Monna Immaculata by Femme (NC-17)

[bethbethbeth.livejournal.com]

Fandom: HARRY POTTER
Pairing: Narcissa/Lucius, Snape/Narcissa, Snape/Narcissa/Lucius.
Length: 11,500 words
Author on LJ: femmequixotic
Author Website: Femme's Fic on The Archive and on Skyehawke
Why this must be read: It's odd, perhaps, that my final rec is for a story that contains two of the elements I ordinarily shy away from (i.e., dubious consent and adultery), yet "Monna Immaculata" - which in a less deft writer's hands could have been "just" a pwp - is a story with both depth and heart.

The premise of the story is simple: Lucius - no longer in Voldemort's favor - returns home from Azkaban, only to discover Severus Snape has required compensation of a rather intimate kind from Narcissa for the role he's played (and continues to play) in protecting the Malfoy family. What's worse, Lucius's wife doesn't seem to have raised any particular objections to Snape's demands. However, the tale that's told is anything but simple, for these are three-dimensional characters, and Femme makes each one sympathetic in his or her own way, while not allowing the reader to forget the responsibility each bears for the positions in which they find themselves.

The ending is bittersweet (keep in mind that this story was written post-DH and is canon compliant), but always real and always brimming with honest emotion. Narcissa, Lucius, and Severus are three people whose anger and love and fear and desire can no longer be contained - probably because all three are just too damned exhausted to keep their feelings hidden (like "proper Slytherins") any longer.

***

Narcissa barely recognises her husband when he staggers into the set of guest rooms His Lordship has relegated her to, leaning heavily on Severus's shoulder.

"His Lordship's compliments," Severus says with a tight twist to his mouth. "Nothing like a spot of Cruciatus to say welcome home."

Lucius says nothing as she grasps at him with a sob that she muffles into his filthy, torn prisoner's robe. After a moment he puts a trembling hand on her back, callused fingers splayed across the silk of her dressing gown, then pulls away.

"Darling," she whispers, but he doesn't answer, just stumbles over to the chair next to the fire and sits. He leans his head back against the heavy brown jacquard and closes his eyes. He's painfully thin. She can see the shadows of the bones in his shoulders and his arms. His face is gaunt, his cheeks sunken.

Narcissa turns back to Severus. "When?" she asks.

Severus pushes his hair back off his forehead. He looks tired; the circles beneath his eyes are more pronounced. "He and Macnair arrived with Rodolphus an hour ago. His Lordship wished to speak to them immediately." He lowers his voice. "He's not pleased with Lucius."

"I didn't expect him to be," Narcissa says quietly. Severus watches her, eyes dark. She pulls her dressing gown tighter.

He catches her wrist, and his fingers are warm against her skin. "They've both failed, Narcissa. The Dark Lord won't be kind."

"I know." It doesn't matter. Lucius is home. "You'll help."

Severus hesitates only a moment, then nods; his hair falls forward again, sweeping across his cheek. "As I am able."

"Thank you." She touches his jaw lightly. There's a moment of silence; their eyes meet, hold. His thumb traces a circle against the delicate jut of her wrist bone. She licks her bottom lip. "Severus."

He pulls away. "I'll send for Draco," he says with a glance towards Lucius's chair, and then he's gone, the door shutting behind him.

Narcissa rings for an elf.

She can still feel the warmth of his hand on her skin.

***

Read "Monna Immaculata"

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And that's it for me! It's been a pleasure reccing so many Snape-centric stories for you this month. Ciao!