Title: The Little Things
Author: Julia Thorne
Rating: PG.
Spoilers: Books 1-5.
Summary: A little insight into the thoughts of Narcissa Malfoy. Set during OoTP.
Disclaimer: All Harry Potter characters are copyright of J.K. Rowling and affiliates. No money is being made from this work and no infringement is intended.

She was beautiful and she knew it.

It was the security of this knowledge that most informed her actions as well as her general attitude to herself and others.

Narcissa Malfoy had always held a great disdain for those who were not like her or her family – it was a feeling that had been instilled in her long ago, in early childhood. She was fiercely proud of what she was and why shouldn't she be?

Pride. That was what had set the Black family apart – their sense of pride. Now, Narcissa had a family of her own to be proud of. Her son Draco was an intelligent and driven young man. No doubt her only child had an incredibly bright future ahead of him. She just knew it, felt it, and believed it.

As for Lucius, her husband ... well, what could one say about him?

He was the only man who had ever impressed her simply with his mere presence. When Lucius walked into a room you knew that he was awash with power, money and masses of self-confidence. Nothing could be more attractive in his wife's eyes. It did not hurt that he was handsome either. A little cold and aloof perhaps but then so was she.

She smiled at her reflection in the vanity table mirror. Yes, she was one of the lucky ones and she had achieved it all by simply sticking to her principles and employing the standards that had made the Black name so great.

Narcissa frowned as she thought of some of her other relatives. They were undesirables.

No, that didn't truly describe them. A better word was blood traitors.

Andromeda came immediately to mind. Marrying a Muggle! Unthinkable. Narcissa had never set eyes on Andromeda's daughter Nymphadora and she didn't want to. After all, why should she care about a mere half-blood?

Then, there was her cousin, Sirius Black. Her lip curled whenever she thought of him. Everyone thought he was a Death Eater but nothing could be further from the truth.

Oh, but he will get his comeuppance. She thought with a gleeful smirk as she carefully brushed her long blonde hair. They all will. The Dark Lord will see to that.

And I'm doing my bit.

It had happened quite by accident. Shortly before Christmas a House-elf named Kreacher had shown up unexpectedly at the mansion. From what Narcissa had gathered from the creature's rather unstable ramblings her cousin was hidden away at his old house, with the help of the Fidelius Charm.

Apparently, Sirius had exasperatedly ordered the House-elf to get out and Kreacher had chosen to take this order rather literally (a piece of cunning she would never have thought possible from one of his kind) and had left the house. He had sought out Narcissa, as she was the only remaining member of the Black family who was still respectable to his eyes.

It was immediately obvious that Kreacher has been privy to a lot of important information from 'the other side' that the Death Eaters knew nothing about and she seized the opportunity to learn more without hesitation. She sent Kreacher back to spy on the comings and goings of Grimmauld Place.

Lucius had been pleased with Narcissa when she had explained everything to him and he was not an easy man to please. That was part of his appeal – she liked a challenge and they didn't come any bigger than a Malfoy with high standards.

If things turned out well, the Malfoy family would be greatly rewarded by the Dark Lord for her initiative. The thought thrilled her.

Yes, she was a supporter of He Who Must Not Be Named. She was not an active Death Eater but anyone who exalted the cause of the Purebloods was worthy of Narcissa's attention. Even if his methods were somewhat ... dubious.

Rising gracefully from her chair, Narcissa strolled out of the room. She and Lucius were having luncheon in the beautiful gardens of their home and it would not do to be late.

One of the lucky ones.

Narcissa had never felt as contented before as she did at that very moment.

As long as nothing unexpected happened to her or her family then that feeling wasn't going anywhere.

Really, with everything going so perfectly, nothing horrible could happen now, surely?

- Fin -