The following morning, Narcissa awoke to a loud knock on her bedroom door.
She peered at the clock. It was only 6 A.M. "Damn!" she cursed, got out of her bed and opened the door.
Severus stood there, totally dressed already. He stared at her white silk nightgown and her long, messy hair, and Narcissa suddenly felt embarrassed.
"I just wanted to tell you I'm going out," said Severus formally.
Narcissa gazed at him. "You're going out?"
"Yes."
"May I ask where?" said Narcissa and wrapped her arms around herself.
"I'm going to Diagon Alley," he replied. "I need to get myself some clothes."
"Why?" asked Narcissa, frowning. She could see he was uncomfortable, but didn't care - her curiousity had always been strong.
"Well, you know they destroyed my house," Severus mumbled, "and they kind of destroyed all of my stuff on the way, including most of my clothes. So I don't really have that many clothes right now."
"Oh, and you're going to buy new clothes?" said Narcissa, as her eyes lit up, "Can I come with you?"
"Huh?"
"I'll go with you," she said enthusiastically, "you can't go on shopping and leave me here. I'll help you to choose clothes. Just give me five minutes to get dressed."
"But - "
Narcissa slammed the door in his face and hurried to get dressed and wash her face. Fifteen minutes later she got out of her room, wearing a baby- blue cloak, her hair tied in a ponytail. Severus was sitting on the floor, expecting her, and as she stepped out, he got up.
"That was quick," he said sarcastically.
"I know," Narcissa nodded, not noticing his sarcasm. "Let's hit the road."
Severus stared at her.
"What?" she smiled.
"I'm not sure this is such a good idea," he said.
"Oh, don't be silly," she answered and started to walk down the corridor. "Of course it's a good idea. You'll see how helpful I can be when it comes to shopping. Come on."
Severus twitched his face, shrugged helplessly and followed.
"Diagon Alley, you said?" asked Narcissa. "OK, you know how to Apparate, right?"
"Of course I do!"
"So let's go!" cried Narcissa happily, and with a loud POP she was gone. Severus sighed loudly and Disapparated after her.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Nobody's here!" said Narcissa loudly.
They were standing in Diagon Alley, which seemed almost deserted. Only very few wizards and witches were walking around, though the stores were all open.
"Good," said Severus and started walking quickly towards one of the stores. Narcissa had to run after him. He entered a store. She entered after him.
The store was empty, of course, but a sleepy-looking saleswitch who smiled at them. "Good morning," she said.
"I need black shirts - " Severus started to say, but received a hard shove from Narcissa. He turned to her. "What was that for?"
"Don't take black clothes! Are you nuts?!" said Narcissa. "If you're buying new clothes, buy colorful ones!"
"But I don't like colorful clothes," Severus informed her, thinking this was the end of the discussion. He turned to again to the saleswitch and opened his mouth, but Narcissa spoke before he could get a word out: "We'll just look around, OK?" The saleswitch nodded and began reading the Daily Prophet.
Severus started to protest, but Narcissa ignored him and pushed him to the tall shelves. "Let's begin with shirts, shall we?" she said happily and pulled six or seven shirts from a shelf.
Severus rolled his eyes and sighed. "This is going to be a long day," he murmured.
Narcissa ignored him again. "Here, how about this one?" she said enthusiastically, waving a crimson shirt with long sleeves in his face. Severus gave her a look of pure disgust.
"Don't like it? No problem," said Narcissa cheerfully, throwing the shirt back to the shelf. "Oh, and this one, it would be charming on you!" she held an azure shirt in front of him.
Severus shook his head. Narcissa threw this one too and drew out a pink shirt.
"Are... you... nuts?" said Severus through gritted teeth as Narcissa waved this shirt.
"Why? It's lovely!"
Severus sighed. "Narcissa, I will never wear pink. Ever. It would make me look gay."
"Oh, fine, but I won't give up on this one!" said Narcissa, drowing out a green shirt.
