It's Just a Matter of Time [Narcissa]

[lucius malfoy]

Lucius was making his way from the library to the Great Hall, fully intent on having lunch. It had been a tiring morning, and he was quite hungry. At breakfast he had received an owl from his father. The proceedings for his betrothal were nearly complete, with only small details left to discuss. Unless something drastic happened, Lucius would be married to Narcissa Black. He was not sure when the marriage would take place, after his graduation from Hogwarts, or after Narcissa's - that was one of the remaining details.

Regardless of when the wedding would be, Lucius needed to find Narcissa. His father had mentioned how Lord and Lady black had written to Naricssa at the same time, so Lucius was confident that Narcissa would have already been informed.

Coming down the main staircase, Lucius spotted a particular shade of blonde hair making its way towards the Great Hall as well. Luckily, Narcissa appeared to be by herself. Lucius did not want to attract a lot of attention to their discussion, but he also didn't want to wait until later. The sooner they began to acquaint themselves with each other, the better.

Increasing his speed slightly, Lucius got within her line of sight, and within a proper speaking distance. "Excuse me, Miss Black. Would you be so obliged as to join me for lunch? I believe there is a matter we need to discuss."

[narcissa black]

Narcissa had awoke that morning to quite the surprise. Getting a letter was normal, especially from her mother. But the letter that was looming over her head when her eyes opened was from her father, held over the top of her by her oldest sister.

Cissy had gotten up, thanked her sister, then read through the letter. Twice. She had been under the impression that she was still allowed to find a match herself. Apparently she'd run out of time and her parents found a suitable offer. Somewhere she wasn't sure how she felt about being betrothed to Lucius Malfoy. A part of her was pleased with the match. Lucius was well bred, and from a high classed family. Another part of her wasn't sure because she didn't know him. Know of him, sure, but that was about it.

So Narcissa had spent her morning in a slightly puzzled state. Getting dressed and ready had taken much longer then it should have. Simple tasks had been difficult to remember how to perform. Though by lunch time, the blond girl was back on track and more or less over her shock. She'd simply have to get to know Lucius, it was that simple. After all, it's what her family expected of her.

She had been on her way to the Great Hall when she heard her name called. Cissy stopped and turned, puzzled by the voice she didn't recognize only to come face to face with the seventh year she was supposed to be marrying if all went well. "Mister Malfoy," Cissy greeted, keeping things polite. His inquiry caused her to blink once or twice before a nod bobbed her head, "Of course. There is definitely much we need to talk about." Much was an understatement.

[lucius malfoy]

As soon as Narcissa accepted his lunch invitation, Lucius offered her his arm. He had started their interaction on a formal note, so it only seemed right to continue it. "Shall we, then?"

Entering the Great Hall, Lucius headed for the end of the Slytherin table. There was not much privacy to be had in the Great Hall, but the ends of the table were the best option they had. Usually he would sit with Rodophus, but not now when he had matters to discuss with Narcissa. Lucius had, of course, told Rodolphus about his betrothal as soon as he had found out himself, so he didn't need to worry about Ro being offended or anything. Once Rodolphus saw Lucius and Narcissa sitting together, obviously having a serious conversation, he would understand.

Reaching the table, Lucius waited for Narcissa to sit before taking the spot across from her. "I'm sure that you received a letter similar to the one I received from my father this morning, informing me of our betrothal. Seeing as how our interaction in the past is quite limited, I'd like to propose that we make an effort to actually get to know each other. Nothing too drastic, but at least on a regular basis."

[narcissa black]

The arm was first looked at and observed, but Narcissa didn't really hesitate in accepting it. She marveled a bit at the fact that her arm seemed to fit seamlessly with Lucius'. Not to mention the fact that if she could see them from an outside perspective, she could almost promise that they looked good together.

Perhaps that was getting a slightly big head...And delving a bit ahead of things.

Regardless, Narcissa allowed herself to be led along. When they entered the Great Hall, her gaze drifted across the faces of the table. She noted the whispered and surprised looks, as well as the heated glares pointed her way. When they reached the end of the table, Cissy took a seat and waited for him to sit.

His question earned a nod, "Yes, I received a letter as well." the idea of spending more time together was probably a good one. After all, if they were going to be married, it was best that they weren't trying to kill one another or forced into an awkward situation due to lack of interaction. "Of course," she nodded again, "Do you have any suggestions as to where we should start?"

