Narcissa gazed at her reflection in her vanity mirror. Her floor-length, pleated, green dress complimented her figure; her blonde hair was curled and cascading below her shoulders. Her complimentary black heels made her a bit taller than her normal height of 160 centimeters, or 5'3" as they would say across the pond. Tonight, the annual fundraising gala at the Ministry of Magic was occurring. The wizards and witches in attendance were usually the wealthy, pure-blood families, though occasionally a half-blood or Muggle-born was invited; Narcissa avoided them anyway, so it didn't matter who appeared.
As Narcissa descended the stairs, an eerie feeling washed over her. She was the only Black daughter still living at home. Bellatrix had been living with Rodolphus for several years now, and Andromeda ran off with the Mudblood, so Narcissa didn't have the slightest idea what her second-eldest sister's life was like. Cygnus and Druella were seated in the living room, and Druella smiled when her eyes landed on Narcissa. "Look at you, Cissy. Overnight, you've become a beautiful, confident witch."
"Do you really mean that, Mother?"
"I do," said Druella. "We couldn't have asked for a better daughter." Narcissa always had an inclination that she was secretly the favorite Black witch; between Bella's outlandish, unladylike behavior and Andromeda's abhorrent values, it wasn't much of a competition. While she was yet another failed attempt at an heir, she had been raised with strong values, a good education, and an exquisitely comfortable home life. There was one aspect about tonight which would alienate her, though. "Cissy, what's the matter?"
"I'm just disappointed that Lucius is doing business in Wales and that he cannot be here to escort me to the ball tonight. You and Father, Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy, Mr. and Mrs. Lestrange, Bella and Rod, Atticus and Vicky…I'll be alone tonight."
"Well, Rabastan will be alone as well."
"Not comforting, Mother," Narcissa muttered under her breath. Rabastan was trying his hardest to stay single.
"Cissy," Cygnus stood and walked over to be beside his wife, "I believe tonight will be very, very special."
Narcissa didn't understand what her father meant by that statement, but she wasn't about to question it. "Okay."
"Did you want to Apparate to the Ministry yourself, or did you want to Apparate with me?" asked Druella.
"Mother, I'm seventeen. I can legally use magic, and I passed my Apparition exam with a perfect score."
"I know. It's just hard for me to accept the fact that you are not my little witch anymore."
Narcissa could sense that both of her parents knew something that she did not, but she didn't bother probing their minds. She figured they would both just begin using Occlumency. She Apparated to the Ministry ballroom where the gala was being held. A crystal chandelier provided lighting, and the white marble floor was perfectly polished. An orchestra provided the music for the evening, and Celestina Warbeck would occasionally provide lyrics. Narcissa noticed Rodolphus and Bellatrix with Rabastan, the two wizards wearing black dress robes, and her sister clad in a long black dress. Narcissa found Victoria over by the refreshments table, and she walked over to her before promptly picking up her guilty pleasure sweet: Pumpkin Pasties. "Where's Atticus?" she asked Victoria.
"He's getting himself a glass of Firewhiskey and me a glass of champagne," answered Victoria. Narcissa nodded and took a bite of the treat. "What's wrong, Cissy?"
"Nothing. It just feels weird not having an escort tonight since Lucius is in Wales."
"Oh, Narcissa, I'm certain tonight will be special."
"That's what Father said, but I don't see how. We've been coming to these types of events since we began training on how to be proper, pure-blood witches."
"So, the day after our births," Victoria joked.
Narcissa could see her parents and the Malfoys having a conversation, one of the four of them occasionally chuckling or giving a slight head nod. Atticus came up beside the two women and handed Victoria a glass of champagne. "Pleasure to see you this evening, Narcissa."
"Same, Atticus."
Bellatrix joined the group and grabbed a handful of sweets before she even bothered to acknowledge Narcissa's existence. "Hi, Cissy."
"Bella," said Narcissa. "How have you been?"
"Busy," said Bellatrix. "The Dark Lord has been assigning me and Rod with a lot of missions. If it wasn't going to be such an important night for this family, we might have skipped out."
Narcissa furrowed her brow at Bella's statement, but she figured that Bella meant the fact that since they were the most prominent family in Wizarding society, it would look poor on the rest of them if Bellatrix and Rodolphus didn't make an appearance.
About an hour into the gala, the host for the evening stepped up to podium and announced, "Welcome, wizards and witches, to the Ministry of Magic's annual fundraising gala. This year, the money raised will be donated to the refurbishment of some shops in Diagon Alley." Everyone clapped politely. "But now, before we get back to enjoying ourselves, I have a question: is Narcissa Black in attendance this evening?"
Narcissa felt everyone's eyes on her. "I am present."
"If you and your escort could come out to the middle of the dance floor."
Oh no, Narcissa thought. It took a few moments for her to realize that the crowd opposite her had parted, and Lucius had stepped in between Evan and Xavier. Merlin was he handsome. His blond locks now extended past his shoulders. His dress robes were his usual emerald green with silver trim, and his stature was tall, elegant, and proud. He made his way across the room, took her hands in his, and said, "Follow me, Cissy."
Narcissa did so without hesitation, spotting his movements since he was walking backward. But, as usual, Lucius Malfoy walked with grace and confidence. The orchestra softy played You Charmed the Heart Right Out of Me, though Celestina didn't sing. Once they were in the middle of the circle with the attendees surrounding them, Lucius twirled her once before he spun her back around to face him. Though a love song was playing, Narcissa noticed other couples hadn't joined them. She understood word traveled fast in the wealthy, pure-blood community, but this setup seemed planned. Too planned. "Lucius, what are you doing here? I thought you were in Wales?"
