((Authors note: I think I'm going to pick this story up again. I know it's older but I've gained some inspiration for it. I lost the original plot so I'll make it as close as I can. If you're still around to check in on this story, bless you ))

A few days have passed with Tabitha hardly straying from her room. At first she had been sneaking out at night to the kitchens to eat before Lucius had caught her, a look of disdain and what only could be described as angry regret.

After that incident, he simply ordered the elves to take her food in the evening as he thought of a way to write Jensen and tell him this simply wouldn't work out. He didn't have time to babysit a fully grown woman who was acting like a child. He was too tired and too old for this. So what if he had come in too strong that first day? She had embarrassed him publicly when she loudly said that she would have rather stayed with Lovegood a useless excuse of a wizard. He had been warned that she was a little headstrong but completely without manners had not been in the agreement.

Even with this being a set idea in Lucius' mind, he never did get around to writing it and two weeks went by like this. No interaction between the two but somehow just knowing there was another person in the manor eased that ball of unrest that had took to living in the middle of his gut since Narcissa and Draco had left. Even if she wasn't speaking to him, just the knowledge that she was there and he wasn't alone was enough for him. His sleep was still plagued with nightmares from the war and certain things still seemed to send his heart pounding and his Fight or Flight to kick in. But her presence helped just enough to where he wasn't pacing the empty halls all day and night. Now, he stuck to pacing the gardens and peering up at her window once in awhile.

On this particular day, the air chilly and the gray clouds heavy with the promise of a storm, he glanced up to see her watching him. The windows thrown open, he noticed that the curtains looked vaguely different. For a few moments, they simply looked at each other before he spoke.

"You know, you can't stay in that room forever. Eventually, we'll have to share the same quarters."

…...

Tabitha knew that her staying in her room all the time was immature, which only became more apparent when Lucius started sending the meals to her instead of forcing her to come down. Guilt immediately began crawling in, reminding her that she wasn't some child that was being forced into this. She had agreed to the proposition as soon as her father had told her the situation. She had the chance to say no, which her mother vehemently encouraged. While Tabitha had loved her life at home, she knew that this type of thing was somewhat important to her father's side of the family, some weird tradition that both her mother and father had went through. And as it was her father had said that Lucius was decent, albeit conceited to no end, as far as he could remember from school. He did seem a little concerned about something but decided against voicing his opinion, which made Tabitha just a little nervous.

They had had a bit of a rough start, no doubt, but he wasn't pushing her and that gave Tabitha time to calm down and get used to her surroundings a bit more. She wasn't completely okay with the house elves but her father had said they were more common over her than they were there so she tried her best to not stress them too much. She was also slightly spooked yet intrigued by the old Gothic mansion feel that the house had. It reminded her of all the old paperbacks she'd bought and brought with her. Which was what brought her to redesigning her room.

Not that the large room, four-poster bed and the small bathroom attached wasn't to her liking but she had begun missing home and her old room. With a little magic, she unpacked her luggage and began changing the room slightly, turning the dark walls to a warm green, the cold silver adornments to warm gold. She placed her plants in the corners, the vines crawling and blooming upwards towards the ceiling. Throughout the room floated small butterflies or fireflies, depending on the time, the ceiling glowing lightly with false stars at night.

Sure, it was completely different than the rest of the house and Lucius would probably puke if he saw it but she liked it and it reminded her of home. After the first couple of days, Tabitha started opening the windows of her room, letting in the fragrance of the gardens just beyond. That was her favorite about the manor, the fact that just outside her window was a sprawling array of flora, small stone paths curling through it before ending at the small hedge maze, a large fountain in the middle. She had spent her days looking out the window until Lucius starting taking his walks out there. Seeming far more relaxed and almost pensive, she would observe him as he walked, trying to keep herself concealed when she noticed that every now and then, he'd glance up at her window.

Now, as she stood in full view, looking down at him and turning slightly red at his words, she frowned as she realized her was right and what that intended.

"I know that. I just..." she spluttered, struggling to find the right words, "I'm... what I'm trying to say is I'm sorry. I've been acting pretty childish."

"You can't come down here and tell me that?"

"I'd rather not. It's less intimidating up here," she said simply with a sheepish grin. Lucius hesitated for a moment at the change of expression, noticing the warmth the small smile gave to her features. The corner of his mouth twitched but he straightened up and locked his hands behind his back as he remained silent.

"But I think I'll come down for dinner tonight," She stated before hesitating and adding, "If that's okay?"

A strange feeling bloomed momentarily in his chest. Triumph?

"Why the change of heart?" Lucius asked, his smooth voice floating up to the window, wrapping around her and causing a slight shiver.

