Title: Sample
Author: Lorielen ( [email protected] )
Categories: Romance, Fluff
Rating: G
Pairing: Lucius/Voldemort
Summary: Cute fic, probably the first I’ve ever written.
Disclaimer: Don’t own ‘em, just a hellish, bitchy Draco muse who tortures me frequently and won’t. Let. Me. Sleep. *sighs*

AN: This is exclusively for Aimee, who I hold as one of my dearest friends and has proven time and again to be a source of inspiration, among other things. It has sprung out in one go, and... I like it. Hope she does too.

Sample

“Come in.”

Lord Voldemort’s splitting headache magnified tenfold every sound within a thirty-feet distance. As such, it hadn’t been particularly difficult to make out the sounds of light footsteps approaching his bedroom door.

All became clear but took blurry contours during his hours of insomnia. Buried in a pain that altered perceptions and made everything more than a bit surreal, the Dark Lord was often able to conceive his greatest ideas during the times of twilight before the morning. That was, before he’d either collapse from absolute exhaustion or fix himself coffee and painkillers in order to start yet another day.

He wasn’t, however, thinking of any of that right now. The voice that pierced through his pained mind was perhaps the only thing not to hurt it further.

“Can I sleep over?”

The tone had been an uncertain one. And as he regarded the owner of that voice, he saw that the boy entering his room displayed the exact same mixture of caution and boldness he had when making his request a few hours ago.

Lucius slipped silently inside the older man’s room, not before cloaking his features to hide the startled feeling that had hit him upon being invited in.
He hadn’t been surprised that the Dark Lord knew he was there; few things seemed more natural to him than the red-eyed man’s omnipotence. It was just that he hadn’t expected him to be awake.

He made his way over to the older, taller male with a quietness he seldom showed and many doubted him capable of. His manner was hesitant but daring, as he wasn’t too sure whether was he being allowed a privilege or on his way to retaliation.
He had seen his Uncle Voldie punish people who tried to approach his personal quarters. There had been redness...

Lucius understood that; he was quite territorial himself. As much as his tender years would allow him to, anyway.

He stood still for a few seconds before furrowing his brown in worry and touching the robes of the man who wouldn’t look at him.

“You can’t sleep?”

“I should be asking that to you.”

All of a sudden, bright crimson scrutinised him. Lucius made his grip on the Dark Lord’s clothing tighter in a subconscious attempt of reassurance as he held the man’s gaze with his own.

“Had a nightmare.”

Voldemort found himself... smiling. Ever so subtly, but it was there. And made all the more unnatural by the fact that during his bouts of insomnia what he usually did was bark at all around him, wanting to be left alone with his pain. Grumpy.
It was indeed remarkable that he should put it aside for long enough to see to another’s.

“Oh did you really?”

His voice was concerned, with a twist of amusement to it. Moreover, he found it ever so... lovely when little Lucius Malfoy straightened himself and put on a serious face before answering.

“Yes.”

Lucius wouldn’t expand; he didn’t want his Uncle to know that he was afraid of cave goblins tugging at his bed sheets, intent on making him fall. Didn’t want his Uncle to think him weak. And he was being pushed into defence mode by the interested twinkle on the man’s slit eyes.

“Hmm. Is that why you came here?”

He felt a sudden urge to tell the older man how hard it had been, to walk through the stony halls all alone at night, watching over his shoulder for the shadows dancing on the walls as he bypassed torches in a rush. But he wouldn’t admit to having been frightened.
... not even now that the man had sat on his heels, eye-level with him.

“I wanted to see you.” Was all he offered by means of a justification.

His Uncle could exterminate cave goblins with a snap of his clawed fingers. He could do anything. Even see through a Malfoy.
With that in mind, Lucius finally dropped his act and let his face show his scared state as he threw slender arms around the older male’s neck and buried his face in the long, dark brown hair.
During one instant he forgot bout all else to think about how seldom he had seen his Uncle’s hair loose, and how good it smelled. He didn’t let his voice falter as he spoke.

“You can do anything. You can keep them away.”

A lengthy second before there were strong, protective arms around him and a deep-voiced whisper.

“Who are them, Lucius?”

The boy’s voice came muffled, for his face was still against Voldemort’s shoulder.

“They dress in white. They’re stinky cave goblins and they... they took Mother.”

As he pulled back to look at his Uncle’s face for hints of how the man was taking all if it, Lucius felt himself being lifted from the ground.

The Dark Lord stood on his feet, taking the little boy with him, keeping the pleasant circumstance of being able to stare directly at his face. Proficiently hiding his uttermost amusement, he put on a pensive expression. Then he started to head towards his bed, still holding Lucius in his arms.

“Here’s what I’ll do.” He placed the boy over the mattress, and after that he put a hand on his waist and reached for his wand, still very serious. “Alinah goblinae sact!” He waved his wand in a complex flourish, then looked around as though inspecting something, and at last directed his gaze back to the young Malfoy.

“It’s a good thing you came to see me. There aren’t many who can cast this goblin-repelling charm.”

Were he to be true, there was no other. And that was because there was no such spell. But Lucius needn’t know that, and the smile the little creature offered him was so very rewarding.

“Can I stay here, then?”

Voldemort put his wand on the night dresser. It was becoming increasingly difficult to keep the seriousness.

“Unless you mind sharing a bed.”

He laid down, keeping a safe distance from Lucius and purposefully not looking at him.

He didn’t see the small blond head shake vigorously.

“Not at all.” And, after a pause, “I think your hair smells good.”

“Why, thank you. I’ll lend you my shampoo tomorrow if you like.”

Lucius nodded, but it couldn’t be seen in the pitch black darkness that reigned in the room now that the Dark Lord had willed its torches out.

“Thank you, Uncle Voldie.”

For everything.

Voldemort didn’t answer. For one, the boy would think he was asleep. Secondly, he didn’t really know how to.

It was hard to keep his breathing even as he listened to the timidly approaching sounds, and it took all of him not to hold his breath when he felt Lucius’ cheek against his chest and the boy’s arms around him again.
He forced himself to relax, for the sake of keeping his sleeping act. He found it wasn’t in the least bit difficult or unpleasant.

He leaned down, his nose brushing against the top of Lucius’ head. He smelled good. Maybe Voldemort would ask to borrow his shampoo, in the morning.

Heartbeat and breathing even, body relaxed, peace of mind eventually achieved. The Dark Lord fell asleep at last, subconsciously coming to clutch Lucius’ little body a few minutes later. -*-