Hey, Soul Sister [Lucius/Narcissa]

Chapter Twenty-Three

Narcissa gave a silent prayer of thanks for the emptiness of the Slytherin Common Room as she entered. Her heart pounded obnoxiously, its beating a roar in her ears, and she contemplated the best way to take advantage of the time alone with Lucius when he arrived.

She had no idea why her inhibitions had suddenly and miraculously been revealed to her as foolish, but she was grateful that they had. After all, it was ridiculous to attempt to contain her feelings when they were so all-consuming and tore so viciously through every fiber of her being. How in Merlin's name did I manage to keep what I think of Lucius to myself for so long? she demanded of herself, shaking her head as she set her belongings down on a sofa, slipped off her shoes, and started to unfasten the buttons of her shirt. As it seemed to her now, the words 'I love you' would've burned a hole through her, if they'd remained hidden any longer.

"What are you doing?"

Narcissa froze, her blouse half-unbuttoned and the corset beneath partially revealed. She clasped the sides of the shirt together tightly at her throat and turned to face Alecto Carrow, who stood in the doorway leading from the Common Room to the dormitories.

"Shouldn't you be in class?" Narcissa snapped. "Don't make me write you a—"

"I would love," said Alecto, talking over Narcissa's unfinished threat, "to see you explain in the detention slip exactly why you were here to find out I wasn't in class." Despite the agitation her words suggested, Alecto was barely suppressing a smirk. She glanced down to where Narcissa's hand held her shirt together and back to the other girl's face. "So... shall I go and fetch Thorfinn, then?"

Narcissa stared at Alecto, uncomprehending. "Why in the world would you think that was necessary? Get out of here before—just go."

Alecto stepped closer, one dark brow raised as she folded her arms over her chest. "Don't you want to—?"

"Alecto! Why would I want anything to do with Thorfinn?" Narcissa demanded. "Lucius is going to be here any moment!"

In the ensuing silence, Narcissa's chest heaved with her frustration and all traces of amusement slowly slid from Alecto's features. Her lips twisted into a scowl.

"You couldn't even drink a bottle of Butterbeer right, could you?" Alecto stepped forward until she stood directly in front of Narcissa, her eyes staring downward into the Prefect's face with unrestrained contempt. "Let me guess: you let someone else touch it?"

"What the hell are you talking about?" Narcissa drew herself up, attempting to look more threatening than was possible in her current state of partial-undress. Alecto opened her mouth to answer, but before she could speak, the portrait at the room's entrance moved aside and Lucius stepped over the threshold.

Alecto was immediately as far from Narcissa's mind as the silly societal restrictions attempting to keep her from acting on the full extent of her desire. Narcissa started toward Lucius, a smirk twisting her lips.

"I wondered what was keeping you."

Merlin, he's handsome. Just look at those eyes—I don't think I've ever seen such a perfect color on anyone else. I bet the rest of Slytherin is unbelievably jealous, particularly Alecto... That must be why she's acting so ridiculously.

"Out."

The thoughts streaming through Narcissa's mind were interrupted by the harshness of the command, and she processed a moment later that it had been directed at Alecto, who wasted no time in scurrying out of the room and into the corridor outside. Narcissa's smirk returned when she and Lucius were left alone, and she stepped toward him slowly, relaxing her grip on her blouse and resuming the unbuttoning of the garment as she studied Lucius's face.