Thank you, thank you, thank you to my reader, and especially my reviews. Thank you! Thank you!

Its finals week so I wanted to get this chapter up and running before I got too far behind. Thank you all!

Val

xoxo

First Year Part III: Christmas

Narcissa plopped herself in her chair and curled up to a book about a witch and a wizard who fall in love, but she doesn't know he's her true love till the end of the story. Bellatrix was out with the Lestranges again and Andromeda was catching up on some homework that was due the day she got back from school. Narcissa could never understand why her nose stayed in a book all day. Druella came into the living room and sighed. "For goodness sake, Narcissa." She said with an agitated look on her face already. "Do not slouch and for God's sake do not put your feet on the couch." Narcissa gave her mother a scowl and adjusted herself on the couch.

Druella reached toward her and pinched Narcissa's cheek hard her eyes started to water. Narcissa winced in pain and looked up at her mother reluctantly. "Soften that look young lady." Druella commanded, staring down at her teary eyed daughter with a cold expression.

Narcissa forced herself to calm her expression down a bit and Druella let go of her cheek. Narcissa turned back to her book and started reading again trying to ignore the pain radiating in her cheek, while her mother sat beside her. "When is daddy-."

"Daddy?" Druella asked with an eyebrow raised on her stern pale face.

"Sorry…Father." Narcissa corrected herself and waited for her mothers nod of approval in order to continue. "When is Father getting back?" she asked.

"Soon, my dear. He was away on business in Paris, but he should be back by today. He missed you all."

Narcissa couldn't help but smile. Cygnus was the only person that kept her wanting to go back home. He sent her treats and letters every chance he got. Instead of sending a howler and embarrassing her in front of all the kids at school, he scolded her but more or less gave her words of encouragement. "He probably tripped you because he liked you." She remembered the letter saying.

"Some way of showing that he liked me." She remembered writing back. Cygnus always looked at things with a sense of humor unlike Druella. Narcissa wondered how they ever managed to live in the same house. She thought about it for a while and the answer was simple. It was an arranged marriage. They learned how to get along. How could she learn to even get along with him if he's going to act like such a jerk?

"Happy Christmas!" she heard a voice exclaim. Narcissa eyes widen, jumped off the couch and ran toward the voice. Cygnus's dark hair with streaks of graying coming in at the temple appeared before her his arms widened to greet her. "Do not run in the house!" she heard Druella snap but she didn't care. She jumped into her father's arms and hugged around his neck. "My little Pixie." He said in admiration. "A few months away and you're already getting taller."

"Hey Dad." She said kissing him on his bearded cheek. "Where have you been? I've been waiting for you all day?"

"Well I had several orders of business to attend to so I could spend Christmas evening with my little girl."

Even though she was eleven he still treated her like she was five. It was refreshing to not act like a lady every once in a blue moon and just be a kid. The blonde girl smiled looking into her Father's eyes and knowing he was in one of his good moods today. Narcissa heard footsteps coming from upstairs and them coming down the stairs. Andromeda turned the corner and smiled at Cygnus. "What did I say about running?" Druella snapped but once again she was ignored. Andromeda wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek. "Hey daddy." She said.

"Hello Andy." Cygnus placed Narcissa back on the floor and hugged his eldest daughter, tightly. "Where's Bella?" he asked looking over her shoulder

"She isn't here." Andromeda said lazily. "She's out with the Lestrange's."

"Oh." Cygnus said handing his coat to one of the house elves and walking into the living room and kissed his wife on the cheek as quickly as he could. "I think you girls will like Christmas this year."

"What did you get me?" Narcissa asked her eyes widened with anticipation, praying that somewhere her father had hidden the pearl bracelet she wanted since she saw it plastered in the jewelry shop. Cygnus shook his head. "Not till Christmas my dear." Narcissa pouted but he playfully tugged her cheek. Soon her pout turned into a bright smile. "I told you not to buy them all those presents." Druella replied darkly, pretending to be fascinated with her book.

"It's once a year Druella." Cygnus said. The light tone in his voice grew darker and more serious. Druella put her book down and said in a lower voice than his. "I mean you're spoiling them."

"Once a year, Druella. It won't hurt."

"Fine. I suppose since they're away at school all year. I suppose its fine to give them a few extra presents."

"Oh, only if you don't mind." Cygnus said dryly, the hint of disdain in his voice. Druella ignored him and turned back to her book, her nose pointed in the air. Cygnus shook his head and sat on the couch. One of the house elves already had a bottle of fire whiskey and a glass, Cygnus poured the strong smelling liquid into a glass and gulped it down. "So how's school girls?" he asked as he loosened up.

"Perfect markings." Andromeda said handing the rolled up parchment to him, her markings sheet all with perfect grades. Cygnus nodded with approval. "Good job Andromeda. All Outstandings." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a couple galleons and handed it to her. "That's for you." Druella sucked her teeth and shook her head although she once again, pretended to be focused on her book. "Spoiling them…" she muttered. Cygnus ignored her and turned to Narcissa. "What about you Pixie?"

Narcissa hesitated, walked to the couch and gave him her end of the semester markings on crinkled parchment. She knew she wasn't doing too well in Muggle Studies or Transfiguration, but why did she need to bother with learning about Muggles? They were all pointless beings anyway. Cygnus nodded his head with approval. "I'm not worried about Muggle studies, but I would like to see better on Transfiguration. Good job Pixie." He said handing her a couple galleons of her own. "Did you see their grades Druella?"

