sorry. Your sister can be very persistent. I couldn't get her to stop. She kept coming back, demanding more, threatening me. You know how she is. I didn't dare cross her for fear she might lash out at me and harm the child. I thought I could handle it, but I should have told you. I'm sorry. I truly wanted to have a family with you. I understand if you hate me now. I should have known what we had wouldn't last forever. It was too good to be true."
More tears ran down her face. She didn't answer. Footsteps grew fainter as he walked out, out of her house and out of her life.
She didn't move, unsure what to do and not caring. She didn't eat or sleep all night, wrapped in a numbing fog of grief.
Sometime during the early morning, she fell asleep from exhaustion. She felt weary and hollow when she woke up. But a thought was growing stronger. Severus had said that Bellatrix had kept coming back for him, that she had basically forced him into a relationship. She could believe that her crazy sister would dig her claws into something she wanted and get violent when challenged. Perhaps he really had been too frightened to break up with her, especially with a baby on the way. Maybe he really had wanted to be with Narcissa instead but couldn't shake off Bellatrix, and hadn’t been able to bring himself to tell her. Maybe she had broken his heart as well, after months of mentoring him, assuring him that he was talented and interesting, slowly getting him to lower his guard around her, getting him pregnant and taking him as a concubine and promising the life and family he wanted, only to fly off the handle and reject him without letting him explain, throwing him out while he was heavy with child. With only Bellatrix to go back to. Maybe that was why he hadn’t trusted her enough to tell her what was going on. And she had just confirmed his fears.
Maybe Bellatrix was the real problem. Maybe with her out of the way, she could reclaim Severus and work on gaining his trust again and hope he forgave her. They could repair and rebuild and try again. They could still be together. She could still have what she wanted.

