Narcissa Black always enjoyed shoes. Well, she claimed to. Good Pureblood girls liked things like dresses and shoes. When Narcissa was 14, she realised that such was essential to being accepted with the other Pureblood girls, especially in the Slytherin house. That was why Converse All-Stars seemed like a good idea.
No one told Narcissa that they were Muggle, and she never even considered that one would even care that much. It seemed no matter what, everyone wore the same shoes.
They were fashionable and popular, but they were comfortable. They went with everything, and she could run easily in them so that Regulus and Barty could not catch her. She could climb trees and jump off swings without worrying about losing her shoes. If anything, her mother would be proud. Plus, there was a white space on the toes where people could write things. Regulus drew a star and signed his initials, much like a celebrity giving and autograph. Barty got bored one day and coloured the left one orange because he was holding an orange marker and Narcissa's feet were on his lap.
She wore the shoes with everything, until she went home for the Summer. Then, Andromeda got pregnant and was disowned. That was followed very shortly by Sirius. All of that, in the month of June. Two burns on the tree, and Narcissa could not wear her shoes anymore.
"They are Muggle," Bellatrix hissed, "It all starts small enough with shoes, but builds to you being the next one off the tree."
"They're just shoes," Narcissa mumbled, kicking her heels against the wooden leg of the armchair she was sitting in. Bellatrix always wore black heels that showed off her long legs, which were free of fault. Narcissa's feet were never quite able to touch the ground, and her legs were always sporting some kind of scrape or bruise. She wondered when she would 'grow up', and figure out the proper shoes. She wondered when she would 'grow out' of climbing to the top of willow trees with Regulus and Barty and the pretending the tree was a pirate ship. She wondered why, with all the problems the Blacks were facing, Bellatrix had enough time to worry about something as petty as Narcissa's shoes.
When Narcissa Black became Narcissa Malfoy, she wore high-laced white boots. They had a high arch, a tall heel, and pinched her toes as she stood at the alter. By the time the bride and groom reached the reception, she was unable to feel her toes. She wanted to take them off, as there was dancing. Yet, it was improper to. So, she sat there with blistered feet, unable to show any sign of pain.
"I especially love those boots," Bellatrix said with a rare laugh as she complimented her sister's bridal attire for what was probably the twentieth time over the wedding feast. That was what women talked about: Pretty things.
"I know," Narcissa mused, "I always enjoyed shoes."