[lucius malfoy]

Lucius had escorted multiple ladies to various balls and gatherings throughout his life, but none had ever felt as natural as Narcissa did walking into the Great Hall. Of course they were all graceful and elegant, but Narcissa seemed to practically float next to him. The weight of her hand on his arm was almost nothing, yet he knew that there was no risk of her slipping away form him. He also knew that the two of them together made a stunning pair. Even though they had never appeared together before, he knew that the image projected by two well-bred, fair-toned aristocrats together was not an image that could be ignored. It was quite a pleasurable feeling, having that knowledge. He could only imagine the appearances they would be making throughout the year.

Lucius was aware of the whispers that spread throughout the Hall, and the stares directed at them. He'd been raised to be aware of everything around him, and then promptly ignore it unless it was relevant to his goals. Excluding the glance over the Slytherin table looking for Rodolphus, Lucius' gaze did not wander from his targeted seating.

Lucius was glad that she had agreed to his proposition so readily. He had figured that she most likely would accept, but it was nice to hear his suspicion confirmed. "I've been thinking of things we could do, and so far the best option is looking to be to begin spending meals together, perhaps followed by the occasional evening in the common room. I'm fairly positive that after a while of typical exposure we will begin to spend time together naturally and not have to plan as much, except for special occasions, of course."

Feeling that the conversation was going well, Lucius began to make his plate. He had been prepared to forgo actually eating a roper lunch in favor of planning, but it was appearing that the conversation was going much smoother than he had planned. Hopefully, this conversation would have a similar tone to the rest of their relationship.

[[sorry this took so long!]]

[narcissa black]

The idea of becoming more noticeable due to her place on Lucius Malfoy's arm was extremely appealing. The looks on the way to the table, the whispers, the outspoken questions amongst friends. It was brilliant. All of it. This had amused Narcissa all the way up to sitting down, and showed on her face until their conversation had begun. Then it was time to be serious. Not to the point of awkwardness, but to the point of attentiveness.

After she had responded to him the first time, Cissy had begun making her plate. Just a couple of small triangles of sandwiches and some other small portions of things. It wasn't that she didn't like to eat- quite the contrary in fact. Something few people knew about Narcissa was that she definitely liked to eat- even if it didn't show on her physical frame. No, the lack of quantity was the fact that there were more important things going on- like first impressions. And while Cissy's plate was lacking great heaps of food, it most definitely wasn't empty.

When Lucius began speaking again, Narcissa found herself nodding in agreement with what he was saying. Both to prove that she was listening, and to show that she was in agreement with the idea. "Spending meals with definitely help ease us into some form of natural co-existence." she agreed, though her head lifted and her hands bridged together so that she could place her chin upon them. "However, just spending time casually together when it's convenient won't do the trick. I think that perhaps one night out of the weekends should be spent out, just us, so that we might get a feel for how things will be."

[lucius malfoy]

Lucius took notice that Narcissa took only small portions, and yet filled her plate. Lucius was doing much the same, though he was not sure if their reasons were the same. Lucius was trying to ensure that their discussion wouldn't be too interrupted by food, but Narcissa's small frame led him to believe that perhaps Narcissa only ate small portions regardless of her conversation.

"I agree, one night of the weekend sounds like a perfectly reasonable plan to get to know each other. Personally I believe that Saturday evening might be best, though if you prefer another day I'm sure it would work just as well."

Pausing, Lucius took a bite of one of the small sandwiches he had taken. After he'd finished chewing and made sure that no pieces remained in his mouth, Lucius figured that now was as good a time as any to start their familiarization.

"You have two sisters, correct? Bellatrix and Andromeda? And Bellatrix is betrothed to Rodolphus, if I recall correctly...?" Of course, with Rodolphus as his best friend, Lucius was decently informed about Ro's marital status, but he figured that talking about something he knew already couldn't hurt too much.

[narcissa black]

Narcissa took the time to listen, chewing thoughtfully on her bites of food. Her head bobbed in a nod, a sign of agreement to what he was saying, and she swallowed the food in her mouth before replying, "Well, it seems as if we are in agreement then." she offered him a polite smile, then took a drink of the juice that appeared in her goblet.

