A/N: Thanks for reading. I'd really appreciate reviews :) Also, be sure to check out my other one-shots!
Druella's Problem
The problem is resolved.
Druella Black smiled down at the piece of parchment that held those four simple words. She took her reading glasses off, folded the piece of paper up, and put it into her desk drawer. She locked it with an intricate key just as her youngest daughter walked in.
She noticed that Narcissa never walked with her head held high like she used to at Hogwarts. Now she would walk with her head like she was ashamed of being a pureblood. She had stringy, sandy blond hair, and she wasn't as striking as her sister, Bellatrix.
The girl, who was barely eighteen, walked to one of the wingback chairs in front of her mother's desk. The old woman looked a lot like Bellatrix. She had black hair that she always wore in a simple bun. She always wore the fanciest dress robes ever made, and today was no exception. Her robes were made of an emerald material, and had silver thread running through it creating an intricate design.
Only the best, Narcissa thought, looking down at her plain robes that was just a simple black color. She was very pale and black was the only color that looked good on her.
Narcissa sat down in the chair and crossed her legs.
"You wanted to see me, mother?" she asked.
"Yes, we have to talk about your…future."
"What about it?" she asked, afraid of what was coming next.
Her mother had been pushing her to get married ever since she left Hogwarts.
"I don't want you to besmirch the Black family name," she said. "Every Black member has gotten married right out of Hogwarts. Look at your sister, Bellatrix. She getting married to Rodolphus soon. Even your blood traitor sister Andromeda married straight out of Hogwarts to that Mudblood."
At least she got out while she could, Narcissa thought.
"Well, I'm not them, mother. I actually want to find someone I like," replied Narcissa.
So, Narcissa did find someone she liked.
It had hit her like a train. She was walking down Diagon Alley with Bella after going to Twillfit and Tatting's to get Bella some new dress robes. Bella had stopped at the Apothecary looking at salamander's blood that was half off. Narcissa decided to go up the street a bit to stop at Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor.
They have the best pineapple ice cream with walnuts, Narcissa thought.
Her eye caught something shining, and Narcissa turned to see what it was. She saw a tall man walk out of Flourish and Blott's with a stack of books, with which he was setting up a display. He was very tan and very handsome. He had dark brown hair down past his shoulders with highlights of blond running through it. He held the hair back with a simple band. When he turned around, she noticed he had gorgeous hazel eyes, and his nose had a large scar on it, which made him even more handsome. She stood there with her mouth opened, and he looked directly at her. She closed her mouth, blushed furiously, and looked down. When she raised her head again, he was walking across the street.
Oh no, she thought, he's coming over here! What do I do?
Before she knew it, he was standing in front of her smiling. His smile was more a mischievous smirk, and it just made her blush even more.
"Hi," he said. His voice was as tough as he looked she noted.
"Hi," Narcissa replied. That's a good reply. Makes you look real smart , she mused.
"What's your name?" the handsome man asked.
"Narcissa."
"Does Narcissa have a last name?"
"Black."
A look of recognition flashed across his face, and he nodded.
"Mine is William Wittingham. Pleasure to meet you," he smiled and kissed her hand. She smiled and averted her eyes. She glanced down the street and noticed Bella was looking around for her.
"I have to go," Narcissa said and hurried off.
"Good bye, Narcissa," he called after her. She shivered slightly at the way he said her name, and it was a good shiver.
The next morning, just as she was getting up, she heard a pecking at the window. She glanced over and saw a beautiful barn owl with a letter in its mouth.
Odd, I never receive post, she thought, walking over to the window. The bird flew in and landed on her bed, and she took the letter from it. The bird flew back out the window and she opened the letter.
Dear Narcissa,
I was wondering if you would accompany on a date tomorrow. I haven't been able to get you out of my mind since we met in front of Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor. I know this great place we could go that is quite romantic. Wear muggle clothes and meet me in front of the Leaky Cauldron at seven.
