July 10th, 1978
Chapter Four
The ball room was full of people in elaborate dresses, and dressing robes. Masks covered their faces. All in their best, and most expensive attire.
They all looked up as Cygnus and Druella Black walked around the corner, with Narcissa in between them. They stopped at the top of the staircase, and all eyes looked up to her. Her dress was an emerald green ball gown. It had a slight drop waist, showing off her hourglass figure. It was strapless, and she was wearing matching green evening gloves. Her hair was pulled into a vintage early 1900s style, that mixed her blonde and brunette hair into curls. Her make-up, darker than usual, made her eyes pop even more, and wrapped with a black metal mask.
Lucius, who wore a matching outfit and mask, greeted her at the top of the stairs. He took her hand from her parents, and led his fiancé down the stairs. The crowd parted, and they began to dance in the middle of the ballroom inside Malfoy Manor. He held her close, and danced with exact steps. The crowd watched in awe, and envy. Envy over seeing what they believed was the perfect couple. Envy over both of their unmistakable beauty.
When the song came to an end Narcissa couldn't wait to get out of Lucius's hands. She was able to play this off by running over to her old roommates from Hogwarts as the next couple entered.
"It's so lovely to see you all," she said with a smile.
"You too!" They all said with genuine glee. But then Narcissa caught a boy with long black hair, and matching black dressing robe standing in the back. His mask was a simple black mask, that didn't hide his large nose.
"If you'll excuse me," she told them, and walked past them, lifting her dress up to walk. She moved over to him, and wrapped her arms around him. "I'm so glad you could make it, Severus!" She exclaimed.
"Miss the annual Malfoy Masquerade Party, I don't think so," he said with a smile. "I won't be able to make it here for your birthday in a few days, so here." He took out a small box from his rob.
Narcissa took it, and unwrapped the gift. A beautiful pair of special made spider earrings laid in the box.
"I love it," she said, and gave him a tight huge once more. Lucius walked up to them.
"There is my Best Man," Lucius said with a grin, and hugged Snape lightly.
"Nice to see you again, Lucius," Severus told him.
"You too."
"Are you ready for the wedding next month?" Severus asked.
"I think she's been pushing it off for too long," he said, and gripped Narcissa's side. He pulled her closer to him. She forced a smile, and looked to Severus. He could see the pain in her eyes.
"Well, I wish you both nothing but happiness," Severus said. "Would you guys like drinks?"
"Please," she said with a small smile. He moved quickly over to the buffet table and grabbed three glasses of wine. He walked back over to them, and handed each of them one. They moved to a table, and sat. Naricssa set the box on the table.
They began drinking their wine, and looked across the ballroom floor.
"Ten pounds someone trips in the next ten minutes," Lucius said. Narcissa smiled.
"Deal, but no magic making anyone trip."
"I'm in," Severus added. They waited patiently for someone to trip, until finally Severus stuck his foot out making the person in front of him fall and land in his date cleavage. She screeched, and pushed him off. The three of them at the table, were laughing uncontrollably. Severus handed Lucius ten pounds.
"That was worth it," Severus said, as the boy he tripped chased after his date. Lucius took the money, and continued to laugh.
The sever came around with a new batch of drinks, and they all realized they finished their glasses. They accepted their new drinks, and began joking again.
They joked for another hour and a half, and consuming large of amount of alcohol. Finally Lucius stood, and almost fell over. He chuckled at himself.
"I'm going to go to bed, before I pass out in front of everyone." He turned to Severus. "Nice to see you my friend." Then turned to Narcissa. He kissed her, reminding everyone there who she belonged to. "Goodnight," he said to all, and headed off to his room for the night.
Narcissa sighed, and looked over to Severus. "Would you like to dance?"
"Oh, I think I am to drunk to dance," he protested.
"Come on, just one dance! I have been sitting all night!" She pushed. He exhaled heavily.
"Fine," he gave in. He stood, and reached out for her hand. She slipped her hand in his, and he helped her stand. He led them to the dance floor. He turned towards her, placed on hand on her hip, and the other in a waltz position. They looked over to the others, seeing where the dance was, and quickly joined in. Their steps were in perfect time to the ones around them.
Severus dropped her other hand, and placed both on her hips. He lifted her, but his drunken footing took over. They both fell down to the cold marble ground. Narcissa began laughing uncontrollably, and he couldn't help but join her.
