| Puffskein
Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: England
Posts: 1,658
Hogwarts RPG Name:
Megara Kostas
First Year | 
Chapter Twenty-Two - Summer and Secrets 25th August 1978
August was almost over already. Izabella's time was split between dates with Lucius and spending time with her friends.
Lucius was certain to constantly spoil Izabella, between lavish presents, days out and even cooking her dinner at the Manor, although Izabella suspected he had help from the House Elves.
When she was with her friends, it felt as if nothing had changed. They went to the field where they had spent most of their summers and had picnics and Izabella even joined the boys in games of Quidditch, leaving Lily on the ground reading a book, as the red head preferred.
Izabella tried to keep her worlds apart, which was proving to be difficult when Rita Skeeter was constantly sneaking around. Whenever Lucius took her to a party or even for a walk in the park, a photograph would appear in the Daily Prophet, leading to questions from Lily. As her best friend pestered, Izabella ignored her and usually disapparated, refusing to talk to any of her friends about her relationship with Lucius.
This seemed to suit Sirius just fine, who sulked whenever the Malfoys were brought into conversation.
Her relationship with Sirius appeared to have returned to normal. They teased each other and bickered as they always had, yet he listened to her more now.
They would often be the last ones to leave the field, lying on a blanket long after the others left, looking up at the stars and talking. He would listen as she would complain about Severus being the annoying older brother that he was, or how her mother was always nagging at her and she would listen as Sirius ranted about how James spent too much time with Lily.
Izabella chuckled at the thought that it was his biggest problem, but Sirius had always been lucky that way. He had bought himself a large flat in London with the money his Uncle left him, yet still spent most nights at the Potters as he hated cooking for himself and Mrs Potter was more than happy to let him stay. Izabella was also invited to the Potters rather a lot; Mr Potter had always had a soft spot for her, calling her the daughter he never had.
The first of September was creeping ever closer, causing Izabella to be extremely moody when she wasn't busy and enjoying herself. No wonder her mother and brother had taken to avoiding her. She would avoid herself.
She sighed loudly as the thought came to her and wrapped her arms around herself.
“Are you cold?” Sirius asked, propping himself up on one elbow and looking down at her, his brown hair falling across his face slightly. The sun was beginning to set and they were lying on a red blanket, looking up at the summer sky and the wisps of clouds above them. Izabella turned to face him and shook her head.
“No, I'm fine. I was just thinking.”
“Thinking what?”
“How very jealous I am of your hair. How is it always so shiny?”
Sirius waggled his eyebrows.
“Because I am amazing.” he said seriously. Izabella snorted a laugh and went to sit up, pushing herself up onto her elbows. Suddenly, Sirius dived on her pinning her down beneath him as he sat on her. His hands slid under her t-shirt to tickle her stomach relentlessly.
“Sirius stop!” Izabella demanded as she rolled about beneath him.
“Not until you say 'Sirius is amazing' and then tell me what you were really thinking about.”
“No way!” she protested.
He began toturing her again, her fingertips tickling the bare flesh of her stomach as she squealed loudly.
“Alright fine! Sirius is amazing!” she declared, then shoved him hard. He roared with laughter as he rolled off her and lounged back on the blanket. “You're a idiot.”
“I'm still amazing though.” he grinned.
“Modest as well.” Izabella said sarcastically, sitting up and crossing her legs.
Sirius chuckled then reached out for one of her hands, entwining their fingers as he often did. She didn't protest. They weren't children; holding hands was perfectly acceptable and innocent. What harm could it do?
“So? What were you thinking about?”
“School. How much I don't want to go back.” she sighed.
“Izzy, don't be stupid...” he said gently, tugging her hand so she fell against him. Sirius wrapped his arm around her tightly as her head rested on his shoulder.
“It won't be the same without you and the others. Lily won't be there to tell me to do my homework, I won't be able to beat James at Quidditch then gloat about it for days, Remus won't be able to help me with last minute essays so Lily won't break my neck, Peter... well Peter won't be there to laugh at and you... You won't be there.”
“Glad to know I have a purpose in your life.”
“Shut up Sirius.” Izabella said, hitting his chest lightly as she buried her face against his shoulder. “You won't be there to tell Lily to leave me alone, to tease James for getting beaten by a Slytherin, to threaten to tell Lily that Remus helped with my homework, to bully Peter and... to make me feel better. To hug me and hold my hand... and get me into detention of course.”
She grinned and looked up at him, but Sirius was staring up at the sky.
“Did you listen to a word I just said?” Izabella asked, sitting up and glaring at him.
“Do I really mean that much to you?” he asked quietly. Izabella frowned.
“Of course you do Sirius. You're my best friend.”
“I'm telling Lily.” he teased, finally looking at her. Izabella slapped his arm playfully, but he continued to stare at her.
“What?” she demanded.
“You are my best friend too you know.”
