Disclaimer: Still don't own Potter.
Narcissa Black walked to lunch, alone, as usual. The day outside was dull. Clouds filled the sky over Hogwarts and there was a storm coming. Narcissa was terrified of storms, when she was a girl she used to hide in Andie or Bella's bed. Even when she was at Hogwarts she had slept in her sister's bed. The dormitories in Slytherin were sorted according to family so naturally Bella, Andie and her had shared one. She missed those days. She was wondering what her sisters were doing right now when she saw a familiar figure standing in the entrance hall surrounded by girls.
"Lucius?" she called.
He turned away from the girls and strode towards her. The girls glared; clearly she had just started several more rumours about herself.
"What are you doing here?" she asked as he bowed to her.
"Miss Narcissa, I had hoped I would find you. I have been to see an old friend from when I attended school here." He explained.
"You attended Hogwarts?" Narcissa was astonished. How had he been in front of her all that time and she'd never noticed?
"Yes, I was a year above Bella. I moved to Durmstrang in 6th form to learn the Dark Arts." He said.
"I never saw you."
"It was a long time ago." He added. "I was in Slytherin of course." Narcissa had never doubted it. The way he held himself, demanded authority and his cold eyes told her.
"Have you seen Bella recently? I wrote a while back but she didn't reply." She asked.
"Yes I dined with her and Rudolphus last night. She gave me a letter to give to you." He handed it to her and she slipped it into her robes.
"Did you find your friend?" she questioned.
"Yes, Professor Iratio, do you know him?" he asked.
"Yes, the DADA teacher. He is head of Slytherin and I am fond of him."
Lucius smiled, clearly pleased by her answer. "May I take you to lunch?" he asked.
Narcissa nodded. They talked throughout lunch. Not once was there an uncomfortable pause or silence. She was aware of the girls still glaring at her but was too happy in Lucius' company to care. Eventually the bell went for lessons.
"I must go, sorry." She apologised as they walked from the hall to the castle's doors. It was pouring with rain now and she could see the lightening. There was a roll of thunder and she flinched.
"Narcissa, I have been wondering. Each year the Malfoys hold a ball and I would like it very much if you came. Rudolphus and Bella are already attending and I would like a chance to speak further with you. I'll be there." He offered hopefully.
"I would love to." She replied making him smile.
He took her hand and led her into the rain. Within seconds they were drenched and their blonde hair was plastered to their faces. There was more thunder and Narcissa turned to go back into the school fear etched onto her face. But Lucius grabbed her hand and pulled her back towards him. She looked up at him and his stony eyes softened. She wondered how stupid they looked. Her fear melted as he kissed her hand again.
"Think of me during storms Narcissa." Lucius said. "Please come to my ball."
Then he was gone, heading towards the gates and the storm that she's previously been so scared of. She wished to follow but another bell went. She grabbed her books and ran to the Transfiguration classroom. She was still late.
"Good Lord Miss Black, have you been out in the rain?"
Narcissa nodded dreamily.
"Thermo." McGonagall said and Narcissa felt a wave of warm air sweep over her and she was dry. She gazed at the storm outside the window and wondered where Lucius was now. The lesson passed quickly and she managed to turn every animal of hers into a piece of furniture. She'd never been able to do that before. At the end of the lesson McGonagall approached her.
"You did well today Narcissa. I don't know what you have done but keep it up."
Narcissa smiled. She knew what she'd done. She'd fallen in love with Lucius Malfoy and she thought that maybe, just maybe he liked her to.
She had to wait until dinner to read Bella's letter.
Dear Cissy
I'm in bed with Rudolphus writing this. Thanks for the letter. We are fine, but tired. Wink, wink How is Hogwarts? Dull I suppose. Scare a couple of kids for me. I'm sending this with Lucius. I don't know how soon he'll find you but I know he'll look. He talked about you at dinner last night. Please come to the ball. See you in 2 weeks, we'll go shopping again for gowns.
Miss you
Bella
Narcissa laughed, subtlety had never been Bella's strong point. She slipped the letter back in her cloak. Had Lucius really been talking about her? The storm had stopped now and she rather wished it was still there, to remind her of Lucius. She was gazing out the window when she heard them.
"She's sleeping with him, the slut."
"And the rest of Slytherin I heard."
"I heard she sleeps with her sister's husband."
"As if anyone would sleep with her."
There was cruel laughter. Narcissa paled and her eyes filled with tears.
"I think she's heard us."
"Serves her right, the tart."
