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To Have And To Hold	By : Elizabeth_Ashton Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Lucius/Narcissa Views: 7795 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: Most characters belong to the lovely J.K Rowling. I am not earning from this in any way.

Chapter List
- 1-To Have And To Hold
- 1
Chapter 31 - Consummation

The day had come.

Narcissa had been confined to her private suite in Malfoy Manor, and with the assistance of her mother and bridesmaids, Narcissa started to transform into the beautiful bride that everybody had gathered to see. Since nine the previous evening, Narcissa and Lucius were not allowed any contact at all, and the presence of their families had ensured that they were not to meet until they were at the top of the aisle. Adelaide had taken charge of the hair styling, whilst Druella had taken over as make-up artist, and Katja had been the one to help Narcissa into the dress. Edwina and Bellatrix lingered around, acting as moral support for the very nervous bride. Up until that morning, she had not made her feelings clear to those around her, apart from Lucius, whom of course, felt the same. As Adelaide started to finish pinning back Narcissa's hair, Narcissa started to feel slightly nauseous, and she knew why. The guests had started pouring in early, trying to grab the best seats they possibly could. Druella had informed Narcissa that a few unwelcome people had been denied entry, notibly a number of writers and reporters for various papers and magazines. Abraxas was not fond of a single printing organisation, however, he had made a deal with the Daily Prophet to allow them exclusive access to the wedding ceremony and the ceremony only. Fortunately, to Bellatrix's liking, they had sent Alexandra Waterfield, as opposed to their first choice of Rita Skeeter. The reasons for this were unknown, but both familirs were utterly pleased that Ms Skeeter would not be attending.

“Oh Narcissa, do smile, it is your wedding day!” Edwina came bustling over, kneeling down next to Narcissa. “Somebody may think you were being forced into the marriage against your will!”

“I have a lot on my mind, Edwina.” Narcissa's response was icy, however, Edwina did not take offence.

“I know just what you need! A good glass of wine would raise your spirits!”

“I do not think that is a clever idea, Edwina. Lucius and I agreed that neither of us would consume any alcohol before the service.”

“And do you think Lucius would stick to that agreement? I highly doubt it! Knowing what my uncle is like, I am sure he has persuaded him to have a shot or two. For once, Narcissa, leave your inhibitions behind and just live. One glass will not spoil things.”

Narcissa gave in, and watched Edwina's reflection in the mirror as she wandered over to the other side of the suite, disappearing briefly behind the bed into one of the cupboards. Out came six wine glasses, and a bottle of Italian white, and within a minute or so Edwina had poured a drink for each one present in the room. Bellatrix looked more than happy to be finally getting her hands on some decent white wine after being subjected to numerous glasses of champagne from wellwishers. Druella, however, looked at the glass twice before setting it down on the side; she much preferred the taste of red.

“Has it made you feel better?” Edwina resumed her spot by Narcissa's side, careful not to spill any wine as she lowered herself down.

“A little,” Narcissa said truthfully. It managed to settle the tip of her nerves, however, there were some worries that no amount of alcohol could eradicate. Narcissa longed to be standing next to her husband, swapping the rings and making the vows they had chosen for one another, but she was weary of Voldemort's presence. Lucius had promised Narcissa the day of her dreams, but that niggling fear kept playing on her mind.

Bellatrix, however, was delighted at her master's presence. A day not served by his side was torture, for she had completely devoted her life to his cause, their cause. Rodolphus was not as driven as she, but Bellatrix did not despair over her husband. In her eyes, they were married in name only.

“There,” Adelaide pinned the last curl in place before stepping back from the bride. Narcissa looked up from her engagement ring to inspect Adelaide's hard work. After first washing and drying Narcissa's hair, Adelaide had loosely curled the hair before pinning it back into a chignon, leaving a couple of curls free on each side of the head. Retrieving the tiara from the dresser drawer, Adelaide waited for Narcissa's approval before she continued.

“It is lovely Adelaide, thank you.”

“You are most welcome. May I?”

Narcissa's eyes fell on the box that Adelaide was holding, and more importantly, on the tiara lying on the cushion.

Narcissa nodded, and Adelaide proceeded to gently pick it up out of its box and slide it gently into Narcissa's hair. Once in, Narcissa took a good long look at herself in the mirror, blocking out the comments made by her bridesmaids. Trailing her fingers along her cheek, Narcissa could not believe the person staring back at her. Four years ago, she had done the very same thing, but this time round, Narcissa was looking at a woman, as opposed to a girl. This time, she would return to the bedchamber as a married woman. This time, she would return as Mrs Malfoy.

*

“Lucius, stop fiddling with your tie! You are only creasing it!” Abraxas started stressing as Lucius pulled on his navy blue tie, trying his best to place his anxious thoughts and feelings at bay. “What have I told you boy?”

“Father, it is fine, please, stop fussing.” Lucius pushed his father's hands away, although he was not overly forceful.

“Have another shot of whiskey.” Abraxas shoved the shot glass underneath Lucius' nose. “I cannot be doing with you messing up my handiwork.”

“I did not ask you to assist me in dressing, Father, you took that upon yourself.”

Evan had perched himself on the windowsill, laughing to himself as Lucius and Abraxas began to bicker. Evan had been married for around eighteen months, and he could remember quarreling with his own father ten minutes before he was due to walk down the aisle.

“This is my last one, Father. I promised Narcissa I would not drink.”
“Pull yourself together, Lucius. When did you give up on something you readily indulged in? It is tradition to have a glass or two before the wedding. I do not think your bride would be opposed to you having a last drink with your father, just as I hope you would not begrudge Narcissa having one last drink with her mother and sister.”

“Yes, but this is the third one you have given me this morning. I do not wish to be intoxicated.”
“You will not be son, I can assure you. This whiskey is the weakest one I own. You would need to have most of the bottle to yourself, although by the looks of things, you would need that much to calm your nerves. Why are you so nervous? Do you think she will leave you standing at the altar?”

“No Father, I have every faith in Narcissa. Is it not natural for the groom to be even the slightest bit anxious?”

“Nervous with anticipation, perhaps, but I do not understand why you are getting yourself in such a state. Everything with run smoothly, even with your friends in attendance.”

“They are not my friends, Father, they are my acquaintances. You know I had no choice in the matter.”

Lucius finally got round to downing his third shot of the morning, and he knew he would have an incredibly guilty conscience by the time he came face to face with Narcissa.

“Your father is right Lucius, I would not worry. The others will not interfere, and for all I know, they do not look any different to you and I, apart from our Lord, of course, but as he said, he would not be in the way.”

“It is not the now I am most concerned about Evan.” Lucius gave Evan a pitiful look. “It is later on.”

It took a second or two before Evan registered what Lucius was referring to.

“I should hope he would refrain from giving you any duties tonight. When Hannah and I got married, the evening was all ours. After everything you have done, I should strongly hope he had the decency to allow you the night with your wife.”

“You know what you have to do, Lucius, and it is imperative that you do it tonight. You know that the marriage is not complete until it is consummated.”

“I know, Father, I am fully aware of the legalities.”

“In that case, you do not have anything to worry about. Carpe diem, as they once said, for today will only happen once. If you spend the entire day living in fear, you will look back and regret the time you wasted not focusing on your wife.”

Lucius looked outside of the bedroom window, seeing that some of the guests had already taken their seats and had filled up the first four rows on each side. From a distance, Lucius could see that they had gone through tremendous efforts to look their very best, particularly the women.

“You know what they say, my son, it is not the size of the woman or the colours of her clothes that determines her wealth, it is the size of her hat.”

“Very true,” Evan added in agreement. “I am surprised some women can ever see where they are walking.”

“It is ridiculous, in my opinion, but your mothers were just the same.”

“I remember Mother having a large collection of formal headwear.” Lucius laughed at the memory. “Do you remember the time we went to Oxford, in the spring time, and Mother had opted for that large blue feathered hat, and she ended up getting it caught in the tree as we passed by? She was most aggrieved, especially as the branches also knocked her bun out of place.”

“How could I forget? I ended up retrieving it for her, and she sulked for about half an hour, refusing to talk to me as I had dragged her through the forest area. You were only five or six at the time, and you were too busy chasing butterflies to notice that your Mother and I were not on speaking terms. Yes, those were the days where life was much simpler.”

“Mother should be here,” Lucius said, bringing a sombre mood to the conversation. “She should have been here, Father.”

“I know, Lucius. She was taken far too early from us. However, she has not really left us; she is always in our hearts, and in our minds. Sometimes, I can feel her presence around the Manor. Your mother has not truly gone, Lucius. I am sure she will be stood next to me throughout the entire day, watching with pride as you finally become the man she dreamed of.”

“What do you think she would have worn?”

“One of her ridiculously oversized hats for sure! I am not sure, probably a cream coloured dress. Your mother always wore cream to weddings, and I doubt yours would have been any different. I can picture her now, with one of her fur shawls draped over her shoulders, and her white heels clacking on the floor. If she had been alive, she would most certainly have put you in your place Lucius. After all her attempts to match you with a suitable girl, she would have been most annoyed by your behaviour this morning.”

