"I do play," Narcissa answered as they walked, "though 'amazing' is far more than I deserve for it." His flattery put a little color in her cheeks, however, regardless of what she thought of her own abilities.
The whispering of the paintings didn't even register for her as they walked into the parlor, so used was she to their constant struggles to keep themselves amused. So long as they obeyed her rules, and so long as they had sense enough to leave when she wanted to be alone with her husband, Narcissa was content to let the portraits of their ancestors do as they liked. They had, she thought, few enough comforts as it was. Had she noticed Orion's displeasure, however, she would have apologized at once, but her heart was fully occupied with her joy at having him beside her.
She took a seat on the edge of a chair near his, her pale eyes wide and eager as she hung on his words. She had dreamed so many times of having another conversation with him, of seeing him well and happy again, and now that it was actually happening, Narcissa wanted to be sure she caught every syllable to cross her uncle's lips. Her cheeks colored a bit more as he teased her, his words making her feel like a child who knew she'd said something rather stupid but who knew also that the slip had been charming and well-received. It was a feeling which had emerged regularly when Narcissa was younger, and thus one which was more comforting than jarring.
"Are you beside yourself, too, then, Uncle?" she teased back. "So overcome that you can hardly bear it?" Her smile twitched, giving away the half-joke, just as the little elf pattered into the room, dark eyes darting from one Black to the other.
One Butterbeer was set on the ornate wooden side table, charmed to resist condensation, beside Orion-- painstakingly served, Narcissa was amused to notice, from the left, in spite of the fact that they were not at anything resembling a dinner table-- and the other placed near the hostess. "Thank you, Bitsy."
The elf beamed at her, visibly pleased with the acknowledgment, and opened her mouth to speak. "We'll call you if we need you," Narcissa told her, gently but firmly. The mouth snapped shut, and the elf darted back out of the room, nodding to herself.
"I apologize," Narcissa said, her amusement carrying through in her voice. "She's still being trained."