Chapter Two
Narcissa Malfoy paced the inner chambers of her manor, her long legs carrying her gracefully over the plush carpets and around the bedroom she and Lucius shared. It had been nearly a month since she had attended the ceremony when Severus Snape was made a Death Eater and there had still been no meetings since. She assumed her Lord was biding time until he grew stronger and possessed more followers, but she couldn't help feeling uneasy just the same.
Narcissa had been at Hogwarts with both Snape and Lucius, she hadn't know either of them well at the time, but their friendship had been obvious even to her. She wasn't a stupid woman and she was far from being considered unobservant and while she was at Hogwarts her thoughts of Lucius and Snape had run toward the more unfavourable corner of her mind. They were, quite simply, a little too fond of one another, at least that was what Narcissa had always thought. She had assumed their friendship had been more than that, that it had run deeper than the stupid and childish bonds that were usually formed in the houses. Snape and Lucius had something more.
Then Lucius had began pursuing her relentlessly, only days after their graduation and Narcissa had been pleasantly surprised by the sudden attention. She had had more than her fair share of suitors while at Hogwarts, but Lucius was something different. He radiated power, he oozed sexuality and when he wanted something -- or someone -- he wouldn't rest until he had it. He had spent weeks chasing Narcissa around Hogsmeade, trying to convince her to return to the home he had inherited upon graduation. At first, she refused to even acknowledge him, she found the dating experience to be much more exhilarating when she made them work for her affections.
Eventually though, Lucius had worn her down. He had worked tirelessly to convince her that he was the man for her and in time, Narcissa had found herself agreeing. He was the man for her, he was exactly the type of person she was supposed to be with. His lust for power made him stronger than any other man who had vied for her attention and that same lust would carry him to the top of the wizarding world. Narcissa vowed to be by his side when it happened.
So, two months after graduation, Narcissa Abbott had become Narcissa Malfoy and two months after that she had become pregnant with their first child. She was still barely showing signs, her stomach only bulging slightly and the warm weight of the child just beginning to make her feel delighted about the world she would bring her child into. He would be a ruler, alongside his father and Lord Voldemort, when he was old enough. She had already named him. Draco Malfoy. It exuded power, just like his father's name.
Narcissa had been confident in her place in the entire scheme, she had known that when the time came, she and Lucius would sit at Voldemort's right hand. She had been so sure of everything and then Severus Snape had entered the picture and shattered all the things she had believed in. The friendship between he and Lucius was obviously strained, but she knew it would only be a matter of time before things had been the way they were at Hogwarts and once more her mind wandered. Had they really been more than friends? Would it happen again if the chance presented itself? Was that Snape's ultimate plan?
With a small shake of her head, Narcissa stopped her pacing and stared into the mirror over her bureau. She pushed a strand of blonde hair off her hair and studied herself carefully, judging every minor flaw to be a mark of how disgusting her husband must find her. He had barely touched her for more than a week and they hadn't made love for an entire month. Something had to be shifting and whether it was her appearance, or Severus Snape's, she wasn't sure.
"A man," she scoffed to her reflection. "What would Lucius possibly want with a man when he had me?"
Her reflection smiled demurely. "Do you really want that answered, Narcissa?"
"I wasn't asking for an answer," she snapped angrily, then turned from the mirror. She hated when her reflection responded, the matter she loathed most about the wizarding world was the fact that her mind could answer her own questions. Reflections always seemed to be so damn smart.
With one hand cradling her stomach, Narcissa moved away from the bureau to stare out the window. In the sky beyond, snow had started to fall; fluffy white flakes floating lazily through the sky to settle on the already dazzling white ground. She hated the snow. It was so pure and perfect, each flake different from all the rest, making it seem as if being different was something to be thankful for.
"They're all different, but look at what they can accomplish when they stick together," her reflection mocked from behind her, quoting some ridiculous Muggle saying that she had once heard.
A sneer crossed Narcissa's lips at this thought. Oh yes, to be different. To be mocked and teased, prodded and annoyed in every class. To have haunting whispers follow you down the hall when you walked from the Great Hall to your common room. How delightfully wonderful it was to be different, she thought with a trace of disgust. She had once thought that coming together before an all powerful Lord would dispel that myth from their minds. After all, they had come together to prove to themselves and others that they weren't different, they were just like everyone else. Narcissa wanted to melt into the crowd, she wanted to be another plain face, but that had never happened to her. She stood out wherever she went, tall, blonde and beautiful, a stunning face in a crowd of ugly women. She hated it, abhorred it with everything she had and yet, it had never changed.
