p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"strongAN/strong: For those who have yet to notice, this story starts while Bellatrix is still young. I'm really hoping to portray her as a protagonist. It's the only way I can write a story without it being annoying, and it's the only way I can make it a love story. Please let me know if there are formatting errors! I still don't have a beta./p
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p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"strongChapter 2/strong/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"That afternoon found me sprawled on my bed, paralyzed with indecision and the efforts of the long day I had had. I of course knew that, in my heart, I wanted to be the powerful witch that Tom had promised I could be. But if the rumors I had heard were true, he was a dangerous man with dangerous ideas that threatened to take hold of the world we lived in if he ever had the opportunity to bring them to fruition, and I was truly afraid to be a part of his vision. I sighed heavily. I knew that I would accept his offer, but I just wished it wouldn't change me./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"I sat up, frustrated. Damn Lucius Malfoy. Damn him to Hell for putting me through this. I swung my legs over the edge of my bed and hopped down, walking to the door and flinging it open, ready to use the Floo to give Lucius a piece of my mind. Instead, I found my father standing at the doorway, looking concerned and undecided about something./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""My Lord," I said, with trepidation, immediately feeling my anger at Lucius dissipate. My father was an imposing, stern, regal man, and it would do well not to upset him./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""Bellatrix, my dear. Have you eaten?"/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""Yes, I lunched with mother, Narcissa and Andromeda."/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"My father nodded, seemingly distracted. I watched as he stood in the dimly lit hallway and waited for him to speak./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""I heard that you received a visitor today."/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""Yes, my Lord."/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"He was silent for a while, his eyes guarded. Then, "Tom Riddle is a dangerous man, Bella."/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""My Lord? What do you mean?"/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""I was at Hogwarts with him, you know," my father said, putting his arm around my shoulder and leading me down the hallway. "Brilliant and gifted wizard, always butted heads with Dumbledore. Toward the end of his career at Hogwarts, he had nearly the whole school swooning and fawning over him." Here, my father stopped and gazed at me from the corner of his eye. "I, truthfully, was mortified and disgusted by their behavior. To be so obsessed with someone is obscene, Bella." We continued walking. "They seemed to conveniently forget that they didn't always love him, and in fact, I believe they were quite afraid of him at one point. Something about him always struck me as unnatural."/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""Father, why are you telling me these things?"/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""I am fully aware that he wants to teach you his brand of magic. Are you interested?"/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""Very much so, my Lord."/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""When I was in school, I used to be in his inner circle. He dabbles with Dark magic," my father said, quirking a stern brow at me. "Now, you know I have no qualms about Dark magic when used in moderation. When used excessively, it changes a person. I am surprised to see that he is not damaged by his use," my father said, trailing off. "Never mind that, though. Do you think learning his brand of magic will help you become a better witch?/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""Yes, father. You taught me to strive to be the very best," I said truthfully, pushing away my earlier reservations./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""No, Bella, I taught you to be good, to be great. You taught yourself to strive to be the very best. You have always been headstrong and defiant of what your mother has to teach you, and you refuse to be branded as the typical Pureblood woman. But this time, you must listen to me, my dear. Heed my warning, Bella. You are not like Narcissa or Andromeda. You are volatile and ruled by emotion. Sometimes, I do respect you for it, but other times, I am afraid for you, for what you will do to yourself and those around you. You remind me very much of Tom Riddle in that way." My father led me to the sitting room, then called for some tea. He sat me down and turned to face me. "If you do decide to fall under his tutelage, please remember who you are and who I raised you to be." He took a sip of tea, then met my eyes with a stern gaze. "Our pedigree leads us to believe that we are the very best of the best. And I would like you to be the absolute greatest in all that you do, you know that. But do not let your ambition blind you."/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""What do you mean," I asked, genuinely confused. Was my father alluding to the idea that he had made grand mistakes in his lifetime? Was he warning me away from his path?/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""I am saying, don't let your ambition blind you and lead you to commit atrocious acts that will change the composition of your character. My dear, there are so many emotions available to you that you have yet to experience. Experience passion, experience compassion, and let these take hold of you. Do not be ruled purely by anger and ambition. These are the ingredients for the greatest evils. And do take note of my warning about Dark magic."