Hey, Soul Sister [Lucius/Narcissa]

Chapter Fourteen

The fire had long-since burned out by the time Lucius finally accepted that he wouldn't be able to keep his eyes open for much longer. He lay on his side, watching the peaceful expression that had taken over Narcissa's face and the steady rise and fall of her chest with her breath, and he wondered whether he should disturb her. She'd been wide awake when she'd entered his dormitory and led him to the Common Room, but an hour or so after they'd leaned back on the cushions to talk more comfortably, she'd closed her eyes in the middle of one of his Quidditch stories and had faded into sleep. He hadn't been certain how long this would last, but judging by how perfectly still she had been ever since, she needed the rest.

He carefully slipped his hand from hers and sat up, drawing her into his arms and attempting not to jostle her more than absolutely necessary as he got to his feet. Lucius kept his footsteps as quiet as possible as he wove through the dungeons and to the proper dormitory. He said a silent prayer of thanks when he observed that the rest of the girls were asleep, and he laid Narcissa down gently on her bed, pulling the blankets up over her before returning to his room.

***

"So are you planning to tell us where you snuck off to, last night?"

"Nope." Lucius smirked, taking a bite of toast and ignoring the glares from across the table. It was really none of Walden's or Augustus's business, but he knew they weren't likely to abandon their curiosity anytime soon. He had to admit, he was enjoying keeping them uninformed. This wouldn't last, he knew; among the things he and Narcissa had discussed before she'd fallen asleep the previous night had been the idea that they would have to be open with their friends about their relationship sooner or later. Until then, though, it felt rather liberating to have secrets from these two who knew next to everything else about him.

Lucius scratched unconsciously at the place beneath his sleeve where he bore the image of a skull devouring a serpent. The Dark Mark may have tied him to the boys sitting across from him at the Slytherin table, but at the moment, he was much more excited about the connection solidified by the lioness on his back.

"I thought you were asleep, anyway, when I left," he said.

Walden shrugged, throwing back the remainder of his glass of juice and setting it down loudly on the table. "All I know is I woke up from a very confusing dream with questions for you and you weren't there."

Lucius raised a brow. "What were your questions?"

"Don't ask him," said Augustus, grimacing as he shook his head. "It's a complete waste of time. He woke me up with them when you weren't there, and I'm still not convinced he wasn't drunk."

"Are you, in fact, secretly a member of the Holyhead Harpies?" asked Walden, his voice low and conspiratorial.

Lucius choked on his toast, and Augustus snorted.

"You do realize, Walden," said Lucius, "that only women play for the Harpies?"

Walden frowned. "I thought that was more of a precedent than an actual rule."

"You're mental." Lucius rolled his eyes. "And when would I have time to get to Wales?"

"Told you," said Augustus, "trying to make sense of him is a waste of time."

"I could've told you that," said Lenore, sitting down on Walden's other side with a grin at the same moment Narcissa settled into the seat next to Lucius.

"You haven't seemed to mind," said Walden, raising a brow at Lenore.

Lucius tuned them out, looking to Narcissa with a smile. "Morning," he said.

"Good morning." She returned his smile and then leaned in a bit closer to speak more quietly, her long hair brushing his arm. "I'm fairly certain I didn't wake in the same place I fell asleep. Thanks for that. You could've woken me, though."