William
Muggle clothes? She didn't have any muggle clothes. She was a Black and Blacks never place the filthy clothes of common people on themselves. Or so that's what Narcissa had been told all her life. She really wanted to see where this went with William, as no guy had ever paid as much attention to her as William did. It was always Bella who kept getting the guys and Narcissa was always in her shadow.
Narcissa wrote a quick reply on the parchment saying that she would love to go, called her tawny owl, Adelaide, and sent the owl off. Now all she had to do was think of a way to get out of the house without Bella. She walked down the steps, avoiding all the steps that would creak, and thankfully Bella was in the kitchen eating breakfast. She opened the door and quietly shut it. She stepped off the porch and Disapparated to the Leaky Cauldron.
Once there, she went through the pub and tapped three times on the brick to enter Diagon Alley. She walked all the way to the end of the cobblestone street to Gringotts. She tried to find a goblin that wasn't busy and as far away from other witches and wizards so they wouldn't know what her business was there. She found a goblin at the very end and kept her head down while walking, as to not draw attention to herself.
"I'd like to make a withdrawal and exchange money into muggle money," she muttered to the goblin. Within minutes, she was walking out of Gringotts with her pouch filled with about five hundred pounds. She stepped out onto the street in front of The Leaky Cauldron, and started walking. She had no idea where she was going and she just let her feet do the walking. After about an hour or so of walking, she found herself in front of a store called Harrod's. She looked in the window, and noticed that the clothes the mannequins were wearing were absolutely gorgeous. She stepped reluctantly, and a saleswoman stepped up to her.
"Welcome to Harrod's dear, how may I help you?" the kind older lady asked.
"I have a date tonight and I have nothing to wear," Narcissa replied, blushing slightly.
"Well, we can take care of you."
About two hours later, Narcissa walked out of the store with a large bag. She had brought a dress, shoes, accessories, and a purse. It also used up most of the muggle money she had.
She Apparated back to the manor, and before she went inside, she took her wand out, and transfigured her clothes into various books that one would find from Flourish and Blott's. She walked inside and Bella was coming out of the kitchen.
"Where have you been?" she asked suspiciously.
"Oh, there was a sale at Flourish and Blott's this morning. I got some great prices on some Potions books."
"We're out of school now," Bella laughed. "We don't need Potions books anymore."
"Well I would like to restock on Pepperup Potion, as we are running low," Narcissa retorted, even though it was a very lame excuse.
"Whatever, Cissy," Bella said, walking out of the house.
Narcissa let out a breath of air and ran up the stairs. She went in her room and locked the door. She glanced at her watch and it said it was one o'clock.
Six hours left, she thought while transfiguring the books back to her clothes. She spent the next few hours brewing Pepperup Potion, so Bella wouldn't get suspicious again. After her first batch, she realized that it was two hours left until her date.
Damn, she thought.
She waved her wand and locked her door. She took the dress out of her wardrobe and admired it. It was a dark red dress, almost the color of blood. The dress was strapless, and it went down to her knees. The dress had gold and silver threads running through it to create a flowery pattern. Once the dress got to her waist, the silver and gold threads stopped, and the rest was a flowy material. She put the dress on, and examined herself in the mirror. She was pleased with what she saw. She put on the matching strappy shoes, and put on her earrings, necklace and bracelet. Then her eyes moved towards her hair. She fingered it nervously, and took her wand out. She flicked her wand, and her hair went up into an elegant knot on the back of her head. She applied little makeup and started to fill her purse. She was about to walk out, and looked down at her clothes. She couldn't go out like this. She flicked her wand again, and she was clothed in one of her signature black robes. She walked down the steps and out the door. What she didn't see was Bella standing in the shadows with an invisibility cloak in her hands.
Narcissa arrived at The Leaky Cauldron at five minutes before seven. She took her cloak off and shrunk it with a wave of her wand and put both items in her purse. She didn't have to wait long before William showed with a small pop. He stood there with his mouth opened before holding his arm out.
