She had spent years scheming and daydreaming. Of course, Narcissa never expected her efforts at getting Rookwood to notice her would actually work!
"Well?" Lucius was wearing an odd expression that reminded her that she had taken too long to answer. "I thought you'd be pleased."
"I am pleased!" Narcissa blurted, flushing furiously. "But…why?"
Lucius arched a brow, suddenly aloof and disdainful. "One would assume he looks forward to your company.
Then one would be wrong, Narcissa thought, but didn't say. Instead, she simply looked skeptical. She wondered why Lucius even cared. Her expression softened as she worked things out. "Your book." She said softly.
"What?" Lucius's brow furrowed.
"The book. You've earned it. Wait a moment and I'll get it." She said, and then darted back into her room.
The elves had come to clean while she was closeted in the bathroom, and had tidied up the magazines and beauty supplies that had been strewn across the floor. They had pulled the curtains shut against the evening sun, bathing the room in cool, deep shadows.
Narcissa was glad for the darkness. She didn't want to catch a glimpse of herself in the mirror. It wasn't just that she knew that after her beautifying disaster that she must look a fright. She was frightfully certain that she was wearing a disappointed frown, and she couldn't quite figure out why that might be. She had fancied, just for a moment, that Malfoy had wanted to help her with Rookwood because he actually cared about helping and not just for the potions text. Of course there was no reason for that to be. There was no satisfactory explanation for why it might upset her so.
Lucius didn't care. He didn't like her. She wasn't even sure that he liked Bellatrix, but he tolerated them both as a favor to his friend. Any interest that her showed in the youngest Black was either feigned or forced. So, of course he could only want something in return for his help.
Narcissa couldn't work out how she felt about Lucius Malfoy. He wasn't quite what she expected: a larger version of the arrogant, bullying boy she recalled from the days when her mother as still alive. She had cringed at the announcement that he was coming for Christmas- but Rodolphus wanted him to come, and Bella wanted to please Rodolphus, and –even if the Black Magic spellbooks were hidden- Narcissa was far too sensible to cross her older sister.
In any event, time had improved the Malfoy heir. The loud posturing that Narcissa remembered had given way to quiet superiority. Rather than simply parroting off the opinions of his father, he stood wholly on his own.
He was more physically attractive too. Lucius had always been elegantly handsome, even as a boy, but he had also slender and somewhat delicate. Now, however, he was completely different. He was easily a head taller than Narcissa, and his chest had broadened and figure filled out, so that she could see the bulges of powerful muscles in his shoulders and thighs…not that she was paying any attention! Narcissa shook her head, forcing the images out of her mind so that she could rummage in the darkness for the volume that Lucius had requested. Locating it, she flipped through the pages, frowning at the notes that she had scribbled in the margins. She needed her wand to erase them, and it was still in the en suite with Malfoy.
"Narcissa?"
Almost as if he could hear her thinking his name, Lucius popped his head outside the bath, "Did you find it?"
"I did." She strode forward, extending her hand to offer him the book. "Here you are then."
"Thank you." Lucius pocketed the book. "I'll see you tomorrow for our next lesson then?"
"Our next lesson?" Narcissa failed to hide her surprise. She hadn't expected Lucius to continue helping her now that he had what he wanted.
"Of course…there are more books?"
"Oh. Yes." There was definitely another pang- a pang of something that Narcissa wasn't willing to explore. "Tomorrow morning then?"
"Right."
..ooOOoo..
The next day, it was Narcissa who was running late. She overslept. After a night of fitful tossing, she had finally fallen asleep just before dawn and lost herself in a peculiar dream that she could barely remember. She knew that Malfoy had been in it, but couldn't work out why. There was clearly something about him that had engaged even her subconscious.
"Ten Thirty-two?" Lucius drawled as Narcissa burst breathlessly into the room. Her chest was heaving and her skin was flushed, but she supposed it didn't matter. She hadn't done more for her appearance than simply run a comb through her hair.
"You waited." Narcissa said, puzzled.
