Bellatrix Black leaned on the banister of the balcony overlooking the entrance hall of her family home. A shadow fell over her face leaving her almost invisible to anyone looking from either above or below for, apart from her porcelain white skin, Bellatrix lived up to her name in every possible way. The black lace robes she wore clung to her lithe frame and pooled at the floor about her feet. Thick black curls fell about her shoulders and over the expanse of skin exposed by the low neckline. Her sharp collar bones match with the sharpness of her slim face and even sharper mind. A mind filled with dark thoughts and the blackest magic.

Bellatrix pursed her lips as she recalled the conversation she had just had with her mother. Apparently a mind obsessed with such dark ideals was not becoming of a lady and would never get her a husband. Like she needed one. A husband only took away your independence and the idea of love was a joke! Bellatrix only need look at what had happened to Andromeda to see that. Love had turned her soft and weak. It was a plague that distorted the mind and rid it of sense and pride. She did not need that.

A loud knock on the front door stunned Bellatrix out of the her frustration and she stood up straight at her position on the balcony and lowered her gaze so she could watch as Mitzi, the Black's house elf, rushed to open the door. The house elf bowed low as she let in the guest. 'I'll get Miz Cissy for you right away, Master Malfoy,' she gushed in her high pitched voice, running back through the hall and out of sight.

Lucius Malfoy sauntered into the hallway, an expression of smugness depicted by the slight curve of a smirk on his lips. His eyes surveyed the dim room, glancing upwards and Bellatrix felt his gaze roll over her but without seeing she was there before settling on the direction that Mitzi had run off in. Bellatrix's own black eyes looked him up and down from her vantage point as he waited for Narcissa to appear. He had a long, pointed face with hollow cheeks that were emphasised by high cheek bones and the cut of his blond hair. He was attractive, there was no doubt about it, but he looked like he had a broomstick shoved up his backside at a young age that he had never managed to dislodge. He looked like he needed to be ruffed up a bit but as Bellatrix heard footsteps growing louder along the passage below her she knew this wasn't likely to happen anytime soon. Cissy was as much on the straight and narrow as he was.

Narcissa came into view, her blonde hair flying behind her as she threw herself into Lucius' arms.

'I missed you,' she swooned, placing a soft kiss on his lips.

'I missed you too,' he replied and Bellatrix rolled her eyes. She wondered if Cissy noticed how his so sweet sentiments did not sound sincere with his low voice.

'I got you something when I visited Diagon Alley at the weekend. Wait here a moment whilst I go fetch it and then we can be off,' Narcissa said whilst beaming up at him.

Lucius nodded as Narcissa turned from him and sped up the stairs, and his eyes followed her progress. Bellatrix shifted from her spot as Narcissa approached her and Narcissa jumped, bringing a hand up to her lips and stopping still.

'Gosh, Bella, I didn't see you there,' she mumbled from behind her fingers as she composed herself. She seemed to be waiting for Bellatrix to make some sort of explanation or apology but when it became clear it was futile she sighed and continued along the balcony to climb the next flight of stairs.

Bellatrix retraced Narcissa's path down the stairs to the hall where Lucius Malfoy stood watching her.

'Enjoying yourself courting my baby sister, Lucius?' Bellatrix asked, a smirk hardly suppressed on her face as she circled around behind him.

'Is that jealousy I hear in your voice, Bella?' Bellatrix's face snapped round and her eyes flashed with fury.

'Oh please,' she replied indignantly.

'Perhaps your childish habit of spying on people from the shadows is off putting to any admirers,' Lucius suggested, a hint of laughter in the deep tones of his voice.

Lucius' eyes scanned her from head to toe and they seemed to eat her up as they did so. Bellatrix was stunned to find a shiver make its way down her spine. Perhaps she had been wrong about him. Could hunger burn so brightly in the eyes of someone who was as concerned with honour and decorum as she had previously imagined?

'You speak a lot of childishness for someone not yet out of Hogwarts. Just because you are of age doesn't mean you know the slightest thing about being an admirer.' Bellatrix moved closer to Lucius' back and tilted her head upwards to whisper the last word into his ear whilst one of her slim hands moved up his back to grip his shoulder. She felt him tense beneath her touch.

