Disclaimer: As we all know, the characters and everything but my lovely plot bunny belong to Rowling.
Smell: Narcissa Black
Beautiful beyond her years, the young girl pranced easily down the long, winding stairs of the Black family residence. Seventeen, only seventeen, but the way she looked, so graceful, experienced in the highest degree, she could have passed for nineteen, if not twenty. Holiday break and the large manor seemed rather empty opposed to holidays before. Andromeda was gone, not just out of the house gone, gone for good gone, her parents had made sure of that. And Bellatrix, well, she was off, undoubtedly with the Dark Lord, but what else was to be expected? Besides, her parents found that her older sister was bestowing upon them a great honor. But Narcissa, blissful and ignorant on the Holidays was oblivious to these simple facts. Where did she think that Andromeda had gone; the youngest of the Black sisters was assured that she had fled on her own accord, that she had begged for her freedom, and of course the poor dear was happy, it was just a shame that she couldn't stick around long enough for the holidays. And Bellatrix, Narcissa knew she was away on business, but she didn't know the whereabouts or meaning to the words. Beauty beyond her years perhaps, but intelligence, perhaps it was true that one never got them but.
Still, despite the emptiness of the house, the unusual quiet, Narcissa found that she loved this holiday. There was never another time that you could let go of your worries and relax without concern; no thoughts of school, doing what she was expected to, acting the part of the golden little girl she was meant to be. And deep down, Narcissa knew that Andromeda, her sister, the one who had genuinely looked after her all those years and gave her the heart that the rest of her family seemed to be missing, hadn't left, that she had been run out. She knew all about Theodore Tonks and their relationship. Narcissa also knew that they were planning to be married. But that was for another place and time, perhaps it was best her parents never knew, for her sister's safety, for the sake of her happiness. But truth be told, while Andromeda had never expressly told her that she had been kicked out, her older sister sent her owls on occasion to check in, to make sure things were alright with her, though she dared not send too many for fear of suspicion. And before she'd left for the manor this holiday, she got the package from Andromeda, there wrapped in brilliant paper, streams of green and silver, a package holding her annual Christmas gift.
Even now, the small golden colored locket was hidden away in the bottom of her trunk, where she had tucked it away, out of sight of her parents, fearing they'd question her about it. Or worse, maybe they would take it from her, get rid of it. She knew they would get rid of it, Narcissa wasn't supposed to like Andy; she was supposed to be appalled by her and the thought that she would fall in love a muggle-born. But Narcissa couldn't bring herself to just write off Andy; Narcissa loved Andy beyond exception, far passed what she was allowed, for she was only allowed to hate her sister.
But if not for Andy, who would pay her mind? Surely not her parents, she was just their baby girl, the one who had to be told what she could and could not do, the one who was sheltered beyond all normality. If not it were not for Andy, then she would have but Bellatrix. And as it had become evident, she was only interested that their baby sister become the lover of darkness that she was now, and that she follow her footsteps rather than her heart. Surely, it was Bella who had taught her to be strong, what it meant to be a Black, but Andy gave her a heart. And surely, a heart was worth more than all the power and beauty the world had to offer. Of course, Narcissa couldn't really be sure, she as was aforementioned, is extremely sheltered beyond reason, sheltered in the arts of darkness and the way of the Blacks. She owed so much to Andy, but now, as she danced around the landing, she was wearing a new gown, smooth as silk, hugging her every curve, following her every motion, dark as the midnight sky, a deep contrast to her golden curls and the pale skin that shown white beneath the material, she let thoughts of everything but the here and now dance away, spinning out of thought, out of mind, placed faraway for another time, another day.
She looked lovely, much as she was sure to at the end of the holiday when her parents hosted the New Year's ball for the ninth year in a row, a tradition they started upon Bella's admission to Hogwarts. Narcissa felt like a princess as she glided around the room, her bare feet warm upon the cool floor, sending a chilling relief through her feet and up through her legs. It was as if this moment would make her go back in time, back to when she was a child, before the war interrupted her happiness and tore her family into pieces. It made her feel like a little girl. Maybe this year would be the year she'd find her prince, but as she spun in and out, room to room, Narcissa smelled the tantalizing smell of her grandmother's secret recipe, her favorite, cookies. It was as much a tradition to bake them as it was now to have the ball, but if she was honest she quite liked the cookies more; they were warm and melted in your mouth, not to mention you could enjoy them for longer, the warm gooey dough and the rich creamy taste. The ball, perhaps she wouldn't even enjoy it, so for now, twirling, gliding, she floated to the kitchen where she could watch the heat rising from the old fashioned stove; muggle style cookies tasted by far better than the magic kind, even if she wasn't supposed to think so. So while the cookies baked, she basked in their scent, the aroma enough to move even the most empathetic being.
A/N: I love Narcissa. I know it's rather short, but I plan to edit it again later, perhaps when I've finished all twenty chapters. Please R&R, I would love to know what you think.