Author's Note: Hey, everyone. Here is the next chapter. I don't really like it, but I'm hoping you all will... It's quite long... I combined two chapters. I know it's really, really slow-moving and I apologize profusely. Enjoy.
Thanks to Az (Inkfire) for beta-reading this one.
Chapter Nine: Dinner & a Fight
I hadn't received my class schedule for this coming year, so I wasn't able to buy my books. However, I figured that I could do with a few new school supplies – a new cauldron, new bottles of ink, new quills, some more parchment (apparently, they'd come out with colored parchment that smelt according to its color) and I thought that maybe I'd get myself a new owl. My owl, Muffin, was getting old. I decided to head over to Potage's Cauldron Shop.
Inside of the shop, it was dim and damp. I sighed, annoyed that some shopkeepers couldn't take proper care of their shops, and began to move around the small store. The owner, Potage, nodded in acknowledgment to me. He was a tall, dark-skinned half-blood. Without smiling at him, I turned away and started on my hunt. I was moving down an aisle, completely absorbed in reading about each cauldron when I bumped into someone. I jumped back, my hand over my heart.
"Oh, I'm so sor— Mr. Malfoy!" I exclaimed, even though I was addressing the Malfoy heir.
"Narcissa," Lucius said with a smile. I blushed and was suddenly thankful for the dimly lit shop. "It's a surprise to see you here."
"Is it?" I replied, more as a statement than a question. I titled my head to the side. "Why is that?"
Lucius chuckled. "I merely assumed you'd send someone else out to do your shopping," he responded, still smiling.
I laughed. "Did you now?" I asked haughtily. I looked at the shelf of cauldrons and found the exact one I was looking for. "You've got a lot to learn about women, then. Get that cauldron, by the way," I added, nodding to the same cauldron I had picked up. "You're shopping for school supplies, correct?" Lucius nodded. Then we headed up to the till to pay.
"So, enlighten me: what do I have to learn about women?" Lucius asked as we stepped out onto the street again.
I glanced at him with a smirk. "Shopping is our specialty," I explained to him as we walked slowly.
Lucius laughed. "Speaking of shopping," he began, "can you tell me where I can get fitted for school robes?"
I nodded, looking at him. "I usually go to Twilfitt and Tatting's," I replied. "I just went. Would you like me to take you there?"
"I'd like that very much." He smiled, and I returned it.
I led Lucius to the robe shop. He held the door open for me and we stepped into the shop. Hearing the bell, Maria Twilfitt came out from the back. She looked surprised to see me again.
"Ms. Black," she said once again, "is there a problem with your robes?" She glanced nervously at Lucius as she spoke.
I shook my head. "No, they're perfect," I assured her. "But this is my friend, Lucius Malfoy. He needs some robes."
"Malfoy," Maria mumbled. She turned to Lucius and smiled. "You can step up on the block and I'll go fetch Harold." Harold Tatting was the male owner of the shop. He was flamboyant in personality, looks and attire. Most people thought he was… well, let's just say that there were numerous rumors that he liked other men; but according to his close friends, he and Maria had been together (though unmarried) for quite some time now.
I sat down in a chair and looked at Lucius. He raised his eyebrows, and I smiled. He winked and I felt myself blush; no other man had ever made me feel like such a little girl as Lucius did. It was all very positive – he was flattering me, but I was always at a loss for words around him. I didn't want to be like that, but in the short amount of time we'd spent together, he already made me weak in the knees. I wanted to be more to him than the giggling schoolgirl or the school slut (or school tease, for that matter), but I just didn't know how.
"Malfoy!" Harold Tatting's voice boomed as he stepped from the back of the shop. We both turned our attention to him. His red, curly hair was all over the place. He wore a bright yellow suit and white dress shoes. I glanced at Lucius; he looked slightly shocked to see someone dressed the way Harold was.
"Sir," Lucius said, holding out his hand. Harold shook it enthusiastically.
"I knew your father," Harold said with a grin. "Maria and I had just opened up the shop when he started school. Good man, he is. I'll be sure to set you up with the finest robes. Why haven't you been in here before?"
"I've been in France for the past twelve years," Lucius replied.
