Marriage, as my father liked to remind me, wasn't simple for purebloods like ourselves. In our world, marriage was almost like a business deal which was entered into with certain types of people to ensure that the family line was progressed into greater heights. Just what these heights were, I didn't know. But, I did know that Narcissa's alliance with the Malfoy family was very important to our family. That was part of the reason why father was so tense about ensuring that nothing came in the way of this marriage.

At first, I had been tempted to remind him that the Malfoy family had brought the idea of this alliance up so it was highly doubtful that they would suddenly withdraw from it. But it took one look into his angry eyes for me to change my mind.

With the Malfoy family arriving tomorrow to begin the planning of the wedding, father had already sat both Cissa and me down to ensure that we knew how we were to behave. Ever since Andy had left our family, father had tightened his reigns even further on us until it got to the point where I felt as if I was struggling to breathe. Maybe Cissa had the right idea by marrying so quickly so she could get out of this house. Salazar knew I too wanted to run away at times.

Mother called my name, making me look up sharply from the book I was supposed to be reading – something about dutiful daughters that lost me within the first few sentences. Raising my eyes to mother's, I nodded when she ordered, "Call Narcissa downstairs. Your father wishes to speak to her."

Without a word, I tossed aside the ridiculous book and rose to my feet. Heading up the stairs, I walked past Bella's room and found myself hovering outside the closed door. She was my eldest sister and yet I was more than happy to see her go when she married my now brother-in-law. When Bella had been home, we'd all had to tiptoe around not only mother and father, but her as well. The house was so much lighter with her not around.

Continuing past Bella's room and towards the next one, Andy's, I hesitated once again. Andy's disappearance was sudden and affected Cissa and me much harder than we both thought possible. Bella might have been the eldest out of us sisters, but Andy was always the one that acted more like the eldest sister.

It was her disappearance that had heightened my father's desire to ensure that all of his daughters were settled down at a young age. Once Cissa was married off to the Malfoy heir, it would no doubt be my turn. Merlin knew just what greasy pureblood heir father would dig up for me.

Shaking my head, I continued on my way towards Cissa's room and knocked. Waiting for an answer, I waited only to hear nothing in response. Frowning, I knocked again but again there was no response.

"Cissa," I called out, approaching her door and hoping, no silently praying that she would respond to me. Merlin, I had a bad feeling about the silence coming from her room.

Pushing her door open a little, I peeked inside and found no sign of her. Opening the door fully, I stepped inside and tried my very best to stop myself from jumping to conclusions. It was only natural that I was a bit more on edge ever since Andy had left but Narcissa wouldn't – she would never do that.

Walking quickly towards her closet, I threw it open and found it empty. My breath left me in a sharp gasp. Salazar, she would not do this! She wouldn't have left me alone with them, surely? If she was going to run away then she would have given me some sort of sign so that I could make a plan to make sure that I wasn't the only one left in this house!

Drawing away from the closet, I approached her bed and sank down on the edge of the mattress. My mind whirled, wondering just what I could do. I certainly didn't want to be the one to break the news to father that another one of his daughters had run away from him.

It was so unfair! I slapped my hand down on her pillow and frowned when my fingers gripped an envelope that had been left lying on top of it. Picking it up with shaking fingers, I broke the wax seal on the back and read over her simple 'I'm sorry.'

Was that really all she had to say? Merlin, what was I supposed to say?

Replacing her note in the envelope, I held it at my side as I scanned the room. The fireplace! There was a fireplace in each of our rooms and father had closed their connection to the floo after Andy left. But, as I approached the fireplace and touched the still hot embers lying inside, I knew that Narcissa had somehow managed to bypass it. Salazar's soul, what was I going to do?

The choice was stolen from me when moments later mother's favourite bloody house elf appeared in the doorway. It took one look around the room before madly calling out for its mistress. I hurried towards the house elf, trying to silence it but it dodged my arms and rushed down the stairs.

Mother appeared in an instant, looking at me with eyes that were more visibly concerned than I had seen them for a long time. The last time she had looked at me that way was after father had found out about mother allowing me to sneak out after our newly instilled 6 pm curfew; he had locked me in my room.

"What is it?" she asked quietly, speaking gently so that father would not hear her. When I didn't respond, she grasped me by the shoulders and shook me quickly. "What is it, child?"

Unable to think of where to start, I raised the envelope that was now crushed between my tight fingers. Releasing her hold on me, she took the note from me and read over its simple message twice. Her breath left her in one go as she dropped to sit on the stairs in a graceless heap. I hurried to sit beside her, grasping her arms.

"Mother," I called out quietly, "what are we supposed to do?"

Mother had no answer for that. Instead, she gave me a look that froze me to my core.

Even if mother and I had tried to hide the truth about Narcissa from father, it would have been pointless. The moment father had gone to climb up the stairs, he had spied mother and I as we sat and talked between ourselves. We had scrambled to hide the note behind us but he had ripped it from mothers hands and put two and two together. I had never seen father so angry – he was far angrier than when Andy left. The house had never been so tense.

Once father had finished going on his rampage, he'd struggled to find out where Cissa had floo'd to; she'd covered her traces well. Father had been left with no other choice but to owl the Malfoy family who decided to continue with their visit. And so, the next morning our entire family sat in front of the fireplace as we awaited a visit from the Malfoy family.

I was experienced enough with meetings between pureblood families to know that this particular meeting was not one that I wanted to be a part of. But, the moment I went to dismiss myself, father's eyes were glaring into my own and I paused.