"You were right, you are to drunk to dance," she said through her laughed. She was laughing so hard she snorted, and her hand flew over her mouth. This small thing made them laugh even more. His hand rested on both sides of her, and his face was no more than an inch away. She stopped breathing, and looked into his eyes. She cleared her throat and he pulled himself off of her. He looked down at his already bruised hand.
"I think I broke my hand," he told her. She stood up, and helped him off the dance floor. She looked at his hand.
"Can you heal yourself?" She asked him.
"No."
"I don't have my wand with me… Follow me," she said. She went to the table quickly to grab his gift to her, and started out of the ballroom.
His heart sunk a little, the last time she said that he had received his first, and last, kiss. She remembered this bit as well, but still marched forward. She led them to her room at Malfoy Manor. She was staying there until the wedding, and then the house became theirs.
He entered her room, and it had large green walls, with 5 mirrors and large black marble furniture. She walked over to her desk, set the necklace on top, and picked up her wand from a secret drawer in the desk. She moved over to Severus, and closed her eyes. It was clear she didn't need words to do most magic. The purple in his hand floated from his hand.
She noticed how warm her hand was in his, and looked up to his eyes. They could see need in both their eyes. Need of love. Need of something more than the life they were dealt. She dropped her hand, and took off her mask. She stepped back, and then rushed to the bathroom. She slammed shut the bathroom door, and leaned over the sink. She turned on the tap, took off her gloves, and splashed warm water over her face.
She took a deep breath, and heard a knock on the door. She opened the door, and was not surprised to see Severus. What did surprise her was when she was pushed against her desk by him. She looked for his eyes, and found them gazing at her face. His hand wrapped around to the back of her neck. He kissed her deeply, and all their worries melted away. All worries about life, and what they knew was to come with the war ahead.
His hand moved over her chest, though it was blocked by her corset and bodice. She pulled away, and looked into his eyes. His hand was shaking, and she could feel it. They could still smell the liquor in each other's breath.
"I've never done this before," he confessed.
"Done what?" She asked, and felt his hand shaking over her breast. "Oh," she said, opening her eyes a little more. "That?" He pulled away, and around, ashamed and embarrassed.
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have. I know you would never do that with someone like me. You are too beautiful, and deserve someone beautiful, like Lucius."
"You are beautiful to me. We deserve compassion, and carrying," she told him. "Something I know Lucius can never give to me." She grabbed Snape's arm, and made him face her again. "Something I know you can… When you kiss me, I forget my life and my reality."
"Me too… I know I love Lily, more than anything, but when I am with you I forget all the pain I've ever felt."
She smiled lightly. She lifted his hand, and placed it back on her breast. She leaned in close to his ear.
"I will help you," she whispered into his ear.
She kissed from his neck, back to his lips. Her left hand unbuttoned his dressing robe, and undershirt. She pushed the fabric off his shoulder. He broke away from her hand only long enough to take off his clothing. Once he placed his hand back in hers, her other hand was working on undoing her corset. He took his free hand, and helped her. She slipped out of her dress, and took in a deep breath, finally being able to breathe correctly. His hand now fully able to feel her skin.
She loved how soft his touch was, and how much it warmed her. She grabbed his wrist, and began dragging his hand down her body. She stopped at her hips, and then moved it backward to her back. She took his other hand, and moved it down her thigh. She had him lift her leg to his hip. Her lips clenched to his with desire. Her palms ran over his small frame. His hands began shaking again, and he dropped her leg.
He pulled away, scared. She smiled lightly at his shyness.
"You alright?" She barely got past her lips. She wanted him more than she'd wanted anyone else.
"I'm scared."
"I know, just follow my lead. You want something easier to start with?" She asked.
"If we could."
She grabbed his hand, and guided him to her bed. She laid across her bed, and Severus couldn't help but follow her. She grabbed the back of his neck, and led him downward till he was laying on top of her. She moved her legs to both sides of him and pulled away from his kiss.
"I'm ready," she told him. Once more he began shaking. "Severus, it'll be fine. You want this just as bad as I do," she said. She put her hands on both sides of his face. "I can feel you want this bad," she said, point out his hard shaft. He blushed. "There is nothing to be scared, or nervous, about. You can do this."
She kissed him again, and he let her words be his encouragement. was in the house he wanted bu He pushed himself into her, and she broke the kiss. She gasped heavily, and gripped the strands of his hair tightly. Her whole body moved with his.
