AUTHOR'S NOTE:

I wrote this story nearly five years ago on Quizilla, and it was technically my first real fanfiction that was not written in 'you'. Remember that? Back in the day when that was popular? Anyway. So the writing is a little slack at the beginning, but after reading a few chapters, it isn't too bad.

This story is a prequel to 'Him… a father? Pfffht.', and chronicles the relationship of Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy from their late Hogwarts days until the events before the sixth book. I'd like to think the characters become more IC as the story goes on. Also, I realize I clearly failed with the canon ages. I don't know what I was thinking, but I now know that Andromeda was older than Narcissa, but younger than Bellatrix. In this story, she is not.

This used to be one of my favourites, and I look forward to posting it here! Hope you enjoy!

"Bella! How many times must I tell you?" Narcissa demanded, snatching a dark Slytherin robe out of her sister's closet, "Ask mother and father for a new robe, but stop stealing mine!"

"Well," Bellatrix muttered curtly, snapping her trunk shut, "I just assumed because your figure didn't fit it anymore-"

"Don't even start with that," Narcissa snapped, "You wanted my robe because you're too afraid to tell mother and father you left yours behind at dear Lestrange's place."

"Hold your tongue."

Narcissa smirked. She knew her sister had spent the night with Rodolphus Lestrange, and what she did was no obvious secret.

"You promised you wouldn't tell, Cissy," Bellatrix mumbled, pulling her dark black hair up into a high ponytail, "Mum'll kill me."

"Both of them would kill you."

The sisters glanced back and spotted their youngest sister, Andromeda, leaning on the doorframe, clad in her dark Slytherin robe. She was finally starting her Fifth year, while Narcissa and Bellatrix were setting off into their last year of Hogwarts.

Bellatrix sneered at her younger sister, who looked more like herself then Narcissa ever would, and grabbed a black sweater.

"It doesn't even have the crest on it," Narcissa stated as she pulled on her almost floor length black cloak, "You won't be able to pass it off for long."

"Mum and dad never notice anything," Bellatrix stated, "Maybe I should owl Rodolphus and ask for it..."

"I'm surprised he hasn't owled you," Narcissa chuckled, grabbing her younger sister (only by a year) by the arm and leading her towards the door. She linked arms with Andromeda and the three of them walked down the grand staircase, all discussing Bellatrix's love life.

"Did you three get lost on the way downstairs?"

Narcissa glared at her father, but reluctantly smiled at his futile attempt to joke with his daughters.

"Now Bella, Cissy," Narcissa's mother hurried out of the living room, going straight to each girl and fixing out their ties, "You two may Apparate to Kings Cross... Dad'll take Andromeda on his way to work. And for Heaven's sake... Bellatrix have you lost your cloak again?"

Narcissa exchanged nervous looks with her sister and Bellatrix quickly nodded her head, "Maybe the house elves took it... They always want my stuff."

If she could, Narcissa would have slapped her forehead. House elves never took their master's things; it was completely unorthodox.

"I'll have a word with them," Mr. Black whispered dangerously, his eyes narrowing at the house elves who had just lugged the girls' suitcases downstairs.

"Now isn't the time!"

Mrs. Black shooed Bellatrix and Narcissa towards their luggage, and when they had everything in hand, she gave them each a mild kiss on the cheek, "Do enjoy the last year at school! And... try to look out for Andromeda, and that little Snape boy who follows you around."

"We always look after Severus," Narcissa assured her mother, and giving her father a quick hug. "See you at Christmas!"

Apparating was one of the things that brought enjoyment to Narcissa's life. It made her think she was higher then the Muggles, who had to walk everywhere they went.

She and her sister arrived directly inside the train terminal, and their bags were immediately taken by a huffy bellboy, who seemed bent on making sure everyone's bags were loaded up before the train left.

"Is anyone here yet?" Bellatrix asked, trying to look over the heads of the crowded students, obviously looking for Rodolphus.

"No," Narcissa laughed, "Bella I don't see him anywhere."

Bellatrix smiled weakly, "Is it really ... obvious?"

Narcissa chewed on her lower lip, not too sure what to tell her younger sister.

