Disclaimer: I just own the plot.

Review Responses:

Dark Comet - I'd heard about Minerva being a Roman Goddess, apparently McGonagall was a Scottish poet who's generally regarded to be the worst poet in the English language! Draco is nervous! Isn't that cute! Yes I think he was beyond mortified when Blaise got that letter! As for Slytherins having a thing about stealing their classmates mail, Pansy's obsessed with the boy and is also his friend so was probably just having a laugh and I'm guessing she would regularly steal his mail. As for the other Slytherins I think they'd read anything left lying around as Draco was daft enough to leave the note lying around in his dorm, so Blaise was probably just looking for some entertainment. You may have noticed Draco's opinion of him is not the highest! I don't mind answering questions, thanks for reviewing!

Trillium - Yay! Thank you for putting me on your favourites list! I hadn't heard that about the Pansy being called hearts-ease, that's interesting, apparently it's also been known as ladies-delight and stepmother's flower. I agree that the girl has interesting possibilities! People shouldn't write her off as an air-head. Ah, poor Draco indeed, the indignity of it all! Thanks for the review!

Serepidia - I think Narc would rather spend Christmas alone than with Lucy, but she'd rather spend Christmas with Sev than spend it alone! Sev in this chapter! I love him too! Thanks for reviewing!

Slytherin Starr-Athena - Glad you liked the chapter, your Pansy is interesting I must admit! I've dropped a review to your latest chapter! Harry is way too much in the spot light! Thanks for the review!

I Built My Life Around You

A/N: Sorry this is late but Fanfic went funny again and then I haven't had chance to post till now since it came back up. Further author's notes after the story.

**Narcissa's Thoughts**

_emphasis_

Chapter 30

Narcissa awoke Christmas morning feeling grumpy and far from festive. She hadn't even decorated the house, though there was an undecorated Christmas tree stood in the drawing room. **Well I'll be damned if _I'm_ decorating it!** Dippy wished her Merry Christmas and brought her breakfast to an upstairs sitting room, as the dining room was really too large for one person to eat alone.

"Merry Christmases Mrs Malfoy!"

"Yeah, thanks Dippy. You too."

"Thanks to you Mrs Malfoy!"

"Dippy?"

"Yes?"

"Did you want something else?"

"Whys?"

"Because you're still here!"

"Well, I is been thinking!"

"Sounds liable to get me killed!"

"There is no decorations in the manor, you has not decorated for festive time and I was thinking I could if you is wanting!"

"No thanks, I don't feel too festive. Spending Christmas alone does that to you!"

"Ok," Dippy bounced out of the room leaving Narcissa to poke despondently at the continental pastries Dippy had brought. She cheered up a little when a note arrived from Draco wishing her Happy Christmas and bringing her a gift. **Belgian chocolates? Not bad kiddo! Hmm, and a jewellery box, what's in here?** She opened the little box to find a silver pendant shaped like a snake on a delicate chain. **Oh, that's beautiful.** She smiled, Draco could be so sweet when he wanted to be. His note said he'd loved her gifts, which ranged from a new emerald green cloak through several boxes of sweets and games to a book about the origins of Slytherin house and Salazar Slytherin himself.

Narcissa dawdled over breakfast, reading the paper and savouring her tea. **Not like I can kid myself that this isn't going to be the highlight of the day!**

By the evening Narcissa was feeling deeply depressed but she had resolved to stay up and wait for the letter Draco had promised about the ball. She wandered vaguely, even attempting conversation with Dippy but she soon gave that up as the house elf was bouncing around the kitchen with a red tea cosy on her head which she had somehow managed to attach bells to. **At least now I can hear her coming in time to get away!**

She had a glass of wine and sat down by the fire roasting some chestnuts until it grew dark, the only light in the room was the firelight but she liked that. The house felt cosy and there was a gentle fall of snow outside the window, **Maybe Christmas alone isn't so bad! People! Who needs them!**

It was well past midnight when Draco's owl arrived with his letter.

Hey Mum!