When he questioned about her sisters, Cissy set her goblet down and made a soft sound in her throat. Her eyes drifted down the table towards where her sister should have been (but wasn't) then she scanned across the room for Andromeda. She sat quietly for a moment, thinking about her answer carefully. She wasn't sure if talking about Bella's personal life was allowed or not, they hadn't ever really discussed it, and no one ever really asked Narcissa for information. However, if Lucius was going to be family, what was the harm in giving him the information?

She nodded again, "Yes, Bella and Rodolphus are betrothed." a small smile lifted the corners of her mouth and her gaze lowered to the table, "Though, as Rodolphus' best friend, I imagine you already knew that and didn't have to ask me..." Oh yes, she was aware of Mr. Malfoy. Maybe not all knowing, but definitely aware.

[lucius malfoy]

Lucius offered a slight smile when Narcissa called him out on bringing up a subject he already knew about. "Yes, I must admit, you've caught me. Not much goes on concerning Rodolphus and I that the other does not know about. He and I may well have been brothers if not for our complete opposite appearances."

Taking a small bite of his sandwich, Lucius chewed it and swallowed before returning his attention to Narcissa. "So, since my first attempt at conversation that doesn't pertain to business matters failed spectacularly, I find myself in need of a new topic. Society has deemed that we both know, at minimum, the basics of our families, so inquiring about them would appear to be redundant at best. Considering those limitations, might I inquire as to what your hobbies are?"

Lucius took another bite of his sandwich as he waited for Narcissa to respond. Never before had he had to put so much effort into making conversation. Small talk at parties and balls were one thing - it was expected that the conversation wouldn't actually be covering any topics not already well known by both parties. But Lucius had never had to try to make conversation with his betrothed before.

He wanted to have at least moderately stimulating conversations with Narcissa. He wanted to get along well enough to at least become friends with his future wife, particularly since they would be required to produce an heir decently soon after their marriage. He would marry whoever his father betrothed him to, but he would much prefer to marry someone who he could truly and in all honestly call his wife. Of course, Lucius would not admit this to anyone, even Rodolphus only had an inkling about Lucius' true desires. After all, desires and love had no place in the marriage of purebloods.

[narcissa black]

For a long moment, Narcissa simply stared across the table at her fiance`. Her eyes scanned his face, slow and calculating as she took in his features one at a time. After a moment, she folded her arms on the table and leaned on the support they offered. She then arched a slender brow, a sly (yet obviously very amuse) smile curving her lips at the corners as she spoke, "Did you really just ask me what my hobbies consist of?" it was a teasing question, but really if this betrothal was going to work, then formalities needed to be pushed aside when they were together- though publicly they would have to save face. But this was the dining hall, and it was becoming more and more abandoned as time pressed on around them.

"So I'm assuming that small talk is not your game of choice." she leaned forward on her arms more and lowered her voice, though it wasn't necessary to do so, "It isn't mine either." That said, she leaned back to her up righted position and took the time to consume more of her lunch, though her eyes were on him now rather then down cast to her plate like a proper lady would have done.

[lucius malfoy]

Lucius was taken aback at Narcissa's reaction to his question. Alright, it had been a horrid question, but really, how else are you supposed to get to know someone? "Hobbies can have a lot to say about a person, perhaps moreso than their conversation." He arched his eyebrow in return, and had a suspicious notion that raised eyebrows would become a frequent occurrence between himself and his fiance.

"I do tend to keep smalltalk reserves for balls and business meetings, but it seemed as good as any other notion as a way to start a proper conversation." When Narcissa did not lower her gaze after she finished speaking, Lucius knew, undoubtedly, that Narcissa, though young, would be quite able to hold her own against him. She would voice her opinions, in the proper company, of course.

"Well, since both my attempts have been rendered insufficient by you, I suggest you present a topic we can discuss." Lucius held Narcissa's gaze steadily as he reached for his goblet and took a slow drink, as if to emphasize his lack of concern.

[narcissa black]

Again, Narcissa couldn't help but smile. Her gaze pulled away from his only long enough for her to locate her goblet and nod once before she was fixated on his gaze again and holding it without even too many blinks to interrupt. "Fair enough, I imagine."

