Narcissa sat in her room. It was lovely, dark mahogany and rich velvet, but it was so... Malfoy. She shivered. She opened the curtains, but instead of opening up the room, the light just deepened the shadows. The sun was setting, and she decided to go out on the balcony to read. Maybe she could get away from the oppressive feeling that seemed to fill the house at night.

Lucius was going to finish his records on the balcony, when he saw Narcissa.

"Oh bloody hell." He groaned and walked a few steps in the opposite direction. No, he was a Malfoy, no little girl was going to scare him from a pleasant evening. And she would probably leave, once he got out there anyway.

He settled himself in a chair next to her. He could practically feel the annoyance rolling off her in waves, but she didn't move. He got out his things and began to write, but he couldn't concentrate. He stood up and the chair fell backwards. Narcissa looked up at him.

"Go away."

"I'm quite comfortable where I am." Lucius started pacing the length of the balcony.

"Is there something wrong Mr. Malfoy?"

"No!" Narcissa, put down her book.

"Obviously."

"Little girl, there is nothing the matter except that my house has been infiltrated by Black women." Narcissa bristled.

"If you didn't want us here, you shouldn't have invited us."

"I didn't! My father invited you all here, while I was in Venice." He semed to realize what he had just said and tried to back track.

"Not that it's not alright with me that you're here, I am after all hosting this little get together." Narcissa nodded, smiling slightly.

" I'm not like this." He said finally. "I don't know what has gotten into me lately, but I seem to be losing my manners. I apologize." Narcissa had been enjoying this new Malfoy, and was sad to find that he was pulling back into his cold exterior.

"Oh please don't go." She said suddenly.

"I assure you Miss. Black, I have no intention of leaving you and your sister alone in my home."

"That's, um, not what I meant." Lucius was aware of that, but he really didn't' want to acknowledge that there was so much of a difference between his usual self, and himself around this child, that she could tell the difference. Especially, if she felt as though he was leaving when he remembered himself. He shook it off.

"I've been doing that a lot lately," He mused.

"Doing what exactly?" He glared.

"Nothing." Narcissa stood up.

"I apologize for making you so uncomfortable, Mr. Malfoy. I didn't realize I would." No this is wrong! His head screamed. You do not let some little girl say that to you, you are a Malfoy.

"Miss. Black, I assure you that you have not made me uncomfortable in any way."

"Of course not." She sounded as if he had insulted her somehow. "I simply meant that being around me has caused situations you were uncomfortable in. I didn't cause the discomfort. I suppose I am just not as easily discomforted as you are sir." Lucius growled.

"Somehow I severely doubt that Miss. Black."

"Evidence of such is readily obvious." She replied daintily. Lucius's face darkened. He walked over to her, so that he was just inches from her."

"Are you uncomfortable Miss. Narcissa?"

"Miss. Black." She said tersely. Narcissa didn't like being put in such a position. She could see the hidden trap behind his words. If she was then she had been wrong, but if she wasn't she was a strumpet. She cursed him silently.

"Mr. Malfoy, I am not uncomfortable, simply unused to this position."

"Of course, Miss. Narcissa."

"If yo are insinuating something Mr. Malfoy, I prefer that you come out and say it. Lucius smiled. He hoped it disguised his thoughts. He was getting annoyed with the girl, he had been sure this would get a reaction of some sort, but she stood her ground calmly. It was driving him crazy.

"I'm sure you would; however, situations such as this require the utmost subtlety.

"Situations like this? I'm sure I don't know what you mean Mr. Malfoy." He smirked, then before she could stop him pressed his lips to hers.

Narcissa froze. That was the last thing she had expected. The man was sleeping with Bella for Merlin's sake. Why would anyone sleeping with Bella want to kiss her? He must be playing some game. Bella was probably in on it too. Narcissa tried to move away, but Lucius gripped her shoulders and held her still.

Lucius was going insane, he was sure of it. He was standing on his balcony kissing Bellatrix Black's baby sister, and he was enjoying it. He could feel her melt against him. Her little body pressing into his. He backed her against the rail and wove his fingers into her hair. She moaned as his tongue slipped into her mouth. Lucius could feel himself getting hard, and he ground himself into her. She gasped slightly. The sound did nothing to soothe his libido. Merlin help him, he was going to take her right now if he didn't stop.

Her grip got light and he realized she probably needed to breathe. He pulled his head up and watched as her eyes flashed through disappointment and relief. She gasped in a breath. Lucius ran his thumb over her lips and her eyes fell shut. He dipped his head down, and as if on queue a large CRACK sounded behind them. Narcissa whirled around to find an house elf standing behind her.