Lucius swallowed hard and turned his head to face her. His grey eyes, normally so cold, had fire in them as they stared into Bellatrix's face. Her thick lashes were lowered, hiding the truth her wide pupils would betray to him, yet he felt her gaze on his lips urging him to prove her wrong and to show just what he knew. His heart beat heavy in his chest, the loud thumping in his ears all that broke the silence in the hallway.

Bellatrix's brow furrowed and Lucius realised it was not his heart he could hear but the sound of footsteps carrying down the stairs. At the same moment that they both jumped apart from each other Narcissa appeared at the top of the staircase. She was carrying a paper-wrapped parcel and wearing a wide smile on her face.

'Let's go,' she said brightly, as she reached the bottom of the staircase and made a grab for Lucius' hand and opened the front door.

Lucius followed obligingly, making know sign to Bellatrix acknowledging what had just happened between them. As she pulled the door closed behind her Narcissa sent a scowl at Bellatrix telling her she thought that Bellatrix had been being nasty. Her muffled voice asking Lucius from beyond the door what Bellatrix had been bothering him about confirmed it.

Bellatrix exhaled heavily through her nose and turned on her heel. She swept down the corridor leading towards the back of the house and the long secluded garden. She pulled her wand from the specially made mokeskin pocket just below her right hip and gave it a flick so that the door outside flew open ahead of her. She continued to storm through the garden until she came to an iron bench partially hidden by an overgrown rose bush that bloomed happily with soft pink flowers in the late summer sun.

Bellatrix sat down fast and breathed in deeply. What had just happened? She refused to accept that Lucius Malfoy had just got her all hot and bothered. Like an arrogant seventeen year old could possibly insight feelings of desire in her. For a start she had far too much dignity to throw herself at a schoolboy. And it wasn't like she didn't have the offers from far more suitable men. She scoffed at the ridiculousness of the situation.

Clearly she had just needed the distraction. The unwanted conversation she had had with her mother was still fresh in her mind and she had only needed to prove that she was not the unwanted woman that her mother thought she was. And Lucius had proven it perfectly. But that was the end of the matter.

Despite her assurance Bellatrix sat in the garden into the early evening with her thoughts straying to Lucius again and again; of the sensation that had spread through her body as she had brushed lightly up against his back; of the thick bass notes in his deep voice that seemed to resonate around him and penetrated her right to the core; of what his hands would feel like if he reached out and locked his fingers in her hair and kissed her neck...

*

'Will you cut it out?' Narcissa asked firmly, as she placed a hand over Lucius' own to stop his fingertips tapping insistently at the table. 'What is up with you today?'

Lucius found himself annoyed by the hurt expression that crossed Narcissa's face. Could he blame himself for feeling frustrated since he'd left the house? Bellatrix's sultry words and suggestive touch had left him hard and he couldn't seem to remain distracted long enough from thoughts of what might have happened if Narcissa hadn't interrupted them for it to go away completely. Was it any wonder that four hours later he was beginning to feel agitated.

'Do you want to leave? Is that it?' Narcissa asked, anger obvious in her tone. Narcissa glared at him before she looked around for their waiter to get the bill. 'I don't know why you even insist on taking me out for dinner if you don't want to go yourself.' Lucius kept a stony silence, which made Narcissa fume and stand hurriedly the moment the bill was placed on the table. 'Shall I make my own way home too?' she demanded.

Lucius threw a handful of coins onto the table and stood too, taking Narcissa's cloak from the waiter and helping her into it. 'Don't be ridiculous,' he said.

Narcissa didn't wait for Lucius to put on his own cloak before she started to make her way towards the exit. Lucius caught up with her just as she had made her way outside and was about to apperate.

'Here,' he said, offering her his arm. She gave him a contemptuous glare but accepted it anyway, clasping his wrist. Immediately the air around them compressed, Diagon Alley disappearing around them, and moments later they reappeared on Narcissa's street.

Lucius moved his hand to the small of Narcissa's back, and guided her towards her house. He felt her tense at his touch, a response so different to the normal relaxation and calmness it brought in her. 'You're mad at me,' he stated.

'You think?' she said hotly, looking straight ahead of her as they climbed the stone steps up to the front door of the Black's townhouse. She grasped the ornate brass handle and gave the door a push, knowing it would open to her touch. Narcissa walked inside without even turning to glance at Lucius or wish him goodnight.

