My first posted Harry potter story, I hope you enjoy. It'll tie somewhat into my other story in which I need to finish before I publish, but yeah, enjoy.

--x--

I looked at my reflection in the mirror. Gore and grime covered my face. My fair and beautiful long hair tumbled down to my back in knots with leaves and a few sticks in it. I bit back a sob.

Lucius was gone.

He fled. The Aurors were going to catch him, it was futile. Who knows, Harry Potter and his friends may be the ones to catch up. Merlin knows Kingsley would offer them positions as Aurors, glossing over the fact that they hadn't technically graduated.

I splashed water against her face in an attempt to wash some of the grime off of my face. Everything hurt. At least Draco was safe. At least I could give him that. I was determined to give him everything. He would be happy. He would be safe. At any cost. My helping the Potter boy was enough to pardon the both of us, especially considering Draco's forced service.

I looked again at the mirror, water dripping slightly off of her chin. My musings turned to my appearance. I took more after mother. Blonde and fair; fragile. I laughed a shallow laugh. It no longer mattered.

I thought of Bella's hard jaw line, her long, curling black hair. Before Azkaban, she had been so beautiful. She always had perfect grooming. There was never dirt under her trim finger nails, even after herbology class. I put away all thoughts of the Bella that had died yesterday, but of the Bella that had been my sister. One of my best friends. The one who I had consoled about her and her husband's stormy relationship. He hit her. This was, of course before she learned to hit back. She could have...she just didn't. But she became proud again and soon enough Rodolphus was a push over.

I remembered fond holidays at the beach in Italy, with my sisters. Bella and Annie would tan so beautifully, while I would just burn. Bella was so smart. She was beautiful, she was powerful. Merlin she was strong. She could have done anything with her life. But she changed. I had missed her so much. When she got out of Azkaban, I had been so excited, so elated to see her again. I wondered what the dementors had brought her. Did she think of me? Did she think about Annie?

Annie...The blood traitor. I still would weep into the night, whispering her name when no one could hear. I missed her dearly, but I was told when she chose to marry the mudblood that she was no longer my sister. That she had tarnished the Black family name. I had never been bold. No, Bella and Annie were the bold ones. I couldn't openly disagree like Annie could, I couldn't fight like Bella could. I was just Cissy. The quiet, meek girl. The youngest and fairest, the porcelain doll.

Annie was brave. Annie chose love over the path that had been laid out for us by our family. I was lucky to have had a loving enough marriage...well, not loving, but I had been fond of Lucius. We were both very fond of each other. Bella hadn't been so lucky, but her heart had lain other places.

"Annie.." I whispered aloud. How was she? I missed her so. I wanted...needed to see her. She had lost her husband and son-in-law as well as her daughter. I decided. My heart cried to me. I knew she wouldn't want to see me, but even if she just turned me away, to see her face would be enough.

I couldn't leave Draco.

I walked upstairs to his room and knocked.

"..Just go." I heard from inside.

"Draco my love--"

"Mother just...leave." I heard from inside. My heart broke even more.

I slowly opened the door to see him lying on his bed, staring at the ceiling.

"We need to go somewhere." I said, sitting on his bed.

"Where mum? Where do we need to go?" he spat.

"We...We need to go see your aunt."

"Pfft, she never thought much of me. She's dead, killed by that Weasley woman."

"...Not that aunt." I said quietly. His eyes widened.

"...Aunt Andromeda?"

I nodded.

"But but...but why?" He said sitting up.

"I don't know Draco. I need to see her, and I won't leave you." I said sternly.

"You can go I'll stay." he said bitterly.

My eyes welled up with fresh tears.

"Draco my darling..I...I can't leave you. You're all I have left, my son. I just..Draco do this for me. I need you." my voice broke and he looked at me. I flung my arms around him and we were crying.

"Why did it have to end up this way?" he said to me, biting the inside of his cheek. I knew he didn't mean losing the war. He meant losing quite literally everyone except me. My poor baby...

"I don't know Draco, but...but we need to set things right." I said, pulling away slightly.

He sighed and looked at me, Lucius' eyes looking at me, hardened. "Okay." I grabbed his arm and apparated.

We were on her doorstep. I readied myself and knocked on the door.

There was no answer, and as I was about to knock again the door opened.

It revealed Andromeda. She was tall like Bella was, with beautiful brown hair and a far kinder face, though the two could have been twins. Her eyes were red rimmed and she sounded congested when she spoke. "What do you want?" she said quietly, as if it pained her.

My lip trembled. "I...I..." I stuttered. I couldn't do this. I had no right. My beautiful, wonderful grieving sister had no need for me. I was pathetic.