“I never will forget those dismal meetings with various fathers and daughters.” Lucius replied bitterly, cursing as he recalled a few of the girls he had unfortunately had to meet in the gallery and later escort around the Manor. “I am glad you brought an end to that nonsense.”

“As am I, Lucius, especially knowing what I do now, but what can I say? We all make mistakes, even as parents. Nobody is perfect, as much as we would like to think so.”

“I beg to differ, Father. Narcissa does not have a single flaw.”

“Narcissa will have her weaknesses, just like everybody else, but I admire your optimism.” Abraxas saw as another eight or so guests arrived. Marcus and the other male family members had taken to welcoming people until the time that Abraxas and Lucius took over. “I think we better make a move, Lucius. The garden is filling up quite nicely, and I do not want to keep our respected guests waiting for too long. It is understandable for the bride to be late, but definitely not the groom.”

“Have you got the rings Evan?” Lucius turned to his reliable best man, and from his pocket Evan brought out the box containing the rings. “Very well. It looks like we are all set.”

“Good.” Abraxas pulled on his charcoal-coloured jacket that had been resting on the bed. “One more thing, Lucius.”
“Yes Father?”
“The best of luck to you. I hope you will be truly happy.”
“Don't worry Father, I will be.”

*

“Look at all the guests!” Katja exclaimed as she pressed the palms of her hands to the glass. “This is certainly what I call a wedding!”

“It is almost time.” Druella referred to her watch. “Narcissa, my darling, are you ready?”
“As ready as I will ever be.”

“Excellent. Listen, my child,” Druella walked up to Narcissa with a gentle expression on her face. With the usual wrinkles from scowling gone, Druella looked a few years younger, and a lot more approachable than before. “I am proud of what you have become. I have always had faith in you, Narcissa. I knew, one day, you would become a fine example of a woman, and here you are, standing right in front of my very eyes. Whatever is troubling you, because I can see something is, do not let it consume you, especially today of all days. Just live for the moment, and enjoy every single minute. It is your day, nobody else's, and I want you to have fond memories of it.”

“Thank you Mother,” Narcissa was stumped for words. Druella had mellowed over the years, and Narcissa could certainly agree that they had established a strong emotional connection with one another.

“Now, wait here, for your sister needs to talk with you. The other bridesmaids and I will retreat to my suite, so when you are ready, Bellatrix will guide you to us.”

“Is this absolutely necessary? Can it wait until after the service?”

“No, my dear. The maid of honour always speaks to the bride prior to the ceremony. Another rule that needs to be followed, I am afraid. We have been far too lenient for this wedding, and we need to show evidence of decorum somewhere.” Druella rounded up the bridesmaids, and saying their goodbyes, they vacated the suite, leaving Narcissa in Bellatrix's hands.

“Take a seat on the bed, Cissy.” Bellatrix took Narcissa's hands and walked her over to the bed. As requested, Narcissa perched herself on the edge of the duvet as Bellatrix sat herself down next to her. “There are a couple of things we need to discuss.”

“Okay.”

“You are aware of the expectations surrounding a wedding, are you not?”

“Of course, Bellatrix.”

“Then you know and are correctly informed of the proper practices.”

“Yes, as I should be.”

“So, you know what needs to be done, tonight?”

“Yes.” Narcissa said impatiently. “With all due respect, Bellatrix, why are we having this conversation? I know about the wedding night, far more than I care to admit. Women from every angle have been reminding me of my duty to my husband.”

“Do not shoot the messenger, Cissy, it is my duty to make sure you do what is expected.”

“What is it like, Bellatrix? What should I expect?”

“Oh Cissy, I am the wrong person to ask entirely. My experience will differ greatly from yours. I was naughty and did not wait for the wedding night!”

“I am a little scared, if I am honest.” Narcissa softened. “I, well, I do not know if I am comfortable with the idea of the pain.”
“You have very little choice now Cissy, you are marrying the man in less than half an hour. If you aren't willing to take a bit of pain then maybe you shouldn't be marrying him!”

“That is not very comforting Bellatrix. I thought you at least had some empathy for me.”

“It is not that, Cissy, it is the idea of you and Lucius together that I cannot process. Without pain, there is no gain, and if you do not have sex with him tonight, then you are not doing yourself any favours. Be thankful you were not around in the olden days; prior to the wedding, they would carry out physical examinations to check you were still a virgin, and then in the medieval times, you would have had an audience during the consummation of the marriage.”

Narcissa started wringing her wrists in discomfort. As Bellatrix informed her of the 'correct procedures', Narcissa could feel her palms getting sweaty and her stomach churning, even though she had hours before she even had to think about the consummation.

“If you do not wish to get pregnant straightaway, than it is highly recommendable that you use a contraceptive charm.”

Narcissa had not thought about the reality of having children. This, potentially, could mark the start of motherhood for her, if she and Lucius decided so. In her youth, Narcissa had dreamt about children's names, and colours for the nursery, but she had never thought about the actual biology of it all until now.

“And, for the love of Merlin, please use the Muffliato charm.” Bellatrix pleaded, grimacing. “I for one would find it embarrassing if I could hear you and Lucius from above, and I do not think the remaining guests would quite want to hear your screams. Have a good time, but what happens in your bedroom stays in your bedroom.”

“I beg your pardon? Other guests? I was not of the opinion that other people would still be present!”

“When did you think you and your husband would leave to do the duty? Merlin, Cissy, why do you think I disappeared for about an hour at my own wedding? I tell you something, it was not for a midnight snack! Wedding receptions go on until at least two in the morning, if not longer if it is a bigger function. You certainly will not be up to it if you wait until everybody has vacated the Manor.”

“I am not comfortable knowing that people will still be around.” Narcissa said plainly.

“Tough, Cissy, c'est la vie.”

The news was unwelcome to Narcissa, who has stupidly assumed the consummation would be done in peace. There was a certain voyeuristic element to the situation, so Narcissa thought, and she dreaded the idea of people still walking freely around the Manor.

“Second thing.” Bellatrix pulled something out of her bag, which was carefully wrapped in gold tissue paper. “This is yours.”

Taking the small package from Bellatrix, Narcissa carefully tore at the folds until the object fell into her lap. Picking it up in her right hand, Narcissa brought it up to the light and get a better view.

“It is another family heirloom. It is passed down to the youngest daughter of each family, who then passes it to each one of her daughters on their wedding day until the youngest weds, and it is the youngest who keeps it for her own children, and that responsibility lies with you.”

Narcissa smoothed her thumb over the heart-shaped locket, feeling a tiny inscription on the upside of the heart. However, whatever was written was far too small to be examined by the naked eye.

“Thank you Bellatrix,” Narcissa unfastened the chain and placed the locket around her neck. “How very thoughtful of you.”

“Do not thank me, Cissy, thank our great-great-grand grandmother or whoever first wore it! According to mother, it is rumoured to be at least two-hundred years old, and apparently, it is one of the finest pieces of French jewellery remaining from the age.”

“It must have cost a fortune.”

“Yes, but we can afford the best, and always have been able to. Money will never be a concern for you, especially now you are marrying Lucius. I bet the Malfoys have so much money they need two vaults each at Gringotts to house their treasures!”

“Perhaps, but I am not interested in Lucius' money. Money can buy you happiness temporarily, or permanently for those who cannot love, but it cannot sustain a healthy marriage. Over the years, Lucius has bought me so many things, and I love each and every item, but that is not what I am marrying him for. I may be materialistic, but not when it comes to Lucius.”

Bellatrix rolled her eyes at Narcissa, clearly disappointed in the lack of acceptance emitting from her sister.

“You know, Cissy, most women would consider the money to be a bonus.”

“It is, but it is not the driving factor behind this marriage. I wish to live a life of luxury, but the at the expense of my happiness. I could not marry a rich man if I did not love him.”

“You know what they say; never mix business with pleasure.”
“You will not convince me to change my mind, Bellatrix. Do not think I am unaware of your loathing towards Lucius, for I have witnessed the animosity between you two first hand. Of course, I do not know quite what goes on between you two when you are fulfilling your Death Eater duties, but when in my presence, I expect both of you to be adult and behave. With your grudge-holding tendencies, I do not expect you will ever see eye to eye, but for my sake, could you at least be civil? Whether you like Lucius or not, he is shortly due to become my husband, and you need to accept that fact. Whether you like him or not, he will be the father of my children, and of your nieces and nephews, and so you need to refrain from behaving in such a childish manner. We are not at Hogwarts anymore Bellatrix, whatever he did there before my time has no bearing on the present. I do not expect you to become great friends, but at the very least you could pretend that you accept him. I do not wish to fight with you about this Bellatrix, as I feel in the past few years we have fought enough, and we do not need another wedge to set us apart. You are my sister, and the only one I have left, and as much as I struggle to come to terms with your profession, I love you, despite the way you may have treated me in the past. I do not want to lose you, especially because of a man. However, you need to appreciate that I do not wish to Lucius either, not even to fulfill my sister's happiness. This is my life, and I choose whom will have a place in it.”

Bellatrix, for once, was reduced to complete silence. Nobody had ever stood up to her before, and the very last person she expected to do so had been Narcissa. As a young adolescent, Narcissa had readily agreed to Bellatrix's wishes and commands, however, since her involvement with Lucius, she had become more strong-willed, particularly to try and protect herself from the harsh realities outside of Hogwarts.

