Good Afternoon Everyone,
I had this part of Narcissa and Hermione in my mind since I woke up. So I got it out here for you guys, and I wanted to surprise my wife. Hi Honey. This chapter is relatively long. It was flowing, and it was hard to find a place to stop. I wrote a slightly out of character McGonagall, forgive me. I hope you enjoy. Have a great day.
Thanks for all your support,
Snow
She stretched and winced as she popped the crick out of her neck. She looked around and groaned. She slept on the balcony. She looked out over the grounds and saw the predawn periwinkle sky dimly light Hogwarts castle. She went into the living room and then walked to the kitchenette and made tea. Shure she could snap her fingers and call on the house elves but she never does that unless it is absolutely dire like the one time she contracted the flu and she was bed ridden for about a week. The Castle elves took care of her and she was grateful. She looked in the bedroom and saw that the covers had been thrown here and there. As she approached the bed she noticed her patient has a sheen of sweat on her forehead. She took her wand and ran a diagnostic. Every day she was grateful for all those medical books she took on her adventure searching for the horcruxes. Glad Narcissa didn't have a fever she left the woman to tangle about her bed and then walked to the balcony with a fresh cup of tea. She watched as the hills and dales began to light in a green so wonderful she often woke up to this sight and it soothed her. She turned her head as she heard a curse, a thump and a door close. Moments later there was a flush and the sound of water in the bathroom sink. Hermione looked to the door as it opened and a smile touched her lips. She was adorable as a disheveled morning grump as she sleepily hobbled to Hermione.
Narcissa walked Hermione and she indicated the chair in welcome to enjoy the morning. Narcissa looked much better this morning, less black and blue and less cut up. Her hair was a tangled mass, and stuck up at all ends. Hermione waved her wand and transfigured a stool into a small table and levitated the tea from the kitchen to the small table. She poured her guest a cup of tea, gave it to her and then leaned back and watched the sun rise light up her world.
"I never knew Hogwarts could be so beautiful," Narcissa mused.
"Yes, I never knew either until I saw this view. I begged McGonagall for my quarters to be built here," Hermione said as she sipped her tea and smiled as she remembered.
"I can't believe she gave it to you. You must know a different McGonagall than I know," Narcissa said looking out over the green landscape before her.
"I think it was because she and I have always had a very odd relationship. She was a mentor to me when I was a student, and as the war ended we became friends. Anyone who survived banded together as a ragtag family of sorts. She knew, and she helped me," Hermione whispered realizing she might be sharing more than she should about the present, and even more about her life than she should share with a complete stranger, well not complete.
"What did she know?" Narcissa asked thoroughly engrossed in the conversation. Hermione rolled her head to the side as she rested it against the high back of the chair. Hermione let a tear fall this time but wiped it away.
"She knew I was broken. It has only been two years. Some of us have deeper scars than most, physical, emotional, and mental. I have noticed it has been easier for those who grew up with magic to get over their pain than others who haven't. Muggle borns who fought seem to have the hardest of times. When you have one of the most beautiful and wondrous gifts they have ever seen turned against them, it's off putting and awakening to see that you are not welcome in a world you clearly belong in. Purebloods caulk it up as another fight with wands and spell, another day of life, and ugly side of life, but to the muggle borns it was hard to process why something so beautiful could be so… foul," Hermione spoke as she felt her own emotions show.
"You seem to champion the mud…" Narcissa stopped as she saw Hermione snap her head to her and bore eyes of hatred into her soul, "Muggle borns. Why?"
Hermione let her look soften. Narcissa could not help a lifetime of conditioning to think a certain way and Hermione was not about to try and fix a life time of brainwashing. She shook her head and stood.
"Let's get ready for the day Mrs. Malfoy. It's time to figure out how to get you home," Hermione said as she walked into her bedroom and pulled out clothes. She took a pair of Jeans and held them out to Narcissa along with a t-shirt and a sweater. Narcissa looked at the garments with distaste. Hermione laughed.
"Aren't these muggle clothes?" Narcissa asked as she pinched the top with her thumb and index finger and held it as if it was dirty. Hermione chuckled as she heard the distaste. She turned around as she slipped a bra on with her back to the woman. She was not shy per say. simply put, the only place to dress privately was the bathroom and it was her damn room. So Hermione treated the situation like that of her old muggle school locker room. Just get dressed.
