It is always so simple, and so complicated to accept and apology.

-Michael Chabon

I sat in my office, my head in my hand, thinking, and thinking, as I had done for the past four weeks. But no decision came. "It was a dream, Lucius; nothing more. It's time to move on." That was a thought…A very tempting thought but I couldn't seem to make it into a decision. There was a knock at my door. Finally Severus had arrived…I needed someone to talk to.

"Sev-Oh…Hello, Piper." The fates had cursed me again.

"Well? Are you ready?" She snipped, her nose stuffed in the air.

"For…?" I sat back in my chair; her very presence seemed to drain me.

Letting out a frustrated sigh, she continued. "Our party! The most important social event of the season!" She began pacing the room.

I sighed. "I don't think I can make it, love."

She spun around, her hair slapping me in the face. "What do you mean you can't make it?"

"I just can't, love…Why don't we do something on our own? Just the two of us?"

"That's absurd! Since when did you become such a ninny, Lucius?"

I opened my mouth to speak but she continued.

"Honestly, I don't know what has gotten into you!"

I tried again.

"I haven't spoken to you in months!"

And again.

"What on Earth happened to you? The Dark Lord will not be pleased!"

"Piper..."

"What!"

I took a deep breath. "I think you should leave."

She was, for once, silent.

I continued. "It…It's just not going to work out…"

Complete and utter rage filled her violet eyes. She grabbed her cloak, whispering venomously. "You will rue this day, Lucius Malfoy…" And she was gone, for the time being.

What a day this had turned out to be.

I looked up to see Severus, as always his arrival was most opportune.

"You rang?" he said.

"She didn't make the connection. She didn't believe it was me…I don't know what to do, Severus."

He grunted. "Lucius grow up and take some damn initiative. Go to her house, break the bloody door down and talk to the woman. Quit making an arse of yourself, and just be the little romantic puff I know you can be." Roughly, he slapped my back. "Don't call me back here again. I'm busy for fucks sake!"

I don't know what it was but, for some strange reason, the made everything clear. I wasn't going to give up. Not today, not ever. This was quite the busy day.

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It was with courage and half a glass of fire whiskey in my system, which I marched up to Black Manor. Flowers in place of a sword, and no armor to protect me. I was wearing my heart on my sleeve, a very vulnerable knight in battle.

Praying that Narcissa's parents were absent, I knocked on the door.

To my surprise, Narcissa herself answered the door.

"Lucius...This isn't a good time."

Without waiting for invitation, I walked in. "Where are your house elves?"

She sighed and shut the door. "Druella fired them all, said they were disobedient." She paused. "You should go…"

I turned to face her, she looked nervous. I had a feeling that her statement was halfhearted.

I cleared my throat. "I brought you flowers…As an apology, for last night."

Her face softened. "Oh…Lucius…" She paused. "Thank you." A true, yet small, smile crossed her face.

She took the small, white bouquet from my hand, our hands brushing briefly. "I'll have to put these in some water."

As I followed her, I took in my surroundings. The house was dark, and cold. The windows were adorned with heavy drapes in a deep shade of blue, the walls a medium grey, No light shone in this place.

Cissa lead me down some steps and into a medium sized room. I instantly recognized it to be her sanctuary. The walls were a light periwinkle blue, with hand painted pictures of trees and nature, all snow scenes. Shelves upon shelves were filled with books.

This room was everything Cissa was. Cold, yet inviting, clean and put together, well stylized and almost emotionless...Tiny subtle hints of feeling were spread about. A letter here or there from a mysterious 'Stranger' tucked away in a small corner of the room, well hidden and well controlled. Romance books neatly hidden beneath others. Smiling pictures of her sisters, a childhood toy sitting on a chair. Tiny glimpses of her heart, shining through.

She placed the flowers on her desk.

"How are you and Piper?" She didn't face me but continued to stare at the flowers.

"We broke up." I stated, not even caring.

"That's too bad, you two were so perfect for each other." Her words had a harsh sting to them. She turned to face me, a hand covering her mouth. "I don't mean to say things like that…" She sat in a chair close to one of the book shelves. "No matter what you've done to me you don't deserve this…nobody deserves to be subject of an ancient grudge." Sighing, she sat down across from me.

I cleared my throat. "You know…What I do…The Death Eaters I mean…There is nothing personal in it…It's just a job…What I mean to say is, it wasn't personal what happened with Andromeda…Just business."

She leaned back in her chair, her eyes resting on a picture of her sisters. "Why are people always saying that? All that means is that it wasn't personal to you. But it was personal to me, Lucius…It is personal to a lot of people. This is more than a simple job." She sighed and turned back to face me. "Why are you here?" her eye brows knit together as she tried to fathom.

I smiled, a true smile not filled with charm but filled with meaning. "Because I wanted to be your friend."

She looked down, embarrassed. "Oh…" She muttered.

I continued. "I knew it was- is- a lot to hope for but I just wanted to…To try and give back what I took from you."

"It's not too much to hope for." She whispered the words, as if a part of her didn't want to say them.

"Cissa?" She looked back at me as her name left my lips. I continued. "Can we at least try?"

Her blue eyes seemed to lighten as she smiled.

That day I saw a little bit of her wall tumble as her light began to shine through.

-Well! Things are starting to get better, eh? Hope 'yall had a fantastic New Years! It might take me a bit longer to update now that school's up again. Foo :P.

Thanks to these supermegaawesomefoxeyhot people!

MarinaNM- They'll be together soon….Ish! Haha XD

SusansAmazin- I FIND your comment very amusing and it made me shmile : )

ModernHippie999- Poor Lucius, Indeed!

NimbusCentaur- Heehee...Jelly tots XD.

Also thanks to the people who just read : ).

TTFN!