A/N: This was pretty fun to write! This was written for Big Sis/Lil Sis Competition. So, the other story that connects with this one is An Unexpected Visitor by Dolby Digital. Go read that one! :)
Prompt: Paring: Lucius/Narcissa, Plot Device: a promise, Time: dusk
word count: 2, 994
Narcissa stood, wracked with nerves, as Lucius left once more to another Death Eater meeting. She shivered as a cold breeze went down her spine. She was sure it was because of that man. No, he wasn't even human anymore. The almighty Lord Voldemort was a disgusting, pathetic wizard obsessed with the notion of power. She wasn't sure what was even more pathetic; that he thought he could actually win against Harry Potter or that she was scared. Scared of him and his followers, but more importantly, scared for her son. She loved Draco tremendously because he was the little bit of happiness left in her life. She had nothing else but him. It was laughable, really. The Great Narcissa Malfoy of The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black and of the Malfoy Family, who was so proud of her family and her status, was a woman confined to her own house. The place she once called home held many emotional moments of her life but now all she could see was what had occured there. The unspeakable living nightmares she witnessed.
Her home was now a living hell. There were many moments where she wished she could have Apparated with Draco and left. But it was her fear that was stopping her. As soon as the Hogwarts letter for Draco came, it was like a huge weight had been taken off her shoulders. Draco was going to be safe. Hogwarts was the safest place she knew. She sent him off to Hogwarts relieved that he wouldn't be around anymore Death Eater's, but she knew it was only a matter of time before the Dark Lord called Draco to his services.
"What to do?" she muttered as she paced around her drawing room. How could she prevent that from happening? She paused her frantic pacing as she stared at her family tree. Her picture was connected with Lucius Malfoy. Had it really been that long ago? She sighed as her eyes moved to the black scorches. She straightened immediately in shock. "Dimmy!"
"Yes, Miss Malfoy?" Dimmy asked, appearing with a loud crack. "What can Dimmy do?"
"Sirius!" She asked, resuming her pacing. "What's he doing now? Do you know?"
Dimmy shook his head slowly. "No, but I can ask Kreacher, I suppose."
"Kreacher!" Narcissa laughed hysterically. "I had almost forgotten about that old house elf!"
"Is something bothering you?" Dimmy asked, his tone full of concern.
"I- I need his help," she responded. No, Draco needed his help. "Only he can help me."
Dimmy nodded. "I'll be back shortly."
Narcissa nodded then ran up to her room as soon as he left. She quickly fixed her makeup and her frazzled hair with a few simple charms. Her mother always told her she needed to look her best at all times, even if her entire world was crumbling before her eyes. Narcissa stared at the unknown woman in the mirror. She could see her blonde hair had lost its fullness and its color. The small twinkle was forever gone from her usually sharp blue eyes. However, her sharp cheekbones remained as well as her family features. The woman in the mirror was not her, merely a shadow of her mother.
Crack!
Narcissa shook her head, eyes leaving the mirror in favor of her house elf. "Yes, Dimmy? What did you find out?"
"Mister Sirius Black lives in 12 Grimmauld Place," Dimmy replied.
Narcissa leaned in closer, aware she looked like a mad woman. "Is he alone? This is very important. Is he?"
Dimmy nodded. "Yes, for a while there were other disagreeable people in the household but not right now."
Narcissa nodded. Was it the Order? She'd heard the rumors about its forming again but hadn't paid it much mind at the time. "Listen, Dimmy, listen very carefully. I need you to ask Kreacher to come here, to Malfoy Manor. Tell him I need his help. Can you manage that?"
Dimmy nodded rapidly. "Of course, Miss Malfoy!"
Crack!
She let out a sigh of relief as her elf Dissapparated. Only Sirius would be able to help her. She gave a fleeting glance at the mirror before leaving the room to greet her guest. The woman was not her.
Crack! Crack!
"Kreacher," Narcissa said, her voice even and calm. "I appreciate you coming."
Kreacher bowed before her. "Of course, Miss Cissi."
She smiled coolly. "It appears I need your assistance. Will you be to help?"
Kreacher scrutinised Narcissa for a moment, determining his decision. She lifted her chin a fraction, looking down upon him. His lips curled upwards then he nodded.
"Fabulous," she said. "I need to talk to Sirius Black today."
Kreacher wrinkled his nose. "Master Sirius?"
She nodded solemnly. "As you can see this is a rather serious matter and it has left me with no other option but Sirius."
"Why?" he asked, tilting his head sideways. Narcissa cursed his curiosity. She couldn't tell anyone what she was going to do.
Narcissa pulled her shoulders straighter than before, if it was even possible. She smiled, her teeth gleaming in the dim light. "I fail to see why you need to know my business. Have you forgotten who I am?" She pulled her wand, twirling it idly in her hands. "Or do you need reminding?"
Kreacher shook his head. He seemed pleased by her response as if she had passed a certain test. "Follow me, Miss Cissi."