"Did I hurt you?" He asked worried.
"No," she said with a smile. She opened her eyes, to match his. "Again," she begged, grinding her hips. He let a small moan escape his lips, and move inside her once more.
The morning climbed through the windows, and Severus lifted his head. He looked down to see Narcissa, his best friends fiancé, naked with his arm wrapped around her. The odd thing was, was he didn't regret a single thing from the night before. He felt glad, and relieved with her so close to him.
He couldn't believe such a beautiful creature had given herself up to him, in mind, body, and soul. His hand smoothed over her back, she stirred lightly. He didn't want to wake her, not yet. He wanted to gaze at her.
His mind drifted to thoughts of what life would be like with her. If he didn't love Lily. If Narcissa wasn't arranged to marry Lucius. What it would be like if things could be good for the both of them. He imagined having a few children running their home, casting spells. Being out of Voldemort's grasp.
He sighed, knowing this could only be a fantasy. He wished it could be true. Life would be easier that way.
There was a knock on her door, and she opened her eyes. She looked up and saw Severus in front of her. She grinned widely, at him. Another knock rang though her room.
"Narcissa," her mothers' voice called out from the other side. Narcissa's face dropped. She sat up, and searched for her robe.
"One moment, please," she yelled back. She looked over to Severus. "Hide," she whispered as loud as she could.
"Where?"
"I don't know," she said, with panic. She walked over to him, and pushed him off her bed. He fell to the ground with a thud. She ran to the door, and opened it. "Morning, Mother."
"Morning. What was that sound?"
"What sound?" She asked, nervous.
"It sounded like something fell."
"Oh, I tripped, is all," she lied. She rubbed her wrist, as pretending it is what caught her fall.
"Very well. I was coming down to see why you weren't at the breakfast table."
"I over slept. I think I will just miss breakfast today… Anything else?"
"Yes, we are going into London at 3 to get your dress fitted. It is your last fitting, so it probably best your missing breakfast."
"Will Bella be joining us? I didn't see her last night."
"That is because you disappeared before she arrived, but yes she will coming as well."
"Thank you."
Her mother walked away, and Narcissa shut the door. She ran over to her bed, and climbed over it. She saw Severus laying on the ground. His hand cradling his head.
"That hurt, you know," Severus told her. She chuckled.
"I'm sorry, if I hadn't answered soon she would have just entered," she reached out her hand, and helped him up. He sat beside her on the bed, and covered himself with her bedding. He tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear.
"Thank you," he said.
"For?"
"Last night. I can't explain to you how much it meant to me."
She smiled wearily. "I am to be married in three and a half weeks," she reminded him.
"I know," he looked down. "But I can never forget this."
"Me either. When I am with Lucius, it's just sex. Most of the time I don't even want to, but he guilts me into it… He only cares about his satisfaction, and the physical… I thought that is all it was. Last night, you showed me different. You showed me the emotion behind it. That when you do it with someone you actually care about, everything just washes away. All worries, and concerns. That the only thing that matters is that other person."
Severus grabbed her hand. "I wish we could have each other. That I wasn't in love with Lily, and you didn't have to marry Lucius. That we could be together, and everything would be okay."
"But I do have to marry Lucius, and you will never love anyone more that you love Lily," she said, with a sad tone.
"What if-" he stopped himself. "No, never mind."
"What is it? Tell me," she pleaded.
"We both know we cannot be happy in the lives we have to live with… What if we had each other to…" he trailed off.
"Escape to. Actually feel something other than hate and pain," she finished. He nodded. "Cheat on my husband? Severus, I can't…"
"Would you rather live with him, have only him… Never feel passion again?"
She bit her lip. "No," she whispered. "And you need to feel numb to Lily and James being engaged." He nodded, trying to hold back tears. "So, we are going to do this? Have an affair?"
"Well, when you put it like that-"he started, but she cut him off by pressing her lips against his again. She pushed him backwards against the bed, and climbed on top of him. She sat up, untied her robe and let it fall off her shoulders. "I will never get over how truly beautiful you are."
She smirked, and leaned down back down to him. Her lips moved over his, and her hands over his chest, up to his arms. She pinned his arms over his head, and pulled her mouth away from his.
"You have to be very quiet," she warned. He grinned and nodded.
