Astronomy

The note had said he'd meet her in the Astronomy tower that evening. Why he couldn't have just found her in the common room and asked for her help there, she had no idea. Even the library would have been a better place than this but then again, the library would probably ruin his bad-boy image. He wasn't there when she arrived so she plonked herself down in the classroom and gave the room a decent look over. It was warm at least, despite the chill January evening and filled with the trappings of a room dedicated to the study of planets. The large diorama of the heavenly bodies hung from the dark ceiling, books lined one of the walls and boxes of equipment filled another. Ciss pulled out the book she had been reading through and began flicking through the pages. Admittedly, she had been early to the room; she knew it would have been empty so the peace and quiet she found within was not unwelcome.

When the door opened, she didn't look up straight away. She knew it was Lucius the moment the door was closed behind him. His light scent reached her nose and she smiled, still refusing to look up from the book she was reading. She wasn't that interested in this particular article but she knew it would annoy Lucius if she ignored him. His footsteps clicked over the stone floor and he perched himself on a desk opposite her. She could smell him; his cologne was strong but not unpleasant. He was dressed in his school uniform, his prefect badge pinned neatly to his chest. "What're you reading Ciss?" he asked. She moved the cover so he could see it. "Most Potente Potions? Why?"

"What do you want Malfoy?" she asked. This was not the time for games, she had work to do, didn't he know how annoying he was?

"I was wondering if you could help me with something," he said. The way he said it made Ciss close her book and look at the boy, no, young man, in front of her. His silvery blonde hair hung neatly just passed his shoulders and his pale blue eyes fixed her with a stare that was not unkind.

"If it's with the assignment that Slughorn set us you could have just seen me in the common room." Narcissa replied. He shook his head. The way his hair moved and settled around his face made her breath catch in her throat. "Well, it if's McGonag-"

"It's not school work Ciss," he said.

"Then what do you want?" she said rolling her eyes. He went silent then and she passed her eyes over him, darting down his chest, his flat belly and his long legs. She flicked her eyes to his lips, before looking into his face again. She licked her lips, suddenly dry. It was as though she was seeing him for the first time, which was silly; she'd known him for seven years.

"Don't you know?" he said. His voice was lower than before, cracked almost. She searched his eyes again and a small smile curved the corners of his mouth. His lips were pale pink, sensuous and oh in the name of Merlin… It hit her then. Why he'd lured her up here, why he'd locked the door behind him and why he was looking so, well, nervous. Her eyes widened in realisation. At the same time her heart pounded a staccato in her chest, her palms clammed up and she swallowed hard. Lucius pushed off the desk and came to stand directly in front of her. Ciss stood then, placed her book on the desk. His arms encircled her waist and drew her forward into a rough embrace.

"Lucius," she said. Her voice quavered as she spoke but she found her arms returning the contact he had initiated. The coarse wool of his jumper grazed her cheek; she could feel the thudding of his heart close to her ear.

"I have watched you from afar for ages Ciss," he whispered. "Watched and wanted." His hand moved to cup her chin, he turned her face up to him and he gazed deep into her eyes. Then his face was moving closer to hers, slowly, so very slowly. Pausing as their noses touched he seemed to be waiting for something. Was it. Permission? She leaned forward, closing the gap between them. All thought fled away; the only thing that mattered was feeling those lips on hers.

Their lips touched and she breathed in the scent of his cologne, his cool breath and his very being. Her heart skittered to a halt as the soft brush of his mouth against hers forced her knees to grow weak. Ciss' eyes drifted closed and her fingers slid up to grasp his arms as she melted into him. His tongue slipped out and when it touched her lips, she gasped in surprise. She opened her mouth willingly.

A spark of heat flashed through her and her cheeked flamed hot from the sensation his mouth on hers caused. She tilted her head and touched his tongue with hers. He moaned into her mouth and his fingers moved into her hair, coaxing her to deepen the kiss, when she did, she was lost. Her own hands brushed through his soft hair and rested against the back of his head. With a final moan, Lucius broke the kiss.

He looked down at her with the silliest smile she'd ever seen him wear. She knew her own mouth was twisted in much the same way. "I've wanted to do that for months," he whispered.

"Really?"

He nodded. "Look, I know we don't appear to have much in common, or know each other very well but, well, I really like you and it'd be nice if we could, you know…" his words trailed off.

"Yes Lucius," she said. She already knew what he was trying to say. His mouth brushed hers once again; she returned the kiss, rubbing her lips against his. His tongue slid inside her mouth once more and slowly, she stroked his tongue with hers. It turned into a dance, a melody of their own making, both desiring to taste the other.

This time, she broke the kiss. She wrapped her arms around his narrow waist and rested her head against his shoulder. It was the first time she noticed how much taller her was than her. "Come on. We'll get into trouble if we stay here for much longer," she said. "We can't afford to lose any more points."

"Alright," he said. She disentangled herself from his arms, picked up her book and walked to the door. Lucius unlocked it, took her hand and let her through the corridors back to the Slytherin common room. Both of them wore the silly smiles on their faces.