Toxic Envy

A/N: I actually wrote this a long time ago but didn't get past chapter 2. I thought I'd post it here and see if a little feedback could help me start writing again. :)

Tea parties.

Another excuse to gather wives of men in important positions to gossip, talk about fashion, gossip, eat no more than two biscuits (they had figures to watch), gossip, compliment the hostess' lovely home, socialize and, of course, gossip. Tea parties were all in the life of a lady of the high society. Ladies' like Narcissa Malfoy.

Raising the teacup to her lips, she sipped at the warm liquid to hide the bored look on her face. She was standing outside the chattering crowd for once but unlike others she did it out of her own free will. Normally she didn't have anything against tea parties but this one happened to be the most boring one in a long time. The hostess, Mrs LaSalle, couldn't help it but she had set the date at the completely wrong time, as this was the fourth tea party Narcissa had attended this month. Therefore, there was no new gossip and one could only talk about Tribbiani's new fall collection a certain amount of times.

"Hello Narcissa, it's so nice to see you again."

Narcissa turned left and saw a rose-cheeked woman in her early forties standing next to her with a broad smile on her lips. Narcissa quickly put on a delighted expression on her face and put down the teacup on the saucer she was holding with her other hand. She had done the expression so many times on command that nowadays she didn't even have to think before doing it.

"Ophelia, it's been so long," Narcissa answered in a sickly sweet voice and exchanged airy kisses on the cheek with Ophelia. "What took you so long to come?"

"Oh, my sister had to run some errands first and it took a little longer than we had expected," Ophelia explained, still smiling so wide that Narcissa wondered if her jaw would hurt from it. "Speaking of her, there she is."

It was good that Ophelia looked away that moment, because otherwise she might have seen Narcissa's friendly face go from friendly to horrified and irritated. Although she reverted back to the friendly face, she didn't do it on the inside. Narcissa felt her stomach turn over at the sight of Olivia Crawford, Ophelia's "thirty something", unmarried sister.

Don't come here, Narcissa prayed when Ophelia waved at her sister. God, please don't let her come here.

Apparently she had been an atheist too long for prayers to work. Olivia acknowledged Ophelia's wave and started to head towards them. Narcissa forced herself to look happy at the sight of Olivia. In reality, the only time she would be happy to see Olivia was if Olivia's picture happened to be in the obituary section in the Daily Prophet.

"Olivia, you have met Narcissa before, haven't you?" Ophelia said to her sister.

The look Olivia gave Narcissa reminded her exactly why she hated the woman so much. She was overcritical, never had anything good to say, not to mention that she threw herself at anything that was male and moved.

"Yes, we have met before," Olivia responded with a smile that read "fake" in shining, flashing letters. Narcissa could recognize one of those smiles from a mile's distance. *She* had invented those fake smiles, for crying out loud.

"It was at Mrs Fudge's party a couple of months ago, wasn't it? And then at the Winslets?"

Yes, I should have learned not to let history repeat it self, Narcissa wanted to say badly.

"Yes, absolutely right," she said instead and flashed another fake smile as she shook hands with Olivia. "I heard you two went to Italy this summer?"

"Well, my husband and my nanny could take care of the children on their own..." Ophelia began.

Idiot, Narcissa thought and sipped her tea again, pretending to look interested.

"...so me and Olivia went to Venice to two weeks," Ophelia went on. "Oh, Livvie broke so many hearts down there!"

"Oh stop it, Ophelia!" Olivia said, but started to laugh.

When Ophelia started to laugh as well Narcissa made some half-hearted attempt at chuckling but for the life of her, she couldn't see what was so funny about it. However, the thought of shoving the teacup in Olivia's thin neck was somewhat amusing.

"Oh, I must go and say hello to Mrs Keating," Ophelia said, breaking off the annoying laughter. "Excuse me girls, I'll be right back."

She walked past Narcissa and Olivia and disappeared into the crowd of women, leaving Narcissa to think that she had been left along with the wrong sister. Although the chance she had to physically injure Olivia was somewhat bigger now that Ophelia was gone.

"So... Mrs Malfoy," Olivia began, turning to Narcissa. "What have you been up to lately?"

Looking for a potential lover, sent my son to a school that's run by a man who hasn't shaved in decades, plotting your demise and laugh at anyone who says that you're a natural blonde. Peachy keen.

"Oh not much," Narcissa replied, sipping at her tea again. It was lukewarm. "I've been looking around in Hogsmeade for some new garden furniture, I'm starting to tire of those we have."

"Oh yes... of course you'd be spending time in Hogsmeade."

Narcissa almost frowned, but it was a habit she was trying to quit as frowning could cause wrinkles. She eyes Olivia suspiciously because the way Olivia had spoken clearly revealed that she wasn't thinking about garden furniture.

"What do you mean?" Narcissa asked.

