Woman Scorned

don't say "no"

"You must come out to see him. He refuses to leave."

"I won't."

Narcissa Black was a stubborn woman. Beautifully stubborn. She came from a proud family of purebloods and Slytherins. She wasn't about to give in to a man just because he had power.

"He's threatening to use blackmail."

"We've already lost everything, Andromeda!" Narcissa spun around to face her sister. She was crying silently. They both were. "What more can he take from us? And you're scared--"

Andromeda looked up.

"You're scared that he'll take more from us! He made ten months of my life not worth remembering." Narcissa collapsed into the red armchair beside the fire.

"He can get the Ministry away from Father and Bellatrix."

Narcissa looked up, her cold eyes puffy from the crying.

"I'm not presentable," she said simply.

"He won't care, Narcissa. He loves you."

"If he loved me he would have let me alone. If he loved me, I wouldn't have had to spend every moment I was with him worrying about if he was going to turn around and hit me because I wouldn't--" She paused, struggling for words. "Because I wouldn't let him touch me!"

"Think of Bellatrix. Think of Father, Narcissa. Do they mean nothing to you?"

"What about me?" Narcissa stood up, almost spilling the armchair into the fire behind her. "Don't you care for my happiness? Don't you care that he'll beat me!"

"He won't leave. At least talk to him."

"And what? Waste another day of my life to his wretched self?"

"Narcissa..."

She looked over at Andromeda. Narcissa knew that Bellatrix and her father were in dire need of escape from the Ministry, and the man did have connections with the Minister for Magic.

But she could not do that. She could not bring herself to love him. Not even look at him after what he had done to her. His smug smile as he placed her hand on his crotch. His evilly glittering eyes as he touched her breasts, painfully squeezing them. She could remember all those nights like a nightmare pursuing a dreamer.

And yet, here stood Andromeda, her own sister, asking Narcissa to throw away her life for Bellatrix and Father because they had broken the law.

Damn them all.

She hated him.

But Andromeda's eyes made her feet move reluctantly towards the door through which the bastard stood, waiting. How could he want to see her after what he had done to her? How could he look at her and not think of himself as a sinner?

Her trembling hand paused at the doorknob when she turned around for reassurance from Andromeda, finding only her back turned towards her.

Traitor.

Narcissa seethed with hatred for her sister.

For Lucius.

For her father and Bellatrix for getting themselves into this mess.

Damn them all.

And here she was, paying for the idiots.

With a deep breath, the heavy, mahogany door was slowly pushed open and Narcissa took a step inside, her proud head held high.

She was a Black, and he was nothing but a Malfoy.

Her cold eyes pierced him with a stunning gaze, but he did not flinch nor move. His white hair was tied back in a pony tail with a black ribbon and he looked down his nose at her as if she was something he craved to devour.

"Mr Malfoy," she said, with an expression on her face as if there were something very disgusting under her nose.

"Have a seat, Narcissa," he said.

How she loathed him.

"I'm fine standing, thank you."

"Suit yourself."

There was a pause before Narcissa took a seat, feeling very silly. "What is it you want, Mr Malfoy?"

The moment she finished saying his name, he took three big steps and cleared the room until he was leaning over her, supporting himself by the arms of her chair. His stench was infuriating, but Narcissa only politely turned her head from him. He grabbed her face and twisted her head to look at him before roughly kissing her, his tongue prying her mouth open and exploring it like a foreign invader immediately after having destroyed the enemies battalion.

She could feel his passion in the eagerness with which he kissed her, before he thankfully withdrew, her red lipstick smeared stupidly across his face.

"I think you know exactly what I want, Narcissa. I can get the Ministry away from your father and your sister. All I ask for..." He paused for effect.

She looked away from her hands up at him.

"Is you."

She licked her dry lips nervously. There were so many things she wished to say to him.

How dare you show me your face again?

I hate you more than my father hates the Ministry.

A Dementor cannot bring me such pain as you have.

Or perhaps she could scratch out his stupid gray eyes.

But instead, she bowed her head and nodded, tears streaming down on her face.

Lucius Malfoy got down on one knee and opened a small black velvet box which encased a diamond ring bigger than she had ever seen.

"Narcissa Black, will you marry me?"