Title: Amends
Rating: T
Pairing(s)/Character(s): Narcissa Malfoy, Andromeda Tonks
Warnings: None
Disclaimer: Don't own 'em - not making any money off 'em. Dern it.
Word Count: 622
Summary: Besides seeing if Draco was alive, why did Narcissa lie to Voldemort?
Notes:
The Why Competition: #55. "Besides seeing if Draco was alive, why did Narcissa lie to Voldemort?"
Mortal Kombat Characters Category Competition: Mileena - Write about resentment and hatred toward a sibling
Alphabet Competition: E Prompt - Emotional
The Most in a Month Competition Part II
Narcissa walked forward when the Dark Lord gave the order. She knelt down and stared at the unmoving body of a boy that was her son's age and should have never been forced to fight in a war that began before he was even born. She whispered to him a question and swallowed when she got a slight nod in confirmation that Draco was alive.
Narcissa closed her eyes in relief. Her son was okay. Maybe there was still a chance for him to survive the war.
Her mind tumbled over millions of thoughts. She thought about everything that had gone wrong in her life in recent years. She could easily blame the Dark Lord or her husband for choosing to follow him, but she knew that if she had the strength to walk away from Lucius when she was still in school, she might not have been forced to deal with all of the darkness.
She remembered hating Andromeda for having the courage to walk away from their family's expectations. When Andromeda had come to her the night before she walked away with Ted, Narcissa had refused to listen to her sister's emotional plea for understanding.
"I love Ted. Don't you just get that? Why is it wrong to love him just because he's not a Pure-blood? He's a good man and a good wizard. He'll take care of me, and I know with him, I'll have a happy family. I know Mother and Father will never understand that and Bellatrix is just as hopeless. But I don't want to lose you as well. We're family, and family is supposed to support one another. Cissa, tell me you understand."
Narcissa stared at her with cold eyes. "Family doesn't betray family. If you walk away from our family and our values, you're dead to me."
Andromeda shook her head, and that was the last time they talked to each other.
She hoped Andromeda would realize the error of her ways and come crawling back to the family, but she never did. In fact, whenever Narcissa saw her sister in passing, Andromeda seemed content and maybe even happy.
Her marriage seemed warm and full of love, very much unlike the way her and Lucius were with each other.
Andromeda's daughter was kind, brave, and hardworking. Not spoiled and pompous due to being pampered as a child like Draco.
And her resentment of everything Andromeda had grew, despite how illogical it was.
And now, years later, Narcissa finally regretted her decision. She had a niece she never met. And now she would never have the pleasure of meeting her because of Nymphadora's death that she had witnessed. She had a great-nephew that she might never be allowed to meet.
And people would keep on dying if the Dark Lord won.
She did wrong by Andromeda all of those years ago. She should have stood by her sister who only wanted to be happy with the man she had fallen in love with. Instead, she had acted like a coward. She had been terrified of going against her family, so she turned her back on the sister that had always shielded Narcissa from pain and stood by another sister that enjoyed emotionally torturing her.
Maybe she could do something right now. Maybe she could make up for her past decisions in regards to Andromeda.
So, when Lord Voldemort asked her if Harry Potter was alive, it wasn't only confirmation that Draco was still alive that got her to lie. It was also meant to make amends for her past deeds to Andromeda.
She didn't expect her decision to be a reason for the war to be won, but she would never regret her decision either.