Disclaimer: Nothing's mine but the plot!

Pure: Three {Narcissa}

Memories- that's all she had.

Narcissa would recline in the chaise in the extravagant Malfoy manor, her eyes closed, her chin tilted to the ceiling as she gave up the battle and allowed the memories to come once it was safe.

A flash of white light and a mane of thick, tangled black hair brushed against her face, each touch accompanied by the pain of a sharp whip.

Flash.

Now the hair was a deep, ruby red. She flinched as the strands brushed against her cheek the first time but the pain never came. Slowly, nervously, she reached out, allowing the fiery hair to flow past her fingers. Movement- now a pair of jade eyes stared at her curiously before crinkling into a hesitant smile. Narcissa stared back, her own silver eyes icy and emotionless- this was nothing, nothing but a passing fancy.

Flash.

Those same eyes afforded Narcissa a glance as she walked down the cobblestone pathway with him. She balled her hand into a fist hidden in the right pocket of her robes- she was clinging to Lucius's with her left. It was pride- that was all. Only pride. Narcissa allowed her fist to relax.

Flash.

A tired, baggy-eyed, yet still lovely Narcissa sat in a hospital bed as the fair-haired boy was delivered into her weak arms. Her heart swelled with an emotion that was only vaguely familiar and yet caused the bile to rise in her throat. Then a pair of silvery blue eyes blinked up at her, and her shoulders relaxed and she allowed herself to smile down at her baby son.

Flash.

Lucius was waving the Daily Prophet in her face, his expression ecstatic and suddenly boyish once again. He was shouting something, she thought, since his mouth was moving, but his words made no sound- she couldn't even hear Draco's screaming from her lap. The picture was black and white, but it didn't make a difference- those jade eyes would never haunt her again. And strangely, Narcissa felt no relief. Her throat closed up, and her eyes began to burn. But it was for the Dark Lord, of course. Only tears for his defeat. Lucius's master and Bella's. That was all.

Slowly, Narcissa opened her eyes once again and stretched luxuriously like a panther before she stood, preparing to greet Lucius, who had just come home from the Ministry. She no longer felt the rush of disappointment when she was pulled into his arms only to be met with a rough hug instead of the warm, caring embrace that she had known so many years ago. She no longer felt as though she would be sick when she rolled over in bed only to face blond hair and blue eyes instead of the crimson mane and intense jade gaze.

There was no such thing as love, she knew- Bella had taught her so before she even entered Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Years later, Narcissa would come face to face with those eyes once again- years later, her heart would finally begin to heal only to shatter as she looked down on the Dark Lord's final obstacle.

Narcissa would finally realize the truth sixteen years too late.

Bellatrix would die that night, taking Narcissa's fears and her pain along with her.

She had been right, in the end- love didn't exist.

Neither did Lily.