"Just where do you think you're going?" he barked out, making me settle back into my place beside mother. Clutching my hands in my lap, I stared down at them as father continued to berate, "Seeing as I have managed to raise not one, but two disobedient daughters, you are going to remain right where I can see you until I've managed to marry you off."

I held my tongue and instead continued to stare down at my hands. When the fireplace switched on, I was forced to rise to my feet to greet the Malfoy family alongside my parents. One by one, the three Malfoys – Mr and Mrs Malfoy and their son – stepped out into the room. Mr Malfoy looked around, appearing far more solemn than I had ever seen him and when my father went to greet him, he was very slow to receive it. Once the tense greetings had been completed, I was finally allowed to sit beside mother again. She reached out to hold my hand for a single quick moment before returning her hand to her lap.

The men talked between themselves and I occupied myself by playing with my fingers as Mr Malfoy started straight away, "Your daughter has dishonoured my family. Not just my son but the entire Malfoy family. And I will not stand for it."

No one had ever spoken to my father in such a manner and I found myself eyeing him from the corner of my eye. I half expected him to respond in some way, but what could he do but listen in silence. Merlin, my father was naturally a proud man but this occurrence had made him bow his head in silence. Father clenched his fists until his knuckles turned white and I almost believed he would snap at Mr Malfoy. But of course, he did not.

"What are you planning to do about this?" Mr Malfoy demanded, bringing his rant to an end.

"We will find a solution," father assured Mr Malfoy. "I swear that this dishonour on your family name will be rectified."

"How exactly do you plan on doing that?" Mr Malfoy raised an eyebrow and father fell silent again. He certainly didn't have a solution and Mr Malfoy knew that.

It was then, that the second Malfoy male finally spoke up, "You have another daughter, Mr Black."

My breath stilled as I took a moment to really understand those words. I looked up suddenly, glancing at the man seated directly across from me to find that his eyes were already on me. Stopping myself from outright glaring at the Malfoy hair, I realised with utter horror that the silence continued to lengthen. Father didn't seem to protest and mother certainly wasn't saying a thing. Merlin, Malfoy's parents weren't saying anything either.

Glancing towards father, I found his eyes boring into me with a dismaying intensity as he quite clearly considered what the Malfoy family was offering. Silently, I tried to plead through my eyes for father to decline the offer and to do at least one thing right by me. Only I knew he wouldn't; father was the same as every other pureblood patriatch. The progression of the bloodline matter much more than the wishes of those that were responsible for carrying forth that bloodline.

"I've yet to graduate from Hogwarts," I reminded father quietly, trying to make him understand.

His eyes hardened, glaring at me even before he demanded, "Silence before I silence you."

I bit my bottom lip so hard that I was certain I could taste blood. Looking away from my father and back to the man who had started this all, I outright glared at Lucius Malfoy. He, for his part, met my eyes coolly like he hadn't just discussed me as if I was property or some settlement clause of a contract. He held my gaze and only glanced away when his father spoke finally.

"That would be satisfactory," Mr Malfoy agreed finally, his voice weighted so father could not disagree, even if he wanted to. And I knew father would not disagree. An alliance with the Malfoy family was something he wanted. "Linking our families through one daughter instead of another is enough compensation. If you're agreed, that is?"

"Of course, of course." Father hurried to assure him. "We should move on with the planning, don't you agree?"

No, I did not agree!

From the moment father had agreed to the Malfoy's ridiculous demands, he refused to let me out of his sight. It had been less than 24 hours since and I was already feeling suffocated by the extra surveillance. I could finally understand why Narcissa had disappeared without a word, without telling me anything. Speaking her plans aloud risked her getting caught and Salazar knew that if I were in her place then I wouldn't want someone to catch me. Hell, I certainly continued to think of ways I could escape this situation. Even now, as I sat in the front room as we awaited yet another meeting with the Malfoy family, I was forced to listen to father as he talked.

"The wedding will happen before you return to Hogwarts for your final term," father said as if I had any choice.

"That's only a few weeks away," I protested earnestly. Merlin, the Easter holiday had only begun days ago and now I was already engaged. And, it seemed I would be married before the month's end.

"I refuse to face any more embarrassment," he said resolutely, staring into my eyes and silently daring me to try and disobey him once again. "The Malfoys will be here shortly to discuss matters and you had better be on your best behaviour or else you will not like the consequences."

I held father's gaze, wanting nothing more than to pull at my own hair but I nodded anyway. What else was there to do? I could do nothing more than accept this as my fate. Unlike Cissa, I didn't have the option of running away somewhere. Where would I run to? I hadn't even graduated from Hogwarts yet so there would be no way for me to even contemplate supporting myself. Salazar, if I wanted to support myself I would have to return to Hogwarts to sit my exams and graduate and even then, father would know and would find me there. This was all so very hopeless.

Father cleared his throat, trying to get my attention. And then, when I looked at him, he simply ordered me to my room and told me to dress appropriately. I had half a mind to return in my pyjamas but I already had experience with father's punishments. I would not go through that again.

After dressing appropriately, I headed downstairs to find that the Malfoys were already seated and waiting. The moment I began my descent down the stairs, I felt myself stifling under all three of their eyes. When I reached the threshold of the room, I contemplated running back upstairs instead of heading into the room.

Father must have known exactly what I was thinking as he declared suddenly, "Show Lucius to the drawing room. His father and I have matters to discuss."

My eyes were instantly drawn to my father as I silently made sure to tell him just how much I hated that idea. But, before I could say anything, Lucius rose to his feet and approached me. I was still staring off with my father and when Malfoy reached out to grasp my elbow, I looked suddenly towards him. Drawing my elbow forcefully away from him, I turned silently and led him out of the room and didn't care to check whether or not he followed after me.

