Whelp, look who is back to writing? My first drabble in a while. I'm shocked that I managed it.

I wrote it for Amber's Weekly Drabble Competition: Week One (Easy) - Write a canon pairing

Warnings: Arranged marriage? I think that's it. It's... light... weird...

Word Count (excluding a/n): 859

(And yes, I'm aware it's a little over 750 words, but I'm still counting this as a drabble because Amber is counting it as a drabble)

We Each Have a Part to Play

"Narcissa, darling. The Malfoys are here." Druella's voice was kind, but it held the same hint of sadness that had been present for the last two weeks.

Oh how long those two weeks had been. Narcissa sighed and turned her head away from her mother, unable to bear the heaviness in her eyes. It was all she could do to stand up and follow her mother down to the sitting room, refusing to look anywhere other than at the ornate rugs on which they walked.

She knew how she had to behave. One sister had already messed this family union up—their reputation couldn't withstand another disobedient child. So, upon reaching the sitting room, she raised her eyes to meet those of Lucius Malfoy.

He smiled, and it almost struck her as odd. He hadn't been a very kind boy back at Hogwarts, but something about his smile… it actually seemed sincere.

She repaid the gesture.

When he took her hand and kissed her knuckles, she didn't pull away. And when he asked her to go on a walk, she complied, falling into a silence as he spoke to her of things she couldn't really care about. She knew her role, and if he was always this well-mannered, then maybe it wouldn't be too difficult to play.

They were halfway through the rose gardens when Lucius stopped walking and turned to her, giving her an inquisitive look. "You're lost in your own mind, I see," he said, his expression softening into a smile. "May I have the privilege of knowing your thoughts?"

Of course, Narcissa didn't want him to see her true thoughts. Not with how shaky their family ties were at the moment. "Your voice is very soothing," she lied in an airy tone. "I apologize if I got a little lost in it."

Lucius blushed, but quickly blinked his reaction away. "I know there is more to it, Ms. Black," he said. "You can trust me. This has to be a… trying time for you and your family. I just want to help."

Narcissa was startled by his words, but she didn't let it show. Instead, she glanced back at the house, where she knew their parents were drawing up the papers on their betrothal. Instead of focusing on the window of the sitting room, Narcissa turned her attention to the rose bush directly in front of her. Only one of the roses was in full bloom, its white petals stretching out to show all of its beauty.

"You are an only child, yes?" She asked softly, finally turning to look at Lucius. She knew the answer, of course. She knew a lot about his bloodline. "Things are different when you share a childhood with someone else. My sisters and I… we were inseparable before Hogwarts—through school, even. Up until Bella graduated and became a Lestrange."

Narcissa sighed before meandering over to a marble bench, sitting down delicately upon it. "When Bella left, she became a different person. She had always had a lust for life, but what she is now is… And then Andromeda left, taking our reputation with her." Narcissa shook her head, stopping herself from saying any more. What had their family come to? One sister deranged, one disobedient.

And Narcissa.

Lucius was quiet as he sat down beside Narcissa, hesitantly reaching for her hand. She let him take it. "You feel betrayed," he said. It wasn't a question, it was a statement. And even if Narcissa hated to admit it, it was true.

"You have every right to feel betrayed," he continued, stroking his thumb across her knuckles. "She left. Left your family, left our world, left you, all for a muggle? It's not something you can forgive overnight."

Narcissa blinked, turning her full attention to Lucius. He looked hurt. He looked betrayed. "You actually love her," she whispered in surprise. He smiled sadly.

"I do, but she left me too. I wasn't enough for her."

He sounded so dejected, so lost, that Narcissa couldn't help but gently squeeze his fingers. She was about to reply, to tell him that it was Andromeda's loss—Andromeda's mistake for turning down someone so kind—but she was cut off before she could speak.

"That's why I'm going to make this vow to you, Narcissa. I will work every day to become a man that is enough for you. I already have failed one betrothed. I won't fail another," he said, his voice cracking slightly during his proclamation.

Narcissa could tell, though, that he meant what he was saying. In that moment, she realized that he was just as duty-bound as she was. They both had a part to play; Lucius was determined to play his role as best he could.

Maybe she could try a little harder. Maybe she could learn to truly trust him—he had shown her no reason not to.

Slowly, she leaned up close to him and pressed their lips together, her body relaxing as his arms wound around her. For the first time in two weeks, since her sister had abandoned her to go live with a muggle, she didn't feel quite so alone.