This story is dedicated to Cissy Malfoy (i.e. my amazing friend Hollie).
:)
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All her life, Narcissa Malfoy had been seen as a sort of china doll – delicate with perfect white blonde hair, porcelain skin, cool blue eyes, and an icy expression. It was taken for granted that beneath this frosty exterior, was a cold heart.
Appearances aren't everything.
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When Cissy Black was small, she never ran about the house, screaming and yelling like her sisters Bella and Dromeda. She didn't plan pranks and tricks, argue with her parents, throw tantrums or ruin her dresses like her older sisters. Instead, she seemed to emit an aura of peace and elegance. She stayed in her bedroom, or in the lounge, where she played with her dolls and sewed, usually alone. She wasn't unpleasant or rude, but she was extremely dignified for someone so young.
When Cissy Black was older, she attended all the balls and dances, as someone of her status is expected to. She always arrived fashionably late with the rest of her family –
Dear Bella, dressed all in black, marched into the hall, long hair flying behind her.
Dear Dromeda, soft brown curls falling on her shoulders, dressed in a fashionable gown, eagerly followed her elder sister.
Yet, everyone's eyes were always on the baby of the family. She was always stunning, usually wearing a soft blue dress which matched her eyes, her white blonde hair swept upwards in an elegant style.
She was very cool when talking to her numerous admirers, she danced with them all as was expected of her, but she rarely showed any encouragement - except to one.
When Cissy Black was grown up, she finally married Lucius Malfoy, to the delight of her family. He was a brilliant catch, everyone said so – they suited each other perfectly. Like her, he was distant, aloof and cool. They understood each other completely.
Cissy Malfoy loved him more than she had anyone else. He understood her need for dignity and peace, unlike her family. They had thought her unfriendly and cold, but he knew what she was really about – because he was just the same.
And so, Cissy fell in love, and her heart opened for the first time.
The happiest day of Cissy's life was when her baby Draco was born. He looked exactly like his father, and the resemblance increased as he grew up. His eyes became sombre and grey, his hair grew softer and whiter, and his complexion became paler and paler. Cissy doted on him from the moment he was born, he was her everything, her world. She spoiled him; saw to his every whim, spent hours and hours with him. She became more animated a person, her smile became more frequent, and she became much more light hearted. Her heart warmed, and lost the ice. She adored her Draco, and he adored her.
Cissy did have a heart; it was proved that she could love. She had found her place in a family where she could be herself, and where she didn't have to worry about people's impressions of her. In this home, which appeared so frosty and cold to the outsider, she was at her happiest, as were her husband and son.
Cissy Malfoy's world was torn apart when the second Wizarding War started. Her family was put into immediate danger – the lives of her husband and sons were put on the line. And while the scornful onlookers expected her to carry on with her life, carry on supporting the dark side with all her cold heart, she proved to all how much she could love. She betrayed the Dark Lord, risked her own life – just to save her family.
Appearances certainly weren't everything.
She may have been harsh, cool and graceful – but she was still a wife and a mother.
And she never let anyone forget it.