This is such a perfect romance. It’s sad and happy at the same time. I could not stop reading; it was a great way for me to get back into fanfic again.

I love your portrayal of Narcissa. She's both very strong while being vulnerable at the same time. Her character is very complex, and I like how you captured her complexity. My favorite section was watching her give up the baby. Her care for the child and how she wants to give it a good life reminds me of how Narcissa is towards Draco in the book. It's so sad because you can't imagine how painful this was for her.

It's interesting to look at the difference between Lauren and Narcissa, even though they are the same person. Narcissa is very proper; she focused on duty and puts the needs and wants of everyone else first. Lauren, however, is more free-spirited. She's independent, and cares for herself. I love how in the end, she decides to go back with Stephan and be Lauren.

I love your descriptions of Lucius. While I don't necessarily see Lucius as a cruel, cold-hearted man, this story made it seem so realistic. I love how you described him as reading from a teleprompter. It's really vivid image; I can hear his monotone, boring voice in his head. It's so proper and boring and really uncaring. My only critique is that he comes off really one-dimensional. I'd have liked to have seen more depth to his character, especially to his reaction to Narcissa's affair. Maybe he'd be jealous of Stephan, or even a little hurt that his wife would betray him.

Overall, I thought this was a really interesting and thought provoking fic. I love reading about Narcissa, and this was one of my favorite portrayals of her.

~ Teresa

Even though Narcissa never did this, your writing makes it sound like she could have. My favorite phrase was "honeysuckle eyes" - I thought that was wonderfully telling. The idea of freedom winning out in the end was especially uplifting. Keep on writing!