That night was the first night Regulus Black and I shared a bed. After we'd recovered and composed ourselves, we rejoined the party. Hardly anyone had noticed we were gone, except our mothers, who looked smug, my father, who looked stern, and Lucius, who was imitating Father's expression. Of course, the majority of the guests were staying overnight, and at about one o' clock, they began drifting up to bed.

I came out of my bathroom in a ridiculous silk negligee that my mother had insisted on me having and found Reg in my bed.

"Do you mind if I stay?" he asked, reverting back to his usual formal self.

"Of course not," I said, slipping my earrings out and returning them to the jewellery box.

"I'm always surprised by you," he said suddenly. "Here you are, no make up, as bare as you can possibly be without being naked, and I still think you're absolutely stunning."

I climbed into bed next to him. "You don't have to try so hard. You have me now. I'm not going anywhere."

He grabbed my hand and kissed it. "I like complimenting you. I'm going into London tomorrow to get a ring... do you want to come with me or shall I surprise you?"

"I think you'll know the perfect one when you see it," I told him, pecking him on the lips before settling down to sleep.

A few minutes later, his arms crept around me and pulled me close to him. We stayed like that all night.

When I woke up the next morning, he was gone, and there was a note on his pillow.

Lucilla,

I've gone to London with my Mother and yours, to pick a ring for you. I promise it will be beautiful, but no beauty compares with yours.

I love you.

There was a knock on the door, and Alecto came in.

"Well?" she demanded.

"Well what?" I tried to play innocent, but she knew something had happened.

"First, aren't you mad at Cal? And second, what the hell happened when you disappeared last night?"

I sighed. "No, I'm not mad at her. She was drunk and got carried away. She's used to guys wanting her, I don't think it ever occurred to her that Reg didn't."

Alecto bit her lip, looking worried. "I know you love her to bits... but she's not a good friend."

"Well I'm her friend, and if she decides she wants to be mine, then that's fine," I said flatly.

"Merlin, you should be a Hufflepuff," Alecto said. "You're too nice for your own good, you know that right?"

I laughed. "I think I would've been disowned if I was a Hufflepuff."

She smacked me playfully. "You're avoiding the next question."

I blushed, and she crowed with victory.

"Where is he now?" she asked.

"He's... he's buying a ring," I couldn't quite wrap my head around it.

Alecto shrieked and threw herself on me in a hug. "Oh my God, you're going to be Mrs Lucilla Black!"

"We can't actually get married until we're seventeen," I reminded her. "Reg is sixteen in January and I'm sixteen in March, so we still have over a year to go."

Alecto waved her hand in a way that suggested that this detail was unimportant. "That's still a year to plan the best day of your life! You two fit so well together. I bet you'll be pregnant before you're out of Hogwarts."

"I bloody better not be," I panicked. "All this work on my figure just gone to waste."

"We're back!" I heard Mother trill as she came through the front door and up the stairs. "Darling, get dressed, you're spending the afternoon with Regulus and his family."

I scrambled out of bed and leapt in the shower. Alecto used various charms on my hair to dry and style it as I grabbed my most semi formal robes out of my wardrobe.

Once I was ready, I Flooed to Grimmauld Place. When I stepped out of the fireplace in the living room, I noticed that there were candles floating all around the room.

"Reg?" I called out, as no one was around. There was a crack, and a house elf appeared.

"Mistress and Master Black send their apologies, Miss, but only Master Regulus is here today," he bowed deeply. "Kreacher has been instructed to welcome you to the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black. Kreacher will take your cloak and fetch Master Regulus."

"Thank you, Kreacher," I said, handing him my cloak. He bowed, and with another crack, he was gone. I looked towards the sofa, which was scattered with white rose petals. I ran my fingers through them; they were so very soft.

"Do you like it?" Regulus said quietly, leaning against the doorframe and gesturing to the room.

"White roses can't possibly remind you of me now. I'm not exactly pure anymore," I teased him, and he blushed.

"Maybe not, but you are mine," he responded, coming into the room and pulling me up from my seat to kiss me. It was just a gentle kiss, his lips merely brushing mine, but it sent my pulse racing. His hand brushed my neck and he felt my heartbeat speed up.

"I haven't even got the ring out yet," he smiled.

"I forgot about that," I admitted. When he kissed me, I'd been reminded of last night, and that had distracted me somewhat.

He took my hand and led me towards the sofa, where he sat facing me. "Let's talk."

"About what?"

He shrugged. "What we want out of life, I suppose."

"There's not much I want," I began. "Really, just to be happy."

He smiled. "I like that. I need to tell you something, because I need your support."

"Anything," I said.

"I want to join the Dark Lord."

"Ok," I said slowly. I wasn't really sure what I thought. I knew Lucius followed the Dark Lord. It was a noble cause, but a dangerous one.

"He's working to make the world a better place," Reg said, presenting his argument. "He can offer us protection. He can keep us safe."

"Ok," I said again. "I think I can get on board with that."

He smiled, and kissed me again. He slipped down onto one knee on the floor, pulling a small velvet box out of his pocket.

Oh God, this was actually happening. I still couldn't believe it.

"If you don't like it, I can get another one," he said anxiously, handing it to me. With shaking hands, I opened it. Inside was the most gorgeous ring I'd ever seen. It was goblin made platinum, with two pale sapphires surrounding a sparkling diamond.

"Oh Reg," I gasped, tears coming to my eyes. "It's beautiful."

"Look inside the band," he said, smiling with relief. The flickering candles illuminated an engraving; our initials and the date. R.A.B & L.A.M, 26.12.1976.

"Lucilla Aurora Malfoy," he began. "I love you. Will you do me the honour of being my wife, of joining the House of Black?"

"Oh God yes!" I choked out, and threw myself onto his shoulder. He kissed the top of my head as I cried on his shoulder.

"I think I want two kids," he said later that night, while we were laying in bed, hands entwined.

"Not now," I mumbled sleepily in reply and he chuckled, his lips grazing my neck. I shivered.

"Not now, but we could get some practice in," he suggested, his grey eyes blazing.

I was on top of him and out of my nightdress before he could say another word.