When we finally reached the drawing room, I waited until Malfoy stepped into the room before calling for one of the house elves. "Hosley!"

She appeared in a matter of seconds, standing guard in the corner of the room. Hosley's eyes were drawn to the Malfoy heir who looked around the room before she finally settled her eyes on mine. "Young mistress?"

"Can we have some tea please?" I asked with a thankful smile.

Hosley nodded before disappearing once again. House elves had such small presence and yet, the moment that Hosley was gone from the room and as a result had left me alone with Malfoy, I became aware of just how alone the pair of us were. But, I would never let Malfoy realise how on edge I was by the idea. Rolling my shoulders back, I crossed the room and settled down into one of the armchairs without bothering to address him. Even as I crossed one leg over another, I felt his eyes on me watching as I settled comfortably.

Growing annoyed by his constant gaze, I turned my eyes towards him and raised a silent eyebrow. He averted his eyes then, looking away from me as he walked around the perimeter of the room. Each of the walls were lined with portraits of my ancestors and he would stop every few paces to study each one.

He came to a still in front of a portrait of my grandmother before speaking up, "If we're supposed to marry, don't you think it would be a good idea for us to get to know one another?"

I didn't bother to stop myself from scoffing as I rose to my feet so I could watch as he continued his walking. "We wouldn't be getting married if you have kept your mouth shut."

Malfoy stopped once again and watched me for a long moment. After a while, he agreed quietly with his arms held behind him, "Yes, that's true."

There was a silence again. But this one was broken by Hosley's reappearance with a tray hovering beside her. Hosley floated the tray towards me and I took a teacup with a grateful smile.

"Thank you," I said, wondering if she knew that it was for more than just the tea. With her reappearance in the room, it suddenly felt much bigger.

Hosley then went towards Malfoy who looked at her with a disdainful sneer. My eyes narrowed, even more so when he took his teacup without a single word. He averted his eyes from her as if she was dirt beneath his shoes and raised an eyebrow at my obvious displeasure.

"You shouldn't disrespect someone's house-elf so easily," I said so abruptly that he began to study me closely before nodding.

He turned his gaze back towards Hosley and said a curt, "Thank you."

Hosley nodded at him but the moment Malfoy presented his back to her, she made a face at him, once she definitely knew I saw. I almost smiled before turning my gaze away from her as she left the room.

"That was your nanny elf, wasn't it?" Malfoy said slowly as if expecting it to act as a conversation starter.

"And what of it?" I asked as I turned my attention back to him.

He shook his head, clearly deciding to talk about something else. "Do you know why our fathers are marrying our families?"

"Because you asked for it," I said dryly as I settled in my seat. Raising my tea to my mouth, I murmured, "I know that much."

Malfoy set his own cup aside on one of the small tables as he corrected, "I asked my father to allow me to marry one of your father's daughters. But my father clearly did not know which one I meant and offered for the wrong one."

Narrowing my eyes at him, I asked dubiously, "You meant for him to offer for me?" He nodded and I rolled my eyes for him to see. "Forgive me if I don't believe you, Malfoy."

"Why don't you believe me?" he asked slowly, crossing the room to take a seat in an armchair beside my own.

Turning in my chair to face him, I reminded him, "This was all arranged two years ago. I was 16 at the time and you, you were 19. So where exactly would you have seen me offer for me?"

"Your cousin's birthday." At my look, he added, "Regulus Black's birthday."

"I'll pretend to believe you," I offered as I studied him for a moment. He didn't appear to be lying to me. "But why would you offer for me over Narcissa?"

He looked at me for a long moment, seeming as if he wouldn't answer my question. I almost called him out on it and perhaps I would have if, when he spoke next, he didn't sound like it pained him to have to admit, "I might have … felt for you."

My eyebrows rose incredulously as I said disbelieving, "Is this the part where I'm supposed to ask if you love me?"

There was a thoughtful silence before he spoke, "Perhaps I do. In my own way."

"That would be easier to believe if you hadn't been engaged to my sister."

"That was out of my control," he tried to defend.

"And yet you did nothing to contest that decision either," I said as I rose to my feet and prepared to leave. "So please forgive me for not believing you. And with that, I think we have nothing else that we need to talk about."

Just as I prepared to leave the room, and to leave him far behind, Malfoy called out my name. Turning back towards him, I wondered just what else he had to say to me, but anything I could have said to him died the moment I saw him reach into his robe pockets and withdraw a ring box. He opened it and set it aside on the table next to him, waiting.

I crossed the distance between us again, warily eyeing the box until I stood before him. My hands were curled into fists at my side because I was so reluctant to pick it up. The moment I picked that up, was the moment where there was no turning back.

Glancing towards Malfoy, I asked quietly, "Am I to take it that this ring has been warded and spelled to make sure that what happened with Cissa will not happen again?"

His answering silence was all I needed. With that ring, he'd have me bound into fidelity – both emotional and physical. He would know where I was, potentially what I was doing and all to make sure that another one of his fiancés did not run away. Once that ring was on my finger, there would be no turning back; Cissa had not been given her ring yet so she'd had the freedom to run. It seemed like getting that ring onto my finger was a priority for the Malfoy family.

From the corner of my eye, I saw him reach for the ring so he himself could place it on my finger. I reached out quickly to beat him to it. I grabbed the ring before he could and stared down at the emerald stone that winked up at me from the ancestral Malfoy family heirloom. With a deep breath, I slipped it onto my ring finger and fisted my hand again. I would be the one to condemn myself to it.