"No change. I still think you're kind of a jerk," she stated, earning a scoff from the platinum man below her window, "but I agreed to this engagement and I owe it to my father to try to make it work. Tensions were pretty high that first day and I think we should try to start over. We are going to be married after all." The last bit came out as a bit of a mumble, her green eyes breaking away from silver ones. She refused to tell him that the patience he'd shown had earned him some brownie points.

Lucius simply watched her for a few more moments, still wondering if she was being serious or if she was going to stand him up again.

"Alright. We'll have dinner together. The elves will come get you when it's ready," He replied, trying to keep his voice level and uncaring as he turned and went back into the manor, leaving her alone again with the garden view. The blond exhaled loudly, her shoulders relaxing as she stepped back and out of view, moving to her vanity and plopping down onto the cushioned seat. The false butterflies drifted and flitted around her, landing silently in her curls and on her arms as she began to regret her decision.

She would now have to have dinner with a man that she was sure she had nothing in common with, who was raised and lived as an aristocrat while her parents had let her and her sisters run wild and free. Was there going to be certain manners she'd need to know? Were there going to be more than 3 forks? Because she had no idea what to do with the tiny forks and was she going to have to speak properly? She could hardly string sentences together sometimes! The blonde jerked to a standing position suddenly.

"My God, what am I supposed to wear?" She snapped out before flying over to the wardrobe and flinging it open. The clothes she had only put in there days ago went flying out across the bedroom floor and the mattress. After minutes of this, she groaned and made her way quickly to the fireplace. Only a few moments went by before her mother's delicate features showed in the flames.

"Tabitha! I've been worried sick about you! Why didn't you call sooner?! Do you know how much your father and I have been-"

"Mom! Stop! You can berate me later and I'll tell you the whole story but this is urgent," She rushed before pulling over the pile of clothes, "I'm having my first dinner with Lucius and all my clothes look like I just rolled out of a communion."

Hours passed and twilight crept over the countryside, the dim daylight hours turning into chilly darkness. The clouds became thicker and in the distance the low rumbling of thunder could be heard. Tabitha looked towards her window as the soft pattering of rain started before turning back to the mirror. Her mother had helped her pick out one of the gowns she had worn to a summer gala last year. The dress was off-the-shoulder lace colored to match the green of her eyes, the edges swishing and clinging around her calves in soft gold. Paired with the black ballet slippers she almost looked sophisticated. Save for her hair which was refusing to stay in the pins she had placed in attempt to make a neat up-do. She sighed and ran her hands over the delicate fabric.

"This will have to do," she muttered as a light knock came from her door. Peering out, she nodded to the house elf and followed him down to her dinner with one Lucius Malfoy.

….

Lucius was dressed to the nines, as per usual. Dark vest pulled over a crisp, white full sleeved shirt, his new riding boots shining in the candle light and warm glow of the fire, hair pulled back from his face. A roll of thunder came through as he turned to watch for Tabitha. Just as he did, she turned the corner to come down the stairs and a small smile passed over his face. Granted, the dress was a little too frilly for his taste but she had somehow managed it. With her wild hair loosely pinned and falling around her pale shoulders, large eyes meeting his and a blush creeping over her face and chest, she looked like a woodland sprite that he had somehow managed to capture. At that moment, he decided that he had made the right choice on not contacting Jensen to re-write their agreement. She was warm and glowing and for a moment, it seemed like the darkness curled away from her and Lucius was drawn. This was to be his bride.

He moved to offer his arm as she stepped down. The young woman hesitated, a slightly awkward look on her face as she finally reached up and wove her arm around his.

"I know that the dining table is normally where we would eat but considering we have a lot to catch up on I assumed a more," he mulled over the right word, "intimate seating would be required."

As soon as he spoke, a smaller table to the left of them, closer to the fire was revealed, several candles floating above it, illuminating the picturesque looking dishes that had been laid out upon it. Tabitha swallowed. This was all very close and personal and well, intimate. She also just realized how much taller Lucius was, her face level with his chest as he turned gestured to her seat as the elves pulled them out for them.

"This is...um, it's all very beautiful. Thank you," she said quietly as she set down, her nerves keeping her back rigid as she tried to make eye contact with him but failed, looking everywhere except at those intense gray eyes.

"Are you alright?" he asked, eyes narrowing when he realized she was avoiding his gaze.

"Yes, I'm fine, I'm just...you make me nervous," she said bluntly with a strained laugh. He frowned a bit and leaned back as the first course was poured, a rich soup that smelled of heaven.

"You keep saying that. I've already told you that I won't harm you," he clipped, voice slightly heated. She shook her head then, finally meeting his eyes as his tone turned. "It's not that. My family just wasn't as traditional as all this. At least, not anymore. You're far more...aristocratic than them. It's a bit overwhelming and I'm not sure what to do."

