Pretty

"There is a charm about the forbidden that makes it unspeakably desirable." – Mark Twain

It was the middle of a July afternoon on a particularly sunny day in Tuscany and three young people were sprawled on the lawn of the Malfoy's holiday home. The trio consisted of two young men and a slightly younger woman. The two men were as opposite in colouring as night and day. Draco was blindingly pale, and hiding in the shade of a large old sycamore tree, with light blond hair and handsome albeit slightly effeminate features; his visage was full of delicate points and large grey eyes. The other was Draco's best friend, Blaise Zabini; he was tanned with chocolate coloured curls and slightly slanted hazel eyes. Blaise was beautiful in an almost old world sort of way with heavy features and thick black eyebrows. The woman was Draco's fiancée, Ginevra Weasley. She was freckled and lightly tanned with a mane of fiery red hair.

"It's too hot." Moaned Draco for what felt like the thousandth time that day.

"You were the one to pick Italy, Malfoy, so would you kindly pipe down?"

Blaise snickered at the lovers' exchange. He liked the way Ginny kept his friend in line; Malfoy's certainly needed a little reminding sometimes that the entire universe did not revolve around them.

He felt a shadow fall across his torso. Opening his eyes and pushing his sunglasses up onto his head Blaise found himself looking up into the face of Lucius Malfoy. The man was like an older version of Draco but with long sweeping blonde hair and piercing grey eyes. Blaise felt his mouth go a little dry. He hadn't known Draco's parents would be here. He probably wouldn't have agreed to come if he'd have been aware. Or if he had, he certainly wouldn't be lounging around wearing next to nothing, not after the last trip he took with the family in Paris. And he certainly wouldn't allow himself as close to Lucius Malfoy as he was now.

Lucius' lips broke into a languid smile that didn't quite light up his eyes.

"Father, I didn't realise you were visiting."

Malfoy senior turned to face his son. He was still standing only inches from Blaise. He took in Draco's lack of t-shirt and Ginevra's bikini.

"Apparently not. Never mind, your mother simply mentioned you, Miss Weasley and Blaise were spending a few days here and I thought I'd check in on you all."

Draco shrugged. He didn't quite understand his Father's need to visit the villa while they were there. He and Ginny often took weekends away in the Malfoy properties around Europe, and no one felt the need to interrupt their time there.

Blaise lifted his back up off the floor so that he was sitting rather than lounging at Lucius' feet; the proximity of the older man made him feel nervous and exposed. He looked at Ginny who was, seemingly, as nonplussed as Draco as to why her future father-in-law had decided to appear out of the blue in Italy.

"I'll spend the night and head back tomorrow morning, if you three don't mind me intruding, of course?" As it was his house the pretence of asking whether he was welcome or not was not entirely necessary, and Lucius knew this. He was simply exerting his authority. You can't say no, even if you want to, his teasing smile seemed to say.

"Of course not, Father."

Blaise clearly his throat lightly, "will Narcissa be joining us for dinner?"

Lucius turned his gaze upon the olive-skinned man at his feet. His deep charcoal eyes took in the taut torso and plump lips; the low riding cargo shorts he wore and his large, bare feet. Blaise's tongue darted out, almost subconsciously, and quickly licked his lips.

"No, my wife is to remain in Wiltshire; she's hosting a ladies night or some such frivolity."

Ginny grinned at Draco. That was why he'd come to Italy.

"Anyway, I'm going to attend to some paperwork. I'll see you all at eight for dinner?"

Draco nodded and lay back down, Ginny also slid on her darkened glasses again and slipped into relaxation mode once more. Taking note of this Lucius bent down and leant forward so that his and Blaise's faces were inches apart. He stretched out a hand and plucked a piece of dried grass from amongst the younger boy's brunette curls.

"There." He breathed lightly, "Now you're a pretty boy again." His words were so quiet that for a moment it felt as though it could have been a part of a daydream that had wandered astray.

Before Blaise could fully unfreeze and glance about to see if the couple had noticed, Lucius was almost in the house. He let out a big breath of air and, despite the heat, could feel goose bumps sprouting along his flesh.

OOO

Paris.