/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""I don't quite understand. Do you think my pursuit of knowledge is damning me to a life of evil?" I felt myself becoming upset, despite my very best efforts./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"My father sighed heavily, and I feared that I had disappointed him. "Just know your limits, Bellatrix. That is all I ask of you."/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"He stood up, squeezed my shoulder, and kissed me goodnight, no doubt retiring early because the effort of talking to me was far too much for him./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"I stood up, weary that I had misunderstood a great lesson that my father was trying to teach me. As I walked to the Floo, I couldn't help but think that he wished I could change myself to be more like Narcissa or Andromeda, and it angered me deeply and I resented it. I was who he and my mother made me to be! I did not one day just decide to be volatile and angry. I grabbed a handful of Floo powder and tossed it into the fireplace. If anything, my father could still be proud of my sisters. They were good and proper and would bring glory to the Black name. They would docilely get married and become the wives they were bred to be. My sisters had no ambition, no passion, no heart! I refused to be like them! Stepping into the fireplace, I yelled out "Lucius' Residence," and swirled away from the place of abounding disappointments./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""Lucius!" I called, when I finally arrived at his bachelor's flat. I heard footsteps coming from the hallway, and started to head in that direction./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""Bella," Lucius said, emerging from the entry way, shirtless. "You can't just Floo here without notice. I could be unavailable or preoccupied."/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""Well, were you preoccupied," I asked waspishly, letting my eyes rake down his naked chest. Flushed, I met his gaze and stared stonily in an effort to hide how flustered I felt around his attractive, naked body./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""No," he growled. "What do you want, woman?" He walked past me to the kitchen, opening his liquor cabinet to pull out a bottle of Ogden's Finest./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""I want you to stop talking about me to strange men. Did you know this Riddle guy has been spying on me for the past year?"/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""Yes, I did. It's a great honor, Bella," Lucius said, staring at me from where he stood./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""It's disgusting and invasive. Why have you been talking about me anyway," I snapped./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""Bella, I am too tired for you to bitch at me."/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""Just answer my question and I will leave!"/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""Because you're a great witch! Goddamn it," he muttered, roughly raking a hand through his shoulder-length platinum hair./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""So you just casually men-"/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""He is in the process of recruiting stu-"/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""You should have told me," I said, still upset./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""You would have said no." He placed his glass down onto the granite countertop and walked towards me. "Are we done here?"/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"I peered at him, noticing for the first time his drawn appearance. He looked exhausted, and I couldn't help but wonder why. I felt myself becoming concerned, but tried not to sound too overly anxious. "Lucius, are you feeling okay?"/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""I told you I was tired!" He shouted angrily./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"I backed up fearfully. I had never been on the receiving end of his anger./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""Shit." He sighed heavily and approached me, reaching a hand out. "Bella, I'm sorry."/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"I backed up more, escaping his touch. "I'm fine." I hesitated. "I'll leave." I still had so many questions, but I figured that, in his state, Lucius would not feel inclined to answer them./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""No, stay. I actually really need someone to talk to."/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"I glanced at him, sure that he would mollify me with his Malfoy Melodramas, and headed to his sitting room. He followed me in and sat beside me, stretching his arms out so that one of them encircled my shoulders. I leaned into the friendly embrace, and again tried to push away my embarrassing mixture of emotions. Lucius danced his fingers across my shoulder, taking deep slow breaths. I was sure that he was composing his thoughts./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"Finally, he said, "Abraxus has decided to have me lead Malfoy Industries."/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""That's great, Lucius," I whispered, entranced by the movement of his fingers. Again, I lamented how like a schoolgirl I sounded, but allowed myself to sink into the pleasure of feeling the object of my affection's arms wrapped around me. Finding myself thankful for our relationship, I listened in to what he was saying./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""I suppose it is, but I just have so many things I wish to accomplish, apart from the Malfoy name. It demands greatness, but not for myself. For the house. Anything I do will reflect on my ancestors, not on myself or my worth." He sighed heavily again./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""You have a whole life time to live out your dreams, Lucius. The demands of being a Pureblood are great and heavy, and you have to bear them until you can pass them onto your heir," I stated tiredly, echoing what my father has told me time and time again/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""My heir? I don't want to think about my heir, Bella. Distract me. Tell me about your life. It's been so long."