The preparations had begun at dawn, the trees decorated with ribbons and streamers of gold and white; their colour scheme for the wedding. White chairs were being stacked in rows facing the golden marquee of which Narcissa and Lucius would gather at midday to marry and a white carpeted aisle had been placed on the grass to which she would walk down arm in arm with her father who would be smiling with pride.

House elves were also busy in the kitchens, preparing the buffet for the wedding lunch. But it wasn't the smell of canapés being cooked or the sound of the house elves setting the chairs up nosily that awoke her that morning. It was the fingers that were tracing lazy patterns on her thigh and the lips at her neck that stirred her. Her head turned but before she could even say so much as good morning, Lucius's lips crashed down on her own. She giggled and pulled away from him, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"What time is it?" she asked with a yawn.

"Almost six." Lucius replied.

She groaned and tried to roll back on her side but Lucius pinned her down into the mattress, climbing on top of her.

"You know it's bad luck to see the bride before the wedding and even more so when you hope to claim your conjugal rights before the marriage certificate is signed." Narcissa teased.

"We are already married." Lucius pointed out.

"True as it is, there are those who believe we aren't hence the ceremony today, my sister included." Narcissa replied.

"The wedding doesn't start for six hours yet, we have time before we have to start preparing ourselves." Lucius hinted with an eyebrow raised.

Narcissa laughed quietly as his lips found her pulse point on her neck and he sucked lightly until she shoved him off her. Lucius groaned impatiently as she sat up a little in their bed, listening to the work being done outside.

"My parents will be here soon." she mused.

"I hope my father doesn't make an appearance." Lucius replied.

"What will you do if he does?"

"He'll be escorted off the premises politely unless he wants to try my patience."

She sighed as her husband's mood turned sour at the mention of Abraxas possibly attending. There had been no communication between father and son since their first wedding and she knew that Lucius had no inclination in writing to his father ever again. Her personal opinion on the matter was that her father-in-law had gotten his punishment for the way he had treated his wife and his son throughout the majority of his miserable and pathetic life. Narcissa was glad that Lucius was nothing like Abraxas Malfoy. Deciding to take his mind off of his father on a day that should be joyous to the two of them, she rolled on top of him and claimed his lips in a fiery kiss to which he caught up merely seconds later. A morning well spent.

ooOoo

The couple had dressed into their wedding attire and Lucius had already gone down to the marquee to wait for her. The guests had already started to arrive, with Bellatrix sitting in the front row with Rodolphus, looking quite sombre. Narcissa stood on the terrace, her arm linked with her father's as the band began to play the traditional wedding march. The guests stood, she could hear the whispers at how beautiful she looked in her white dress that fitted her frame perfectly, her blonde locks tied up into a graceful bun; she hadn't wanted anything over the top. Lucius stood at the altar, dressed in gold dress robes that made him look even more handsome than usual. When they had decided on a white and gold colour scheme she had been surprised at Evelyn's suggestion that he wear the gold because she thought it might look tacky and she was glad that she had been wrong on that assumption; the gold suited her husband perfectly.

The band ceased the playing and the guests took to their seats once more, her father kissed her cheek and handed her over to Lucius as was the custom. Lucius took her hand and they stood before the registrar who had taken their marriage vows the first time.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to witness the union between the families of Malfoy and Black by the marriage of Lucius and Narcissa..."

She looked at Lucius and gave him a small smile. It was all a show for their guests, who were still fawning over the golden couple but she didn't care. Hey eyes were only on Lucius and the registrar as the vows were said and the rings were slotted on to their fingers; Lucius sealed their union with a kiss which earned the cheers and claps from everyone sat under the marquee. The registrar took their signatures on the wedding certificate before asking everyone to stand and waving his wand; clearing away the aisle so that the chairs were placed around the small, circular tables that appeared from thin air. The house elves, who had been ordered to wash for the ceremony, started to unwrap the food and place it on the buffet table whilst others were carrying trays of champagne flutes.

The band began to play and Lucius took Narcissa's hand and led her to the dance floor, taking the lead in the dancing as was the custom for pureblood ceremonies. They were soon joined by other couples and Lucius grinned down at his wife, surprising himself that the person he had been a year ago had changed for the better; all because of a girl who had once hated him.

"It's funny isn't it?" Narcissa mused, "That this has actually happened now and we are together, we don't have to sneak around keeping our secret."

Lucius smiled as he twirled her around the dance floor, "Not too loudly my love." he cautioned.

"I love you." she whispered.

"And I love you, I hope for the rest of our lives we will be happy as we are right now."

Narcissa laughed, "I'm sure there will be times when I will hate you as much as I love you."

"I'm sure you're correct, as long as you don't ignore me during those times then I will be content."

As the dance finished, the couples clapped the dancers and Lucius placed another but more enthusiastic kiss to her lips; he knew she was right. There would be times when he wouldn't be the world's best husband and she would hate him for it but at the end of the day, all that mattered was that they loved each other and he would be content with that for the rest of his life.