Pansy had a rather different attitude towards fame than Narcissa had born at the same age. Pansy wanted validation from icons, from cameras and reporters, to be known intimately by strangers, to have a recognisable face. Narcissa's desires had centred around that close-knit world of well-bred young wizards and witches, and to be their queen had been what she had wanted. Secure in her own ambitions, Narcissa couldn't help but feel a little sorry for Pansy, wanting to be plastered across parchment and worn thin through overexposure.
But that was unimportant, really. Narcissa was far more interested in what was going on amongst her son's friends. 'Curious' was one word to describe her, 'inquisitive' another, but Bellatrix and Andromeda had always gone for plain 'nosy'. Pansy talked about friendly affection, burning bright. Narcissa couldn't help but wonder if that was code for 'I still fancy him'.
"I'm glad Draco's made such a deep impression," she said, in a low voice rich enough to almost chuckle. "Just go easy on him, Pansy, and don't - for Merlin's sake, don't push him about. He's had enough of the Ministry forcing him into corners, and he's trying to shed the shadow they tried to cast over our family." It was an intimate but hopefully unnecessary confession: their prospects weren't exactly a secret, and Pansy was an old enough friend of Draco's for Narcissa to share that much with her in plain language. She added, in a light tone that made the inherent warning ambiguous, "I think that when he goes to parties or spends time with his friends, he wants to be able to just relax, be himself, not have to worry about intrigues."
Her maternal duty complete, Narcissa refilled her glass and took another sip. She hadn't missed being addressed by her first name, rather than as 'Mrs Malfoy'. "Oh, I leave the manor often enough," she told the girl. "Don't worry about me entertaining myself - when you get to my age, late-night parties won't have quite the same attraction. I'm afraid I can't do lunch today, but we will have to go out sometime. Perhaps your friend Daphne could come too."