/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"I felt his fingers still and looked up to meet his translucent grey eyes. "I- there isn't much going on with me nowadays," I looked away from his intentness, "but my father did say something rather interesting before I arrived."/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""Ah, the great Cygnus Black. Tell me, what did he say?"/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""It was a warning, apparently, about pursuing my education with Mr. Riddle."/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""Bella, you really should call him Lord Voldemort."/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""I'm not his student and am no way subservient to him," I said, moving to break away from Lucius' casual embrace./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""Bella, your temper. Please."/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"I calmed myself, and was going to speak again when Lucius took a deep breath./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""I know it doesn't seem like it lately, Bellatrix, but I have really come to appreciate our friendship. Despite your short temper," here, he squeezed my arm, "you have really grown as a person. And I love being with you."/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"I swallowed my disappointment at his choice of words and discerned that something else was bothering him, something that occurred recently. Acknowledging that he wasn't ready to talk about it, I smiled, pulling away from him as I did so. "Lucius, have you decided to go soft now?"/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"He smiled gently, and I noticed it didn't quite reach his eyes, which reflected the exhaustion he must have felt at having the weight of the world on his shoulders at such a young age. "You know, Bella, your father is right." He reached out a hand to brush a wild tendril of hair back from my face. "You should be careful." His eyes bore into mine with an intensity that frightened me./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""Lucius, I'll be fine, I can handle myself," I insisted, refusing to let my tone bely my fear/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""I know," he said, and he allowed his fingers to linger on my cheek./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"I slowly closed my eyes and savored the caress. It was a shame that Lucius was promised to Narcissa and I to Rodolphus./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"I was sure that I was in love with him, and he, with me./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"I stood in front of the mirror of Madame Beaufort's boutique, wearing the final gown in the pile that I was bringing with me to Hogwarts. Gladys Beaufort, an old friend of my mother, frequently designed custom gowns and robes for myself and the women in my family. This latest batch was splendid to be sure, but this dress stood out from the others./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"Gladys, in an attempt to widen my palette and expand it from the dark colors I usually wore, had opted for a misty greenish grey velvet that was reminiscent of the ocean. The bodice of the gown was fashioned from this brilliant velvet, and I found myself awestruck at the Madame's creative genius. Although the dress bore my shoulders and was nearly sheer where it stretched across my torso, it exuded sophistication and class, two characteristics that the Black family valued and upheld. The sleeves of the dress, also composed of the same lace, extended to a point and looped around my middle fingers. I stretched my fingers out and laid them against the skirt. Gladys had somehow designed the gown in a way that the velvety lace slowly transformed to regular velvet by the time it reached the floor. I twisted and turned this way and that, marveling at the way the dress reflected the light of the fitting room to imitate the waves of the ocean, shining white and then turning back to the misty grey-green./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""Gladys," I called. "You've really outdone yourself."/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""Thank you, my dear!" she called from somewhere in the main part of the shop./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"I looked up, confused. If she was in the main part of the shop, whose presence did I feel right behind me? I looked into the mirror and found myself meeting the eyes of Tom Riddle./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"He smiled, then leaned his right shoulder against the wall, placing his hands in his pockets. "Miss Black, you've finally noticed me."/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""What are you doing here," I asked, mortified that my privacy had been invaded once again by this strange man./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""Admiring the view," he said, smirking./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"I stared angrily at him./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""I get my clothing tailored here," he admitted./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"I turned around to face him. "Is that so? Because I am under the impression that you are stalking me. Again."/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""If I were, it would be for an important reason, to be sure." He straightened up, then walked toward me, placing his hands on my shoulder and turning me to face the mirror./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"No longer fazed by his touch, I questioned him. "Oh? And what would that reason be?"