A/N: Lucius realizes that the feelings he has for Narcissa are a bit more than he initially thought. Lucissa.

Submission for:

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry (Challenges & Assignments): Astronomy Assignment #3 - Write about someone realizing that they're in love for the first time.

The Stratified Agate Competition: Level IV - Write about the kiss that never happened (your pairing almost kiss, or one thinks the other wants to kiss them, but it does not happen/is not implied to happen later in your fic)

Fanfiction Tournaments Competitions - February (Valentines' fics) - Week 2

The Valentine's Challenge: Level 1 - Write about your OTP in a fluffy/romantic setting - Lucius/Narcissa

OTP Competition: Lucius/Narcissa

The small village of Hogsmeade was alive with laughter and excitement as students from the castle were walking to and from the different shops lining the main street. To Lucius, it was a Hogsmeade weekend like any other, with dirty snow being stomped underfoot, the shops packed to the brim with sweaty children, and being jostled by uncaring passers-by. It didn't matter that the stores were trying to put everyone in the Valentines' spirit for the day with pink and red decorations. Lucius never cared much for this holiday anyway.

As it was, he was simply walking while trying to minimize the number of times he came in contact with a careless First year who did not recognize the Slytherin prefect at first glance.

But then, he heard a female voice from behind him, "Hello, Lucius."

Lucius stopped as the darling Narcissa Black walked up to him, her bright blue eyes shining as she looked at him. Her blonde hair flowed from beneath her blue moleskin cap and over the shoulder of her long dark blue cloak.

"It is surprising to see you without your cronies," she said with a devilish smile.

"And a good day to you too, Miss Black," Lucius said with a gracious bow. "I see you too are without your usual gaggle of headless chickens you call friends."

Narcissa frowned. "They are not headless chickens."

Lucius waved his hand dismissively. "So what were your plans for the day, Miss Black?" he asked. "I would think you would be very involved in the Valentines' festivities."

This was true. Lucius couldn't deny that Narcissa was beautiful and he had heard more than one of his dorm and house-mates talking about her admirable features and qualities. He was sure she could have any gentleman she had her eye on, so it was peculiar to find her alone on this day.

"Well, actually," she began but was then interrupted by someone pushing through the sea of students around them.

"Narcissa, there you are," the man said as he stopped beside them. "I've been looking everywhere for you." He then turned to Lucius and extended his hand, "Malfoy."

Lucius sneered at the gloved hand as his eyes travelled up the arm to the man's face. Rabastan Lestrange was almost the spitting image of his older brother, if not for the long scar that ran across his forehead from an incident as a child. His recently shaven face was already sprouting a fine layer of stubble and he gave Lucius a smile that was neither friendly nor welcoming but simply necessary.

Lucius shook it, ensuring to give the older boy a painful squeeze as he asked, "Hello, Lestrange. What brings you to Hogsmeade among the Hogwarts students? Didn't you graduate just last year?"

Rabastan kept his smile through the squeeze. "Not that it's any of your concern, but I've come to spend the day with Miss Black," he said as he placed his arm around the small girl's shoulder.

Lucius turned to Narcissa whose face was now angled down to her feet. She was spending Valentines' Day with this cad?

The blond pursed his lips before saying, "I see. I won't keep the two of you then. Have a lovely day."

"Goodbye, Lucius," Narcissa said before Rabastan led her away from him and back through the crowd.

Lucius walked back along the path to school, clenching a bottle of butterbeer in his hand. He was in a foul mood and it was all because of that idiotic Lestrange. After the pair had left, he could no longer enjoy himself in the village. He was constantly looking over his shoulder to ensure he was never in the same place as them. He hadn't even wanted to stay in Three Broomsticks with his drink, in case they may be occupying a nearby table.

It was ridiculous really. He knew he shouldn't let the man bother him so. Narcissa was an intelligent girl and she could choose who she chose to fraternize with, but he had thought her better than that. Out of every available pureblood, she went with Lestrange? Why didn't she go for someone like smarter, more elegant, charming, someone like him?

