Narcissa beamed with euphoria as she collected her interior design magazines, from the library shelf. The grieving mother of almost eight years, finally felt content with her life once more. Her little darling, Rosabella was coming home... and everything had to be perfect. She gracefully descended the staircase, gliding across the marble floors towards the sitting room fireplace. Now she just had to wait again...
Rosabella felt her eyes close, as regret immediately filled her mind. Was it a mistake? She watched as her parents vanished from sight as she disappeared into a ball of emerald flames. Rory asleep in her backpack as she clutched her white overnight bag as though prepared for someone to snatch it from her.
This was it, she arrived at Malfoy Manor feeling as though her heart was about to leap out of her chest. Rosabella glanced around the room, the hallway was large, dimly lit, and sumptuously decorated, with a magnificent carpet covering most of the marble floor. The eyes of the pale-faced portraits on the walls followed Rosabella as she stepped out of the fireplace nervously.
Rosabella locked eyes with her mother, Narcissa's. "I'm so glad you came," She smiled brightly, awkwardly fiddling with her hands as if she didn't know whether to shake or hug her daughter.
The young girl gave the women a content smile. She remembered her mother, Katherine telling her just how much Narcissa had missed her. Rosabella glanced around the room for a second to establish that they were alone, before moving to hug the woman kindly.
Narcissa looked down at her daughter in surprise, it was the last thing she'd been expecting. "Oh you're home darling, you're finally home," She breathed happily, embracing her daughter tightly for the first time in nearly eight years. "I've missed you so much," The grieving mother murmured into her daughter's golden locks.
Rosabella felt safe and loved in the arms of someone she barely remembered. She could see in her mother's matching blue orbs just how much her disappearance had hurt her. Narcissa blinked away the tears of happiness forming in her eyes.
The pair broke away as Draco entered the room. "Rosie?" He questioned, surprised to see his sister. The young boy ran towards his sister embracing her in a tight hug without a second thought.
Rosabella stepped back in shock as he brother ran towards her, showing more than the staged inch of affection she'd seen at school. "Draco," Rosabella replied as casually as she could, although nothing seemed casual about this day so far.
"I'm so glad you're here," He grinned, glancing up at his mother, her usual stoic facade seemingly devoid of emotion, a bitter memory; instead her face glowing with happiness.
"Why don't we get you settled in?" Narcissa suggested, leading her daughter towards the oversized wooden staircase. Rosabella stifled a small nod as she followed the woman, "Your father and I are on the second floor down the hall from the library," Narcissa explained, as they continued to climb the stairs to the third floor. "Here is Draco's room and then your room is the one beside it," Narcissa smiled opening her daughter's black bedroom door. "I hope you still like it, you overlook the gardens..."
Rosabella nodded, "It's beautiful," she breathed in awe as she walked into her old room. It appeared untouched for the eight years she'd been missing. Rosabella was surprised at how bright and airy the room was in comparison to the dark hardwood house. In the centre a white wood bed frame dressed in white sheets, baby pink accents and pillows, with a huge rose knit throw sprawled across the side of the bed. The toys she didn't remember, scattered in baskets, with the memories she'd forgotten.
"It hasn't been touched since the day with lost you," Narcissa wiped the single tear bubbling in the corner of her eye. Rosabella closed her eyes, it's sudden familiarity puzzling.
"Rosie, wait for me, darling," She heard a blonde woman call as she chased a young dancing girl around the room. "You'd have thought your ballet lessons would tire you out." She cooed, scooping the young girl into her arms when she finally reached her.
The little girl fidgeted with her silk ballet skirt, "But, I want to keep dancing, mummy," The little girl complained, as Narcissa attempted to change her outfit.
The older woman chuckled, "I promise, you can dance tonight at the wedding?" Narcissa reasoned, and the young girl finally gave in.
"Okay, mummy," She sighed, as one of the Irish Wolfhound's wandered into the room. "Alina," Rosabella giggled, rubbing the dog's grey fur, as Narcissa folded Rosabella's dancing clothes.
Narcissa grabbed her daughter's emerald green gown with capped sleeves, a tulle skirt and a diamond belt from inside her closet. "Rosie, come here darling we need to get you ready," Narcissa called her daughter.