Lucius shrugged, and then admitted devilishly, "I just got here too."
He smiled at her. Encouraged, Narcissa flashed her own toothy grin, "What are we learning today?"
"Flirting."
"Flirting?" Narcissa scrunched up her nose. Hadn't they progressed beyond that point? "But I already have a date."
"Having a date is only the first step." Lucius said. "Don't you want to ensure a second? A third? Aren't you ready to start naming his squalling little brats?" This last bit was spoken with a sneer. "Well?"
In all honesty, Narcissa hadn't expected to merit even a first date, but she nodded her head.
"Very well." Lucius said, "Let's begin."
Narcissa took a seat in one of the armchairs that she had conjured two days earlier, and then settled back to listen.
"The point of flirting is to hint to the other party that you are interested in pursuing a relationship."
Narcissa dipped her head. Again, it seemed that she had achieved this goal.
Reading her expression, Lucius shook his head. "It can't be as obvious as you've done."
"But I thought that he was meant to know that I like him?"
"Not know. Suspect. He's meant to think that you might like him." Lucius corrected, " You have to keep him guessing…and you can't simply bat your eyelashes and agree with everything that he says."
"Then what can I do?" Narcissa asked in exasperation.
"Compliments are a good way to start." Lucius instructed. "Then, when a rapport has been established, you move on to innuendo. Watch."
Narcissa gasped as Lucius sidled into the chair beside her, then leaned over to whisper into her eat. "That's a lovely dress you're wearing." He reached forward to touch the trim of the deep V at her neck. Narcissa's skin prickled beneath his touch. "It looks good on you."
"It's Bella's dress!" Narcissa blurted in a panic.
Lucius sighed. "No, Narcissa. That's all wrong. I wasn't asking who the dress belonged to, I was trying to start a playful conversation." He pressed his eyes shut for a moment. When he opened them again, he said. "Say it to me."
"What?"
"Repeat what I said. I'll show you what you're meant to do."
Narcissa's lips twisted into a bemused smile. "That's a lovely dress you're wearing, Mr. Malfoy. It looks good on you."
Lucius flashed his teeth. "It looks even better off."
Narcissa gasped and flushed, causing Lucius to laugh at her. "We'll work on that." He promised, "But we'll start with compliments first. The keys are creativity and sincerity. Pick out something unique that you truly like. Deliver the compliment, and then follow up with a question, like so:" He made a gesture to indicate that he would offer another example. "I don't meet many women who are interested in potions. They take a great degree of concentration. What got you interested?" He waited for the girl to answer.
Narcissa frowned. She couldn't well answer the truth: Love potions!"
"Explosions." She said at last.
Lucius had been opening his mouth to say something else, and left it hanging as he processed her words. "Explosions?" He echoed incredulously.
Narcissa nodded. "Yes. Andromeda got a potions kit one Christmas when we were small, but you couldn't make explosions with it. They didn't give you the right ingredients. Shrinking potions, laughing lotion- that's all it could do. Nothing really dangerous. When you study upper level potions, you can pretty well have anything you want."
"At school?" Lucius tone betrayed his interest.
"Well, yes- and here too. Papa has a lab under his study."
"He does?"
Narcissa bit her lip, realizing too late what she had said. "Yes…well…" She continued uncomfortably. "So…er…that's flirting, is it?"
Remembering himself, Lucius dipped his chin. It was obvious that he wanted to continue their discussion, but he dropped it for the time being. "You try it." He suggested. "Try to start a conversation with me. Compliment first, like I showed you."
"Oh…all right." Narcissa felt certain that she preferred talking about her father's forbidden lab to this! She let her eyes roam over Malfoy, searching for a compliment that she could offer without looking like a fool. Her skin flushed scarlet again as she considered the possibilities.
For the second time that morning, Narcissa considered how devastatingly handsome he was- not that it would ever do to say that! He might get the wrong impression if she complimented his ash grey eyes or cornsilk hair…it was the wrong impression, wasn't it? Suddenly, Narcissa wasn't sure. She felt queasy. She couldn't praise him for being "nice" either- he wasn't being nice, was he? He was purely aiding her for profit in the form of access to her father's book. Perhaps she should comment on his shrewdness? That didn't seem right either- and she was running out of time.