Narcissa looked at the clothes and shook her head. It was like peasant clothes. When she looked up she blinked. And blinked again. Hermione's smooth back was marred by a long slash from the right shoulder, down the her shoulder blade and then made a jagged turn toward the center of her back. There on her neck she didn't notice before was a scar from what looked like a blade and then other small scars from her neck to her shoulder. They were rings and looked like…. Bites. Narcissa reached out without thinking.
"How did you get these?" she asked concerned. How could anyone want to hurt this woman? Narcissa pulled her hand back as Hermione jerked and stepped away from Narcissa. She pulled a brick red shirt over her head and a sweater knitted by Mrs. Weasley and pair of jeans over her hips. Narcissa and Hermione looked at each other. Hermione's eyes, brown with flecks of gold flared. Her gaze made Narcissa pull back and straighten herself back into her pureblood training.
"I apologize for invading your personal space. Forgive me," Narcissa began as she formally apologized. Hermione let her features relax slightly, and placed a hand on Narcissa's shoulder.
"Let us hurry. We need breakfast before we try to figure out what happened, how much has changed, and then figure out a way to get you back," Hermione's tone was soft but there was an edge. How can she tell Narcissa that over half of the scars that marred her body were from her sister? She walked to the living room and slipped socked feet into comfortable tennis shoes.
Narcissa looked at the fabric in her hands and felt the softness. She sighed and then put the clothes on. They fit her perfectly. She turned toward Hermione who was waiting and took one of the crutches to her.
"I seem to have misplaced my wand can you make a cane out of this? I fear I hate these blasted crutches and my ankle is doing much better," Narcissa held the crutch before her and was grateful that it wasn't anything like Lucius's black cane, but a smooth pale wood with a hook at the end for a handle.
Hermione led them silently down to the Great Hall for breakfast. Narcissa walked into the bustling hall and cocked her head as she followed Hermione to the staff table as she guest. Narcissa narrowed her eyes as she her eyes locked with McGonagall, but she still walked into the hall with her head up, her shoulders back and her spine ramrod straight. She sat down next to her new friend and began to fix a plate of eggs, sausage links, strawberries and a piece of toast. She looked at Hermione's plate and noticed her plate only consisted of buttered toast and blueberries. An owl flew toward Hermione and dropped the Daily Profit next to her hand and then the woman began to read. Hermine excused herself and went to McGonagall.
"We need to figure this out now," Hermione whispered as she showed Minerva the Profit. Sure enough there on the front page was a picture of Lucius Malfoy and his son cutting the ribbon on the opening of a new building. The caption read:
Wednesday October 23, 2001
Malfoy Men Make Money on Maternity Ward: The Malfoy family shocked the world with this new addition to the hospital of St. Mungos. In memory of Narcissa Malfoy, deceased for 6 years they Malfoy men dedicate this new hospital wing in her name. It looks as if Malfoy is try to change his ways. What the People at the Profit don't understand is how Lucius Malfoy got himself out of Azkaban. He was charged on multiple accounts of murder, both adults and children, at the Siege of Hogwarts. This reporter talked to a passerby with the news.
"The bastard should have been kissed. If he will willing to kill children, then she should have been kissed like the rest of those Death Eaters that tried to murder our loved ones at the Siege."
This source would like to remain anonymous but this reporter feels something is in the works and if the Ministry doesn't keep tabs on the man. With Lucius Malfoy, Voldemort's financial supporter, back can we expect another war brewing in the future? Is the Malfoy heir going to take the reins his father might pass down?
Rita Skeeter
"Do whatever it takes Miss Granger. I will cancel your Potions classes for the remainder of the week and you can begin class on Monday," McGonagall sighed and patted Hermine's hands and Hermione reached for her arm in askance, "It's nothing Hermione. I am Feeling old," Then she straighten her robes and turned back to the great hall, "It's just as well about your classes. I saw the damage. It will take you the day to get the damage fixed."
Hermione knew when she was shut out by the older woman and it never bothered her. She knew McGonagall lost more than any them. She fought two wars, and lost her best friend when Albus Dumbledore died. She placed a reassuring hand on her mentor's shoulder then walked back to Narcissa. She noticed the blonde observing their interaction and then tilt her head to the side. Hermione nodded for her to follow and Narcissa.
Hermione walked through the Great Hall and smiled at her students and pointed to one of the boys and told him her was lucky that his essay was postponed. Narcissa smiled when the boy blushed and smiled. She watched as most of the girls in the hall watched Hermione with adoration in their eyes, something akin to worship. Hermione brushed it off and addressed the students who asked about potions.