/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"Meeting my eyes in the mirror, he lowered his head to my ear and whispered, far too sensually for a normal human being, "If I were following you again, it would be to obtain your answer to my proposal."/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""Mr. Riddle, you are far too bold for your own good," I said waspishly, reaching behind myself to tilt his head away from my ear. My fingers tingled where they contacted his face, and I controlled my blush./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""I've been told that it is actually quite charming."/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""Maybe to hussies," I said, "But I was raised by a proper family with morals and values," I huffed./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"Tom dropped his hands, holding them behind his back and taking a step away from me. Amusement caused his eyes to shine with mirth. "Well? Have you decided?"/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""Yes." I turned to face him, trying to anticipate his reaction to my answer./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""And?"/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""I accept your offer."/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""Ah, marvelous!" He clapped his hands together in glee, his eyes now shining with predatory ambition. "We have much to do."/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""Now?" I asked incredulously./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""Later," he answered. "For now, I must tell you your next step. When you return to Hogwarts tomorrow, you must immediately meet with Headmaster Dippet. You will tell him that you have decided upon an apprenticeship with me. Lucius has done this already, and has encountered no problems."/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""You expect me to learn from you while simultaneously attending Hogwarts?"/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""Yes," he said. "You have so much to learn, young Bella."/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"I cringed. emI'm not that young/em, I thought./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""But you are," he responded./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"Sighing heavily, I threw up my shields. "I must ask you to stop being so invasive, Mr. Riddle. It is quite unnerving."/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""Get used to it," he said, eyeing my dress with an undefinable expression on his face./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"I resisted the urge to cover myself./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""This dress," he said, trailing off./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"I waited for him to continue./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""I do hope you will purchase it. I've never seen anything quite like it." He met my eyes. "You look beautiful in it." He grabbed my hand and kissed it briefly, then turned around and wandered out of the shop, seemingly unaffected by my dumbstruck silence./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"What an odd man./p
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p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"strongChapter 2/strong/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"That afternoon found me sprawled on my bed, paralyzed with indecision and the efforts of the long day I had had. I of course knew that, in my heart, I wanted to be the powerful witch that Tom had promised I could be. But if the rumors I had heard were true, he was a dangerous man with dangerous ideas that threatened to take hold of the world we lived in if he ever had the opportunity to bring them to fruition, and I was truly afraid to be a part of his vision. I sighed heavily. I knew that I would accept his offer, but I just wished it wouldn't change me./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"I sat up, frustrated. Damn Lucius Malfoy. Damn him to Hell for putting me through this. I swung my legs over the edge of my bed and hopped down, walking to the door and flinging it open, ready to use the Floo to give Lucius a piece of my mind. Instead, I found my father standing at the doorway, looking concerned and undecided about something./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""My Lord," I said, with trepidation, immediately feeling my anger at Lucius dissipate. My father was an imposing, stern, regal man, and it would do well not to upset him./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""Bellatrix, my dear. Have you eaten?"/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""Yes, I lunched with mother, Narcissa and Andromeda."/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"My father nodded, seemingly distracted. I watched as he stood in the dimly lit hallway and waited for him to speak./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""I heard that you received a visitor today."/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""Yes, my Lord."/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"He was silent for a while, his eyes guarded. Then, "Tom Riddle is a dangerous man, Bella."/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""My Lord? What do you mean?"/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""I was at Hogwarts with him, you know," my father said, putting his arm around my shoulder and leading me down the hallway. "Brilliant and gifted wizard, always butted heads with Dumbledore. Toward the end of his career at Hogwarts, he had nearly the whole school swooning and fawning over him." Here, my father stopped and gazed at me from the corner of his eye. "I, truthfully, was mortified and disgusted by their behavior. To be so obsessed with someone is obscene, Bella." We continued walking. "They seemed to conveniently forget that they didn't always love him, and in fact, I believe they were quite afraid of him at one point. Something about him always struck me as unnatural."