Lucius's head was cocked to the side, and he frowned at her. "Surely it's not that hard." He said in a stung tone.
"Well, you're not bad for one of Rodolphus's friend, are you?" She finally blurted.
Lucius continued to peer at her, his brow furrowing, and then he finally smiled. Narcissa's heart gave a flutter.
"Not bad for a first try, I suppose- though the phrase 'damning with faint praise' comes to mind. What's your question?"
She hesitated, so he prompted, "The question you're meant to follow up with, remember? We can't very well have a conversation about that fact that I'm not too horribly bad."
'Er…yes. Uhm…What do you think about Bellatrix and Rodolphus getting married?"
She wondered if she'd asked the wrong question, because Lucius's features blackened. "How do you know about that? I thought he hadn't asked her yet."
"Well, he will do." Narcissa was confused, "Papa never would have left us here if he didn't know it was coming- I heard them talking in Papa's study."
"How?"
"Er…How?" Narcissa frowned at the question, realizing too late that she had exposed her tendency to eavesdrop. "I happened to be in the room." She lied. "No one ever notices me around, do they?"
"At their own peril." Lucius muttered. His frown deepened, but he surprised her by saying. "They should do. You could be a rather dangerous creature if you tried…and I think that it's a mistake."
"Being dangerous?"
"Bellatrix and Rodolphus. I think that's it's a mistake for them to get married."
"Because they're so young?"
"Because they're in love."
Narcissa was about to dispute this accusation, but she reconsidered. Bellatrix had been with Rodolphus for years, and had tolerated behavior on his behalf that would have left other boys hexed into eunuchs. Surely Bellatrix did love him? Did he love her? He was young and under no compulsion to marry. If he was defying the advice of his friends- for surely Malfoy had advised him against the match- that must be evidence of some strong affection on Rodolphus's part? Accepting this as true, Narcissa paused to ponder the other question raised by Lucius's remarks.
"And that's a bad thing?"
Lucius nodded his chin in a definite motion. "Yes. It's a distraction. Marriage is a business arrangement and, hopefully, involves a small degree of mutual attraction. There's no call to be sentimental. It complicates things."
"But don't you want to fall in love?" Narcissa's head was spinning. She had lost track of how the conversation made this turn.
"No."
"But…but won't that make it hard?"
"Hard?"
"To be…er…intimate with your wife."
The look that Lucius returned made her feel like a silly little girl.
"That's lust Narcissa." He answered calmly. "Something entirely different, though women often confuse the two." He made a sound that Narcissa took to be a long-suffering sigh. "It's purely biology- nothing that any two normal, healthy adults couldn't manage at any time." She hadn't realized how terribly close he was standing. The scent of his cologne made her feel lightheaded. "You and I could do it right now if we were so inclined."
Somewhere, his voice had dropped to a silky purr. She would have sworn that he'd moved closer. She felt his breath on her cheek, and her entire body was tingling as, unbidden, her imagination fleshed out the hypothetical occurrence. She pictured Malfoy's taut, toned body unclothed, the sensation of his weight shifting onto her…
"But, that's a lesson for another day." Lucius finished brightly, snapping her out of her reverie. "I told Rodolphus I'd meet him this morning, so I don't suppose I'll see you until dinner….oh, and I got an elf to do your hair."
"M-my hair?" Narcissa was still caught in the thrall of her daydream and barely heard the words.
"Yes…Bipsy or Bopsy or some such nonsense. My mother keeps it s a spare and I thought you might find it helpful."
"Thank you."
Lucius waved her gratitude away. "It was nothing. Well, " He turned toward the door, but paused, "Good luck this afternoon."
With Rookwood, he means, Narcissa told herself firmly, wishing that it was possible to slap her own cheek without letting Malfoy notice. It was ridiculous letting herself get caught up in thoughts of Lucius of all people! It was Rookwood she wanted!
