DISCLAIMER: JKR OWNS EVERYTHING

1,000-something words! I feel so accomplished! This is my first Harry Potter fanfiction. On top of that, I had a deadline! I do apologize for any spelling mistakes or plain old god-your-story-sucks problems in advance.

I hope you enjoy!

five.

Narcissa's relationship with Bella falters when Meda runs off with that filthy mudblood.

She doesn't mind.

She's got her books, dreams, and wishes.

It doesn't matter.

four.

Ten past noon.

He's late.

He's an hour and fifteen minutes late.

The Three Broomsticks isn't that far. Surely he got caught up with something. Or maybe he got in trouble with a teacher.

Her skirts swish back and forth in the wind and she shivers despite her growing rage.

No.

He stood her up.

How...how dare him!

"Damn your family, damn your eyes, damn your gorgeous auburn hair, damn you, Oscar Parkinson! I hope you never see the light of day again, I hope you are banished into the eternal flames of hell to rot!" she growls. She might not be the prettiest or the smartest in the family, but in the end, she still is a Black. And Blacks have their pride, no matter what or who they were. She'll get her revenge on him. Severus would be glad to help her. He never liked Oscar anyways; he was much too keen on making fun of him.

"You shouldn't be so angry, you'll attract the Wrackspurts." a voice says. She looks up to glare at the new pest, thinking it to be one of Oscar's dumb friends. Instead, she sees a gangly boy with raggedy blonde hair and eyes like endless night skies, framed by golden lashes. His coat flutters in the wind, his scarf of yellow and black following after it.

"What do you want, Hufflepuff?"

"Nothing, really. I'm just saying you shouldn't...be like that. Wrackspurts are attracted to that kind of attitude. They're bothersome creatures and people should avoid them as much as possible. I'm still looking for the pair of shoes they stole from me a week ago! I'm trying to make an invention so people can see them. It's coming along quite well, actually!" He smiles at her and he shines despite the cloudy skies and the hidden sun. He continues talking about narlies or wracksprouts or crumpled horse-somethings. It doesn't matter what he's talking about. She's having a good time and she doesn't mind that people are giving her weird looks when she enters The Three Broomsticks with him.

"My name's Xenophilius Lovegood. What's yours?"

"Narcissa Black."

"Nice to meet you, Narcissa."

Today's looking up.

three.

Bella storms through the halls, a wicked gleam in her eye. Students scramble at the sight of her and she smirks, reveling her power. She finds her younger sister sitting under a tree, a large book in her hands.

"Cissy, what is this thing I hear about you and Loopy Lovegood?" Bella sneers. Narcissa looks up, her eyebrows scrunched up and her mouth turned down.

"Lovegood...Loopy...Loopy Lovegood...oh! Are you talking about Xeno?"

"On a first name basis, eh?"

"Yes. He is my friend." Narcissa says, glaring at her sister. She slams her book shut and crosses her arms. "Is there are problem?"

"Is there a problem?" Bella mocks. "Is there a problem? Why of course there is! He, that raving lunatic of Hufflepuff, has no connections, no power, and no wealth! It doesn't if he's a pure-blood. If you get any closer to him, you'll just turn out to be like our stupid bloodtraitor of a sister! You better watch yourself, Cissy, or you'll be disowned too! The Blacks need no more disgraces!"

"But...but," Narcissa whispers, her voice quavering. Bellatrix grins in triumph and walks away, off to scare more unsuspecting students.

"I'm sorry you had to go through that." It is the voice of Lucius Malfoy, the Slytherin Seeker. He takes her hand in his and places a soft kiss on her knuckles. "If you ever need help managing, I am always free." Her cheeks turn pink and her mouth dries up. He chuckles and saunters off, his friends looking over his shoulder at her, the wide-eyed younger sister of Bellatrix Black.

And somewhere in her heart, something changes.

two.

Lucius Malfoy asks for permission to court her on a Friday. He asks for her hand in marriage on a Saturday. Her father finally approves on a Sunday. She agrees herself on a Monday. Melanie Greengrass and Apollyne Flint come on a Tuesday so they could giggle and gossip over tea. And it goes on like this, down to the Thursday on which she has her wedding planned.

Lucius is a gentleman. He is always courteous and never talks about fanciful things like Nargles and Blibbering Humdingers. And of course, she loves him. She loves him and she wishes to spend the rest of her life with him. She needs someone who can keep up with her, someone who does not stop to look at the flowers, someone who always thinks she is special and one of a kind.

She wants to be loved.

And if there is a possibility for that to happen, she will throw away all her books, dreams, and wishes.

So she does.

one.

Severus has been ignoring her. It bothers Narcissa more than it should, but he is the first friend she's ever made and she doesn't plan on losing him. She finally tracks Severus down with the help of Xeno and finds him lurking in one of the many halls of Hogwarts.

"Severus, what's wrong?"

"You - you're with him. Malfoy. Don't talk to me, you...you traitor!" he sneers. Snape storms off, knocking over a few students while doing so. Xenophilius rushes to her side and pats her on the back.

"Everything's going to be alright in the end, Narcissa. You'll sort things out."

"Yes...I hope." She swallows the knot in her throat and ignores the little drops of liquid dripping from her eyes.

"No, no! I bet all my writings on it! Everything's going to fine and dandy. No need to doubt!" he says, conviction in his voice. His eyes shine like her mother's jewelry under the dimly light halls and her heart flutters under her chest. She might be in love. She might be in love with the resident eccentric and she might want to run off into to the sunset with him like the dreamer she is, but she is a Black and soon-to-be Malfoy and her wishes are long gone, along with her small flights of fancy. Narcissa looks away, a sad smile on her face.

"I never doubted you for a second."

zero.

"Time goes by fast, doesn't it, Xeno?"

"Yes. It sure does." He looks preoccupied, but he is certainly paying attention. With all his intelligence and wit, she always thought he would've been a better fit in Ravenclaw.

"You're graduating in...A month? Less?" she says and he nods. "And then you're going to start working on your tabloid, right?" He smiles and nods even more vigorously, a twinkle in his eyes. A sick feeling washes over her. She can't do this right now, she needs time. But oh, she's already had over a month to tell him and -

"I'm getting married to Lucius, Xeno." she blurts out. His steps falter and she immediately wants to hit herself in the head when the stars in his eyes disappear and he's looking at the floor with such intent as if he just saw the ever-elusive Wrakspurts. She can't help it if she loves Lucius Malfoy more.

"The sun's setting already, huh?" he murmurs. She doesn't understand what he's saying but she nods anyways, tears springing up to her eyes, threatening to fall. His lips curl up into a grin and she smiles back at him, because right now she's just a girl who happens to be 'not really special' and he's just a boy who has big dreams of making a difference.

"I'll never forget you, Narcissa soon-to-be Malfoy."

"And I you, Loopy Xenophilius Lovegood."

She never sees him again.

Thanks for reading!