/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""Father, why are you telling me these things?"/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""I am fully aware that he wants to teach you his brand of magic. Are you interested?"/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""Very much so, my Lord."/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""When I was in school, I used to be in his inner circle. He dabbles with Dark magic," my father said, quirking a stern brow at me. "Now, you know I have no qualms about Dark magic when used in moderation. When used excessively, it changes a person. I am surprised to see that he is not damaged by his use," my father said, trailing off. "Never mind that, though. Do you think learning his brand of magic will help you become a better witch?/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""Yes, father. You taught me to strive to be the very best," I said truthfully, pushing away my earlier reservations./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""No, Bella, I taught you to be good, to be great. You taught yourself to strive to be the very best. You have always been headstrong and defiant of what your mother has to teach you, and you refuse to be branded as the typical Pureblood woman. But this time, you must listen to me, my dear. Heed my warning, Bella. You are not like Narcissa or Andromeda. You are volatile and ruled by emotion. Sometimes, I do respect you for it, but other times, I am afraid for you, for what you will do to yourself and those around you. You remind me very much of Tom Riddle in that way." My father led me to the sitting room, then called for some tea. He sat me down and turned to face me. "If you do decide to fall under his tutelage, please remember who you are and who I raised you to be." He took a sip of tea, then met my eyes with a stern gaze. "Our pedigree leads us to believe that we are the very best of the best. And I would like you to be the absolute greatest in all that you do, you know that. But do not let your ambition blind you."/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""What do you mean," I asked, genuinely confused. Was my father alluding to the idea that he had made grand mistakes in his lifetime? Was he warning me away from his path?/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""I am saying, don't let your ambition blind you and lead you to commit atrocious acts that will change the composition of your character. My dear, there are so many emotions available to you that you have yet to experience. Experience passion, experience compassion, and let these take hold of you. Do not be ruled purely by anger and ambition. These are the ingredients for the greatest evils. And do take note of my warning about Dark magic."/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""I don't quite understand. Do you think my pursuit of knowledge is damning me to a life of evil?" I felt myself becoming upset, despite my very best efforts./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"My father sighed heavily, and I feared that I had disappointed him. "Just know your limits, Bellatrix. That is all I ask of you."/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"He stood up, squeezed my shoulder, and kissed me goodnight, no doubt retiring early because the effort of talking to me was far too much for him./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"I stood up, weary that I had misunderstood a great lesson that my father was trying to teach me. As I walked to the Floo, I couldn't help but think that he wished I could change myself to be more like Narcissa or Andromeda, and it angered me deeply and I resented it. I was who he and my mother made me to be! I did not one day just decide to be volatile and angry. I grabbed a handful of Floo powder and tossed it into the fireplace. If anything, my father could still be proud of my sisters. They were good and proper and would bring glory to the Black name. They would docilely get married and become the wives they were bred to be. My sisters had no ambition, no passion, no heart! I refused to be like them! Stepping into the fireplace, I yelled out "Lucius' Residence," and swirled away from the place of abounding disappointments./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""Lucius!" I called, when I finally arrived at his bachelor's flat. I heard footsteps coming from the hallway, and started to head in that direction./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""Bella," Lucius said, emerging from the entry way, shirtless. "You can't just Floo here without notice. I could be unavailable or preoccupied."/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""Well, were you preoccupied," I asked waspishly, letting my eyes rake down his naked chest. Flushed, I met his gaze and stared stonily in an effort to hide how flustered I felt around his attractive, naked body./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""No," he growled. "What do you want, woman?" He walked past me to the kitchen, opening his liquor cabinet to pull out a bottle of Ogden's Finest./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""I want you to stop talking about me to strange men. Did you know this Riddle guy has been spying on me for the past year?"/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""Yes, I did. It's a great honor, Bella," Lucius said, staring at me from where he stood./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""It's disgusting and invasive. Why have you been talking about me anyway," I snapped./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""Bella, I am too tired for you to bitch at me."/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""Just answer my question and I will leave!"