Everyone was waiting for Narcissa to make her grand entrance.

Lucius didn't like celebrating his birthday because his mother had died in childbirth.

However, there was nothing wrong with celebrating Narcissa's birthday, and Lucius wanted to make sure that Narcissa's first birthday with him and her being husband and wife would forever be remembered.

No proper Pureblood ever wanted to be forgotten.

Everyone suddenly stopped speaking and stared, which could only mean that Narcissa had finally entered the room.

Lucius turned to look. He smiled as he watched Narcissa approach him.

There wasn't a single woman that Lucius could think of who could ever hope to compare with Narcissa's beauty or grace. She was a lady in every way.

While the rest of her family was dark-haired, Narcissa had blonde hair.

There was, however, more to Narcissa than just her fair appearance. With the exception of her cousin Regulus, she was the only one of her family with a fully functioning brain.

As she walked, Narcissa gave everyone a coy smile, giving the appearance that she was nothing more than just another foolish, harmless Pureblood wife.

Lucius, though, knew that Narcissa's mind was just as cunning as his. Like him, she could deceive and manipulate faster than a Pureblood could pull out a shiny Galleon and rub it in the face of a Mudblood or a Blood-Traitor.

And even though Narcissa had no problem with standing in her husband's shadow, she was perfectly capable of asserting herself when necessary. She just took pleasure in making everyone think that she was not a threat.

Lucius, however, knew that Narcissa could be lethal when all the conditions were right. She had a lot more patience than him, but it was still unwise to push her too far.

Narcissa had the appearance of a fragile flower, but her fangs were venomous.

Narcissa was Lucius's equal in every way.

Beauty and brains, Lucius thought. I could not ask for more.

Lucius suddenly frowned dangerously. He didn't like how Nott was looking at Narcissa. It was the same way he looked at his own wife, lecherous and completely empty of affection.

Only Lucius's breeding and training kept him from pulling out his wand and cursing Nott on the spot. No, Lucius would deal with Nott in private, just like any proper gentleman ought to do.

Lucius then noticed that his father was scowling at Narcissa.

Abraxas did not like that his son worshiped the very ground that Narcissa walked on and the very air that she breathed.

"Why can't you show the same devotion to the Dark Lord that you show that girl?" Abraxas often asked Lucius.

"I have given the Dark Lord my soul," Lucius would always reply. "What more could he possibly ask for?"

It was true. Lucius had given the Dark Lord his soul.

However, whatever little heart Lucius still had left, it belonged completely to Narcissa.

I am yours, Lucius said nonverbally to Narcissa, and you are mine.

As Narcissa continued to approach Lucius, everyone else in the room continued to look at her with either looks of awe or looks of jealousy.

Most everyone in the older generation had no problem with saying that Lucius and Narcissa were both the proper definition of a Pureblood. They were dignity. They were presence. Whenever they entered a room, everyone immediately took notice.

Lucius's and Narcissa's generation, on the other hand, knew that they could never hope to compare to the two young but promising Purebloods. The young Pureblood men lacked Lucius's intelligence and charm, and the young Pureblood ladies lacked Narcissa's beauty and sophistication.

Lucius held out his hand for Narcissa to take.

They were the perfect Pureblood couple, and everyone who looked at them knew it.

And in a room full of ambitious Purebloods, that was more than enough to breed jealousy. All the men wanted to be Lucius, and all the women wanted to be Narcissa.

You can try, Lucius thought as he scanned the room with his most charming smile, but you can never hope to compare to us.

As Lucius and Narcissa began to dance, Lucius could hear several men remarking to their wives about how beautiful and how graceful Narcissa was.

"You didn't look that good on your birthday," one man commented to his wife.

It was clear that the men wished that Narcissa was theirs.

You may look, Lucius thought with smugness and pride, but you may not touch. Narcissa is mine and mine alone.