flower // serpent

𝐁𝐄𝐀𝐔𝐓𝐘 𝐌𝐀𝐘 𝐁𝐄 𝐃𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐑𝐎𝐔𝐒 𝐁𝐔𝐓 𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐋𝐋𝐈𝐆𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄 𝐈𝐒 𝐋𝐄𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐋

[toujoursfleure]

okay, so we're back at it again with trying to roleplay. some of you may be old-timers like me and some of you may be new. regardless, hi! how are you? my name is michelle, i'm old as dirt and this is my roleplay blog for the divine creature that is narcissa black-malfoy. i've been roleplaying since i was about eleven and i took a break the last year ( or two, idk what time is anymore ) because real life is hard and tbh the drama that came with rp just wore me out. you are now witnessing my tentative comeback and this blog is still heavily under construction. smut may happen and i will not be following or interacting with anyone underage. you can find narcissa's google doc here. a few things up front: my time is precious and i just don't have the energy to follow fads anymore. like, it's great if you want to use fancy formatting and go all out. i love that for you. as for me, i'll be using headers and whatnot but i'll either be using small gifs made by others or going entirely without when it comes to my replies. the laptop i used for graphics is currently out of commission and i just don't have the time to make new ones nor am i invested enough to commission someone else to make them for me. we'll see if this changes, but tbh i'm really just here to write and read other people's awesome work. i'll be using beta editor. gif credits: elyxxiumgifs & rampld disclaimers: 01 needless to say, i am not samara weaving, michelle pfeiffer, or any of the other fcs that may appear on this blog. i have pried narcissa from the unworthy hands of jk rowling and made her mine, but i do not in any way own the rights to the character or make any sort of profit from writing her. 02 this blog can and will prove to be canon-divergent on a great deal of things. this blog disregards certain aspects of pottermore lore and the entirety of the cursed child. i also ask that you not come to this blog expecting narcissa to be the one-dimensional villain prop-up to your character. in this house we do not accept ‘all slytherins are evil’ propaganda, nor do we allow you to pigeonhole narcissa into the vain, elitist, evil snob niche for the sake of making your character a shining beacon of moral superiority and faux-altruistic intention. i harbor no illusions about her prudery and snobbery, she is flawed. that being said, she has valid reasons for being that way and can grow/develop from them like any other soul. please respect my interpretation and i will gladly do the same. 03 triggers that may appear on this blog include but are not limited to physical and psychological abuse ( mainly as a child, but also during the voldemort invasion of malfoy manor ), violence of varying natures, and incest given that it is a naturally occurring thing within her family and the other members of the sacred twenty-eight. that being said, i will never ship narcissa with one of her sisters so please do not ask. i am also above age and nsfw material in the form of smut may make it onto this blog. i will tag all things accordingly.

[deejay]

[toujoursfleure]

I'm going to read through some of my old things on the archived blog to try and get back in the right headspace for my girl here. After that, I'll get back to starters and writing. If you'd like to plot something then my messages are always open.

[toujoursfleure]

open to → anyone location → one of the less famous shops in diagon alley

✖ ✖ ✖                   ❝ You are aware that I am an adult? ❞ Fingertips continue to trail over the ancient wooden shelf, lazily perusing the mishmash of wares the quaint little shop has to offer. Narcissa understands their question, even if she's uncertain whether or not it's meant as a barb. The blonde isn't often found alone in any corner of the world — there's usually a sister, a cousin, her mother, or ( as of late ) her fiance beside her. She had simply wanted to breathe...if only for a moment.

❝ I do not need to be escorted everywhere that I go. ❞

[toujoursfleurea]

i want meta on the many faces of narcissa of narcissa. does she act different around certain people? is she always the same? speech patterns , the amount of emotion she shows , her comfort level etc. is there any variance at all?

 a l w a y s a c c e p t i n g  ✓ ✓ ✓ meta questions

@knowshisown

Narcissa possesses the uncanny ability to be exactly what you need her to be. To her parents, she is the dutiful daughter who never steps a toe out of line. To her sisters and cousins, she is the stable one - the fortress of pillars and stone. She is the flower rooted to the ground while they all burn the skies above. She is sweet and lovely. Much like her floral namesake, she is capable of blooming in the chill of midwinter. 