Narcissa whiled away the afternoon with her old potions textbook, cooking up a skin clarifying lotion that she found in the appendix to pass the time. All too often, her attention drifted, playing out the scene in the ballroom in her head- though with very different ending.
"This is ridiculous!" Narcissa said aloud, tossing her textbook to the ground. She wanted Rookwood. Rookwood was her date to the Rhys-Boomslang ball, and she ought to be concentrating on putting Malfoy's lessons to work! She didn't really like her teacher. She simply wasn't used to attention. The conversations that she and Lucius shared were the longest that she had been a part of outside of school.
Somewhat reassured, Narcissa set about making a plan. It was still two hours before Rookwood arrived with the Post. She could pass the time letting the elf fix her hair and thinking of some complimentary thing to say to help her flirt.
By quarter to five, Narcissa was ready. She practiced her flirting one more time in the mirror and stole a glance at her hair.
It really did look quite nice. She'd only had to stab her finger at a photograph in Witch Weekly and the elf had gone to work. Wielding the curling wand with surprising dexterity and securing its work with bobby pins, the little creature expertly recreated the style that Narcissa had selected. Feeling rather pleased, Narcissa had applied the clarifying potion and dabbed a spot of gloss on her lips as well. Admiring her reflection, she was convinced that even Lucius would have to approve.
Not that I care. She amended quickly. Sighing at this lapse in focus, Narcissa stalked down the stairs to wait. It was slow going. The hem on her borrowed dress was several inches too long. It reminded her that she would require new robes for the ball. Perhaps she ought to get some everyday dresses as well? She really hadn't bothered to shop since returning from school. Lucius would know which shops were the good ones.
Before she could chide herself for letting her thoughts drift once more to Malfoy, she heard the knocker on the front door.
"Coming!" She called, and hurried forward.
The surprise on Rookwood's face at what greeted him was palpable. For the second time in a row, he was welcomed by a transformed Miss Black. "Good afternoon." He said in a far more respectful tone than usual. "I've come for the post."
"Its just over here." Narcissa's heard was pounding as she walked toward the table in the hall and prepared to deliver her line. "You're so very prompt, Mr. Rookwood. Do you come here straight from work?"
For a moment, there was silence. Narcissa feared that she had miscalculated. Perhaps the compliment was too subtle? Should she have praised his appearance? She'd tried to think of something, but had been thwarted. She'd always liked Rookwood's eyes, and had been most perplexed to realize that she couldn't recall their color.
"Yes." Rookwood finally answered the question. He was gawking, but oddly, she was unperturbed by the scrutiny. "You look different." He said.
Narcissa chewed her lip. Was that meant to be a compliment in return? She waited for his follow-up question. Obviously, if it was, Lucius and Augustus belonged to different schools of flirting because the query never came. He merely stared at her awkwardly. Narcissa was about to hand Augustus the parchments and send him on his way when she became aware of another presence in the room.
It was Lucius. She knew without looking. Suddenly, every nerve in her body was crackling and alive. She felt him walk up behind her and hover at her side.
"Ah, Rookwood. Back again, I see. Couldn't send an elf to run the errands…or don't you keep elves?"
Lucius's opening parlay was hardly complimentary, but then, Narcissa reckoned that Lucius wasn't trying to flirt.
Rookwood stiffened, but he couldn't fire off a retort before Malfoy added. "Narcissa and I were just about to have a cup of tea. Could you join us before you venture back off into the cold?"
Narcissa didn't know what Lucius was doing, but she supposed that he was trying to ensure that his flirting lesson was put to use.
"I suppose I could do." Rookwood answered suspiciously. He accepted the parchments from Narcissa, thrust them into his packet, and then flung his cloak onto an elf.
"The drawing room, Narcissa?" Lucius asked, leaving the girl with nothing to do but nod her head.
