The Potion Master's Apprentice (A Severus Snape love story)

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Thirteen

Narcissa picked the delicately embroidered dressing gown from the crumpled bed sheets. Sighing, she threw it over one arm and went to leave the room, no doubt to shout at Florence for messing up her immaculate and beautiful house.

But something stopped her. A light fluttering noise alerted her that she had dropped something, something she didn't even know she had picked up. Turning the note over in her hand, her sharp blue eyes flicked quickly to the side as she read the neatly printed letters littering the small sheet of parchment. A small gasp escaped her tightly pursed lips as the meaning behind the scarce words began to sink in.

Lucius glanced up from the newspaper that lay attentively open in his lap as he heard loud, echoing footsteps. Narcissa stumbled across the vast room, heels rapping repetitively against the gently groaning floorboards. His look of annoyance soon turned to one of confusion as Narcissa threw herself at him, wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her head in his chest.

"Narcissa, sweetheart, what's wrong?" He whispered, moving over in the cramped black armchair so she could perch beside him. Over her head he made a distressed face, causing the girl hiding in the corner to shake with laughter. She had only just managed to hide before her lover's wife had come in in floods of tears.

"It's Florence." She choked and Lucius frowned. His distaste for the woman had been clear ever since they had first met, back when they were only teenagers.

*~*~*~*

The young girl watched with a mild curiosity as the group of Seventh year Slytherins walked aggressively over to her. Tucking a strand of glossy, chestnut hair behind her ear she smirked slightly as one blond haired boy came to stop in front of her, the rest of the group backing him up protectively.

"You, what's your name?" He growled and her smirk grew into a fully fledged grin.

"And why should I tell you that Malfoy?" She purred, pulling herself to her full height that was surprisingly quite tall. She was still short compared to Lucius, however, as he loomed over her, twisted smile on his pale features.

"Because I asked you." He sneered and she laughed softly, watching his face contort with anger. He hadn't been questioned before. Well, he had, but it hadn't lasted long, and the person wasn't as defiant as she was.

"I've known you for five years Malfoy, yet you still don't know my name." She smirked and his lip curled with disgust.

"Who are you, to talk to me like that?" He hissed, stepping forwards and blocking off her only escape route; the other Slytherins were surrounding her comfy armchair in the corner of the library and she felt her confident facade slip slightly.

On the surface she seemed a timid girl, constantly fiddling with the cuff of her left sleeve and nibbling her bottom lip until it bled. But her sparkling green eyes glimmered with excitement and mischief as her fingers slipped gently around her wand.

"Who are you-" She stabbed her finger into his chest. "To intimidate me?" Quirking her eyebrow she heard the barbed and slightly threatening comments flittering around the rest of the group.

"How dare she!" One girl hissed, gripping a boy's arm tightly as her eyes narrowed with loathing.

"Filthy little half-blood." A particularly mad-haired witch snarled, causing the bright eyed girl to laugh chillingly.

"My blood is as pure as yours, Black." She snapped and the girl scowled profusely. She turned her attention back to Lucius, who was beginning to turn a vivid crimson, and smiled menacingly.

"I suggest you get your disgusting little hands off me." He growled, hand clenched tightly around his wand that he had now brought up to her throat. The other Slytherin's copied, smirking triumphantly as the girl stumbled backwards slightly before regaining her stature.