Author's Note: This takes place during the summer before Lucius's second year and Narcissa's first year at Hogwarts.

Narcissa looked at her reflection in the mirror as her mother fussed over her hair.

Narcissa resisted the temptation to shuffle her feet. They had been at this for hours now, beginning with Narcissa's dress.

"Cissy's hair looks just fine, Mother," Bellatrix sighed in annoyance.

Druella shot her eldest daughter a deadly glare.

Bellatrix's response was to smirk, but she didn't say anything further.

Druella then turned her attention back to her youngest. She fussed with Narcissa's hair for about another minute before finally deciding that her hair was as nice as it was going to get.

"Spin around slowly," Druella ordered Narcissa as she took a step back.

Narcissa did as her mother had ordered.

Druella nodded her head approvingly as she examined her youngest from every angle possible.

Narcissa managed to keep herself from visibly breathing in relief.

"Abraxas will soon be here with his son Lucius," Druella then said. "Try not to mess up your dress or your hair, Cissy. I don't want either Abraxas or Lucius to be ashamed of you. Even arranged marriages can be called off in certain circumstances, and I will not tolerate you shaming our family like that. You must impress the Malfoys tonight, Cissy."

"I will be the perfect lady, Mother," Narcissa replied.

Behind Druella's back, Bellatrix rolled her eyes.

"Good," Druella spoke to Narcissa. "I will send the house-elf to get you when the Malfoys arrive."

Druella then turned and left the room, leaving Narcissa in her bedroom with her two sisters.

Narcissa once again looked at her reflection in the mirror. She resisted the temptation to fuss with her hair. It just didn't look right to her.

"Do you think the Malfoys will like me?" Narcissa asked her sisters nervously.

It was a question that Narcissa would never dare to ask her mother. Druella Black expected her daughters to always be confident in themselves.

"Of course they will," Andromeda said reassuringly.

"They have to be complete idiots not to like you," Bellatrix added. "You're a Black. They're just Malfoys."

Narcissa smiled gratefully at her sisters.

"Remember to smile and to be polite," Abraxas told his son. "You can't let them know that you don't really want to be there. Appearances are important."

"Why wouldn't I really want to be there?" Lucius asked sarcastically. "Shouldn't it be important to me that I get to know my future wife, especially since we're going to be expected to have children together?"

Abraxas made to smack his son, but he stopped himself at the last moment.

"Watch your tone of voice, boy," Abraxas then said warningly.

"Don't worry, Father," Lucius responded. "I promise to be the perfect gentleman tonight. But in order to do that, shouldn't I at least know my future wife's name?"

"Her name does not matter," Abraxas replied. "All that matters is that she is a proper Pureblood lady and that she does not do anything to shame you. Don't even think about getting attached to her, Lucius. That will only make you weak. She cannot define you. You must define her. Give her too much power, and you will quickly become insignificant compared to her. And Malfoys are never insignificant to anyone. She is just there to give you an heir so that the Malfoys will continue to thrive even after we are gone. That is her only purpose."

"Of course, Father," Lucius spoke.

"Just concern yourself with pleasing her parents," Abraxas stressed. "If she is indeed of proper breeding, she won't complain to them about you not being attentive enough. And if she does complain, well then, even arranged marriages can be called off in certain circumstances."

"An act which would shame her family," Lucius remarked.

"Exactly," Abraxas smirked, "which is why she won't say anything."

Abraxas then glanced down at his watch. He then looked up and nodded his head at his son.

It was time for them to go to Black Manor so that Lucius could meet his future wife for the first time.

Lucius tried not to think too much about that fact. The word "wife" was much too personal for him.