I couldn't ever say whether or not I actually slept that night. I recall crying some more, though I kept silent so my five, other roommates wouldn't be bothered. Thankfully, neither of my sisters stayed in the same dormitory as me. This was partially because they weren't even in the same year as me, though they did have access to come in, if they so wished it. Apparently, neither of them took the opportunity, because I never saw either of them the rest of the night.

When the sun was up, I didn't want to follow suit. I wanted to hide in there forever and call out sick. However, when Sascha Tamsyn, a seventh-year with long, brown hair, seemed to notice I was acting off, she offered me a Draught of Peace to help me through the week. We never held a full conversation, so why she helped me was beyond comprehension, but I couldn't have thanked her enough. It did just what she told me it would, and before I knew it, I was standing in front of the mirror in my dormitory, tugging at the bright, red material of my skirt. Colors were more vibrant. Sometimes, I even saw colors that I knew weren't there. It was a side effect of the potion, but it didn't really matter. I was still trying to get over the fact that I had managed to pass all of my courses. Divination and History of Magic were the two exams that I had barely passed with Acceptable grades. My Outstanding grades I achieved were in Astronomy, and to my surprise, in Potions.

I should have been able to shove all these invading thoughts from my head, but now, the potion was wearing off, leaving me to feel anxious just before a dinner party. I straightened my posture, zipping up the dress in the back. I slipped my shoes into a pair of black heels, which helped to lift my short body from the ground a bit more. Even the transparent train of my skirt managed to just barely touch the ground now, leaving me to feel a bit more confident that I wouldn't stumble on it. The front of the dress stopped just over my knees, and I found myself realizing something I never did before.

My knees were really wrinkly.

I frowned a bit, bending them so that the lines would vanish, then I locked them again, and they mysteriously returned.

Were all knees this ugly? Was I just losing it?

I adjusted the sheer sleeves on my arms, which only reached down to my elbows. The top of my dress hugged around my shoulders, leaving them and my neckline exposed to the comfortable air of the room. I found myself asking whether I should go or not. I didn't want to disappoint Lucius by not showing up, but mentally, I wasn't sure if I was prepared.

He was just downstairs, waiting in the common room. If I decided to hide away in my room, he could easily come up and knock on the door until I had no choice but to answer. Somehow, I didn't think that was within his personality, however.

I brushed my curled, blonde hair behind my shoulders, then pulled them in front again. There was a nice accessory I could add in, and I was able to easily locate it in my jewelry box that I kept on my own, vanity table. I slipped the black, rhinestone hairpin in the back, crimping a small lock of hair just enough to keep it out of my eyes.

Was I missing anything? I already sprayed on my perfume. A little bit of makeup...

Did I need more?

No, I didn't need more.

Did I need less?

Damnit, he had already been waiting on me for long enough. There was no need to start all over.

I pulled myself together. Air came in through the nose, out through the mouth. In through the nose, out through the mouth.

Then, I was leaving the dormitory, heading down the stairs. I spotted Lucius standing by the unlit fireplace, his hands tucked behind his back. My lungs felt tight suddenly, and I almost considering bolting back up to my room before he turned around to look at me. I kept walking, however, hoping to keep up my elegance at least until I reached the bottom of the stairs...

And, success.

"I'm ready," I murmured, though I was surprised the clicking of my heels hadn't caused him to turn around sooner. He smiled at me, though I knew his silence indicated he was observing me. I felt like a little mouse being eyed by a snake. So, in turn, I inspected him. He wore a fine suit that was entirely black. The only colored attire he wore was a silky, green tie tucked beneath his long blazer.

Even as I walked towards him, I kept my head high, hands folded in front of me, as they really didn't feel comfortable anywhere else. I always tried to look and behave as much as my mother did, especially since in appearance, I did look so much like Druella Black. Right now, a first impression was everything, and I would have no other chance to redeem myself if I ended up looking silly.

"You look ravishing, Miss Black," he said. That was a word I hadn't expected to hear. Beautiful, perhaps, but was ravishing an appropriate term to describe a young lady who hadn't even reached the age of sixteen yet?

"Thank you, Lucius," I said, forcing confidence. "You look quite charming, yourself."

And that, he did. He always was a very nice sight, but a different light shone on him tonight that I hadn't seen before. He offered his arm to me, and I took it with little reluctance. Hopefully, it would be a perfect night. After the events from a couple of weeks ago, I needed to feel like a princess for a change.

We were heading down the corridor that would lead to the designated room when my heart began to quicken its pace. I sighed out softly, though it seemed my anxiety did not go unnoticed.

"Nervous?" I heard Lucius ask me. Again, he was flashing that signature, Malfoy grin I had come to recognize was only one-of-a-kind.

"Just a bit." Now, I could hear faint, instrumental music playing behind the door we were closing in on.

"Don't you worry," he said, and his hand took mine, pulling it in a direction that would lead my entire body into a twirl. "You are in good hands."

I giggled a bit, and once he had finished spinning me, we made our way inside. I didn't recall ever being in this room before, but it was large enough to comfortably fit the number of people inside. A couple dozen or so, I imagined. On the far side of the room, I saw Professor Slughorn engaged in a conversation with another student in a dark, green dress. Had it not been for her incredibly long, straight hair, I would have never recognized that it was Sascha. I made myself a mental reminder to pull her aside at some point and thank her for lending me that potion.

