I have had some requests for some affection between Lucius and Narcissa, thank you to LadyLilyMalfoy for giving me this idea for this chapter...
"Draco look what Mummy found" said Narcissa entering the nursery. Draco, who had been beating his teddy bear with a toy broomstick looked up. Narcissa revealed the Bella doll. Draco smiled gleefully "See I told you I'd find it"
Draco nodded and then continued beating the bear. Narcissa sighed, she should have known, why the hell would a three year old boy be interested in a doll that had belonged to an Aunt he had not seen since he was about eighteen months.
Narcissa sat on a large armchair, she studied the doll, it was almost identical to her own, except that instead of blonde hair, blue eyes and a pink dress, it had long ringlets of ebony black, brown eyes and a blue satin dress. The porcelain skin was dusty and dirty, but nothing a clean up charm couldn't work out. She would place it next to Cissy on the shelf, together as they belonged. Of course…there had been another doll. A third doll. Annie. Andromeda had not been left out of the present giving. She had received a doll with long ringlets of red-brown hair and green eyes; it wore a red silk dress. It even possessed several little light brown freckles across its nose. Narcissa knew not if Andromeda still had her.
Narcissa walked down the marble staircase and headed into the drawing room, Claudia was in there reading. Damn, thought Narcissa, why did she always have to be where she was, the Manor was huge, was she following Narcissa?"
"Narcissa" said Claudia looking up from her "I was curious, do you play the piano forte?" Claudia pointed at the grand piano at the edge of the room
"Er…a little, but very badly, my sisters and" Narcissa caught Claudia glare of thunder "…I mean my sister and I were given lessons as children and I never took the initiative to practice very much"
"How poorly do you play?"
"What do you mean? Do I play like a good amateur or like a bad amateur?"
"Show me" said Claudia. "Show me your musical skills"
"No I really don't-"
"Just play!"
Narcissa sighed and walked over to the piano, she sat down on the large duet stall and placed her fingers on the ivory keys, she decided to play something she knew quite well. It was a waltz. Narcissa dropped her right foot onto the pedal and began to play the rippling music. She stumbled now and then from lack of practise. Narcissa heard Claudia 'tut' sharply whenever she did this, but Narcissa continued to play.
The door opened and Lucius entered, he seemed to be curious as to where the music was coming from. He looked over at Narcissa sitting at the piano. She spared him a glance and a half smile before turning back to the piano.
The piece of music struck distant memories in her head. As she played she remembered a time when she was eight years old, she was playing the piano, her sister Andromeda sitting beside her, thirteen years old and Bellatrix next to her, fifteen years old…
"Cissy! I'm playing that bit!" Bellatrix moaned"But I wanted to…you always give me the boring bits to play"
"Because your two young Silly…I can't give you the difficult bits because you'll muck them up" Bella argued
"Oh stop bickering, Bella that's not even your bit that's mine" said Andromeda pointing at the music. Bellatrix looked at the music and rolled her eyes
"Fine" she said, "You tell Cissy off then"
"Hmph" mumbled Andromeda flicking her long waist length curly red hair. Andromeda placed her hands on the keys and played her bit. Bellatrix then joined in with the first accompaniment, then Narcissa followed. When they finished Andromeda beamed at Narcissa, her smile lit up her green eyes. She hugged her little sister
"You see Bella, she can do it"
Narcissa smiled
Bella looked miserable but then reluctantly smiled proudly at eight-year-old Cissy.
Narcissa stumbled on a note and made the tune she was playing sound discordant
"Euch! You are right you play the piano very ill" Claudia got up out of the chair. She gave Lucius a fleeting glance and left the room.
Narcissa smiled to her self and looked at the ivory keys.
"Well, I don't think it was so bad" came a voice. Narcissa looked up, Lucius was still standing near the door "A little out of practise but I've heard worse" He walked towards her and, to Narcissa's surprise, sat next to her on the piano stall.
He placed his long pale fingers on the keys and began to play a regal but rather tuneful piece of music. Narcissa recognised it as a duet, she smiled at the plain loveliness of the situation. She joined in playing lightly and carefully so as not to make mistakes.
She felt nervous to be in such close proximity with her husband. A strange thought for a wife who has shared a child with her husband to have her heart racing with excitement when sitting beside him playing the piano.
She always new Lucius could play, but she never imagined him to play so well, Narcissa gathered that he must have had lessons in his youth. Narcissa promised silently to herself that Draco would have the same opportunity in music.
As they played the instrument together, their music rippled through the air, sounds that worked so well together. Narcissa felt that she had slipped into heaven, she felt like she was dancing amongst stars and clouds. Was this love? Narcissa did not know, she had never considered herself to be in love, least of all with Lucius. Lucius, who had beaten her, frightened her, threatened her…and yet now her heart was fluttering with love for him.
The music ended.
Narcissa took her hands off the keys and looked down at them, then without thinking she threw herself into Lucius' arms. She laid her head against his chest and squeezed her arms around his waist. Lucius froze for a moment and then lowered his arms over her back and around her arms. He held her in the soft embrace. Narcissa closed her eyes. She felt warm and happy.
She felt his hand stroke her silky blonde hair; another hand touched her chin pulling her up to face him. Lucius lowered his face down to her face and kissed her tenderly on the lips. A shiver of vibrations flew through Narcissa's body; she brought her arms up around his neck so they were at the same height. There lips parted but they remained in the embrace. Lucius looked at her, his hand touched her cheek and caressed her face.
"You really are beautiful Narcissa," he said softly
"Me, beautiful? No I think not" she said laughing
"Who told you otherwise?"
Narcissa related to him the rumours she had heard from gossip and whisperings, she told him how Frankie had not argued against them when Narcissa told her.
"Jealousy is vile" he said simply shaking his head. He parted from the embrace, stood up and left the room, with only a thoughtful glance back at her.
Narcissa was left alone in the room feeling, as she had never felt before…in love.