Rosabella's face instantly brightened, as she sprinted towards the closet excitedly, "Coming mummy," she giggled, Alina on her tail as they danced into the room.
Rosabella rubbed her eyes with confusion. That had never happened before? Shrugging the thought off she walked further into the room, staring at the photos that hung off the cream walls. It was Narcissa and herself after what appeared to be her first dance recital. Narcissa holding her grinning proudly as a young Rosabella pointed to her dancing tiara. Rosabella smiled at the photo as her eyes trailed to the second one. It was her and Draco as children all dressed up with her brother looking absolutely ridiculous in a top hat and bow tie and absolutely adorable at the same time.
"Do I have to wear it?" A young Draco complained, wrestling his emerald green bowtie as Rosabella watched from his bed. The young girl fiddled with her own dress as she listened to her mother's soothing voice.
"It's just for tonight, Draco," Narcissa replied lovingly, neatening her son's bowtie once more. "The wedding will be over before you know it," She reasoned with her son, as she smoothed her own dress.
"Fine," Draco sighed, holding his mother's hand as she carried Rosabella downstairs.
Narcissa placed her two children on the second step, adjusting Draco's top hat and bowtie for the final time. She snapped a photo of Draco hugging Rosabella tightly, as they smiled up at their mother. "One more, my darlings." She grinned, her smile fading into a blur as Rosabella returned to existence.
Rosabella moved to sit in the armchair by the window, taking back by the sudden memories of home. She hated these people, she didn't even want to spend the night. Each and every one of their despicable and heartless acts carried out, made Rosabella's stomach churn in disgust. Yet, she saw the love that was given and the hurt caused by losing her. "I-" Rosabella started, but could barely formulate a sentence. "Tha-t..." She tried again but quickly shut her eyes in disbelief.
Narcissa could tell her daughter was overwhelmed, "I was hoping we could redecorate your room today?" Narcissa suggested, changing the topic as she leant in the doorway.
Rosabella looked up at her mother, "Really? We don't have to," She replied politely, unsure of whether she should change the room that Narcissa clearly had become attached to in recent years.
"Of course," Narcissa nodded her head, "It's time for a change... a fresh start." She hummed, resting her head against the door frame.
Rosabella sent her mother a grateful smile, "Thank you, that sounds lovely then."
"It's absolutely fine darling," Narcissa returned the smile, as she summoned a selection of magazines with her wand. The woman closed the door, before wandering over to her daughter's position. "Is there anything you want to keep?"
Rosabella surveyed the room, selecting the three toys that sat on her bed, the photo frames, and a selection of ornaments and books. "I'll keep this chair, the desk, and the throw please... Are you sure, you don't want anything? Rosabella asked, turning to her mother for confirmation.
The older woman merely shook her head, "I already have everything I need," She smiled at her daughter, as she placed the chosen items to the side of the room.
In instant, Narcissa had cleared the remaining items in the room, leaving it bare for Rosabella to decorate. She hadn't realised just how large the room really was without the bed. She glanced over at the two large french doors leading out onto her snow-covered balcony. On one side there was a deep window seat and on the other a small bookshelf that stopped at the windows to not obstruct the beautiful view.
Narcissa gathered her dress in hand as seated herself on the floor beside her daughter, spreading out the recent Witches at Home catalogues. "Oh, mum has these at home too," Rosabella stated without a second thought over her choice of words. "I mean, Katherine..." She said quietly, only just realising.
Narcissa just shook her head, "It's fine… it'll take us all a while to get used to."
The pair scanned through the endless magazines selecting each piece to complement the other. Narcissa turned to her daughter, "How about this bed frame?" She questioned, as Rosabella scanned her eyes over it.
"It's really pretty," She gushed excitedly, tracing her fingers over the tall grey headboard image.
"Say no more," Narcissa chuckled, and with a wave of her wand, the bed appeared instantly before them. Rosabella stared at the bed in awe, before looking back at her mother. It was truly incredible... two pendant lights now hung from the ceiling above two wooden side tables. "Now, what about this white quilt cover with grey accents and pillows?" She suggested, showing Rosabella the image who nodded in approval.
"And the rose knit throw blanket from my old bed to match," She grinned, as Narcissa transfiguring the items to Rosabella's bed. The young girl grabbed her own wand, updating the white cream wooden desk with black leg detailing and a black fabric chair to match. Rosabella smiled as she gazed up at the white shelves. Narcissa had added the books she'd saved to the middle shelf and placed two photo frames on her desk.