"Mr. Malfoy! So glad you could make it!" chimed the professor. "Oh, and I see you brought Miss Narcissa Black with you, too. Splendid." He gave Lucius a pat on the back, then in turn, gave me a bright smile. "So nice to see you, Miss Black. You look very nice."

"I'm happy to be here, professor," I answered softly.

"Please, help yourself to pastries over on the table! Mr. Lottsworth is also serving pumpkin juice and fruit punch."

"Thank you, Professor Slughorn," Lucius said, and he led me away so that the Potions Master could communicate with some of the other students. Some of them I recognized to be alumni, though I had never acquainted myself with any of them before they graduated.

I cast a glance over to the waiter that Slughorn had mentioned, and for a moment, I was appalled by the pinstripe, flare pants and the brightly-colored shirt he wore. I had to confess, the disco fashion in the muggle world was absolutely repulsive, but I wasn't about to say anything here. In any other situation, I might have, but right now, I did want to make a good impression in front of everyone here and not look like a total snob.

Plucking a small glass of fruit punch from the tray Harold Lottsworth was carrying around, I remained arm-locked with Lucius as we migrated to the table of finger foods.

"How many of these parties are there?" I asked him.

"Well, there are a few, casual dinners throughout the year, but this is the first I've seen that is this elaborate. My father once mentioned he was a part of a couple of dance parties."

"Your father was in the Slug Club, too?"

"Of course," Lucius said, smiling again. "Why do you think I got in?"

After a period of time, we did manage to go our separate ways long enough to mingle. I even chose to grace Emma Vanity with my presence for a few moments. She wore a lovely, turquoise dress, and I couldn't help but ask her where she had gotten it. Perhaps for my next birthday, I would have to ask for it. Turquoise was a much prettier color on me than this slutty red I was stuck in.

Eventually, I located Sascha in order to swallow my pride and thank her. She was happy to do it, she insisted, though before I could ask her why, I felt fingers lightly grip around my wrist. I turned my head, my blonde curls bouncing against my neck as I saw Lucius looking at me.

"Would you like to dance?"

I felt a lump in my throat. I had never exactly learned how to properly dance. One would expect a proper Black to know how to, but sadly, me nor my sisters had ever been taught. He took my lack of a response as an acceptance, as he was already pulling me out to an empty spot on the floor. There were a few other couples that were already dancing to a new song, but my confidence had faltered in a matter of seconds.

"I...I'm not very good at dancing," I whispered to him, and he simply chuckled against the side of my head.

"I already told you, Narcissa, you're in good hands."

Despite my anxiety, we managed just fine. He instructed me to follow his lead, and so, I did just that - nothing more, nothing less. It didn't seem so bad once we got started, and after what seemed like an entire night, we were heading back towards the common room, each of us nibbling on a pastry we had taken to-go.

"Slughorn said he wanted me to be a part of the club next year," I announced to him as we approached the wall that would take us in.

"I knew he would," Lucius answered with a smug look, and as he addressed the blank wall with the password, it opened up to let them inside. "You deserve to be in it. He told me you got an Outstanding in the exam."

"I did," I answered, grinning from ear to ear. Then, I recalled that Lucius would be graduating from Hogwarts tomorrow. I probably wouldn't see much of him anymore. "But you won't be there..." Just like that, my smile faded. The little bit of happiness I managed to find was going to be taken away from me. All I would have to look forward to next year would be Andromeda's presence.

Then, he brought my hands to his lips, brushing a kiss along the knuckles of my index fingers. "This isn't goodbye, Narcissa."

I felt blissful as I boarded the Hogwarts Express the next day, though there was no sign of Lucius. I was starting to think he might have planted false hopes in my head, but ultimately, last night had still been the best evening I had in a long time. I told myself that no matter what, I should be happy that I got to be a part of something, and next year, I would be a part of the Slug Club, too. I caught up on sleep on the way back home, and it wasn't until I returned to the train station that I realized one of my two sisters had not gotten off the train. Andromeda was ahead of me, having already met up with mother and father, but Bellatrix seemed to be nowhere in sight. I gave Andromeda a questioning look, but her expression was hard to read. Maybe she didn't know where she was, either.

Mother and father didn't seem overly concerned about their oldest daughter's whereabouts, and so it wasn't until we returned to our spacious home that I made the inquiry.

"Is Bellatrix here?" I asked my mother.

"No, my dear," Druella replied, setting her handbag on the hook by the front door. There was the smell of food already filling the house, and I supposed that Mooky was already at work in the kitchen, preparing lunch. "Bellatrix won't be joining us, I'm afraid. She is with Rodolphus."

"Oh," I said hazily. I never did find any closure with my sister before she officially left to join the Death Eaters. She said she planned to get the mark as soon as she graduated, but I hadn't realized how literal that was meant to be taken.

"Come, you two," my mother added as she made her way into the dining room, "there is beef on the table."

Mother always looked so elegant. Even now, the way she held herself high and sported her maroon dress made her look like a queen. I hoped I would be able to make her proud one day in hosting the same behaviors. It didn't seem so important before - not until last night, when I was so keen on being perfect in everything I did. Whether I did a good job at it or not, I didn't know, but no one complained, so I must have done something right.

Mooky brought a fresh glass of water to everyone at the table, though Bellatrix's assigned seat being unoccupied made things feel wrong. I stole a glance at mother, then my father. They were awfully quiet, though the fact that they hadn't addressed the elephant in the room was enough for me to assume that they already knew why she wasn't there.

Personally, I could never imagine myself being a mother and allowing my child to become a Death Eater.