Tonight was pretty good, Pansy clung to me like a limpet but she liked the flowers so much she forgot to complain about the dress robes! I was wrong about Granger and the Weasel, she was with Viktor Krum of all people! I mean bloody hell! Potter and Weasley found matching dates in a pair of identical twins, the Patils. Crabbe and Goyle didn't manage to coerce any girls into going with them, not that that surprises me! Thanks again for the presents!

Love you,

Hope your Christmas didn't stink too much being alone!

Draco.

Narcissa smiled, **it's nice when he cares.** She went to bed feeling happier than when she had woken up that morning.

*******

Narcissa slept late on Boxing Day and spent the day lazing around. That evening, when she was relaxing in front of the fire in the drawing room, Dippy came bounding in to disturb her solitude, "Mrs Malfoy, you is having a visitor!"

"Who?" she asked, puzzled. **Oh God I bet it's the ministry again on one of their post holiday raids! They hit the sherry a little too hard over the Christmas period and suddenly they're up to all sorts!**

"He says he is Severus Snape."

"Well what are you waiting for, show him in! No! Hang on!" She flicked her wand at the walls and the bare tree causing them to be covered in festive decorations, **can't let him think I've been moping!** "Ok, now show him in!"

She adopted a nonchalant pose on the sofa with a book, glancing up from it as he walked in.

"You came," she smiled.

"Of course," he seemed surprised at her statement.

"I thought you didn't want to."

"I had to chaperone that dance, I told you," he sighed exasperatedly.

"I thought you were just making excuses, that you could have got out of it if you'd tried hard enough."

"I did try, but, as I happen to be the only one capable of handling certain members of my house, Dumbledore said he required my presence as I could not give him a good reason for my not being there."

"Why didn't you just tell him you were coming here?"

"Oh yes, I'm sure he'd be delighted to know I was coming to Malfoy Manor to spend the evening in the company of the wife of a deatheater."

"Alright then, why didn't you tell him you were going to see someone else, a friend perhaps?"

"That is a list which includes only one person outside of Hogwarts these days and that is you."

"Oh, why didn't you tell him you were visiting your fancy woman!?" she asked, exasperated.

"Yes, that one's believable!" he drawled sarcastically.

"Hmm, I suppose not," she agreed.

"Precisely."

"Yeah, who could deserve you?"

He raised a bemused eyebrow.

"Oh come on you're brave, handsome, chivalrous and just slightly evil."

"Narcissa, have you been drinking again?" he asked suspiciously.

"No. Can't I be pleasant even around Christmas."

"Not without scaring me witless I assure you, it is most unnatural."

They both laughed and Narcissa rang for the house elf who had disappeared again. "Dippy bring us the sherry and some mince pies. Severus do sit down you're making my drawing room look untidy!"

Severus sat as the elf ran out of the room again, "Your house elf seems...energetic?"

"Tell me about it! That was my company on Christmas day, only then she was wearing a..."

Narcissa trailed off as Dippy bounced back in, now once again clad in the red tea cosy complete with bells.

"Tea cosy?" Severus finished for her.

Narcissa nodded and laughed. Dippy readjusted the tea cosy and bounced out again, leaving the tray on the coffee table. Narcissa handed Severus a glass and helped herself to one.

"Nice sherry," he commented.

"Yes, it's been down in the wine cellar for years, it's a good one apparently but I don't know much about spirits.

"Only how to consume them!"

"Are you ever going to let that go?"

"What do you think?"

Narcissa rolled her eyes, "I wasn't that drunk!"

"I seem to remember I spent that evening prying you off me!"

"It was one kiss!" she blushed, "And I wasn't that bad!"

"You were telling Molly Weasley how attractive I looked."

"I'm affection starved, so sue me!"

He smirked at her but it seemed friendly rather than mocking.

"Besides, you did look attractive. Black's your colour fortunately, as it appears to be the only thing in your wardrobe!"

"I'm sorry that, unlike you, I don't have a different set of robes for every day of the year."