Lucius followed her inside and struck out his arm to catch her hand before she ran upstairs. 'Shall I take you out tomorrow to make up for it?' he asked, without an inch of an apology in his voice.

'No,' Narcissa replied coldly. 'My mother has asked me to go with her to Grimmauld Place to visit my Auntie Walburga and Regulus. He's starting Hogwarts in the autumn you know? My Aunt says she can't trust Sirius to talk to him about it and my mother suggested I might be of help.'

'Understandably,' Lucius nodded along in agreement. 'How about the day after?'

Narcissa lifted her head stubbornly as she pulled away from Lucius and began to walk up the stairs. 'We'll see,' she replied before she disappeared from view.

'Looks like that went well.'

Lucius looked round to Bellatrix leaning provocatively against the doorway to the room directly opposite the staircase. She was wearing the same lace robes as she had been earlier that day but had undone one of the buttons on the neckline making it dangerously low and exposing the curves of her cleavage. It drew Lucius' eyes and he felt his throat turn dry. 'Bella,' he managed to say gruffly.

She raised an eyebrow before slowly turning on the spot and walking into the room leaving the door wide open behind her. Lucius swallowed and breathed heavily trying to get air back into his lungs and oxygen flowing through his blood again. Obviously a lack of it had made him stop thinking clearly because he was seconds from following her. But he couldn't do that to Narcissa. Not with her own sister in any case.

He began to make his way back towards the front door but stopped abruptly and turned instead to look up the staircase that Narcissa had disappeared up. On the other hand, Lucius thought, what Narcissa didn't know wouldn't hurt her. He licked his lips and made his way into the front room, which was completely shrouded in darkness except for one flickering candle that threw light over Bellatrix who sat in a winged arm chair with her legs crossed sexily and a glass of red wine held loosely in her hand.

'Still lurking in dark corners, I see?' uttered, as he closed the door quietly behind himself and stepped further into the room.

Bellatrix smirked. 'Well you see, Lucius, I find that dark corners can be extremely useful.' She raised her glass to her lips and sipped the blood red liquid, rolling it on her tongue before she swallowed. 'The perfect place for keeping secrets and performing dark deeds, don't you think?'

Lucius found himself almost unable to move. Every sense was tuned into Bellatrix and it overwhelmed him. He could smell the perfume she had applied to the base of her throat hours earlier and hear the subtle rush of her breath speeding up. He eagerly took in every curve of her body but mostly he wanted to touch her. He ached to run his tongue along her full lips and taste her.

Bellatrix watched Lucius as his eyes ran greedily over her. Maybe he was young in age but the fire that danced in his eyes showed he was far from innocent. The corner of her mouth twitch upwards as she realised it was most likely Narcissa who was responsible for him seeming so stuck up. Maybe she needed to have a word with her baby sister about to keep a guy honest. Especially one like Lucius Malfoy, whose reputation for manipulation and deception had already rippled through the Wizarding community, and was unlikely to remain faithful for very long without good reason. As if his actions already tonight weren't proof enough.

Bellatrix stood and moved slowly towards Lucius, her hips moving seductively beneath her robes. She stopped in front of him and took a sip of her wine, closing her eyes as she savoured the taste. A drop of the wine remained on her already red lips. Lucius moved in, pressing his body against hers as he placed a hand on her waist and pulled her to him. His other hand took the glass of wine from her placing it on the mantelpiece behind them before moving it up her front, over her rib cage, breasts and throat and came to rest at her chin. Bellatrix was tall enough that he hardly had to lower his head as he tilted hers up to meet her lips with his own. He sucked the wine from her bottom lip before nibbling lightly at the fullness of it. He didn't close his eyes but instead watched as Bellatrix heavy lidded eyes shut slowly.

Bellatrix stroked up Lucius' chest with light fingertips, slipping them beneath the edge of his cloak and pushing it off his shoulders so it fell to the floor behind him. Lucius moved the hand on her chin into her hair and Bellatrix turned her head into his palm as he ran his tongue over the seam of her lips. Bellatrix murmured as she opened her mouth to let him in. Lucius tilted his head so he was able to deepen the kiss. He entwined his tongue with hers, revelling in her taste; alcohol and dark sweet honey. Both so tempting and so sinful.