"Well, everyone knows," Olivia told in a rather stuck up tone that Narcissa definitely didn't like. She didn't like the look in Olivia's eyes, one that seemed triumphant at the fact that she knew something Narcissa didn't. "Your husband has visited Hogsmeade quite often lately. Especially a woman who lives in the outskirts."

Narcissa was at a loss of words. Her eyes narrowed slightly and she looked nothing but shocked. Olivia almost looked proud when she saw it, thinking that she had finally been able to say something that had gone through Narcissa Malfoy's defence mechanism and struck her. But the feeling of pride didn't last for long. Only a few seconds after receiving the news Narcissa's face was back to normal. She even put on a real, amused smile.

"You know..." Narcissa started, loud enough for a couple of people around them to hear. "I think you should get your own husband instead of keeping tabs on mine. God knows it would be about time. Then again... why get your own husband when you can simply borrow someone else's like you always do?"

This time it was Olivia's turn to be shocked and at a loss of words. She gaped, then closed her mouth and clearly showed a face of anger. That only made Narcissa's smile widen. She placed her teacup at a tray that a servant was holding. Then she turned to Olivia again, who still hadn't changed expression or come up with anything to say. Narcissa wanted to laugh out loud at her.

Yes, that will teach you not to mess with me, she thought, pleased with herself.

She left Olivia to gape and stare and walked over to Mrs LaSalle, the hostess of the party. Mrs LaSalle seemed to almost be at loss of words herself, no doubt because she had heard the last couple of sentences that Narcissa had said.

"I am so sorry, Pauline," Narcissa apologized sweetly. "But I have to head home and prepare for something. Please excuse me, it's been a wonderful party."

Wonderful, indeed.

"Oh yes, of course," Mrs LaSalle answered smiling. But then she leaned a little closer to Narcissa and spoke in a hushed voice. "Is it really true... what you said about Olivia Crawford?"

It took all of Narcissa's willpower to not smile.

"Ask your husband."

Stepping out of the fireplace, Lucius Malfoy made a face as he saw his clothes covered with ashes. He brushed it off his sleeves although he doubted that it would come off so easily. One of the servants would have to wash it for him later. He looked forwards and felt relief as he saw his favourite room in the Malfoy manor, his private study. Decorated in dark colours and wood, it was within these walls that he didn't have to beware of watchful eyes or enemies.

Which is why it made no sense at all why his wife was there.

Narcissa was sitting in an armchair to his right, with one leg over the other and a glass filled with a mysterious liquid that he strongly suspected was alcohol, balanced between three fingers. She was wearing a dark robe that almost blended with the colour of the chair. It covered her entire body except for her hands and head, but it was so tight that it clung to her like a second skin. Narcissa sipped at her drink but didn't take her eyes off Lucius.

"Been out?"

"Yeah," Lucius murmured in response. He stepped a little further from the fireplace, or more importantly, from her. He glanced at Narcissa and the smile on her face revealed the fact that she was pleased that she had managed to catch Lucius off guard.

"Were you at Nott's?" she asked and cast a look at his dirty clothes. "My, his servants have really neglected cleaning out the fireplace since last time you flooed from there. Of perhaps you took a turn to Hogsmeade before coming home?"

"Hogsmeade?" Lucius repeated, looking curiously at Narcissa.

What was the crazy woman thinking about now? He waited for her to say something but her silence made him assume that she was giving him a chance to figure out what this was all about. Despite the obvious hint, it took him a few seconds before he figured it out. Rolling his eyes, Lucius turned his back to her and walked over to his desk.

"It's 1 a.m., Narcissa," he said, putting his cane on the desk and pulling the dark gloves off his hand. "Shouldn't you be in bed?"

"Yes, but I've find being up a little better," Narcissa replied with a smile. "Like you, I've discovered that our bed has been cold and rather unsatisfactory lately."

"Please," Lucius said mockingly and turned to her. "Like you haven't had dozens of affairs with Fabrizio from Italy and other foolish young men."

"It was Franco," Narcissa corrected and put away her glass on a table. She rose from the armchair and walked over to Lucius, moving with the grace of a majestic cat in the tight robe she wore. "And I'm not the one who's flaunting my conquests. I don't need to hear about the Hogsmeade slut from gossiping cows over tea and biscuits."

"Then perhaps your friends should find something else to talk about," Lucius snapped in a low voice. "I ended it with her months ago."

Other wives might have been relieved to hear that. Others may have cried or slapped their husband silly for being unfaithful in the first place. But not Narcissa. She just shrugged and walked back to the table to pick up her wand.

"Whatever... A little more discretion from your side wouldn't hurt. Accio coat!"

Only moments later, something black came flying through the doorway and obediently fell over Narcissa's shoulder. She adjusted the coat slightly because she started to button it.

"Where are you going?" Lucius questioned. "It's late."

"Out," Narcissa replied shortly and then disapparated from the room.