"You look gorgeous," he smiled as she took his arm.
"Where are we going?" she asked.
"My mom is the head chef at this great little restaurant not far from here."
They walked for a few minutes and he led her into a small restaurant. There were a handful of tables with small candles on them. The hostess smiled at him and took them to their table. The hostess handed the menus to them, but William waved them off.
"We already know what we want," he smiled. "We'll have the chicken picatta and a nice Chardonnay."
The hostess left, and Narcissa whispered, "What's chicken picatta and Chardonnay?"
"Chicken picatta is chicken in a lemon sauce with capers and Chardonnay is a wine."
"Oh. Sorry, I'm not used to muggle foods," she blushed.
"I'm used to it," he smiled. "I'm a Muggle-born."
Narcissa slightly stiffened, thinking of how her family would disown her if she married a Mudblood, "Oh."
"I'm not contagious," he laughed as the food was being served.
They spent the rest of the night talking until his mother came out of the back.
"William, I'm closing now," she stopped short when she saw Narcissa. "And who is this lovely lady?"
"Mom, this is Narcissa Black."
"Is she like you?" she asked, meaning if she was a witch.
"Yes, only she's a pureblood."
His mother smiled down at Narcissa. "So lovely to meet you. I'm Ivy," she said reaching her hand out to shake it.
"Nice to meet you too," she smiled and shook her hand.
"Now you two need to get out of here so I can clean up."
"Yes, mother," William replied, kissing his mother's cheek.
They walked out of the restaurant, and back towards The Leaky Cauldron. Narcissa kept glancing over her shoulder, and kept making odd faces.
"What's wrong?" William asked, looking behind him.
"Nothing, it's just that I feel like we're being followed."
They stopped in front of the wizard pub, and William turned her around to face him.
"I had a really great time tonight," he smiled.
"Me too," she smiled back. William looked deep into her eyes and slowly lowered his lips to hers. He kissed her deeply and a golden glow appeared around both of them. Narcissa opened her eyes and noticed the glow. She pulled away, even though she didn't want to, and then William noticed the glow.
"Oh," he said sounding surprised.
"You do know what this means, don't you?" she asked.
"We're meant to be together. Soul mates," he smiled. He was about to lean in for another kiss when a loud crack sounded behind him.
Bella was rushing up the yard of Black manor, and shoved the door open. She ran up the stairs and went to Narcissa's room. The door was locked, and Bella whipped her wand out and shouted, "Alohomora!"
The door blasted open, and she started the hunt. She went to Narcissa's desk and started rummaging through it. She found the letter William had sent the day before. She also found the bag that had once carried her muggle clothes from a store called Harrod's. Bella smiled maliciously and headed down to her mother's study.
That had been two days ago, and Narcissa had yet to hear from William.
"Narcissa, are you listening to me?" her mother asked.
"Sorry, what did you say?"
Her mother huffed a bit, and repeated, "There are some changes you need to make before you are to be married."
"Married?"
"To Lucius. He asks that you be like him in every way."
"What does that mean?"
"Well, your hair for one thing."
"What about it?"
"He wants you to have the same color as his. He wants to be sure that the Malfoy blond be passed down."
"No, I'm not doing this. I'm not having an arranged marriage with someone I can't stand!" Narcissa yelled, getting up to leave.
Her mother waved her wand and Narcissa fell to the floor. Her mother stood up and walked over to her daughter that was lying on the ground.
"You will not disgrace this family. You will marry Lucius this summer."
"No, I won't."
"You leave me no choice, Narcissa. I will not have you do what Andromeda did to this family."
"At least she got out while she could. And she's happy."
"No real pureblood could be happy married to a filthy muggle."
"I'm not marrying Lucius."
"Yes, you will," she said coolly as she raised her wand.
"I'm going to marry William. He's my soul mate."
"You are not marrying William, as he is dead," she laughed.
Shock washed over Narcissa's face and tears started to fall.
"Like I said before, you leave me no choice. Obliviate!"