The correct answer would be yes, yes it was obvious. It had been obvious since about third year that Rodolphus and Bellatrix fancied each other to no end, but they were both too stubborn to say anything.

"No," Narcissa lied, smiling as a look of relief washed over her sister's face, "I don't think it's obvious at all."

She suddenly felt someone tap her on the right shoulder, but when she looked around there wasn't anyone there. Bellatrix giggled beside her, and Narcissa rolled her eyes.

"Real mature," she hissed, turning back to see Lucius Malfoy and Rodolphus standing there, an arrogant smirk on Lucius's face.

"I thought it was very mature," he chuckled. "Good to see you too, Black."

Narcissa, however, was glaring at Rodolphus. He caught on to her glare, then quickly turned back and gave Bellatrix a hug, muttering something about her cloak in his bag.

"Don't scare my friends," Lucius laughed, watching Rodolphus walk Bellatrix over to his baggage, a firm hand on her hips. "He was going to talk to her eventually."

"Yes, well," Narcissa sighed, "eventually isn't good enough for me. He didn't even owl her!"

Lucius rolled his eyes, "He's a bloke, that's why-"

"Then blokes are pigs," Narcissa said calmly, folding her arms over her chest. They stared at each other in silence, not breaking eye contact. Narcissa glared more then she would stare, while Lucius simply raised an eyebrow, challenging her to say more.

"We aren't all pigs," he said softly, his eyes involuntarily wandering down to her chest.

She rolled her eyes, "You are allpigs. Stop looking at my chest, Malfoy, I have a face."

"Yes you do," he muttered, "but it really just isn't as interesting."

Narcissa would have slapped him, but she had a feeling he would hit back. Lucius was like that, so she figured she would give him a warning.

"Malfoy you have exactly four seconds to stop looking at my chest before I slap you," she hissed, "One. Two. Three. ... ... Four."

He laughed and caught her hand when she flung it up at his face, "You really wouldn't want to do that, Black."

She winced when his grip tightened around her wrist.

"Did I hear someone try to threaten a Black?"

Lucius looked up and smirked when he saw Narcissa's cousin, Regulus Black, sauntering towards them, his hands in his pocket.

"Let go of my cousin, Malfoy," he chuckled, "Her wrists are so small you may snap them."

Lucius released Narcissa's hand and she wrenched it away from him as quickly as she could.

"How was your summer, Black?" Lucius inquired.

Regulus smirked, "The best one yet... Sirius moved out, finally. Says he's had it with us and our Pureblood ways."

"Blood traitor," Lucius muttered.

Regulus nodded his head gravely, "Mum's never been so angry... She blasted him off the family portrait."

Narcissa raised her eyebrows in shock. Her aunt may have had some slightly... different ways of thinking, but it was the worst thing to be taken out of the Black family portrait. It was almost like you could no longer call yourself a Black.

"Where did he go?" Narcissa questioned softly, "And is he still coming back to school?"

"Don't know why you care so much," Regulus sneered, "I thought you didn't like the little bugger."

Narcissa felt her face flush with embarrassment, but she quickly regained her dignity, "I don't like him, I was just wondering where he ran off too."

"Probably with Potter and his filth," Lucius murmured, nodding towards the train. Narcissa followed his nod and spotted James Potter, Remus Lupin and her cousin Sirius Black boarding the train, all talking excitedly about something. As usual, little Peter Pettigrew scurried out from the crowd, desperate to keep up with his 'friends'.

"Think we should get on?" Narcissa asked, watching some more students board. Bellatrix and Rodolphus appeared out of nowhere, Bellatrix's hair a little out of shape.

"I don't see why we're all just standing around," Rodolphus stated. "Let's go!"

Lucius rolled his eyes, and Narcissa could have sworn she saw his lip curl a little. Lucius was never very fond of Rodolphus, and she had a feeling he was only his friend because they were both Slytherin Purebloods.

Lucius and Narcissa were the last to board the glimmering Hogwarts Express and Narcissa was shocked when he actually held the door open and offered her a hand.

Shocked and repulsed.

"I'm very capable of getting up some steps, Malfoy," she snapped, using the railing to help herself up the steep steps.

"I was just being a gentleman," he chuckled, climbing in after her and slamming the door, "What's wrong with you today...? Your knickers too tight or something?"