“I am only looking out for you, Cissy.” Bellatrix's tone was soft. “I worry that Lucius will let you down. He is not as strong as he is perceived to be, I can assure you of that.”

“And if he shall, on my own head be it. I will take the consequences, and I shall deal with the problems on my own, but if something is not broken, Bellatrix, then it does not need to be fixed. I had loved Lucius for far longer than you could imagine, and I am not going to put an end to it because you do not approve of him. Marriage is about sacrifices, and you should know that better than anybody else. Today marks the first day of the next volume of my life Bellatrix, and I do not want to begin it with regrets and a guilty conscience.” Narcissa sighed, getting slightly impatient, as she knew the ceremony was creeping closer and closer. “Look, I will be blunt, if it is the only way I can appeal to you. If Lucius fucks up, then I and I alone with deal with the aftermath. However, I am not going to leave him standing at the altar just because something could potentially happen. My future is not set in stone, and I have the power to change my life should it require it.”

“Fair enough, Cissy, but just take care of yourself. If he hurts you in any way, shape or form, I will personally deal with him.”

“Thank you, but even if he did, I'd rather you left him alive. I do not think he would be deserving of death, do you?”

“Death would not be satisfying. Torture is the best, most rewarding punishment.”

Narcissa could not believe she was having such a morbid conversation about her fiancé who, at that very moment, was walking up the altar, greeting the guests on the front row. Robertus Millon, one of Abraxas' closest friends, had been chosen to marry Lucius and Narcissa, as he worked within the Ministry in the Magical Law department and was one of the few Ministers Abraxas actually liked. At that very moment, Robertus had taken his place at the very front of the congregation, and was moments away from delivering his welcome speech.

Narcissa rose from the bed, and wandered over to the window, looking out at the party metres below her very feet. From the first floor window, the party did not look as big as Narcissa had imagined, but she knew that once she was at ground level, her perceptions would alter. Furthermore, another fifty or so guests were to arrive for the reception, and so the congregation was only to grow bigger.

“Lucius looks so nervous,” Narcissa observed her lover from behind the safety of the net curtain.

Bellatrix hurried over to the window, hoping to catch a glimpse of an anxious Lucius Malfoy, however, she was greatly disappointed.

“He's just standing there!”

“What did you expect? Lucius can hold his composure well.” Narcissa smiled as she watched Lucius scoop Christian into his arms. “I can sense him, Bellatrix. I know when he is nervous. Could you not tell with Rodolphus?”
“Not really. He is not a man of many expressions, or feelings for that matter. The only things that seem to concern him in life are sex and alcohol.”

Narcissa gave her sister a sympathetic look, for she could feel Bellatrix's pain, even if Bellatrix had become indifferent to it.

“Do you love him?” Narcissa asked cautiously, for she did not know how Bellatrix would react to the rather invasive question.

“I thought I did, but I seemed to have mistaken lust for love.” Bellatrix's eyes fell on the cloaked figure that stood some distance from the wedding party. Narcissa followed Bellatrix's line of sight, and her own eyes fell upon the figure in black. “I cannot be with the one I love.”

Narcissa found it awfully difficult to digest the idea of Bellatrix loving such a cruel and cold-hearted man, if he could have been referred to as a man, but Narcissa had to respect her sister's feelings, or else she would have been deemed a hypocrite. There was not a single fragment of good within Voldemort, Narcissa knew that well, but Bellatrix had always been attracted to the things that had been bad for her. She was her own worst enemy, and Narcissa was certain Bellatrix knew this for herself.

“Then love from afar.” Narcissa said with confidence. “And remain his loyal servant, if that is what makes you happy.”

“But it is wrong Cissy, you know that. You find what we do physically repulsive.”

“I have no desire to ever be a part of what you and Lucius do, and I am struggling to comprehend your love for such a being, but if he were any other man, and you felt the way you do now, I would have the utmost sympathy for you. I am concerned for your welfare, not his. However, I cannot extinguish the feelings you hold for him, and I do not desire to do so. As I do not appreciate you interfering in my lovelife, I am sure you would like the same courtesy extended to yourself. Do what you have to do to make you happy, for life is too short to waste it fulfilling somebody else's dream.”

“Thank you,” Bellatrix's voice was raw with emotion. “For being the only person to understand.”

“I am all you have,” Narcissa replied, giving Bellatrix a reassuring smile.

Their conversation was interrupted by a sharp knock on the door. Seconds later, Druella was in the centre of the room, looking very confused.

“What are you doing?” Druella said, concerned, her eyes darting from Narcissa to the window. “You do not want people to see you before your arrival! Get away from the window!”

Both of the sisters complied, stepping back from the window. Narcissa smiled to herself, feeling as if she was regressing back into childhood having just been scolded by her mother.

“We have been waiting for you, Narcissa. It is time to make your entrance.”

“Very well Mother.” Narcissa turned to Bellatrix. “It is time.”

*

“Stand still!” Abraxas said through gritted teeth. “You look like you need to relieve yourself!”

Lucius could feel his cheeks flushing red, for he feared the conversation could be heard by those seated in the front row.

“I cannot, Father.”

Robertus, who was barely metres away, seemed to be oblivious to the conversation taking place between father and son, as was everybody else. Lucius studied Robertus carefully, looking for a sign that would tell him his love was only seconds away, and before too long, Robertus raised his head, smiling warmly towards the back of the congregation.

“Ladies and gentleman, please stand for the arrival of the bride.”

Lucius kept his eyes firmly fixed on the trees in the distance as he heard the creaking of the chairs from behind him. As the violins started to play, Lucius could feel the hairs on the back of his neck stand on edge. All those months of planning had finally led to this very moment, and Lucius did not know quite how he felt. Planning his wedding had been both stressful and exciting at the same time, but he was most relieved that the day had finally come.

Bellatrix led the procession, wowing many of the guests as she walked down the aisle in a graceful manner. Many knew her for her outrageous behaviour, but it was these very people who were surprised to see her in such an important role, and performing it so brilliantly. Next in line was Adelaide, who always pleased the crowds, followed by Katja, who had caught the attention of many young bachelors in the audience. Edwina was fourth in the procession, and was well known by most of the party, for many had attended her own wedding. Finally, the congregation's eyes fell upon the bride, and there was a breakout of gasps as Narcissa walked past each and every row. Narcissa kept her eyes on the back of Edwina's dress, refusing to look up until the very last moment, as she wanted to soak up the atmosphere before allowing herself to admire the scenery. The music was like heaven to Narcissa's ears, and the sounds of people's hushed voices made the adrenalin rush even more intense.

“You look beautiful,” Cygnus whispered to Narcissa as she clung tightly to him. “I cannot believe you are leaving. I have dreamt of this day, and now it has come, I am sad to see you go, but I know you will be happy.”

“Thank you Father.” Narcissa's eyes were beginning to water, but she refused to let her emotions spill onto her face. “Thank you for everything.”
“You will always be my little girl, Narcissa, even if you are sixty years old and a proud grandmother of three.”

Narcissa chuckled at her father's comment. Despite the humorous element, Cygnus had meant every word, for he had truly treasured his youngest daughter, and he found it difficult to come to terms with her departure from the Black household. Their family home had always been full of life, music and family, and now it was solely to house Cygnus and Druella, and with Narcissa's departure, the last bit of life from the Manor had gone.

One by one, the bridesmaids trailed off, positioning themselves on the ends of the front rows. Adelaide joined her husband and son, whilst Katja and Edwina remained together, and Bellatrix slotted herself inbetween her husband and her mother. Narcissa's eyes came back into focus, and she shifted her gaze from the floor to Lucius. Once he sensed her presence close to him, Lucius turned to look, and as his own eyes fell upon his wife-to-be, he could feel himself falling in love with her all over again. He could sense her timidness, and he was instantly reminded of his second school year where he watched Narcissa nervously walk up to the stool to be sorted into her house. Some things never changed, Lucius thought to himself.

Cygnus lightly kissed his daughter on the cheek, and with pride, he handed over Narcissa to Lucius, placing her hand in his. At this moment, Narcissa's eyes trailed upwards and found Lucius', and she could feel the connection between them intensify.

“Please be seated,” Robertus pleaded to the party, and instantly, the congregation sat back down in their seats in unison.

Narcissa and Lucius did not have the time to exchange any words of admiration, but at that moment, everything was perfect, and their happy faces spoke a thousand unspoken words.

“Lucius and Narcissa, today you celebrate one of life's greatest moments and give recognition to the worth and beauty of love, as you join together in vows of marriage. Just as two very different threads woven in opposite directions can form a beautiful tapestry, so can your two lives merge together to form a very beautiful marriage. To make your marriage work will take love. Love should be the core of your marriage; love is the reason you are here. But it will also take trust – to know in your hearts that you want the best for each other. It will take dedication – to stay open to one another, to learn and to grow together even when this is not always easy to do. It will take faith – to always be willing to go forward to tomorrow, never really knowing what tomorrow will bring. And it will take commitment – to hold true to the journey you both now pledge to share together.” Robertus paused briefly as he looked to the guests. “If there is any reason as to why this couple cannot be legally married, please come forward now, or forever hold your peace.”

