Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Samson
Beneath the sheets of paper lies my truth
Are you free this weekend?
He'd scribbled the note. He was intending on asking her out, finally.
It was in Potions, Slughorn was droning on and on and on. He didn't hear a word of it. He was staring at the back of her head, her curly black hair pulled into that neat bun, sat upright and alert, her hand moving methodically as she took down the words that he barely registered. He knew that her writing was tight, fluid, like an enticing lullaby the way it scrolled along the parchment. He knew because he had been ill recently, a bad bout of flu, and she had lent him her notes, albeit reluctantly. Aurelia, as a Hufflepuff and Shacklebolt had every right to be suspicious of his motives. But they were always partnered during Prefect duties as an example of unlikely House members that got along, and he had returned them just as he had been given them. Pristine.
It frustrated him that she was not in his House. It would make everything so much easier. Lucius fought his urge to fidget as nerves bubbled up inside of him. This was dangerous; anyone could find out what he was doing, and then he would lose all his social standing, he would be ridiculed, his father would get wind of this and kill him most likely, and for what? For a crush?
So consumed in his thoughts, he did not notice when Narcissa Malfoy leaned over as she often did, despite his expressed annoyance.
"What are you hiding?" she whispered.
He pushed the note further into his notes.
"Nothing."
His response did not deter her, and she reached long pale fingers into his notes and pulled out what he had been trying to hide. As her face lit up, his face fell. Of course the young woman Abraxas Malfoy was so desperate for him to marry would assume it was for her. Of course his family standing would continue to ruin his life.
"Oh, Lucius!"
He plastered on a smile.
"I guess you found it."
For years to come, he would wonder what would have happened if he had not allowed Narcissa believe the note was for her. He would wonder what his life would have bee like had he given it to the dark beauty who had turned her head to see what the commotion was about.