The filed down the hallway and then into the graceful blue sitting room where Narcissa's mother had presided over teas years before
The tea service, cakes and salmon and cucumber sandwiches were laid out on the table already- no doubt another of Malfoy's arrangements, but he deferred to Narcissa to pour.
"Lovely." Lucius murmured as he accepted his dish of milky tea. "Narcissa is such a natural hostess. She's going to be quite an asset to her husband someday."
He doesn't mean it, Narcissa reminded herself, too distracted to be annoyed that she was being spoken of as if she wasn't there, or at the chauvinistic content of Lucius's speech. He was merely laying it on thick for their guest. Still, Narcissa felt a bubble of pride. She turned toward Lucius and offered a small, grateful smile, but paused, bemused when she saw what he was doing. He was piling a scone with jam and clotted cream. She didn't know where he had got it.
"A bit rustic, isn't it Lucius?" She teased as he took a hearty bite of his cream tea.
"Merely playing the tourist." He replied. "I can't have a visit to Cornwall without it, can I?"
"You're thinking of Devon." Narcissa corrected, still smiling at the relish with which he was devouring the scone. "And I suppose you'll be wanting a pasty next?"
"Perhaps." He replied, unruffled but echoing the smile. "My nanny was from Cornwall. She fed me cream teas all the time."
"You had a human nanny?" Rookwood broke in, speaking at last. "Doesn't your house have elves?" He smirked, copying Lucius's earlier taunt.
Lucius glared frostily at the other man. "Of course we have elves. Any idiot knows its better to leave children with actual witches…if you can afford them."
Rookwood's mouth pressed into a line as he absorbed the barb. Narcissa noted that he hadn't touched his tea or sandwich. "Keeping children is like tending sheep," He declared pompously, "I think that its demeaning work for a witch."
"Then you think motherhood is demeaning?" Lucius turned the comment on its head.
"Of course not." Augustus said, glaring into his teacup. "I simply meant that very young children hardly require a full-blown wizard for their care, and older children of a certain class should be accustomed to managing inferiors. Squalling and toddling around hardly requires the retention of a human staff."
"How very progressive." Lucius muttered wryly. There was s twinkle in his eye as he turned toward Narcissa. "What do you think, Miss Black?"
Narcissa's mouth went dry as she was put on the spot. She couldn't agree with Lucius without looking foolish, but she couldn't agree with Augustus and be sincere. Besides, hadn't Lucius said that she wasn't meant to agree with everything that men might say?"Actually, I plan to look after my children myself." She announced to the astonishment of Rookwood and Malfoy both.
"Do you?" Lucius regarded her curiously. Augustus was merely frowning.
"With help, of course." She amended. "I don't mean to be changing nappies.
"Of course not!" Rookwood looked relieved.
There was another pause. This time it was Augustus who broke it. "I hope, Miss Black, that Mr. Malfoy has informed you of my invitation to accompany me to the Rhys-Boomslang ball next week?"
She didn't care for the arrogant tone of his voice. Then again, he was doing her a favor.
"Yes. Thank you. I'd be delighted to go."
"I thought as much." He smile smugly. "It's the least I can do for your father while he's away.
The reminded of why he was taking her was something of a slap in the face. Lucius must have noticed her grimace because he snarled: "The very least." And abruptly stood. "I'll show you out then, shall I?"
Rookwood blinked and then stared at his untouched tea. However, he really had no choice but to nod as Lucius loomed over his chair.
"Yes." He answered. Standing, he offered a cursory bow in Narcissa's direction. "Goodbye, Miss Black." To her utter astonishment, he reached forward for her hand. He kissed it lightly before he turned to leave, and Narcissa saw him meet Malfoy's eyes. Their gazes locked. Something passed silently between the men, and then Malfoy edged them toward the door.
Lucius stopped before he reached the threshold. "I ought to go look for Rodolphus." He announced as way of farewell. He offered a bow of his own. Then, stepping forward, he took Narcissa's other hand. Instead of kissing the back as Rookwood had done, he turned it over. He pressed his lips into the soft middle of her palm. The ridges of his mouth tickled against the sensitive skin as they lingered a moment longer then necessary. Then, he released her and turned to go.