To her detractors - to those with preconceived notions and concepts about what it means to be Narcissa Black, or later Narcissa Malfoy - she can be hard to stomach. Daffodils are poisonous, after all. She doesn’t needlessly pick fights or react to goading the way someone might want her to. She doesn’t respond to things in the way that a normal person with a normal beating heart would do. If you want her to be the spoiled princess, so be it. If you want her to be a naive, silly slip of a girl, so be it. If you want her to be the villain, so be it. Narcissa will not waste time attempting to soothe fragile egos or change weak minds. When she speaks, she doesn’t speak needlessly. If it behooves her to act in a way that ‘justifies’ certain opinions of her, she’ll do it. Being underestimated paves more roads than one might think.

Narcissa and Narcissa alone knows exactly who she is and what she is made up of. 

Above and beyond all else, Narcissa exudes a quiet sort of confidence. From a simple glance or the most minute of observations, one might come to the conclusion that everything she does is easy and effortless. This is perhaps the second biggest lie of her life. The most important thing to know about Narcissa is that from the moment she wakes up to the second she finally falls asleep at some ungodly hour at night, she is full on all the time. Her mind is always in a whir. Her thoughts ever busy and rampant. Every skill and every accomplishment has been hard-won through hours upon hours of work. Narcissa will burn the candles at both ends. She’ll exhaust herself in the pursuit of perfection. Despite popular opinion, she knows what it means to have to work for what she wants. 

Never doubt that this daughter of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black doesn’t know what it means to sweat. To bleed. She just goes about it in a different way than everyone else, even her cousins and sisters.

Narcissa is softest around her sisters. Her smiles are genuine, her laughter from the heart. Among Bellatrix and Andromeda, there is a warmth to her that is missing elsewhere. With them, she is her most comfortable and her most whole. Appearances don’t matter as much. Posture and perfection are thrown out the window. All three of them have a wildness in them, one that is shared both by blood and by bond. They bring it out in one another, they  relish in it like fairies or pagan gods. There’s mischief to go with their magic, and love enough to burn the world.

This version of Narcissa is something that is also experienced by Sirius and Regulus but to a lesser extent that diminishes more and more after Andromeda’s flight from home and when Sirius decides that they are all his enemies. Whether it be in the Black home or as the matriarch of Malfoy manor, Narcissa takes on the pillar role. She is a willing Atlas, determined to hold the world on her shoulders. She will do whatever is necessary to keep her family safe and whole. Where she will not lash out or speak up in defense of herself, the surest way to rile her up or incur her wrath is to insult or injure her family or someone she loves.

As far as emotions go, Narcissa locks hers away rather than wearing them on her sleeve. When she was younger she was always being forced by her mother to smile and be ‘pretty’. She had to make a conscious effort to keep her mouth parted, to soften her features. Otherwise, she has a tendency to look stern…too serious…unsatisfied. As the years progress, as she loses first one sister and then seemingly another, when Regulus disappears, when Sirius is imprisoned, as Lucius disappoints her again and again, she stops making as much of an effort. All her genuine moments, all her happy days, are reserved for Draco and Draco alone. All her thoughts become entirely her own.

As far as speech goes, Narcissa very rarely goes beyond a conversational tone. She doesn’t yell or cry, she doesn’t scream. It’s all placid waters. Every word is thought out before it is said, so she’s very clear and concise. She has an expansive vocabulary and can speak multiple languages. There are times when it can seem like she’s talking through a person or down to them. Very rarely will anyone feel as if she’s actually speaking to them on their or an equal level. She also likes to speak in riddles from time to time, veiling what she really wants to say with this or that metaphor/bit of philosophy. You really don’t want to experience her anger, should you be persistent enough to light that fire.

[toujoursfleure]

𝟑-𝟓 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐌𝐔𝐒𝐄 𝐂𝐀𝐍 𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐈𝐋𝐘 𝐁𝐄 𝐈𝐃𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐈𝐅𝐈𝐄𝐃 𝐁𝐘.

