A/N Hello Lovely people, another chapter here for you, now I have to apologise, because when I say I'm back I realise I go away again for a while and it's totally unintentional. Thank's again for all of your amazing reviews, you guys are the best. I hope you enjoy the chapter it was hard to write and I ended up scrapping it and redoing it three times.
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Narcissa was never one to let things keep her awake at night, at least not if she could help it, she sat on the futon at the end of her bed and watched Hermione sleep. Their night of passion had almost been endless but she still couldn't sleep. She had wrapped herself up in her silk robe, her blonde hair left free flowing down her back, Narcissa always looked so innocent without her makeup and her hair pinned up.
Narcissa watched the way the brunette's chest would raise and fall as Hermione was long gone with Morpheus, she watched as her head lay resting on her side of the bed, her arm flowed over her bare stomach, her long thick lashes dancing through sleep. The brunette was so beautiful to watch, even when she was doing the most simplest of things, like sleeping.
The guilt began to pour in once again, the reason for Narcissa's sleepless night were the events prior, she hadn't told Hermione about seeing Lucius because she hadn't seen the way Lucius had changed, the Pureblood felt as though she wouldn't understand.
But in her hour of sleepless thought she decided that it was the wrong way to go about things, she never should've kept it from Hermione, they had been through too much to start keeping things from one another now. The day she met the younger witch was the day she began to feel again. Every ounce of emotion that came back to her was due to Hermione stirring things up in her life. She loved it, she loved being able to feel normal again. Hermione was the missing link in her life, she couldn't lose that now. Not after one stupid mistake.
Bumping into Lucius was impromptu, in a way Narcissa was glad it happened, she was able to move on knowing that he knew what a mess he had made of Draco's life and her own back then. He hadn't been pugnacious, in fact quite the opposite. Indubitably she regretted not informing Hermione sooner.
The blonde couldn't take her mind off the situation, she was incorrigible when it came to overthinking, and Narcissa would always think of the worst possible situation that could happen. She was dead set that most days the deity that was asleep a few steps away from her would one day leave her for another.
Narcissa didn't think it possible to be scared and in love at the same time. These two things didn't go together, they grew closer and stronger every day, the blonde thought it a miracle that she had now found someone to spend forever with, but that still didn't stop her from being afraid of losing the one she loved.
Her mind didn't often go estranged about the idea but with the cause to feel culpable Narcissa just couldn't disregard the thought. That was until the silk sheets rustled in front of her and the brunette began to stir in her sleep, she saw Hermione's slender tanned arm reach out to her side of the bed as if she was searching for her. When she found an empty pillow the witch slowly sat up and rubbed her eyes.
"Narcissa?" She quietly called, still trying to wake up from her deep sleep.
Narcissa smiled and watched as Hermione's mocha eyes found her own. The brunette frowned and pulled the sheets up to her chest as she wriggled down the bed to her partner.
"What are you doing down here? Come back to bed." Hermione smiled reaching out to Narcissa gently taking her hand.
"I can't sleep dear." She mumbled staring at their hands, noticing how perfectly they fit together.
"Why's that then? I knew there was something up with you." Hermione raised her eyebrow. "You have been acting weird most of the afternoon. Is it to do with what happened earlier because I can assure you…" She was cut off with a long finger to her lips.
"Somewhat." Narcissa took a deep breath. "I haven't been completely honest with you today."
Hermione didn't say anything but listened in, wondering what Narcissa was going to say, she became anxious pulling her long brunette hair to one side.
"When I signed my papers I saw Lucius." Narcissa saw Hermione flinch slightly. "We talked, he seems to be changing for the better, and he's only allowed out once a month to appeal to be reinstated into the community…" Narcissa saw Hermione stiffen next to her. Tread Carefully. "He told me I didn't look a day older, in fact younger."
That made sense with what Narcissa had said earlier that evening. Someone had told her she looked younger, now Hermione knew why she questioned it so, anyone in that position would. Especially with it being someone who knew her so well before.
"He said I've never looked happier, being with you, he wished he could've been the person to do that. He wants nothing but the best for me. Draco must be getting to him, he sees him regularly." Narcissa smiled as she saw Hermione ease slightly. The brunette still didn't answer her.
"The Aurors push him around you know, he's half the man he used to be." Narcissa searched Hermione's eyes with her own. "He got emotional going on about how he wouldn't stop wishing that I would one day walk through the doors at the manor and come back to him, I told him that could never be. I kissed him on the cheek as a final goodbye." The blonde looked down at the sheets afraid to catch eye contact again with her witch. "I never loved him, and that's never going to change, I know I should've told you earlier but I couldn't bring myself to. I'm afraid you'll think differently of me, but those who seem the coldest at times are the ones who are suffering the most."
