A/N: Sorry it took so long. This chapter has been written for a while, but I kept forgetting to post it.
Thank you Courteney, Aleinor Elaine, Rubicon, LunarBard, and Rehanna.
***
"Nervous?" Lucius asked, kissing Elizabeth's earlobe.
"Why would I be nervous?" she murmured.
"You start school soon."
"What do I have to be nervous about?" she asked. Lucius laughed.
"You are incredible. Does nothing ruffle you?" he asked, brushing a strand of hair away from her face.
"Just you," she replied. Lucius smiled and kissed her softly.
"Madeline will be here in a few hours."
"I should pack," she sighed, rising.
"You should get dressed."
"But of course." She pulled on her dress and made for the door.
"Narcissa wanted a word with you before you left," Lucius called. Elizabeth exited without a word.
She found Narcissa tending her garden. Besides Draco, her rose bushes were her pride and joy. "Georgeous," Elizabeth remarked, burying her nose in one creamy blossom. Narcissa turned and beamed at her.
"Aren't they?" she agreed wistfully. She went back to her weeding, humming to herself. Elizabeth watched her curiously. Narcissa was a strange woman. In public she could be so cold and forbidding, yet at home she was warm and charming. She was so proud of her house and status and here she was sweating like mad, digging in the dirt and loving it. She reminded Elizabeth of a two year-old sent out to play with a silver spoon. Narcissa put down her trowel and stood. Her face blanched and her eyes closed briefly.
"Are you alright?"
"Oh, yes, I'm fine. Just the heat. Join me for a nice cool drink?"
"Certainly."
Narcissa led her to a little wrought-iron table with a pitcher, a platter of biscuits, and two tumblers. Obviously, Elizabeth had been expected. Narcissa poured the drinks and handed her one. Elizabeth tasted it. It was lemonade. She despised lemonade. It burned her throat and it was never sweet enough for her, but she said nothing and sipped it politely.
"Maddie is arriving tonight, is she not?" Narcisa asked. Elizabeth almost choked on her lemonade in surprise upon hearing Narcissa refer to her grandmother that way.
"Yes," she replied, painfully swallowing.
"I wish you could stay longer."
"So do I, but I really need to go shopping for school supplies and I have to take some exams at Hogwarts to determine my placement."
"Let me take you shopping," Narcissa said eagerly.
"What?" Elizabeth cried, feeling that lemonade would be the death of her as she choked a second time.
"Please, I would so like to do it. I've never had a daughter to shop for- until now and I do want to spend more time with you," Narcissa pleaded. There was such a look of genuine joy at the mere idea of going shopping with Elizabeth in Narcissa's eyes. "I never had a daughter...until now." The words stuck in Elizabeth's head and for a moment she felt sorry for this woman and ashamed of what she had done. But that moment quickly passed. She smiled.
"I'll ask Maddie to let me stay longer," she promised. Narcissa positively glowed.
***
Lalala...so...comments? suggestions? Review!
love,
J. Silver
Thank you Courteney, Aleinor Elaine, Rubicon, LunarBard, and Rehanna.
***
"Nervous?" Lucius asked, kissing Elizabeth's earlobe.
"Why would I be nervous?" she murmured.
"You start school soon."
"What do I have to be nervous about?" she asked. Lucius laughed.
"You are incredible. Does nothing ruffle you?" he asked, brushing a strand of hair away from her face.
"Just you," she replied. Lucius smiled and kissed her softly.
"Madeline will be here in a few hours."
"I should pack," she sighed, rising.
"You should get dressed."
"But of course." She pulled on her dress and made for the door.
"Narcissa wanted a word with you before you left," Lucius called. Elizabeth exited without a word.
She found Narcissa tending her garden. Besides Draco, her rose bushes were her pride and joy. "Georgeous," Elizabeth remarked, burying her nose in one creamy blossom. Narcissa turned and beamed at her.
"Aren't they?" she agreed wistfully. She went back to her weeding, humming to herself. Elizabeth watched her curiously. Narcissa was a strange woman. In public she could be so cold and forbidding, yet at home she was warm and charming. She was so proud of her house and status and here she was sweating like mad, digging in the dirt and loving it. She reminded Elizabeth of a two year-old sent out to play with a silver spoon. Narcissa put down her trowel and stood. Her face blanched and her eyes closed briefly.
"Are you alright?"
"Oh, yes, I'm fine. Just the heat. Join me for a nice cool drink?"
"Certainly."
Narcissa led her to a little wrought-iron table with a pitcher, a platter of biscuits, and two tumblers. Obviously, Elizabeth had been expected. Narcissa poured the drinks and handed her one. Elizabeth tasted it. It was lemonade. She despised lemonade. It burned her throat and it was never sweet enough for her, but she said nothing and sipped it politely.
"Maddie is arriving tonight, is she not?" Narcisa asked. Elizabeth almost choked on her lemonade in surprise upon hearing Narcissa refer to her grandmother that way.
"Yes," she replied, painfully swallowing.
"I wish you could stay longer."
"So do I, but I really need to go shopping for school supplies and I have to take some exams at Hogwarts to determine my placement."
"Let me take you shopping," Narcissa said eagerly.
"What?" Elizabeth cried, feeling that lemonade would be the death of her as she choked a second time.
"Please, I would so like to do it. I've never had a daughter to shop for- until now and I do want to spend more time with you," Narcissa pleaded. There was such a look of genuine joy at the mere idea of going shopping with Elizabeth in Narcissa's eyes. "I never had a daughter...until now." The words stuck in Elizabeth's head and for a moment she felt sorry for this woman and ashamed of what she had done. But that moment quickly passed. She smiled.
"I'll ask Maddie to let me stay longer," she promised. Narcissa positively glowed.
***
Lalala...so...comments? suggestions? Review!
love,
J. Silver