After the men had disappeared, Narcissa sank back into her chair. She stared at her outstretched hands.
Only one of them was tingling.
..ooOOoo..Lucius didn't know what had possessed him to copy Rookwood and kiss Narcissa's hand. Now that the deed was done, he didn't want to reflect on it. He worried that the pounding of his heart and odd lightheadedness might mean that he had taken sympathy a bit too far.
"You know, I think I forgot my-" Rookwood started to say, pausing in the hall as they neared the front door.
"We'll owl it." Lucius snapped reflexively. "I'll send it with an elf."
"You don't even know what I was going to say!" Rookwood protested. He gave Lucius a level stare. "What's wrong with you, Malfoy?"
"Wrong, with me?" Lucius felt his composure return as the venom-drench words dripped from his tongue.
"Yes. You're acting very odd. What's your interest in all of this?"
"All of what?"
"Me, and the Black girl."
"Narcissa."
"I know her name!" Rookwood had come to a full stop and refused to budge even when Lucius tried to cow him into walking again. "I mean, why is it that you're suddenly around whenever I want to have a word with her alone."
"Do you want to have a word with her?" Lucius's tone was suspicious. "I don't recall your having any business with Narcissa before a few days ago."
"Yes, I want to have a word with her. She's my date, isn't she?"
"As a favor to her father- as you felt the need to underscore."
"Well, it isn't just that." Rookwood insisted, "She's been...rather different these past few days, hasn't she?"
Lucius's lips pressed into a thin line but he didn't answer.
"You aren't courting her yourself, are you?"
"No!" Lucius said quickly- too quickly, because Augustus quirked a brow. "I mean, not at present."
"Then, you wouldn't mind if I took her to dinner?"
"Dinner? When? Where?"
"I thought we'd established that it wasn't your concern?" Rookwood said smugly. "In any event, please ask her if she's available Friday evening."
"Why can't you ask her yourself?"
"You won't let me back into the drawing room!" Rookwood said in exasperation.
Lucius was embarrassed to realize that the other man was right. He was blocking the entire path. Feeling foolish, he stepped aside. "Fine. Go. Get your...whatever it was...while you're in there."
Malfoy's eyes narrowed as he watched Rookwood walk back down the hall and disappear into the room where Narcissa sat. What's taking him so long? Lucius thought as the minutes dragged past, frowning and wondering if he ought to go back inside too.
No, that would never do. Lucius picked up a porcelain figurine off one of the tables in the hall and turned it over in his hand. Rookwood had already gotten the ridiculous notion that Lucius was interested in Narcissa. It wouldn't do to go galloping back in there and making things look worse. He ought to be pleased that Augustus was taking some interest in the girl apart from simply viewing her as a chore. Not that he wasn't too blind to see it before. Lucius thought, annoyed at the other man's shortsightedness. There was a good deal more to Narcissa than simply a pretty face and an exquisite pedigree. If Rookwood couldn't see that, then he didn't deserve her!
Lucius was still mulling these thoughts when the other man finally emerged, his wand tucked under his arm and a self-important smile on his face. "Friday evening then, Miss Black." He said with another bow, and then he strode past Lucius and out the door.
Narcissa appeared in the hallway a few minutes later. Her cheeks were glowing pink. Lucius wondered if Rookwood had kissed her again.
"Well, you certainly look pleased." He snarled at her.
Abruptly, the smile on Narcissa's face vanished. "Mr. Rookwood has asked me out for dinner on Friday." She said crisply. "Your lessons have worked again."
"I ought to write a book." Lucius said sarcastically. "Well, I suppose I should leave you to your euphoria now." He turned sharply, expression carefully composed as he started toward the steps.
"Lucius!"
How did she manage it? Why was it that his breath caught in his throat when she spoke his name?
"Lucius, don't go!"
He turned slowly, looking slightly above her head as he said, "Why?"
"You..." She twisted her fingers in the folds of her robes. "You forgot your book."
