Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, not even a small part! :D

Narcissa hated her looks. First thing, no. Damn you for even thinking that she was one of those insecure girls that think that they're not pretty enough whatsoever. Cissy knew perfectly well that she was pretty, that she caught the eye of every single boy that walks passed her. People notices her well before the rest of her family member.

Being pretty was what she hated. When she first understood that people were praising her. It was a good thing to be pretty, she was delighted. Then it started to sink that maybe, just maybe, it wasn't so good.

It wouldn't be so bad if you were born in a family where everyone looked like that. However, everyone in the family have to have curly black hair, stunningly sharp features, shocking dark blue eyes, etc. Narcissa had to be the only one graced with straight blond hair, extreme pale skin, softer features as well as lighter sparkly blue eyes.

Now you'd think most people like to stand out in this way but she didn't like how people treated her delicately, like she was some pretty porcelain doll that could break any moment. So, one day, Cissy decided, one day she would prove her siblings and cousins wrong. She would show them she wasn't made of porcelain. She could be as strong as each of them, as every Black in the household.

The day she finally "prove her worth" (as she liked to call it) was that time they were on a little expedition with Lucius, Crabbe, Goyle, Rabastan and Rodolphus. They were going to take a break after Andy, Crabbe and Rodolphus first year ended. It was summer and they decided to go to the beach.

Bella, being the most fearless amongst them even with the boys included jumped right into the sea first, followed by Lucius taking a cautious step and slowly, all of them entered that damned water. Cissy didn't want to enter. She simply would not enter that dreadful water. She knew she hated swimming and as much as she tried, she just couldn't get it.

This was one of the times that she was glad that they only thought of her as a pretty face and couldn't care less if she swam or not. Well, at least that's what she thought.

"Narcissa," Lucius said quietly from behind her. "Why aren't you swimming?"

Cissy turned around to give him another famous Black glower, just like she had before she set the Cruciatus Curse on him the previous time. She really didn't want to be interrupted or worse, pushed or dragged into the water. "Go away," she told him childishly (it wasn't her fault she was still seven).

Lucius raised an eyebrow at her. "Why? Don't you like swimming, or at least lying down on the shallow water?"

Cissy didn't really want to admit to a new friend, what more Bella's close friend, that she was afraid of swimming so instead she said that she just had fever and couldn't go into the water unless she wanted another few days stuck with it. It was absolutely boring, she lied fluently. Thank Bella and Sirius for their often lies and training to lie.

"Oh," Lucius said thoughtfully and after a while, he sat down beside her. "I suppose I could accompany you. I'm not much of a fan of water myself." Cissy wasn't sure this was a lie or this was real but she didn't protest as he began little conversation to find out more about the girl behind the pretty face.

Suddenly, Lucius felt the ground lifted off him and he found himself being hauled up by a centaur. He could only stare in horror and let out a blood curling scream. It was only later that Lucius told him that at that moment, what he was more afraid of was that she would have a terrible impression of him.

All the other eight children rushed out of the water to help Lucius but they were far. Cissy held out her wand. Thinking she couldn't hold her own, most of her sibling tried to speed up to no avail. Cissy waved her wand and a jet of spell knocked the centaur of his feet, sending Lucius tumbling down and Cissy caught her. She swore she heard something like stupid dignity.

All around eight people stood and stared amazed at what she had just done. What happened to their fragile little sister? Where was the gentle pretty girl. Only Lucius, who had been attacked by her cruciatus curse knew her full potential as he watched her fire curses. When the centaur finally turned and ran, the group of people cheered for the success and for Cissy. For the first time, she felt proud because she have done something good and received praise. Not just praises about her being pretty. She beamed.

It might have been the thrill (most likely) but she had never held a wand to attack, to threaten for such a long time because Voldemort liked trophy wives which was honestly easy if you think of it as a time to be bored and daydream because nobody spoke to trophy wives. They're supposed to be stupid. Honestly, Cissy some times wonder why Bella got so much favour from the Dark Lord because she certainly wasn't anything close to a trophy wife and clearly have no intention of ever becoming one.

So when she caught Gregory Goyle, the idiotic son of Goyle (the older one honestly wasn't that stupid... some trophy wives must be really stupid and not faking it like her), trying to harm her precious little son who somehow survived the war for getting Crabbe killed, Cissy held out her wand and pointed it straight at him. "Let go off Draco, right now," she commanded, coldly without flinching even though Draco was choking from Gregory's arms around his neck. Lucius made no move to stop her, even smiling inwardly. He hadn't seen her this way in a long time and at least it wasn't directed at him this time.

Draco gave his mother a weak smile, clearly thinking that it was impossible that his mother was getting him out of this. He gaze pleadingly at his father instead who made no move whatsoever except to tilt his head a little to watch the scene that was about to unravel. Draco wasn't the only one who didn't believe in Cissy it seemed because Gregory sneered (which was a little unlike him since it was normally Vincent who does that and he who looks stupid, not that he looks any smarter now). "You?" he said in disbelieve. "You're just a damned pretty face. if you can even remember how to say a spell..."

Cissy growled softly and Lucius broke into a grin. Gregory could not have put the insult any better because Lucius knew that nothing made Cissy more agitated than people thinking she was weak because she was pretty. Of course, he should probably expect an over-reaction but he totally forgot about that. Which explains why within five seconds, Gregory was writhing on the floor with the combined of who knows how many hexes and Cissy was nowhere near stopping. She whirled her wand furiously and continued cursing, even after Gregory head lulled over, clearly unconscious.

Lucius attempted to pull her back, rather certain that killing Gregory would have some consequences, whether she saved Potter's life or not, but to no avail. She merely smacked his restraining hand away, taking a step forward, even before Lucius hands reached within ten centimetres near her. It wasn't until Draco finally gotten back his voice and uttered in an extremely surprise tone "Mom?" when Cissy, breathing heavily calmed. She turned around, facing her amused husband and her awed son.

Smacking their heads, she muttered, "Let's just go back home before something else happens." Rumours were wild though because no one had ever mentioned about her being a trophy wife or just a porcelain doll/pretty face or anything similar (not that she remained a trophy wife now that the Dark Lord was gone of course). In fact, no one ever tried to cross Narcissa Malfoy Nee Black's path any longer because she was after all, a Black through and through.