'Don't tell Cissy,' He said against her lips.

Bellatrix laughed. 'I'm surprised you're even thinking of her right now,' she replied, sinking back into the kiss.

Lucius' hand slipped down her waist and to her behind so he could pull her even closer. Bellatrix's eyes opened as she felt him grow against her. 'I underestimated you, Lucius,' she said breathily in his hair as Lucius moved his focus to her neck. Lucius nipped and sucked at her ivory skin, pressing kisses on the patches that turned pink. Bella moaned deep in her throat and all the other words were wiped from her mind as Lucius began to work his way down the front of her robe, undoing the buttons to her waist with quick fingers. He pushed the tight lace off her shoulders and slipped the sleeves from her arms. The material caught on her slim hips so Lucius sank to his knees, kissing his way down Bellatrix's smooth, flat stomach so that he could tug the material from her body. The light material billowed to the floor and Lucius ran his hands up Bellatrix' slender legs.

Lucius stared up at Bellatrix's body clad only in black, silk underwear and a rush of expletives mixed with words of thanks to Merlin rushed incoherently past his lips. His hands slid back down her calves, to her ankles and finally down the stiletto heels she wore on her feet. 'Let's leave these on you,' Lucius said huskily. Bellatrix bit her lip as Lucius pressed a kiss above her pubis before pushing himself to his feet again. He grasped Bellatrix about the waist and lifted her out of the pile the robes had made at her feet. They both groaned as she slid down the front of his body.

Bellatrix traces her fingers along the fastening of Lucius' robes. 'Take them off,' she muttered in his ear, kissing him just below the earlobe and again on his lips before she pulled away from him, grabbed her wine and settled herself on the settee leaning against the arm. Lucius watched her through lowered lids but didn't make any attempt to move and undress himself.

Bellatrix gave him a piercing stare. He wasn't going to do it. She swirled the wine in her glass before downing the rest of it in a single gulp. She lowered the glass to the floor and used the hand instead to trail along her collar bone and down the swell of her breasts. 'Do it,' she said sternly.

Lucius seemed to be enticed by the movement of her delicate hands as it swept light touches across her exposed flesh and it spurred him on. As his fingers hurriedly moved down his robes undoing them Bellatrix's own hand travelled downwards too. As Lucius' bare chest came into view Bellatrix removed her bra. Lucius' breath caught in his throat at the sight of her and his fingers fumbled on the rest of the buttons and clasps. Bellatrix beckoned him to come towards her and when he did so she pushed his hands out the way and finished undressing him herself. He had already slipped out of his shoes and he stood before her now only in his underwear. Lucius bent close to Bellatrix and grabbed each side of her knickers tugging from under her bum and down her legs. The silk slipped over her heels and fluttered to the floor between them next to the wine glass.

Bellatrix reached both her hands around to his behind and slipped her thumbs into the waistline there before moving them towards his tapered hips and beginning to pull them down desperately slowly. Lucius groaned low in his throat. 'Bella, you tease,' he said through his teeth before placing his hands over hers and taking over.

The moment they were removed Lucius lowered himself onto the sofa over Bellatrix. He kissed her hotly and she kissed back with equal enthusiasm. His hands stroked over her. 'You've got the softest skin,' he murmured against her lips. Bellatrix sunk her hands into Lucius' thick blond hair, which shimmered gold by the light of the candle, whilst he lowered his head to lick down her body. Bellatrix was almost panting by the time he returned to kissing her lips, still roughly and hungrily.

'I want more,' Lucius said his hand moving between her thighs and sinking between the coarse curls there.

'Yes,' Bellatrix moaned breathily. 'More,' she demanded.

Bellatrix sunk her nails into Lucius' skin urging him ever closer. And finally he sunk into her. The relief that swept through Lucius as he felt Bellatrix warm and tight around him as he had needed to feel all day made him shudder and he feared he would not last long enough; already he could feel the pleasure building up inside him. And then he rolled his hips, thrusting him deeper inside of her, and he knew he wasn't going to win this battle.

Beneath him Bellatrix marvelled at the way Lucius seemed to fill her and manage to rub against every nerve ending inside her at once. But still she needed more. Her left leg had been hanging off the sofa haphazardly so she brought it up to Lucius' back and used it to manoeuvre herself to a position that allowed him to penetrate her even deeper yet. She could already feel Lucius pulsing deep within her as he fell into a regular rhythm with his hips which Bellatrix matched with equal force.