The wine had been flowing freely all evening and Blaise was starting to feel a little disorientated. His eyes felt hot and his face was tingling; he knew his cheeks would be flushed and pink. He was holidaying with the Malfoy's, and they had taken him to a grand party that was being hosted by one of their grand Parisian friends. It had seemed like a normal ball to begin with, however, as the alcohol and music had begun to take effect everyone's inhibitions appeared to lower. Gentle touches or caresses appeared to become normal practise among the guests.

The French, it appeared, were a little more lax when it came to showing social propriety. Blaise couldn't imagine any society parties in England where it'd be acceptable for both men and women, who were well into middle-age, to proposition a nineteen year old boy. He hadn't accepted any of the advances, however, even though he'd been sorely tempted. Blaise was feeling especially open-minded nowadays.

He slipped out onto the veranda, the sounds of Paris blaring through the night and lent against a wall which was heavily covered in what appeared to be jasmine. The scent of the flowers was thick in the heady air. He was stood just outside of the yellowy glare that was blasting through the glass doors; concealed from most that evening's guests. He'd felt the Chateau Lafite addling his brains and the smoke from cigarettes stifling his throat.

Draco had slipped off hours ago to meet with the Weasley girl. The Malfoy's weren't aware who it was Draco was dating yet so he'd been covering up for his friend for months; he was due to introduce Ginny to Lucius and Narcissa at the end of the week. Merlin, help him. He allowed himself a quiet chuckle at the image of the refined and aloof Malfoys meeting fiery and unruly Ginny Weasley. Maybe he'd invite himself to dinner that night.

It would soon be time to go home, he felt. The ambience of the party was somewhat nefarious and Blaise wasn't entirely sure he wanted to be there when things got out of control. The Malfoy's had warned both the boys that where they were going that evening would not feel like their normal parties. But the host and his wife were, apparently, wealthy clients of Malfoy Inc. and Lucius liked to keep them sweet, as it were. Narcissa had left the party an hour ago, feigning a headache. Her distaste had been so painfully apparent that Blaise had wondered how no one else had noticed it.

He'd breathe the fragrant air for a few minutes more, then find Lucius and make his excuses.

Blaise was unaware of the delectable picture he created whilst leaning against the leafy wall; the top three buttons of his shirt were undone, and his hair was casually rumpled. His tanned skin was covered in a faint sheen of perspiration from the heat of the party and his plump wine-stained lips were slightly parted. He looked like a pretty little present all wrapped up in white, starched cotton and tight fitting black slacks. A pretty little present that was ready to be opened, and Lucius was not one to look a gift horse in the mouth.

Blaise's eyes flickered open when he felt the presence of another. His lips began to curve up in a welcoming smile, however, as he honed in on the predatory look gleaming in the older man's eyes the progression of his smile faltered. Lucius was very tall and broad-shouldered, his long blonde hair looked like silvery silk in the moonlight and his gait was so very serpentine.

"Mister Malfoy."

"Call me, Lucius, Blaise. Salazar knows I've known you long enough."

By now the blond was stood directly in front of younger boy, Blaise could smell the wine on his breath and the faint musk of his aftershave. Lucius' granite eyes were fixated upon him; he reached out a hand and brushed Blaise's curls back from his forehead, lightly grazing his scalp with his nails. Almost unconsciously Blaise closed his eyes and lent into the touch, a guttural moan was threatening to escape.

"I've seen you grow, Blaise, into a fine young man."

His throat felt too dry to respond.

"I've watched you mature into...something truly beautiful, Blaise. You're as pretty as your mother, you know." Lucius' voice sounded like a mixture of honey and gravel.

Blaise felt the older man lean into him. It was so wrong to feel the length of your best friend's father against you; to be able to feel the taut muscles and lean physique. He was so close he could count the white eyelashes that adorned the depthless eyes of Lucius Malfoy.

Lucius raised his hand and with a long, pale finger he traced the contours of Blaise's face. He began with the right cheekbone, his touch drifting tantalisingly down his visage and along his jaw. When he reached Blaise's beautifully ample bottom lip he held the boy's chin in place and roughly wiped his thumb across it. It felt painful and pleasurable all in one instance. His head was almost lolling into the shrubbery behind him, his skin felt as if it had been awoken from a long slumber; he was covered in goose bumps. Thoughts seemed tangled and hazy.

