The crisp winter air definitely had a warmer touch on this March afternoon. Many of the older Slytherin students had taken this as an excuse to move their lunch outside, bringing along with them blankets and an abundance of gloves and scarves. However, the Black sisters were more interested in the boys that were keeping them warm.

Leaning his back against a tree Rodolphus Lestrange had his strong arms wrapped securely around a thin blond witch. He was playing with her hair and whispering in her ear, but she didn't look interested in his words at all. Her pale eyes were watching another male as he spoke in front of the group, telling a story of how he had caught three Gryffindors second years out of bed the night before and humiliated them terribly.

Narcissa found the story a bit cruel, but it was the man telling the story that she was really interested in. The way his wide mouth twisted into a smile when he got the reaction he wanted from the other Slytherins. When he was finally finished he wrapped an arm lazily around Bella's shoulders and she was quickly entangled in him.

"That wasn't quite necessary now was it, Lucius?" Rodolphus spoke up; he had been listening a bit. He tone was challenging. The two best friends had been rather sour to each other lately.

"Going soft on us now, Lestrange?" Lucius asked, his lips curling up into a sneer.

"We all know that you're completely enthralled with our little Cissa, but love can't have changed you that much." Bellatrix piped in.

"Especially when it's unrequited." Lucius said, his sneer growing. The rest of the group roared with laughter and Rodolphus' grip of Narcissa tightened.

Rodolphus' anger grew when Narcissa didn't come to his defence. He stood, almost tossing the poor blond off her behind and onto her face. "Where do you get off thinking you can speak to me that way?" he asked, his eyes narrowing at Lucius.

He drew his wand and pointed it and the other wizard's thin nose. "I thought we were best friends."

"Of course we are Lestrange." Lucius said, looking disinterested.

Narcissa watched Rodolphus' face contort in anger and she realized that Lucius had hit a nerve. He told her he loved her on a regular basis, and she had never repeated the words to him. She was still in love with someone else; someone she couldn't have.

"Rodolphus, please sit down." she said gently. He glanced at her and his face softened. However, he did not sit. He marched towards the castle, leaving Narcissa to sit awkwardly by herself as everyone began to talk about what had just happened.

She grabbed her book out of her bag and buried her nose in it, glancing over the top only once to make eye contact with Lucius Malfoy.

&

It was a Saturday night when Narcissa spoke to Lucius for the first time in almost two months. The Slytherin common room was filled with young people, the majority of them heavily intoxicated.

Narcissa had only had a glass of wine, so she was most likely the most sober person in attendance at this little makeshift party. Bellatrix was passed out on the floor squeezed between a bookshelf and a sofa. Narcissa was trying to get her back to consciousness. But, it was apparently no use.

At some point in the time the eldest Black sister had thrown up on herself, much to Narcissa's digust. She didn't know what to do with the girl and her other sister Andromeda was no where found. She pushed a strand of hair from Bella's face. Even if they weren't on the best terms, she still had to take care of her sister.

She scanned the room again and right when she was about to consider leaving her eldest sister where she was she spotted a group of seventh year boys making their way into the common room with arm loads of whiskey.

She stood and raised her hand high above her head. "Rodolphus!" she hollered. He didn't even look her way.

However, another pair of eyes found hers and within moments she was joined by a drunk, but functioning Lucius Malfoy. Her breath caught in her throat as she stared at him. She tried to speak, to explain why she needed help but nothing was coming out. "Uh… Bella." was the end result.

Finally, he caught sight of his bride to be slumped on the floor beside them. "Oh." he said and his eyes seemed to focus a bit. "Let's just get her upstairs." he said. "There's no use trying to hover her through all these people." His words were slightly slurred, but Narcissa trusted that he could carry her.

He picked her up and together they made their way to Bella's room. Narcissa tucked her sister into bed and then turned to face the blond man waiting in the doorway.

"She'll be okay?" Narcissa asked, biting her lip in a worried manner.

When he nodded she turned out the light and followed him back out of the room. "Thank you." she said quietly. "I wouldn't have been able to get her up here by myself." she said. "Not with everyone in the way."

"Anything for you Cissa." Lucius said, his lips curling up into a tiny smile. "Don't you mean for-" but Narcissa was cut off. There was a pair of lips pressed against hers, kissing her harder and more passionately than she had ever been kissed before.

&

The chapter is short, but I just wanted to get something done. Yes, I have started this story again and I hope there are people who will still read it.

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