Narcissa looked at the jewels strewn on the rosewood table. They glittered in the warm glow of the fire, almost as if they were alive. Each one was worth thousands of galleons, if not more, and most were one of a kind. She had received nearly all of them from her husband. And yet, all the rubies, sapphires and diamonds that were so beautifully encrusted in the gold and silver, seemed almost worthless to her. She knew quite a few people to whom such objects would have meant the world. To her, however, they were a symbol that something she held very dear, no longer existed.
She remembered the first day she had met him. They had only been children, and their families had been dining together. He had been sitting right across her. She had noticed that he had a certain...regalness about him, even at the age of eight, something that certainly appealed to her. She had understood little of the conversation that the adults were having, and both her sisters had seemed preoccupied, so she had focused her attention on Lucius Malfoy. He had noticed her doing so and smiled at her warmly. She had returned the smile. A gesture of friendship.
She wanted, almost desperately, to see that smile again.
When they had been at Hogwarts, he had taken her under his wing, in a way, even though she was slightly younger than him. This, coupled with her family name, had paved her way to become fairly well-known among the Slytherin circles. Their eager parents had constantly hinted at and hoped for a budding romance between the two, so much so, that no one had really been surprised when they had announced the truth to the rumors. They had been young, and in love, and nothing else had really mattered.
She wished she could know that feeling again.
The first few years after their wedding had been blissful. Even their joining the Death Eaters had been taken quite well, and even been supported enthusiastically by their family and friends, quite a few of whom soon followed them into the Dark Lord's ranks. Narcissa, for a short time, finally had the life she had always wanted. Until, his nights grew later, and he himself grew more distant. Sometimes he didn't return till the break of dawn, even. She never complained about it, choosing instead to focus on taking care of their son. She would be a good mother, even if she couldn't be a good enough wife. So, she did not say a word each time he stumbled in, smelling of a new lover's perfume, but her eyes spoke volumes. Slowly, he began to feel guilty, and so the gifts grew larger and more expensive, even as his love faded away. She would smile dutifully at each new jewel, and then lock it away in her safe, wishing she had never received it.
She had thought she would get used to it. She was wrong, The pain never got any better, and so, she supposed, there was no use musing over it any further. It seemed like another long night was awaiting her. She put her jewels away again, wondering if anyone knew how poor they made her feel.
Notes: For the 12 days of Christmas Challenge (Day 5), and the Christmas Character Challenge.