"Well my colleague and I were trying to work on a secret project, and we blew it up," Hermione smiled at her students, "I am human just as you and I make mistakes. So try to be careful in my labs. I didn't have a potion master to apprentice me so I have to figure out the hard way. In the future I'll try not to blow us up, is that right Miss Blackman?" Hermione smiled as Narcissa narrowed her eyes. She caught on to the ploy and nodded. Hermione looked toward the table and McGonagall's smirk shown from the distance.
Clever girl, Narcissa mused. She was a Black and it was something she could get used to if she had to stay. It also took the wind out of who she was, and her connection with Black and Malfoy was now expertly hidden.
Hermione didn't have to tell her where the potions classes were and they walked in silence to the dungeons. Narcissa wondered as to why Hermione was distant when just that morning they were sharing a cup of tea and a sunrise. She went back to the conversation. Hermione said she was broken. How could she be broken? Out of the two she must be the most shattered. Her emotions were all over the place, and her head was spinning with possibilities of staying.
They opened the door and what they would was akin to a battle zone. Cauldrons scattered all over the room and there was a pit in the floor where Narcissa remembered flying back from the explosion. Hermione looked around and sighed and placed her hands on her hips. Her potion assignments that she had yet to grade lay in a fizzing mess on the floor in shades of hot pink to putrid green.
"Accio Narcissa's things," Hermione waited. Narcissa waited and hoped that the potions she made had made it through the accidental trip just fine. They looked at each other. Narcissa needed something from Hermione, but what she could not answer. Her watched as Hermione watched her with one hand on her hip and the other hanging. Narcissa, not for the first time, found how beautiful the woman was before her. When she looked at Narcissa, except for last night, she was shielded against her. Tap, Tap, Tap on the window. Hermione strode to the window and opened it and grasped the bag and a wand. She handed Narcissa back her things but her wand she held onto for one moment. Narcissa watched as Hermione looked the wooden magic infused stick over and noticed a darkness fill her friend's eyes.
"If I am to help you I am to need my wand Miss Granger," Narcissa held out her hand. Hermione gave the witch the wand and then strode past the woman and went to banish the mess of potions. Narcissa made sure the cauldrons were cleaned and stacked neatly against the wall. Both women then looked at the pit in the floor and the scorch marked on the wall. Hermione studied them. She fetched am empty vial and scrapped some of the residue into the test tube and placed it in her pocket. Then she looked at Narcissa.
"Soon, my friend, we will have a conversation about what you were brewing. For now I will settle with a simple explanation of the ingredients used, please," Hermione ordered the woman. Narcissa didn't like the tone.
"How dare you order me," She began.
"Pardon me, Mrs. Malfoy, but you blew up my lab with your past antics. I can't send you back if you don't tell me what you did," bristled Hermione.
"What if I don't want to go back?!" Narcissa screamed.
Hermione looked at the woman. She was livid that the pureblood snob would raise her voice to her in her own class when she was the one who destroyed the whole damn room. Then she screamed absolutely out of control. Narcissa Malfoy was never out of control. Nerves of steel and an icy mask to prove it nothing bothered her. Hermione kept kicking herself. She kept forgetting that this Narcissa was completely different from the one she knew. This woman would unravel the fabric of time if only to escape her past. Hermione sighed and apologized. Narcissa nodded and they got to work on fixing the damage. After hours of magical repairs both women were beat. Hermione noted it was past lunch but too early for dinner. Narcissa looked drained and pale. Hermione called a house elf.
"Winky, can we please have two mugs of hot chocolate and a turkey sandwich for me," she turned to Narcissa and noted the nod, "Make that two. Thank you Winky."
"You treat them like people," Narcissa murmured. Hermione bristled again and shoved she anger back down deep.
"I don't like slaves," Hermione replied. Narcissa looked up thinking she had not been heard.
"No I didn't mean anything negative by it. It is just I have grown up with them all my life. I treated them rather well by wizarding standards, but Lucius…" Narcissa paused and looked away.
"Narcissa I know we just met. There is a very despicable history between you and me in this time line, but I can't blame you for something you haven't done yet. If you need to talk to me then open up. I speak from personal experience that hiding it and holding it in is the worst things for you," Hermione walked over to one of the class's tables closest to Narcissa, sat down and waited.
"How do we know each other in this time line?" Narcissa asked as she sat down at the table looking at Hermione.