𝐂𝐎𝐋𝐎𝐑𝐒:

white - ( purity, innocence, cleanliness, authority, divinity. also it's modern understanding as a sign of purity and almost cold sterility vs. it's history as a color of death, mourning, and transcendence )

black - ( elegance, wealth, restraint, power. black blood in black veins. dark magic, the bleak void, repression )

sapphire - ( loyalty, nobility, sincerity, integrity. eyes that are as close to paradise on earth as one can get when she loves you but the icy depths of the ocean to the uninitiated. rich but cold. )

moss green - ( renewal and regeneration. fertility. resilience. the color of the gardens she loves and the ground her floral name has rooted her to. the blankets she swaddled draco in. )

crimson - ( blood. revenge. anger. the passion she stifles. it's the color she wears on her lips and nails like a gash after marriage and the first war. girlhood died in a fit of female rage. )

𝐒𝐂𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐒:

narcissa has a very fresh floral scent as her base. think the first promising breath of spring after a harsh winter. daffodils, melting snow, somewhat minty.

her perfume is something that she makes on her own and it enhances her natural scent while added something sultry and luxurious. amber. a little leather. honestly, her perfume borders on cologne territory.

there's always going to be a touch of the old world clinging to her like a ghost. wood and wine. the mustiness of an empty house. smoke.

𝐅𝐀𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐎𝐍:

laces as a child. her mother delighted in dressing her up like a doll.

satins and velvets. things that are slippery to the touch but create intrigue and texture.

narcissa is a fan of quiet luxury ( no big brands in modern universes ) and monochromes. she doesn't dress down ever, or at least out of choice.

she's more of a 'modest' dresser. she likes a good high neck and long gown. that being said, she wears clothes that are often incredibly form-fitting and hug her like a second skin or drape over her like water.

the shimmery the better. if she can't be named after a star, she can at least look like one.

𝐎𝐁𝐉𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐒:

ornate ring with a hidden locket that has portraits of both her sisters inside of it. ( think the ring that elizabeth i had of anne boleyn ) but they all had their own version of the ring before andromeda left

studded handle wand. ( this is one of the few movie choices i stand by because it's just too good ) same concept as digging your nails into your palm when you’re angry and trying to control yourself. narcissa is a paragon of restraint and has to go to great lengths to keep from letting the underlying madness/chaos/cruelty overwhelm her and take over.

an antique pocket mirror inlaid with pearl and gold. if anyone knows the powers of appearances, it's our girl.

𝐁𝐎𝐃𝐘 𝐋𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐔𝐀𝐆𝐄:

regal - ( we're talking pure aristocrat, baby. perfect posture, nose slightly upturned, graceful movements, could walk with a book on her head for miles and miles )

composed - ( you're not getting anything out of her that she doesn't want to show you. no twitches, no tells. her poker face is the stuff of legend. )

cool / aloof - ( if you're not close to her then you might find yourself questioning if she even has a pulse. she doesn't reach out and closes herself off from contact. there's not open hostility but there is the impression that you don't belong in her space and likely never will. smiles that don't quite reach the eyes, vague but sweeping gestures with her hands )

warm / generous - ( on the opposite end of the spectrum, if you have narcissa's love and affection she's as generous with it as anyone can be in private. she loves fiercely, she embraces openly. she's likely always touching you or finding a reason to. this is especially true prior to the breakup of the triumvirate that was her and her sisters. )

hostility / cruelty - ( you'll never see it coming but when it does it's swift and cold. she can be vindictive and her hatred can manifest in the darkest ways. unlike some of her family members who become pure fire and passion - even reckless - in their wrath, narcissa is calculated and knows exactly how to hit where it hurts. she'll likely have no expression beforehand but those eyes of hers express every gd emotion she's repressed right before the axe swings. )

𝐀𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐓𝐈𝐂𝐒:

clean girl / old money

femme fatale

gothic / baroque

dark academia

tagged by: @nobilisheir

[meravigliarosso]

SAMARA WEAVING Valentino Couture Spring 2024

[ohisms]

𝑺𝑶𝑭𝑻 𝑻𝑯𝑶𝑹𝑵𝑺 𝑽𝑶𝑳. 𝑰 .   (   sentence  starters  taken  from  /  inspired  by  volume  one  of  ‘ soft thorns ’  by  bridgett  devoue .  triggering  themes  may  be  implied .)