The wedding happened quickly, no doubt because our families wished for it to. The quicker it happened, the less time I had to come up with a last-minute plan to stop myself from walking down that aisle. Merlin, I had spent every moment leading up to the wedding trying to find a way to back out of the entire ordeal. But, then I had found out about the unbreakable vow magic that had been woven through the other spells on the ring that sat heavily upon my finger and it had literally become a life or death situation. That alone was enough to force me up the aisle. Well, that and the death grip father continued to have on my arm as he escorted me towards Lucius.

I struggled to recall the actual details of the ceremony. When I reflected on it, I could remember reciting the words of our vows like a robot, monotonously and even toned. Also that once the ceremony had ended, my friends had swarmed me suddenly.

They alone knew the truth of the circumstances which brought about my sudden wedding and it was when their arms wrapped around me in a large group hug that I allowed myself to take deep shuddering breaths. Having my friends there, all of them, was a great comfort that eased my anxiety even when I saw the other guests eyeing my waistline and commenting as they wondered what I had done to make the Malfoy heir switch his affection my sister to me. There were also a fair number of snickers about how Cissa had fled from the fate that I'd found myself bound to.

Perhaps the reason why I struggled to remember the details of my wedding that happened less than five hours ago – the day that was supposed to be the biggest day of my life – was because the moment that the reception was coming to a close, we immediately left. Without any warning, Lucius was there with an arm around my waist as he murmured in my ear that it was better to make a quick exit. I thoroughly disagreed but before I could protest, he had me standing at one of the apparition points.

Just before we left, Lucius told me that we would be apparating to one of the properties his family owned for our honeymoon. I distinctly remembered the anxiety that those words had caused in me as my mouth dropped open. Looking to my husband, I tried to read his expression to see what he expected from me. Except, as usual, he remained unreadable.

During the short journey, I became resolute that whatever he thought was going to happen, would not. And so, I'd allowed him to lead me to the room that we would be sharing during our stay here – I had no idea how long that would be. I hadn't really had the chance to look around to see where we were, instead I was busy cataloguing the route he took to the bedroom so I wouldn't need him to help me around the next time I wanted to sleep or to take a nap.

I had taken one look around the room, spying our suitcases on the bed from when they had been sent ahead of us. Heading straight towards the case, I dug out my pyjamas and went into the ensuite bathroom without a single look or word towards my husband. After changing out the robes I'd worn to the reception and letting my hair down, I returned the bedroom and let Lucius use the bathroom to change.

Eyeing the large bed, I briefly considered which side of the bed Lucius would prefer to use. That was until I recalled the way he had essentially corralled me into this life with him and then I decided that he could do without being given the choice. Crawling into the bed, I adjusted the pillow and propped it against the headboard so I could lean against it. Despite wanting to fall straight asleep because of how early I'd had to wake up in the morning, I knew I needed to talk to Lucius.

Crossing my arms over my chest, I stared at the wall across my bed as I did some thinking. I just needed to spend these next few weeks with Lucius until I returned to Hogwarts. And then I would be away from him and away from his family. And mine too. And then, without facing any scrutiny, I could look into the real parameters of the spells binding us together. Maybe I could even find someone to unravel them?

"It's too late to back out of this," Lucius's voice startled me from my thoughts, drawing my attention towards him as he shut the bathroom door behind him. His eyes were fixed firmly on mine as he cautioned, "In case you were thinking along those lines."

I didn't bother giving him the satisfaction of knowing that he was right. Instead, I held his gaze as I warned, "If you so much as lay a single finger on me tonight, then I will render you unable to give your father their heirs he so desperately wants for you."

His eyebrows rose a little at that, but he continued to watch me closely as if a little shocked at what I thought he capable of. Slowly, he assured me, "I have no plans of forcing myself on you, rest assured of that."

"Physically maybe," I said adjusting my pillow so that it was flat again as I prepared to sleep. "You always intended to force this marriage on me, regardless of what I wanted. If you didn't then you would have at least asked me – even before bringing it up to your parents, or before this business with Cissa had even begun."

He didn't bother to deny it. Crossing the space towards the bed, he pulled back the duvet as I laid down to sleep. "I'm an only child. I've always gotten what I want."

The next morning, I woke up earlier than Lucius did, and I was glad for it. Having that time alone where I could remain curled on my side without having to put up a front between the person I was meant to be so close with, was physically cathartic. The time gave me the opportunity to think over just what I had consented to yesterday and how monumental it was. Even if, by some miracle, I managed to leave Lucius and our bond behind, would that affect my magic somehow? Marriage bound our magic together and if ending the marriage somehow reduced my magic – or Salazar forbid – ruined it completely, then what would be the point of calling myself a witch? I might as well have been a bloody muggle.

Forcing the thoughts from my head, I eased myself out of the bed and glanced over my shoulder at Lucius. Thankfully he remained peacefully asleep but I pursed my lips as I wondered whether I needed to be casting a shielding spell between the pair of us at night. He was sleeping too close to my side for my comfort.

Turning my attention away from him, I headed towards the closet where one of the house elves had unpacked our clothes for us. Grabbing some of them, I headed into the bathroom to dress for the day and freshen up. When I was ready, I walked out of the bathroom to find that Lucius remained asleep. I took the opportunity to explore the Manor we were in because I hadn't had the opportunity to do so yesterday.

Beginning my exploration, I walked into every room that I found and was unsurprised, but yet a little disappointed, to find that it had clearly been empty for a while. The house elves did a good job of keeping the Manor clean and yet, it was obvious that there was no life within its walls. Part of me considered just what I could do with all the space the Manor had and just how I could bring about life into the ancestral home. I had to remind myself that I wasn't settling to create a life for myself.