Silence filled the room as Hermione tried to think of something to say to let Narcissa know that she wasn't mad at her for not telling her what happened that day. But it was the Pureblood who broke the quietness.
"You must understand that even though he did the most horrific things, the most unjustifiable things, he is the father of my child, and as much as I do despise him, like anyone, he still deserves a second chance. I got mine, I hope he finds his. Just not with me, that ship never left the docks. I don't feel love for him, only hope that he continues to get better and grow as a person." The blonde looked up to meet Hermione's warm gaze.
"Narcissa don't be afraid of telling me things, I understand how hard it must've been, to see him again after the divorce, I hope he is changing for the better. Please don't think you have to shy away from these delicate situations, I will understand. You're the strongest person I know, to have to go through what you went through." Hermione cupped Narcissa's face with her hand. "I love you."
Hermione climbed out of bed and grabbed her own silk robe; she walked over to her vanity table and picked up a shoe sized box bringing it back to where Narcissa was sat. She took a seat next to the blonde on the futon and opened the box. I'm going to show her how much she means. The brunette thought as she caught Narcissa looking at her with a confused look.
"This is where I keep things that remind me of you." Hermione took out a book. "They're like memories in a way."
Narcissa gasped slightly. "Othello?" It can't be.
"Yes the very one you were reading that day at Daunts, you told me I should check it out. So I did." Hermione handed her the book as she watched cerulean blue eyes fill slightly with tears.
Hermione then pulled out a rather splendid looking quill it was a mow berry colour. "I bought this the time you took me on a walk after I had words with Lavender at The Leaky Cauldron."
Narcissa couldn't believe what she was seeing, after all this time, even before they were together Hermione had kept things she deemed as special to her. If Narcissa thought she was in love before now she sure as hell knew she was at this moment. The older witch was speechless.
"There are other things in here too, but we will save them for a later date." Hermione put the things back in the box. She didn't want Narcissa seeing everything. Not yet anyway, laid underneath all the items hidden away from prying eyes, the ring Hermione so proudly won at the Charity Auction, she hadn't forgotten about the lavish piece of jewellery, she was awaiting the right time to possibly give it to Narcissa.
With tears threatening to spill Narcissa regained her composure. "I can't believe you kept all these things, I've never known anyone to do that before. We weren't even together for most of these, you were but a wish away."
"That's because I'm enamoured with you, I hope seeing Lucius brought you the closure you need, because I'm right here with you Narcissa. Every step of the way."
With that being said Narcissa captured Hermione's face with her hands and crushed their lips together. The blonde was completely overwhelmed with what she had just witnessed. She was a fool to believe Hermione would disagree with her bumping into her ex-husband, and the blonde was a fool in love, deep in love. Forever falling deeper.
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The two witches slept in that morning, Hermione awoken early and owled Margret letting her know she wouldn't be attending work, they had been up half the night talking and Hermione had needed the extra sleep. So after waking up for a second time later that morning the brunette glanced at Narcissa who was already awake and sat up in bed reading the book Hermione had purchased for her a few months back. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.
"I love seeing you like this, without your immaculate makeup, your exquisitely pinned hair. This is the you that only I get to witness, you look so innocently impeccable." The brunette smiled and Narcissa blushed.
"Yes well, be glad about it, no one else will see me like this." Narcissa chuckled. "Don't want to be scaring people now do I?"
"Oh stop it, you're flawless. With or without makeup." The brunette chided.
"I'm forty eight I need the extra lift." The blonde said earning a slap on the arm from Hermione. "If I went out in public without my makeup on then I would be mistaken for your mother, or worse grandmother!"
"Give it a rest, I've told you before and I'll say it as many times as it takes, you look damn good for your age. I wouldn't mind but you don't even look it, many people would kill to be in your shoes."
Narcissa rolled her eyes and shrugged off the conversation. Instead her mind wondered back to the night before. "I still can't believe you kept those items because they reminded you of me. Have you any idea how sweet that is?"
"I'm a sweet person what can I say? Plus I needed you to realise that you're stuck with me."
Their conversation was interrupted by Errol the Weasley's Owl as he flew in through the window and nosedived on their bed.
"Oh Merlin's balls, not you Errol." Hermione grunted, she petted him on the head before taking the letter from his leg. "You've got to be shitting me."
Narcissa scoffed at the younger witch's language. "What is it more hate mail? I think I might say I've moved so she can send her owl elsewhere."