"Kreature has a letter for Miss. Black." Narcissa ran to take the letter. She looked at the seal and gasped. She spun away from Kreature and Lucius and ran into the house. Lucius was disappointed to find that she didn't look back.

Narcissa sat on her bed staring at the letter. It was from Evan. She traced the words with her fingers and cursed herself. Not only had she let her guard down, she had just kissed Lucius Malfoy. She couldn't believe she had done that to Evan. She hadn't been thinking about him much lately, but she had been so overwhelmed that she hadn't felt bad until now.

"I need to get away from this." she thought aloud and reached for her book.

"I left it on the balcony," She gasped in horror. Suddenly it was too much for her, she laid back on the bed and began to cry.

Lucius was standing outside her door. He didn't really want to be here, but he needed to return her book. Right, he said to himself, you're just here to be a gentleman, it has nothing to do with wanting to see the girl. But he clung to that word, girl, she's 15, she's just a girl. He was about to open the door, when he heard crying.

"Oh hell, five minutes after kissing him she was crying. I wonder what about? He said sardonically. He took a breath, it could be over the letter in which case maybe she wanted company. Yeah, that's it. Lucius rolled his eyes at himself. He hadn't stood outside girl's door this long since he was a Hogwarts. Then again, she still WAS at Hogwarts. Dammit! He had to stop this.

Lucius knocked and opened the door. Narcissa looked up to find Lucius Malfoy staring at her with an odd expression on his face. He seemed to be deciding if he should be sheepish, arrogant, or brotherly. The thought almost made her laugh, but then she remembered why he was here and felt tears return to her eyes.

Merlin, she's even pretty when she cries. Really Lucius wouldn't expect a Black to be anything but, still she looked almost angelic sitting there, her eyes, huge and bright with tears against her pale skin. He took a tentative step in and braced himself against flying objects. Of course, she wasn't Bella, and none came. He felt some relief at that thought, but the cold emotion frozen in her eyes made him take the though back. He would rather Bella's hot anger to this cold sadness.

"Are you alright Miss. Narcissa?"

"It's Miss. Black."

"I do believe we've dispensed of the need for such formalities."

"I don't. You'll find Mr. Malfoy, that I am not my sisters." He almost wanted to laugh at the notion. No this one was nothing like the rest of her family. He guessed that she was much more like her mother than anything, because she certainly wasn't a thing like any of the living members of her family.

"I do not consider you either of them." She nodded curtly.

"Is there a reason you are here?" Narcissa, was not one to say things she didn't mean, and almost never used those words. The fact that she needed to use them with Lucius was a reminder of why she was being so cautious inn the first place.

"Yes, I am returning your book." He was slightly taken aback at her assumption that he would be here without a reason. Narcissa stood gracefully and took the book from him.

"Thank you. You may go." He wanted to say something else, but Bellatrix's voice cut through the mansion.

"Lucius where aaarrrreeee you?" Lucius could see disgust flash over Narcissa's face before she tucked it away behind an expression of accepting tranquility. Lucius sighed.

"I'm in the hall by my room Bella." He quickly walked over to his door.

"Why in world are you there?" He sighed, she could be such a child sometimes.

"I was putting away some work." He could hear the disgust in her reply.

"Work? What ever were you doing that for?"

"The house must be run, Bella." And then he went to find her. He could think of better ways to shut her up than trying to answer her endless questions. Maybe something that would take his mind off her sister. He found her watching a young boy writhe in pain on the floor of the library.

"Bella, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" She looked up.

"This little wretch seems to think he can read my mail."

"Bella, we hire him to make sure no one has done anything dangerous to our mail. It's his job to open it." Bella took the curse of the boy and he slumped to the ground.

"Well, no one told me that." She said, her voice light like a child's.

"No? Well you know now." She nodded and turned to him.

"Have him not look at mine would you?" Lucius nodded at the boy.

"I don't think I need to tell him now." Bella looked back at the boy's bloody body lying in a pile on the rug.

"Bella, you really can't just go around torturing people."

"Oh I can't, what are you feeling sorry for the little muggle boy?" She said muggle like a curse , and threat, and a challenge. Lucius smirked.

"No you can't, you've ruined our rug." Bella looked down.

"Whoops." A cat like smile stretched across her face.

"Let me make it up to you." Lucius's smile matched her own.

"It's the least you can do after all."