Descending the stairs, I jumped slightly when a house elf popped out suddenly seemingly from nowhere. Raising a hand to my rapidly beating heart, I assured the elf that I was fine when it apologised for startling me. The elf told me that breakfast would be ready before directing me towards the dining room. It disappeared before I could ask its name.

Following the directions given to me, I passed a window which showed the driveway of the Manor, the wrought iron fence that we hadn't entered through and the fountain outside. It was a shame that we hadn't entered from the front and I hadn't been given the chance to see the Manor in its full glory. Instead, we had apparated directly inside.

Finding the dining room, I settled into one of the chairs at the long table and helped myself to some breakfast once it had been served. Spreading some marmalade on a piece of toast, I looked up at the sound of approaching footsteps. Lucius walked into the room, for the first time out of the stuffy robes he seemed to like so much.

"Good morning, wife" he greeted me as he drew the chair that was directly across from me, out from beneath the table.

"Husband," I said simply, my eyes linger on his bare forearms which were on display from where he had rolled his shirt sleeves up past his elbows. My eyes settled there for a good while. Even whilst Lucius had been engaged to Cissa I had wondered whether he was branded in the same way that his father and mine were. But there was the answer right before my eyes. And damn it all, I was relieved that he wasn't.

Lucius cleared his throat pointedly and I forced myself to meet his gaze before looking back to my toast. He wasn't branded. But, from what I had heard, he might have already been initiated into the fold. How would he react to finding out that he had married a blood traitor? Would that be enough to have him end things?

"How did you sleep?" he asked and I didn't dare look at him.

"Well," I said shortly, hoping he would understand that I wasn't in the mood to speak to him.

"And how are you finding the Manor?"

"Honestly, I'm bored out of my mind," I admitted with a sigh, and the words had him smiling slightly before it was gone.

"There isn't much to do around here."

I almost demanded to know just why he'd decided to come here then when there was an owl at the window. It pecked at the glass and then Lucius was on his feet and heading towards the window before I could react. He pushed it open, allowing the owl to hop inside and perch on the windowsill. I watch, quietly and a little disbelieving, when he ran a gentle finger over the head of the owl which made a content sound and nuzzled towards the finger. Lucius chuckled under his breath, reaching into his pocket for his wand so he could summon some owl treats. He poured the treats out into one hand and allowed the owl to eat directly from his palm after it released the envelope it was carrying in its mouth.

"The letter is for you," Lucius said from over his shoulder, turning his attention back onto the owl.

Rising slowly to my feet, I joined Lucius by the window and took the letter from where it was on the windowsill. The moment I looked down at the way my name was written on the envelope, my heart both sank and let out a relived beat; I would recognise Cissa's handwriting anywhere. I didn't dare open the letter in front of Lucius and instead pocketed it.

"Who is it from?" he asked, glancing at me from the corner of his eye.

"My sister," I said without elaborating further. Instead, I looked to the owl that was still bathing under Lucius's affection now that it had finished its snacks. Extending a hand slowly towards the gentle creature, I mirrored Lucius and brushed a finger over its features.

"He's mine," Lucius explained. "Mother and father said they would use him to send our mail over during our stay."

I nodded, captivated by the owl as I complimented, "He's gorgeous."

"Only the best for Malfoys," he murmured quietly, eyes trained on my face.

Ignoring his silent wish that I look at him, I turned abruptly towards the table to continue with my breakfast. If Lucius found something odd with my sudden mood change he said nothing about it. He eventually sent his owl on its way back to his family home and turned to join me at the table again.

As I poured myself a cup of tea, Lucius commented suddenly, "You were rather fascinated with my arms."

"You know why," I said seeing no point with playing naïve. Raising my gaze, I arched an eyebrow. "Don't you?"

"That I do," he murmured softly.

As Lucius fixed his own plate of food, I took a moment to study him, to consider why he wanted to marry me from the very beginning himself. He had said it himself, he felt for me, and yet he remained so aloof, so hard to read sometimes.

"Lucius," he stilled at the call of his name, straightening in his chair to give me his full attention. "What is it that you wish from this marriage? For me to love you back? If that's what this is?" His eyes bored into my own and I swore that I could feel Cissa's letter beginning to burn a hole in my pocket. When it became obvious that he wasn't planning on speaking, not until he heard what I had to say at least, I asked, "What if there was something you could do that would endear yourself to me?"

If I had not been looking for a reaction then I would have missed it. But, from the moment I'd begun speaking I had been watching his facial expression and saw the way his jaw slackened slightly only to tense until the muscle jumped under the skin. He nodded abruptly, only once to show he was paying attention.

I couldn't bring myself to explain fully but I lowered my eyes pointedly towards his bare forearms as I said quietly, "As long as things remain the way they are now, then I promise to try to reciprocate your feelings."

Lucius held my gaze as if wondering why I had a vested interest in stopping him from swearing allegiance to our father's lord. And truthfully, I wouldn't have had such an interest in it if him marking himself wouldn't bar me from seeking out Andy – my bloodtraitor sister. If only for my relationship with Andy, I couldn't allow him to go that far.

Once our 'honeymoon' was over, we promptly returned to Lucius's childhood home. Part of me wanted to return because it was unsettling to be alone with him for so long, but another part of me wanted nothing more than to stay alone with him so that I didn't have to put up with his parents. Of course, we couldn't remain away from his parents because I was certain his father would never allow his heir to be so far away from him.