She cleared her throat gently and set her goblet aside after taking a drink from it (still without breaking eye contact amazingly enough.) Cissy's hands then steepled in front of her and she leaned against the support of her arms yet again. No one was watching them anymore, so she was allowed a few relaxations for the time being...If only for the time being. "A new conversation starter? Well, we're to be married. That much we're both aware of. My letter declared this was to be done no later then the end of my seventh year here at Hogwarts, though before hand would be much more preferred by my family as to eliminate the possibility of...infatuation found else where...From either party." Her head tipped a bit to the side, allowing the loose curls of her hair to spill to the same side, "I'm curious as to what the contents of your letter were. Mine went on further to discuss ideals and wedding plans, along with talk of producing an heir..."

[lucius malfoy]

Lucius noted that they seemed to have entered into a mild staring contest. It felt strange, Lucius was not used to such prolonged direct eye contact, but at the same time it did not feel wrong or inappropriate.

"My letter apparently held much less detail than yours. My father simply told me that negotiations with your parents were almost concluded except for a few small details, such as the time frame. I assumed on my own that our wedding would be either after my graduation, or soon after yours. Having the wedding after my graduation leaves less than a year for preparations, and gives our guests somewhat short notice. However, the concerns by your family about the ... possible, though unlikely, risks of a prolonged engagement are quite understandable. Thus it would appear that, in my opinion, the summer after your 6th year would be an ideal time. Or possibly over the winter break of either your 6th or 7th year would suffice as well, if a winter wedding were desired. Of course, considering the snow, we might blend in to the scenery a bit too well, were we to have our wedding in winter."

Pausing to take a sip of his drink, Lucius continued. "The details of the wedding were not disclosed to me, and I would have to assume that either they were decided after my father finished his letter, or that my father simply considered them unimportant. That the wedding occurs is the point, not what type of flowers adorn the walls. Beside that, my father knows that I am fully aware of what my expectations are by being the Heir to the Malfoy Estates. I must marry a woman of standing, produce an heir, uphold the Malfoy name and honor, etc etc..." Lucius rolled his hand in a manner that relayed his boredom with the subject. Ever since he was old enough to understand, the expectations of him were drilled into his every movement. it really was quite old.

[narcissa black]

Despite the mild staring contest, Narcissa rolled her eyes. "The coloration for flowers and tableware were not disclosed within my letter either." While her tone seemed mildly annoyed, her smile did not falter. In fact, it was ever so much more amused then it had been moments ago. It wasn't that this was a game, no that wasn't it at all. It was the fact that she had never seen Lucius Malfoy talk this much to anyone but his best friend in all the years she'd ever bothered to glance his way or notice him about. Not unless he was scolding someone for Merlin only knew what. So it was something to pat herself on the back about that she had gotten on the list of "Worth His Time"- even if it was only because they were betrothed.

"I can only imagine what it must be like," she paused and took the time to wet her lips with the tip end of her tongue before continuing. "Bella has always been the one our parents would constantly drone on about finding a suitable match and marrying into society and all of that wonderful business." Cissy's head shook and she shrugged her shoulders, "Up until just recently, I was sure that Bella would be the one sitting here across from you, not myself." the amusement in her smile faded to something a little more serene and her eyes dipped away, "Though, I suppose it is only because my sister has found a match all on her own that is suitable for both families, and nothing more..."

[lucius malfoy]

Lucius, with the help of their staring contest, saw immediately when the expression in Narcissa's eyes changed. She had been amused, even smiling, until she mentioned Bellatrix.

"Yes, Bellatrix and Rodolphus finding their way together was fortunate on all fronts. Not only is it a profitable marriage for both families, but the the two of them get along together quite remarkably. I cannot deny that my parents considered propositioning your parents for Bellatrix's hand at some point, but I must admit that I am glad Rodolphus entered the picture. I'm afraid Bellatrix and I conflict opinions on too many matters to make discussions enjoyable. While you shot down both of my attempts to start conversation, the end result is a stimulating, worthwhile conversation that I honestly consider pleasing. Whereas the same type of discussion between your sister and I would have had quite a different outcome, and our marriage, I assume, would reflect that."

Lucius spared a glance around the hall, noting that almost everyone had left for their afternoon classes. "You, on the other hand, can oppose my opinion in a manner that allows for discussion and lacks hostility. It is quite refreshing, to be perfectly honest."

Taking a final sip from his goblet, Lucius once again met Narcissa's eyes. "It would appear that it is almost time for classes to resume." Standing up, Lucius stepped around the table and offered his hand to assist Narcissa. "Shall I escort you to your class?"