Backstory - Riches have never fascinated me, unless combined with the greatest charm or distinction.

[byrightsinhell]

The restaurant is elegant and simple, the kind lit by candles and without prices on the menu. It's a wizarding establishment, of course, a few streets away from the bustle of Diagon Alley. Lucius is quite pleased with himself as he selects his entrée. He hadn’t seen Narcissa Black on a regular basis since graduation, and when he had seen her in passing, there had generally been little time to study her. Now he had her to himself for the evening, and he was more and more certain he had made an excellent choice in pursuing her more seriously. The three years since he’d graduated had been kind to her; they’d certainly gotten a few discreet stares as he’d escorted her in. He’d given a lot of thought to what sort of woman he would settle down with, and Narcissa had so far done nothing but reinforce his initial thoughts on the matter.

She was, he admitted, a far cry from the girls he had been seeing. But then, what he looked for in a wife and what he looked for in a romantic partner were somewhat different. And it was time to settle down. For one thing, it would relieve him of middle aged witches throwing their daughters at him like a shotput. And, perhaps a bit morbidly, the thought has crossed his mind that if the Malfoy family is to have an heir, he may not have an infinite amount of time in which to father one. The three years since graduation have changed more people than Narcissa Black, whether he admits it or not. He has no doubt that, should the courtship go as planned, Narcissa will make a good mother and will run the manor with elegance. She’d never call herself mistress of it otherwise.

Those were all thoughts for another night. He intended to enjoy dinner, and to enjoy her company.

However, once the waiter has come for their order, he’s already planned his opening question. Taking a sip of his wine with a smile, he asks, “So. May I ask why your mother spent ten minutes reassuring me that you would warm up to me if I gave you a bit of time, before you came down this evening?” His lips quirk. “I believe she used the exact phrase ‘Let her get used to the idea.’”

Comments

[byrightsinhell]

As seems to be a pattern in his interactions with Narcissa, Lucius now has to choose between being insulted and being amused. As is becoming more often the case, he settles on amused, and smiles widely. "Oh dear. What must she think I did to you, to cause such anguish?"


...whatever it was, it was not enough to keep Druella from doing her utmost to secure a good match, that was clear. Ah, family.

[vanities]

"Well, when I realized what she thought-" or rather when Druella stood outside her bedroom door insisting that the Malfoys were an acceptable family and Narcissa really ought to dry her eyes and come out, "-I simply refused to speak of it. I wonder what she does imagine offended me so badly."

[byrightsinhell]

"I fear she wouldn't mention it to me for fear of chasing me away, or I would ask her to elaborate. I suppose we will have to live without knowing." He takes another sip of wine, then asks, "You were laughing that hard?"

[vanities]

"Come now, Lucius, don't you think it's a little humorous?" Narcissa smiles over the rim of her glass, as if she might start laughing again - but doesn't, tactfully, considering he's sitting directly across from her. "All things considered."

[byrightsinhell]

"Perhaps a bit," he concedes. "And I suppose it did have the element of surprise about it."

[vanities]

"I certainly can't say that I would have guessed. Did you grow tired of having to hold up both sides of the conversation yourself?" If one didn't listen to the content of her comments, that would seem perfectly sweet in delivery.

[byrightsinhell]

"Well, I was up nights worrying about you, having to spend all that time dismissing suitors that weren't good enough for you. It seemed a waste of your energy." He smiles, a little wickedly, but says, "I thought I might save you the trouble."

[vanities]

"I wonder why that sounds so familiar," she says, feigning thoughtfulness - and then she does laugh again, shaking her head. (Of course, Narcissa had simply yanked the rug out from under him rather than offering anything. Nice girl.)

[byrightsinhell]

"I can't imagine." The retort is dry, but he's in a good mood, and that has yet to be dented.

"By the way, whatever became of that strapping Russian fellow you were stringing along your sixth year? I'm curious."

[vanities]

"Antonin? Oh, he became quite a friend of my sister and her husband." And - or so rumour has it - more a friend of Bella than Rodolphus. (If it were true, Narcissa thinks she'd know and so assumes that it isn't.) "I'm afraid my charms weren't quite so diverting as the interests the three of them share, and I daresay he hardly noticed my drifting away."

'Mutual interests' is one of the more oblique ways of referencing what shouldn't really be discussed in public, and it isn't an affair.