The moment we arrived at the Malfoy family home I found myself under the strict eyes of my mother-in-law who I knew was trying to change me. She was attempted to make me into the perfect wife for her beloved son. She was trying to make me more refined, more elegant, more Narcissa. Salazar, she wasn't even being subtle about it.

I had a surprisingly short tolerance when it came to my mother-in-law. And the moment I felt myself beginning to get even just a little irritated at the older woman, Lucius was there suddenly with a gentle arm on my elbow. He would lead me away as if to remind me not to hex his mother as he escorted me to another room with a different excuse each day. Today was no different as he led me away from his mother with the excuse that he wanted to retired early for the night.

Usually, those words were hint enough for his parents to leave us alone for the rest of the evening. No doubt they believed that we were trying to create a grandchild for them when in reality I was seated cross-legged on the bed with a book open in my lap and Lucius was seated in one of the armchairs in front of the fireplace as he looked over some papers.

Reaching the end of my chapter, I looked up from the book and towards Lucius in time to watch as the furrow between his brows deepened at whatever he was reading. He was always busy pouring himself over a new set of Ministry papers each night.

"What business do you have with the ministry?" I asked curiously, placing a bookmark to mark my place. Closing the book, I set it aside and looked expectantly towards my husband.

Lucius glanced at me from over the top of his papers. Slowly, he asked, "Do you really care?"

"I promised to try, didn't I?" I asked with a shrug.

"And in return, you only ask that I risk my life by being defiant for the first time in my life," he said dryly and I recognised something in his tone that had me straightening up as I looked at him seriously. Perhaps his father really wasn't all that different to my own. My sisters and I had always wondered if fathers treated sons differently to daughters but maybe they didn't.

"Would you rather I didn't try?"

He shook his head with a sigh. Rolling his shoulders back, Lucius set the papers on his thighs before looking towards me so he could explain, "Father has a seat on the Wizengamot. I'm supposed to be preparing for the seat to transfer to me."

"You want a seat on the Wizengamot?" I asked with obvious surprise.

"Father wishes it for me."

Frowning, I swung my legs over the edge of the mattress and rose to my feet. "But you don't want to do it."

He didn't bother to admit that he didn't want to. He didn't need to.

Instead, Lucius watched as I walked to his side and perched on the arm of his armchair. Leaning down, I snagged the papers from his lap and he didn't protest over how I was reading notes from a no doubt confidential case file. He just leaned back in his chair, watching me as he threw an arm around my waist to secure me.

Salazar, the case – a typical case of pureblood heir entitlement gone too far. The heir in question believed himself entitled to a woman too. Whether or not she wished it. My mouth parted in an incredulous breath as I read over the details. How could anyone defend his actions?

Tossing the notes back to Lucius's lap, I turned towards him and asked quietly, "How will you vote?"

"With the pureblood," he said as if it was obvious.

An outraged scoff left my mouth as I stared down at him. "You don't mean that do you? You can't have read what I did and side with the assailant over the victim?"

"It's what a Malfoy would do," he defended and I shook my head incredulously.

Reaching out for his face, I grabbed his chin and made him look at me when he tried to avert his eyes. "I don't care that you're a Malfoy. What would you do? Just Lucius? What would Lucius do with all the empathy that I've seen you possess for those that matter to you?"

He searched my insistent gaze before admitting uncomfortably, "I don't know."

"Lucius," my disappointment carried across to him but he shook his head.

"I'm so used to being a Malfoy that I have no other form of identity." Merlin, that was sad. He gazed far away from me as he admitted, "I don't want the Wizengamot seat."

"Well, what would you rather do then?"

"I never thought of it," he said quietly. "I've never had a reason to think about it, to get my hopes up. If I remove my surname, I'm nothing. I'm not anything else."

Holding his gaze, I hesitated before reminding him softly, "You're my husband, Lucius."

I searched his eyes and found that the simply probing questions had shaken him. Eventually, I removed his arms from around me and rose to my feet. Tidying his things away for the night, I helped him to stand and pushed him towards the bathroom.

"Get ready for bed." When he looked like he was going to protest, I held the papers out of his reach, "No, you've been reading these all night and you're clearly tired. If it's important that you can read over it tomorrow. Right now, you need sleep."

Tonight, was a night of firsts. It was the first night that he was in bed first. It was also the night where he first reached out for me. I let him hold me as he slept, knowing he needed some stability as his mind was no doubt fraught with all sorts of worries. For a moment, I watched his sleeping face before allowing my eyes to close.

Once again, I found myself forced to sit under the scrutiny of my mother-in-law's gaze. The older witch's displeasure was evident as she remained seated across from me in the drawing room, sipping from her cup of tea. The moment I had stepped into the room, she had cast a spell on my stomach and over the past few weeks, I had seen the spell so often that I knew what it was from the wand motion alone. The pregnancy detection spell came up false and she had been in such a horrendous mood ever since. And now, I had to listen to her as she talked about my duties towards furthering the Malfoy line and how I wasn't doing enough. If only she really knew just how little I was doing.

As I usually did, I listened silently as she continued to talk about my other duties. Merlin, I didn't really pay any attention to her speeches. I had only listened to first few before realising that she spoke so often that it was as if she liked the sound of her own voice and she needed no input from me.

"I wonder where Lucius and his father got to?" she murmured to herself, looking around the room.

And that was my opening. Clearing my throat, I set my teacup back on my saucer as I rose to my feet, "I'll go and call them."

Walking out of the room with quick steps, I didn't so much as a glance back at my mother-in-law. I knew where Lucius was, he had informed me of where he was meeting his father. Only, I saw no need to tell his mother that. Instead, I took the long way around towards the drawing room at the back of the house that Lucius's father preferred. It overlooked the gardens, although if he asked me the gardens of the Manor we had honeymooned in were much nicer.