Narcissa knew Bellatrix was not cruel enough to ruin her happiness, but those few seconds of silence were the most painful she and Lucius had ever experienced. Lucius worried that one of the Death Eaters may have wished to spite him, but fortunately, all seemed to be well.

With that, Robertus ploughed on with the ceremony, reading a few verses that Lucius had requested him to read. Narcissa had had very little to do with the ceremony, as Lucius had taken charge, but she had not minded, for Narcissa had wished for Lucius to surprise her, and he had. Everything was beautiful, as if they had waltzed straight out of a fairytale.

Twenty minutes or so passed, and after a couple of songs, the time came for the wedding vows.

“The rings, please.”

Evan stepped forward, presenting the box to Lucius. Taking them out, he placed one in Lucius' palm, and the other in Narcissa's.

“This ring I give to you as a token of my love and devotion. I pledge to you all that I am and all that I will ever be as your husband. With this ring, I gladly marry you and join my life to yours for ever more.” Lucius had memorised the passage by heart, and as he recited the vow, he slowly slid the wedding ring onto Narcissa's finger.

Narcissa too had memorised her vow, and had great pleasure reciting it to Lucius as she slid the ring onto his finger. “I give you this ring as a symbol of my love and faithfulness. As I place it on your finger, I commit my heart and soul to you. I ask you to wear this ring as a reminder of the vows we have spoken today, our wedding day.”

“Lucius, do you take Narcissa to be your wedded wife, to live together in marriage? Do you promise to love her, comfort her, honor and keep her, to have and to hold, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and health, and forsaking all others, be faithful only to her, so long as you both shall live?“

“I do,” came Lucius' firm response. He had never sounded so sure of anything in his life.

“Narcissa, do you take Lucius to be your wedded husband, to live together in marriage? Do you promise to love him comfort him, honor and keep him, to have and to hold, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and health, and forsaking all others, be faithful only to him, so long as you both shall live?“

“I do,”

“Lucius, Narcissa, I am pleased to announce that you are now husband and wife,”

Lucius brought his lips to Narcissa's, and as they sealed their vows with a kiss, the wedding party got to their feet, clapping in appreciation of the newly-wedded couple. There were a few people who had been brought to tears, notably Druella and Hilda, and even Bellatrix could feel herself getting emotional. For her, it was not about the pride, but because her baby sister, in her eyes, was now officially an adult and moving onto the next stage of her life. Marriage was what defined a person, and Narcissa was now, in Bellatrix's view, grown up.

Once Narcissa and Lucius separated, Evan escorted the bride and groom over towards the table in order to sign the wedding documents.

“Nothing is official until you sign these,” Evan gave each one of them a quill. “Procedures, I am afraid.”

“Now I remember why I chose you to be my best man.”

Narcissa lowered herself onto the seat, folding her dress around her as she sat down.

“You will not be needing any ink,” Evan added as Narcissa's eyes scowered across the table for the inkpot. “Just put pen to paper, and the ink will flow.”
“Thank you Evan, I did begin to wonder whether you had conveniently set out mine and Lucius' first challenge as a married couple.”

“As exciting as that may have been, it was simply for practical purposes. I have attended many weddings whereby the bride or groom knocked over the inkpots, and as a result, spoiled the bride's dress. I am sure you can recall from our time at Hogwarts that it is rather difficult to get the stuff out of fabrics.”

Lucius was first to sign, and he did so without hesitation. Once he had finished writing out the last letter of his signature, he place the quill flat onto the table's surface, allowing Narcissa to move closer to the piece of parchment that lay before her.

“Make sure you sign with the right name,”

Narcissa could sense Lucius leaning over her, watching closely as she placed the tip of the quill onto the document. Within a matter of seconds, the document had been signed by both man and wife, and one Robertus had added his signature to the bottom, the marriage would be finalised.

“Bless you both. I hope you sustain a long and happy marriage.” Robertus said as he signed the sheet, finalising the marriage contract. “Congratulations Mr and Mrs Malfoy.”

As soon as the marriage document was whisked away, Alexandra Waterfield and her accompanying photographers appeared on the scene, desperate to take the first photos for the afternoon edition of the Daily Prophet.

“Mr Malfoy, Mrs Malfoy, would you mind if we took a couple of photos?”

“Not at all,” Narcissa replied, remaining in her seat. “I am sure my husband would not mind.”

After some shuffling, Alexandra received her perfect photos of the married couple. Narcissa remained seated, but had positioned so her body was at a slight angle, and Lucius was positioned behind her, also facing the same direction.

“Beautiful, thank you very much.” Alexandra clapped her hands twice, and the photographers retreated. “I hope you enjoy the rest of your day.”

Narcissa and Lucius were not given the opportunity to speak to one another in private, as Bellatrix came bolting out of nowhere, pulling Narcissa to her feet and gripping her hands tightly.

“I cannot believe it Cissy! You are married!”

“Yes, well, it was inevitable.” Narcissa laughed. “I had no intentions of becoming a spinster.”

“Did you see Mother? She was in tears, Cissy, in tears! As far as I can remember, I have never once seen Mother cry!”

“It has been an emotional day, for all of us. I suppose Mother and Father are relieved that all went according to plan.”

As the sisters began to indulge in light conversation, Lucius surveyed the guests as they began to leave their seats, mixing with one another and socialising with the two families. Over in the far corner, a glimpse of the dark cloak gently swaying in the light, summer breeze caught Lucius' eye.
“Please excuse me, Narcissa, I will not be long,”

“Where are you going? I thought we were to greet the guests together.”

“We shall, my dear, but there is one guest I need to attend to most urgently.”
“I should come with you, Lucius. We need to do things properly.”

Lucius did not really wish for Narcissa to be present during his confrontation with Voldemort, but he had very little say in the matter. Narcissa was determined to join him, and so he gave in.

Lucius and Narcissa manoeuvred themselves through the crowd, saying their pleasantries as they squeezed through the different groups that had formed in the gardens. The guests seemed to have gotten the hint that Lucius and Narcissa had business to attend to, and so all refrained from disturbing them from what they needed to do. Once Voldemort was in sight, he wandered through the conifers and onto the fields beside the Manor, closely followed by the bride and groom.

“I do not intend to keep you from your all important duties.” Voldemort came straight to the point once Narcissa and Lucius had come into earshot. “I simply wish to pass on my congratulations to you both.”
“Thank you, my Lord, your congratulations are most welcome,” Lucius replied first.

“Thank you.” Narcissa spoke second, although she could not bring herself to be overly-polite. His presence had not been welcome, and Narcissa could not disguise her annoyance at his ignorance.

Bellatrix lingered at the edge of the conifers, keeping watch, but also to study the Dark Lord from afar. This did not go unnoticed by Narcissa, who found Bellatrix's behaviour slightly disturbing. Everywhere he went, Bellatrix was not far behind, like an obedient puppy.

“I see no reason why my presence is required any longer. For the meantime, I shall leave you to enjoy the rest of this momentus day in peace.”

“My Lord, will I be relieved of any duties tonight? I strongly believe that the wedding night should not be disturbed.”

“Tonight, and tonight only.” Voldemort hissed from beneath the hood, as if the thought of Lucius evading his duties deeply angered him. “I cannot afford to lose one of my most loyal followers, even if it is to human nature.”

“Thank you, my Lord, Narcissa and I are grateful for your understanding and compliance.”
“Enjoy your freedom, whilst you can.”
Narcissa and Lucius watched as Voldemort disappeared into thin air, and once they were certain he had left, they turned and started walking back towards the Manor, arm in arm.

“I cannot fathom why you needed to ask for permission to enjoy your own wedding night, Lucius. He has no authority to tell you what you can and cannot do, especially on your own property.” Narcissa voiced her grievances. “He talks down to you, Lucius. He has no respect for you.”

“Narcissa, I did it for you, for us. I want today to be the most memorable day of our lives, and I do not want it to be spoiled by anybody.”

Narcissa looked up from the grass to see Bellatrix still hovering by the conifers, although she started to retreat a little as Narcissa and Lucius edged closer. So far, Lucius had been oblivious to Bellatrix's presence, and had he been aware of it, he most likely would have been maddened by it.

“Thank you for everything, Lucius. I really appreciate all the effort you put into the wedding ceremony.”

“Have you noticed what was written on the rings?”

“There was an inscription?” Narcissa was taken by surprise. She had been so focused on correctly reciting her vow that she had paid little attention to the ring that had been slid onto her finger. “I am so sorry Lucius, I feel truly awful for not noticing.”
“No matter, Narcissa. I was too consumed in your beauty that I myself did not notice until I signed the marriage document. Here,” Lucius took hold of his wife's hand and brought the ring into her view. “I am sure you can translate Latin.”

Narcissa brought her hand closer to her face in order to read the tiny lettering on the surface of the gold ring.

“Mea in Aeternum,” Narcissa smile grew instantly. “And yours, I presume, says Meus in Aeternum?”

“You, my darling, are correct.”

“That is such a lovely addition, Lucius. I have to admit, I had not expected such detail from you. We have been married barely ten minutes, and you have already proven me wrong.”

“I intend to surprise you each and everyday of our marriage.”