[byrightsinhell]

Lucius is fairly certain that only one man's opinion matters to Bellatrix these days, and while it isn't Rudolphus', it's certainly not Dolohov's either. He thinks he may have seen Dolohov, a time or two, but they were occasions involving masks, so he cannot be sure.

However, he smoothly steers the subject another direction. "Well, I suppose that's his loss. But hardly surprising, given that the two of you had so little in common to begin with." As the appetizer arrives, he adds, "In all seriousness, how have you been diverting yourself these days? Anything intriguing?"

[vanities]

The most important similarity at the time had been how pretty they both think she is; Narcissa opts not to mention that, leaving it aside as Lucius segues. "I've been traveling a little," she confides, "though not nearly so independently as I'd like to do. I went with a party of my mother's extended family and their friends- it was magnificent, although I was the very youngest in attendance and they positively doted on me."

[byrightsinhell]

"I have no doubt. Did you bring home any particularly lovely souvenirs?"

Lucius has been to France, once or twice, but it's been many years; after his father died, his mother was less interested in keeping a personal tie to the more distant branches of the family tree, trusting correspondence to be sufficient.

[vanities]

"I was rather spoiled, to tell you the truth. I very nearly didn't come back at all; I might have married an Italian wizard and stayed forever." Of course she wouldn't have done any such thing, and she says it as airily as it's meant.

[byrightsinhell]

"I hear Italy has a lovely climate." Unlike Russia, yes Lucius. "But I am sure all of England breathed a sigh of relief when you returned."

[vanities]

"You certainly have warmed to me," she says, dryly, considering him for a moment. "Dare I ask what brought on this change of heart?"

[byrightsinhell]

"Oh, Narcissa, I was never unwarm." This is, at least, partially true.

"You were still at school, and then you were on the continent and, well." He pauses, taking a thoughtful bite, then says, "You do remember my devilish schedule. The past few years, I've had little time for companions selected for more than adornment. You don't spring for caviar with guests who expect cucumber sandwiches."

[vanities]

The look she gives him - amused, a little lofty - suggests she's reinterpreting 'never unwarm' in her head, and a little more accurately. (They had such an interesting- friendship.)

"Ah, and so you were merely waiting until you had sufficient time to dedicate to me? Am I understanding you correctly, Lucius?"

[byrightsinhell]

"Perfectly. And, I suppose, if someone had come up in the interim who I thought deserved you, I might have ceded, but." But that was hardly likely, was it? "Regardless. I doubted you'd have had the patience for dallying around, so I didn't approach you until I was ready to be serious."

[vanities]

Narcissa's eyebrows rise. "Quite right. I wouldn't be at all patient with your dalliances."

There have been less tactful ways of suggesting that he ought to intend to be very, very faithful to her, but there have probably been more tactful ways, too.

[byrightsinhell]

Well, at least this way is hard to miss.

"Have I ever given you the impression that I do anything by halves, once I've decided to pursue a certain course?" It's a legitimate question, but one he is fairly confident she can answer; to a woman as bright as Narcissa, it's fairly evident which things he's actually expended effort on, despite the facade of everything coming to him without it.

[vanities]

"I seem to recall assisting you in some similar decisions," she says innocently, holding her hands back from the table when the plates for the appetizer are taken away. "But no, I would say you are quite dedicated."

[byrightsinhell]

"Ah, yes. You always did have an intriguing style of decision-making assistance, I recall. But." He leans back slightly. "We have been talking far too much about me. What about you, Narcissa? Have you thought about what it is you want?"

The question is delivered lightly, and she can leave it there if she wants, but it is genuine in its way. The marriage makes sense for a great many reasons that they're both aware of, but he'd like to know what she's thinking, if she'll tell him.

[vanities]

The question takes her almost by surprise - not that he asks but that upon second glance she thinks he's looking for an honest response. (Or as close to one as Narcissa ever gives.) Druella dotes on her youngest daughter, it's true, but she's also the last shot the Blacks have at a success and with that comes more obligation than anything else.

Something about it strikes her as amusing, and she lowers her eyes to her wine with an obscure kind of smile quirking the edges of her mouth.

"I have given it some thought," she concedes.

[byrightsinhell]

"That is not entirely surprising. I wager you give many topics some thought." Which is almost a compliment, Lucius. "But, given that the form of what we're doing makes my intentions rather clear, I'd be intrigued to know what your thoughts are, as much as you feel at liberty to share."