Revenge Is Sweet

"I can't believe you two talked me into this again."

Andromeda Black plopped down on the arm of her sister's chair and gave her a mischievous smile. "Oh, come on, Bella! It's just a manicure!"

Bellatrix scowled at her youngest sibling. "Just a manicure? Hardly! It's torture! Who cares what my hands look like, anyway?"

"I know who cares," said Narcissa slyly from her position on the sofa. "A certain brooding, dark-haired seventh year, perhaps?"

The scowl deepened. "If you mean Rodolphus..."

"Of course I mean Rodolphus! Who else would I mean? Who else have you been swooning over for weeks?"

Bellatrix looked livid. "I have NOT been swooning! I can't believe you would--"

"Oh, come off it, Bellatrix," Narcissa said breezily. "You know you want to snog him senseless, Merlin only knows why..."

Andromeda laughed. "It's because he's just as ambitious as you, right, Bella? Has nothing to do with how dreamy he is," she teased.

Bellatrix glared. "How many times do I have to tell you not to call me Bella?"

Narcissa rolled her eyes. "Leave her alone, Bellatrix - she doesn't mean any harm." She sighed and went back to filing her nails. "Do you think this red polish is too flashy?"

"Of course it is, Narcissa! Only loose women wear that color these days!"

"Oh, shut up, Bella," Narcissa retorted. "Just because I care about my appearance and go on dates doesn't mean that I'm a floozy. For the love of Merlin! You need to lighten up!"

Andromeda moved to sit on the rug in front of the Common Room fireplace and grabbed a bottle of pink polish. "She's right, Bellatrix. Come and let me paint your nails - you'll feel more feminine."

"And why would I want to do that?"

Narcissa sighed. "Stop being so stubborn and just let her do it. It won't hurt for you to take more of an interest in your appearance. Besides," she smirked, "I bet Rodolphus would like a bit of a change."

Bellatrix tried to look angry but couldn't quite manage it anymore. She pursed her lips and reluctantly sat down in front of her youngest sister, sticking out her right hand. "Alright, you win. Have a go with that polish, if you must."

Andromeda squealed in delight. "You won't regret this, Bella! I promise!"

"Yeah, right."

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"How was your date with Narcissa?"

Rabastan Lestrange grinned at his brother. "It was great. She's quite a kisser."

Rodolphus laughed. "I guess that's why you're back so late, eh?" He pushed back the curtains on his four-poster so that he could see his twin brother more clearly. "Do you think her sisters kiss well too?"

Lucius looked up with a frown. "Good gods, Rodolphus. If you want to find out if Bellatrix is a good kisser, why don't you just go find out?"

Rodolphus glared at him. "Right, Malfoy, like it's that easy."

"Course it is," Rabastan replied with a cocky grin. "I mean, you're not as good looking as me, but..."

"Ha ha," Rodolphus laughed sarcastically. "You know I've always been the better looking twin."

Lucius pushed himself off the bed. "You're both just jealous that you're not as handsome and debonair as I am."

Rabastan laughed. "If you're the handsome one, why haven't you had a date in two weeks?"

Lucius smirked. "I've already been with all the girls who are worth it."

Rodolphus frowned. "Except for--"

"Except for Bellatrix, of course," Lucius interrupted in a patronizing tone.

"And Narcissa," said Rabastan with a wink.

Lucius grinned. "Ah, but there's still hope for that one. You'd better watch out, Rabastan, or I just might steal her away from you."

Rabastan matched his grin. "I doubt that! She's completely mad about me."

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Narcissa watched with amusement as her older sister suffered through the manicure. Bellatrix looked like she was torn between horror and enjoyment, and Andromeda looked like a kid in a candy store. Bellatrix really does need to loosen up. Rodolphus practically drools every time she's within ten feet of him. He'd drool on her if she just let him get close enough.

"Oh, come on, Andromeda!" Bellatrix was saying. "Pink? Really? Why can't I have a dark blood-red or something?"

Andromeda rolled her eyes. "Because, Bella! Pink would be beautiful with your complexion!"

Bellatrix looked horrified. "Are you mad? I do NOT look good in PINK!"

Narcissa laughed. "I bet Rodolphus thinks you do."

"I wore pink robes that one time, and only because you two dared me to do it!"

Andromeda was clutching her side in a vain attempt to contain her giggles. "Too bad Narcissa put that charm on the pictures so you couldn't burn them!"

Bellatrix drew herself up. "It's NOT funny! It was humiliating! I'm never playing Truth or Dare with you two again!"

"You're too uptight, Bellatrix," Narcissa laughed. "You should just go up to Rodolphus and tell him you want to snog him."

The color drained from Bellatrix's face. "You've got to be kidding me."

"I'm not. You really are beautiful, Bellatrix - if you would just do something with your hair once in a while, Rodolphus wouldn't be able to resist you!"

Bellatrix paused. "I don't know why you think that I want him in the first place, Narcissa," she replied unconvincingly.

"And I don't know why you keep denying it! There's no shame in fancying a boy, Bellatrix! Especially one so well-suited for you as Rodolphus!"

"Really? You think he and I are suited for each other?" Bellatrix looked uncertain for the first time that evening.

