Thank you so much to the people who have reviewed/favourited/followed! You have kept this story in the back of my mind. I've come to a part where I am not particularly happy with the next few chapters and so I had editing on my mind... but since I don't really have the time to do that at the moment, and you lot seem satisfied with what i've done so far, I thought i'd just leave it as is for the moment and come back to it later! I have another ten chapters fully written so I'm happy to post them here, just go easy on me, I know the writing is not the best!

As her memories swirled in the depths of the pensieve, Hermione wasn't sure what she had been trying to achieve. She was sure that her experiences with Bellatrix would cut Narcissa up, but that wasn't saying a lot considering her obviously unstable emotional state anyway.

But Andromeda really did seem to hate her elder sister. There was still a look of steely suspicion on her face as she prepared to witness what Hermione considered to be a fair reason to pardon the woman. She hoped she hadn't written too much into it.

There were two memories which she wanted to show them. The first was the day on which she had seen Bellatrix enter the room next to hers and play piano.

When they entered the surreal world of her memory, she stood close to Andromeda. The woman took her hand, seeming to sense her discomfort. The older woman's hand was clammy but she held on nonetheless. Hermione wondered what part of seeing her sisters made her so nervous.

The three of them stood and watched as memory-Hermione rose from where she lay on the floor and sat up to see what the movement in the corridor was. The flinch when memory-Hermione saw that it was Bellatrix wasn't lost on Andromeda, who squeezed real Hermione's hand tightly. She wished she could give some kind of commentary... She realised how watching this in third person completely sapped it of all emotion. Embarrassment crept over her as she realised this had been an awful idea.

But as Bellatrix approached, they all stepped forward to see her. It was a surreal feeling, leaning over her own shoulder to re-see something she had already witnessed.

And Bellatrix stopped to stare at the door. Hermione followed Andromeda's eyes and saw that she was watching memory-Hermione instead of her sister. Then her eyes snapped up to see her Bellatrix's expression and the briefest shadow of hurt graced her face. She looked like she had a headache. Narcissa stared intently at her sister, her hand raised slightly like she wanted to touch her. And then she disappeared into the room.

"So she looked sad?" Andromeda said flatly.

They moved to one side as memory-Hermione got up from the door and went to sit in her bed.

Real Hermione tried to hide her embarrassment, as she realised the meaning of the memory had been lost on Andromeda. Narcissa remained silent – it clearly hadn't been on her.

"I saw the way you looked at her, Hermione." Andromeda said.

Hermione's brow furrowed in confusion.

"Hypnotising, isn't she? How could anything so beautiful be evil?" Hermione and Narcissa both stared at Andromeda, not quite understanding what she was getting at.

"I always used to catch myself staring at her. Thinking God, what I wouldn't do to be like her... Putting her on a pedestal. It messes with your mind." She continued.

"… And that's why she's so dangerous. She draws you in. You think there's something inside her because of what you see on the outside. But there's nothing there Hermione. She's empty on the inside. She's sick, and she's evil."

Narcissa opened her mouth to respond, but Hermione pointed to indicate herself crouching next to the wall, listening to the music on the other side. They all mimicked her actions and Andromeda looked thoughtful. A sad, knowing smile formed on her lips.

They all followed Hermione to watch Bellatrix storm away down the corridor.

"She's crying." Narcissa said, addressing Andromeda.

"She knows she's going to die… Isn't life hard for her?" Andromeda said sarcastically.

Narcissa frowned at her sister and Hermione had to stop herself from doing so also.

"Do you not remember one second of our childhood?" Narcissa said angrily.

"I try not to." Her sister replied blankly. The irony was, Andromeda had never looked more like Bellatrix in her life than she did in that moment.

"She protected you." Narcissa said bitterly.

"She abandoned me!" Andromeda countered viciously.

The silence that followed was deafening as the memory receded around them.

Back at Malfoy Manor, Andromeda sat down heavily into her armchair like she was too exhausted to stand any longer.

"I'm sorry." Hermione said finally. There was nothing else she could say.

Andromeda shook her head. "No. It's not your fault. None of it. You're a good girl, Hermione. You've done nothing wrong." She leaned forward and took her cup from the table. She drained it and then stood up.

"Right, well, I think that's enough excitement for one day." She said, in an unusual tone. "Lovely to see you Narcissa, as always, but I think we'll be off."

Narcissa had been hovering in the doorway, looking fearful, but now she surged forward to her sister, half lifting her arms like she might embrace her. They fell to her sides as she reached her, but Andromeda took her hand.

"Just let it lie, Cissy. You're only hurting yourself."

"I'm sorry." Narcissa said softly.

"I know." Andromeda leaned forward and kissed her sisters cheek, before turning back to Hermione and holding out her arm.

When they arrived back at The Burrow, all was silent still. Andromeda sat down at the table and Hermione followed her lead.

"I don't know what to say, Hermione. I'm sorry."

Hermione stayed silent.

"You're going to help her, aren't you?" She continued. Her voice held no malice.

Hermione nodded, staring down at her hands.

"Just…" Andromeda sighed. "Just don't get too involved. Make sure you keep one foot out at all times. She'll hurt you."

"I think I can cope with it." Hermione replied. She was being honest rather than argumentative. Andromeda reached for her hand.

"You're very young." She said quietly.

"I need to do it. I won't forgive myself if I don't." Hermione admitted.

"You don't owe anybody anything, Hermione."

"I know that. But it doesn't change how I feel. I can't help but care."

"I used to care too, Hermione. But sometimes it just isn't worth it."