Hermione Granger was walking along Diagon Alley when she saw a familiar looking woman screaming at her very distressed looking husband. Who would have thought that Narcissa Malfoy, ice queen extraordinaire, would let her emotions get the better of her and have a public argument with her husband? Hermione sure didn't. She walked a little closer and there was a ring of people staying around the couple. Lucius Malfoy looked like a dog with his tail between his legs. Narcissa didn't seem to even take breaths but kept yelling without pause, seemingly not aware of the people or place. As much as Hermione didn't like the woman or better: what she stood for, she couldn't let her embarrass herself like that. She was sure that Lucius must have done something very bad to receive a treatment like that. When she heard that he wasn't send to Azkaban she was shocked, but she figured that if you have enough money you could do anything. Hermione thought that his being free had less to do with his money and more so with Narcissas actions at the end of the war. If she wouldn't have have been loyal to him after the war he would surely be rotting away in a cell or would have been given a kiss. She strongly disliked that the woman hadn't stood up earlier but for Hermione it was only important that in the end she made the right choice. Narcissa Malfoy was a brave woman who tried to make herself seem aloof with her ice queen persona to not get hurt and to protect Draco and Lucius. But right this moment that mask had slipped and she was in the middle of Diagon alley screaming at Lucius. Hermione decided that it would be best to stop her from doing anything to aggravate the furious witch further and so she put a silencing hex on both of them, grabbed her hand as well as Lucius' and apparated them away.
With a plop, the three of them were standing in the forest of Dean and if looks could kill Hermione would be dead by now. „I am so sorry Mrs. Malfoy for doing this, but I couldn't let you embarrass yourself further. You are usually so in control of your emotions that I guess you just broke, but there were masses of people gathering around you and I didn't want you and your darling husband to grace the front of the Daily Prophet. I don't think they got a picture but I am not entirely sure." Hermione looked up and saw that Narcissa had relaxed a bit, but she her face was still red and slightly contorted so she didn't want to release her from the hex just yet. „Whatever Mr. Malfoy did must have been pretty bad if it aggravated you so much but…And I know we don't really know each other and that this was highly inappropriate and all that but I hold you in high regards and it just wouldn't do to have Rita Skeeter destroy you and the general public listening to your private affairs especially if they seems so..explosive..didnt seem like a good idea. I admit I didn't really think and I am very sorry. I am gonna lift the hex from you now, could you maybe not scream at me as well?" Narcissa took a good look at Hermione and she seemed to really have listened what she said. She just shook her ‚yes' and so Hermione stopped the hex. „Let me say again how inappropriate this was Miss Granger, but nevertheless I am grateful that you stopped me in front of the public. Lucius was really out of line and I just couldn't help myself, I usually just ignore the shit he says but at some point it is just enough!" Hermione was now openly gaping at the aristocratic woman in front of her. First of all Hermione Granger was standing in a FOREST with an ex Death Eater and his wife. Also the woman that is usually called icy bitch admitted to having feelings even if it was anger and she swore! Narcissa Malfoy swore and said what her husband oftentimes talked about annoyed her so gravely she showed emotion in a public setting. When she looked at Lucius he looked furious, therefore she decided to put a binding hex on him and then sent him home.
She got a feeling that Narcissa needed someone, anyone but Lucius to talk to. Now it was Narcissas turn to gape, she didn't even know that one could apparate someone else somewhere without leaving as well. „Why did you do that?" „I don't mean to be rude Mrs. Malfoy, but I think you need some time to cool of before you talk to him. I don't mean to be patronizing but I did feel kind of sorry for him a few minutes ago." Narcissa outright laughed at that, as unbelievable as that sounded. „How about we take a walk and if you feel up to it you can tell me what he did to get you so furious? I know that we don't know each other too well, but in a situation like this I would usually go to Ginny and as I am not sure you have someone like that I just want to offer." She said with a smile to Narcissa. The other woman looked at her as if she had grown another head. The war had been 3 years ago and they did do small talk at various events but that was it. Hermione was also sure that either she would get hexed into oblivion just for offering or the other witch would just insult her and leave. What she did really surprised Hermione. „I think that sounds amenable. And you are right in your assumption that I do not have someone to discuss any marital problems that I might is a beautiful forest, but I don't recognize it. Would you tell me where you brought us?" „Oh I am so sorry, we are standing in the forest of Dean, when I was younger my parents would take me here for long walks with our dog. I love it and usually when I don't know where to go or when I have a problem I come here." „It is a nice place."
They started walking in companionable silence for the better part for an hour when Hermione notices that Narcissa is shivering. It was pretty late, probably around 9pm and it was October after all. Hermione stopped and picked up a leaf. She transfigured it into a fashionable coat and carefully put it over the other woman's shoulders. Narcissa was ripped out of her thoughts when Hermione put a coat on her, it was already warm, the other witch must have put a heating charm on it. She thought it very nice, she couldn't remember the last time anyone had tried to do anything to make her feel cared for or even worth living. Even though her decision to lie helped win the war, other people were still suspicious and were usually insulting her and her husband, well they had an arranged marriage, she did what she had to to protect her family, but other than that she and Lucius were only married on paper and he treated her like a common whore and someone to bring to events. It was like that in pureblood marriages but she would have enjoy it if he tried to act as if he cared sometimes. He told her who she could talk to and generally ordered her around. That she blew that day was no surpass, he had it long coming. And this witch took it upon herself to not let her embarrass herself further as well as avoiding her problems being known to the world; she even tried to make her feel comfortable when she herself didn't even know she was uncomfortable. She realized this young woman had done more to make her feel good and appreciated than anyone in the last twenty years combined. She still felt the argument from earlier and she couldn't take it anymore so she just crumpled to the ground and started sobbing hysterically. Hermione did not see the falling apart of the other woman coming and when she did Hermione didn't low what to do. All she did was take a walk and put a warm coat on Narcissa, what Lucius said earlier must have really crushed the older witch. Hermione transfigured a bush to a huge sofa and picked the crying woman up and sat her down. Narcissa was now clinging to her and all she could do was to rub soothing circles on her back and to tell her that everything would be alright. Hermione could feel the hot tears on her neck and they didn't seem to stop anytime soon, so she laid down on the sofa effectively taking Narcissa with her. She put a heating charm on the whole area around them and a wards around them as well as an umbrella charm above them. When she put a blanket over them the other witch was still sobbing so in another effort to calm the distraught woman she opened the witches hair and started to run her nails over Narcissas scalp with one hand while the other was still rubbing circles on her back.
