Chapter three
Narcissa sat down, and Dobby immediately brought her a drink. She sipped at it, gazing around at the dancing couples, her face blank. Nothing in her expression hinted at what had just happened. It was strange, Narcissa almost felt a sense of gratitude towards her husband. She certainly felt she ought to feel grateful to him for rescuing her from Avery's rather foul leering, but part of her felt that ever familiar feeling that she was chained to Lucius. While he had been away the feeling had lessened somewhat, but now that her husband had returned she felt the emotion return and settle like a lump of lead in her stomach. She belonged to Lucius, and him alone. It was not only through her own choice that she was made untouchable.
Mentally shaking herself slightly, and reminding herself that she did not want men like Avery to touch her, Narcissa got up for fear of attracting attention from sitting down alone for too long. She danced with some other men, offered drinks, and when she felt too tired to do any more dancing and socializing Nacissa wondered down to the end of the room and out into the grounds. It was getting cold, but she didn't mind. She had felt far too hot in the ballroom. As she gazed out down the valley she saw a fairy flit from out of one of the trees. None of the muggles in the village ever noticed odd things about the manor, such as the fairy population, it was too heavily protected with anti-muggle charms.
Narcissa looked coldly down at the village in the distance. Narcissa hated the muggles. She mostly thought them stupid, and not worth her time, but in other ways she felt jealous of them – they had so much freedom. She was certainly jealous of Andromeda for what she did. She hated Andromeda for what she did. How dare she go and live with muggles? It was a disgrace, a scandal, and yet... Andromeda had freedom. Why were wizards so old fashioned? The wizards she knew, anyway. Narcissa was pretty sure Ted Tonks did not mind that Andromeda asked him questions, or spoke before he did. She was sure Andromeda was allowed out of the house when she wanted, and she was sure Andromeda was still in contact with her friends... those wretched Potters, that Ruby Prewett, and Frank and Alice Longbottom.
Stopping herself from thinking thoughts that would break down her composure, Narcissa focused her attention on the fairy again, which had met a second. All she had to do was get through the last dance with Lucius, then the rest of the evening with him, and then she could sleep. She would be prepared this time, and nothing would break down her guard. She could act well. She would manage it.
Shutting her eyes, and making her face as blank as possible, she turned back towards the house. She stepped inside and Lucius immediately came over to her.
"Narcissa, my delicious little wife. I have sent Avery away, never to bother you again."
"Thank you, dearest husband, you are too kind to me. Is it time for the last dance?"
At every Malfoy dance the couple traditionally performed at the end of the evening. Lucius liked the tradition, he could dance well, and enjoyed showing Narcissa off. He smiled at his wife, his eyes glinting slightly.
"I am glad to see you are no longer going to be behaving so abysmally, Narcissa. Yes, it is indeed time for the last dance. I have requested of our invisible orchestra... 'la séduction de la demoiselle'."
Narcissa felt like her insides had turned to lead. 'la séduction de la demoiselle' was a dance of seduction. It was performed by two people, and quite frankly, was the not the dance she wanted to be performing when she was trying her hardest to keep up her icy exterior. Not a flicker of these thoughts showed on her face, however. Instead she replied,
"What a choice, for your first night back. I hope I perform up to your standards." she smiled slightly at him. He narrowed his eyes, staring at her for a moment before turning away, satisfied that she was being sincere. He swept off to inform the guests.
In no time at all Lucius was back, and taking her hand. The guests had formed a ring again. Narcissa caught sight of a handsome young man she couldn't remember being introduced to. He was staring at her, but not in the way men normally stared at Narcissa. He seemed to merely be curious, and slightly disdainful. He saw her looking at him, and did not smile, but tilted his head slightly, and raised his eyebrows.
"Impertinent man!" thought Narcissa, but promptly put him from her mind as the music for 'la séduction' began.
The two dancers start at opposite ends, gradually moving towards each other. For a tantalizingly long time the dancers are very close, but never touch. Beginning slowly, the dance sped up with each phrase. Narcissa cleared her head of emotion as she spun round and round Lucius, whose eyes were glinting in excitement. At the point of the dance where the two finally touch, Lucius reached up and pulled down Narcissa's hair, letting it flow behind her in long waves.
The dance built and built, Lucius' eyes never leaving Narcissa's face. In the climax the two are very close, the woman whirling round the man as he catches her, pulling her to him and getting what he desires.
The audience applauded when Lucius and Narcissa finished the dance, Lucius was panting slightly. Narcissa, who had the harder part to perform, was not even out of breath. Her face remained the colour of snow, her eyes cold, her hair still hanging loose down to her waist. Lucius turned to her and kissed her, in front of everyone, which earned him another cheer, loudest from the edge of the circle where Nott and Rookwood were standing, with some others Narcissa knew to be Death Eaters. Narcissa did not let any signs of embarrassment show on her face but kept her head held high, and dropped into a curtsey as her husband bowed. She had done it.
Not long after, the guests began to leave. Narcissa stood by the door, politely wishing them all goodnight. Those who congratulated her on the dance had tones of surprise in her voice. It seemed incredible to them that this cold young woman could perform such a thing, which required so much passion and energy.
The last guest stepped up to Narcissa. She recognised him at once as the man who had looked at her so strangely before the dance began. She didn't say anything, not knowing his name, and looked at him coldly. At her reception of him, the man laughed. Narcissa frowned.
"Someone's going to break through that mask of yours, eventually, you know." he said, before striding off, his cloak billowing out behind him.
Narcissa stood stunned for a moment. Who has this man?
She watched him walk to the edge of the anti-apparition barriers, then, with a crack, he was gone.
A minute later she felt her husbands arms slide around her waist from behind.
"Now, my sweet wife, no protesting tonight. You know what you owe me." he whispered. He turned her around to face him.
Every time she was put in this situation Narcissa had the same debate with herself. An easy life meant giving into Lucius. Giving him what he wanted. If she could keep her mask on he would never see her disgust and hatred of him.
If she did not obey him, and refused him, things would be worse for her. The events of that very afternoon were brought back to her mind sharply. Narcissa knew she had to make some sacrifices. Tonight would just have to be one of them.
"My husband," she said, her voice low and as soft as silk. "How could I resist?"
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