"I'm not done with the other one yet." He started to turn again, but froze when he felt her hand on his wrist.
"Lucius..."
Her grip faltered as he turned. She stared at her feet and spoke very quickly. "I can't do this without you. Please don't go."
"Of course you can." Lucius said dismissively, but he felt his resolve melt a little. He still didn't trust Rookwood's interest in Narcissa. Even if it was genuine, it wasn't strong- and Augustus was just enough of a caddish oaf to go breaking her heart if she wasn't shown the proper way to behave. "What else do you need to know?" He said at last.
"What to wear. What to do..." She said, stepping closer. He thought he could feel the heat of her body through his clothes. "What if he tries to kiss me?" Narcissa asked in the same tone that she had inquired about what to select from the menu. Her shocking teal eyes stared at Lucius from behind her ragged fringe, all business as she waited for a response.
"Well…" he hedged. Something inside him was twisting. "I suppose you'll have to kiss him back."
"How?"
"How?" He frowned. Surely she didn't mean to question him on technique? "Well, you've been kissed, haven't you?" ADVANCE d 4
There was just enough hesitation in her reply to make him doubt the sincerity of what she said next. "Sure. Loads of times." She chewed her lip and then amended. "I mean…once, by Remington Flint…but I don't think we got it right."
"How could you mess it up?" Lucius wasn't certain that he wanted to know, but curiosity drove him forward.
"Well, I don't think it's supposed to hurt."
"Hurt?"
"I don't think I was supposed to bite him when he put his tongue in my mouth." She admitted artlessly. Then, noting Lucius's arched brow added: "It was disgusting."
In spite of feeling vaguely horrified by where the conversation had gone, and in defiance of the prickle of jealousy which had illogically darted through his mind, he smirked, "Well then, Remington Flint must have got it wrong. But you're right. You oughtn't have bit him"
Narcissa nodded her head, accepting this information and digesting it like another page in one of her books. Staring at the girl, her arms folded and nearly lost in the too-long robes that had belonged to Bella years before, Lucius was struck by the vivid mental image of a quill scratching against parchment in her brain, setting everything down for inspection and meditation when she was alone. She was staring at him with an unreadable look.
"Is there something else?"
Narcissa shrugged. For a moment there was awkward silence. Then, she blurted, "Show me?"
Lucius arched an eyebrow, suspecting but not quite believing what she proposed to do. He had to restrain a smile. For the first time since he had started to notice, she appeared flustered.
"Well, of course we wouldn't mean it!" She said, cheeks blazing.
"Mean it?" Amused astonishment had reduced his replied to stupefied echoes of what she said before.
"It's just part of the lesson after all.." Narcissa's poise seemed to be returning, because she finally met his gaze. The smirk on her unpainted lips was so quintessentially Black that, on any other occasion, Lucius might have been tempted to laugh. As it was, a smile tugged at the corners of his lips. This had the effect of infuriating Narcissa, "Surely I wouldn't be that awful to kiss?"
"No." Lucius answered quickly- too quickly for comfort, and he hurriedly continued with "I suppose we ought to ensure that you've mastered the basics."
Narcissa pinked, but was silent. She laid down her wand, and then turned back toward him, stepping forward and lifting her chin expectantly. Her extraordinary blue eyes peeked again from behind her fringe. Lucius had a the urge stroke the hair off of her face. He resisted, however, and kept his hands at his sides as he apprized the situation.
"Not so stiff." He chided, and Narcissa obediently slumped. "No- not limp either."
"I just…" A flash of frustrated fury crossed her face, illuminating the features like a spark of lightning in the sky. It ignited something inside him. There was another uncomfortable pang.
"Maybe this isn't a good idea." He spoke slowly, "Didn't the Witch Weeklies I gave you offer any-?"
"Witch Weekly is concerned with more advanced techniques." Narcissa snapped. Her lower lip protruded slightly and she continued to hold her chin aloft. "Well?" she said after a pause.
"Well?"
"Are you going to kiss me or not?"
