For the Light and Darkness Competition (genre: drama; era: between 1981 and 1991; character: severus snape; pairing: severuslucius; colour: coral; word: reality; song: 'Loreen' by Euphoria, specifically the line "An everlasting piece of art"; emotion: amusement; dialogue: "Just accept it, you've lost"; quote: "It is not a lack of love, but a lack of friendship that makes unhappy marriages"); the If You Dare Challenge (892. Cold As Ice); the Song Fic Boot Camp (song: 'Loreen' by Euphoria; 38. drink); the Pairing Set Bootcamp (7. luciusnarcissa) and the 10 times 10 challenge (adjective: bitter)

If there was one thing Narcissa Malfoy could appreciate well, it was irony.

She remembered what her mother had warned her against. Make sure he never has cause to think that you are being unfaithful, she had said. She wished her mother could see her now.

A distinctive crack signified the arrival of a house-elf.

"Mistress, the guests, they is starting to come now," it said.

"Of course," she murmured in reply, rising aristocratically from her bed. Far be it that she be seen looking anything less than perfect.

As she walked out of the room, she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. A tall, statuesque blonde beauty, dressed in a vibrant coral robe that only served to make her look cold and washed out. The Ice Queen, they called her. They would never guess just how close to reality their whispers were.

After all, there was no reason why she should dress herself to her fullest beauty for a man who didn't love her any more. And her coldness in public was only a reflection of the state of her marriage.

The only good thing left in her life anymore was her son. Her gorgeous, gorgeous son, the one person in the world she would do anything for.

She would make sure he never ended up like her, stuck in a loveless arranged marriage.

She was Narcissa Malfoy, nothing more than an everlasting piece of art to her husband. The ideal trophy wife.

The fact that tonight's ball was to celebrate the anniversary of their marriage – well, it made her want to laugh in bitter amusement. After all, she wasn't going to be the object of her husband's attentions tonight, the one night of all nights she should have held his undivided eye. No, that honour was reserved for the person he truly loved.

Sometimes she wondered why she even bothered trying to fight it anymore.

Just accept it, the voice in her head that sounded remarkably like her mother taunted her. Just accept it, you've lost. What was the basis of her marriage, anyways? A deal brokered between two pureblood houses? How she had ever thought it would last, she didn't know

Her sister had sent her a letter telling her something when she begged her not to go through with the marriage, and if that wasn't possible, to postpone it and get to know Lucius better. It is not a lack of love, but a lack of friendship, that makes unhappy marriages, she had said. At the time, Naricissa had laughed at Andromeda's words, believing it to be jealously at the fact that her younger sister was marrying so much better than she, the girl who had married a Mudblood, had ever managed.

Now, however.

Now she thought she understood.

"Hello, Lucius," she murmured, catching sight of her husband as she swept down the long staircase.

"Hello, darling," he smiled in reply, holding out an arm as she approached him. "Shall we?" he asked, as though there was nothing wrong with the two of them, as though they truly were the happy couple they pretended to be.

"Of course," she replied, playing along with him. There was no need for the world – or, Merlin forbid, Draco – to know the reality of the relationship between the two of them.

The two of them had never had the time to develop a friendship. He and- and that person had.

Once upon a time, she had tried everything she could think of to turn his attention towards her. Now, she knew the cold, hard truth. She would never measure up to his lover. She would never be able to steal his love for herself.

She supposed she should be happy that he loved their son, that he wasn't like Walden McNair, who had no compunctions about murdering his wife in front of their choice.

It was little relief, but it was there.

She grabbed a flute of champagne from one of the passing house-elfs, bracing herself for the coming inevitability. There was a reason she always hated balls that were held at the Manor.

Sometimes, she wondered why she even bothered trying to be civil. But then she remembered her baby boy, so excited to hear about Hogwarts. One day, Draco would go there, and if her actions meant that there would be one Professor who wouldn't automatically hate him just for being a Malfoy, then every hurt she bore in silence would be worth it.

"Mistress," an elf muttered, appearing in front of her and bowing deeply. "Professor Snape is being at the front door."

She downed her glass of champagne and fixed a smile on her face. It was time for her to go and greet her husband's lover.

I hope you guys like it! As always, please don't forget to drop a review on your way out :3