Lucius, on the other hand, thought their differences should be celebrated. He was pleased with his startling good looks and his alarmingly beautiful wife. The night after Snape had been marked as a Death Eater, Lucius had begun to talk about their days at Hogwarts and how Snape had been so unlike everyone else. Wasn't it wonderful that they had an experienced potion's maker in their midst? Wasn't it something that his best friend from school had joined them? Wasn't it something that he'd be by their side when Voldemort took over the world?
Stupid man, Narcissa thought, still staring at the sky. Navy melted into black and the colour made her think of Snape. She had originally thought him a fool to assume he could get away with calling Voldemort by his given name. Yet, their Lord had laughed at this, welcomed it even. He had allowed a man who was not even a Death Eater to call him Tom Riddle, the name given to him by his Muggle father. Narcissa hadn't understood it then and she still didn't.
She barely had time to turn the question over in her mind when the bedroom door banged open and Lucius charged in, his blonde hair streaming out behind him.
"Lucius, darling, where have you been?" she asked. "Marly had dinner ready two hours ago," she told him, referring to the house-elf who had come with her when she moved in.
"Forget dinner," he growled, taking off his cloak and hanging it in the closet. "I spent the evening with Avery, Severus and Tom. We had to think of something to-"
"Tom?" Narcissa interrupted him. "Since when have you been on a first name basis with our Lord and master?"
Lucius glared at her. "If you weren't carrying my child, I swear I would hit you for interrupting me."
Narcissa just glared back. She knew Lucius too well to take his threats seriously. "Lucius, I was worried," she said simply.
His mouth twitched into a smile. "You're never worried about me."
Narcissa tossed him a wicked grin. "I never said it was you that I was worried about."
"Who then?" Lucius asked playfully. "Severus?"
The smile melted off Narcissa's face and she stared gravely at her husband. "Actually, yes."
Lucius stopped and stared at her.
"I'm worried your past with him will affect the future of your position within the ranks of the Death Eaters," she said simply.
Lucius grabbed her wrist tightly and glared down at her. "Never, ever speak of my past with Severus Snape. We have no past."
"You were friends," Narcissa said slowly.
"We were never friends," Lucius replied, letting go of her and backing away. "I'll go see Marly for my meal."
Narcissa stared after him, rubbing her wrist absentmindedly. He had reacted so strangely to her mention of Snape and their past. Maybe she wasn't completely wrong in thinking that something had gone on between them at Hogwarts. Maybe Narcissa Malfoy had good reason to be jealous.
End Chapter Two
Narcissa Malfoy paced the inner chambers of her manor, her long legs carrying her gracefully over the plush carpets and around the bedroom she and Lucius shared. It had been nearly a month since she had attended the ceremony when Severus Snape was made a Death Eater and there had still been no meetings since. She assumed her Lord was biding time until he grew stronger and possessed more followers, but she couldn't help feeling uneasy just the same.
Narcissa had been at Hogwarts with both Snape and Lucius, she hadn't know either of them well at the time, but their friendship had been obvious even to her. She wasn't a stupid woman and she was far from being considered unobservant and while she was at Hogwarts her thoughts of Lucius and Snape had run toward the more unfavourable corner of her mind. They were, quite simply, a little too fond of one another, at least that was what Narcissa had always thought. She had assumed their friendship had been more than that, that it had run deeper than the stupid and childish bonds that were usually formed in the houses. Snape and Lucius had something more.
Then Lucius had began pursuing her relentlessly, only days after their graduation and Narcissa had been pleasantly surprised by the sudden attention. She had had more than her fair share of suitors while at Hogwarts, but Lucius was something different. He radiated power, he oozed sexuality and when he wanted something -- or someone -- he wouldn't rest until he had it. He had spent weeks chasing Narcissa around Hogsmeade, trying to convince her to return to the home he had inherited upon graduation. At first, she refused to even acknowledge him, she found the dating experience to be much more exhilarating when she made them work for her affections.
Eventually though, Lucius had worn her down. He had worked tirelessly to convince her that he was the man for her and in time, Narcissa had found herself agreeing. He was the man for her, he was exactly the type of person she was supposed to be with. His lust for power made him stronger than any other man who had vied for her attention and that same lust would carry him to the top of the wizarding world. Narcissa vowed to be by his side when it happened.
So, two months after graduation, Narcissa Abbott had become Narcissa Malfoy and two months after that she had become pregnant with their first child. She was still barely showing signs, her stomach only bulging slightly and the warm weight of the child just beginning to make her feel delighted about the world she would bring her child into. He would be a ruler, alongside his father and Lord Voldemort, when he was old enough. She had already named him. Draco Malfoy. It exuded power, just like his father's name.