Harold nodded and began to pull out his measuring tapes. I watched Harold work, but only as an excuse to flit my eyes over Lucius's body. I had felt his muscles just last night, but now I was taking the time to admire them. He was strong – anyone could tell. I could imagine him on the Quidditch team. I bet he was a wonderful player. My eyes drifted up to his face. He was smirking. He wasn't looking at me, but I knew that he'd seen me admiring him. I blushed and focused on Harold the rest of the time.
Lucius left the shop with four new sets of school robes. We headed back down Diagon Alley, side by side.
"Do you have any idea what time it is?" I asked him.
He looked down at his wrist. "A little after five," he said. Then he added, "Let me make up last night to you."
"What?" I asked, my heart pounding, stopping to face him. He stopped also.
"I mean, let me take you out to dinner," he corrected. "To make up for last night."
I thought about it for a second. It wasn't near dusk at all and I hadn't eaten all day. Truthfully, I was hungry; if I had just a salad, I would be alright. Plus, I didn't want to leave him. Having him around made me feel different, more mature. (And I was enjoying my independence.) I was enjoying being away from my family. I didn't feel so suffocated.
Slowly, I nodded. "Okay," I agreed. "Dinner sounds lovely. There's a hotel up the way that has a great restaurant in it. Would you like to go there?"
"Any place you'd like."
I gave Lucius a coy smile. "Okay. Let's go there, then."
Lucius nodded and offered me his arm. I took it willingly.
oooOOOooo
Having dinner with Lucius wasn't as awkward as I'd thought it would be. He ordered a bottle of elf-made wine for us to split and it loosened me up just a bit. There wasn't a dull moment in the evening and it was the first time in three years that I had felt so alive.
I just finished telling Lucius a story about the time Bellatrix flashed the seventh year's boys' dormitories in her fifth year, just to become a Prefect (and it had worked), when a waiter approached our table with a tray of desserts. Luckily, he found it hilarious. (Tristan had found the story revolting.)
"I guess she knows the real way to work her up the ladder, hmm?" he said with a wink. I regarded him for a moment before smiling and nodding. He turned to the waiter. "Tiramisu for me and…" He looked at me, waiting for me to pick out my dessert.
I shook my head. "Oh, I'm alright, thank you," I said politely to the young waiter. I avoided looking at Lucius. He was buying dinner and all I'd had to eat was half of a salad and one breadstick.
The waiter gave Lucius his dessert and then walked away. I forced myself to look at my date, glancing briefly at his dessert.
"Do you like tiramisu?" he asked, looking expectantly at me.
I nodded slowly and blushed. I knew where this was going to go. He was going to scold me for not getting dessert, for barely eating my dinner. "Yes."
"Would you like some of mine?" he pushed.
I gave him a surprised look. But then I realized that this was not my sister nor Olivia; he wasn't someone close to me at all despite the fact it felt like I'd known him my entire life. I glanced down the brown-and-white dessert and the chocolate syrup glazed over the top. I knew I should say 'no', but I couldn't. Lucius was buying my dinner, after all; I should appreciate it more.
So I nodded and met his gaze. "Just a small bite, though," I said quickly.
He smiled. I thought he was going to just cut me off a small piece and pass it over. But I watched him as he stood up, grabbed his plate and moved to sit next to me, dragging his chair. I smiled at him when he sat down beside me. I went to reach for my fork, but the waiter had taken it when he took my dinner away.
"I don't have a fork," I told Lucius.
"That's alright," he said. "Just use mine."
I narrowed my eyes at him slightly. "You don't mind?" I asked.
He laughed and shook his head. "Unless you have some sort of disease I should have been warned about," he replied. "Which, in that case, you should have told me last night." He winked.
I smirked. "No, no diseases."
"Good. Here: have a bite."
Lucius raised his fork with a sliver of tiramisu on it. I leaned forward and opened my mouth, feeling only a little awkward. The tiramisu was wonderful; it had been so long since I'd had any. I closed my eyes for a moment, trying to get the full taste of the dessert.
"By your reaction, I take it that their tiramisu is excellent," I heard Lucius say.
I opened my eyes and nodded. He was smirking and I looked away from him to keep myself from giggling. I finished chewing, letting the coffee taste cover my taste buds completely, and wiped my mouth before I turned to look at him.
"It's delicious," I assured him and he smiled.
We were out of the restaurant twenty minutes later. I tried to pay part of the tab, but Lucius refused and he even carried my shopping bags out of the restaurant as we left.