“You must have plenty lined up for me already, if you intend to surprise me every single day. You are going to have your work cut out, I hope you realise. I am a difficult woman to please.”

“I know you like the back of my hand, Narcissa. I know what makes you tick, I know what makes you laugh, what makes you smile, and I know what makes you happy; I am sure I can work out what would amaze you.” Lucius brought Narcissa's wedding finger to his lips, and he lightly kissed the ring.

“If I do say so myself, I have been doing a pretty fine job so far.”

Druella, Cygnus and Abraxas came into view, and once again Narcissa and Lucius had their precious time alone taken from them, but this time, they were more than happy to postpone.

“My Narcissa,” Cygnus gently pulled his daughter into a warn embrace. “Although, if we are to be technical about things, you are mine no longer.”

“That is true, Father.” Narcissa kissed her father on the cheek. “But I am still your daughter, and that will never change.”

“Congratulations, my child.” Druella was next to compliment Narcissa on her marriage. “This wedding has been a long time in the making, but it was well worth the wait. You must be both relieved that you can finally celebrate the day.”
“Indeed we are,” Lucius replied, smiling at his wife. “We finally made it. I sincerely apologise for delaying things along the way.”
“Lucius, my dear, do not fear, for we will forgive and forget. Cygnus and I can see that you make our daughter incredibly happy, and for that, we are forever in your debt. What has happened shall be laid to rest, for today marks the start of your new lives, and you do not want it to be tarnished by your past troubles.”

“Druella is right, my son.” Abraxas said in agreement. “You need to let go of the past. What has happened, has happened. We cannot go back and change things, no matter how much we try. Instead of dwelling on the past, you and Narcissa need to step forward and focus on creating a wonderful life together.”

“Thank you for your words of wisdom Father, they are very much appreciated.”

“Now, I could keep you both here all day, but I feel that you have guests that are very eager to congratulate you. If possible, Cygnus, Druella and I will try to talk to you later on. If not, than from all of us, enjoy the rest of your magical day.”

“Thank you,” Narcissa and Lucius chorused. Giving their parents one final embrace, Lucius and Narcissa set off together, hand in hand, to greet their guests, and to thank them for their kind donations. Some guests had opted to give the couple a large sum of money, whilst others had paid a fortune for some of the most luxurious items they could get their hands on. For a couple that already had everything they could have possibly wanted, what more did they need?

*

After an afternoon of socialising and formalities, the time for the dinner finally arrived, and just in time, in Narcissa's opinion, as she could feel her stomach beginning to growl in protest. For breakfast, she had only managed to consume a slice of toast and half a bowl of grapes, and now that her nerves had completely vanished, her sense of hunger was beginning to return with a vengeance. Luckily, Narcissa was not kept waiting for long, as the salad starter came out within fifteen minutes of the guests being seated. For the meal, they had all somehow managed to fit inside of the dining hall, but not without the existence of a number of extra tables and chairs. Narcissa and Lucius were sat at the centre of their table with their immediate families to their sides, followed by close friends and their respective partners. Acquaintances and family friends were seated on the extra tables, but were in no way excluded from the rest of the wedding party. Between courses, people mingled with each other, keeping a rather friendly atmosphere going throughout the duration of the meal. As they came onto dessert, it was clear that a few guests had gone missing, no doubt enjoying a dessert of their own. Because of this, Abraxas had hired a number of security staff who patrolled the Manor, removing people from private areas and diverting them back to the wedding reception.

Once all three courses were over and done with, and the guests had a chance to interact with the others on their respective tables, Lucius rose from his seat, gently tapping a spoon on his wine glass. The echo of the sound vibrated through the room, drawing all conversations to a close. All eyes were now on Lucius and his bride.

“Thank you for giving me your attention,” Lucius addressed his guests, standing tall and confident. “Narcissa and I would both like to thank you all for attending, and we would also like to take this opportunity in thanking you all for your most wonderful contributions, whether they are in gift or money form. Tomorrow, we shall go through our presents, and we shall write to each family personally to thank them.” Lucius paused for a second, indicating the start of a new topic. “As I am sure many of you are aware, this wedding has been rather long in the making. First of all, I had to propose to Narcissa, and there came a point in our lives where I thought I had lost her for good. Here, in front of every single friend, esteemed guest and family member, I will admit that it was my fault, and my fault exclusively. However, we managed to repair our relationship, and one night in Central London I proposed to her. Thankfully, she agreed to become my wife, and for that, I am eternally grateful. Narcissa and I have known each other for just short of nine years, and these past nine years have been some of the best of my life, despite the darkness and the sorrow that may have temporarily consumed me during this time period. The death of my mother, for one, was a very difficult time for my family, and yet, that period of my life brought Narcissa and I closer together and, for the first time, we confessed our love to one another. I have not looked back since. From this day on, I intend to be a good husband and one day, a good father. Over the years, I have formed some very strong bonds, and I hope that these bonds will remain strong over the coming years. I would like to thank my best man for being such an excellent confidante both during and post adolescence. Without your stellar advice, I do not know if I would be standing right here today with some a beautiful and intelligent woman by my side. Thank you,”

The room was filled with the sound of heavy applause, and Lucius took a bow before lowering himself back into his chair. To everybody's surprise, Narcissa stood up from her own chair, and once again, the room fell silent out of respect.

“An excellent speech from my husband, I must say. I do commend him on his ability to speak and carry himself well in social situations.” Narcissa elevated her wine glass a little as she looked to Lucius, who was still stunned by Narcissa's decision to speak. “I know that it is not common for the bride to have prepared a speech, and I must inform you that I have not done anything of the sort, however, I too have a few words I would like to say, and I wanted to have an audience present. I would like to say thank you to all of my bridesmaids and my mother for supporting me not only in the months leading up to this wedding, but also for their support and words of wisdom this very morning. Furthermore, I would like to thank both my father and my father-in-law for their financial contributions to the making of this wedding. I have never come across such generous souls, and for their generosity, I felt it necessary to thank them in front of the guests, as well as in person. Upon their return to their suites, they will find a gift from both Lucius and I.” Narcissa herself paused for a second to ensure she had everybody's undivided attention. “I find myself incredibly lucky to be stood here today. As Lucius has touched upon, there was a couple of years whereby we did not see eye to eye, and more recently there was a brief spell where I did question my faith in him. In retrospect, the cause behind the latter seems rather trivial, but it just proves how we, unlike many others, were not mentally nor emotionally ready for marriage at such a young and tender age. I feel, since we both have moved on from education, that we have had the chance to come to know each other, learn more about each other and to grow together, something which was awfully difficult whilst at Hogwarts. However, I never doubted my feelings towards Lucius. From the very start, I knew he was different, and as we gradually got older and entered adolescence, I pictured him being the man I spent the rest of my life with. At twenty years of age, I am glad to be able to say my wish has come true. The past few weeks have been particularly stressful for us, but no more so than for Lucius, who took the lead role in organising such a beautiful ceremony. As I am sure the women present can vouch for me, there is nothing more touching, or rewarding, than the sentimental things in life that are given to you by your husband. I had my expectations, but Lucius did not only meet them, but he also beat them, and so for his tremendous work towards our successful wedding, I would like to propose a toast in his honour.”

At this point, every single guest in the room, bar the young children, raised their glasses high into the air.

“To Lucius Malfoy, my darling husband.”

“To Lucius!” the congregation cheered, clinking glasses with one another in merriment.

Narcissa, after finishing the remainder of her wine, returned to her seat, satisfied with her accomplishment.

“You did not have to thank me at all Narcissa. I would go to the ends of the Earth for you.” Lucius said quietly.

“No, Lucius, I did. Not only is it good manners, but you deserved your praise. You are a man of many commitments, yet you managed to plan such a mesmerising wedding ceremony alongside it all. Somehow, you have managed to keep every fine detail from me, and you have not disappointed me. I honestly am of the opinion that very few would be able to do such a thing. How you managed to keep me involved, but at the same time, keep me from knowing is magical.” Narcissa's hand found Lucius' underneath the table. “Today has been one of the happiest days of my life, Lucius, and mostly it is down to you. I cannot thank you enough for what you have done.”

“I suppose, my love, that makes us equal.”

“I suppose it does.”

The intimate moment was brought to an abrupt end by the scraping of Evan's chair. Looking over his shoulder, Lucius saw Evan get to his feet, his wine glass refilled right to the very top. Narcissa stifled a giggle as Evan stumbled forward, spilling a little of the wine onto the tablecloth.

“As the best man, I feel it is only fitting for me to say a few words in the bride and groom's honour.”

Narcissa could not suppress her grin and Evan swayed to and fro, trying his best to appear sober, however, it was clear he was somewhat dramatically under the influence.

“I believe I have had the best of both worlds. Lucius has been my best friend since childhood, and Narcissa is my wonderful cousin, and so I have spent many years in their companies. However, at times, I have had to sit on the fence, shall we say, and my role of best friend or cousin has been under scrutiny because of it, so some could argue my role has been very difficult. Nevertheless, I am proud that I was given such an important role to play in their lives, and I am truly honoured that I was given the responsibility of being best man today. I wish them both a long and happy marriage, and I hope that us three will make many more memories in the not too distant future.” Evan raised his glass, spilling some more wine onto the tablecloth. “To Narcissa and Lucius!”

