Regulus Black stood at the edge of the lake, looking into the murky water.
Narcissa swam in his thoughts. Her face. Her lips.
Lips he would never taste again.
Narcissa would know he was dead immediately.
He wouldn't wait the days others would to mourn his passing.
She would know as soon as the clock stuck seven, making him late for Christmas Eve dinner.
There was only one thing that could keep him from her, only one.
She would know then why she must marry Lucius.
The thirst was distant, in another life form.
Regulus Black could've already been dead for all his mind cared about what his body was doing.
He wanted his last thoughts to be of her.
His soul mate.
She stood before me…so perfect, so mine. I wanted nothing more than to kiss her. I couldn't; she would surely leave me forever.
I knew I was no Lucius Malfoy. I wasn't the buff macho king of the quidditch field.
I was only the guy in the corner, the one that lurks around the edge of a scene.
But I also catch the snitch at every match.
I win the game.
I kissed her lips, so warm, so mine.
She backed away, startled, but love in her eyes.
"Reggie," she chastised.
"Cissa," I replied, trying to sound contrite, only thinking of those lips.
"I love you," I told her.
She opened her mouth to reply, but I pressed a finger to her lips.
"Don't say things you don't mean," I chastised, voice a whisper, "I want you to mean it when you say it. I want to feel the sincerity in your touch. I will not take a falsehood. No lie will desecrate the lips I adore."
She blushed and tried to speak again.
"Silence," I smiled, letting the word roll gently off my tongue, "I need no explanation today."
Her eyes screamed the words her lips couldn't and wouldn't. She loved me too.
She was on top of me, torturing me in a way I couldn't understand.
Mummering with force every so often, "Just keep your goddamn eyes open, Reggie."
I obliged, confused, as she kissed my neck and let her hands explore places that best friends do not invade.
My skin was burning; I wanted to explode. I wanted to close my eyes and give myself over to my senses.
"Eyes open," she said firmly, licking my jaw.
"Marry me," she commanded, tone fierce.
"Why?" I asked, bored, "Lucius loves you. You love him. He's filthy rich and a goddamn Malfoy. What more of a happy ending could you want?"
Her head tilted to the side, a slight smile on her lips.
"You love me," she told me, "I love you. We're filthy rich and you're the goddamn heir to the family fortune. What more of a happy ending could I want?"
I rolled my eyes, but responded to the kiss she planted on my lips immediately.
His body was searching frantically for water as Kreacher watched in horror.
"Cissa," he was croaking, "Cissa…"
But his hands groped for water.
Kreacher tried to pull him away from the lake, claiming, "The water is a trap, Master. Do not drink of it, Master Regulus!"
Master Regulus was not listening. Master Regulus was a thousand miles away, conversations placating his mind.
"If she were to be my wife," Lucius told me firmly, "The Dark Lord would not touch her on behalf of your sins."
"He wouldn't?" I was unsure. She was the leverage. The motivation to do hi bidding. Her life had been at stake before the dark mark had blemished my sixteen-year-old skin.
"No, it would not be your responsibility," he said, voice slick, "You would be free."
"Narcissa would be safe?" I asked, unable to comprehend this miracle.
"And there would be no more children slaughtered at your hand," Lucius smirked, "You'll sleep easier."
"If I desert I'm dead, Luc," my voice was hard, "Do not take me for a fool."
"Temper, Regulus," Lucius had the nerve to roll his eyes, "Are you saying you'll stay a pawn to save your own life?"
"No," I confessed, "If she marries you… I can revolt?"
"As soon as she says 'I do,' you can do whatever you'd like," Lucius said, smiling at his victory, "It's none of my concern."
"And she'll be safe?" I clarified.
"I take care of my things, Regulus."
Regulus gulped the water from the lake frantically. Kreacher tried to tug him back by the legs. Hands, cold as ice, began to emerge from the lake.
"I wanted to leave this summer," I kept my voice off-hand.
"Leave?" she asked, voice falsely blank.
"You know what I meant," I sighed, "Pull a Sirius."
She stopped, alarmed, "A Sirius?"
"Well not exactly a Sirius," I amended at her expression, "I'd take you with me."
"I s'pose that's okay then," she smiled, "Why do you say all this as if it's in the past tense? We can still leave."
I thought of the mark on my left forearm, "We could. But I can never escape what we're running from."
"You'll find a way," she said softly, "You always do."
"I find a way and you're dead," I whispered, "As long as I breathe, he'll use you."
"I don't like the sound of your escape," her voice trembled.
"If it comes to that, it does," I said quietly, "There are lines I will not cross. All I care about is your safety."
"Then be a good little deatheater," she said at once, "You have my blessing."
I could not hide my horror, "You'll have me murder and torture to spare my own life?"
"You are worth more to me than anyone you kill," she said, tears beginning to form, "Stay alive, Regulus. It's all I ask of you."
"I cannot value my life above others," I grimaced.
"Don't think of it as your life, think of it as mine," she said softly.
"Don't be melodramatic," I told her.
"Don't be self-sacrificing," she retorted.
"Don't be so selfish," I told her, grinning.
"Don't be so noble," she kissed me.
"I love you."
"As I love you," she said
Darkness. And Kreacher apparated, nothing left to save.