Severus rolled his eyes impatiently. "I just want black."
"No, I will not let you get away with this!" shouted Narcissa happily and stuck the shirt in his hands. "Try it! Try it! Try it!"
"I will most certainly not - " Severus began to say, but Narcissa pulled the shirt over his head. "Yes, you will!" she cried triumphantly as she helped him wear it.
Severus sighed again and gazed helplessly at the ceiling.
"Doesn't he look fantastic?" cried Narcissa to the saleswitch.
The saleswitch raised her eyes. "Fabulous," she answered, lowering her eyes again immediately.
"There! You're buying this one," Narcissa announced, taking the shirt off him and throwing it on a chair. "Now let's get you another shirt..."
Twenty minutes later, they were done with the shirts. Severus couldn't believe his eyes as he stared at them - green and dark green, blue and dark blue, red and two white shirts.
"I think that will do," said Narcissa, and as Severus started for the saleswoman, she stopped him: "No! We need trousers for you!"
Severus turned. "I think I'll get them another day," he mumbled, but Narcissa ignored him, as usual. And they got him three pairs of jeans, khaki pants and dark-green trousers.
"I haven't worn jeans in more than sixteen years," Severus mumbled.
"Then it's definitely time for a change!" Narcissa answered. They paid and got out of the store.
"I can't believe I let you do that!" Severus grumbled.
"You'd better believe," Narcissa replied. "Come on, let's get ourselves some breakfast.
"You're hungry?"
"Yes, and you?"
"No."
"Eat anyway. Come on!" she said and pulled him towards a restaurant.
Narcissa ordered salad and cookied. Severus ordered bacon.
"So, tell me," said Narcissa, her big blue eyes staring directly into his, "did you like it in Slytherin?"
"What do you mean by that?" asked Severus suspiciously.
"I mean just what I said," answered Narcissa. "Did you like it in Slytherin?"
"Of course I liked it," said Severus. "This was my house."
"You wanted to be in Slytherin?"
"I fit there."
"You're not answering the question. Did you want to be in Slytherin?"
"Well..." Severus swallowed hard and gazed at the table. "Actually... I kind of facied a girl from Gryffindor. So, in my childish mind, I wanted to be in Gryffindor. Now let's talk about something else."
"Who was the girl?" asked Narcissa, completely ignoring his last remark.
"Why would I tell you?"
"Because I'm asking you to."
His eyes met hers.
"Lily Evans," he finally admitted reluctantly.
"Uh-huh!" cried Narcissa, and this was so sudden, Severus actually flinched. "This is why you used to hate James Potter - isn't it?"
"Actually, not exactly," said Severus. "I started hating him long before he dated Lily. But I always knew he had a better chance with her than I did, so yeah, I guess it kind of added to my hatred."
WHY AM I TELLING HER ALL THIS?
"What was your house?" he asked quickly, before she could ask another question about him.
"Ravenclaw," she answered.
"Did YOU like your house?"
"I prefered Gryffindor, too, but yeah, I liked Ravenclaw. I had lots of friends there."
"Did you fancy anyone from Gryffindor?" he asked with a small smile.
"No, of course I didn't," Narcissa protested.
"You mean your first and last love was Lucius Malfoy?" he teased her.
Narcissa's expression changed. She bit her lip and stared stubbornly at the table; all of her happiness was gone.
"Narcissa - I - I'm sorry," Severus started to say.
"Let's go," she murmured. She took out her purse, left some money on the table and ran out.
Severus ran after her. "Narcissa - "
She didn't even look at him. She just Disapparated from there. He Disapparated right after her.
As they appeared back at the house, Severus tried immediately to talk to her again. "Listen, Narcissa, I shouldn't have said that, I shouldn't have taunted you, I - "
Narcissa gave him a long, hard look, and left the room. She ran upstairs towards her own room.
Severus was left standing there for a long time.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Author's Note: REVIEWS PLEASE!
