Chapter Twelve

A/N: Thanks to my magical reviewer, dream-on-sunday.

Narcissa Cassiopeia Malfoy had been surprised to find how much married life differed from the previous years of her relationship with Lucius. She had, of course, known that there would be a few differences, she was by no means foolish, but she had not anticipated how much it had changed her, very much for the better.

The main difference was how much she saw of Lucius. Although she did not see him as much as she would have liked to, due to his work at the British Ministry of Magic, Narcissa got to see the man she loved far more often than she had done the previous year and for that she was thankful.

However, no matter how much Narcissa may attempt to, especially when her family asked, it was no use pretending that she did not get a little lonely. She had two house-elves, of course, Dobby and Brighty, and a library full of interesting novels and tomes, but it was not the same as being surrounded by people, the kind of environment that Narcissa had been raised in.

She would not usually mind terribly, having become used to being quite lonely over the past years, but tonight was the turning of the year, and Lucius had promised to be here to kiss her at midnight. As it was, it was a quarter to the hour, and her husband was nowhere to be seen.

One thing niggling at the back of her mind was the abnormality of the situation. True, Lucius' department at the Ministry was always the last to close, being the most important, yet still it closed at ten o'clock, which gave Narcissa a painfully clear idea of where her husband was.

Yet still he had promised her. In all the years she had known him, Lucius had never once broken a promise to her. He had let other people down, of course, he was only human, but never her. 'A first time for everything,' she supposed.

With a sigh, Narcissa thought of her friends. At this time of night, Carolyna would be at home with her family and her fiancé, Edward Greengrass, at their ancestral home in Sussex, while Viola would probably be out in a club somewhere, partying long until after the clocks had chimed, and having the luxury of not remembering being alone when she woke in the morning. Narcissa did not have that luxury, but was beginning to feel that she may well wake alone.

She glanced to the clock. Nine minutes to the hour. The prospect of Lucius breaking his promise was becoming more likely with every time the pendulum swung in the grandfather clock, the Malfoy family heirloom which was displayed in the hallway. A single tear fell from Narcissa's eye as she realised that the first promise Lucius had ever broken to her would occur within a month of their marriage. If that was not a bad omen, then the woman did not know what was.

She wondered for a while if she should just up sticks and go to her parents' house. After all, even if Bellatrix was not likely to be there, her parents would be, and quite likely Walburga and Orion as well, though how good that was, Narcissa was not sure. It was better than sitting alone waiting for a man that would not turn up. But then she thought of how Lucius would feel if he came home to celebrate the beginning of a new year, to be greeted with only an empty house. He would feel like she did now. Alone.

So, she stayed exactly where she was, occupying herself with gazing outside the window, watching the moonlight dance across the extensive gardens. Despite the utter sorrow she was feeling, a tiny smile broke out over her features.

During the little time she had spent at the Manor, Narcissa had made for herself some of her favourite memories. She had become engaged here, married here, and had spent every day since with the man she had dreamed of marrying since she first met him. It was like a dream, a beautiful delusion. But Narcissa remembered with a stinging pain that dreams had to end. Perhaps it was time for her to wake up.

She glanced over at the clock again. Four minutes to the hour. Four minutes until the New Year. Four minutes until Lucius broke his first promise.

It was almost inevitable now. There was no time for Lucius to get back to the Manor from the Ministry, not with the distance the Apparition point was from the house. She was going to spend the beginning of the New Year alone. It didn't matter whether Lucius missed a second, a minute, an hour or more, because he had broken his promise. He had let her down.

As the next three and a half minutes passed, Narcissa began to cry, tears streaking down her face as her eyes welled up, blurring and twisting the room around her.

At last, as the painful countdown began, Narcissa fancied that she could hear every other family counting along, laughing together in joyful groups as they awaited the new beginning that midnight would bring. Shutting her eyes to stop the tears leaking from them, Narcissa began to, in her mind, count down along with them.

'Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two…'

Suddenly, Narcissa stopped, feeling with a smile that, just as fireworks were set off all around the world, two comforting arms wrapped around her waist, a familiar face appearing and coming to rest on her shoulder. Letting out a sigh filled with both contentment and relief, Narcissa turned slightly, a cheeky grin lighting up her features just as the light of the fireworks did.

"And what time do you call this?" she questioned, raising a single eyebrow.

"Midnight." replied Lucius, catching her lips with his. When they pulled away, both were still smiling widely. "Happy New Year, Mrs. Malfoy."

A/N: Please review!