Narcissa left her food and ran from the hall all the way back to the room of requirements. The slytherins left her alone for a couple of weeks. Clearly they thought they had done enough damage. For a while Narcissa agreed with them but then she remembered what Bella had said. She rose above it. She smiled if they insulted her, walked with her head high and worked harder in lessons. She asked Dumbledore to let her go shopping with Bella and he agreed as she'd been working so hard. So on a cold Saturday morning in November Narcissa ran from the castle to her sister who was waiting impatiently for her at the gates.
By afternoon Bella brought nearly an entire shop but Narcissa had only brought two dresses. She couldn't find one she loved enough for the ball. Eventually she spotted it. It was on a manikin. She dragged Bella into the shop and tried it on. It was perfect. The green silk floated around her and the arms of the dress made it appear as though she had wings. Black sequins were sewn onto the hem and neckline.
"The dress was made for you." Bella said. Narcissa silently agreed. She paid and they left the shop.
"Shoes?" Bella said. Narcissa laughed and followed her sister into the shoe shop. An hour later the girls sat in the club.
"What do you want for your birthday?" Bella asked.
Narcissa gasped, it was her birthday on Wednesday and she'd forgotten.
"You must want something. How about Luscious??!!"
Narcissa raised her eyebrows. "I don't mind Bella. You buy the best presents anyway." She wasn't lying. Bella always brought beautiful gifts. Another thought struck her. Her trace would be removed. She could do magic legally. She returned to Hogwarts much happier.
For the first time she slept in her old dormitory. Andie's and Bella's beds were empty and she was lonely in the room. There were too many memories. This was where Bella had first met Rudolphus when he accidentally stumbled into their dormitory. She had hexed him so badly Narcissa had been surprise he'd survived. This was where Andie had taught her "Wingardium Leviosa." She loved this room but it wasn't the same anymore so in the morning she went to Dumbledore and told him the dormitory was vacant. He smiled and said she was free to stay in the Room of Requirements as long as she liked. She wondered how he'd known but didn't dwell on it. She moved her stuff from the room and locked it. Someday her children would use it and Bellas but now it was closed. She stalked past the slytherins hoping they'd wonder where she was staying. After that Monday and Tuesday passed quickly.
On Wednesday morning she woke up, happy. Which was unusual for her. She went into the great hall where she ate breakfast in silence. There was a fluttering above her. Post. Her owl, Artemis dropped a small box in her lap. There was a note.
Forgiven? Happy Birthday. Andie.
She opened the box. Inside lay a small pair of emerald earrings. Bella had obviously told her about the ball. Blood was thicker than water she supposed.
Next came Bella's owl Orion. He dropped two presents.
What did Luscious get you? Hope you like them. Bella.
She opened the small box first. Inside was a silver brooch with a diamond B on for the Ancient and Noble House of Black. The bigger parcel was harder to open. She gasped when she saw what was inside. It was the Nimbus 1997. She had just been brought the fastest and most expensive broom in the world. There was a note on it. "Bring to the ball." She was wondering what that meant when yet another owl flew in. It was the family owl bringing sweets and a cake. Another owl dropped a parcel on her head. It was from Rudolphus, a book on Broomstick Care. She was disappointed because there was no gift from Lucius and was about to leave the hall when a large snowy owl flew in through the window and dropped a parcel by her. Then it sat and waited patiently. The note simply said:
Are you still coming? I hope so. I brought this to match your dress. This is Apollo, he'll wait for your reply. Lucius.
Narcissa laughed at the coincidence of their owl's names matching. Then scribbled yes on the back of the note and sent Apollo on his way. She opened the parcel. There was the largest necklace of diamonds lying inside that Narcissa had ever seen and a bracelet of emeralds. Clearly the Malfoy fortune was large if he could afford this for a girl he barely knew. She picked up the paper to dispose of it and a small silver grip fell out. It was shaped like a lightening bolt. She smiled a reminder of the storm. As she was about to leave for the second time Orion pecked her hard. She wrote a quick note to Andie thanking her then one to Bella detailing the necklace and bracelet. She didn't tell her about the grip. That was private. She felt the slytherins girls' stares on her all the way from the hall. She knew they would make her life more diffiult now.
She returned to the room of requirements and placed her broomstick in the corner, her jewellery on a manakin and her book by her bed. She ate a chocolate frog and left the rest for later. By lunch everybody knew that she had the Nimbus 1997 and that Lucius Malfoy was buying her jewellery. People called out to her. Some were nice. Most weren't. She didn't care, she was going to the Malfoy's Ball and it was going to be perfect.