She peered at the clock. It was only 6 A.M. "Damn!" she cursed, got out of her bed and opened the door.
Severus stood there, totally dressed already. He stared at her white silk nightgown and her long, messy hair, and Narcissa suddenly felt embarrassed.
"I just wanted to tell you I'm going out," said Severus formally.
Narcissa gazed at him. "You're going out?"
"Yes."
"May I ask where?" said Narcissa and wrapped her arms around herself.
"I'm going to Diagon Alley," he replied. "I need to get myself some clothes."
"Why?" asked Narcissa, frowning. She could see he was uncomfortable, but didn't care - her curiousity had always been strong.
"Well, you know they destroyed my house," Severus mumbled, "and they kind of destroyed all of my stuff on the way, including most of my clothes. So I don't really have that many clothes right now."
"Oh, and you're going to buy new clothes?" said Narcissa, as her eyes lit up, "Can I come with you?"
"Huh?"
"I'll go with you," she said enthusiastically, "you can't go on shopping and leave me here. I'll help you to choose clothes. Just give me five minutes to get dressed."
"But - "
Narcissa slammed the door in his face and hurried to get dressed and wash her face. Fifteen minutes later she got out of her room, wearing a baby- blue cloak, her hair tied in a ponytail. Severus was sitting on the floor, expecting her, and as she stepped out, he got up.
"That was quick," he said sarcastically.
"I know," Narcissa nodded, not noticing his sarcasm. "Let's hit the road."
Severus stared at her.
"What?" she smiled.
"I'm not sure this is such a good idea," he said.
"Oh, don't be silly," she answered and started to walk down the corridor. "Of course it's a good idea. You'll see how helpful I can be when it comes to shopping. Come on."
Severus twitched his face, shrugged helplessly and followed.
"Diagon Alley, you said?" asked Narcissa. "OK, you know how to Apparate, right?"
"Of course I do!"
"So let's go!" cried Narcissa happily, and with a loud POP she was gone. Severus sighed loudly and Disapparated after her.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Nobody's here!" said Narcissa loudly.
They were standing in Diagon Alley, which seemed almost deserted. Only very few wizards and witches were walking around, though the stores were all open.
"Good," said Severus and started walking quickly towards one of the stores. Narcissa had to run after him. He entered a store. She entered after him.
The store was empty, of course, but a sleepy-looking saleswitch who smiled at them. "Good morning," she said.
"I need black shirts - " Severus started to say, but received a hard shove from Narcissa. He turned to her. "What was that for?"
"Don't take black clothes! Are you nuts?!" said Narcissa. "If you're buying new clothes, buy colorful ones!"
"But I don't like colorful clothes," Severus informed her, thinking this was the end of the discussion. He turned to again to the saleswitch and opened his mouth, but Narcissa spoke before he could get a word out: "We'll just look around, OK?" The saleswitch nodded and began reading the Daily Prophet.
Severus started to protest, but Narcissa ignored him and pushed him to the tall shelves. "Let's begin with shirts, shall we?" she said happily and pulled six or seven shirts from a shelf.
Severus rolled his eyes and sighed. "This is going to be a long day," he murmured.
Narcissa ignored him again. "Here, how about this one?" she said enthusiastically, waving a crimson shirt with long sleeves in his face. Severus gave her a look of pure disgust.
"Don't like it? No problem," said Narcissa cheerfully, throwing the shirt back to the shelf. "Oh, and this one, it would be charming on you!" she held an azure shirt in front of him.
Severus shook his head. Narcissa threw this one too and drew out a pink shirt.
"Are... you... nuts?" said Severus through gritted teeth as Narcissa waved this shirt.
"Why? It's lovely!"
Severus sighed. "Narcissa, I will never wear pink. Ever. It would make me look gay."
"Oh, fine, but I won't give up on this one!" said Narcissa, drowing out a green shirt.