"Ah Ah, Your story first. Our story may actually change the way you feel about me now. I'd like to keep this friendship for a few more moments," Hermione smiled sadly.
"Lucius treated everything he owned like that, an object. His house elves were treated horrible, he beat them, tortured them, and if they did well he left them alone. His friends, if that's what you can call them, feared him as he lorded power over them, threaten them. His wife…" Narcissa paused swallowed and could feel her face drain. She felt Hermione's hand on her own and she took it. She relished in the warmth.
"Does he hurt you?" Hermione's question was soft, barely a whisper and Narcissa nodded. Hermione turned on the stool and pulled Narcissa to her. Hermione now understood the way she flinched from her. The comment on kindness. She felt Narcissa wrap her arms around her waist and nuzzle her face into her neck as if she were trying to hide from the universe.
"He…he…" Narcissa stammered into Hermione's throat. Hermione squeezed her tighter and listened and rocked the woman back and forth. There was tinny pop as Winky arrived with lunch. Narcissa began to pull away but Hermione held her. Hermione thanked Winky and the little house elf bowed and left them in the silent potions class. Hermione began to stroke Narcissa's hair as her mother had done when she found herself in her mother's arms after some of the kids were bullying her before she came to Hogwarts. She rubbed large soothing circles on Narcissa's back and kissed her temple as her mother had when she had been beaten down by the world.
Narcissa softly gasped as Hermione kissed her temple ever so gently. She could smell the woman's soap and closed her eyes loving it. Narcissa felt her chest swell and her stomach flutter. She had not felt that particular sensation since James Potter asked her to dance at a Yule Ball those years ago as a dare from her cousin Sirius. He was kind, even if it was a dare. She never really had crushes before, no one wanted to get to know the Black family too well seeing as her Sister Bellatrix was behaving erratically, and her other sister was thought of as damaged goods and a taboo subject because of who she would marry.
In Hermione's arms she was beginning to feel better, stronger. It was if life began to settle for her and she could think. She could feel without Lucius hovering over her demanding potions, or sex. Narcissa let go of Hermione and felt a chill run up her spine at the loss of her warm arms. Hermione reached for her hot chocolate and gave it to her. She took a bite from her sandwich and copied Hermione. They sat in silence. When she looked over to Hermione. Her gaze was faraway, and the life in her eyes died. Narcissa touched Hermione's arm and the woman flinched and pulled her arm to her as if to protect it, to hide it. Hermione looked from Narcissa and flatly spoke.
"I hate you," Hermione said into the space and Narcissa pulled back her hand and placed them in her lap and looked down at the empty plate hurt. "I hate the woman you become, Narcissa, not the woman you were," Hermione cleared. Narcissa looked up at the woman and saw death, and violence, and pain flash as if she was reading a book with no words. All she read was her new friend's eyes.
"Who am I now?" Narcissa asked quietly. She often wondered how she would turn out in the future under the marriage of Lucius Malfoy. Would she even survive? Evidently she did. Hermione looked at Narcissa and she felt studied. She felt Hermione's eyes look at her hair, her eyes, her, cheeks, and lips. Then her gaze ran the length of her body and then she looked away yet again.
"You are gorgeous," Hermione began as she went back into the past, "You have a deadly beauty, both captivating yet cold. Your hips are slightly wider, and your bust is larger. I attribute that to childbearing. You are only slightly taller than you are now, or maybe it is the way you carry yourself like some sort of pureblood royal. You always wore the most fabulous clothes, always impeccable appearance. Striking and powerful. Even at the age of 47 you are one of the most beautiful people I have ever seen," Hermione paused. Narcissa felt her breath escape her. Her description of me is so sad, and so vivid but that isn't enough to hate someone. What happened? She waited just as Hermione did for her. Her gaze was haunted as she still clung to her arm.
"One night I was captured. From now it has been three years, but feel like yesterday on some nights. I was taken to Malfoy Manor. My friends were placed in your dungeons as I was pinned to your reception hall floor. Your sister, Bellatrix, had her fun with me," Hermione's fingers went absently to her neck and shoulder where Narcissa noticed those circular scars earlier that morning. Narcissa reached out again and this time stood her ground as Hermione tried to pull her arm from the woman. Hermione slowly turned to Narcissa and then she let go. She let Narcissa take her arm. Narcissa rolled up the sleeve and what she saw made her hand go to mouth as if to hold in her gasp. She looked to Hermione and Hermione nodded. She ran her fingers over the scar. It looked horrible and red as if it was thinnest layer of skin holding in blood that welled just below the surface.
