Narcissa

Something changed in her sixth year at Hogwarts; somehow, by some miracle, they were no longer just Narcissa Black and Lucius Malfoy.

They were Narcissa Black and Lucius Malfoy.

Their relationship consisted of snogging in empty classrooms, whispers of "I love you", "I love you too". It consisted of Narcissa seeing him differently than she had for years, of shared bubble gum, of disapproving looks from Andromeda. There were excited cackles from Bellatrix, eye-rolls from Sheila, and gossip from April.

Narcissa could not say that she was unsurprised when he first asked her to go to Hogsmeade with him. The last time she'd checked, she'd sported a grudge against him since the first year. He had taken pleasure at talking down at her, April, and Sheila – simply because he was a year their senior.

Still, what she had conveyed to him were not simply empty paroles. He confided some of his secrets to her, in turn; he had ambitions to become a Death Eater, between other things.

During that time, Bella had already taken a blessed placing in the Dark Lord's ranks. Narcissa could see what service could do to a person, and their sanity – with Bella it had not been much of a lost, for she had always been a bit wild, unpredictable, like Father – but she did not want his mind to be affected in that way. Never.

She was however ashamed at how she had literally begged him to retain his humanity, his sanity, for her sake, in front of the entire Slytherin common room and its occupants.

He had laughed, with the sickly smell of Firewhiskey on his breath, twirled a lock of her blonde hair rather shakily, and demanded, slurring slightly, that Nott pour him another glass of whiskey. The next day, he had woken with a rather nasty hangover.

(It wasn't only Bella who could throw wild parties under old Sluggy's nose).

Narcissa watched his carefully, for the next eight years. She noticed how shadows almost always seemed to find their way under his eyes, how their stormy grey would always glint after particularly tedious "service". She noticed how he looked at his mask and cloak with the high hood with pride.

She learned how to be a Death Eater's wife. She kept her quiet, remained obedient, and gave the Dark Lord the impression that she was particularly dim.

She didn't like it, but it was all survival, wasn't it?

When He disappeared, she was relieved, truth be told. She thought that Draco could grow up safely, in a world of peace of prosperity.

How wrong she was.

She watched, as he struggled with the Dark Lord's deed. She watched as Bella's full insanity and obsessive infatuation with Him were revealed. She thought she was helping Draco when she went to Severus, but her sister had been right; her son, her little baby, her angel, was a man now. She was just His Mother and Lucius the Failure's Wife.

She breathed with relief when Severus reported that Draco's soul had not been torn on Dumbledore's account. She thanked him.

She was on the edge for that whole year, for Azkaban seemed to have made Lucius's worst come out. She worried over his obsession with his hopeless redemptions for his failures and struggled to not fuss over him.

She had to remain strong for her family. Her two boys. Lucius. Draco.

They needed her.

She was relieved when they let Potter and his friends escape because Lucius… Lucius wouldn't have brought about the child's death. She so wanted, she desired to hunt down the Dark Lord, to tear him to shreds when she saw what he had done to her husband… Though she was grateful that none of them had been killed in his mad fury.

She worried, worried during the battle, her Slytherin ruthlessness and determination speaking out in her mind.

Kill… Dark Lord… Kill.

She really needed to do… something to the man… no, to the beast that had brought her little dragon to fight here, in the pits of hell…

When the Dark Lord ordered her to see if Potter was alive, she did something a Slytherin would have never, ever done. She lied to one of the most talented Legilimens in the century, when he was within killing distance of her.

Her motherly instinct had sounded through her ears at that moment.

Her two boys. Lucius. Draco.

They needed her.

She watched, amazed, as Potter began taunting the Dark Lord. She listened as the truth was revealed by the boy. About Severus, and his love for Lily Potter. About Draco, and the Elder Wand.

She watched as the Dark Lord fell. She was among those who cheered when He fell, and she let the weight of Bella's death slowly sink in.

Lucius's grey eyes widened, and then, to her great surprise, he cheered, as well, a smile lighting up his face.

"Free," he murmured hoarsely. "Cissa, we're free." He held her against him, running his grimy fingers through her hair. She looked up and saw, in his tired eyes, the tall, charming boy who had managed to worm himself into her heart, who had changed her life at the age of sixteen, and laughed, laughed a laugh she hadn't laughed in years.

"You kept your promise," she said.

He merely looked confused.

She laughed again, and buried her face in his neck.

She smiled, thinking about joining Draco at the Slytherin table, where, in spite of the battle's aftermath, would surely arouse good old memories.

Narcissa Malfoy, née Black, was happy.


Next up is - Family: Scorpius

After that is - Our Mate, the Werewolf: Sirius

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