Lucius stood quietly at the same place and stared at the spot where Narcissa had just stood. What was she thinking, going out in the middle of the night? Shaking his head, he left his office and headed upstairs.

The next morning, he came downstairs in a good mood. He had woken up due to the sound of an owl pecking on the window. The owl had brought an anonymous message to him saying that one of Arthur Weasley's muggle protection laws had been stopped again. Had he received another owl saying that Sirius Black had managed to kill Harry Potter he might have actually smiled.

Lucius walked down the stairs, the serpent cane in his hand, and was in such good mood that he didn't even notice walking past a house elf. As he approached the smaller dining room, where all meals were served when they didn't have any guests, he actually considered saying "Good morning" to her. But when Lucius entered the dining room he found it empty.

Empty on people, of course. With the polished wooden furniture and beautiful cloth draped over the table it was just as extravagant as the larger dining room. Lucius' first thought was that Narcissa had already eaten but as he sat down he noticed that another plate besides his own had been set, which meant that she hadn't eaten yet.

"Edgar!" Lucius shouted and reached out for a warm croissant.

Gliding through the wall, an almost transparent ghost appeared by Lucius' side. The ghost looked incredibly gloomy, wearing a worn, dark blue suit with an equally worn tie. His face was dull and stretched as if someone had attached weights to his jaw. The ghost butler bowed to Lucius.

"Yes, sir?"

"Has my wife gotten up yet or is she still in bed with Merlin knows who?" Lucius asked and thought that he wouldn't be surprised if it turned out be the latter.

"Mrs Malfoy has left, sir."

Lucius felt a hint of surprise in him. Why would Narcissa leave the manor this early?

"Oh really? Where did she go?"

"I don't know, sir. Mrs Malfoy disapparated from the manor last night and hasn't returned since."

Lucius almost chocked on the croissant. What was that goddamn woman thinking? Had she been out all night and still no returned? Stupid, foolish woman. He wasn't worried about something happening to her, any person or creature would think twice before attacking Narcissa. What he worried about was what she could have done all night. No matter was it was, it was probably bad and the press would have a field day if they ever found out.

"Let me know when she comes back," Lucius ordered Edgar. "That will be all."

Edgar bowed again and then disappeared gliding through the wall. Lucius continued to eat his breakfast in silence, disturbed only when one of the other servants brought the morning newspaper in. Lucius put it aside to read later, the Daily Prophet only made him think about what kind of headlines it would have if they found out about Narcissa's night out.

"Malfoy wife goes wild in the Leaky Cauldron."
"Malfoy wife seen with all of Tribbiani's male models."
"Lucius Malfoy loses track of his wife."

His mind had already wandered to "Malfoy wife goes wild with male, muggle models and reveals shocking news about her husband" when Edgar suddenly glided back into the room and stopped at Lucius' side.

"What?!" Lucius snapped, irritated at Edgar's sudden intrusion.

"Sir, Mrs Malfoy has returned to the manor.

Without a word Lucius quickly rose from his seat and hurried to get out of the dining room. As he entered the hallway, he saw Narcissa walking up the stairs. Her coat hung over her arm and her hair was just a little wilder, but other than that she looked no different from when Lucius last saw her. He felt a little relieved, at least it didn't look like she had been drinking all night or something like that.

"I suppose you had fun last night?" Lucius said as he walked towards the stairs, his voice echoing slightly in hallway. Narcissa, who was on the middle of the stairs, stopped and turned around so that she could see him.

"As a matter of fact, I did," she answered and started to walk down the stairs. "Don't tell me that you stayed up and waited for me?"

"Muggles will fly before I do that," Lucius retorted, his voice sharp. "I just hope that you stay out of the press' eye."

Narcissa's left brow raised slightly and she stopped where she was, two steps above him. Their eyes locked as he looked at her. Staring into Narcissa's green eyes, Lucius remember vaguely how he fifteen years ago had stared into them and been mesmerized by them. Back then, it seemed like she was the most perfect creature on earth. Now, he knew better than to be fooled by her beauty and bewitching eyes.

She suddenly reached out her hand and brushed her fingertips against his lower jaw. Lucius flinched, it had been so long since she touched him that he had almost forgotten what it felt like. Soft, teasing and soothing in a way.

"Don't worry, darling... No one saw me."

Her voice sounded sweet. But beneath all those layers of fake sweetness was a hint of bitterness. Lucius pulled away from her, not wanting to deal with whatever negative emotion she was feeling. As he turned around and walked back to the dining room he heard footsteps behind him as Narcissa walked up the stairs.

Back inside the dining room, Lucius sat down to finish his breakfast. Raising a cup of steaming black coffee to his lips, he unfolded the newspaper. Needless to say, he almost choked for the second time in the same morning when he read the headline.

"WOMAN IN HOGSMEADE MURDERED DURING THE NIGHT!"

Suddenly, the good morning had turned bad.