Sacrificium

III

It was difficult to describe the array of emotions that accosted Alexandria at the sight of the boy from Flourish and Blotts.

The primary of which was undeniably shock, followed quickly by annoyance and ending resolutely with dread.

She stared at the blonde boy, astounded by his very presence. Her heart was beating unevenly whereas her breathing had ceased completely. He was wearing a dark suit, the fringe of his hair dipping into his line of sight. Somewhere in the back of her head, she thought he looked even better than he had in Flourish and Blotts. The thought irritated her to no end.

She thought she would love to punch him, then lamented that she'd never get the opportunity. He seemed to be suffering through the same barrage of emotions as her if the dread written across his features was any indication.

Alexandria forced herself to put this all aside, however, when her father began speaking.

"Lucius!" he greeted with a wide smile, stepping forward to shake a tall man's hand. "I haven't seen you in years."

Alexandria's gaze shifted from the blonde boy for the first time since she'd arrived. Lucius, the man who she could only assume was his father, was standing next to him. He took her father's hand and shook it, inclining his head at the greeting. On the boy's left, was a slim blonde woman. She wore a welcoming smile, her hands clasped delicately in front of her.

"Vincent," Lucius returned with a smile that was distinctly less warm than her father's.

"Allow me to introduce you to my wife," Alexandria's father gestured, presenting her mother, "Eleanor."

Her mother stepped forward, shaking Lucius's hand with a smile. The corners of her eyes crinkling with well-kept anxiety.

"And this is my daughter," her father turned, smiling at her proudly. "Alexandria Rosier."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Malfoy," Alexandria greeted with a practiced smile, bowing her head in respect.

"Far from it," Lucius returned. "The pleasure is all mine, I'm sure."

Alexandria wished she knew how to blush on command. It would have made her bashful smile all the more convincing.

To her luck, Lucius didn't seem to care, moving on. "This is my wife, Narcissa," he indicated with a wave of his arm. "And this is my son, Draco."

Draco, Alexandria repeated to herself. It was certainly an unusual name. She was unsure how she felt about it.

"Nice to meet you," Draco greeted, a smug smile pressed into his lips.

No, she knew exactly how to feel about it. She hated it.

The Malfoy's invited them to take a seat in their sitting room which her parents happily obliged. There, they spoke generally of the economy and the political state of England.

Alexandria tried to listen—she really tried, but it was utterly boring. They didn't linger on any interesting topic for more than a minute and seemed intent on discussing everything in riddles. Instead, she found her eyes exploring the room, cataloging the opulent decor and dull color palette. She didn't know much about interior decoration, but she was convinced this room was designed with the sole purpose of making its inhabitants as uncomfortable as possible.

"Alexandria," a stately voice ended her tirade.

"Yes," she glanced up to find Narcissa watching her sympathetically.

"I'm sure we're boring you with all our talk," she laughed. The sound was soft and delicate, but Alexandria thought she heard the glimmer of anxiety behind it.