“Narcissa and Lucius!”

Evan eventually lost his balance and fell back into the seat, spilling the remaining contents of his glass over his own lap. From where Narcissa and Lucius were sitting, they could hear his disappointed voice as he surveyed his own wet clothing. Hannah could be heard fussing over Evan, mopping up the spillage to the best of her ability with the serviettes that had been placed alongside their cutlery.

“For goodness sake Evan, I told you not to drink so much! Look at you, making a mess! It is embarrassing, I tell you, embarrassing!”

“On the contrary,” Lucius muttered to his wife. “I find it highly amusing.”

“Yes, as do I, but I can understand where she is coming from. Seeing your loved one in such a intoxicated state is mortifying, especially when they start acting up in public. Can you imagine the hangover he will have tomorrow?”
“I do not need to!” Lucius laughed. “I have seen him at his worst, vomiting all over the floor of The Three Broomsticks! Believe me, even at the tender age of twenty, he still cannot handle his alcohol.”

As the evening progressed, more and more people started to relax and interact with one another, obviously down to the effects of the alcohol they had been consuming. Eventually, the party moved into the ballroom, which had been decorated in gold and silver to compliment the bride. Abraxas had hired the London Wizarding Orchestra to play for the duration of the reception, and so as soon as they began to play, Lucius led Narcissa to the dancefloor. As with Muggle weddings, it was customary for the bride and groom to have the first dance.

The soft melody of the harps and violins enticed Narcissa and Lucius to begin their dance. One hand cupping the small of her back, and the other interlaced with her fingers, Lucius led Narcissa across the dancefloor at a slow pace, ensuring he did not put a foot wrong. Lucius had not danced properly since the New Year's Eve party many years before, but he took to dancing like a duck to water, and before he knew it, he was one with the music.

“I am impressed,” Narcissa said softly, resting her head on Lucius' chest. “You have not forgotten how to dance.”
“After all those years of practice Narcissa, I would be gravely disappointed if I had. What sort of husband would I be if I could not even dance with my beloved wife, especially on our wedding day? No, I will most certainly never forget.”

“Could we just stay here, like this, forever, dancing the night away?”

“I would love to, but all good things must eventually come to an end.”

One by one, couples started to join in, and Narcissa and Lucius no longer felt under pressure to be perfect. Eyes were no longer fixed on them, but on the twirlings of dresses and glittering of shoes. In the distance, Narcissa could see that her parents had taken to the dancefloor, but she was even more surprised to see Bellatrix and Rodolphus in each other's arms. Narcissa thought to herself that is was purely for show, as Bellatrix had stated that she wanted to keep up appearances, despite the harsh reality that her marriage was falling apart at the seams. Narcissa empathised with her sister, imagining how difficult it must have been to attend a wedding, especially after a turbulent relationship prior to the event. For that, Narcissa had a lot of respect for Bellatrix.

Close by, Adelaide and Marcus had also joined the ensemble on the floor with Christian between them, and Narcissa's heart warmed at the sight. There they stood, a happy family unit with not a single worry in the world. Someday, she hoped her own family would be just the same, and sooner rather than later.

The song came to a close, and Narcissa and Lucius were escorted off of the floor with a large round of applause. Narcissa was beaming from ear to ear, and Lucius felt a boost of confidence arising from it. They sat down on a couple of chairs by the window, and watched as their guests enjoyed the festivities. Waiters circled the outside of the dancefloor, holding trays of different wines and spirits for the guests to enjoy at their own leisure. As a young gentleman passed, Narcissa asked for a flute of champagne for herself and her husband.

“Certainly, Madam,” the young man passed the flutes to them before continuing with his rounds.

“I cannot believe we have been on our feet all day.” Narcissa said, feeling her feet beginning to pinch. “Only now am I starting to feel the pain.”

“As am I. I have not been so active in such a long time, as I usually spend my time sitting down, either at a desk, on a chair, or in the garden.”

“You sound incredibly old before your time!”

“That is what the world does to you, I am afraid; it makes you lose your youth in the blink of an eye. However, tonight has reminded me of how young you and I both are. We have our whole lives ahead of us to do as we so desire. Tell me, Narcissa, where would you like to go? What things would you like to do? You name it, and I will take you there.”

“Oh Lucius, I am dreadfully unsure of what I would like to do, for my mind is occupied with other thoughts at the moment. Ask me again in a couple of days, and I will be able to give you a clear answer. At this moment, my mind is focused on this very eve. I could not possibly tear myself away from tonight, even if I wanted to.”

“Very well. Let me rephrase the question.” Lucius placed his empty flute on the windowsill. “Where would you like to go, tonight? What things would you like to do, tonight?”

“Well...” Narcissa lowered her voice. “I would love you to take me to places I have never been before.”

“Is that so? Where would you like to go?”

“Somewhere delightful, Lucius. Surprise me. Take me. I am all yours.”

The impact of Narcissa's words were intoxicating. Looking seductively into her husband's eyes, Narcissa could see his thirst for passion, as if the flame inside him had been ignited. As his hand rested on her leg, Narcissa could feel herself becoming weak at his touch, and suddenly, her body began to feel warm, accompanied by a rush of adrenalin, and the fluttering of her stomach.

“Do you remember my last night at Hogwarts?” Lucius' hand slowly travelled up Narcissa's leg. “Do you remember how you tried to fight me off? Do you remember?”
“Yes,” Narcissa purred, closing her eyes. “I remember.”

“Do you remember how you responded to my touch?”
“I do.”
“Do you want this, Narcissa?” Lucius halted his hand at the top of her thigh. “For I do not seek to rush you.”

“More than anything, my love. Take me to a place I could not even have imagined in my wildest fantasies. I want you, Lucius, I want you now.”

Lucius got to his feet first before he helped Narcissa to hers. Without saying a word to anybody, Lucius escorted Narcissa out of the ballroom, past the security staff, and up towards the private quarters. In preparation for the wedding night, the master bedroom had been cleaned and changed for the arrival of its new inhabitants. Brand new sheets had been purchased, washed and laid on the bed, and the floor had been scattered with rose petals at Lucius' request.

Being swept off her feet and carried onto the silky white sheets was something Narcissa could not have imagined in her wildest dreams. All day she had been anticipating this very moment, and now that it had come she was awfully anxious. Narcissa had very little idea of how sex would feel, both physically and emotionally. Bellatrix had been of little help, and her mother never really touched upon the subject. Looking deep into Lucius' eyes, she could see the passion burning within them.

“You have no idea how long I have waited for this moment.” Lucius growled into Narcissa's ear as he tugged at her dress zip. Feeling his long fingers trailing along her back was enough to make Narcissa's heart race with anticipation. Before too long, Lucius had completely undid the zip that had held the material close to Narcissa's body, and slowly, but gently, he removed the dress from her figure, exposing Narcissa. She saw his eyes widen in delight.

“My God Narcissa, you are so beautiful...”

Narcissa smiled seductively back at her new husband as she started to undo the buttons of his shirt. Pulling it off of his body, Narcissa tossed it to the side, dumping it on top of her own discarded corset. She let her fingers trail down the length of his torso, feeling his skin underneath her own fingertips. As she stroked Lucius, she could feel him warming up underneath her touch.

“I want you, Lucius.” Narcissa breathed as she unfastened his belt. “I want you to make love to me.”

Lucius did not resist as Narcissa cast away his belt and moved onto his trousers, pulling the zip down to the base of the crotch. He went to help, but Narcissa pushed his hand away.

“No, Lucius, I want to do this. I want to touch you.”

Narcissa curled her fingers around the top of the trousers and started to pull them down slowly as far as she could before Lucius kicked them off. During the whole undressing, Narcissa kept her eyes focused on her husband's, watching as his pupils dilated at the sight of her underneath him.

Lucius let his hands wander over his bride's body, starting at her shoulders, making his way down to her breasts and then to her stomach, caressing her waist and hips as he covered every inch of her. All these years he had to refrain from exploring every single part of her, but now he could touch and caress his beautiful wife without any restrictions in place. There had been times in their history when Lucius had wanted Narcissa, purely to satisfy his carnal desires, but he was glad he had waited. All day he'd been sick with anticipation. All throughout the speeches, he had thought of giving his all to Narcissa, and now that moment had come. Two would become one.

Lucius found the elastic waistband of the lacy French knickers and, inch by inch, he pulled them down Narcissa's legs until they too were added to the growing pile of clothes on the floor. As he pinched the cotton panel of the garment, Lucius took note of how damp they were, which only stirred his ever growing feelings of lust and desire.

Easing himself down onto Narcissa, Lucius started to plant a trail of kisses along her collarbone, starting from her left and slowly making his way over to her right. As he savoured the feel of her skin beneath his lips, Lucius could hear Narcissa's breathing become more erratic as she let her senses take over. Wanting to taste more of her, Lucius trailed up to her lips, locking his against hers in a moment of passion.

“I love you,” Narcissa whispered as Lucius' lips left hers.

“I love you too, my darling Narcissa Malfoy.”

