A/N: I wrote this over two years ago as part of a song challenge but never posted them. The song for this drabble was "Gaston" from Beauty & the Beast.

The truly unfortunate thing about being sorted into Slytherin was the lack of good-looking girls.

There were the truly repugnant ones like Bertha Crabbe - who was about as wide as she was tall - or Edith Flint with her overbite, single eyebrow, and matching mustache. There were many passable ones - the Vaisey sisters weren't too bad, if a little on the plain side and Iris Montague more than made up for her pug nose with her bouncy tits and pert ass.

But he could do better.

(He'd be a liar if he said he hadn't noticed that there were other girls outside of Slytherin - even among the Mudbloods and blood traitors - who were easy on the eyes. But even if others could sully themselves like that, Lucius never could.)

The Black girls were the best Slytherin had to offer and he deserved the best.

Bellatrix wasn't an option. She was older, far too independent, and already engaged. He needed someone who would listen to him, someone a little more docile, and manageable.

Andromeda was said to be a more agreeable, if plainer, version of her older sister. She was the same age as him and rather intelligent, if insufferable. But there were rumors of a dalliance with some Hufflepuff named Tonks. Lucius didn't take anyone's sloppy seconds and certainly not those of some Hufflepuff Mudblood.

So, the only choice was Narcissa. A year younger than him and just as lovely as Bellatrix but a fairer beauty that fitted someone who was so much more genteel and yielding than her sisters.

With a grin to Augustus and Rabastan, he whispered, "Watch and learn, boys."

He sauntered across the lawn, pleased when the younger Vaisey girl and Montague noticed him. Iris nudged Narcissa and he could see the blonde smile - even blush - before closing the book on her lap.

Puffing out his chest as he walked, he nodded to them before reaching out to grab the book on Narcissa's lap letting his fingers linger on her knee for just a moment. (He was sure he noticed.)

"Potions, eh?" He said, glancing at the book he realized she was probably studying for OWLs like everyone else in her year. "I could tutor you sometime - if you like. Slughorn's always saying I have the makings of a great Potions Master, part of the reason he begged me to join his ridiculous little club."

Lies, but she'd never know the difference.

"That's a terribly kind offer, Lucius," she said placidly, a small smile playing on her lips and he knew he had her.

"Of course," he moved closer, "if I did that I'd have to ask for something in return."

"Oh?" She arched an eyebrow at him. "And what would that something be?"

"You, escorting me to the Crouchs' annual ball." At her look of surprise, he continued, "Well, what else did you think I was going to ask you for - help with my Transfiguration homework?"

Rookwood and Lestrange snickered on cue. "Look at this as a win-win situation, Narcissa. You get to attend the social event of the season on my arm and I get to go with the prettiest girl in Slytherin."

Giving a grin that he imagined to be irresistibly rakish, he was gratified when she smiled back.

At first, anyway.

"That's so kind of you, Lucius," she began, snatching her book back from him and standing. "But I don't think so."

"W-what?"

"I'm not interested," her smile now more mocking than gentle. "Oh, and I don't think I'll really be needing tutoring lessons from someone who only managed an A on his OWLs. But thank you anyway."

Giggling with Montague and Vaisey, she walked away.