Chapter Eight

The fifth year was only three weeks away and the familiar Hogwarts owl soared through the window of Lestrange Manor, where Narcissa was staying for the holidays. She lept up from her place beside Bellatrix and took the envelope from the owls beak. She removed the letter and book list from the envelope, then threw it down on the table. A rattle came from the supposedly empty envelope and as Narcissa read the book list, Bellatrix picked it up and tipped it out into her open hand. She gasped.

"Ciss?"

"Yes?" she replied, turning to her elder sister, who was holding up a small green and silver badge. Narcissa gasped and covered her mouth with her small hands.

"Slytherin prefect?" she breathed.

"Yep. Congratulations, baby Cissy!" she cried, throwing her arms around her and rocking her side to side.

When the first Hogsmeade weekend rolled around four months later, Narcissa was almost too exhausted to even consider going. On top of her duties as the new Head Serpent and Slytherin Prefect, Narcissa had been selected at the tryouts to play Chaser for the Slytherin Quidditch team, a position she had coveted for years, as she was now the first female on a Slytherin team in Hogwarts history. However, she recieved news from a source or two in the Silver Serpents, namely her best friends, that a certain member of the Ministry would be attending Hogsmeade on that day.

The girls were walking around in Hogsmeade, leaning on each other and laughing. They visited Honeydukes, to stock up on their sweet collections before they went home, Scrivenshaft's Quill Shop, because Narcissa had snapped her only remaining quill in a rage, Zonko's, to get Viola a new Sneakoscope, then to Dervish & Banges, as she'd broken it five minutes later! Finally, Viola and Carolyna abandoned Narcissa to go up to The Three Broomsticks for a Butterbeer, leaving the young Black alone outside Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop. She was about to abandon her ideas altogether and return to the castle when she caught sight of a platinum-haired man standing in the snowfall. She approached slowly, making no noise, intending to surprise him, but her attempts were thwarted when she tripped and fell face first into a large snowdrift.

She was soon pulled out of the snow and wrapped in strong arms. She was shaking violently, and not just because of the cold. A comforting low drawl echoed in her ears.

"You seem to be making rather a habit of this(!)" smirked Lucius, cradling Narcissa in his arms, but leaving her enough room to look up at him.

"I'm just lucky that you were there to save me." she smiled back.

"Yes, you were indeed. Mind you, your clumsiness hasn't affected your beauty." Narcissa was colouring rapidly, which she wasn't altogether certain was merely due to the frost-bitten wind.

"No, but it seems to have affected your eyesight!" she countered, beginning to get to her feet.

"Not at all, Miss Black. Thank for your concern, though." The pair walked over to the barrier, leaning over it and admiring the monument of Hogsmeade, the Shrieking Shack, the most haunted place in Wizading Britain.

"You know, you put yourself down far too much. You're a very pretty girl."

"Thank you, Mr. Malf-" she stopped suddenly, leaning forwards and closing her eyes.

"Narcissa, are you alright?" Narcissa let it go that he used her first name, though it actually made her a little more dizzy to think about.

"Yes, thank you. I was just thinking...it's always you. You volunteered to take me to the Hospital Wing, you saved me from the Gryffindors, you...glared at Evan when he hugged me. It's just strange."

"Actually, it isn't, really. You see, do you know what the best words I've ever heard in my life are?"

She gave him a blank look and shook her head slightly, signalling for him to continue.

"The best words I ever heard were 'Bella, leave it, that little rodent isn't worth it!'. And do you know why?"

"No." she breathed.

"Because those were the first words you ever said to me, all those years ago."

"Mr. Malfoy, where is this going?"

"Miss Black, I have loved you since the moment I met you, and if you're honest, I think you've loved me as well."

"Well, maybe a little." she breathed, her own breathing quickening as she noticed the direction the conversation was taking.

"I think you know where I'm going with this. Narcissa, will you be my girlfriend?"

"Why me? I mean, you're eighteen, you work in the Ministry, you've got the whole Wizarding World to pick from, so why choose me?"

"It may be hard for you to believe, but I don't want anyone else. I just want you. So will you?"

"Yes. Yes, I'll be your girlfriend. Yes!" she cried, turning around to face him. Their faces were inches from each other and they realised the sudden heat of the situation. They inched closer and closer, until they were almost touching. It was Lucius that made the first move, bringing his lips to meet hers briefly, then pulling away. Narcissa moved forwards again, bringing lips to meet, this time for much, much longer and with more passion than before. At last, they pulled away, smiling and laughing.

"I love you, Lucius." she sighed as he wrapped his arms around her.

"I love you too, my Narcissa."

A/N: What do you think? Next chapter is an important moment for them. Please review!