"Worse it's another Howler." Hermione threw it on the bed and it began unravelling itself.
"I think Mrs Weasley has a personal love for those. I thought she'd disowned you for dating fine wine." Narcissa winked.
"Now look who's being full of their self, a minute ago could've sworn you were referring to yourself as decrepit even though you're a measly forty eight." Hermione was the one who earned herself a slap this time.
"Shhh, you're going to miss the show." Narcissa put a finger to her lips her long red acrylic nail glistening in the sun light. "And if I were you I'd tread lightly."
Hermione giggled sitting up in bed awaiting the Howler to start spewing its contents in the form of one Molly Weasley, for the second time in their relationship. Hermione felt as though this was going to be a routine event for them.
"Hermione Granger! I told you that witch was no good for you! She has made a fool out of you, I'm sure you feel like our family is against you right now, but Ginny and I tried warning you something like this would happen. You really need to get your arse in gear, you're a laughing stock at the moment and it's all because of Black. Never trust a Death Eaters wife… We will await your response. P.s Ron says hi." There was muffling at the end of the Howler and Ron could be heard telling his mother to stay out of Hermione's business then the Howler tore up and landed in pieces on their bed.
"What on Earth was that about?" Narcissa frowned putting her book on the bed side table.
"No idea. I have a feeling we're going to find out." Hermione pointed to the window as Narcissa's owl came flying in with a rather large stack of letters.
"Oh joy." The blonde said sarcastically as she took the letters and paper.
First in the queue was The Daily Profit and the cover sported Narcissa giving Lucius a kiss on the cheek replaying over and over again with the headline of 'Black and Malfoy back at it again!' By none other than Rita flipping Skeeter!
Hermione became slightly enraged at the fact Rita had manged to capture such a moment between her witch and Lucius. The moment they shared had been one to give the both of them closure and Hermione felt as though Rita had ruined that in some way. She looked over at Narcissa who was skimming through the pages reading the drab that Skeeter had so maliciously written.
"I can't believe it how on Earth did she get that!" Narcissa looked over at Hermione in disbelief. "She wasn't anywhere to be seen, the room was full of Aurors and a very dishevelled looking wizard that was almost dressed as a muggle…" Narcissa trailed off realising who the messy looking wizard was.
"She didn't get it Bozo did." Hermione frowned angrily. "and I bet you any money she was there with him in her Animagus form. What has she said?"
"That this is the whole reason I was at The Ministry yesterday, to get a job and then work my way up to get Lucius released." Narcissa put the paper on the bed.
"What bullshit. If I have to knock another ten balls of crap out of her I will." Hermione was furious.
"No Hermione." Narcissa replied. "You going over there with your Golden Fists isn't going to help the situation."
"Fine, then let me go to Kingsley so I can tell him she's an illegal Animagus."
"You do what you want with that information. At least I won't be slandered anymore in her ridiculous columns." The blonde huffed. "Look at all these letters. Most of them are addressed to both of us."
The pair shared out the letters and began opening them up and scanning through the load. Most of the notes were from close friends like Harry and Luna letting the witches know that the rumour wouldn't travel far and that they had nothing to worry about. Another was from Minerva McGonagall saying how complicated the picture looked and that it insinuated the wrong appeal. Andromeda nearly had heart attack until she realised the article was written by Skeeter and fobbed it off not believing a word that came out of that witch's mouth, she also told Narcissa she wanted answers on what had actually happened. George Weasley had sent one saying not to listen to the Howler from his mother and to sock one to Rita from him. Hermione snorted while Narcissa shook her head.
The final letter however was from Ron, he had stated that he was sorry that Rita had gone to the lengths of trying to frame Narcissa and that he didn't believe a word of it. But it was the last part that caught the pair off guard. It read 'McLaggen wanted to know that if it was true, then he hopes Hermione is back on the market, I have spent all morning trying to tell him that this is most likely a false alarm. I hope you two get this sorted.'
"It most definitely is a false alarm, I think McLaggen and I need to have that duel we never got around to." Narcissa said in jealousy and Hermione winked at her.
"Well then you take McLaggen and I get Skeeter, we can be the Wizarding World's equivalent to Bonnie and Clyde." The brunette chuckled.
"Do I even want to know who they are?" The Pureblood asked inquisitively.
"No." Hermione laughed "No you really don't."
"Well then what are we waiting for? Time to bag myself a beetle." Narcissa climbed out of bed and walked over to the bathroom naked looking over her shoulder at a very stunned Hermione.
"Are you serious?" Hermione jumped up in bed.
"Appear like the innocent flower, but be the serpent underneath it my dear."
