A/N: Hey y'all! This was written for THC. Prompts are below :)

Word Count: 831

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. Those rights go to JK Rowling.

THC:

House: Slytherin

Class: Care of Magical Creatures

Category: Drabble

Prompt: (object) a pair of gloves

Thanks to Obsidian for beta-ing!

Enjoy!

Narcissa entered the Fortescue's property, slipping easily through the wards. Her ice-blue eyes flickered towards the the small cottage where she knew her lover would be; Alice loved the outdoors, and subzero temperatures wouldn't stop her from camping out on the steep-sloped roof.

Narcissa walked briskly through the snow, shivering. She climbed up to join her lover, using an assortment of objects Alice had used as makeshift stairs. She settled herself next to the other woman, who, to Narcissa's surprise, didn't spare her a glance.

Narcissa held out a gloved hand, palm up. They were Alice's—Narcissa would never have chosen the coral color for herself—but she'd taken to wearing them since Alice had left them behind after one forbidden rendezvous.

"You shouldn't be out in the cold for so long," Narcissa admonished. The first stars of the night appeared as she spoke. "Go out to town, at least; keep moving, stay warm. We could go now, if you'd like. I've some polyjuice—"

"What's the point of going out? We're just going to wind up back here anyway." Alice's words were bitter, tinged with resentment. "Hidden away like something shameful. I can't imagine loving in secret like that… Not for forever."

Narcissa blinked, surprised. Cautiously, she tried to ease Alice's worries. "It wouldn't be forever, just until the war is over—"

Alice turned her brown-eyed gaze on her then, piercing and challenging and reminding Narcissa of the fire she had fallen in love with. "So once the war's over, you'll gladly hold my hand—as yourself—in public? You won't care what your family will have to say about your dating a 'blood traitor'?"

Alice was shivering violently; Narcissa hesitantly pulled Alice closer and wrapped her cloak around them both. Alice didn't pull away. Emboldened, Narcissa spoke. "We'd have to be more careful than that, of course. Precautions would have to be taken—"

Alice's eyes filled with tears, but she didn't look away. She never shied away from confrontation. "Will I ever win?" she asked softly. "Narcissa, you need to choose. I can't… I can't pretend anymore. It's me or the reputation you have. I won't compromise myself for that."

Fear was coursing through Narcissa's veins now, hot and painful. She couldn't lose Alice, but she couldn't turn her back on her family.

Narcissa refused to be a disappointment.

She tampered down on those feelings, because a Black never lost control.

Still, she pressed her glove-clad hands protectively to her chest.

"The worlds we were born into," Narcissa said slowly, "are very different. It's easier for you to be yourself, but there are traditions I need to uphold. You know I love you; I've sacrificed so much to be with you thus far—"

"You've sacrificed to be with me?" Alice asked in a deadly quiet voice. Her short, dark hair was dotted with snowflakes, and that's what Narcissa focused on—anything but the rage in Alice's eyes.

Alice's hands hands clenched, her fingers charcoal-stained because she could create, unlike Narcissa, who could only destroy. "I spent a lot of time with you thinking I was second best. But you know what? I'm good." Alice laughed shakily. "I was always taught there's good in everyone, but you proved me wrong!"

Narcissa felt torn. She wanted to reach out for her lover and take back her words—that she wasn't sacrificing anything, because Alice was her world. But she couldn't do that. She just wasn't strong enough to leave behind the life she'd known.

"I've never thought you inferior," she said at last. Her face was stoic. She didn't deny the accusations thrown her way, though; how could she, when she was hurting the person she cared for most in the world?

Alice finally returned her gaze to the starry sky. "You could have fooled me," she whispered.

Narcissa didn't respond. It was one thing to cherish Alice above all else; it was another thing entirely to face the consequences of loving her. Blacks weren't made for strength, only survival.

After a moment, Alice stood. "I'd love to stay and finish this delightful conversation, but…" Her shoulders sagged. She turned to Narcissa. "It's time to say goodbye," she croaked.

Narcissa remained stoic. Alice sighed. "Not even worth that, am I?"

She hopped off the roof and hurried inside, leaving Narcissa suddenly cold, alone—broken. Blonde hair fell in front of her face as she looked down at the coral gloves, her vision blurred with tears. They were all she had left of Alice, now; Narcissa wasn't fool enough to think they could come back from this.

Slowly, she slipped the garments off. She held them in her palm for a moment, the wool soft to the touch and smelling of mint, like Alice.

Narcissa laid them on the roof. She couldn't move forward with the reminder of what she'd lost. There would be no place in her life for useless memories.

That was all Alice could be, now.

It was only then that she let the tears come.

A/N:

WC: Assorted Appreciation: 7. Martha Jones — (dialogue) "I spent a lot of time with you thinking I was second best. But you know what? I am good."

WC: Disney Challenge: C3. Jane — Write about someone "nice" losing their temper

WC: Trope of the Month: 9. (word) forbidden

WC: All Sorts of Space: 2. Daibazaal — (emotion) resentment

WC: Book Club: Lukas — (action) stargazing, (dialogue) "I can't imagine loving in secret like that.", (item) charcoal

WC: Showtime: 20. Papers — (word) property

WC: Liza's Loves: 13. Outlander — alt. Write about someone who loves to be outdoors

WC: Angel's Archives: 10. "Will I ever win?"

WC: Scamander's Case: 3. (action) maintaining eye contact

WC: Bex's Basement: 12. "What's the point of going out? We're just going to wind up back here anyway."

WC: Film Festival: 26. (dialogue) "I was always taught there's good in everyone, but you've proved me wrong!"

WC: Marvel Appreciation: 4. Write about someone who wants to do the right thing

WC: Lyric Alley: 4. And that would wipe the smile right from my face

Seasonal: Days of the Year: 1 August — write a femslash pairing

Seasonal: Summer: 1. (word) camping

Seasonal: Colors: 5. Coral

Seasonal: Mix It Up: Alice Longbottom, Take Me or Leave Me

Hangman: Narcissa Malfoy

Wandmakers: 9. Pine: only purebloods, 6. Troll whiskers: aggravated, Rigid: "I'd love to stay and continue this delightful conversation, but…"

Game Night: Truth: Trope: Secret relationship

Build a Bear: Pumpkin Scent: grief

Fortnightly: Sweetly Sapphic: 2. Lay under the stars and talk about life

Fortnightly: The 100: Raven — alt. Write about a heartbreak

Sci-Fi: 3. Huddling for warmth (BONUS)

300. Broken

272. "You need to choose."