"I was. I Apparated back home last night."
"Then why didn't you tell me and escort me to the ball?"
"Because it would ruin my surprise." Lucius put his finger over her lips, indicating to her to be silent. "Cissy, from the moment I laid eyes on you on the Hogwarts Express nearly six years ago, I knew you were special. Admittedly, I initially noticed your beauty, but as I came to know you better, I discovered you're so much more than just your looks. You're smart, you're powerful, you're kind-hearted, you're poised, and you care about those you love above all else—the hallmarks of a true Malfoy. You know as well as I do that marrying someone for true love is often not an option for pure-bloods. We marry out of duty and preservation of the Wizarding world, not for love. But I am incredibly fortunate that I have the opportunity to marry the love of my life. Cissy, it would make me the happiest wizard on Earth if you became my wife and took the honor of becoming Mrs. Lucius Malfoy."
Time seemed to stop for Narcissa. "Is this really happening right now? Please tell me this moment is happening in real time?" Narcissa watched Lucius get down on bended knee. He opened a box he had pulled out of his robe pocket, and a ring which had a diamond the size of a small planet was nestled inside the maroon velvet. "Merlin," Narcissa uttered to herself.
"Narcissa Gwyneth Black, will you marry me?" Soft, gray eyes met even softer blue ones.
Narcissa began to cry tears of joy. She knew it was improper for a witch of her blood status and social class to do so, but she didn't care at the moment. Narcissa nodded enthusiastically and responded, "Yes. Yes. Merlin, yes."
Lucius smiled broadly, stood, and pulled the ring out its box. He took her left hand in his and slid the piece of jewelry onto her finger. A perfect fit. She hugged him, and when he hugged her back, she sobbed into his chest; what people of lesser class than her might call an ugly cry, but she didn't care about that fact either. With everything going on in her world recently—Andromeda's betrayal, the fiasco with Sirius, and the stress of the ongoing war—she had one bright light, a beautiful metaphor given Lucius's name origin, in her future: her fiancé.
Narcissa and Lucius spent the rest of the evening receiving congratulations from their families, mates, and other attendees of the gala. The first thing Victoria, Violet, and Amelia Flint—now Amelia Parkinson—had wanted was to see the ring. "Merlin, Julian didn't present me with a ring that opulent," said Amelia.
"Atticus has quite a high expectation to live up to now," said Victoria.
"Will you marry before the start of your final year?" asked Violet.
"Probably not, given the fact that it's three weeks from now," answered Narcissa. "But Merlin help me now that I have to balance finishing my education, taking my N.E.W.T.s, and planning a wedding that's sure to be the Wizarding event of the decade."
"Wizarding event of the century is more like it: a Black witch and a Malfoy wizard united in Matrimony," said Victoria. "And your children…Merlin, Hogwarts better watch out."
Narcissa excused herself and found Bellatrix. She wasn't sure what number glass of Firewhiskey the elder Black witch was drinking, but it was safe to assume she had consumed at least four. "Congratulations, Cissy. I'm so happy for you." Bellatrix embraced her.
"Do you mean that?" asked Narcissa.
"Really, truly. Why would you ask?"
"We've had our differences, and I know you and Lucius don't get on that well."
"Yes, but he's a pure-blood, and he makes you happy. After what happened last summer, Merlin knows I actually became somewhat grateful that you're not like the blood traitor. You are my baby sister, after all."
"Bella, I'm hardly a baby anymore. I'm seventeen, and at this time next year, I'll be a Hogwarts graduate and a married woman."
"But you'll always be my baby sister. I remember when Mother and Father first introduced me to you. I thought you weren't really their baby because you were so blonde and pale. And Merlin did you cry a lot. I thought you were going to run out of air. But when your first sign of magic was summoning one of Mother's Pumpkin Pasties, I knew you were a Black. Merlin knows we're all addicted to the bloody things."
Narcissa chuckled at the anecdotes and said, "I love you, Bella."
Narcissa hugged her sister, and Bellatrix hesitated before she stiffly wrapped her arms around Narcissa. Bellatrix huffed in protest, but responded, "I love you too."
Later that night, the Blacks Apparated home. "Well, that was quite the eventful evening," commented Druella.
"I'm assuming Lucius asked Father for my hand before tonight?" asked Narcissa.
"He did, at his graduation party," Cygnus confirmed.
"Well, it's late. We should be heading to bed," said Druella.
"All right. Good night, Mother. Good night, Father."
"Good night, Cissy," said Druella. As Narcissa ascended the stairs, she heard Druella say, "Our last little girl is getting married, Cygnus. How are all of our children grown?"
When Narcissa reached her bed chamber, she noticed a note on her pillow. She read the messy scrawl. Congrajulations on ur engajemant, Mistress Sissy.- Glitter
Narcissa chuckled. Glitter could read and write, but her spelling was atrocious. The blonde witch dressed in her nightgown, crawled under the covers, and used her wand to dim the lights. Merlin did she love being able to utilize magic more often now that she was of legal age. She laid her thirteen inch, maple wood wand on her nightstand and began to gaze at her engagement ring glistening in the moonlight. I'm his fiancée. I'm Lucius Malfoy's fiancée. Lucius Malfoy is my fiancé. Merlin, I'm a lucky witch. I get to marry Lucius Malfoy. I have the honor of marrying Lucius Malfoy. She thought of every way she could possibly describe her engaged status before she finally rolled over and closed her eyes, knowing this moment was one of her final ones in this particular bed chamber. In a few weeks, she'd be in her dormitory at Hogwarts, and soon after, she'd be moving into Malfoy Manor, where she would be falling asleep in her husband's arms.