I turned into the hallway only for my footsteps to slow at the sound of raised voices. Pausing outside of the door, I hesitated from going in when my father-in-law's voice echoed around the empty corridor.

"You will remember your place boy!" he bellowed so very angrily that I paused, midway from knocking on the door.

Lowering my arm slowly to my side, I contemplated turning away when Lucius spoke back, in just as loud a voice, "Your misplaced loyalty has condemned the future generations into servitude! You said yourself that your lord has only gone mad since leaving Hogwarts."

Pure and utter silence followed the declaration. Clearly, Lucius's words had shocked his father just as much as it had me. Those words alone were enough for me to know why Lucius was doing this; last night's reflections had clearly lifted the wool from his eyes or at least given him the push he needed.

"Who has been filling your head with these disobedient thoughts?" His father demanded, voice lowered so that I had to almost press my ear against the door to continue to listen in.

For a second, I wondered if Lucius would give me up. But then he said voice flinty, "No one has. Perhaps for the first time, I have begun to think for myself! Father, one day I will be forced to follow your footsteps and your grandchild will have to do the same."

"Do you mean to say," his father started slowly, "that the Black witch carries your child?"

"Malfoy!" Lucius interrupted, firm and resolute. "She is a Malfoy and my wife. You will address her with the respect that warrants."

His father disregarded his words, "Is she pregnant or not!"

"That doesn't matter! What matters is that the next Malfoys will come from her and if I refuse to join and am murdered whilst she's pregnant, she might just be the only way to continue the Malfoy bloodline!"

"You would refuse the mark just because you got between her thighs," his father demanded dangerously and I would have reacted to his words, had I not been so concerned with wanting to hear what Lucius would say.

"No! It will be because I don't wish to be bound into servitude to a madman!" Lucius's voice grew louder as if he had approached the door before fading again. He was pacing. "If I die for refusing because you have handed our entire family to him, our bloodline may very well end with me! You spent my entire childhood teaching me the importance of that bloodline. If not for love of your son, then for your obsession with furthering the bloodline, you will refuse."

The door was wrenched open so suddenly that I stumbled back slightly. Lucius stood in the open doorway, pausing at the sight of me. He met my gaze for a long moment and I watched as, under my eyes, the anger fled from him.

"Your mother is calling for the both of you," I said quietly as if to defend my presence.

I didn't dare meet my father-in-law's eyes but he just called out to me, "I will come along soon."

Before I could respond to his father's words, Lucius reached out to take my hand. He wound our fingers together, planning to pull me out of the room after him.

"Father," he said as if an afterthought. "You and mother will have to excuse us, we have plans."

Lucius, without another word to his father, led me by the hand and I knew that he would not appreciate anything I had to say to him at that moment. So, I silently followed after him, letting him escort me into the gardens.

When we found ourselves standing under one of the large oak trees, Lucius released my hand. I watched as he tilted his head upwards and let out a deep breath. Managing to calm himself, he turned to look at me and when he spoke, it was part disbelieving and mostly relieved, "Would you believe that was the first time I spoke back to my father?"

I reached out to place a hand on his arm, "Lucius –"

He shook his head, assuring me, "I can't bring myself to care that he's disappointed – downright furious, really. I think it's the first time that he's not pleased with me."

"I've never done anything to please my father," I said slowly, trying in a slightly useless way to assure him that it was alright. "Well, apart from marrying you."

"You don't need to worry about pleasing your father anymore," he said with a gentle smile.

"No," I agreed with a smile. "Now my only goal is to please you."

My words made him pause, studying me. It was only when he saw the smile on my face that he realised I was teasing him. And then, when he was smiling too in a carefree way that I'd never seen on him before. Merlin, it suited him.

The next morning found me, uncharacteristically, sleeping in for far longer than I usually did. Normally I woke up the moment the sun began to grow lighter but when I woke up the sun was already high in the sky and Lucius was nowhere in sight. Rolling over towards the bedside table, I forced myself to sit up. Pushing the hair away from my eyes, I looked towards the wall mounted clock with a frown. It was too late for breakfast, but I wasn't sure that my stomach could make it until lunch without something to eat. It looked like I would have to sneak into the kitchens to see if I could get the house elves to make something for me.

Forcing myself to my feet, I looked at the door when it was pushed open. Lucius walked into our bedroom, glancing towards the bed as if to see whether I was awake. Finding it empty, he looked around the room until his eyes settled on where I was standing in front of our closet.

"You're up," he said in greeting as I sorted through my clothes to find something to wear. He was watching me as if what I was doing was the most riveting thing.

"I mustn't have heard the house elves when they came to wake you up," I explained, casting him a glance from over my shoulder.

"I told them not to wake you," he explained, approaching me. For an instant, I thought he intended to press close to me and the rush of awareness I had at his presence threw me slightly. But then he continued past me, to his side of the wardrobe and searched through his own clothes. "I thought it was probably better if you slept in today. You'll be back at Hogwarts next week and you won't be able to sleep in because of morning classes."

I turned curiously towards Lucius, watching as he drew a set of robes out. He glanced towards me before unbuttoning the robes he was wearing as if he didn't care that he was changing in front of me. I turned my back quickly to him and continued to rifle through my clothes.

"Dress for heading out," he said suddenly from beside me, now dressed. He looked over my shoulder before pulling a set of robes out for me. "We have somewhere we need to go."

I took the outstretched robes by the hanger and asked, "Where are we going?"

"Brunch," he said simply.