"How come it hasn't healed?" asked Narcissa. Hermione watched as this dark witch, pureblood muggle hater showed concern for a mudblood.
"She used a dark magic imbibed blade as she straddled my hips, pinned me down after a Cruciatus curse and carved this into my skin. She was furious, like an animal when I wouldn't give her information. For some strange reason she thought that biting me was going to make me talk. How can I talk when I have no idea what she was talking about?" Hermione said.
"What does this have to do with me other than hate by association?" Asked Narcissa as she put her hand in Hermione's.
"You watched," Hermione's eyes grew dark with hatred, and her voice deep with vengeance. Narcissa shook her head not believing her.
"You watched as I pleaded for my life as your sister exacted her form of sick fun upon my body," Hermione closed her eyes, "I begged you for help, and you gave none. You watched, cold as ice."
"Why would I do that?" Narcissa asked as she looked to the woman who she knew would change her life. Hermione shrugged and took her hand away from Narcissa and rolled her sleeve down.
"If you are not the ice cold bitch I know, it must have been to protect Draco," Hermione said as she got their things together.
"Who is Draco?" Narcissa asked as she helped her.
"Your son," Hermione smiled as she saw Narcissa's mouth make a small 'O' as that was plopped right in to her lap. "You and Lucius have a son named Draco. He is my age, and not my favorite person but I owe him for saving my best friend Harry."
Hermione saw the look of disgust flash across her face.
"After learning more about your relationship with Lucius, Draco is the only person you love. You would die for that prat," Hermione smiled. Narcissa grinned slightly and then went to the potions desk and brought out a quill and parchment. Hermione followed her. Narcissa began to write the ingredients, the steps to the potion, the addition of Murlap to help with pain. Then she reached into her bag and brought out the potions bottles and put them on the table. Hermione instantly recognized the peaceful drought potion by the milky white fluid but held up the golden potion with the murlap in it.
"The gold bottled have the murlap in it, and it works. It is peaceful drought with murlap to expedite the healing or bruises, scrapes, and swelling," Narcissa said as Hermione held on in her hand. Hermione conjured a glass and said aguamenti and filled the glass half full. She placed a small amount of the Murlap laced calming drought into the glass and handed it to Narcissa. Hermione motioned her to sit down and then reached for her broken ankle. She unlaces her shoes and look off her sock. Then gently placed her foot in her lap. Narcissa drank the potion and Hermione watched intently.
After a few minutes she watched as the swelling decreased and the bruising faded from the angry red, purple and blue to a disgusting yellow that indicated healing. Hermione put down her foot gently then reached for Narcissa not thinking about propriety or space she pulled up Narcissa's shirt to see the bruising about her ribs diminish just as the ankle. Hermine ran her fingers over Narcissa's skin and pulled back as Narcissa jumped. Hermione looked up to her.
"I'm sorry, did I hurt you?" Hermione asked concerned. Narcissa bit the inside of her cheek and shook her head. She wasn't expecting Hermione's warm fingers to illicit such a…sensual response. Hermione looked at her ribs one more time and then looked at the list confused. All of these ingredients are not volatile or explosive. She went over to the potion shelves where the cauldron would have been. If her stores where the same as old Slughorn's when her left, assuming her organized the same way he did when he first taught at Hogwarts, the options in that area were…. Her eyes lit up as she skimmed the disorganized shelves from the blast. She picked up the Blasting mushroom and looked at Narcissa. All she could do is shrug. It was a possibility.
"I need you to brew the potion again,"Hermione looked at her watch, she knew it took about a day for the calming drought to be brewed to effectiveness, "Let's start tomorrow morning."
Hermione was rushing out of the potions class and up the hall and then towards the headmistresses statue. Narcissa was able to keep up but it was painful... Hermione slowed her pace and walked with Narcissa. Once to the statue she said the password, and noticed the chuckle from Narcissa. Hermione smiled and took her friends hand as the ascended the spiraling stair case. Once in the headmistress's office McGonagall looked up over half-moon glasses. Narcissa and Minerva stared each other down. Hermione dropped into a chair and motioned for Narcissa to do the same.
"What is the matter with you two?" Hermione asked as she pinched the bridge of her nose as she felt the beginning of a headache.
"Nothing to concern yourself with Miss Granger," Minerva snapped.