❛  you  are  the  brave  one .   ❜ ❛  you  make  me  brave ,  &  i’ll  forever  be  grateful  for  that . ❜ ❛  i  was  born  with  wide  eyes  &  a  fragile  heart . ❜ ❛  i  feel  everything  so  deeply .  ❜ ❛  i  am  not  yours .  ❜ ❛  you  never  asked  if  i  wanted  a  guest .  ❜ ❛  this  is  why  no  one  loves  you .  ❜ ❛  beauty  does  not  solve  problems .  ❜ ❛  someone  once  told  me  they  were  scared  of  the  truth  in  my  eyes .  ❜ ❛  i  don’t  remember  love  as  a  child .  ❜ ❛  a  fantasy  in  real  life  is  also  known  as  a  lie .  ❜ ❛  i  was  eager  to  prove  i  was  good  enough .  ❜ ❛  scars  may  fade ,  but  they  last  forever .  ❜ ❛  i  always  scared  everyone  away .  ❜ ❛  i  kept  this  dream  hidden  away .  ❜ ❛  i  used  to  think  love  wasn’t  for  me .  that  i  wasn’t  worthy .  ❜ ❛  your  love  is  like  an  exorcism .  ❜ ❛  you’re  the  one  who  reminded  me  i  have  a  pulse .  ❜ ❛  there  is  an  unspoken  truth  between  us .  ❜ ❛  i  crave  you ,  even  though  i  know  you  will  destroy  me .  ❜ ❛  you’re  just  standing  there  watching  me  burn ,  wearing  that  crooked  smile  of  yours .  ❜ ❛  i  know  i’m  not  perfect ,  but  i  felt  pretty  damn  close  to  it  when  i  was  in  your  arms .  ❜ ❛  in  another  lifetime ,  we  have  definitely  done  this  before .  ❜ ❛  i  never  thought  i  would  be  a  good  mother .  ❜ ❛  i  want  to  love  you  back  together .  ❜ ❛  we  have  this  divine  bond  between  us .  divine  in  the  way  that  it’s  certainly  not  from  this  lifetime .  ❜ ❛  my  soul  craves  a  love  that’s  undeniably  real .  ❜ ❛  i  want  to  experience  why  we’re  here  on  earth .  ❜ ❛  i  want  to  tell  you  everything .  ❜ ❛  hell  is  watching  something  that  was  your  everything  slip  away  &  not  being  able  to  do  anything  about  it .  ❜ ❛  i  can  tell  that  when  i’m  with  you ,  you’re  with  her .  ❜ ❛  why  is  it  that  everyone  can  see  i’m  suffering  but  you ?  ❜ ❛  let’s  pretend  like  we’re  friends .  ❜ ❛  it’s  so  painful  to  talk  to  you ,  because  i  just  remember  everything  you  turned  out  not  to  be .  ❜ ❛  i  don’t  know  how  to  fall  asleep  anymore .  ❜ ❛  are  you  pretending  to  forget  me ,  too ?  ❜ ❛  i  can  still  close  my  eyes  &  trace  every  curve  &  dip  of  your  soul .  ❜ ❛  those  who  don’t  believe  in  ghosts  have  never  had  a  broken  heart .  ❜ ❛  god ,  you’re  beautiful .  ❜ ❛  i  know  i  should ,  but  i’m  not  ready  to  give  up  your  memory .  ❜ ❛  i  never  told  you  how  much  you  hurt  me .  ❜ ❛  i  keep  falling  in  love  with  souls  that  feel  like  yours .  ❜ ❛  being  alone  was  never  hard  before  i  met  you .  ❜ ❛  you  must  think  i’m  crazy  for  missing  something  i  never  even  had .  ❜ ❛  i’m  lonely ,  but  i  don’t  want  company .  ❜ ❛  you  walked  away  far  too  easily  for  me  to  believe  it  was  ever  really  love .  ❜ ❛  you  never  loved  me .  ❜ ❛  when  you’ve  been  fed  lies  for  so  long ,  you  eventually  lose  your  appetite  for  love .  ❜ ❛  i  have  nothing  left  to  say  to  you .  ❜ ❛  you’ll  never  know  all  the  ways  i  died  for  you .  ❜ ❛  ‘goodbye’  is  easy .  everything  after  that  is  the  hard  part .  ❜ ❛  even  though  you  turned  out  to  be  a  liar ,  within  me  grew  a  love  that  was  the  most  pure  &  honest  thing  i’ve  ever  known .  ❜ ❛  nothing  was  ever  easy ,  but  maybe  that’s  the  beauty  of  it .  ❜ ❛  i  am  everything  that  you  are  not .  ❜ ❛  love  is  a  necessary  tragedy .  ❜ ❛  there  are  people  who  don’t  want  you  to  heal .  ❜ ❛  remember :  you  are  not  their  prey .  ❜ ❛  you  have  more  power  than  you  know .  ❜ ❛  the  most  dangerous  thing  we  can  do  is  forget  how  to  feel .  ❜ ❛  you  will  be  safe  in  the  right  hands .  ❜ ❛  love  makes  us  immortal  in  the  hearts  of  others ,  but  mortal  in  our  fear  that  it  could  all  be  gone  someday .  ❜ ❛  we’re  only  haunted  by  the  things  we  refuse  to  accept .  ❜ ❛  we  are  not  born  broken .  ❜ ❛  time  will  either  heal  you  or  kill  you .  ❜