Narcissa gave him a slight nod before allowing herself to be taken to 12 Grimmauld Place.
Crack!
Narcissa knocked calmly the first time, but that couldn't be said about the following knocks. She frowned as she began banging on the door. Surely, someone had to be home. She knocked and knocked, tapping her feet in a frantic manner. She only had so much time to be here. Finally, the door pulled open.
She instantly covered her eyes with her hand and lifted her left hand to show it was empty. She knew they wouldn't let her in, let alone step a foot in the doorway, if they knew who she was at first. She took a deep breath before shakily lowering her hand. This was the only opportunity she had.
She winced as they both said her name. She knew she would have a lot of explaining to do. Unfortunately, neither of them said another word. She frowned; this was going to be a lot harder than she anticipated, especially with Sirius still pointing his wand straight at her. "Aren't you going to let me in?"
She held her breath as the werewolf moved but Sirius glared right back at her. "What are you doing here?"
"Let me in and I'll tell you," she responded, lifting her chin a fraction. She had to get them to let her in. Sirius was her only hope. Her only hope. She had no one else.
She held her breath as the werewolf whispered something in Sirius' ear. She needed them to listen to her.
After what seemed like long while, Sirius hissed something back. He moved his gaze towards her. "Fine. You can come in but-" Narcissa tried to move around him but he aimed his wand directly at her face, "I want your wand."
Her heart stopped. "My wand?"
"I'm sorry, did you think I would trust you?" His expression made it seem as if she were daft or not quite right in the mind. "Your wand."
She squared her shoulders unable to relinquish her pride. She glared at Sirius willing him to back down, but he stood his ground. No, she had to let go of her dignity. She need them.
"For my son," she whispered before slapping her wand into Sirius' palm.
"Now, shall we begin?" Sirius said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. He bowed exaggeratedly as he made room for her to enter. She glared at his unnecessary movements, ignoring the beast completely.
"Kitchen?" suggested the werewolf. Narcissa ignored him, continuing onto the living room, but Sirius forcefully grabbed her shoulders. She growled and pushed his arms away.
"This is entirely unnecessary," she snapped, determined to enter the kitchen by her own free will.
She saw the werewolf and Sirius sit down opposite of the table. Her eyes widened as she saw the chair she was to sit on. They wanted her to sit on that? She wrinkled her nose as she sat down, careful not to touch anything. She didn't want to pick any diseases up.
"Alright," the werewolf spoke. "How did you get here?"
"What?" Sirius spoke, interrupting her before she could speak. "That's not-"
"We need to know how she got here so that we can prevent others from doing the same."
"I am a Black, the wards do not-"
"We've added a lot to them, that wouldn't have helped you. Only Albus could give you access," he continued to speak with utter calmness.
Narcissa frowned. "This house remembers-"
"No. How did you really get past the wards?"
"Well," Narcissa began. Should she really tell them? "Kreacher-"
Sirius hissed something, and the werewolf calmed him down with hushed words. Narcissa became irritated. Would they ever let her finish her sentences?
"So, Kreacher let you past the wards? How?"
She was sure that her right eye had started to twitch. "He-Is this really necessary? This isn't what I came here to discuss."
"We're not going by your agenda," Sirius growled. Narcissa was scared he was going to jump out of his seat.
"Answer our questions, Narcissa, and-"
"Mrs. Malfoy," Narcissa said, her eyes burning with rage. How dare that-that monster! "I will not be addressed with such familiarity by a- by-"
"Enough!" Sirius yelled, slamming his palms on the table. Narcissa winced as he stood up so he towered over her. "You will not come here and insult Remus. He has more right to be here than you, so you can just-"
The werewolf murmured, before continuing in a louder tone. "She can't leave until we know that no one else will follow her."
"My husband will-" she panicked.
"Let him." The beast shrugged. Narcissa contemplated what she had to lose. She needed them to help Draco. She stayed silent watching them carefully before giving in.
"He- Kreacher, he-" Narcissa reluctantly . "He still obeys ou- my orders."
"I'll kill that little-"
"Our? You were going to say our? Who else knows of this?"
"No one. Only me," she spoke quickly. Of course, others would know to use Kreacher but she needed them to believe her. The beast gave her a slight nod after a while.
"We can make it so that she can't tell anyone," he spoke quietly to Sirius.
"That won't be necessary, I-" Narcissa wasn't going to tell anyone of what happened today.
"We will decide what's necessary, and – for the record – we do not trust you," Sirius stated, as if she didn't know any better.
"I was under no illusions that you did." Narcissa knew it was a long shot to waltz in here and think they were going to help her. But she wouldn't be here if she had any other choice.
"Alright, so we've cleared that up. Now why are you here?" She could see the werewolf was trying to get back into safe territory.
"I need your help," she replied. That was the only logical reason she would ever come here.
"We had already guessed that, thanks," Sirius muttered, glaring at his cousin.
