Disclaimer: I do not own any part of the Harry Potter series.

Procrastinating

The grass was cool and thick under the shade of an enormous oak tree. Summer had become autumn and a chilly frost had crept over the school grounds earlier that morning. But now, a gentle sun warmed the skin pleasantly as rays found their ways through the branches.

Leaning against the trunk of the tree, Narcissa looked up from her empty page of parchment to watch her sister. Andromeda was sprawled out lazily on the ground, twirling a blade of grass between her nimble fingers. She smiled sleepily up at Narcissa as she stifled a yawn. The morning was a lethargic beginning to Saturday, and Narcissa wanted nothing more than to join her sister in procrastination.

With a sigh, she leafed once more through her transfiguration book. Just as quickly, she closed the book angrily and pulled out her wand instead.

"Wingardium Leviosa," she muttered, feeling foolish as the blade of grass Andromeda had been playing with fluttered feebly then fell to the ground.

Andromeda laughed and pointed her own wand at the stack of text books and smiled as they floated gracefully through the air into her outstretched hand.

"You aren't waving your wand properly, Cissy," she noted softly, "Swish and flick, remember, not point and jab."

Narcissa gave her sister a sour look of jealousy, "You're worse than Bella, showoff."

Andromeda laughed her sweet melodious laugh as she rolled over onto her stomach, opening the book.

"Oh, come on, Cissy," she teased, "This stuff is easy."

Narcissa analyzed her nails as she grumbled, "Then you go ahead and do it if you're such an expert."

"Hmm… I don't know if I'm that good," Andromeda chuckled, turning the pages of the book fondly.

Narcissa sighed as she longingly thought of the freedom of summer. The days filled with gentle happiness and boredom, nothing to do but dream. No worries, no cares, no homework…

"I hate homework," she decided angrily.

Andromeda gave her a sympathetic smile.

"Oh, it's not so bad, is it?" her sister replied lazily, handing back the textbook.

Narcissa raised an eyebrow. "Yes."

Andromeda pulled herself off the grass to crawl over to her little sister.

"Don't fret, Cissy," Andromeda said, "Mother would not approve if she saw such worry lines creasing your forehead already."

Narcissa's face softened a little at her sister's teasing wisdom.

"Will you help me with it then?" she asked sweetly.

Andromeda frowned, "I don't know, Narcissa, you should really learn the art of irresponsibly putting off homework until the very last minute. It's a skill that must be practiced and polished."

"Come on, I'm trying to be serious. Won't you help me, Andy?"

"Might as well," Andromeda replied with a sigh, "Seeing as how I can't seem to do my own."

Pulling out her Defense Against the Dark Arts book, Narcissa turned the pages with disdain.

"When am I even going to use this?" she mumbled.

Andromeda suppressed a cough. "In our family? Quite a bit, I'd think."

Narcissa shrugged as her eyes scanned the chapter uncertainly. She spouted off various questions to her sister whose answers were rather vague and unfinished.

"Andy, you're not much help at all."

"That's not fair of you. You know Bella's better at this sort of thing than I am," Andromeda said rather defensively.

Narcissa sighed in vexation. "Well, where is she?"

Andromeda didn't conceal the grin quick enough. "Detention."

Again?

Andromeda seemed to read her sister's mind, "McGonagall; seems that hexing pesky Gryffindors isn't part of the transfiguration curriculum."

Narcissa grumbled about uselessness for a moment before scanning the grounds. Almost as if on cue, she saw her eldest sister exit the heavy doors and stroll across the grass.

Bellatrix walked over to them with a skip in her step.

"You're off early," Andromeda remarked.

"Yeah, I think I was getting on the old hag's nerves," Bellatrix said, looking rather pleased with herself.

Andromeda shook her head, "She's really not all as terrible as you make her out to be. Why don't you at least give Cissy a chance to decide for herself?"

Narcissa had a feeling that she'd been fed family ideas far too long for that to happen.

"Because McGonagall doesn't deserve the chance for Cissy's approval," Bella laughed, "I hope our little sister's standards are higher than yours anyhow."

Andromeda smirked, "I'm sorry if throwing a temper tantrum in class gets you into trouble with the teacher, Bella. Who'd have ever thought…?"

Bellatrix shrugged as she let her canvas bag fall to the ground with a heavy thud, just missing Narcissa's toes.

"Watch it, Bella," Narcissa grumbled, drawing her legs closer to her body.

Bellatrix leaned against the side of the tree and pointed her wand at a pile of leaves, sending them flying at her youngest sister.

Narcissa held up her Defense Against the Dark Arts book just in time to shield her face.

"Immature," Narcissa snapped, feeling considerably older herself, now that she had nothing better to do than homework.