"I should probably go," I said reluctantly. I stopped and turned to face him. "Thank you for dinner."
"You're welcome," he said with a smile. "Maybe you could return the favor some time."
I eyed him before smirking and rolling my eyes. "You're a sneak," I stated. I leaned toward him to grab the long bag that contained my new school robes. But he caught me off guard by lowering his head down to me and brushing his lips against mine. I paused for a second, my eyes open, slightly taken aback. Lucius's lips were light on mine and I knew that he was waiting for me to reciprocate. It took me a moment to gather my will, but I stepped closer to him, pushing my lips hard against his. I closed my eyes and reached up to wrap my arms around his neck. We stayed like that for a moment before pulling apart at the same time. I looked up at him, my arms still around his neck, my fingers playing with his hair.
"Do you still think I'm sneaky?" he asked, smirking.
I nodded. "Yes," I replied firmly. "But I rather like sneaky kisses."
Lucius chuckled. "You Black sisters are wild, aren't you?"
I laughed. "Only when Daddy lets us out."
Lucius dropped his head to my neck and kissed it gently. "You're supposed to be respectable, pureblood women," he purred. He leaned back to meet my gaze.
"Well you certainly aren't helping me, are you?" I retorted playfully. "Plus, you know aristocrats; it's all sex, parties, gossip and scandal."
Lucius laughed and nodded. The sound of a child bursting into laughter reminded me that we were standing in the middle of Diagon Alley. I quickly pushed myself away from Lucius, hoping that no one I'd known had seen us entwined.
"I really should go," I repeated.
He seemed to understand and nodded once more. He handed me my shopping bags. "It was nice to see you. Thank you for helping me today."
I nodded. "You're welcome. Thank you, again, for dinner. It was lovely." I paused and looked down the street briefly. "I'm sure I'll see you again before school begins. Have a good night." I smiled at him.
"You, too, Narcissa," he said.
I nodded and then departed him.
oooOOOooo
I arrived back into my own room with just a small stumble. I put my things on the bed. My bedroom door was open and I walked over to close it. I peeked out into the hallway, just from habit and slight curiosity. I saw Bella walking out of her room. She gave a glance down the hall. I quickly ducked back into my room, hoping she hadn't seen me, and closed the door.
Seconds later, my bedroom door burst open as I unpacked. The blood boiled in my veins, but I did my best to keep my temper under control. I would only enrage Bella more and who knew what she would do. Plus, I didn't want to hurt the baby.
"You're home early," she stated from behind me.
I glanced over my shoulder. "Mmhmm," I said indifferently. If I didn't give her any fuel, she would back off and go away.
There was silence and, for one hopeful moment, I thought she had left. But when I turned around to check, she was still standing in my room. She smirked at me.
"I heard you have a dirty little secret," she said playfully, giving me a wicked stare. I hated playing with fire with my eldest sister; she was always pushing to see just how big the fire could get.
I sighed, irritated, and decided to play her game. If I cooperated with dry and sullen responses, she might leave. I rested all of my weight on one of my legs and put my hands on my hips. I remember then that I was wearing a night slip that wasn't mine. I had never quite figured out how it had gotten on me, but it must have been sometime at Malfoy manor...
"What's my secret?" I asked my sister dryly.
Bellatrix gave a throaty laugh, grinning. "I heard you were snogging some strange guy in the middle of Diagon Alley today," she told me.
I stared at her blankly, but inside I was kicking myself. Someone had seen us. But who? I bit my bottom lip, giving my true feelings away
"Oh my... Cissy," she said in a light mocking tone, her eyes wide. "You must be so embarrassed."
I bristled and straightened, giving her a hard stare. "Why would I be embarrassed?" I asked, struggling to keep my tone even.
Bellatrix giggled. "Because," she said slowly, "everyone will think you're a whore. The perfect Black princess, snogging a strange man in the street. I wonder if he's paying her – that's what they'll say!"
Her words felt like a slap in the face. I glared at her, suddenly very angry. She had no right to accuse me of being a tramp. "You're the whore, Bella!" I snapped at her. "I don't lie on my back and open my legs for anything with a penis! I'll say what Daddy was afraid to say: you're a disgrace on the family, getting pregnant out of wedlock! That's what whores do! Are you even sure that baby is Rodolphus's?"
"You little—" she began as she lunged toward me. But I saw Andromeda appear in the doorway and call out:
"Protego!"