"I want my sister back." I said tears rolling down my face. Andromeda's face hardened slightly. "You could have had her back a long time ago. Why now?" She said, her voice slightly hysterical.

My heart broke. "Oh Annie!" I sobbed and threw myself at her, not so much hugging her as holding on to her as if my life depended upon it. "I need you. I am so sorry for all these years. I'm a coward, a bloody coward Annie! I hate myself for it! I can't believe I let this happen. I can't believe it. You are my sister. My sister Annie. I can't do this anymore!" I sobbed hysterically. Everything around me was shattered and broken. I realized Andromeda was hugging me back, sobbing.

We cried for what could have been days, weeks, hours, minutes...The time was not there. I had missed her so much.

"Bella...Oh god Bella..." I sobbed. "She's dead. She's really dead." I cried, I felt like screaming.

Andromeda, tears still streaming down her face looked at me. "Bella Black died a long time ago." she said to me, her face red and puffy.

"I know...I know she did. But I just..I can't help it. All those years...maybe if I had said something, anything I--"

"It would all be the same." Andromeda said sternly. From inside the house I heard a cry.

"Come inside, the both of you." She said sniffling. The house was small and cozy, but very unorganized. But it felt like a home.

I heard Andromeda cooing and murmuring sweet words. She came out of her bedroom and brought a small bundle.

"Is that.." I questioned...it was a question but I couldn't bring myself to say the rest.

"Yes...Yes, he is." She held him and patted his back rubbing and cooing, tears streaming down her face as she did so.

Draco was standing and looked at the baby. He put his hands in his pockets and remained silent.

"Oh my goodness Andromeda he's a beautiful baby. He looks like you, turquoise hair tolerating." I said smiling.

"He looks the spit of Nymphadora." She whispered.

"Would you like to hold him?" she questioned.

"I--Oh...I.." but before I could elaborate the baby was in my arms. Her was wearing small footie pajamas. He looked up at me with big amber eyes, but as he looked at mine, the shifted to an exact replica of my blue. I made a shocked face and he started giggling, and kicking his feet merrily, oblivious to the pain and anguish around him. His hair mimicked my fair blonde hair.

"He doesn't realize he's doing it. That means he likes you." Andromeda said quietly. He started to giggle and smile happily, his angelic cheeks were happy and large.

"What's his name?" I questioned.

"Ted. After.." she stopped and I could tell she was stopping herself from sobbing.

"Oh." I said. There wasn't much else I could say, or knew how. I looked at Draco. He seemed scared. I didn't blame him. I was terrified.

"Would you like to hold your cousin, Draco?" I asked.

He paled. "I..Mum, I..."

I walked over to him and passed him the baby. Draco looked uncomfortable as he tried to find a decent way to hold him. He looked at him and sighed.

"I don't know if you've ever met...This is my son, Draco." I said, realizing this statement was true.

"It's good to finally meet you." Andromeda said tiredly, sitting down. She laughed.

I looked at her as if questioning what was funny.

"Oh Cissy, your hair. Let me help." she said. Always the mother, Andromeda was. I glared a slight bit, but smiled afterwards. I felt her untangling my hair and pulling the sticks and twigs from it.

"On Friday," she said slightly cautious. "Harry's taking the baby.."

"Harry Potter?" I questioned incredulously. Draco looked up somewhat shocked as well.

"Yes, Harry is is Godfather you see, and he would like to take Teddy on the weekends, to get to know him and whatnot. Bless his soul...Came up to me right after I had gotten done...seeing Nymphadora and Remus' bodies." Her voice tapered and cracked at the end, adding somewhat of a squeak. tears welling up in her eyes. "Saw that I was upset...poor Teddy. Lost his mum and dad, stuck with me. Best choice Nymphadora and Remus ever made was making Harry his godfather." She shook her head, as if snapping back to reality. Draco looked down uncomfortably. I knew that obviously he and Harry Potter were not friends. I didn't like him much either, since he had cut my poor Draco the year previous.

"I'm sorry Narcissa, Draco. I just can't help it. It's just...It's so hard. First my husband, then my child and her husband...Two of them killed by my own sister! Or what was my sister." She spat the last half. "Only thing I regret is not being able to kill her myself! If I could bring her back I'd do it! I fully intend to send Molly Weasley a thank you card!" she spat.

I wanted to tell her no, she shouldn't say such things. Bella was our sister, we loved her! But she was right. Bellatrix wasn't our sister, Bella had loved us. Bellatrix loved only the Dark Lord.

Andromeda quickly gathered herself. "But what I mean is, would you like to go and get some coffee somewhere on Saturday Cissy?" she said quietly.

My heart swelled with compassion. A smiled a smile so underused that I thought my face might break, but I could care less.

"More than anything." I said. "More than anything."