Bellatrix stuck out her tongue and laughed. "What's got you in such a fowl mood, Cissy?" she wondered, grasping at the lowest branches, swinging back and forth.

Narcissa opened her mouth to retort but Andromeda was a second quicker.

"Cissy can't come to terms with the fact that a house elf isn't around to do her homework for her," she teased, tickling Narcissa's ear with the feather of her quill.

Narcissa smacked it away irritably.

Bellatrix looked amused. "That's not a bad idea, you know. About the house elf, I mean. It would save a lot of my time…"

"Since when have you ever even bothered to do your homework, though?"

"Well," Bella said thoughtfully, "then it would save you a lot of time."

Andromeda laughed, "Uh, no, Bella. I don't care how many times you thinkyou beat me in gobstones; I am not doing your homework for you."

Bellatrix let out a pathetic whine as she fell to her knees, "But, Andy, please…"

"Ha, even if I wanted to Bella, you're two years ahead of me," Andromeda reasoned, "Believe it or not; I think it'd be better if you did it."

"Just my charms paper then?" Bellatrix pleaded, "You're brilliant at charms. And I'm not looking for perfection, just completion."

Bellatrix gave her sister a meaningful pout as she held out the book.

Andromeda laughed in spite of herself, "You've been hanging around Cissy too much, Bella. That was far better than your last attempt to con me into something."

Narcissa huffed in outrage as Andromeda took the textbook from Bellatrix's hand.

"You barely wanted to help me with my homework but you're going to do hers?!" she whined indignantly.

Andromeda shook her head. "No, Cissy. I did help you with your homework; whether you learned anything or not is your own fault. And I'm not doing all of Bella's homework… just one little paper for charms. And while you nagged at me, Bella flattered me. Besides, you're not as busy as her anyway."

Narcissa was hardly abated by this. "And what is it, really, that takes up so much of your time that you can't even write one paper?"

Andromeda turned to the eldest sister as well, suddenly curious. "She's got a point, you know. What exactly takes up all of your precious time?"

Bellatrix smirked, "Can't tell you, and wouldn't if I could."

Narcissa rolled her eyes.

"Tell me or the paper isn't written," Andromeda taunted.

Bellatrix laughed wearily, "Oh, come on Meda; you know very well what I'm up to. Sifting through marriage possibilities, holding up the Black family name; that sort of thing..."

"Right, like getting detention every other week," Andromeda noted, pushing a strand of hair behind her ear as she opened Bellatrix's charms book.

Bellatrix smiled, Narcissa frowned.

She remained stiff and cross as the air was silent but for the lapping of the lake against the shore and the scratching of quill against parchment. Narcissa was rooted to the spot as her oldest sister lay down in the grass, resting her head in Narcissa's lap. Bellatrix closed her eyes peacefully and Narcissa sighed.

"Thanks, Andy," Bellatrix mumbled, a smile playing at her lips.

Narcissa heard Andromeda give a knowing snort.

She then looked back at her monotonous pile of homework she had not managed to carve a dent in.

"I hope you fail that class."

Bellatrix laughed quietly, not bothering to cover her mouth as she yawned.

"Don't worry, I'm sure I will."

Andromeda rolled her eyes and Narcissa had a funny feeling that the paper wouldn't end up being written. Andromeda seemed to enjoy humoring her older sister only to withdraw her kindness at the very last minute. It was one of the many mentally antagonizing games the two oldest shared.

And indeed, Andromeda didn't seem to be able to resist the lure of procrastination that was displayed ostentatiously before her.

"Forget this," she laughed, casting the book aside as she flopped down next to her sisters in the grass. "Homework can wait, procrastination, on the other hand, can not."

Bella chortled appreciatively and Narcissa felt a light blanket of sleepiness crawl over her.

"You know," she yawned, "I think I'll do my homework tomorrow."

Andromeda nodded, "Right. You'll have plenty of time."

Bellatrix made a noise of agreement as she glanced up at Narcissa with a pleasant smirk.

"Cissy wasn't made for work anyway."

"Of course not," Andromeda agreed, "She is to sit on a pedestal above the rest of us and laugh scornfully upon our groveling figures."

Narcissa rolled her eyes but couldn't quite deny the accusation. Power without responsibility sounded fine to her.

"It's not like she can help it, though," Bella noted, tapping Narcissa's nose playfully. "After all, she is a Black."

Author's Note:Sorry if this was a little slow moving, but even the best of us suffer from procrastination; I'm sure the sisters Black were no exception. The next update should be more action packed and exciting... I have a more than few ideas threatening the need to do homework. Thank you for your continued reading; reviews and scene-suggestions are greatly appreciated!