Rating: T, for smoking

Narcissa slumped back into a hidden corner between Diagon and Knockturn Alley and buried her face in her hands.

She had just gotten into a very public argument with Lucius, the latest of many. She was considering, not for the first time, what her family would say if she called off her engagement; she scrunched her eyes shut, trying to will herself not to cry.

"I don't mean to intrude..."

Narcissa jumped. She hadn't noticed anyone else in the alley, but she had been rather distracted.

"Severus," she said, "you startled me."

"My apologies. I don't mean to pry, but are you all right?"

"Yes," she said. She sniffled and brushed the tears out of her eyes. "Yes, I'm fine."

Severus said nothing. He put a cigarette in his mouth.

"May I have one of those?" Narcissa asked.

Severus lit the one in his mouth and handed it to her before getting another for himself.

Narcissa took on drag on the cigarette and began coughing.

Severus smirked. "You don't smoke, do you?"

"I'm thinking of taking it up."

"I see. Any reason?"

"I won't bother you with it."

"Okay."

Narcissa tried to take another pull on her cigarette and sputtered. She felt a little embarrassed. Then she noticed that Severus wasn't even looking at her; he was looking around the corner at a girl sitting outside Fortescue's.

The look on Severus' face was a mix of desire, longing, and so much pain that just looking at him made her heart hurt a little. She reached out and took his hand.

He jumped, surprised by the touch, and pulled his hand back.

"Why did you do that?" he asked.

"I don't know. You just looked sad."

He sighed, blowing smoke out of his nose.

She reached for his hand again. He pulled away.

"Narcissa, you're engaged to one of my best mates."

"I might not be for much longer."

"Even so."

"The girl outside Fortescue's?"

He nodded.

"I wish Lucius looked at me the way you looked at her."

Severus didn't answer. He finished his cigarette and threw the butt on the ground, crushing it with his foot.

"She'd be lucky to have you."

"She doesn't think so," he said.

"She's foolish."

"No, she's really not," he said. "Go back to Lucius, Narcissa. He's probably looking for you."

He put a new cigarette in his mouth and turned back down Knockturn Alley.