Narcissa Malfoy had initially laughed at her husband when he'd told her about Morgana, which had, for a while at least, made Lucius wish he hadn't said anything. She'd been shocked, disappointed in him, which Lucius hadn't liked very much, but she'd agreed to spend time apart, so as soon as Draco had returned to school, Narcissa had gone back to France. Lucius spoke to her almost daily, she was still his wife, and he had always cared deeply for her even if he hadn't ever necessarily been in love with her. As wonderful as a woman and a witch as she was, and Lucius truly believed she was exactly that, even after all these years, his feelings for her paled into insignificance when placed coldly and harshly next to his developing feelings for Morgana.
Lucius alternately loved and hated the fascination he had with Morgana D'Angelo. He knew others thought he was an infatuated fool, and just occasionally he wondered if they might be right. It wasn't a thought that appealed to his ego, but even he couldn't deny the two decades between their ages was quite a stretch, and neither could he explain the feelings she had awakened deep within him. He couldn't explain it, but he knew giving it up wasn't an option. Now he'd met her, he needed her in his life.
Lucius's thoughts strayed...She was beautiful, of course, no one could deny that, but, as most people had suggested, Lucius didn't believe her looks and physique were the only reasons for his captivation with her. He adored spending time with her, talking to her, riding with her. They even practiced duelling on odd occasions. There was absolutely nothing he did not enjoy doing if Morgana was at his side.
Although her sixth year of school had started, and she was supposed to be studying, Morgana found herself wanting to spend as much time with Lucius Malfoy as she could with arousing anyone's suspicions. She managed to meet him most weekends in Hogsmeade, usually at the stables, where the mustang he had bought her was stabled during term time. She had named the horse Blaize, and the pair adored one another. Unlike everyone else who had to handle her, the mustang's fiery temperament did not extend to her owner, and Morgana loved charging across the grasslands around the village with Lucius beside her.
The tension between herself and the wizard was growing. She could feel it every time she saw him, and she sensed he could too. When they waltzed, she knew they danced too close now, their fingers lingered just a little too long when the music ended. She had watched his pupils darken too often when they had gazed at one another, and she knew what the warm glow deep inside her meant. She wondered how long they would continue playing this game, how long would it be before one of them, or both, would give in and take a chance on the other.
October came, and the weather turned noticeably colder. The slightly brisker wind signalled Halloween was on its way, and Draco Malfoy elected to return to France with his mother for the duration of the holiday, leaving Lucius at a loose end. He'd taken leave of the Ministry of Magic for one week, as he often did during term breaks, in order to spend time with his son, but this time Draco wasn't here.
Lucius spent hours upon hours debating his motives, his intentions, his desires, before he arranged lodgings in Hogsmeade for the week. Two rooms, one right across the hall from the other, both similarly furnished, and his voice shook uncharacteristically when he invited Morgana to join him in the village.
She said yes, of course, and she packed up a small bag, and was already waiting at the front gates of the school when Lucius came strolling up the driveway.