Dear Readers,

This fic has been posted for the expressed purpose of the "FanFiction Idol" competition on the HPFC forum on this site. This first chapter is my audition submission. I hope you enjoy it. It's completely different from anything I've ever done! w00h00!

~Rae Carson

Draco Malfoy paused at the door of his mother's room. He had made this journey countless times in past weeks. At twenty-one years of age, Draco had never assumed that he'd have buried both of his parents, but surely, it wouldn't be long for his mother now. The young man collected himself before the house-elf opened the large ebony double doors and let him enter the room.

The navy blue shears were drawn across the majestic four-poster bed."Mistress has been waiting for you a long time. Mistress might be sleeping now," the house-elf turned to him and spoke in a squeaky voice.

"I'm not sleeping," said a weak voice from behind the dark gauzy curtains. Even on death's door, Narcissa Malfoy managed to project an air of authority and a hint of annoyance. Draco smirked in spite of himself.

"Where have you been, Draco?" she demanded.

Several wizard healers had been in to examine and share their expertise regarding Narcissa's declining health in the recent past. None of them had been able to offer her or Draco one word of advice on what was wrong, or how to cure it.

"Working," Draco answered his mother tersely. Even after all this time, he couldn't help but sound like a petulant child when his mother quizzed him.

"What have you been working– " she tried to sound like her old self, but instead her sentence turned into a coughing fit.

It had never been in Draco's nature to care for others, especially whilst they were ill. But it was such a shock to see his otherwise impeccable mother so out-of-sorts that he could not help himself as he rushed to her side to make certain she was all right.

"I know it might be a stretch, Mother, but it's okay if you try and conserve your strength."

"Conserve it? For what? More coughing?"

In exasperation, Draco said, "No, conserve your strength to tell me what it really is you wanted me to be here for."

Narcissa laid back in her bed, looking spent, drawn, and old. Even when she was sleeping, it looked like she was in pain.

"So you haven't forgotten that, have you?" she hedged.

"Mother...don't test me."

"Very well, Draco." She paused for such a long time, that Draco was certain she'd fallen asleep again. "What I need to tell you is that you have a sister."

For a moment, Draco was sure that his mother was joking. A sister? How could she have ever kept that a secret from Lucius? Unless this sister had died during or shortly after birth. That made the most sense.

"Is she dead?" Draco asked tentatively.

"No, she is very much alive."

This news sent Draco's mind reeling. "Mother, how did you ever manage to keep this from Father? And why would you want to, unless..." he paused for a moment, "she had a different father?"

Certain that he had figured out the depth of his mother's secret, he looked at her in a mixture of hurt and betrayal. "With whom did you cheat on Father?"

"I was afraid of this..." whispered Narcissa, who looked and sounded more frail than ever.

"It wasn't like that. This happened before we were married."

Relief washed over Draco. He didn't know why the thought of his mother's supposed infidelity bothered him so much, but bother him it did.

"How old is she?"

"She would be twenty-five years old now."

"Why did you wait so long to tell me?" Then Draco answered his own question. "Because of Father."

"Yes."

"Good thing he's gone now, so you can tell me."

Draco had been an only child his whole life; the sudden prospect that he had an elder sister was instantly frightening and appealing to him. He wanted to know everything about her.

"Where is she now?"

"I really don't know."

"How can you not know?"

Narcissa ran a hand over her eyes. "Draco, once you give up a child for adoption, the records are sealed and you aren't allowed to contact the child without the adoptive parents' expressed permission. You sign over your rights."

"Oh," Draco said, a bit disappointed. "Can you tell me what she looks like, her name, anything?"

"The only stipulation I had for the adoptive parents was that they keep her first name–Arachne. As far as what she looks like? I have no idea other than she was born with black hair. I haven't seen her since she was three days old. But now...I'd like for you to find her, as quickly as possible."

"Just answer me one more question. Who is the father?"

Up until now, Narcissa had been nothing short of open, if not blunt, about Draco's sister. But now she looked away and could not meet Draco's eyes.

"I can't tell you."

His jaw hardening, Draco said, "You can't, or you won't?"

Narcissa met her son's eyes again and said, "They are the same. But please find her so I can say goodbye...before it's too late."