/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""Because you're a great witch! Goddamn it," he muttered, roughly raking a hand through his shoulder-length platinum hair./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""So you just casually men-"/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""He is in the process of recruiting stu-"/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""You should have told me," I said, still upset./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""You would have said no." He placed his glass down onto the granite countertop and walked towards me. "Are we done here?"/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"I peered at him, noticing for the first time his drawn appearance. He looked exhausted, and I couldn't help but wonder why. I felt myself becoming concerned, but tried not to sound too overly anxious. "Lucius, are you feeling okay?"/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""I told you I was tired!" He shouted angrily./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"I backed up fearfully. I had never been on the receiving end of his anger./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""Shit." He sighed heavily and approached me, reaching a hand out. "Bella, I'm sorry."/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"I backed up more, escaping his touch. "I'm fine." I hesitated. "I'll leave." I still had so many questions, but I figured that, in his state, Lucius would not feel inclined to answer them./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""No, stay. I actually really need someone to talk to."/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"I glanced at him, sure that he would mollify me with his Malfoy Melodramas, and headed to his sitting room. He followed me in and sat beside me, stretching his arms out so that one of them encircled my shoulders. I leaned into the friendly embrace, and again tried to push away my embarrassing mixture of emotions. Lucius danced his fingers across my shoulder, taking deep slow breaths. I was sure that he was composing his thoughts./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"Finally, he said, "Abraxus has decided to have me lead Malfoy Industries."/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""That's great, Lucius," I whispered, entranced by the movement of his fingers. Again, I lamented how like a schoolgirl I sounded, but allowed myself to sink into the pleasure of feeling the object of my affection's arms wrapped around me. Finding myself thankful for our relationship, I listened in to what he was saying./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""I suppose it is, but I just have so many things I wish to accomplish, apart from the Malfoy name. It demands greatness, but not for myself. For the house. Anything I do will reflect on my ancestors, not on myself or my worth." He sighed heavily again./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""You have a whole life time to live out your dreams, Lucius. The demands of being a Pureblood are great and heavy, and you have to bear them until you can pass them onto your heir," I stated tiredly, echoing what my father has told me time and time again/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""My heir? I don't want to think about my heir, Bella. Distract me. Tell me about your life. It's been so long."/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"I felt his fingers still and looked up to meet his translucent grey eyes. "I- there isn't much going on with me nowadays," I looked away from his intentness, "but my father did say something rather interesting before I arrived."/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""Ah, the great Cygnus Black. Tell me, what did he say?"/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""It was a warning, apparently, about pursuing my education with Mr. Riddle."/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""Bella, you really should call him Lord Voldemort."/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""I'm not his student and am no way subservient to him," I said, moving to break away from Lucius' casual embrace./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""Bella, your temper. Please."/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"I calmed myself, and was going to speak again when Lucius took a deep breath./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""I know it doesn't seem like it lately, Bellatrix, but I have really come to appreciate our friendship. Despite your short temper," here, he squeezed my arm, "you have really grown as a person. And I love being with you."/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"I swallowed my disappointment at his choice of words and discerned that something else was bothering him, something that occurred recently. Acknowledging that he wasn't ready to talk about it, I smiled, pulling away from him as I did so. "Lucius, have you decided to go soft now?"/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"He smiled gently, and I noticed it didn't quite reach his eyes, which reflected the exhaustion he must have felt at having the weight of the world on his shoulders at such a young age. "You know, Bella, your father is right." He reached out a hand to brush a wild tendril of hair back from my face. "You should be careful." His eyes bore into mine with an intensity that frightened me./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""Lucius, I'll be fine, I can handle myself," I insisted, refusing to let my tone bely my fear/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""I know," he said, and he allowed his fingers to linger on my cheek./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"I slowly closed my eyes and savored the caress. It was a shame that Lucius was promised to Narcissa and I to Rodolphus./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"I was sure that I was in love with him, and he, with me./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"I stood in front of the mirror of Madame Beaufort's boutique, wearing the final gown in the pile that I was bringing with me to Hogwarts. Gladys Beaufort, an old friend of my mother, frequently designed custom gowns and