[toujoursfleure]

Give this a like and I'll either whip you up a quick starter within the next few days ( likely Thursday/Friday ) or I'll pop into your messages to plot something. Please see my pinned note about how I'm formatting posts currently on the off chance that it clashes with your post style.

[toujoursfleure]

╳           WHEN I CAME OUT INTO SOCIETY I WAS 15. I ALREADY KNEW THEN THAT THE ROLE I WAS CONDEMNED TO, MAINLY TO KEEP QUIET AND DO WHAT I WAS TOLD, GAVE ME THE PERFECT OPPORTUNITY TO LISTEN AND OBSERVE. NOT TO WHAT PEOPLE TOLD ME, WHICH NATURALLY WAS OF NO INTEREST TO ME, BUT TO WHATEVER IT WAS THAT THEY WERE TRYING TO HIDE. independent and selective narcissa black - malfoy of the harry potter series. predominantly first wizarding war era but features verses in book canon and next-gen, multi-verse and multi-ship.  

[vegasdoe-deactivated20230312]

* subtle romance starters

i wish i could control myself around you

you look amazing

in that dress you could have anyone you want

it’s difficult to be around you

i’ve dreamt about being with you

i’ve wanted to kiss you since the moment we met

we could be together for tonight

no one needs to know

you could do it, i wouldn’t stop you

i can’t control myself around you

i can’t stop thinking about you

i want everyone to know that you’re mine

i can’t just be your friend

of course i was jealous

have i told you recently that you’re completely gorgeous?

you’re under my skin

i’ve thought about this nonstop

i can’t wait to see every inch of you

has anyone ever told you how beautiful you are?

you have to see what i see in you

you’re the most interesting person i’ve ever met

you have so much to offer

you’re a work of art

let me be yours

i think about you, like this, all the time

my lips were made to meet yours

you are, of course, my every thought

i want to know you fully

together, we’d be a force

once wasn’t enough for me

i can’t wait until i can kiss you again

you look better out of your clothes than you do in them

your perfect face is the least beautiful thing about you

have you been thinking about me?

do you want me as i want you?

how long have you wanted this?