Narcissa turned to the fireplace with two white doors on either side. The woman continued to add the saved photo frames and candles along the black mantel. Above it a plain white wall that Narcissa was unsure of what to do with. "What should we put here?" She questioned. Rosabella looked from her newly grey window seat cushion and royal blue pillows.
"Leave it for now," Rosabella replied, thinking of the perfect item to put there. "I have an idea for it," Narcissa nodded, as she inserted white sheers from the magazine to the windows and french doors of Rosabella bedroom.
Finally, Rosabella transfigured a second plush, oversized grey armchair to match the one that was already in her room. She placed them in the space between her bed and the fireplace. Narcissa smiled, adding a glass coffee table with gold detailing in between. "This is amazing!" Rosabella grinned, elated by her afternoon with her mother. "Thank you so much," She grinned, hesitant on whether to hug her mother for the second time. Rosabella looked up at her mother, moving to embrace the woman apprehensiveness aside.
Narcissa felt her eyes water slightly as her daughter engulfed her tightly. She finally had her little girl back. "You're welcome, my darling," Narcissa replied squeezing her daughter tighter. The young girl held onto her mother's hand tightly as Narcissa guided her towards the door between her desk and the fireplace. "This is your bathroom, and don't worry about sharing with your brother… he has his own too," She chuckled, as Rosabella gasped in awe.
The cabinets were a velvet-black with a white marble bench top, the perfect contrast. The gold fixtures and black mirrors, seemingly beautiful, yet, Rosabella's favourite item was the white and black polka dot tiles. "The other room is even better," Narcissa grinned, leading her daughter into the opposite door, before she could even comment on its enormity.
"Wow," Rosabella breathed, "This is huge!" She cried, completely taken back by her surroundings.
Rosabella's walk-in-robe had crisp floor to ceiling white cupboards with gold handles. Rosabella stared at the shoe wall at the back of her closet in awe. It was already filled with shoes for every occasion and season. Rosabella followed her closet around the corner to see four walls of enormous hanging space and yet again all hung with different clothes, with a wall specifically for formal dresses and gowns.
"This is incredible," Rosabella smiled, but quickly turned to her mother, furrowing her brows in confusion, "These aren't mine?" Rosabella questioned, running her fingers along the racks of clothes.
Narcissa nodded, sitting on the large circular ottoman in the centre, "Think of it as eight years of Christmas and birthday presents and just because gifts," Narcissa nodded, watching as daughter continued to stare at her surroundings.
"This has been an incredible afternoon," Rosabella replied gratefully, "I don't know how to thank you enough," Rosabella smiled. Katherine was right… her mother was beautiful and kind and she now knew just how much Narcissa had missed her. But were they trying to buy her affection or simply make up for lost time?
"You're perfectly welcome, darling," Narcissa replied, as Rosabella took a seat beside her on the grey ottoman. "Y-you still have it?" Narcissa asked in complete shock, noticing the rose gold necklace they had made when she was born. "After all this time?" She questioned, balancing the heart necklace between her perfectly manicured red nails.
Rosabella gave a small nod, looking down at the necklace around her neck. "Yes, it's the only thing I've had since they found me," Rosabella whispered, hating to discuss that night, knowing her mother would too. "I didn't have any memory of you or anything… I was just... blank."
Narcissa embraced her daughter tightly, "You're home now and that's all that matters." Rosabella wandered out of the closet, her mother close behind to see Rory, her tiger cub had already fallen asleep on her new bed. "Who's this?" Narcissa asked, as Rosabella pet the cub softly.
"Rory," Rosabella smiled in reply, "She's a miniature tiger cub."
"Well, she's adorable," Narcissa complimented. She stroked the cub's fur lightly as Rosabella yawned, "and you're tired." She chuckled, folding down the sheets of her daughter new bed. "I promise to wake you up," Narcissa smiled, after seeing her daughter's apprehensive face. Rosabella obliged, yawning for the second time as she slipped off her ballet flats and snuggled under the covers. "I'll just put the clothes you brought in your closet," Narcissa smiled, as Rosabella allowed sleep to take over her body. Today, so far, was nothing like she expected.
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