robes for myself and the women in my family. This latest batch was splendid to be sure, but this dress stood out from the others./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"Gladys, in an attempt to widen my palette and expand it from the dark colors I usually wore, had opted for a misty greenish grey velvet that was reminiscent of the ocean. The bodice of the gown was fashioned from this brilliant velvet, and I found myself awestruck at the Madame's creative genius. Although the dress bore my shoulders and was nearly sheer where it stretched across my torso, it exuded sophistication and class, two characteristics that the Black family valued and upheld. The sleeves of the dress, also composed of the same lace, extended to a point and looped around my middle fingers. I stretched my fingers out and laid them against the skirt. Gladys had somehow designed the gown in a way that the velvety lace slowly transformed to regular velvet by the time it reached the floor. I twisted and turned this way and that, marveling at the way the dress reflected the light of the fitting room to imitate the waves of the ocean, shining white and then turning back to the misty grey-green./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""Gladys," I called. "You've really outdone yourself."/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""Thank you, my dear!" she called from somewhere in the main part of the shop./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"I looked up, confused. If she was in the main part of the shop, whose presence did I feel right behind me? I looked into the mirror and found myself meeting the eyes of Tom Riddle./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"He smiled, then leaned his right shoulder against the wall, placing his hands in his pockets. "Miss Black, you've finally noticed me."/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""What are you doing here," I asked, mortified that my privacy had been invaded once again by this strange man./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""Admiring the view," he said, smirking./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"I stared angrily at him./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""I get my clothing tailored here," he admitted./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"I turned around to face him. "Is that so? Because I am under the impression that you are stalking me. Again."/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""If I were, it would be for an important reason, to be sure." He straightened up, then walked toward me, placing his hands on my shoulder and turning me to face the mirror./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"No longer fazed by his touch, I questioned him. "Oh? And what would that reason be?"/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"Meeting my eyes in the mirror, he lowered his head to my ear and whispered, far too sensually for a normal human being, "If I were following you again, it would be to obtain your answer to my proposal."/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""Mr. Riddle, you are far too bold for your own good," I said waspishly, reaching behind myself to tilt his head away from my ear. My fingers tingled where they contacted his face, and I controlled my blush./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""I've been told that it is actually quite charming."/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""Maybe to hussies," I said, "But I was raised by a proper family with morals and values," I huffed./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"Tom dropped his hands, holding them behind his back and taking a step away from me. Amusement caused his eyes to shine with mirth. "Well? Have you decided?"/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""Yes." I turned to face him, trying to anticipate his reaction to my answer./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""And?"/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""I accept your offer."/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""Ah, marvelous!" He clapped his hands together in glee, his eyes now shining with predatory ambition. "We have much to do."/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""Now?" I asked incredulously./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""Later," he answered. "For now, I must tell you your next step. When you return to Hogwarts tomorrow, you must immediately meet with Headmaster Dippet. You will tell him that you have decided upon an apprenticeship with me. Lucius has done this already, and has encountered no problems."/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""You expect me to learn from you while simultaneously attending Hogwarts?"/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""Yes," he said. "You have so much to learn, young Bella."/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"I cringed. emI'm not that young/em, I thought./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""But you are," he responded./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"Sighing heavily, I threw up my shields. "I must ask you to stop being so invasive, Mr. Riddle. It is quite unnerving."/p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""Get used to it," he said, eyeing my dress with an undefinable expression on his face./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"I resisted the urge to cover myself./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""This dress," he said, trailing off./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"I waited for him to continue./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;""I do hope you will purchase it. I've never seen anything quite like it." He met my eyes. "You look beautiful in it." He grabbed my hand and kissed it briefly, then turned around and wandered out of the shop, seemingly unaffected by my dumbstruck silence./p
p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"What an odd man./p