Lucius snorted slightly as he took a sip of his wine. "Well, you haven't embarrassed yourself too much. Yet." He stated, with what she could only describe as a mocking look in his eyes. The blonde girl narrowed her own, loosing whatever remorse she had been feeling for this man.

"Oh, well, great to know that you're keeping tabs. Maybe if I make a fool of myself enough, you'll send me home," she replied, her voice slightly louder than before, ignoring the food in front of her, instead glaring at the man in front of her who seemed not phased in the slightest.

"Not a chance."

She scoffed slightly at his serious tone and the fact that he didn't miss a beat, just sat there sipping on his stupid wine.

The night moved on, the pair slowly moving from polite conversation onto actual topics that they were both interested in. When she asked about if the manor was haunted, he gave a flat "No," and refused to talk about if anyone had ever died in the home. Tabitha knew someone must have seeing as it was an ancestral home of the Malfoys. The conversation picked up again however when she asked if there was a library.

"Of course there is. It's across from my study. If you are done with your meal, I can show you it," he said, wiping his mouth one last time before pushing away from the table. Tabitha's eyes lit up and she tried to get up as gracefully as possible and smiling.

"Yes, please. I miss the library at home," she said, her smile dimmed a little at the thought of home. Before she knew it, Lucius had taken her hand and was leading her to the stairs. She fought the urge to pull her hand back and tried to keep up with him.

"This is your home now. You can go wherever you want. Just keep in mind that some of the things in the library as encased for a reason and should not be tampered with," he mentioned as they reached the landing and continued down into the dimly lit hallway. Everything in this house is dimly lit Tabitha thought to herself, jumping as thunder shook the windows beside them. She liked rain but every since she was little, loud sounds always spooked her a bit. Without thinking, her hand pulled from his and she grabbed his arm. She felt him pull away and within a moment a heavy arm was draped over her shoulders, tucking her close. Realizing what was happening and still being wildly unfamiliar with this man, she immediately pushed away, moving to the middle of the hallway.

Lucius stopped and carefully accessed her. She was sure he was going to say something rude or grab her arm and force her to come back to his side.

The blonde man simply waited, taking a deep breath and fighting the urge to do just that. She was very flighty and had finally relaxed a bit. When the thunder frightened her, pulling her close to him was a knee jerk reaction but clearly had been the wrong one. As thunder rumbled again and her shoulders began to shake, wide green eyes darting between him and the window, he held up his hands.

"Shh, you're alright. I was only attempting to comfort you, Tabitha. Come," he said, extending his arm again, "I promise I won't do it again until you are more comfortable."

She hesitated, narrowing her eyes before slowly moving back over and taking his arm once again. As the rain continued to pour outside, Tabitha forced herself to put her trust in this strange, slightly frightening man. Sure, he seemed slightly sweet but there was still that wildly aggressive side of him that she had seen that first day. And there were more than a few times during dinner that she was sure he was mocking her. The only real relationship Tabitha had ever seen was the very devoted love of her mother and father. She had only ever seen her father doing everything in his power to make her mother fall in love with him day after day. She saw the look of complete trust and love and friendship her mother had for her father.

She didn't see that here. Not between her and her betrothed. She saw a man that probably had a pretty dark past. She was aware of the war that had gone on here years ago. She was aware of those they called Death Eaters. She was also acutely aware that most of them were Purebloods. Like the Malfoys. It made her stomach twist as she continued into the library, the sheer amount of books going unnoticed as she stayed distracted until Lucius snapped his fingers in front of her face. She jerked back and frowned at him.

"I'm not a dog," she remarked as he moved away from her towards the large windows on the opposite side of the large room.

"Yes, well you seem to have the attention span of one," He retorted, immediately regretting it but keeping his back to her. He was attempting to change his ways since the war but some habits die hard. Tabitha's eye had been roaming over the books up until he said that. That was it. She'd had enough.

"Okay, I'm done. You've done nothing but make snide little comments all night at me and I'm done. Have a good night, Mr. Malfoy," she replied haughtily before turning on her heel and making her way towards the door.

Lucius jerked. "No! Wait," he said, closing the gap between them quickly and taking her arm to stop her. She jerked away from him and shot him a look that could kill. No. This is not how he wanted this night to end, damn it all. He took a deep breath and looked at her pleadingly. He didn't want to be alone. Not tonight. Tonight almost seemed normal. He almost didn't hear the ghosts of his past. "Please, Tabitha. I apologize. I'm trying to change, to be more considerate. These things take time but I'm begging you to be patient with me. Please? Just come sit for awhile. Talk to me. Tell me about your family, you sisters, what you love and what you hate. Anything to stop the silence," He said, his voice trailing off and cracking towards the end. Tabitha searched his face. Suddenly, he looked far older than he was, haggard and haunted. Brow furrowing slightly, she nodded and he slowly let her go.

"Alright. I'll stay."