He choked on his butterbeer, bending over the snow to clear his air passages. Where had that come from? He had always prided himself on being in control of his emotions and hormones so he shouldn't be thinking of Narcissa this way.

"Cygnus, your girls look darling tonight," his father said as he greeted Mr Black and his family. Lucius had stood beside his father like the perfect son, his eyes raking over the three Black girls as the adults traded pleasantries. Bellatrix, the oldest, was dressed in a lovely black dress, her eyes moving quickly across every face in the ballroom. The middle girl, Andromeda, kept a smile on her face but Lucius could see the slight waver at the corner of her lips. Then there was the youngest, Narcissa, who was looking back at him with the same interest.

"Why don't we let the children go off on their own?" his father said as he took Mr Black's arm, uncaring really what Lucius and the Black girls did. They were all used to this type of attention (or lack thereof). Bellatrix immediately walked off into the crowd. Andromeda let her shoulders fall ever so slightly as she moved towards one of the chairs along the walls, but Narcissa remained with Lucius.

"Hello, Lucius, how are you?" she asked.

Lucius gave her a smirk. "As I usually am at these kinds of functions," he said trying to make light of the situation.

"These things are dreadfully dull, aren't they," she said as they began to walk.

It wasn't until a few minutes later, Lucius realized his feet had led the two of them into his backyard. The night air blew through their blonde hair, hers past her shoulder and his to his ears. She was talking about her recent lessons with her governess but Lucius hadn't been listening at the time. All he could focus on was the reflection of the stars in her eyes.

He leaned in wanting to get a closer look, feeling almost drawn to her. She stopped talking when she noticed his proximity, but instead of being scared, she simply closed her eyes.

Lucius wondered why she would do that, but he didn't retreat. Something about this, even in his ten-year-old mind, told him to keep going until the space between their lips was non-existent.

"Narcissa, are you out here?" Andromeda called from the large back doors just before their lips touched.

Lucius leaned back to see Narcissa's face tinged pink as she quickly ran to her sister's side, leaving the young Malfoy in the garden.

He had wanted to kiss her that night more than anything he had ever wanted. He could recall the chest-constricting feeling as he got closer to lips, and the slight resentment at being interrupted by her sister. Is it possible that he felt more the young Black girl than he cared to admit?

He drained his butterbeer and threw the bottle into a snowbank. He just wanted this day to be over with and to get the thought of the couple out of his mind.

But then he heard the crunching of snow. There was another person walking along the path from behind him. He turned to face them, the snarl on his lips disappearing once he saw who it was. "Narcissa?" he asked.

"Hello, Lucius, did you have a good time in the village?" she asked, biting her lip as a cold breeze blew across her face.

He nodded, his eyes darting around her for the presence of the younger Lestrange. "Where is-" he began but Narcissa simply said, "It wasn't working out."

A light snow began to fall, a few small snowflakes landing on her hat and her eyelashes. She shivered, drawing her coat closer around her. Lucius wordlessly took off his own warm coat and threw it over her shoulders.

"Lucius," she said in surprise. "I can't take your coat. You'll get sick."

"I'll be fine," he said softly as he stood close to her, his hands on her shoulders. It was her eyes again, wiser than those years before but just as heart-racing. Now that he had placed the feeling, he knew it to be true. He wanted this now and he would take it. There would be no one around this time to stop him.

"Narcissa, you left the restaurant rather hastily," Lestrange said as he made his way over to them. Lucius let out a low growl as he stepped away from the young girl, his kiss with Narcissa thwarted again.

"Can't even keep an eye on your date, Lestrange?" Lucius asked haughtily as he quickly took his jacket back from Narcissa, not missing Lestrange's eyes following the motion.

Lestrange bit his tongue as he turned towards Narcissa and offered his arm to her, "I'll walk you back to the castle."

Narcissa looked at the offered arm and then to Lucius' face. Her eyes seemed to be saying something to him, but Lucius gave her a subtle shake of the head before continuing to the castle alone. He would not make a scene with the Lestrange man now. Malfoys did not do public altercations but they always got what they wanted in the end. With time, Narcissa Black would be his.