Chapter 1: A Party Turned Ugly

Disclaimer: I am not the original creator of the characters and ideas that are recognizable from the wondrous Harry Potter series. I am however the original author of anything that is new and fun… Or un-fun, either way it is my idea.

A/N: I am really trying to write this story… it has been seriously stuck in my head since 2009 and I just am not the writer I wish I was and I find it difficult to get this story into words that other's will understand. My fabulous friend is helping write this story and anything she has to say I will let y'all know. Sadly she doesn't have an account on , so there is no username that I can tell everyone.

NPOV:

Getting ready for a celebration is long process. Getting ready for a celebration that you do not want to be a part of is an even longer process.

I glanced down and saw it. The ugly yet beautiful ring that sat on my left ring finger that told me that this engagement wasn't a nightmare that I would be able to wake up from. That ring is proof that I must do what is expected of me, or… end up like Andromeda.

He "proposed a month ago. As if any of this was an option or something I could easily avoid. I looked away, attempting to find anything to distract me. I glanced down at The Daily Prophet. There was no new news, nothing to keep my mind off of seeing him for another minute. I just needed to get dressed and drag myself downstairs to hurry and get it over with.

There is one positive. I have been feeling too nervous to eat for a couple days, and I look exceptionally thin in my dress—I know I look absolutely stunning.

"Cissy! Get down here before I personally go up there and drag you down here myself! You know who is coming today! HURRY UP!" my darling older sister Bella screamed at me from the floor below.

" Bella I know you know, that I do not want to see him! I hate the guy, and I don't want to 'mingle' with him. But I guess, since I have to, I'm coming down," I yelled back. Sometimes, I think she just loved telling me that my "fiancé" was around. I started to descend down the stairs, but then there he was, halfway up the staircase. Him and all of his Malfoy glory.

"Hello Narcissa," he greeted, "lovely time you had in the bathroom I presume?"

"Of course Lucius, it's always fantastic when I am away from you," I shot back.

"Ahh, I see I still will have a lot of work to do with you. My wife will speak to me with respect, at all times,"

"Well you know what I think? I-"

"I wouldn't continue on if I were you," drawled Lucius. He turned his back, and went down the stairs, to where my parents were. I knew he was going to tell them that I need to have an attitude adjustment, and then ask them if he could "fix me" the way his father had "fixed" his mother. I was without a doubt that they would say yes. I just didn't want to find out.

As I descended the stairs I saw everyone gathered for the engagement announcement party. I have been dreading this party since I was originally informed of its happening. I loved dressing up and going to balls, don't get me wrong, but when the ball I for something that you don't want to happen in the first place… well it is incredibly unpleasant.

The party continued on for an hour—very boring mind you, nothing but talking about politics and the new war on blood status.

"Dinner will be served shortly, please find your dining seats" a voice rang out over the chatter.

I mentally crossed my fingers that I would be sitting next to Lucius as opposed to across from him; it would be much easier to ignore his presence that way. The gods were not siding with me today. Much to my dismay, when I found my seat near the head of the table, the Malfoy family was sitting across from my family.

Lucius looks at me in the eyes, plasters a fake smile onto his face before saying, "Narcissa, we meet again. But as my future wife, I would hope that you would stay by my side the entire night, especially at our engagement announcement party."

I glared at him. "You know what I'd love to do? I'd love to—"

My father cut me off. "Welcome all to my lovely home. I hope you all enjoy the feast that has been prepared for this evening. But first, I would like to toast to my daughter and her fiancée. Mr. Lucius Malfoy will wed my daughter within the year…"

I tuned out. Within the year? When was I going to be notified of this change?

"Bella!" I whispered.

"What Cissy, father is talking!" She whispered back in a urgent tone.

"When was I going to be told of the change in the wedding timeline?"

"Cissy, you just were. Now be quiet!" She said with finality in her tone.

"To the future Mrs. Malfoy!" The entire room chanted, drank, and sat down. I followed suit. Food appeared before us and everyone started eating. I was no longer hungry, now with my up and coming wedding looming over my head.

I glanced at Lucius and found him to be staring at me. I shifted uncomfortably. "Did you know?" I asked.

He sighed and nodded. "Please, eat something."

I couldn't believe it, he knew about our wedding change and he tries to tell me what to do? "Really, Lucius? Are you going to be telling me to go to the washroom soon too?"

Lucius rolled his eyes. "You of course would take it that way. I wasn't trying to make it seem that way."

"Lucius," I huffed and folded my arms across my chest, "I do not wish to talk to you right now."

"Very well Narcissa." I heard him whisper. He was going to finally leave me alone for tonight.

The rest of the meal passed quickly, me without eating a single thing.

After dinner, the dancing was to start. As protocol, it was starting with an opening dance between Lucius and I.

He was staring at me again. "Narcissa, are you feeling okay? You look paler than usual. It is a little worrisome."

"Don't worry about me, Lucius, I will be fine, you'll still have your housewife-slave," I snapped.

"Narcissa… please don't speak like that."

"I will speak how I very well please."

