Written for xoxLewrahxox's Category challenge over at Bellatrix Lestrange: The Dark Lord's Most Faithful (forum)
Theme: Forgiveness - Characters: Narcissa, Hermione - Object: Flower
A New Beginning
The Malfoys realise how it feels to be alone in a crowded place. They sit huddled in the corner and observe the Great Hall and its inhabitants – the victorious, the injured, the bereaved, the living. Everyone is so alive, and everyone is speaking, but not to the Malfoy family. The tables have turned.
Draco sees a friend across the hall, and he kisses his mother's cheek before running to meet them. A wizard from the Ministry wishes to speak to Lucius, Don't worry, he says, We merely have some things to discuss, and her husband is lead away. Narcissa is alone. She watches the families and friends embrace, laugh, and cry, and never has she felt this lonely, not even when Lucius was locked in Azkaban. Unable to take anymore, she stands and hurries out of the hall, and then the castle, and she finds herself walking among the rubble and bloodstains yet to be cleared, looking for one thing left untouched by the battle of yesterday.
She walks quickly, and stumbles as she goes, her vision blurred by tears that she doesn't remember forming. Before long she sees a glimmer of hope, a little flash of colour, and she rushes towards it only to find someone else is doing the same, someone who Narcissa doesn't want to face right now.
The young brunette looks tired, lonely, hurt, yet she smiles at the older witch and gestures towards the tiny blue flower, blooming before their eyes.
"It's pretty, isn't it? It grows from this mess we've left behind... new life among so many lost."
She sits before the flower, and Narcissa finds herself sitting too, and the two women watch it twirl and flutter. Narcissa glances at the witch next to her, and sees the innocent young girl writhing, screaming under her deranged, now deceased sister - sees herself watching the atrocity take place calmly - and now she is crying openly.
"Hermione, I..."
"It's okay, Narcissa, I understand."
But she has to speak the words.
"I...I'm sorry. For everything."
Hermione takes a deep breath, and whispers the three words Narcissa needs to hear.
"I forgive you."
Their eyes meet, tear filled, and their hands reach towards each other and grasp tightly. Narcissa turns to watch the little flower make its way into the world. A new life. A new beginning, for all. For the first time in years, Narcissa truly smiles.
Hope you enjoyed it, please review. I wrote this very, very quickly in a style I don't normally write, so it might be terrible! Let me know :)