She shot a glare over her shoulders, "No. You just annoy me, that's all."

She was quite ready to slap him again when he snorted loudly, and she felt uncomfortable with him walking behind her.

"What took you two so long?" Bellatrix demanded when Narcissa and Lucius finally entered the cabin, "We take the samecabin every year..."

Bellatrix locked eyes with Narcissa as Lucius ranted on about having to wait for some elderly professor to get up the stairs. Her sister raised an eyebrow and looked at Lucius in a suggestive tone. Narcissa's face shriveled up in disgust and she quickly shook her head, mouthing, "Ew!"

Lucius settled down on the last available seat on the plush bench and Narcissa did a full circle, rather annoyed to find no one could really move over. When she saw Severus sitting in the corner beside Bellatrix and Rodolphus, she shot him a warm little smile, then groaned.

"I'll go sit somewhere else then," she muttered, moving towards the door of the cabin. She suddenly felt a pair of hands grip her waist and yank her backwards into a lap.

"There's no point in you sitting somewhere all by yourself," Lucius chuckled. "You're lucky you don't weigh much."

She rolled her eyes and tried to get up, but his arms coiled around her waist, holding her in place.

"Bella," she said suddenly, "Come check on Andromeda with me... Now."

Bellatrix shot her a pleading look; she hated going out of her way to look after her younger sister, but Narcissa shot her a look that meant something completely different from what she had asked Bellatrix to do.

"Fine," Bellatrix moaned, "Let's do it fast."

A whole cabin erupted in soft little sniggers, and it was only then that Narcissa realized besides her sister, she was the only girl in her little inner circle of friends. There was Crabbe, Goyle, Rodolphus, Regulus, Severus and Lucius... an entirely male group.

She linked arms with her sister, and Bellatrix scolded the boys for having such disgusting minds. Narcissa was tempted to say Bellatrix was no purer in her thoughts, but then she had a feeling her sister wouldn't come out with her.

"Why did he make me sit on his lap!" Narcissa drilled the minute the sister's stepped into the bathrooms of the swaying trains, hoping to get some private time.

"I dunno?" Bellatrix answered, her voice sounding noncaring at all as she touched her hair up, "Maybe he fancies you..."

"Fancies me!" Narcissa exploded, "Sister dearest, stop looking at yourself for five minutes in the mirror and help me here! He makes me really... uncomfortable."

"Why?"

Narcissa wasn't too sure why Lucius Malfoy was so... intimidating, but there was an eerie presence that she couldn't understand yet. His eyes were always so degrading, and their ice blues never quite held the warmth Narcissa wanted them too. He had always been a foot or so taller then her, and his hair was shaggy, but that wasn't a major issue since he usually tied it back.

"Oh come on, Cissy," Bellatrix laughed, "You've never had a boyfriend... Dad would be thrilled to hear you were dating someone from one of the purest families in the wizarding world!"

Narcissa thought about it for a moment, then completely brushed away the idea, "He makes me feel nervous!"

"Maybe that's a good thing," Bellatrix whispered, winking.

"Bella!"

Narcissa slapped her sister's arm as she broke out into a giggling fit. A toilet flushed from one of the stalls and Narcissa grabbed her sister and exited the loo before she ran into someone she knew.

"How's Andromeda?" Severus inquired politely as the girls walked back in to the cabin.

"She's..." Bellatrix looked over to Narcissa, who shrugged, "Fine I guess."

"I doubt they even saw their sister," Rodolphus snorted, "Since she dropped by wondering where you two were."

Bellatrix muttered some excuse, which made the room laugh, but Narcissa tried to focus on sitting somewhere else, other then Lucius's lap.

But, she soon noticed that once her sister sat down, there was nowhere else to sit, and she plunked back down on Lucius's lap, and glared at Bellatrix when she giggled softly to herself.

The conversation topics moved around vastly for the first half of the train ride, ranging completely from Quidditch to vacations, but the main topic that seemed to be on everyone's mind was the Dark Arts.

"I hear that Voldemort fella is getting pretty powerful," Rodolphus said in a hushed tone. Lucius nodded his head, "He's got a good set of followers... They call themselves Death Eaters..."