Lucius bent his head close to Blaise's. His lips lay right beside the younger boy's face and he leisurely licked the shell of his ear. Blaise shuddered.

"Beautiful Blaise," he purred. "You watch me, don't you? I've seen you. Why is it you watch me?"

Blaise felt Lucius' hand skim down his chest and rest upon the embarrassingly prominent bump in his trousers.

"Is it because you were missing a father figure, Blaise? Or is it because you crave the company of men sometimes? Tell me, Blaise, tell me." His words were slow and hushed and deliberate.

He felt Lucius' lips moving across his cheek; they were now millimetres away from his own.

"Pretty boy let me take you upstairs."

OOO

Blaise was harshly ripped out of his memory when a jet of ice cold water hit him in the chest. His breath seemed to momentarily disappear. He stood quickly to see Ginny with her wand in hand, and firing similar jets of water towards Draco. The blond had already picked up his wand and was dashing out of the way of the redhead's charms.

"Sorry, Blaise!" She called. "Why are you hiding, Draco, I thought you were too hot?"

Cottoning on the Ginny's plan, Blaise picked his wand up and dashed around the tree where Draco had set up camp and shot a deluge of water at the blond.

"Blaise? Some best friend you are, Zabini!"

Before you could utter Quidditch pandemonium had broken out on the lawn. No one seemed to have a particular motive anymore, other than soak the other two opponents without being got yourself. It was all going along fairly well until Blaise felt the eyes of someone upon them and stopped running to turn and look up at the villa. He saw that up on the fourth floor a man with long blond hair watched the madness ensuing. Draco, running away from an exceptionally vicious blasting from Ginny did not see Blaise wasn't looking in his direction and went toppling into the other boy. Ginny, too, did not quite realise in time that the two boys had fallen and also joined the melee of limbs on the ground.

"Truce?" Blaise had called out from beneath his two friends.

Both Ginny and Draco agreed.

With a little wiggling and strategic manoeuvring the three untangled themselves. Each was disgustingly wet.

"I've definitely had enough of this sunbathing business." announced Draco.

Ginny smirked and thought he'd been more shade lurking than sunbathing but she chose not to comment.

"Let's go get changed and maybe head out into the town before dinner? What do you think, Blaise?"

"You guys go. I think I'm going to owl mother, you know how long that takes. She likes to know every single detail."

After picking up their belongings, the three headed into the house. Ginny and Draco were sleeping in a room on the second floor, while Blaise had opted for a bedroom up on the third level of the house. He waved to the couple and promised Ginny he'd be finished writing his essay to his mum by dinner time. He really did like that redhead, Draco had done well.

Upon entering his room Blaise was greeted by Lucius Malfoy. He was sat in the armchair which resided in the corner. His long legs were crossed at the ankle and his hands were splayed across his flat stomach. His flint coloured eyes took in Blaise from across the room.

His curly hair hung in damp ringlets, his shorts clung to him and his chest was covered in rivulets of water. Lucius tracked the progress of one of the drops as it raced down Blaise's toned stomach and disappeared into the faint line of dark hair that bridged the gap between his naval and waistband.

The air felt thick and hot; it was the perfect afternoon for desiring forbidden things. It was the kind of heat that left skin feeling sticky and tasting of salt. Blaise felt his voice bloom and wilt in the same moment. He hadn't been alone with Lucius since Paris. What was there to say?

"You're wet, Blaise."

The younger boy could only nod. He took in Lucius' appearance; he had never desired anyone as much as he wanted the head of the Malfoy family.

Never breaking the eye contact between them Blaise slipped off his sodden shorts. He stood straight once more and felt Lucius' eyes take in every inch of his olive-skinned body.

"Oh, you pretty boy."

Ramble;

For Rowan. I hope it does her plot bunny justice.

"Honestly, I don't see Lucius and Blaise being romantic. I think Lucius likes pretty things, and he would certainly see Blaise's appeal, but wouldn't think twice of it until Blaise shows interest in him. I see Blaise as being hopelessly infatuated with Lucius Malfoy, and Lucius being aware of this. Lucius would be amused and secretly flattered, and would quietly toy with Blaise, without Draco ever even knowing."

I feel like Lucius would like the sexual tension and the teasing so I hope this fic exudes that.

Tash.