"Why come to us?" The beast said, not hearing Sirius' comment apparently.
"Because," she paused slightly, it hurt her, it physically hurt her, to admit this. "Because there was no one else."
"Don't you have friends?" The werewolf asked, not noticing the way his question dug the stake deeper into her heart.
"I have- In a way. But no one I can trust with this." Why would any of the other Death Eaters wives even listen to her? She shook her head. They wouldn't even believe her. They would simply think she was testing them.
"And you trust us?" Sirius asked incredulously.
"I trust you to help those who need it. That is what you people do, after all," she replied bitterly . No, it wouldn't help her if she remained sour. "Please. There is no one else who could help."
"You haven't even said what you need help with! You keep skirting around it like we'd be stupid enough to agree before we know everything," Sirius yelled at her. Narcissa flinched because it was true. She knew exactly how they would react but she hoped differently.
"I- It's Draco."
"That stuck up brat-"
Narcissa's heart tore as Sirius called her only son a brat.
"What about him?" the werewolf said to Narcissa.
"He- He's just a boy – a child. Surely you can understand that I don't want him involved in this; that I never wanted him involved in this. My husband- It is too late for Lucius; all I can do for him now is remain by his side. But Draco- please! There is a chance to save him from this!" She couldn't help Lucius anymore and that killed her. But Draco! Draco she could help! She was begging and pleading now.
"How do you think we can help him?" he asked quietly.
"I don't know!" she yelled, full of hysteria. She could hear her own voice cracking and breaking as she broke. She just couldn't seem to calm down. This was what the Dark Lord had reduced Narcissa Malfoy to, a mad woman. All she wanted was for her son to be safe. "I don't know," she repeated, quieter.
"If you don't even know, then what do you expect us to-"
Her eyes darted back and forth between them as the beast whispered. "What is it you think we can do?" he asked her.
"I don't know!" she choked back a sob. She just wanted was best for her son. "I don't know. Just- Just get him out of this! He's a child, he needs-" she stopped. To live. Draco was only 15. He was so young. All she wanted was for him to live his life freely. He was just a boy. Just a boy.
"Why not go to Dumbledore? He could do more for your son than we could," the werewolf asked.
"How could that old fool help?" she snapped. Dumbledore couldn't do anything for them. He was a crack pot old man putting his hope in another boy.
"If you're that desperate, shouldn't you be willing to accept whatever help you can get?" Sirius stated, looking down at Narcissa. "Unless you're just here to waste our time."
"No! Of course not. I just... Dumbledore is too obvious a choice. They'll know if he's trying to help Draco, and that would be so much worse than if he didn't. You don't think I've thought about this?" She couldn't sleep for days worrying about her son's safety. She hasn't gotten a good night's sleep in a very long time. She just wanted Draco safe before he became too involved. Dumbledore couldn't do anything for them anymore. They made their choice years ago.
"So what brought you to us?"
"I came for Sirius. There wasn't supposed to be anyone else here, but... But that could be good. It means you can keep people hidden; safe." Narcissa pinned her hope on Sirius. Surely, he would see her pain and suffering. He broke away from the tradition; Something she was too scared to do.
"I'm sorry, Mrs. Malfoy," the werewolf said. He looked conflicted and most surprisingly, sad. "But he can't stay here. He needs to be at school; people will look for him if he isn't, and... I'm sorry. I wish-"
"I don't need your pity," she snapped, regretting every single thing she said. They couldn't help her . "And if you can't do anything," she said rising from her seat. She pulled into her sleeve taking out her back up wand that was only meant to be used if necessary. It was pointless. They were no help to her. She would have to find a way, any way, to help Draco.
She pointed it at the both of them, expression hard. It was too late now .
"Obliviate."
oOo
Narcissa Apparated as soon as she could to Malfoy Manor. She collapsed on the sofa in defeat. What was she going to do now? Sirius was the one thing she was counting on. And even he couldn't help her. She cried bitter tears, cursing the man who teared her family apart
A loud crack alerted her of someone's presence.
"Narcissa?" Lucius asked hesitantly.
Narcissa looked up, eyes puffy and red. "Lucius?"
"What's wrong?" He asked, worry clearly expressed on his face. She looked outside and could see it was dusk.
"I'm scared," she admitted. "I'm scared for Draco."
Lucius stiffened. "Nothing is going to happen to him. We just have to trust in the Dark Lor-"
"Really? You think he's going to help him?" she laughed scornfully. "No, I don't think so."
"Th-then I'll protect him. I'll keep our boy safe."
Narcissa smiled weakly. "You have to promise. Lucius, you have to promise."
Lucius nodded. "I promise Cissy."
Narcissa smiled, her eyes full of love. "Can you just hold me? For tonight?"
Lucius nodded, his eyes softening. "Of course love."
Narcissa relaxed as Lucius wrapped his steady arms around her. Just for a momeny, for a second, she was sure her son was going to be fine.