After her tour of Black Manor, Narcissa left Ginny alone in her room, both girls eager to head to bed after their long day of the time Ginny climbed into the large bed and snuggled into the sheets she was asleep as soon as her head hit the silk pillows.
The next morning, Ginny was awoken by a slow and rapid knock on her bedroom door. Rolling over she headed to the door still half asleep as she opened the door.
"Miss Dunham is requested in the sun room for brunch with the Mistress Black," A small elf squeaked, it's large orb eyes taking in her appearance, as it's lips pursed in disapproval.
"Right, erm-I'll get dressed," Ginny responded, feeling self conscious.
"Good idea Miss Dunham," the elf responded before turning on it's heals and disappearing.
Ginny closed the door behind her as she headed over to the corner of the room where she put her trunk the night before, and quickly got out of her Pajamas and into regular clothes. No sooner had she fastened the last button her on blouse did she hear another knock on the door.
This time when she opened the door it was Narcissa standing in the threshold.
"Morning," she grinned sheepishly.
Ginny couldn't help but grin, the perfect Mrs. Malfoy she knew from the future was standing before her with her hair a mess and her shirt untucked and wrinkled, she looked just how Ginny did ten minutes earlier.
"We have to meet mother in the sun room, she decided we should have brunch there with my sister," Nacrissa greeted crinkling her nose. "She said it will be a light brunch, as she wants us to be able to fit into the gowns she ordered," she added rolling her eyes as she stepped back to let Ginny out into the hall.
"Your mother ordered gowns for us?" Ginny asked, she assumed she would just be wearing something from Narcissa's closet.
"Oh yes, she had her tailor from Paris bring his spring collection down, so his assistant can alter the ones we want," Narcissa grinned excitedly.
"Oh, I'm not sure that I-"
"Don't worry, father is paying for everything, he's really excited to meet you, I think he's trying to impress you," Narcissa said, looking over at her as they descended the stairs.
"Impress me? Why?" Ginny asked laughing.
If only they knew she was a Weasley, and not some Dunham heiress as they all seemed to believe.
"I don't know actually, mother told me she was proud of my friendship, I told her we haven't even known each other for long, that you actually took pity on me and decided to help me with my homework," Narcissa laughed.
Ginny felt bad for Narcissa, just like her cousins Sirius and Regulus she grew up in a family that upheld ideals and traditions.
"Don't worry, that's not why I invited you," Narcissa added quickly. "It's just nice to have a friend that doesn't care who my great-great grandfather is, or how many summer homes my family owns."
"Summer homes?" Ginny asked.
"Don't worry," Nacrissa said laughing as they approached the sun room. "We only have 3."
"Ahh Miss Dunham, Narcissa, just in time," Mrs. Black greeted standing up as the two girls walked into the room.
"Please, call me Ginevra," Ginny responded smiling.
Mrs. Black chastised Narcissa on her appearance, as the fact she couldn't be bothered to run a brush through her hair, but Ginny's attention was on Naricssa's sister.
Bellatrix was seated across from her mother at the modest round table, her thick black curly hair was loose and wild around her like a lions main. She was seated in her chair like a proper lady, but she looked alert, and the smirk was one that didn't seem to match the kind smile that both Narcissa and her mother bore.
"Bella!" Narcissa gleamed excitedly, cutting her mother off as she crossed the room to embrace her sister.
"Tell me girls, what gossip do you bring from Hogwarts?" Bellatrix grinned lifting her tiny glass teacup and taking a sip.
"Bellatrix," Her mother gasped.
"Oh relax mother, I'm asking for gossip, not taking part in something scandalous," Bellatrix responded brushing her mother off. "Tell me Ginevra, which Black boy are you with now, our dear cousin Regulus or his brother Sirius," Bellatrix asked leaning in as she picked a sandwich off the tray examining it before ripping it in half and popping a piece into her mouth.
"Neither," Narcissa replied instantly. "Ginevra isn't seeing anyone, but you will never guess who Austin Greengrass was caught in an abandoned classroom with-"
Ginny let the two girls gossip, as she drank her tea in silence, she said nothing to Narcissa's quick comment. Narcissa knew very well that Sirius was her boyfriend, everyone in the castle heard of the girl who took Hogwarts most eligible bachelor. She could only assume that Narcissa had a very good reason for her lie, and she would confront her later on it.
When lunch was over, Mrs. Black took them into the parlor, which looked like it was transformed into a giant department store. Mirrors stood high, so that the girls could admire their entire profiles, and large burrows stood along one wall side by side, each filled with dresses in bright colors, and materials of every kind.
The three girls got to work, looking for the perfect dress.
