The Black Family Legacy

Sadness

Cygnus sat numbly in front of the fire, staring into the flames, completely oblivious of everything, and everyone, around her.

Draco stood a little ways away, watching his cousin with concern.

"How long is she going to be like that?" Blaise asks, nudging Draco's elbow.

"She lost her best friend, mate." Draco answers lowly, half annoyed, "she's going to be like that for as long as she needs to be."

"I wish she'd hurry up. She's in my favourite chair." Blaise shrugged, walking away.

Draco glanced at the papers in his hand, sighing as he shoves them into his pocket.

"Hey, Cyg." He says softly, standing in front of her. He gets her wide, serious eyes in response. "C'mon, it's time for dinner."

She shakes her head, her limp curls following.

"C'mon, I'm sure you're hungry, you haven't eaten all day." He frowns, holding out his hand. She stares at it for a long while, as if having completely forgotten the functionality of the action, finally she moves, rising to an unsteady standing position with the boy's help.

She sighs, rolling her head on her shoulders.

"You alright?" Draco asks.

"I'm fine, Dray." She says softly, the smallest of smiles appearing.

Draco smiles brightly, offering his cousin his arm, which she takes, and they go to dinner.

-

-

Draco frowns, turning from his conversation to his cousin, who hasn't looked up from her bowl of soup for the past twenty minutes. He takes in the state of her affairs, and almost without much thought, begins to braid her hair.

-

"What are you doing?" Draco asks, running to his mother's side.

"I'm braiding Cygnus' hair, Draco." Narcissa answers casting her son a glance.

"Oh... does it hurt?" He asks Cygnus, who laughs.

"No, little cousin."

"Could you teach me? I want to braid your hair mummy!"

Narcissa smiles, laughing. "Ask your cousin, Draco."

"Cygnus pllleeaassee?" He begs, turning on full puppy dog eyes.

"Alright." Cygnus nods.

"Yes! Thank you thank you thank you!" He exclaims, hugging her fiercely before clambering into his mother's lap.

"Alright, Draco, the basic braid has three strands." Narcissa says, showing him the three sections of hair she was using. "One, two, three."

-

"Three." He echoes, smiling. "Then over and under and around they go."

He braids her long hair until the braid becomes so thin that it can scarcely be stretched any father, pinching that end in his hand, he loops it back up and around, twisting it into a bun.

"Oi, one of you lot have a hair tie?" He asks, glancing around the table. Pansy takes one off of her wrist and hands it to him. He twists it around the mass of hair and smiles at his handiwork.