“I'm telling James.” she said, sticking her tongue out at him. Sirius chuckled and stood up, stretching his arms widely.
“I don't think he'd care. He would just sit there and stare at Lily.”
Izabella rolled her eyes.
“She's his wife, he's allowed.”
“He's James Potter! He is not allowed to be all romantic and sickly...” Sirius said, grimacing.
“You could learn something from him Sirius Black.” Izabella laughed as she picked up the blanket, shaking it lightly then folding it.
“Perhaps I could.” Sirius said, smiling slightly as he watched her. “I'll come see you at Hogwarts if you'd like? I could meet you in Honeydukes. Or would you not dare now that you're Head Girl?”
Izabella rolled her eyes.
“You know Sirius, with you not there, I don't think I'm going to get into half as much trouble as I used to.”
“So you won't meet me in Hogsmede?”
“Of course I will. I'm not Lily.” she said with a grin.
Sirius chuckled and approached her, wrapped his arms around her waist and swinging her in a hug. He placed her feet back on the ground and grasped both of her hands, holding them tightly as he rested his forehead against hers.
“When you're not breaking all of the rules, you have all of your Slytherin friends. You won't have time to miss us.” he said, bending down to place a kiss on the tip of her nose. Izabella chuckled.
“My Slytherin friends... Oh gosh!” she gasped suddenly, dropping Sirius' hands and stepping away from him.
“What's wrong?” he frowned.
“I have to go... I'm supposed to be... Be somewhere.”
Sirius clenched his jaw, his face stony.
“Well you had better go then.” he said darkly.
“Sirius, I'm sorry but-”
“Go on Izabella! Go and put on a pretty dress and let Malfoy take you to a Pureblood party.”
“Sirius!”
“Don't keep your darling beloved waiting.” he spat.
“Sirius Black why are-”
But he was gone.
Izabella stared at the spot where he had disappeared for a long time then sighed, picked up the blanket and disapparated to the front steps of Malfoy Manor. After knocking loudly, a house elf opened the door and let Izabella in.
“Good evening Miss. Master Malfoy asked you to wait here, Nobby will just go get him Miss.”
“Thanks Nobby.” Izabella mumbled, leaning against a wall and sighing.
“Izabella!” Lucius called a few moments later as he descended the stairs. He approached her and cupped her face in his hands gently. He leant down and pressed a delicate kiss to her lips.
“I'm sorry, love but I'm going to have to cancel tonight.”
Izabella looked up as her face crumpled.
“Why?” she asked, pouting.
“Just business stuff. Boring meetings.”
“I'll just wait until you're finished.”
“Not tonight, this could take hours and it's already getting late.”
“Lucius...” Izabella moaned, stamping her foot and throwing down the blanket. Lucius chuckled, then he looked down and frowned slightly.
“What on earth are you wearing?”
Izabella looked down and blushed slightly.
“Sorry, I was running late and forgot to change. They're Muggle clothes.”
He raised an eyebrow slightly and she shrugged, tugging on her denim shorts in a vain attempt to make them longer and fiddling with the thin straps of her vest top.
“What have you been doing today?”
“I went for a picnic.”
“With Lily?”
Izabella swallowed loudly and settled for a nod. Above them, at the top of the stairs, somebody cleared their throat. He was wearing long black robes and had an extremely sour expression on his face.
“Your father said hurry up. The meetings about to begin.”
Lucius nodded and the man left, returning to the room just down the hallway which Izabella knew to be Abraxas' private study.
“What's this meeting about?” Izabella asked, folding her arms across her chest.
“Nothing that would interest you darling.” Lucius said with a charming smile.
“It's about whatever it is that you and my brother are hiding from me isn't it?”
“Izabella...” Lucius said with a sigh. She narrowed her eyes at him.
“Well, if you won't tell me... I'll find out for myself.” she said and starting towards the staircase with a purposeful walk until Lucius grabbed the top of her arm and pulled her back.
“Izabella I forbid you to go into that room.” he said sternly.
“Why?” she protested, wincing slightly as he kept a firm grip on her upper arm.
“I promise. I will tell you before you go back to school.”
“I go back in a week.” she said quietly. He sighed and let go of her arm, rubbing it gently.
“I know. So, why don't you spend tonight with your friends? Because I don't plan on sharing you in your last week.” he said with a smile. Izabella sighed.
“Fine. But you have a lot of making up to do for cancelling tonight.”
Lucius beamed.
“I'll try my hardest.”
He bent down and picked up the blanket that Izabella had dropped, then leant forward and placed a kiss on her forehead.
“Come to the Manor for breakfast tomorrow?” he suggested.
“I'd love to.” Izabella replied with a smile.
She reached up on her toes, pressed her lips to his then turned for the door. She looked back over her shoulder to see him watching her leave, lifting a hand in a wave before he hurried back up the stairs. Izabella bit her lip slightly then disapparated back to Spinner's End.
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