When Narcissa felt nails scratching her scalp she couldn't help herself but she stopped sobbing and let out a deep sigh. She had always enjoyed having her hair played with and when nails occasionally scratched her scalp it was all she could do to not stet purring under Hermiones ministrations. The only person who had ever given her this treatment had been Bellatrix, and she was the only one who she could show her emotions to with the knowledge she wouldn't judge but try to comfort her with success. Narcissa didn't know how Hermione knew what to do but it was helping and her breathing slowly evened out. Hermione thought that it was really interesting that just a hand stroking the older woman's hair would get her to calm so quickly and she didn't stop even after the witch had been asleep for a while. Narcissa had gorgeous hair and running her fingers through her long strands made Hermione feel calm as well and right there on a couch in the forest with Narcissa Malfoy in her arms she felt really and truly save for the first time in months. She looked at Narcissa and could see the some lines in her face but nothing big, she still didn't look a day over 30, the Blacks really did age gracefully. Then she started to think about the melt down Narcissa had just had. She knew that she was very upset with her husband but never would she have imagined that she would start crying anywhere but her chambers. Narcissa looked so calm and innocent in her sleep, as if she hadn't a worry in the world, Hermione put her chin on the other woman's head and continued the soothing strokes on her back.
After another two hours of watching the older witch sleep, she could feel her stirring. Hermione would have expected her to wake up sooner, but apparently Narcissa had been quite content and even started purring at some point. Hermione decided to ask her about that, was the woman an animagus? With her feline grace she might be a cat. When she woke up Narcissa didn't know where she was but she felt very protected and warm and cozy. The cat in her really didn't want to leave this magical place anytime soon. Ever since the war, she couldn't sleep without waking up from nightmares, so she was quite surprised to have rested so comfortably. She was content until she realized that her very comfortable pillow, was in fact, moving up and down. Everything came rushing back to her and she felt really bad about her behavior. She put her head in the girls neck to protect herself from the looks she was sure she would get. „I wouldn't have pegged you for the cuddling type, but I cannot say I am all that surprised, in the last few hours you did quite a few things that I would never have expected you to do." The answer she got was a groan and she couldn't help but chuckle. The older witch looked up at her with mussed blond strands all over Hermiones torso and looked at her.
„What happened today hasn't happened in over 40 years, I think the last time I had a melt down like this was when I was 7 and Bellatrix had to go away to Hogwarts. I am very sorry for any inconvenience I might have been." At hearing that Hermione was shocked, if she had suppressed her emotions for over 40 years she would most probably have acted the same way. „You were no inconvenience at all, it is Saturday after all and I hadn't anything planned. If you don't mind me asking, but why so long, I don't think I could do with not having a good cry every few months." „The only person who ever cared about me enough to let me cry and be able to comfort me was Bella. After she went to Hogwarts I had no one I could trust enough to just let go and with me it is that once I start crying I mostly don't stop for days. Therefore I try not to reach that point. Today was different because when you placed that heated coat on me, just because you thought it would be a nice thing to do I couldn't help myself anymore. Nobody has done anything remotely nice for me in the same period of time. You surprised me and since Bellas death I had no one to confide in anymore, even if my Bella had been replaced with a crazy person a long time ago, I could always count on the occasional hug. With her gone no one has touched me except maybe a handshake in 3 years. Draco left so I haven't had him either and I guess I never let go of anything."
Hermione was surprised at the honesty with which the older witch had answered her. She couldn't believe that no one had comforted or even just hugged in such a long time. She pulled Narcissa even closer to give her a proper hug and put a kiss in her hair. „ I am so sorry to hear that, I don't understand how a beautiful woman like yourself hasn't been touched though. What about your husband?" Hermione could feel some tension come back to Narcissas shoulders at the mention of her good for nothing oil of a husband, but with a few strokes through her hair she relaxed again. „Our marriage was arranged, there was never love in it and when he wants sex he gets sex but he just fucks nothing else. I don't count it anymore. Casual touches aren't Lucius´ style." Hermione was stunned. „Do you mean to tell me that he violates you and no one cares?" „I have long stopped caring, I feel numb all the time and in those situations I just think of something else. And I don't really let people touch me other from that; Bella and Draco have been the exception and well, now you." Hermione didn't know what to say, she would never have thought that in pureblood marriages behavior like that would be normal. What she really didn't understand was why Narcissa didn't leave Lucius or why not let him rot in Azkaban. It didn't matter though and so Hermione sat up and positioned Narcissas head inner lap. „You do realize that I wont let that bastard hurt you anymore, don't you? No one treats the people I care about with so little respect." Did Hermione just tell her that she cared about her? Narcissa stared up at the girl, they hadn't known each other other from gatherings and now this young witch is the first person in her life that openly tells her she cares and wants to protect her? Not even Bella was so open with her. It was Narcissas turn not knowing what to say. So she just nuzzled the girls stomach and whispered „thank you".