"Yes." She said putting her book down. "They did fair."

Narcissa tried not to take the comment to heart, but her mother's words always stung like the prick of a needle. She learned to put on an excellent game face. Druella took pride off of the reaction she received. "Well I'm proud." Cygnus said with a sweet smile on his face, kissing his girls on the cheek.

Druella glanced at Narcissa and shook her head. "Cissy please…" she said. "Next time you do your hair, have one of your sisters tie your hair up. Having it down in your face, makes you look more and more like a prostitute."

"Yes Mother." Narcissa said scooting closer to her father. Andromeda cleared her throat. "I'll help her next time Mother."

"You should've helped her this time Andromeda. Never let her leave that bedroom till she has it right."

"Yes Mother." Andromeda said wearily. Druella nodded her head and looked up from her book to look at Narcissa. "I hope your problems with Mr. Malfoy has been solved."

"He stays out my way, and I stay out of his."

"Oh Narcissa please be mature. You're going to see him Christmas night anyway."

"But Mother-!" Narcissa exclaimed almost going into a fit of rage. Her blonde hair flew in her face and the galleons in her fist were crushed so tightly in her palm that it hurt. Druella narrowed her eyes at her. "Narcissa." She said in a daring voice. "Now… I don't ask that much from you girl," She clenched her teeth. "Do not mess this up. I've noticed Violet Parkinson pushing her pug faced daughter Rose with Abraxas. That spot is yours. Don't give the Malfoy's any reason to double cross us, do you understand?"

Narcissa opened her mouth to protest. She may have been young but she was headstrong enough not to care about what Rose or Violet had to do with the Malfoys. He could have them as long as she didn't have to marry him. Narcissa sighed and gave up. There was no way she could win a verbal dispute with Druella. She was suffocating and over powering. Narcissa turned to Cygnus who had a defeated look upon his features as well. Cygnus touched his daughters hand.

"I know you don't get it. But it's important that we keep our pure blood going as far as we can. Andromeda will soon be married and will do her duty and the same is expected for yourself and Bellatrix. One day you'll understand." Cygnus said softly. Andromeda shifted uncomfortably between her two parents and cleared her throat. "Well…I need to finish some homework." She waited patiently for her mother to nod her head and dismiss her, and Andromeda quickly went up the stairs.

"I won't marry him…" Narcissa muttered. Druella either didn't hear her or didn't care to what she had to say because she turned back to her book and read silently

"Happy Christmas." Lucius said with a sneer on his face and handing a neatly wrapped green colored box. Narcissa took the box and looked down at it not sure of how to take the gift. The smirk that he flashed at her was frozen on his features. All Narcissa wanted to do was punch it off. He placed his hands behind his back. "Erm…" she hesitated. "Thank you. Yes, thank you."

Narcissa placed his gift on a nearby table and grabbed the gift Druella had bought for him but wrote Narcissa's name on it. If she had the choice of gift she'd place another curse in the silver colored box. He took it and was stunned by how heavy it really was. "Thank you." He said putting the box down on the lounge chair. They both made a silent agreement not to open their presents, refusing to give the other person the satisfaction of them actually liking their gifts.

They stood in complete silence. Narcissa noticed her mother talking to the Malfoys and making conversation, falsely laughing at very unfunny jokes and engaging in "stimulating" conversation. According to Narcissa it was boring. She was probably boasting about how excellent her daughters were doing in school and how much of a good mother she was. For once she wished Druella would pull her over and force her to tell the Malfoys how she liked Hogwarts so far. At least under her mother's boasting would separate her from their spawn.

"So…" he said trying to make conversation, the more he tried to talk to her the more she disliked her. She couldn't even tolerate the sneer he always had on his damn face if he didn't utter a word. "How's classes?"

"Fine." Narcissa said folding her arms and leaning against the wall. She tugged on the sleeve of her new red velvet robes and cleared her throat, another few minutes of silence passed between them each minute getting even more painful. Narcissa let the minutes tick go as she played with the pearl bracelet her father bought her.

"Well?" Lucius said after several minutes of waiting.

"Well what?" Narcissa asked not looking at him, but at Bellatrix and Andromeda bickering amongst themselves. "Aren't you going to apologize?"

Narcissa's mouth dropped and her eyes darted toward him. He flashed her that look that really got under his skin. She could just kick him. "Apologize for what?" she snapped.

"For ruining my hair, my face… it was humiliating."

"Now you know how I felt when you tripped me! You started it, Malfoy. I just finished it."

"How mature of you." He said calmly. "So this is what I'm supposed to marry? A vengeful brat who can't take a joke."

"Right Malfoy. You just explained yourself."

"Perhaps, but at least I'm the better looking one." Lucius said with an eyebrow raised. Narcissa balled her fist and was tempted to punch him but she looked at her mother Druella who had one eye on her the entire time. He knew he could get away with being a brat, at least for now. Narcissa relaxed her fist and nodded. "Alright, Lucius." She said. "I will apologize. As long as you apologize first."

"Not even if I had the choice of dying, Miss. Black." Lucius spat.

"Then I guess you won't hear an apology from me, Mr. Malfoy."