Narcissa stood almost the instant Gilderoy stepped back inside the Hog's Head, while Bellatrix remained seated beside Amelia near the fireplace, though despite the distance the faint black lipstick smudge near the corner of Gilderoy's mouth clearly did not escape Narcissa's notice.
Gilderoy realized far too late that he had absolutely been caught, though instead of reacting normally he straightened dramatically anyway before extending his arm toward her with exaggerated elegance.
"My lady."
Narcissa's blue eyes gleamed immediately.
"Why thank you," she replied smoothly before slipping her arm through his without hesitation.
As the two stepped back outside together, leaving Amelia and Bellatrix behind near the fire while soft snowfall drifted lazily across Hogsmeade's streets, Narcissa glanced sideways at him beneath the white fur-lined hood resting over her pale blonde hair.
"So," she asked silkily, her lips already threatening another smirk, "did Bella behave herself?"
Gilderoy opened his mouth to answer, though unfortunately for him Narcissa suddenly stopped walking before he could say anything.
Before he even properly realized what she was doing, she stepped closer and pulled a pristine white handkerchief from inside her coat, her gloved fingers lightly tilting his chin upward while she wiped gently at the corner of his lips.
"There," she murmured softly.
Gilderoy awkwardly glanced toward the black lipstick now staining her pristine white handkerchief before rubbing the back of his neck lightly.
"…Sorry."
"You seem very passionate."
Her lips curved further, amusement dancing openly in her eyes.
"Or perhaps my sister is." Narcissa giggled, the sound softer and far less polished than the elegant expressions she usually wore around other people.
Gilderoy found himself noticing, once again, just how different the two sisters really were.
Gilderoy wisely decided that silence was probably the safest answer possible.
"I can't reveal the details or Bellatrix might murder me."
Narcissa leaned slightly closer against his arm, clearly enjoying his discomfort much more than she should have.
"So," she asked after a moment, tilting her head toward him curiously, "where exactly are you taking me?"
Gilderoy smirked faintly.
"You'll see."
Several minutes later, the moment they stepped inside Honeydukes, Gilderoy realized he had made the perfect choice because Narcissa visibly brightened the instant warm sugary air wrapped around them, her blue eyes immediately moving across the brightly decorated sweet shop filled wall to wall with colorful shelves overflowing with magical candy.
The elegant pureblood composure still remained mostly intact, though genuine excitement slipped through anyway as she looked around the store almost nostalgically.
"Oh, I haven't been here in ages," she murmured while snow melted slowly from her white boots near the entrance.
"You came here often?"
"Every Hogsmeade trip when I was at Hogwarts," Narcissa admitted before immediately grabbing his sleeve and dragging him deeper inside the shop.
"Come on."
Gilderoy barely had time to react before Narcissa was already moving through the aisles with frightening efficiency, picking up boxes and jars as though she had suddenly decided the entire shop required inspection.
"Narcissa—" Gilderoy paused awkwardly, one hand rubbing the back of his head. "Actually, I haven't really tried most wizarding sweets. Only a Chocolate Frog and Liquorice Wands."
"You've never properly tried wizard sweets before?" she asked, genuine horror slipping into her voice as she processed just how limited his experience actually was.
"Not really."
Narcissa stopped walking entirely. She stared at him for a moment like he had just admitted to surviving on nothing but rocks.
"Well," she declared at last, already turning back toward the shelves with renewed determination, "we rectify it TODAY!"
Then without another word, she immediately started grabbing boxes and packets from the shelves while explaining each one with growing enthusiasm.
"Fizzing Whizzbees are mandatory, obviously," Narcissa said as she moved along the shelves, her wand flicking once and several neatly wrapped boxes floating into her arms at once while she kept walking without slowing down.
Gilderoy leaned slightly to the side, watching the growing stack with mild concern. "What are they?"
"They are made from Billywig,"
"If you suck on them you will float."
Without pause, she continued selecting items as though she had mapped the entire shop in her head already, grabbing more boxes and stacking them neatly into the growing pile in Gilderoy's arms.
"Peppermint Toads," she said next.
"Sugar Quills."
"Acid Pops."
"Exploding Bonbons."
Gilderoy finally stepped a little closer, raising a hand as if he might slow her down. "Narcissa, that's already a lot—"
But she had already reached for another box without even looking at him.
"Cockroach Clusters," she said, picking up the box as if it were just another ordinary sweet.
Gilderoy immediately recoiled, his expression twisting in pure refusal. "Absolutely not."
Narcissa tilted her head slightly, looking at him as though she couldn't quite believe what she was hearing. "You haven't even tried them."
"They look like actual cockroaches," he replied flatly, leaning away a little more as if distance alone could solve the problem. Gilderoy had a hatred for bugs from his previous life.
"That's the point," she said, completely unbothered, already starting to add them to the pile anyway. "It's chocolate, Gilderoy. Don't be a sissy."
The box simply joined the pile anyway as she turned back to the shelf like the conversation had already been settled in her favour.
Gilderoy exhaled under his breath, watching another absurdly large stack of sweets now floating obediently beside her.
Tyrant.
An incredibly beautiful, sweet-addicted tyrant.
When they finally reached the counter to pay, Narcissa moved first, already handing the galleons over to the cashier while the items were being packed.
"It's nothing," she said smoothly, as if it were the most natural thing in the world while watching the shopkeeper work. "I'm simply treating my betrothed."
Gilderoy paused for a second, staring at her.
Is this what marrying rich feels like?
Do I have a sugar mommy now?
But Narcissa's eyes flicked back toward him anyway, catching the faint shift in his expression immediately.
"What?" she asked.
"Nothing," he said quickly.
---
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