Author's Note: For the suspicion prompt on xoxLewrahxox's Bellatrix forum. This is my first 500-word drabble, without breaking the drabbles into 100 words each. =X I made up that Hogwarts had class rings. xD Mwha. Xx starlight-moon xX inspired this, but she doesn't know it. =P Thanks goes to riss313 for her support.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything of this wonderful world. ='[
DARK INSTINCTS
Narcissa sighed as she rolled, tucked in the fetal position, to her back. It was freezing and the spot next to her that was normally occupied by her fiancé was empty. Again. She reached out to run her slim fingers along the sheets.
Cold.
His side was always cold now; she reminded herself that she should be used to it. But tonight had been different. Tonight was December 14th; a seemingly pointless day, but to Narcissa, it meant the world. For this was the day, two years ago, that Lucius had asked for her hand in marriage.
She wasn't sure he remembered. She had asked him to dinner for the night, dropping hints to hopefully spark his memory. She had wanted a special evening. She had waited two hours.
He had stood her up.
Narcissa climbed out of the bed. She wandered the halls, allowing her mind to wander as well. Maybe he hadn't meant to forget their dinner plans. Maybe something had come up at work.
No. Not something that lasted until three in the morning.
He didn't look at her anymore. He looked through her. Sometimes he didn't even notice if she stepped into the room unannounced. He never held her… not like he used to. His soft caresses… the kisses in the morning to wake her… they had ended abruptly.
She didn't understand what she had done to cause him to back off. Was it something she'd said? Was she that repulsive? What exactly was he doing? Sleeping in another women's bed? The thought caused tears to form.
No. It was something else…. Something more dangerous. Something dark. She wondered. Would he?
"Narcissa?"
It was Lucius; he sounded surprised. They were in the foyer; Narcissa wasn't sure when she'd gotten there.
"Where have you been?" she asked, arms folded over her chest. Freezing.
"It's late. Come to bed." He reached out to touch her. She backed away. He looked at her for the first time in what seemed like forever.
"You're never here," she whispered. "You never touch me."
He looked down.
"Let me see your arm," she demanded, holding out her hand.
He looked up, stunned. He was about to argue, but he couldn't lie to her any longer. He'd spent too long lying to her. Slowly, he ran his sleeves up his arm, revealing a tattoo: a skull and a snake.
"I'm doing it for us," he said weakly. "Us."
"It doesn't feel like it." She loved him too much to turn away.
He placed a finger to her lips when she tried to speak again. "Shh."
Narcissa looked up fearfully into his eyes. She reached for the necklace that she wore at all times, the one with his class ring and her class ring. The one that sealed their courtship. She placed it around his neck and stepped into his arms, gripping the two rings in her hand.
"Please be careful," she whispered.
He sealed his promise with a kiss and carried her upstairs.