"I guess there's no need to ask what you all are going to do after Hogwarts," Snape chuckled.

The seventh year boys all smirked at each other, and Regulus piped up, "It can't leave this cabin though... If Dippet finds out we're off to join the "bad lot" we'll get in right trouble."

"Well if we get in too much trouble then we could just leave," Rodolphus snapped, "I don't see the point in this school year anyway."

Narcissa was tempted to comment, but the moment she opened her mouth she felt Lucius's hands take a firmer hold on her and she silenced herself.

That was another thing she didn't like about Lucius, or about herself. He had a way to keep her quiet and in line when he wanted to, and she usually responded to the meekest of gestures, such as a glare or if he cleared his throat.

Narcissa wiggled around on his lap after a while, trying to find a more comfortable position.

"Having problems?" Lucius whispered in her ear.

She glanced over her shoulder and flicked a bit of hair in his face, "Yes... This is a little uncomfortable."

Lucius's hand drifted up and pushed her long blonde hair out of his face, and tucked it neatly behind her ear.

"I'm quite comfortable, actually," Lucius whispered, leaning back a little bit. Narcissa sighed loudly and shot Bellatrix a desperate look.

"As you very well all know, the rules seldom change from year to year."

Lucius let out a loud groan across from Narcissa and his head slammed down onto the table, making a much louder bang then he had intended too. A few teachers looked sharply in his direction, most shaking their heads as Headmaster Dippet continued his speech.

"Nicely done," Regulus muttered. "You've already managed to draw the entire room's attention to yourself less than an hour into school."

"Get stuffed, Reg," Lucius growled, rubbing his sore forehead. Narcissa wanted to laugh, but she worried Professor Slughorn, the head of Slytherin and the Potions master, would scuttle along and take off house points.

Ha. Slughorn would never take off house points; he was far too useless to remember such things. Somehow, he managed to keep his hair a deep black, while the entire school knew it was more suited to be gray. Narcissa's eyes moved along the line of teachers, seeing all too familiar faces. Rubeus Hagrid had been promoted, it seemed, to teacher status, and was sitting along with her professors. Rodolphus shot him the most hateful glare, but simply took a deep breath and leaned his head on Bellatrix's back, still listening to the long list of rules being read out.

Narcissa, however, studied the new professor, McGonagall. She had only just transferred out of her college, and was planning to work alongside Dumbledore, the Transfigurations Master. As a Slytherin, it was custom to hate every teacher besides the one that was head of House, but Narcissa found Dumbledore completely fascinated.

Very rarely would he assign something for the class to do, no essays to write. He stood up in front of the class, and just... spoke.

He told wild tales about things he had seen over the years, ridiculous things students had attempted to do with Transfiguration, and somehow, in the end, it all made sense.

"Now before you all lose sever interest, and decide to slam your heads onto the table," there was a brief titter. "Let the Feast commence!"

Looking around the Great Hall, Narcissa watched the faces of hundreds of students brighten as food suddenly appeared before their eyes. She had always loved the very first night of school. It was so rare to see one House bickering with the other, and she felt as if they were all one huge family. Soon, of course, the Slytherin attitude would kick in with everyone, including her "sweet" sister Bellatrix, and the year would resume its usual pace.

Yet for some reason that night, Narcissa wasn't enjoying herself. In fact, she had no appetite for the scrumptious food that was sitting tantalizingly in front of her. Everyone around her was filling their plates, yet when she gazed down at hers, it was empty.

"You know," Lucius stated from across the table, "You have to actually... physically putthe food on your plate... They're doing the best they can to get it to all appear in front of us."

Everyone around the pair sniggered and Narcissa looked down at her plate, not as amused as the rest.
Crabbe was rudely shoved aside and Bellatrix squished in, pushing his plate over to him and setting her plate down beside her sister.

"What's with you?" she whispered, grabbing the salad tongs and placing a scoop of salad on Narcissa's plate, "You seem less than par."

"I'm just not hungry," Narcissa muttered, picking up her fork and poking a piece of tomato in the salad, "That's all."

Bellatrix snorted, "Yeah... Just like over the summer. I'm sure you "weren't hungry" then too."

"I wasn't," Narcissa hissed sharply, making Lucius and Regulus watch the sisters from across the table discreetly with interest.