[mastrb8inacoffn]

I didn’t want you to hate me. SAMARA WEAVING AS CHLOE BUCHANAN / JESSICA COOPER IN BAD GIRL (2016) Dir. Fin Edquist

[toujoursfleure]

the invisible life of addie larue ( accepting ) ✉ ➟ @paddyfeet​ said:

∟     ❛ you have grown teeth. ❜

         ✖✖✖                  ❝ I have always had teeth. ❞ Her exasperated breath hisses through them even now, pale fingers raking through pale hair. There had been a time when Sirius was mostly safe from her bite, when she had been sweet Cissa with her wide, welcoming arms. Now, even if there is some ghost of that girl inside her longing to be whatever it is that he needs her to be, Narcissa has nearly all but forgotten how.

❝ What do you want? ❞ She sighs. Relents. Resents. ❝ I’ll help you if I can. ❞ 

[toujoursfleure]

the invisible life of addie larue ( accepting ) ✉ ➟ @cbvrke​ said:

∟     ❛ dance with me. ❜

         ✖✖✖                 The crystal of a champagne flute pauses mid-tilt, hovering just above the burgundy stain of her lower lip as frosty eyes peer over its glittering rim. Narcissa, of course, hears the words directed at her above all the chattering and music. She’s not daft, she understands their meaning...but they’re lacking something vital. ( What’s the magic word? ) The witch places her glass back down on the covered table, a pretty smile showing off her pearly whites.

❝ Maybe. Can you be a good boy and ask me nicely? ❞

[toujoursfleurea]

 drabble prompt: au where cissy gets cold feet and pulls a runaway bride

╳                         Fingertips touch the cool surface of the window, blue gaze falling on the crowds below as they begin to find their seats on either side of the aisle. It doesn’t escape her, what a cliche she’s being right now…like some princess in a high tower waiting for her prince to come and rescue her. And, even though she hasn’t seen him, she’s almost certain that Lucius looks the part. How can he not when he was born for the role of royalty? ( He was succeeding where so many of his ancestors had failed before. ) Any woman would be happy to find him at the end of their fairytale; he is, after all, perfect and pure from the shining top of his platinum head all the way down to the symmetrical points of his dragon leather shoes.

Why then does her stomach curdle at the thought?

A sigh escapes her parted lips as she rests her forehead against the glass, kohl darkened lashes settling upon the crests of her rouged cheeks once she’s closed her eyes. Narcissa can’t remember the last time she felt so ill, her body shivering from the cold sweat that has taken hold of her. Nervous jitters, Druella had called them as she had pinched her youngest’s cheeks to a rosy red and all but poured wine down her throat for a glassy-eyed shine. The butterflies of promise. Even Bellatrix had muttered something similar, offering her a glass of something a little stronger behind their mother’s back.

Of course, love wasn’t mentioned -  not even once. What did either of them know about happy marriages, after all? All that truly mattered was that her hair was coiffed and her dress was a pristine white, the stark opposite of the blood that flowed through her veins. Narcissa was pretty, perfect, and she was going to keep all of her promises. Because, when she’d been born, that very same blood had acted as ink for the contract on her body, will, and soul. Bound to serve and to obey.

The careful knock of her father’s hand against the door tells her that it’s time to hit the main stage. They stare at one another for a moment from their opposite sides of the threshold. She cannot tell what he is thinking as he appraises her, not that she expects to suddenly gain insight into Cygnus’ thoughts and mind. Is he proud of her right now? Has she made him proud now that she’s about to do everything that has ever been asked of her as a member of this family? Is he aware that he’s sold her for mere knuts to a man that is worthless and from a family who bought their place onto the sacred twenty-eight? ( Just as he’d bought her. ) A smile graces her lips but doesn’t quite reach her eyes as she loops her arm through his. What does it matter what’s genuine if it sparkles and shines?

The subtle sequins of her dress catch light once they’ve descended the staircase, passed through the grand entrance, and stepped onto the dew-covered grass of the Black Manor’s front lawn. Her gaze roams over each face waiting in the crowds, searching each pair of eyes and each mouth for some semblance of familiarity. What she gets is no surprise to her, a resounding and empty nothing. She cares as much about half these people - more than half - as she does the designer of her dress or the number of pearls in her veil. Where is Uncle Alphard? Where is Sirius? Where is Andromeda; where is her sister?