Bellatrix couldn't reach me now, but I still backed away from her. She stopped, seething, her hands now balled on her sides. Andromeda stepped into the room and walked slowly up to our older sister. She gently touched her shoulder and Bellatrix spun around, knocking Andromeda's hand away.
"You bitch!" she screeched.
"Bellatrix!" Andromeda yelled. "Get out of here. Get out of here now! Stop tormenting Cissy! Leave… now!"
For once, my older sister did as she was told. She threw me one last glare before stalking out of the room, mumbling under her breath. I heard a door slam a few seconds later and jumped slightly. Andromeda removed the shielding charm and stepped up to me.
"Are you alright, love?" she asked gently, checking me over.
I nodded and moved away from her. "I'm fine," I said stiffly. I stared at my door, waiting for Bellatrix to return.
"I heard everything she said," Andromeda said from beside me and I listened, my eyes still staring hard at my door. "Cissy, it was wrong… all of it. But Bella is really angry," she continued, her voice a whisper. I turned to face her. She had tears in her eyes. "She's so upset. She doesn't mean what she says—"
"Stop it," I said quickly and sharply. She looked taken aback. "Stop making excuses for her! You always do! If Bella truly didn't mean half you things you say she doesn't, then she wouldn't continue to say them. So, please, stop… just leave me alone."
I was on the verge of tears now, but I would not allow myself to cry. And I most certainly wouldn't allow my sister, the peacekeeper, the satisfaction of seeing me cry. She stared at me for a while before wiping away the tears from my face. She nodded curtly and turned around. When she reached the door, she faced me again.
"I love you, Cissy," she said softly. Then she disappeared and the door clicked softly behind her.
"You shouldn't," I mumbled, looking down at the floor. I stood there for a moment, breathing deeply to bring myself back down, and then turned around to lie down on my bed.
oooOOOooo
I had decided while I stared at the ceiling that I would go talk to Andromeda again. Maybe I could tell her everything, from the very beginning, and she would understand. Maybe she would hold me in her arms and kiss my head like Mummy used to when I was upset. Maybe she would tell me to stop blaming myself, that I'd done nothing wrong. And maybe, just maybe, I would believe her.
"Andy?" I asked quietly as I stepped into her room. The door was already half-open, so I pushed it open the rest of the way. I looked around, but the room was empty. I frowned. I was just about to turn around when I heard sobbing coming through the bathroom. The door on Andromeda's half of the bathroom was opened wide and only opened a crack on Bellatrix's end. I walked through their peach-colored bathroom and stood against the door on Bellatrix's end, listening.
"…I just… it's not fair!" Bellatrix choked out through her tears. "Why doesn't he want me? I love him, Andy; so much. I love him more than I've ever loved another man!" Her words fell silent as another sob erupted through her body. I closed my eyes, wondering what had happened at dinner. My heart was twisting and it didn't feel right. My sister never cried; more importantly, she never cried over a man. This angered me, but I waited and listened, hopefully Bella would say more. I wanted to know the whole story.
It took a few minutes and I heard Andy's gentle hushing noises and words the entire time, but eventually Bella calmed herself down enough to talk again.
"How can he just leave me?" she asked, but her voice was still thick with tears. "I'm having his child… and he just deserts me! My child is going to be a bastard; why won't Father let me get rid of it?" She dissolved into cries again, but still spoke. "Oh, yeah: because he's looking for other husbands for me! So that I won't be an embarrassment on the family. Cissy was right, wasn't she? I'm just a whore!" She broke down into sobs again and I couldn't take it any longer.
I quickly, but carefully, maneuvered out of the bathroom and back through Andromeda's room. No one made my sisters cry, especially not a man. I thought about the words I'd shot Bellatrix down with and my stomach dropped. I had been horrible to her; I hadn't even taken into consideration that tonight hadn't gone as planned. I pieced together the puzzle: Bellatrix was crying and Rodolphus had apparently left her. He couldn't just leave her; she was having his child.
I told myself that I would fix this mess. I would fix it because I'd been a horrible sister to Bellatrix and she deserved the best. Rodolphus made her happy and she would have him. I would fix it because I had to. But I knew that it was too late to fix tonight.
So, when I woke up the next morning, I quickly dressed and threw some Floo powder into my fireplace. I stepped inside and called out:
"Ministry of Magic!"