Lucius refused to answer any more of my questions about where we were going for brunch and why he suddenly decided that we were going for brunch today. Questions about his father were also on the tip of my tongue and I forced them down. He just continued to press me ahead, as we apparated arm in arm out of the Manor and emerged in front a restaurant that I hadn't ever seen before. But I'd heard of it; it had been Andy's favourite.

I'd never actually stepped foot in here before, but as I walked in through the front door, I found my eyes roaming across every surface and table. Merlin, I was trying to find what Andy loved about it so much, but I honestly couldn't. It was hardly the sort of place father would let us visit; too open, too casual and everyone seemed to be laughing and talking so loudly that it was almost difficult to hear yourself think. And perhaps, simply because father wouldn't like it, the restaurant grew on me. Maybe that too was why Andy had liked it too much.

My eyes continued to look around each of the tables and eventually settled on one in the corner of the room. My breath stopped short, my steps following not so long after.

Andy and Cissa.

They were there, sitting side by side as if they had never fallen out of contact. But they were looking at me, wondering and watching to see how I would react. Merlin, I didn't know how I was supposed to react.

So, I looked to Lucius as if seeking some strength from him. He was already watching me. Merlin, it was all there in his eyes.

"This was your doing?" I asked quietly and when he nodded, I swallowed thickly and looking back towards my sisters who had risen from their seats, waiting on foot for me to join them.

"Would you rather head home?" he asked cautiously, quietly.

"No, no," I said with a shake of my head. I took a deep breath to calm myself. "I need to see them. To talk to them again."

Removing his arm from mine, he offered, "I'll leave you to it."

"No, no," I said suddenly urgent. This time, I reached out for him and grasped his fingers with my hand when he went to draw away. He looked down at my hand before glancing up at me again. "Please. Stay with me."

I couldn't tell him how much I needed his silent strength. Instead, I just continued to watch him and hoped that it was enough. He nodded eventually and held my hand more securely before leading me towards my sisters. Never in my life had I thought that Lucius Malfoy would be the reason that I was reunited with the two people that I missed the most.

Lucius alone came to see me off onto the Hogwarts Express for the beginning of my final term. He was helping me through the crowd, a hand pressed to the small of my back as we boarded the train. Seemingly, Lucius did not hear the whispers of the other students who were taking note of our presence and because he made no comment on it, I didn't either. Instead, I copied his mannerisms; head held high and walking as if I saw no one but him. Apparently, there were some benefits to behaving like a Malfoy after all.

He dragged my trunk behind him as I peered into a carriage and hoped to find my dormmates. Finding the correct carriage, I knocked on the window before sliding the door open. All of my friends rose to greet me, only to falter a little when they saw Lucius's tall frame in the open door. He stepped inside of the carriage to put away my trunk, without having to be told to do so.

Once he had tucked my trunk away, Lucius greeted my friends and made some small talk but it was obvious that he wasn't feeling in the mood to talk to them. Perhaps that was because once I left, he would be left at his home in the awkward environment that his confrontation with his father had caused?

He could not have dismissed himself quick enough. Stepping out of the carriage, Lucius took my hand to draw me after him and I silently followed. I closed the door behind me, knowing that it wouldn't stop my friends from watching or listening in on what we were going to talk about.

Looking expectantly towards Lucius, I couldn't help but smile when he glanced away from me, seemingly hesitant. "I'll be here to pick you up once you've finished for the year."

"And you're just going to go now?" I asked quietly, reaching out to remove some lint from his robe sleeve. "Aren't you going to miss me over the next 12 weeks?"

He caught my hand, moving it from his arm to rest against his chest. When Lucius spoke, it was so resolute that I almost didn't know what to say, "You know I will."

Suddenly unable to meet his eyes, I instead focused on my hand which he continued to hold against him. I could feel his heart thumping under my palm; a little fast but even. Merlin, I hadn't felt this awkward around Lucius since our wedding night. Clearing my throat, I withdrew my palm from him.

"If you want," he said quietly, "I can arrange to get your sisters into Hogsmeade so they can visit you. You will just need to write to me about the dates of the Hogsmeade trips."

"I'd like that," I said quietly, watching him from under my eyelashes.

He nodded, clearing his throat abruptly. "Then I'll arrange it for you."

And then, as if that was goodbye enough, he turned to leave the train. I reached out quickly, taking his hand and making him look back at me. When Lucius glanced curiously towards me, I forced myself to meet his eyes even if I wanted nothing more than to look away from him.

"If sometimes you just want to come alone, that would be good too," I said gently and he looked at me as if he couldn't believe his ears.

But then I stepped forward to close the distance between us. Fisting his robes in my hands, I glanced up as Lucius looked down at me like he was waiting. And perhaps he was. I rose up quickly and kissed him even quicker. He, like I knew he would, drew me to him and kissed me properly. Merlin, this was our second kiss – the first being the peck we shared on our wedding day. But this one was very different.

Lucius released me at the distant sound of wolf whistles from the surrounding carriages; some nosey buggers had stuck their heads out of their carriages to watch us. Not that Lucius seemed to care. No, he was busy pressing his forehead to my own.

With closed eyes, he murmured, "I'm not certain that I will ever be able to understand what you're thinking."

Framing his face with my hands, I pecked his lips in answer before drawing away a little reluctantly. "You should get going Lucius, or else the train will leave with you still on it."

He nodded and grudgingly turned away to leave me alone. But not before pressing a final kiss to my forehead. I watched as Lucius walked slowly down the train to return to the platform. As I watched him go, I swore to myself that I would try to be his wife in all sense of the word. I would be the wife he wanted because he was being my husband wherever he could.