Hi all, I haven't written anything in a while but this was floating around my brain for a while. I haven't decided whether it's a one-shot or something else yet. I hope you all enjoy. :)
Soft laughter and hushed tones bounced off the walls. Narcissa Black sighed softly, closed her book and rubbed tired eyes. She set off, padding down the cold corridor. The dark wooden door ahead of her stood slightly ajar, candlelight flickered within. Muffled words reached her ears, utterances of love and longing. Tears filled cobalt eyes, threatening to spill over pale cheeks. Narcissa hovered, her brain told her to enter and stop this madness. Her heart, however, kept her rooted to the spot. A moment passed before the blonde acted. Her hand brushed against the mahogany frame, before she turned and swept back the way she came.
"Mother, are you alright?" Draco queried softly, his hand resting atop of his mothers. He had watched her all morning, she looked paler than usual, which was a feat in itself.
"Yes, dear. Just tired." His question was met with a feeble smile and a small squeeze of the hand. The blonde witch noticed his disbelieving frown and was relieved that he let it go, returning to shovelling cake down his gullet and prattling on about nursery colour schemes.
"How is Astoria coping with the heat wave?"
"Better than I expected." He admitted. "Permanent cooling charm aside."
Narcissa smiled, this time it reached her eyes. Seeing the grin on her son's face alleviated her worries for the time being.
"Andromeda has given me the information of the tailor who made Nymphadora robes that would grow with her, remind me to owl it all over later, won't you?"
"Of course." Draco nodded, picking at the last few crumbs on his plate. "How is Aunt Andy?"
"Insufferable as always." The witch smirked. "A rather nice gentleman who owns the restaurant we often dine at has taken a fancy to her. But do you think that god awful woman will give him a chance?"
"Typical Black woman." Draco grinned, receiving a cold glare in response. "You worry about her, I know. But some people take longer than others to move on. It doesn't mean that she's not okay." The boy's hand was upon hers again, squeezing slightly for support and comfort. Her son's words bounced around her brain. The worry lines forming back on her face as she thought of the night before.
The blonde witch had intended to spend her afternoon in the gardens, her solitude when the world got too much. Now, she sat in the library, an ice tea in hand and a cooling charm in place. She eyed her reflection in the mirror. Skin slightly pink from the scorching heat outside. The manor was usually dead, quiet instilled in its confines. The rich, velvet laughter emanating from upstairs was out of place. Or at least it should be. It had rumbled her thoughts for 413 nights in a row. Stabbing her heart each and every time. It was the first time it had happened during the day, at least that Narcissa knew of. She watched herself crumble, eyes still locked onto her reflection. One tear leading to a storm. The glass of the mirror cracked, books flew from the shelf, the room dropping several degrees despite the blazing heat outside. The witch crumpled to the floor.
Slowly, things started returning to normality. The books landed back on their shelves, the mirror sealed itself, the temperature crept back up as the blonde woman got her breathing under control. Blue eyes watched as the last of the crack fixed itself. If only it were that easy.
Andromeda Tonk's garden was overrun. Friends and family were littered over the lawn, laughing and joking together. With a smile she headed to her little sister who was caught in a conversation with Molly Weasley.
"She has a new song out you know?" Molly was gushing. "Wand-your-lust."
Narcissa's eyebrow rose, a small smile playing on her lips.
"It's a spin on the phrase wanderlust." The red head continued to babble.
"Right..." The blonde grinned. There was something charming in the Weasley matriarch's enthusiasm.
"Merlin, Molly. You're not still on about Celestina Warbeck are you?" Andromeda laughed as she reached the two.
"Well, Harry mentioned that Narcissa knows her." Molly blushed.
"I do indeed." Narcissa smiled. "Perhaps we can all go for lunch soon?"
"Oh, you would do that?" Molly beamed. "You don't have to."
"It's no bother, I'd love to." Narcissa rested a hand on the woman's shoulder. Andromeda grinned as her ever-so-proper sister was crushed into a Molly Weasley hug.
The brunette happily watched as the Weasley woman got over her excitement and rushed off to go and tell Arthur. She slipped her arm around her younger sister's shoulders and pressed a kiss to a flushed cheek.
"You handled that well, Slytherin Ice Queen." She mused with a smirk.
"Oh, bugger off." The blonde laughed.
"That's a nice sight." Brown eyes twinkled as they locked onto blue. "How are you doing Cissy?"
Andromeda watched her sister deflate with a sinking stomach.
"It's started in the day now too." The blonde admitted shyly.
The brunette frowned. Before she could reply they were interrupted.
"Sorry, I don't mean to interrupt." Hermione Granger smiled awkwardly at the two sisters.
"That's quite alright, dear." Andromeda smiled warmly.
"I just wanted to say cheerio." The brunette smiled. "It was lovely to see you both."
Narcissa frowned as her sister enveloped the girl in a hug. "It was lovely to see you too." The blonde quipped. "You look happy." She added with a smile.
The young brunette looked down, her cheeks reddening. "We all have to move on eventually, right?"
"Right." The blonde raised an eyebrow. The sisters watched the young girl slip through the crowds of people reaching for hugs.
"What a load of bullshit." Andromeda grumbled. Her eyes softening at her sister's defeated sigh. "Come, Cissy. We have a lunch with Celestina Warbeck to plan." The brunette chuckled, dragging her sister off in the direction of an excited Weasley.
Moonlight crept through the gap in the curtains and danced upon pale skin. Narcissa sighed. Sleep would not envelop her again. She rolled over, pulling the duvet over her head. She knew it was in vain. She could surround herself in bricks and the sound would still penetrate her ears. There wasn't a spell known to wizard or witch that would keep the sound out. She'd tried them all. It was as though it was a punishment. Misery was her prison, and this sound her torture. It was night 415, and enough was enough. The blonde flung the duvet away and jumped out of bed. Her mind focused on nothing but the quiet whisperings emanating from the mahogany door at the end of the hall. All too soon, her fingers brushed the cold wood. This time she pushed it open. Candlelight flooded her vision. Eyes snapped to her, one set at least having the courtesy to look ashamed. She crossed the room in several strides. Wrapping a smaller body in her arms as the tears flowed down her cheeks.
"You can't keep doing this." She whispered desperately. "This isn't moving on."
The body in her arms trembled as tears began to soak her night-dress.
"Cissy..." The second voice tried to reason.
"If you think I don't know how hard this is then you're wrong." The blonde snapped. Her voice heavy with a a fierceness that had been missing for a long time.
Pale fingers gently wiped tears away as she lifted the girl's face to her own.
"I can't let you do this anymore." She whispered. "This isn't living." The smaller body nodded, her head resting on Narcissa's shoulder. The blonde led the girl out of the room, sparing one last, longing glance at the other face.
The brunette had spent the night in the youngest black sister's bed. Rocked to sleep in strong arms. The last thing she remembered was sobbing into a warm body. She knew the blonde was right but she couldn't help it. Her feet carried her down the same corridor to the same mahogany door. She stood in the same spot and smiled softly.
"She's right you know."
The brunette frowned at the voice.
"I can't keep doing this to you. You have to live."
"Please... Don't." The brunette pleaded as the tears began to cascade.
"I love you."
Hermione Granger could do nothing to stop the sobs that racked her the time she could see through the tears, she was gone. Hazel eyes gazed upon a blank canvas.
"I love you too." She whispered to the empty portrait. Hesitant and shaking fingers reached out and traced the name engraved on the frame. Bellatrix Black.