Narcissa had been confident in her place in the entire scheme, she had known that when the time came, she and Lucius would sit at Voldemort's right hand. She had been so sure of everything and then Severus Snape had entered the picture and shattered all the things she had believed in. The friendship between he and Lucius was obviously strained, but she knew it would only be a matter of time before things had been the way they were at Hogwarts and once more her mind wandered. Had they really been more than friends? Would it happen again if the chance presented itself? Was that Snape's ultimate plan?
With a small shake of her head, Narcissa stopped her pacing and stared into the mirror over her bureau. She pushed a strand of blonde hair off her hair and studied herself carefully, judging every minor flaw to be a mark of how disgusting her husband must find her. He had barely touched her for more than a week and they hadn't made love for an entire month. Something had to be shifting and whether it was her appearance, or Severus Snape's, she wasn't sure.
"A man," she scoffed to her reflection. "What would Lucius possibly want with a man when he had me?"
Her reflection smiled demurely. "Do you really want that answered, Narcissa?"
"I wasn't asking for an answer," she snapped angrily, then turned from the mirror. She hated when her reflection responded, the matter she loathed most about the wizarding world was the fact that her mind could answer her own questions. Reflections always seemed to be so damn smart.
With one hand cradling her stomach, Narcissa moved away from the bureau to stare out the window. In the sky beyond, snow had started to fall; fluffy white flakes floating lazily through the sky to settle on the already dazzling white ground. She hated the snow. It was so pure and perfect, each flake different from all the rest, making it seem as if being different was something to be thankful for.
"They're all different, but look at what they can accomplish when they stick together," her reflection mocked from behind her, quoting some ridiculous Muggle saying that she had once heard.
A sneer crossed Narcissa's lips at this thought. Oh yes, to be different. To be mocked and teased, prodded and annoyed in every class. To have haunting whispers follow you down the hall when you walked from the Great Hall to your common room. How delightfully wonderful it was to be different, she thought with a trace of disgust. She had once thought that coming together before an all powerful Lord would dispel that myth from their minds. After all, they had come together to prove to themselves and others that they weren't different, they were just like everyone else. Narcissa wanted to melt into the crowd, she wanted to be another plain face, but that had never happened to her. She stood out wherever she went, tall, blonde and beautiful, a stunning face in a crowd of ugly women. She hated it, abhorred it with everything she had and yet, it had never changed.
Lucius, on the other hand, thought their differences should be celebrated. He was pleased with his startling good looks and his alarmingly beautiful wife. The night after Snape had been marked as a Death Eater, Lucius had begun to talk about their days at Hogwarts and how Snape had been so unlike everyone else. Wasn't it wonderful that they had an experienced potion's maker in their midst? Wasn't it something that his best friend from school had joined them? Wasn't it something that he'd be by their side when Voldemort took over the world?
Stupid man, Narcissa thought, still staring at the sky. Navy melted into black and the colour made her think of Snape. She had originally thought him a fool to assume he could get away with calling Voldemort by his given name. Yet, their Lord had laughed at this, welcomed it even. He had allowed a man who was not even a Death Eater to call him Tom Riddle, the name given to him by his Muggle father. Narcissa hadn't understood it then and she still didn't.
She barely had time to turn the question over in her mind when the bedroom door banged open and Lucius charged in, his blonde hair streaming out behind him.
"Lucius, darling, where have you been?" she asked. "Marly had dinner ready two hours ago," she told him, referring to the house-elf who had come with her when she moved in.
"Forget dinner," he growled, taking off his cloak and hanging it in the closet. "I spent the evening with Avery, Severus and Tom. We had to think of something to-"
"Tom?" Narcissa interrupted him. "Since when have you been on a first name basis with our Lord and master?"
Lucius glared at her. "If you weren't carrying my child, I swear I would hit you for interrupting me."
Narcissa just glared back. She knew Lucius too well to take his threats seriously. "Lucius, I was worried," she said simply.
His mouth twitched into a smile. "You're never worried about me."
Narcissa tossed him a wicked grin. "I never said it was you that I was worried about."
"Who then?" Lucius asked playfully. "Severus?"
The smile melted off Narcissa's face and she stared gravely at her husband. "Actually, yes."
Lucius stopped and stared at her.
"I'm worried your past with him will affect the future of your position within the ranks of the Death Eaters," she said simply.
Lucius grabbed her wrist tightly and glared down at her. "Never, ever speak of my past with Severus Snape. We have no past."
"You were friends," Narcissa said slowly.
"We were never friends," Lucius replied, letting go of her and backing away. "I'll go see Marly for my meal."
Narcissa stared after him, rubbing her wrist absentmindedly. He had reacted so strangely to her mention of Snape and their past. Maybe she wasn't completely wrong in thinking that something had gone on between them at Hogwarts. Maybe Narcissa Malfoy had good reason to be jealous.
End Chapter Two