With Love, || N.B.

𝑻𝒘𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒚-𝑬𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕

⚠️Slight TW for a breakdown⚠️

"You're like pink gin...sweet tasting and incredibly intoxicating..."

__________

Morning of December 24, 1993

"Right," Narcissa sighed, messing with the lapels of her son's coat. "You have everything? Toothbrush, comb, socks..." She inclined her head, raising an eyebrow at him. "...underwear?"

Draco rolled his eyes. "Mum, please! It's only for a week!"

Buttoning up his coat, Narcissa pursed her lips, holding back a smile. "I know, but knowing the Zabinis I'll probably get an owl from them on New Years Eve asking if it would be alright if they brought you to Italy with them."

Narcissa looked at her son, chuckling at the hopeful look in his features. "Yes," she sighed. "If they decide at the last minute to go to Italy, you can go with them."

At the flash of Dracos excited smile, Narcissa returned it, kissing his cheek and pulling him in for a tight hug. "Alright," she said, hesitantly pulling away, "they should be here any minute, let's get you outside."

Stepping onto the porch, Draco's luggage floating behind them both, there was a loud pop!. A woman, her dark hair braided back into a bun, stood with her son who was just a few inches taller than Draco.

Narcissa smiled as she waved to Mrs. Zabini, watching Draco as he bounded down the steps toward his friend. With another loud pop! The trio was off and Narcissa was once again by herself.

Her smile faded, and she slowly made her way inside, the chilling emptiness of the manor no different to the blistering cold outside.

__________

Butterflies fluttered throughout Eleonora's chest and belly. Whether they were from anxiety or excitement, she couldn't tell, but it didn't matter. For the fiftieth time that day, she shuffled through the developed pictures that were taken 21 years ago to that date. She smiled to herself, reliving that night in her head over and over again.

Finally giving way, she summoned a small white gift box to where she was sitting on the floor of her parents' living room. Ribbon, tissue paper, wrapping paper, and tape accompanied it, sitting themselves beside her.

After tying the pictures together with the ribbon, she gently placed them inside the box on the bed of white tissue paper. Folding the excess paper over the pictures, she slipped the lid over the top and wrapped it nicely. It was no enchanted wrapping paper, glittering with stars and magic ribbons, but it would do.

She felt like a child again, decorating cookies that night with her parents, watching Christmas movies, and helping wrap last minute presents. She felt...well she didn't know how she felt that night as she climbed into bed. It was almost...giddy. Eleonora stared up at the ceiling, restless as she laid there, realizing that she hadn't felt this way in over two decades. And it was no doubt Narcissa's fault.

__________

It seemed to have been a blink of her eyes. Gray light of Christmas morning streamed through the heavy curtains of Narcissa's bedroom. She sighed, rolling over onto her back. Her bare arms were laden with goosebumps as her hands moved to her forehead, aching with a slight hangover.

Narcissa sat up and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. "Shit." Swinging her legs over the plush mattress, she let the bitter air encompass her barren legs as she stepped onto the frigid wood floor. Moving slowly across the room, she managed to retrieve her robe, tying it tightly around her waist to cover up her night slip.