"Oh Narcissa dear, no. I've told you, you simply cannot wear pink," Mrs. Black spoke, coming over to where Narcissa had emerged wearing a beautiful light pink ball gown.
"I like pink," Narcissa responded, running her hands along the delicate material as she admired herself in the mirror.
"Yes, but Lucius does not like pink," her mother responded.
'Why does it matter what Lucius likes," Narcissa replied.
"He is to be your husband Narcissa," her mother scolded.
"No, the fit for this is all wrong for you," one of the tailors piped up, trying to win Mrs. Black's approval.
Narcissa turned to her sister, looking for help in the matter.
"There is nothing wrong with pink mother, if she wants a pink dress than she should wear one. Just not that one, you look like a washed out fish," Bellatrix responded, pulling out a midnight blue dress.
Narcissa took one last look in the mirror the longing in her eyes obvious.
"Yes, maybe you're right Bella, this dress doesn't suit me," she said as she went in search of another dress.
Ginny wanted to say something, but knew it wasn't her place, nor did she want to offend the woman who opened her home to her.
"How are you doing Ginevra, do you need any help?" Mrs. Black asked.
"No thank you, Narcissa why don't you try this one on?" Ginny asked, calling Narcissa over.
Narcissa came over and pulled out the blue dress Ginny pointed out. Mrs. Black turned to hover over Bellatrix who had put on an ugly navy blue dress and was swatting away her mother's prying hands.
"I think the dress is beautiful," Ginny whispered, looking at Narcissa in the pink dress.
"Me too, but mother would never let me," Narcissa smiled sadly.
"This one would bring out your eyes," Ginny added.
Narcissa ran her hands over the soft sky blue material. It was nearly the same style as the pink one Narcissa had on, it clenched in at the waist and fell is soft waves.
"It's so pretty," Narcissa responded.
"It's the closest to that one I can find," Ginny responded.
"Thank you, and about Sirius- I just didn't want to throw you into the den of my parents wrath, clearly those were Bellatrix's intentions, my sister is just sometimes-" Narcissa paused as if trying to find the right word to describe her older sister.
"It's alright I understand."
Narcissa smiled apologetically as she turned to try on her dress.
Ginny was about to move on to the next bundle when she spotted a olive green dress tucked between a purple and blue one.
Pulling it out Ginny felt the delicate material between her fingers as she held it up in front of the mirror.
"You should try it on," The second tailor responded.
"It's one of a kind, no one was really interested in that shade, it's the only one in this collection that color."
Ginny smiled in way of response as she turned to try it on.
When she emerged Mrs. Black was clapping in approval over Narcissa's dress.
"I have to admit it looks really pretty," Narcissa said, turning back and forth in front of the mirror, wearing the dress Ginny had picked out.
"Yes, and we can pin your hair up-"
'I think I'll wear my hair down mother," Narcissa replied.
Bellatrix snorted from across the room. "I think wearing your hair up is too much," Bellatrix agreed.
"And you're sure about that dress?" Mrs. Black asked Bellatrix from where she was slouched in a chair, still wearing the puffy navy dress.
"Yup," she responded.
Her dress was low cut, her chest popping out, and the puffy bottom made Bellatrix look like a large cupcake.
'Oh Ginevra, you look amazing!" Narcissa squealed looking over.
All three girls turned their attention to wear Ginny stood awkwardly across the room.
She was wearing the olive dress that came down to the floor; it had a clinched waist, and was shaped to her figure but was still done in delicate whips.
"You look like Christmas," Bellatrix commented.
"It looks lovely dear," Mrs. Black nodded in approval.
Narcissa and Ginny tried on a few more dresses for fun, but in the end both settled for the blue and green ones. Once they had changed they headed off upstairs while they left Mrs. Black and Bellatrix with the tailor as they fought over the cut of her dress.
"The dress really was amazing, green looks good on you," Narcissa said.
"I feel bad your mother is paying for it."
"Don't, my family has so much money I don't think my grandchildren will ever have to work," she laughed.
Ginny and Narcissa walked into her room, and Ginny was surprised to see the walls were painted a dark shade of pink, and her bed was done up in different shades of pink.
"I have the perfect shoes to match your dress," Narcissa grinned.
The two girls spent the rest of the evening finding accessories for their gowns, and a few hours later Bellatrix came in and the three girls did each other's hair together before heading off separately to their rooms to put on their ball gowns.
It was easy to forget the night that lay ahead when she was with Narcissa, but as Ginny slipped on the dress that the tailor adjusted to fix her perfectly she couldn't ignore the nervous pit that fluttered around in her stomach.