"Fine," Bellatrix snapped, "I try to help and I get nothing from you!"

Narcissa found herself growing angry with her dark haired sister. Over the summer, she had gone on a spell in which she just never felt hungry. She was never really in the mood to eat, and because of that, she ended up losing some weight. Narcissa insisted you couldn't tell the difference, but both of her sisters noticed considerably.

"You want to know what I think?" Bellatrix asked, biting off a hunk of bread, "I think you're depressed and lonely, that's what I think."

"Hmm mmm," Narcissa sighed, "but see the thing is, sister darling, I never asked what you think, nor do I care..."

"You see, normal people would be offended by that," Bellatrix laughed, "But I've learned to live with it."

"It?"

"Your very violent mood swings," Bellatrix stated. "You go from pleasant to a grumpy cow five seconds flat."

"I second that motion," Regulus said from the other side of the table, raising his right hand. Both sisters glared at him and Bellatrix snarled that they were having a private conversation.

"Geez," Regulus murmured. "They both turn into bloody cows."

Rodolphus crumpled up his napkin and chucked it at Regulus, smacking him in the forehead.

"Call my girlfriend a cow again and I'll do much worse," he snapped. Narcissa's eye widened and she set down her fork, trying to suppress a smile.

"Since when?" she whispered to Bellatrix as the boys bickered over one thing or another.

A small blush crept up on her sister's face, "This morning?"

"Hmm," Narcissa chuckled, grabbing a piece of bread, suddenly feeling her hunger return, "And I thought you guys crept off for a snog fest..."

Narcissa couldn't help but smile brilliantly as her sister's cheeks flushed a dim red.

"Don't you have a job to do, Malfoy?" Regulus asked after dinner as the small group followed the huge line of students toward the Common Room, "Head Boys are actually supposed to do somethingright about now."

"I can't be bothered," Lucius stated, "I have someone else doing it..."

Narcissa frowned, "Since when were you Head Boy?"

She had been with Lucius for most of the afternoon, and never once had he mentioned about being moved up from Prefect to Head Boy.

"Oh for Merlin's sake, Cissy," Bellatrix laughed, looking back at her sister. "You were sitting on his lap all afternoon... You didn't see the little crest on his chest?"

Narcissa stopped and grabbed Lucius by the shoulder, then looked down at his chest, stopping the almost shining little Head Boy badge.

"Wonderful…" Narcissa muttered, "Something else to boost your ego."

"What?"

She looked up and realized everyone had continued to walk, leaving the two of them behind.

"I didn't say anything!" she said quickly, pulling her hand away from his shoulder, where it had been firmly planted.

"Now that I'm Head Boy," he murmured, taking a step toward her slightly. "You have to actually show me some... respect."

There it was, that nervousness had returned with vengeance.

"That... That's what you told me when you became a Prefect," Narcissa stuttered, staring up into the cold eyes which bore down in to her.

Lucius chuckled softly, "But this time... I actually mean it."

Narcissa sat on the dark green couches in front of the fireplace, Severus sitting across from her. It was a little tradition the two of them had. Every year, for the first night, they would simply sit and watch the rest of the students scurry about, trying to find all their belongings, the sweets that had been hidden away from previous years.

Narcissa was now one of the eldest of her house, since her birthday was the third of January, and she felt much more relaxed in her final year, being the older generation of Slytherin.

Yet something that night bothered her, Severus knew it. He could tell when she wouldn't stop fiddling with her hair, her robes, and hands.

"Don't dwell on him," he said finally when the Common Room was empty.

Narcissa stifled a yawn and raised an eyebrow curiously, "Dwell on what, exactly?"

"Lucius," Severus said. "He's playing with your mind, as he does every year at the beginning. I was wondering when you would notice the pattern."

Narcissa leaned back into the couch, and her eyes moved along the floor to the green haze of the fire. It burned clearly and vividly in the fireplace. Lucius had done this to her before, and before she had also felt the anxiety he brought.

This time, however, she would need to show that she had grown up over the summer.

"Severus," she whispered. "Why does he do it?"

Severus shrugged his shoulders, some dark, greasy hair sliding onto his face, "I think he does it... simply because he can."