We spun round and round around the ballroom floor. I was slowly getting dizzier. "Lucius, please, slow down… I can't see anything."

"Would you like to sit down Narcissa?"

"Umm yes I-I w-would." I stuttered trying to make the world seem like it wasn't spinning around me. I tripped into Lucius's arms and the next thing I knew, was blackness.

LPOV

I caught her just as her eyes rolled into the back of her head. As I looked around, everyone seemed to be so engrossed with what they were doing; drinking, dancing, eating...I was able to sneak her out of the party and upstairs to her room. Finding the youngest Black's room was not that difficult; Bellatrix had showed it to me earlier that evening. I laid her down on the bed carefully, then was at a loss-how does one care for a feinted lady?

Earlier that evening is when I found our nuptials had been moved. Originally we, and by 'we' I mean our fathers' and I, intended that Narcissa and I have a long courtship. The wedding date hadn't even been set when I proposed to her a month ago. This morning, Father told me of the glorious news.

"Orion and I have decided on a date for you to wed Narcissa."

"Oh?" I had asked, expecting some date of two, maybe three years from now.

"Within the year, my son." His voice was devoid from any emotion.

"Is there a reason why I must marry her so soon?" I asked the question rather stupidly on my part, I should have expected the answer that fell from his mouth.

"Orion's daughters have proven to be rather rebellious in the past. If you marry her within the year, it will guarantee that the wedding actually happens. I will not have our family involved with yet another Black Family Scandal."

Of course he wouldn't want what happened to Thaddeus Nott to happen to me. Andromeda had run out on that wedding and eloped with a muggle-born wizard. I shuddered, just thinking about that. It was quite obvious to me over the past month that Narcissa didn't want to be my wife. She made it very clear through her rebellious behavior. I would have to do something about that to ensure my wedding would not be as embarrassing as her sister's, but how? I could be cruel to her, that's what father suggested. He had told me how it worked on mother.

"I think all women born to purebloods have a certain rebellious streak, son. If their parents do not raise them properly, then that streak grows and festers to a woman who thinks there are more important things than continuing the line and running the house. Your mother and I had a long engagement, and though she was raised properly, during that time I almost lost her to the ways of the world. I had to keep her in line somehow, and I do not regret it. Your mother was a good, obedient wife and good, obedient wives produce male heirs and keep house...why do you think Orion Black has only girls, son?"

I didn't think I wanted to be cruel to Narcissa. She had done nothing to deserve it really; if she didn't want to marry me, why should she be forced to. There was a side of me that wanted to be married to her-she would produce beautiful and healthy children, blonde of course, and be wonderful company. She was very intelligent and nice to talk to, unlike most of her friends at Hogwarts, who did not know the difference between a bezoar and a goat, and thought for herself. This was both her best and her worst side, the side that wanted to marry her...he wanted to bring her in line one way or another. I let this side win; what other choice did I have? It was either deal with a willful wife, or be married to someone who only spoke of lipstick and glitter all the time.

Bringing myself back to the present, I brought my hand carefully to her neck, feeling a pulse. Her chest was rising softly as well, so I knew she wasn't in any real danger. "Do you really think you two left the party unnoticed?" Bella's voice came from behind me. When I turned, I saw her standing in the doorway. I wasn't sure how a woman could look smug and angry at the same time, but she pulled it off.

"I had hoped, if anything to save us both the embarrassment." I said, pulling away from Narcissa and almost jumping away from her bed.

"Well, I noticed." She entered the room with that drunken swagger she had; she wasn't drunk, she just walked that way apparently.

"Obviously. I haven't done anything to her, as you can plainly see, she's fine."

"I'll be the judge of that, Luci dear." Bella waved her wand over her baby sister, "She appears to be fine, just feinted poor love."

"I don't think she took the news of our wedding very well." I glanced down at her, then back up at Bella, who cackled softly.

"Of course not, one never does. She will come around, though if only for the sake of duty. If you don't get her to love you before the wedding day, I can tell you you will be just as miserable as my father was."

"As Rodolphus is now?" I asked her, raising an eyebrow.

"Rodolphus and I have no mutual romantic love between us, that is true. I married him because my father asked me, it was my duty. Andromeda shirked her duty, and Narcissa saw what happened to her. She will marry you, even if she's only duty bound to do so, but you both will be miserable." She paused. "I suggest you get down to the party before you're missed. I have made excuses for Cissy."

"But not for me?" I asked, frowning.

"She is my sister, and I will continue to protect her, even after you marry her. You...well, you're a pureblood man-you're who I am protecting her from."

I thought about what Bella said as I walked down the stairs and back to the Black's obnoxious ball room. Yes, I was the person Bellatrix should be protecting Narcissa from, but how am I going to get her to obey me and love me at the same time? Getting her to obey me wouldn't be too difficult, Bella had graduated from Hogwarts long ago and Narcissa and I would be there all year, but now the new element of getting her to love me was added in. This was going to be a very stressful year indeed.

A/N: Alrighty, there you go. Please let me know what you think of it, I think it's way better but I'm not positive. :)