"I do not! And Lucius is just as bad as I am!"

"Well that figures! How are you two?"

"Er, awful? What do you think? He had a lobotomy and now he's a nice person?"

"Alright, I only asked!"

"I know, but let's not talk about him!"

"Then leave him!"

"What? Where did that come from?"

Severus rolled up his sleeve and gestured to the mark, "That's where. _He_ is back. That means you're in danger and so is your son."

"And so is the rest of the wizarding world, but I've always been in danger when it came to Lucius, I can handle him."

"Can you?"

"No," she admitted. "That's why I'm still here. I'd leave if Draco would come with me but he won't and you know it!"

Severus sighed, "Yes, I do."

"Show me your mark," she said suddenly.

He flinched, "You've already seen it."

She sighed and caught hold of his arm in a surprisingly strong grip and rolled back the sleeve. The mark was darker than ever, she ran a gentle finger across it, a frown marring her attractive face. "Does it hurt?"

"Physically? No. It feels a bit odd, itches a little, nothing worse. It's the memories it brings with it that can hurt."

He removed his arm from her hands and rolled down his sleeve, "Lucius' is the same?" he asked.

She shrugged, "Don't know, don't care. He got himself into it."

"So did I," Severus reminded her.

"Yes, but you regret it, and you were never like him. You must realise that."

"We both made horrible mistakes."

"You and him or you and me?" she asked wryly.

He smiled without humour or warmth, "Good question, didn't we all?"

"Yes. But you put yours right. He doesn't even see that they were wrong, or rather he does and he doesn't care."

"And you?"

"I think there are mistakes you can never put right."

"Really?"

"Yes, though I would give the world to be able to."

They lapsed into silence until Narcissa asked how his previous evening had been.

"I was at what was basically a glorified Christmas party for hormonal chimpanzees."

"I see. So, you didn't enjoy it then?"

"Did I mention Karkaroff was there? I spent most the night breaking up couples hiding in bushes."

Narcissa snorted with laughter, "No, you don't strike me as the type to appreciate young love, then again you and Morgana made quite the pair in my opinion."

"Morgana and I went to one dance together that was all!"

"She thought you were quite dreamy you know, well when she took her head out of 'Quidditch Through the Ages' long enough to notice!"

"Well, she always was a strange girl!"

"Yes, she was. Though she did have good taste!" Narcissa smirked at the, now slightly flustered, potions master and quietly sipped her sherry. "So, tell me, did Draco seem to be enjoying himself?"

"Yes he seemed to, though I spent as little time in there as possible so you'd have to ask him."

"I already did, he wrote to me last night, said he enjoyed it."

"Well, I'm glad someone did. Besides Dumbledore that is!"

Narcissa laughed, "Yes, I suppose he adored it. Ah well, it is Christmas even you could stop being grumpy for a while if you liked."

He gave her a silent glare.

"Or not."

They continued to talk until late into the night when Severus said he really should get going. Narcissa walked down the path with him, shivering slightly in the cold.

"Bye Sev," she leaned in and kissed him lightly on the cheek, "I had a nice evening."

"Me too, goodnight Narcissa."

"Goodnight, write to me sometime."

He merely nodded and disapperated leaving Narcissa shivering in the cold but feeling happier than she could remember for a long time.

*******

Next chapter Narcissa reads the articles in the papers and does some more investigating!

Chapter 31 should be up on Thursday or Friday. I'll try to make sure it isn't late this time! Please review!!

A/N: I've posted another fic in case anyone's interested. It's just a one-shot and it's got nothing to do with this story or any other story I've written, just imagine it being set in an entirely different universe. It's Order of the Phoenix compatible and there are slight spoilers but nothing drastic. It's based on my thoughts of why Sev would join the Death Eaters and it's set in both the time of the fifth book and in Sev's school days. Please read it and drop a review, I'm hoping you'll like it even though it isn't connected with this but the idea wouldn't go away until it was written. Go on review, you know you want to! (Alright so I'm just delusional but you could always humour me!)