"Such a tempting offer." He teased. Her scowl darkened dangerously. "Oh, very well." He finally conceded, making a great show of condescension, "If you insist."
Still cross, Narcissa loosened slightly. Lucius could tell from the careful posture of her shoulders that she was trying very hard to hold a stance somewhere between the "stiff" and "boneless" attempts that he had mocked.
"You're trying too hard."
"Well, I don't know what to do!"
"Just relax." Lucius laughed at her growing agitation. "Close your eyes."
Again, she complied. Her lids drifted slowly shut. Her back was still rigid. Her lips were puckered. She looked like she was bracing herself for something.
Lucius let her wait.
"Get on with it." She exhaled when the tension became too great. A turquoise slit emerged from beneath her heavy lashes. "Have you changed your mind?"
"I'm waiting for the right moment." He tapped her nose with his finger. "Close your eyes."
He waited for her eyes to flutter closed again and then he reached for her, succumbing at last to the temptation of brushing her fringe aside.
He had to admit it: she really was quite pretty in her way. Beneath her wretched, unkempt, mouse-brown hair she hid the same high cheekbones and aquiline nose as Bellatrix. Her eyes were less heavily lidded than her sister, and instead of the older girls wide, thin mouth, Narcissa's was like an overturned rosehip: small and plump and pink.
Lucius fixated on that little pillow of flesh. Hooking his index finger under her chin, he brushed the pad of his thumb over the shallow-ridged skin. The unexpected touch drew a gasp of surprise.
"Lucius?"
Then, in that brief moment of disorientation, he made his move. Grasping her shoulders, he pressed his lips against the corners of her mouth, first one and then the other. Automatically, Narcissa went stiff with shock, but slowly softened. When she had melted a little he repeated the gesture, and then rubbed his lips over the center of her pout.
A thrill of friction spiraled through his body when he finally covered Narcissa's lips completely and bore down. She welcomed his touch, answering shyly with the faintest pressure of her own.
He couldn't say what he had expected kissing Narcissa would be like. He hadn't or wouldn't admit to having thought of it before. Intuitively, however, it seemed that it should be awkward. They should be bumping noses and stealing breath. Instead, it was quite the opposite. Kissing her seemed like the most natural thing that he had ever done. Like a key sliding into a well-oiled lock, there was no resistance. Their bodies moved effortlessly into place, then worked together seamlessly, flawlessly, and without conscious thought.
Lucius barely noticed as her arms slid around his waist. He was too lost in unexpected sensations: the cool mint of her breath, the plain-soap fragrance of her skin, the minky softness of her dull brown hair- but he instantly registered the puddles of heat where her hands pawed nervously at his back. He released her shoulders. With the backs of his fingers, he swept up the curve of her throat, and then hooked them into her unruly hair, which he tugged on to tilt her chin.
His tongue flicked against the seam of her lips, and they parted at his touch. The cool freshness of her breath was even more pronounced as he snaked his tongue between her teeth. He probed gently into the moist hollow, slicking the wet muscles of their tongues together, and then tickling the sensitive roof of her mouth.
Blood pounded in his ears as he continued to taste and tempt his student. His body was stirring. His nerves were crackling. A pain was building in his chest: an uncomfortable tightness that built and spread until he finally realized what was wrong: he wasn't breathing. Just as he made this realization, the small fingers that had been clutching his back began to scramble and push away. He had no choice but to end the kiss. They broke away, gasping and sputtering.
Lucius took air in thirsty gulps, willing his pulse to slow. Even after his lungs were filled, his senses continued to swim. What had just happened?
"Well, now I suppose I'll know what to expect."
Lucius stared at Narcissa, utterly dumbfounded. Her skin was flushed and her eyes were sparkling like a pair of aquamarines, but her features were resolutely serene.
"W-what?" He sputtered, barely hearing the chiding voice in his head assuring him that Malfoys never sputtered.
"I don't think that he'll go quite so far on a first date." Narcissa continued in a casual tone, "But its good information to have. Thank you very much, Lucius. I'll bring you another book tonight."