Lucius pressed his lips to Narcissa's again, and in doing so, he felt Narcissa's hand mould around the back of his head. She did not want to let go of him, ever. In their time together, some other was always trying to pull Lucius away, and this moment was reserved purely for the both of them. Narcissa had been vigilant during the wedding, worried that the Death Eaters would decide to go back on their word, however, they had apparated with no sign of disturbing Lucius from his wife.

“Do you trust me Narcissa?”

“With my life, Lucius.”

“Then let me take you to places you have never known. I promise I will not hurt you.”

Narcissa did not understand the meaning behind what Lucius said.

“What do you me-”

Narcissa was cut short as she felt Lucius' hand descend down the length of her body, brushing the sides of her thigh as he rested his hand between her legs. Gently, and slowly, Lucius began to move his hand up and down the length of Narcissa.

“L-Lucius...” Narcissa began to lose herself as her feelings of intense pleasure increased. She unconsciously started to rock against his hand, wanting more, and more, and more.

Narcissa tilted her head back as she started to breathe more heavily. In an instant, she felt Lucius' kisses against the base of her neck.

“Don't stop...” she pleaded with Lucius as she could feel the excitement building up within her. Just as her body began to writhe beneath his touch, she felt pressure at her entrance. Narcissa could feel Lucius carefully slip a finger inside of her, twisting and turning as he did so. Narcissa jolted up at the unexpected touch, letting out a whimper as her feelings of ecstasy consumed her.

“Relax,” Lucius said softly as he moved in and out of her.

Lucius seemed to know exactly what he was doing, and he seemed to know exactly what effect he wanted to achieve. This was Lucius' repayment to Narcissa. She had been tolerant of his criminal workings, and she had gone to great lengths to make her aesthetically pleasing for him on their wedding day. The least Lucius could do was to bring her to her climax.

Lucius could feel Narcissa beginning to tense. He could sense she was close, and he did not want to disappoint. As he watched Narcissa squirm beneath his body, Lucius could feel himself getting harder. The mere sight of her overcome in a wave of pleasure turned him on greatly. His Narcissa, usually so composed and literate, was being reduced to mumblings and incoherent sentences. It became apparent that Narcissa's greatest weakness was pleasure. That was the only thing that would crack her.

“Lucius...I...I...”

Narcissa arched her back as she came, contracting around Lucius as he stayed inside of her. She let out a guttural moan as she rode out her orgasm, her body and mind both coming back down from the sexual high. Once she had regained control, she stared into Lucius' eyes, biting on her lower lip.

“That was amazing.” she panted, her chest rising and falling as she tried to steady her breathing. “When did you learn to please a woman?”

“The moment I knew I wanted to please you, Narcissa. You are the only woman I would ever want to pleasure.”

Lucius retracted his finger, feeling how sodden it was with Narcissa's juices. Bringing it up to his lips, he sucked his finger clean, tasting his wife for the first time.

Narcissa reached out for Lucius' underwear, but he resisted, pulling his hips away from her.

“It is my turn.” Narcissa said strictly, her animalistic side becoming prominent to Lucius.

“I have not finished.”

Narcissa watched with growing anticipation as Lucius lowered himself down her body until his face was level with the top of her thighs. Scooping his hands underneath her thighs, Lucius placed Narcissa's legs over his shoulders as he moved his head forward. As he moved towards her, he watched as her expression changed into one of longing and desire. She knew what he was going to do, and she could not wait. In fact, she could feel herself getting wetter just thinking about it.

Lucius hovered an inch or so away from her, inhaling her sweet, natural scent that he had drawn from her. This, mixed in with the floral scent of her perfume, was simply divine. Smiling to himself, Lucius moved forward, placing his tongue in between her folds, tasting her once again.

Narcissa could feel her legs quivering as they rested on Lucius' shoulders. Having gone from no sexual experience to partaking in such strong sexual activities was a lot for her body to handle. She had not fully recovered from her last orgasm, but she wanted to hold out, make the intense feelings last a bit longer. She wanted to give, not just receive, but Lucius was having none of it.

Every now and then, Lucius would bump her clitoris, sending shocks of pleasure rippling through Narcissa's body. Even in Bellatrix's rather obscene descriptions of sex, she had never touched upon those feelings of intimacy, of just feeling connected with your partner. Perhaps Bellatrix did not have the capacity to do so. Having quite a dominating personality, Narcissa could imagine her dominating nature being carried over into her sex life.

Narcissa could feel herself beginning to clench again as Lucius explored every inch of her. She had had fantasies, particularly in her mid to late teenage years, but none of them matched up to reality. The reality of sharing yourself with your husband was much, much better than anything a teenager could possibly imagine. Up and down, side to side, Lucius did not stop. He truly loved Narcissa, and he wanted to prove it to her. Tonight was the one night he was free of his duties to the Dark Lord, and tonight was the night he wanted to please Narcissa. He appreciated that she was anxious about losing her virginity, and so he wanted to make the process as painless as possible for her by doing everything properly and in sequence. He would not move on until he was satisfied in the knowledge that she was physically comfortable and ready.

“Mmmm...” Narcissa moaned as she gripped tightly onto the sheets of the bed. She could feel her heart beginning to beat violently against her chest as the blood rushed to her pubic region. Images of Lucius making love to her began to creep into her mind. In, and out, in, and out, rocking together gently as they reached their climaxes. These erotic daydreams and thoughts only intensified the feelings that Narcissa was experiencing, making her body shiver even more in delight. Narcissa swore her eyes were rolling in her skull as she kept her eyelids firmly shut. Curling her toes, she started to fight against the next wave that was starting to take over her.

Lucius could hear her whimpering again as she came closer to her second orgasm. Looking up and slightly to her right, Lucius watched as Narcissa's grip on the bedsheets tightened. Wanting to feel her grip, he moved his hand up the bed and onto hers. Narcissa released the sheets immediately, clasping her hand around Lucius'. Tighter and tighter she squeezed, her nails digging into Lucius' skin. He did not mind, and instead carried on pleasuring her, determined to bring her to orgasm. Her body began to rock again, and Lucius knew she was only moments away. He could feel her legs crossing and tightening around his head, and a second later he felt her hand at the back of his head once again, pushing him forward slightly. As he flicked his tongue over her entrance, Narcissa involuntarily locked her legs around Lucius' head as tightly as possible, and in her flurry of passion she gripped tightly onto his hair as she succumbed to him. Narcissa cried out, once again arching her back as the orgasm took control of her body. Her legs jerked around Lucius as she continued to be controlled by the intense feelings of pleasure, which this time were more powerful and lasted longer. Lucius could feel Narcissa's involuntary seizure coming to an end as she relieved the pressure of her legs around his head and started to loosen her grip on his hand. For the second time, Lucius had brought Narcissa to climax with ease, and she was thankful for it.

Lucius waited until she had completely stopped moving before he parted from between her legs. Letting go of her hand, he pushed himself up and, placing his legs either side of her body, Lucius crawled forward until he was hovering over Narcissa.

“Come here,” Narcissa placed her arms around Lucius' neck, pulling him down to meet her. Carefully lowering himself onto her, Lucius allowed Narcissa to bring him down to meet her eagerly awaiting lips. Narcissa was not put off by her own taste. Quite the contrary, she was enthralled by it.

“You are a fabulous lover,” Narcissa said once Lucius pulled away. “Now, please, let me return the favour.”

This time, Lucius did not refuse. Gently, Narcissa pushed against his chest, signalling for him to kneel. Once Lucius was resting comfortably on the bed, Narcissa lay down in front of him, her head level with the top of his underwear. At first, Narcissa explored his lower back with her hands before she started to pull down on his underwear. Within seconds, they too were gone, leaving both of them completely naked. Narcissa's eyes fell to Lucius' semi-erect penis, and she felt her body shiver. He was bigger than she had expected. She cast her mind back to that Christmas break when she had felt him grow against her leg, and ever since she had wondered how well-endowed he was. Now she had the answer. Very.

“Are you alright?” Lucius placed his fingers underneath Narcissa's chin, tilting her head back so his eyes met hers. He looked concerned, worried, as if he sensed Narcissa's anxiety.

“Yes,”

“You do not have to do anything you do not want to.”

“Lucius, darling, do not worry. I am fine, I promise you. I am just a little nervous, that is all.”

Lucius did not have high expectations, but he was astonished when he felt Narcissa take him in her mouth without hesitation. She was inexperienced, but she seemed to have a natural affinity for oral sex. As Narcissa varied her speed, Lucius could feel himself starting to fluster. He began to move his hips back and forth ever so slightly, but Narcissa was undeterred. She was determined to give Lucius the same care and attention he had given to her only minutes before.

As Narcissa moved up and down his penis, she could feel him growing inside of her mouth. She tried to cast aside any worries that she had regarding intercourse. Narcissa knew Lucius would be gentle, but she couldn't help but fear the pain. Masturbation was not something that was talked about in families, and it was not something Narcissa had practiced.

“Stop being a child about it, Cissy. If you aren't willing to take a bit of pain then maybe you shouldn't be marrying him!”

Narcissa refused to let Bellatrix cast negative thoughts into her mind. She was going to prove to everybody that she could cope, and so she put as much effort as possible into heightening Lucius' arousal.

Her legs were like jelly, but she continued to suck, varying speed and pressure. Lucius seemed very responsive to this, as Narcissa could hear slight moans escape his lips. She could feel his hand clasp the back of her head, pushing her further onto him. Narcissa could not physically take all of him, but she did as best as she could.

