Becoming Beta

Chapter 24

A/N: Big thanks to guest beta Mahawna! My normal beta, brownlark42 has a busy few weeks ahead of her and was unable to get a chance to look at it.

Narcissa wasn't sure what she had been thinking following the werewolf's latest visit to her solar. She was avoiding the room now, and instead kept to the family wing. She would do anything to keep her son alive, she knew that. It wasn't so much that she regretted the sex. What concerned her more, was how much she had enjoyed it. She and Lucius hadn't had sex in years. She had almost forgotten how great sex was. She didn't know what it meant for her now that she was filled with that need again.

Since that afternoon, she had felt a sexual awakening. She had repressed that side of herself for so long and now with the Dark Lord taking up residence in her own home, how could she even think of sex? But now, now she remembered the thoughts and feelings and emotions that came with it. She couldn't stop thinking about it. Sex. The proper, well-bred, pure-blood little girl inside her was disgusted at the thought of having slept with a revolting werewolf. The woman in her wanted to do it again. Narcissa shook her head. She had bigger problems to worry about than her sex-life.

A knock sounded at the door to her sitting room, "Come in," she called out as she refreshed the tea pot. Her sister waltzed through the door, leading Rodolphus by the hand behind her. Narcissa gently rubbed her temple with her fingertips. She wasn't sure she could deal with Bella's antics today. At least Rodolphus was here to rein her in when she became too overbearing, too crazy, just too everything.

"Cissy!" Bella shrieked and cackled loudly. She skipped into the room, her wild black curls flying about her head as she grinned maniacally.

"Bella, dear, how are you?" Narcissa asked and indicated the couple should sit. Narcissa kept her face neutral and pleasant. It was always the best way to deal with Bella when she was riding her manic high. Rodolphus remained standing and turned his back on the sisters. Smart man, Narcissa thought as he waved his wand and a small silencing spell settled over him.

"Oh, you know me, Cissy," Bella smirked at her. Narcissa smiled back faintly. Unfortunately, she did know her sister all too well. She poured tea for Bella and handed her the cup. Narcissa was the youngest of the Black sisters and Bella always liked to lord over how much older, and therefore, wiser she was. The indulgent smile Bella gave Narcissa as she handed her the teacup made Narcissa want to hex her sister. Instead, she smiled blandly.

"Yes, well, what is it I can do for you, Bella?" Narcissa asked.

"The Dark Lord," Bella almost moaned out and paused as if she relished saying the name and Narcissa had to suppress a shudder, "has asked that I help you plan the festivities for the New Year Revel." Narcissa knew of her sister's sexual attraction to the Dark Lord and couldn't understand it. Maybe during the first war, when he looked like a man it was more obvious. He had been a good looking man at that point in time. But now? This snake-like, gray-skinned creature that lived in her house wasn't even reminiscent of a human being. At least not in Narcissa's eyes. How anyone could be physically attracted to him was beyond her.

"Revel? I thought it was to be a ball," Narcissa asked. The Malfoy's had always hosted both a Christmas Eve Ball and a New Year's Eve Ball. The Christmas Eve Ball was generally a smaller, more intimate gathering. Sacred Twenty-Eight only. The New Year's Eve Ball was open to the wizarding public. Advertisements were put out in the Daily Prophet and anyone could come. Clearly, that was going to change this year. Narcissa had no plans to invite the wizarding public to what was going to be a deeply horrific function.

"Oh, no. Not a mere ball, dear Cissy. We have planned all manner of dark and dirty deeds for that night," Bella whispered insidiously. Narcissa worked to suppress the shudder of revulsion that threatened to overtake her. "It is quite an auspicious night after all," Bella continued in a prim, pure-blood tone. She tossed her hair over her shoulder and offered a wink to Narcissa. Narcissa smiled that bland smile she had perfected over the last year or so, to cover her displeasure and disgust with the current topic being expressed.