"Oh I don't know about that you old cat," Narcissa shot at the older woman. Minerva was about to launch into a tirade when both Narcissa and Minerva heard Hermione's laughter.
"I see there is bad blood between you. Let me guess. Old pure blood families and a constant family feud and you don't even know who started it all you know is that you are conditioned to fight one another?" Hermione deducted. Narcissa smiled as she sat in the chair as Minerva sat back.
"You are too smart for your own good Miss Granger, but it was not a dramatic as eons of family feuding," McGonagall began, Narcissa motioned to the woman to continue, "Her damnable father is the worst sort who preach blood purity and killed my first love for it." McGonagall fumed and Hermione looked between the two.
"My problem with the cat is that she would never give her students a fighting chance just because of our last name, and because we are the offspring of her hated rival. That's between you and my father you old witch, you should have treated us with indifference not scorn," shouted Narcissa
"ENOUGH!" shouted Hermione looking at both women, "Minerva, you should treat her a tad bit better seeing as she and her son lied to the Dark Lord some years ago and saved Harry. Narcissa, I see your argument but have you lost someone you love?" Hermione looked to her friend and saw her gaze drop to her hands and shake her head. "Technically I am the youngest person in this room, and in my opinion we all need to grow up." Hermione pinched the bridge of her nose again as she was about to be thrown into a full on migraine, "Narcissa will be sent back soon."
"You found out what happened already?" Minerva asked shocked.
"Yes, it was pure accident and other than her consequences on not being where she needs to be I don't see any adverse effects of sending her back the quickest way I know how. I came to ask you before this little squabble broke out if you had a time turner? I can wrap the chain around me and Narcissa the way I did with Harry in third year to save Sirius. Once she is there I can come back and it would be as if she had never arrived."
Hermione looked at both women and the older witch nodded but Narcissa stood and walked from the office. When the door closed it was a grey haired witch with a gleam in her eyes that started down at her former student. It was a gleam she hadn't seen in years.
"You like her don't you?" Minerva asked. Hermione sighed, and slumped in her chair.
"Yes I do Professor," Hermione confessed as if she was transported back to 6th year worried about crush. She went to McGonagall about Ron and the older witch had the same gleam in her eyes as she did that moment.
"She is actually a lovely child, and a wonderful witch. You are right. I let a lot of things deter a positive relationship with my student but of the Black horde she was my favorite," the old professor smiled.
"Ha, I'll have to let her know you said that,' Hermione ran and hair through her wavy hair. She was tired, and her headache wasn't subsiding, "I don't think it is wise to develop a relationship with Narcissa."
"If it is her current age, I assure you wizards survive longer than muggles do dear," McGonagall soothed then Hermione looked at her old teacher.
"What are you aiming at Minerva?" Hermione witnessed a caught McGonagall.
"Well let's assume she has a relationship with you a muggle born witch, maybe she can help our cause later, maybe even work for us, double agent."
"The war has turned you into a Slytherin. I will not use her. Naturally she will make her decisions when she gets back but I will not hurt or use her. She has had enough of that for one lifetime," Hermione sighed and felt her resolve strengthen, "If you could please find that time turner before Monday, we can get this mess fixed. Until then Narcissa and I will be experimenting with a new potion she has made. Thank you professor. Have a good day."
Hermione felt eyes on her back, and knew if she turned around she would see that old smile her teacher used to sport when she knew things were going to be okay. Hermione left the room and was surprised to find Narcissa sitting on the top of the stairs just on the other side of the door. Hermione looked form the door to the woman and back again. Every word, she heard every damn word. Hermione put her hands in her pockets and walked down the stairs and then into the hall. Their silence was thick, but not uncomfortable. It felt like there were many things to be said.
"Thank you," Narcissa uttered. Hermione nodded as she thought of the woman beside her and wished for the first time ever that Narcissa Malfoy would wrap her arms around her, but she didn't. Her shoulder brushed Narcissa's as Narcissa slightly limped down the corridor. The Narcissa's hand brushed her leg as she walked. Hermione wanted to touch her. Deep down Hermione knew the longer Narcissa were to stay the more she would lose something she had never given to another person completely.
"I don't want to go back," Narcissa whispered. Hermione let a sliver of resolve slip and reached out her hand to Narcissa's. She squeezed it and led her down the hall then up the stair case, and then toward the astronomy tower. She didn't say it, she couldn't say it, but she wanted her to stay too.