Narcissa moved to sit on the rug next to her older sister. "Of course I do. Believe me, Bellatrix, I know these things - boys really aren't that hard to figure out, you know - and Rodolphus is completely mad about you."

She watched with a satisfied smile as Bellatrix let that sink in. "So, what do I do about it?"

"Oooh, let us do your hair, Bella!" Andromeda piped up. "It will be so much fun!"

"Fun for whom?" Bellatrix snorted, but she nodded and let Andromeda set to work.

"Speaking of boys," Andromeda looked at Narcissa, "how was your date with Rabastan?"

Narcissa rolled her eyes. "I've had better. He's just so dull! All he ever wants to talk about is Quidditch! 'I just bought a new broomstick,' and 'I made fifteen goals in the last match alone'." She looked annoyed. "I saw the last game, and he never even came close to the goalposts! Dropped the Quaffle three times! I finally kissed him just to get him to shut up!"

Andromeda giggled. "And how was the kiss?"

"Better than Quidditch, I suppose. But definitely not worth raving about."

Bellatrix frowned. "You're too picky, Narcissa. For the love of Merlin, you've snogged every boy in Slytherin!"

Narcissa grinned. "Not every boy. Definitely not every boy."

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Lucius walked down to the Great Hall the next morning and took a seat at the Slytherin table. "'Morning."

Severus looked up from his porridge. "'Morning, Lucius."

Lucius poured himself a glass of juice and looked down the table. Rodolphus was staring across the table at Bellatrix, who was consumed in a book and completely ignoring him. Nott, Crabbe, and Goyle were laughing stupidly and pointing to something at the Hufflepuff table. Rabastan was sitting with Narcissa, who was telling him something, and Rabastan didn't look happy. I hope she's dumping him, he thought maliciously. He liked Rabastan, but the guy was definitely too confident of his abilities with the ladies. And besides, it was Narcissa.

Narcissa. He sighed. Good gods, she's beautiful.

He watched as she flipped her long blonde hair over her shoulder and gave Rabastan a hard look. Rabastan looked furious.

Please break up with him. Please break up with him.

Rabastan suddenly stood up and stomped towards Lucius, sitting down hard on the bench beside him. "You're not going to believe this," he raged. "Narcissa Black just dumped me! Me! I don't understand it!"

Lucius held back the grin that threatened. "Oh, that's too bad, Rabastan. What was her reason?"

"She says I'm not exciting enough for her," he huffed. "Not rich enough is what she really means. Like I'd ever marry a slut like her anyway."

Lucius knew that Rabastan was just angry, but it still took all of his self-control not to punch the guy in the face. "Yes, well, you're better off without her, mate."

"You're right about that," Rabastan snorted. "There are plenty of girls who would love to--"

"I've got to go," Lucius interrupted. "See you later."

"But you haven't eaten anything!"

"Not hungry." He stood up and left the Hall as quickly as he could.

Stupid prat. I can't believe he thinks a girl like Narcissa would actually want to be with him longer than ten minutes.

But the fact remained that Narcissa had chosen to be with Rabastan, if only for a short time. Lucius didn't want to think about it, but he couldn't stop himself. He felt his ire building up as he pictured Rabastan kissing Narcissa, putting his sleazy lips on her perfect ones. For the second time in an hour, he wanted to hit Rabastan - hard.

Lucius had had his share of women in his seven years at Hogwarts, that was for sure, but none of them even held a candle to Narcissa Black. She was everything he wanted - beautiful, sophisticated, confident, a pureblood. But there was something else about her, something that made him want to forget every other girl and focus on her and her alone.

But she had never so much as looked in his direction. She had been with as many guys as Lucius had girls, but she had never been with him. "And why is that? Because you're too much of a bloody coward to do anything about it!"

"Alright there, Lucius?"

Lucius spun around to face Rodolphus. "Fine," he snapped. "What are you doing here?"

Rodolphus ignored him. "Heard about Rabastan and Narcissa?"

Lucius scowled at him. "Yes," he hissed. "So what?"

"So, now you can make a move."

"And why would I want to do that?"

Rodolphus sighed impatiently. "Stop pretending you don't want to shag her like everyone else has and just do something about it."

Lucius narrowed his eyes dangerously. "What are you saying, Lestrange? That I can't get Narcissa? That everyone else can, but not me?"

Rodolphus smirked. "You catch on quick, Malfoy."

Lucius was torn. He wanted to defend Narcissa's honor, but he also couldn't afford to lose face - if he admitted his feelings for Narcissa, the whole school would know within the hour, and - and she'll know. She'll know, and she'll laugh.

He cleared his throat and pushed Narcissa's face from his mind. "I could get Narcissa if I wanted her."

"Care to make a wager on that?"

"What?" Lucius was taken aback. "Are you serious?"

"Very," Rodolphus smirked. "I'll bet you three hundred galleons that you can't shag Narcissa by the end of the month."

"The end of the month? That's only two weeks from now."

Rodolphus nodded. "Those are the terms. Do we have a deal?"

Lucius hesitated for a moment, and then took his friend's outstretched hand. "Deal."