Gone. Gone. Gone!

Of course, Meda is first and foremost in her thoughts the closer she gets to the first row of seated guests on her way down the aisle. They, and Bella too once upon a time, had played games of marriage and house. They’d whispered of dreams and moments that were meant to be spent together, laughing over choices of flowers and sampling every flavor of cake. Not having her here - not being able to seek out her warm brown eyes or squeeze her hand for comfort - is painful in a way that neither words nor any amount of screaming can convey. 

Her sister had married for love; she had broken the covenant that came with their blood. How had she felt with Ted Tonks waiting for her at the end of it all? Was it love that made unremarkable men worth risking it all for? Was happiness worth the cost? Narcissa can feel her chest tightening at the thought, breaths shallow and rapid as they pass yet another row of chairs. She must be holding tighter to her father’s arm if the sideways glance that he gives her - those dark eyes so close to Andy’s but lacking all of her warmth - is any indication.

❝ Narcissa, ❞ he whispers the words beneath his breath for just the two of them.  ❝ Come along now. ❞

Come along, just as you always do.

Her eyes focus on Lucius at the front, all cool confidence and cold grace. Beautiful, but lacking in substance. He’s like all her fine china dolls and fancy baubles, pretty to look at but something that she’ll ultimately tire of and outgrow…if she hasn’t already. Looking at him sparks nothing inside of her; he isn’t a salve to the panic bubbling in her throat or a warm blanket over the cold that has begun to seep into her bones. He doesn’t make her laugh the way Uncle Alphard did. He doesn’t challenge her to vexation like Sirius. He doesn’t comfort her in the way that Andy did, he can never hope to try. He isn’t anything to her at all; none of this is. It’s all a parade of glitter, a fine little show! It’s all junk!

❝ Narcissa, ❞ comes her father’s voice again, and she realizes that she’s stopped walking by his side. Frozen to the spot, she is a few steps behind. There’s a ringing in her ears, a frantic drumming in both her heart and head. It drowns out the whispers of the crowd as Cygnus extends his hand for her to take.  

❝ Narcissa — ❞ This time his voice is riddled with something she’d thought she’d quite forgotten. Concern. Fear. Is that a tinge of desperation?  ❝ Come along now.❞

Be a good girl.

Come along, just as you always do.

Think of the family.

Think of society.

Don’t be selfish.

Narcissa, come along now.

It’s like being under the Imperius curse, all of their eyes like wands cast upon her. Narcissa cannot breathe beneath the pain and the weight and the words reverberating through her brain. She knows what happens when you fight; she knows what comes from the struggle. She’s struggled beneath the weight before and weighed out whether the energy of fighting was worth it. Her knees have buckled for her family time and time again, but this - this is - this is…

❝ No. ❞ 

It’s a feral word that leaves her lips after ripping its way from her throat, gritted out between clenched teeth. Blue eyes are wide and wet, brows furrowed as she stubbornly steps back when her father steps forward. The shake of her head and the stance of her body repeat that word over and over again, her bouquet of daffodils dropping to the ground in a dead roll. The stunned silence of the crowd allows them all to hear the pop that follows a few seconds behind her as she apparates away.

This was never a story about a princess; this is about a woman learning to love herself and not drown for it.

[toujoursfleure]

WHAT DO YOU WISH YOU COULD SAY?

" Please, PLEASE want to know me. "

you keep quite literally everything bottled up, don’t you? you try to be there for everyone else, but nobody has ever asked about you. you have a mental list in your head of things that you wish beyond wishing that people would ask to know about you, but nobody has. you’re afraid that if you tell them, you won’t get the response you crave, which gets more and more mysterious and gut-wrenchingly necessary with every day that goes by in silence. it feels like you aren’t allowed to exist.

tagged by: @marawrder​ tagging: Y O U !

[toujoursfleure]

I stand by the fact that Narcissa identifies as a Black above and before all else, even after she marries Lucius.