A Love Made of Sugar & Smoke ~ T.N

Chapter Fourteen

She was drawn from her trance when she heard the creaking floorboards of the ancient stairs of the manor. Turning around from her current position she watched the Malfoy Matriarch descended the grand staircase. She elegantly swept down each step, the skirt of her mossy green robes trailing behind her.

"Draco, my dear boy." She greeted him with a kiss on the cheek.

"Mother." He nodded.

"Theodore, always a pleasure." She directed towards the darker haired wizard of the two.

"You look dashing as always, Cissa." He complimented as he took her hand in his and bowed, pressing a kissing to the back of her palm.

"Always a charmer." She mused.

Narcissa now turned her attention to the sweet looking girl stood in her hallway. Evie's outfit was modest - she wanted to make the right impression on her boyfriends, best friends, mother. She wore a silk peach coloured tea dress which fell just below the knee a pair of light tan leather boat shoes adorned her feet. Her hair sat across her shoulders in loose curls, half up half down, tied back with the same piece of red ribbon from the parchment Theo had asked her out with.

"Evie, it's a pleasure to see you again, my dear."

"Thank you for having me, Mrs Malfoy. You have such a lovely home."

"Oh please, you can call me, Narcissa." She dismissed gently.

Both of the boys excused themselves and stated they would be in the study should they be needed. Probably debating the laws of Quidditch or how Theo was going to coax Draco from pitching himself off the astronomy tower if he has to sit through another one of Trelawny's classes.

Evie and Narcissa walked in silence as they made their way to the drawing room a few short corridors from where they'd just been. As they entered she was awestruck by the rooms beauty. The same cream walls and gold finishings but decorated with a sea of periwinkle. Two rather plush looking wingback chairs sat in front of another marbled fireplace positioned either side of a lighter oak table.

The other side of the room was company to two rather large velvet chesterfield sofas - the same colour as the chairs.

Evie tucked the skirt of her dress under herself as she took a seat on the crushed velvet seat opposite Narcissa.

An antique silver tray sat in the middle of the oak table. A china teapot with a purple floral design and gold detailing and matching tea cups and saucers occupied the tray with a plate of white chocolate and raspberry scones accompanying it.

Her favourite.

She wasn't quite sure how to act or what to say to begin with. She'd had many encounters with Molly on her own but something being sat in front of Narcissa Malfoy was different. With Molly she was warm and welcoming and accepted Evie straight off the bat - with Narcissa she was colder, calmer and collected. She didn't give much away with her emotions, but I suppose coming from the Black family and being married to a Malfoy would do that to you.

She tried not to let her nerves show but she suspected she was doing an awful job at hiding her own emotions.

"Don't be nervous, Evie. I am just curious to get to know the girl my sons best friends seems to bestow his affections towards. I feel like I practically raised the boy myself." Narcissa Spoke first.

"Sorry. I'm just not used to being in such a grand surrounding. I appreciate you inviting me over." She sounded nervous now.

"It's my pleasure, dear. It's nice to have female company around."