Severus rolled his eyes impatiently. "I just want black."
"No, I will not let you get away with this!" shouted Narcissa happily and stuck the shirt in his hands. "Try it! Try it! Try it!"
"I will most certainly not - " Severus began to say, but Narcissa pulled the shirt over his head. "Yes, you will!" she cried triumphantly as she helped him wear it.
Severus sighed again and gazed helplessly at the ceiling.
"Doesn't he look fantastic?" cried Narcissa to the saleswitch.
The saleswitch raised her eyes. "Fabulous," she answered, lowering her eyes again immediately.
"There! You're buying this one," Narcissa announced, taking the shirt off him and throwing it on a chair. "Now let's get you another shirt..."
Twenty minutes later, they were done with the shirts. Severus couldn't believe his eyes as he stared at them - green and dark green, blue and dark blue, red and two white shirts.
"I think that will do," said Narcissa, and as Severus started for the saleswoman, she stopped him: "No! We need trousers for you!"
Severus turned. "I think I'll get them another day," he mumbled, but Narcissa ignored him, as usual. And they got him three pairs of jeans, khaki pants and dark-green trousers.
"I haven't worn jeans in more than sixteen years," Severus mumbled.
"Then it's definitely time for a change!" Narcissa answered. They paid and got out of the store.
"I can't believe I let you do that!" Severus grumbled.
"You'd better believe," Narcissa replied. "Come on, let's get ourselves some breakfast.
"You're hungry?"
"Yes, and you?"
"No."
"Eat anyway. Come on!" she said and pulled him towards a restaurant.
Narcissa ordered salad and cookied. Severus ordered bacon.
"So, tell me," said Narcissa, her big blue eyes staring directly into his, "did you like it in Slytherin?"
"What do you mean by that?" asked Severus suspiciously.
"I mean just what I said," answered Narcissa. "Did you like it in Slytherin?"
"Of course I liked it," said Severus. "This was my house."
"You wanted to be in Slytherin?"
"I fit there."
"You're not answering the question. Did you want to be in Slytherin?"
"Well..." Severus swallowed hard and gazed at the table. "Actually... I kind of facied a girl from Gryffindor. So, in my childish mind, I wanted to be in Gryffindor. Now let's talk about something else."
"Who was the girl?" asked Narcissa, completely ignoring his last remark.
"Why would I tell you?"
"Because I'm asking you to."
His eyes met hers.
"Lily Evans," he finally admitted reluctantly.
"Uh-huh!" cried Narcissa, and this was so sudden, Severus actually flinched. "This is why you used to hate James Potter - isn't it?"
"Actually, not exactly," said Severus. "I started hating him long before he dated Lily. But I always knew he had a better chance with her than I did, so yeah, I guess it kind of added to my hatred."
WHY AM I TELLING HER ALL THIS?
"What was your house?" he asked quickly, before she could ask another question about him.
"Ravenclaw," she answered.
"Did YOU like your house?"
"I prefered Gryffindor, too, but yeah, I liked Ravenclaw. I had lots of friends there."
"Did you fancy anyone from Gryffindor?" he asked with a small smile.
"No, of course I didn't," Narcissa protested.
"You mean your first and last love was Lucius Malfoy?" he teased her.
Narcissa's expression changed. She bit her lip and stared stubbornly at the table; all of her happiness was gone.
"Narcissa - I - I'm sorry," Severus started to say.
"Let's go," she murmured. She took out her purse, left some money on the table and ran out.
Severus ran after her. "Narcissa - "
She didn't even look at him. She just Disapparated from there. He Disapparated right after her.
As they appeared back at the house, Severus tried immediately to talk to her again. "Listen, Narcissa, I shouldn't have said that, I shouldn't have taunted you, I - "
Narcissa gave him a long, hard look, and left the room. She ran upstairs towards her own room.
Severus was left standing there for a long time.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Author's Note: REVIEWS PLEASE!