Narcissa watched through the window as the carriage left the gate. Draco had demanded that there would be no tearful good byes this school year and, as the dutiful mother, she had complied. It did not stop her from feeling the ache of parting.

Her husband sat at his desk, shuffling some papers about. Although Lucius refused to allow his inner thoughts take some form, Narcissa knew that this time of the year bothered him also. Fathers did not have the luxury of tears like mothers did.

Lucius' study had been the staging area for the move back to school this year. Draco's suitcases, personal possessions and school books had been collected in one place in some effort to make the move more organized than usual. It seemed to have been successful with the House Elves being able to manage their duties with some degree of competence.

Narcissa backed away from the window and turned to find a small box on one of the chairs in the study. She picked it up and suddenly felt a wave of frustration and anger well up in her.

"Stupid elves,:" she hissed as she tossed the small box on Lucius' desk. "No matter how hard I try they still muck it up. Last year it was two suitcases they forgot. This year this box. I suppose it is an minor improvement of sorts."

She shook her head at her husband. "I aim for perfection with the worst of help."

Lucius leaned back in his chair and rubbed his forehead. "Send it with a house-elf tomorrow. I am sure whatever is in the box, Draco can wait until tomorrow to have."

Narcissa pursed her lips into a pout. She felt that Lucius' comment was more a dismissal of her feelings than anything close to compassion for the situation. She looked at the box and decided to open it. It was the ties of Slytherin house that her son was required to wear. Green hues blended into a silver stripe, a familiar color combination to her and her husband. It had been their house when they attended Hogwarts.

She picked up one of the ties and looked it over for stains and tears, a compulsion she had with all of her son's clothes. Suddenly a thought crossed her mind and a small laugh came from her.

"What amuses you?' Lucius asked, never looking up from his paperwork.

"I was just thinking," she said softly, "about how fine and proper you looked at one time wearing the house colors."

"I thought I still looked quite fine and proper," Lucius said, barely able to contain a smirk on his face.

"I was not inferring that," Narcissa said with a tone of impatience. "I was just remembering when I first met you, formally that is. You had come to the house with Rudolphus. He was just starting to see Bella and you came along for the visit. You were standing in the foyer of my parent's house trying to be oh so grown up and gentlemanly. You two must have cut your last class of the day to make it there before dark and for

dinner."

Lucius put the paper down he was reading and turned to his wife. "You remember that?"

Narcissa looked up from the box. "Of course I do."

Lucius grabbed one of the ties from the box and held it up to his neck. "So it was the old house colors that did it, then. I always thought it was my wit and charm that won your heart. Here a bit of silk and a few cotton stitches were the real talismans of love."

He flipped the tie about his neck and laughed. Narcissa began to pout.

"You are making fun of me," she said sullenly. "All I was saying was that you were quite the handsome one in your uniform. Many boys did not have that luck."

Lucius reached for his wife's hand and pulled her close to his chair. "I can understand that my dearest. Why you yourself were quite stunning in your Slytherin plaids and starched white shirt."

He pulled her down onto his lap and she offered little resistance. "When Rudolphus told me where he was heading that night, I had to come with and be properly introduced to Bella's stunningly beautiful younger sister."

"You never told me that before," she said as she placed her arm around his neck. "That is why you came."

"Well that and the fact I had heard your mother had in her employ one of the best cooks in the whole of Great Britain. I was a bit tired of that dull food they served at Hogwarts," he said trying to hold back a grin.

"Lucius," she shouted and slapped at his shoulder. She tried to wriggle away, but Lucius held her tight laughing at her anger.

"Sweet Narcissa," he said when she settled down, "of course I only wanted to make sure I was there to be properly introduced to one of the most beautiful girls who had ever crossed the threshold into Hogwarts. Never could find the time otherwise, what with my studies consuming me each semester."

"More like the girls you were chasing about," Narcissa sneered. "Don't think it wasn't an open secret. Everyone knew that Mr. Lucius Malfoy made the rounds of the ladies at Hogwarts. And Hogsmeade too, if I remember well."

"Dalliances, and nothing more" Lucius said as he began to play with the comb that held Narcissa's hair in place. "Just the adventures of a young boy who was lonely and searching for the soul mate he had been assured there was."

"So it was just to meet me then," Narcissa purred as she drew closer to him. Lucius was successful in loosening the haircomb at the back of her neck. Her hair tumbled out of the tight knot it had been in and fell over her shoulders.

"Of course it was," he assured. "How could I deny my feelings for such a lovely girl. Fine, soft hair the color of sunshine. A noble demeanor and presence where ever you walked. And of course those long legs that seemed to never stop."

"Really," she said curling her legs around his.

"Yes," he said kissing the back of her neck, "those long lovely legs. Always with the plaid skirt that was just a bit short, white stocking up to the knees, very prim and proper patent leather shoes. I dreamt of those legs at night and how they would feel. Soft and smooth, cool to the touch." As he spoke, Lucius slowly moved his hand from Narcissa's

knee and up her thigh.

She giggled as if it tickled her and put her hand over his, stopping his ascent up her leg. "Lucius," she warned.

"What?" he asked incredulously, "there is no one here. You have sent the entire staff off to Hogwarts to set up our son's room. What time do you think everyone will return?"

Narcissa shifted in his lap, curling closer to him. "Late," she murmured.

"Then indulge me," he whispered with a touch of mischief, "in a little nostalgia."

Lucius reached onto his desk for his wand and with one precise motion hovered it over Narcissa's body. After a soft flash of greenish light disappeared, Narcissa felt a draft on her legs. She looked down to find that her proper blue and white dress had been replaced with something she had not seen in years.

"Lucius," she gasped, "what have you done?"

The green plaid pleated skirt of a Slytherin female student laid across her legs. Gone were the fine silk hose she had worn that day and replaced with the white knee high socks in an intricate cable knit she wore for many years. She laughed when she realized on her feet were the black patent leather shoes she favored in her younger days. Their high polished shine caught the light as she twisted her ankle back and forth admiring them.

"A little return down memory lane, I suppose," he said softly as he nuzzled her throat. "Back to a time when our embraces were made in secret and kisses were rushed but passionate. When this skirt made love making so very easy under the Quidditch stands."

Lucius kissed her very softly and slowly ran his hand under her skirt and up her thigh. Narcissa could feel her body tingle with his touch in a way she had not felt in years. She closed her eyes and moaned as she allowed the sensations to spill over her body.

"I will tell you a secret," he said turning her body to face him in the chair, "I have rather missed this school uniform on you. Indulge me this afternoon, dear Narcissa. No one is going to be about for a while."

If Narcissa had any qualms about Lucius' request, they were silenced with a kiss.

The carriage made a quick stop at the front door of the house. One of the doors swung open and a hapless house-elf fell to the ground.

"Imbecile," Draco cursed as he walked over the prone body of the elf. "I told you to not to forget anything this year. How do you expect me to be properly attired at school without my ties."

Draco made a motion to kick at the elf, but decided it was not worth the effort.

"Stay here, you twit," he hissed. "I will go get the box myself. I remember exactly where I left them too. You'd be wandering about the study, bothering father looking for them. I just hope my mother is not disturbed by your incompetence. She had planned this for weeks and expected it to go smoothly. But as usual, you mucked it up."

Draco straightened his jacket and turned toward the stairs of the house.

"I won't be a minute. I will go to the study, retrieve my property and be right back."