Chapter Text

It was a beautiful sunny day at the beach. Naturally, when one wanted lots of sun, one left Britain, so Severus had randomly picked a lovely coastline far away from home. He took in the warmth of the sun and the calming crash of the waves and the salty smell of the sea with as deep a breath as he could manage, smiling as he felt a kick. His big belly was heavily swollen with his baby boy, due any day. He was glad he had taken that fertility potion.
He had naively gone along with Lucius’ invitation to join the Death Eaters, craving belonging and power and not knowing what else he should do. Once he had taken the mark, however, he knew he had made a big mistake. Right around the time Narcissa started paying attention to him. He was skeptical at first, unsure what she wanted. As she tried to talk him into letting her in, he realized that it could be the perfect opportunity to gain skills and information, end the war, and take out a few enemies along the way for good measure. So he’d let her take the lead, playing cat and mouse for a while to keep her interest, teasing access behind the barriers he put up. And she had been an enthusiastic player.
Once Narcissa had started pinning him down and ravaging him in bed, as he figured she would eventually, he’d started taking the fertility potion to ensure he got pregnant, knowing that would prompt her to make a decision. He hadn't anticipated her proposing to him first, but it had worked out perfectly. She’d taken his news as confirmation to dig herself in deeper, enraging her husband. So began Severus' plans in earnest to destroy their marriage and reputation.
It had gone almost like clockwork. A few words here and there, a few ideas planted, a little antagonizing disguised as innocent conversation, and the Malfoys had been ready to tear each other’s throats out in front of the whole wizarding country as their marriage collapsed.
The prophecy had been unforeseen, but very useful, and he’d immediately taken advantage of it. Pettigrew’s overeagerness to impress had ended up being his fatal downfall. He told Severus the prophecy in detail, how it foretold that the ones to defeat the Dark Lord were a traitor and a child hidden in plain sight. Fearing that this might point to himself and his baby, putting them both at risk, Severus had obliviated Pettigrew’s memory of the prophecy, then fed a fake one to Bellatrix that pointed to the Marauders. She had been the perfect solution to get his revenge on the untouchable Gryffindors. (The werewolf who had nearly killed him in school was a bonus.)
Severus did feel a very little guilt over having Lily’s husband killed, but she was still alive and she had her own son and the Potter fortune to support them, so they would be alright in time. As for the ultimate collapse and disbanding of the Order Of The Phoenix, he felt no guilt whatsoever. They had done that to themselves.
The potion he had given Bellatrix was one of his own invention, like the animagus potion, and even though he thought it had needed some tweaks, it worked out well in a pinch. Obviously it was no beauty potion or love potion, but a slow acting poison keyed into the Dark Lord; frequent exposure to Bellatrix would drive him madder and madder until he snapped. The last vial he had given her really was an extra strong dose, to make sure her kiss killed the Dark Lord. (The potion made her kisses lethal to anyone, as Rodolphus found out).
Her willingness to help him break his concubinage bond had initially been a welcome surprise. With the bond broken, Narcissa would have no legal right to him anymore, and he would have a better chance of gaining sole custody of his child. He had begun to debate on whether he still wanted to do it, however, as it became clear how very attached Narcissa was to him and the baby, the lengths she was going to in order to keep them. He’d started to wonder if maybe it wouldn’t be such a bad life to belong to her and have a few more babies and raise a family in luxury. The one truth he had mixed into his lies was his desire for a family and a peaceful life. Perhaps he should shield her from everything else he was burning down and let them live quietly together. He wouldn't have been unhappy as a rich, pampered concubine with children to raise, and she never would’ve had to find out all he’d done along the way to get it.
But then Bellatrix had showed up and started humping him on their bed, telling that blatant lie that the baby was hers, and Severus found that he had broken the bond rather easily. As he listened to Narcissa scream and cry about how they could have possibly done this to her, how upset she was to find her sister playing with what was hers, not once asking him what he wanted or listening to his side of the story, he’d decided to let her go after all. His parting words to her deliberately planted the idea that her crazy sister was to blame for her misery, and she had done her part perfectly, bringing it all to a grand finale.
And no one had truly suspected the pregnant concubine at the center of it all, too busy thinking of themselves. All that sucking up to those self centered snobs had paid off brilliantly. It was a shame he had killed off his baby's mother, but he had intended from the first to eventually raise the baby himself anyway after it was all said and done. He'd always known he was just using her to get a child, his reward for all his hard work.
But there was no reason he couldn't still take that trip, after all. It had sounded like a fun idea, so here he was at a lovely beach he'd been coming to every day, far away from the destruction he’d caused, resting and relaxing while he could before the baby came, under a Notice-Me-Not charm so no one would bother him. The money he had been siphoning from Narcissa into his own vault and the vast sum Bellatrix had paid him were bankrolling this trip, and if he was prudent it would last for quite a while, giving him time to focus on caring for his baby boy for at least his first year or two before he might have to start working again. He'd packed up the nursery with the rest of his belongings, so everything was ready. And since Narcissa had already named the baby her heir to her share of the Black family fortune and hadn't changed her will before her death, all he'd had to do before leaving the country was make a tearful appearance at Gringotts as the grieving Black widow to claim his son's inheritance and put it in a trust vault, ensuring he would be well provided for. It was too bad that the Malfoy line had ended anyway, he supposed, with Lucius dead with no descendants, but he didn't feel much remorse.
He sighed in contentment, still full from the snack Hoblin had packed him, digging his toes in the warm sand as a breeze lifted his long hair. Maybe he should just stay here for a few years. There was no reason either of them had to go back to Britain any time soon, now in shambles with the aftermath of the war. They could have a good life right here for a while, where his son could grow up in a more stable environment. By the time he was old enough to attend Hogwarts, things should have settled down and they could move back. Hell, Severus might even find another rich, lonely sucker in the meantime to give him another child and the fortune to support them with.
The baby shifted around, and he smiled as he rubbed where little feet kicked. Apparently the baby was in agreement.
It was settled.

FINI