“Oh Narcissa...”

Narcissa loved reducing Lucius to this. She felt a sense of pride and achievement for reducing her husband to simple name-calling, accompanied by the occasional moan of approval. Despite what others believed, Lucius Malfoy was human too, and with the right person, he could unleash his warmer side. However, that person was only ever to be Narcissa. Lucius loathed humanity in general, and Narcissa was the only person he truly cherished.

She could feel him tightening up, and she knew that any minute now he'd release into her mouth. Slowing down, Narcissa delayed his release, prolonging the intimacy between them. She loved having control over him, even if it were only temporary.

“Narcissa...”

Narcissa carried on, determined to make Lucius come. She wanted him badly.

“Narcissa...stop...”

Narcissa stopped, withdrawing his penis from her mouth, looking a little deflated.

“I cannot take it anymore.”

Narcissa looked horrified. She could feel her eyes stinging.

“I want you now, my darling.”

Narcissa felt Lucius tilt back her head again as he looked deep into her eyes. He was not disappointed at all. The evidence clearly said otherwise. She had made him grow to his full length.

Lucius pushed Narcissa backwards, making her resume her lying down position on the bed. Spreading her legs, he placed his penis at her entrance as he lowered down to meet her.

“I have waited so long for this moment. I cannot take it anymore Narcissa. I want to make love to you, here and now.”

“Then do so, my love.”

“If it hurts, just tell me to stop. I will listen to your requests. I do not wish to hurt you, my darling.”

Narcissa inhaled deeply. This was it, the moment she'd give her virginity to Lucius. She couldn't have hoped for a better person to take her innocence, but it did not stop her from being nervous.

“Do not be nervous, it will only intensify the pain. Just relax, Narcissa. I will be gentle, I promise.”

“I trust you Lucius, I trust you completely.”

Narcissa brought her head up to kiss Lucius one last time. He could feel her shaking underneath him, and he felt sorry for her. He had heard of the horror stories passed on from mother to daughter, and he firmly believed that Narcissa was terrified. Stroking her face, her looked deep into her eyes as he took hold of her right hand. She needed comfort. Lucius did not do soft, but for Narcissa, he'd do anything.

With his other hand, he aligned himself with Narcissa's entrance, and whilst keeping eye contact, he slowly entered her vagina. At first, he could feel the pressure trying to keep him out, but with a firm but slow movement, he pushed through, breaking her hymen. Gripping on his hand tightly, Lucius saw Narcissa's eyes widen in pain, and he could see the tears forming at the corner of her eyes. It was unpleasant for her, but in order to minimise her discomfort, Lucius refrained from moving. He knew that she needed to accustom to his length, and he did not want to rush her.

“Narcissa, it will be okay.” Lucius lowered his face onto hers, trying his best to comfort her.

“It stings.” Narcissa tried to fight back the tears. The pain was only to be temporary, but at that very moment, Narcissa felt she had been torn apart from the inside. Alas, it was not as bad as she had expected, but it still managed to make her eyes water.

“I promise it will all be over soon. Just breathe, it will help.”

Narcissa took Lucius' advice, inhaling and exhaling three or four times, allowing the stinging sensation to slowly ebb away. She felt full, and she feared that when Lucius would start thrusting she would be in pain once more. With her spare hand, she wiped around her vaginal opening, and when she brought her fingers to the light, she noticed blood stained on her fingertips.

Narcissa closed her eyes, counting down from ten whilst breathing in and out consistently. She did not want to disappoint. The consummation was expected to be done on the wedding night, as Narcissa wanted to stick to tradition.

After half a minute, Narcissa opened her eyes, looking directly at Lucius, his face hovering inches above hers.

“Are you okay?” Lucius asked her, looking rather vulnerable for the first time in his life. He had not expected such a reaction, but he truly loved her, and he would wait until she was ready to move on. He genuinely thought he'd injured her, even though he had been slow, only using slight force to gain entry.

“Yes Lucius.” Narcissa smiled through her tears. “Please, make love to me. I want you, my darling.”

Placing a light kiss on Narcissa's lips, Lucius started to move in and out of her, gently at first. Looking at her face, he saw that she was still in discomfort, but that was to be expected. Only when Narcissa started to become more receptive did Lucius increase the speed and depth of his thrusts.

“Kiss me, Lucius, please.”

Lucius locked his lips onto Narcissa's as he pumped in and out of her. He was sure not to move too quickly or too harshly. He wanted to make love to her, not treat her like an animal. He could feel her moaning beneath his lips, something which spurred him to continue. Readjusting their grip on one another, Narcissa placed her fingers in between Lucius', closing her fingers around his knuckles. She didn't want him to let her go for a second.

Her feelings of pain quickly transformed into that of pleasure. As her vagina expanded to accommodate Lucius, she felt the friction between them extremely delightful. Looking back, she knew she would not have been ready for this at sixteen years of age, no matter how much she thought she had been. The anxiety-provoking thoughts that had probed her mind began to fade away as Lucius continued to make love to her slowly and sensually. Narcissa started to match his rhythm, moving her hips in accordance with Lucius.

Narcissa's tight grip on Lucius' hand became loose, and Lucius took this opportunity to place his palms either side of her shoulders for support. He felt Narcissa wrap her legs around his waist and place her hands on both of his shoulders.

Lucius couldn't help but study Narcissa's facial expressions in great detail. As he moved in and out of her, she kept her eyes closed, tilting her head back ever so often and lips parting as Lucius progressed further into her. He could feel her chest rising and falling beneath him, the intensity of her breathing increasing as Lucius began to speed up. Lucius declined his head, lowering his lips onto Narcissa's, to which she immediately responded by pulling him into a passionate kiss.

“Oh Lucius...” Narcissa began to pant, feeling the wave building up once more inside her and, as a result, the rest of her sentence was an incomprehensible array of mumbles and moans.

As Lucius kept a steady rhythm, he could feel Narcissa's legs beginning to contract around his waist. Lucius struggled to hold his weight as Narcissa's involuntary movements began to pull him down towards her and moments later, he could feel her sharp nails digging into his skin. At first, Lucius winced at the pain, and a couple of nails had managed to draw blood, but the pain quickly subsided once Narcissa retracted her nails slightly.

I had never expected this to be so enthralling...

“Lucius...there are still...guests...downstairs...”

“Do not worry about them, my love. We shall not be returning this evening. They know the deed that needs to be done.”

The concerns about her parents' presence in the Manor were quickly pushed from her conscience. All Narcissa could focus on was her own excitement and the man in front of her very eyes.

“Lucius...I...”

“Narcissa...”

Narcissa brought her hands and placed them either side of Lucius' face.

“Come down to me, Lucius.”

Lucius complied, easing himself down onto his wife.

“I want us...to be together.”

“Narcissa,” Lucius brushed his cheek against Narcissa's. “You have made me the happiest man alive.” Lucius could feel the adrenalin in his body beginning to build up. “And I promise to be a good husband-”

“I know...I trust you.”

“My darling...let go...”

One final deep thrust sent Narcissa over the edge. Letting out a guttoral cry, she started to buck beneath Lucius who, merely seconds later, reached his own climax. Narcissa's legs, which were crossed around Lucius' waist, began to tighten like a vice, pulling her lower body up to meet his thrusts.

“Narcissa...”

Lucius just managed to cry out his wife's name before his mind was clouded by a pure wave of ecstasy. For a few blissful seconds, both Lucius and Narcissa were completely engrossed in one another. In that time, all their worries of the world had been forgotten whilst they rode out their respective orgasms.

Narcissa was the first to regain consciousness, but only by a couple of seconds. Resting her head back down on the pillow, she admired her husband's face as he came back round, his eyes, now wild and attentive, finding hers immediately.

Neither said a word. Eventually, Narcissa smiled at Lucius and gently brought his lips down to meet hers, fully consummating their marriage.

“The deed is done, Mr Malfoy.” Narcissa said softly once her breathing had returned to normal.

“So it is, Mrs Malfoy.” Lucius smiled devilishly at her. “So it is.”

“You are tense.” Narcissa could feel the strain in Lucius' body. “You can relax. You will not hurt me, I promise. Come down to me.”

Lucius could feel his arms shaking, and at his wife's request, he lowered himself onto her, giving Narcissa the opportunity to wrap her arms around him. For so many years, she had longed for such physical intimacy, and now she was receiving it, she felt truly at peace.

“You are so beautiful,” Lucius brushed a curl from Narcissa's face. “Even when you are flustered.”

“Always charming.” Narcissa smiled, planting a soft kiss on Lucius' lips. “I can see why I married you.”

“So, was my lovemaking adequate?”
“More than adequate, Lucius. I have never felt so relieved in my entire life.”

“I can still feel your heart racing.”

“As can I with yours.”

“I love you, Narcissa, more than anything in this whole world. I want you to remember that. Even if we fight, I want you to remember that I still love you.”

Narcissa placed her hands on either side of Lucius' face, not breaking eye contact with him.

“I will always remember. Meus in Aeternum, Lucius Malfoy.”

“Mea in Aeternum, Narcissa Malfoy.”
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To Have And To Hold