Sweat covered each of their bodies like a second skin as the pleasure rose higher and faster. Lucius' whole body was tense as he aimed to hold on just that little while longer. He would not come before he had seen to Bellatrix's own satisfaction first. He wouldn't be able to look her in the eye again if she thought him unable to perform.

As he thought it Bellatrix's moans of pleasure grew louder and more profound and Lucius grabbed Bellatrix around both hips and titled them upwards towards him whilst still pounding into her. He could feel the tremors passing through every nerve in her body and her pulsating around him. Her eyes flickered closed and her head fell back and a scream built up in her throat. Lucius curved his body to swallow the sound of her fulfilment and thrust into her one last time before his body seemed to explode from the point they were joined. A groan rolled up from his lungs before he collapsed on top of Bellatrix.

They lay pressed together with Lucius still embedded deep inside Bellatrix. Their bare skin, glistening with moisture, stuck together. Neither spoke and the rest of the house was silent around them apart from the odd whistle of wind coming down the chimneys and the creak of the wood and stone structure as the building shifted with age.

Lucius rolled slightly off Bellatrix so he was lying on his side against the back of the settee. Their legs were tangled together awkwardly. Hers purest white without imperfection, which made his slightly sun-kissed pair look positively tan. Lucius slipped a hand to her thigh and stoked it with gentle caresses. He nipped at her shoulder and finally broke the silence. 'We should do that again,' he murmured into her ear.

Bellatrix didn't reply but a moment later she pulled her legs out from in between Lucius' and pushed herself into a sitting position. She dragged her fingers through her now tangled curls, peeling them off her neck and forehead. Standing up quickly she made her way to where her robes had fallen and slipped them over her head. As she finished redoing the buttons down the front she turned to where Lucius still lay watching her, his face expressionless.

'I hope you don't expect anything from me Lucius. I had an itch that you were adequate in helping me scratch,' she said sourly. 'Now let this just be our little secret.'

She swept her hair out her collar and left the room before Lucius could even think up an appropriate response. The tap of her heels echoed round the hall as she made her way gracefully up to her bedroom on the next floor. Mitzi had lit the fire in her room and she was engulfed in warmth the moment she stepped through the threshold.

Once the door was shut she stripped naked again and realised that she had left her underwear scattered across the stained oak floor. She imagined Lucius pocketing them to remember what it felt like to be with a real woman and she laughed at the thought of it. He and Narcissa would be married almost certainly and Bellatrix doubted whether her sister had an ounce of sexuality in her body, but she was a pushover and would do whatever Lucius asked. Bellatrix snorted. How pathetic.

Bellatrix slipped into her bed, her body feeling relaxed and her mind mellow and content. She had taken all she needed from men for the time being. She would go to them when she wanted and not the other way round. With this thought she fell into a deep sleep, and didn't wake until late the next morning.

The sun that filtered in through a gap in a lush velvet curtains had awoken Bellatrix and she was immediately by the dull ache between her thighs she was reminded of the night before. She twisted in her bed and sat up, looking around her room for something to take her mind off it. The fire had burnt itself out and ash filled the grate, waiting to be emptied. She tutted at the elf's failure and called for her. Mitzi appeared to by Bellatrix's bedside almost immediately.

'The fireplace,' Bellatrix said abruptly as if this was explanation enough for what she wanted done.

'Yes Miz Bella,' the house elf squeaked. 'This was delivered for you earlier, Miz,' she continued, handing Bellatrix a thin paper package tied loosely with string and her name printed in intricate cursive in one corner before falling to her bony knees in front of the fireplace.

Bellatrix tore at the paper and something small and black slipped out of it onto the duvet covering her lap. Two small things in fact. Bellatrix lifted her silk bra by the strap and saw a piece of parchment flutter out of it. She unfolded it and her brow furrowed.

I thought you might be needing these for your next 'admirer'.

Or if not I'm sure I can fit you in again.

Bellatrix's mouth curled. Oh he was good. The manipulative bastard had turned the situation on its head and made her into the desperate followerer. She pursed her lips and scrunched up the parchment in her palm.

This could get interesting.