CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE: TURN OF THE TIDE

"Do you think you could do it?" Hermione pleaded. "You might be our only hope."

"I don't know," the proud witch murmured insecurely.

Hermione never thought she'd ever see the day she'd sit down to have tea with the one and only Narcissa Malfoy. But after hearing her plan, Sirius had readily volunteered to take her back to his cousin so they could convince her to talk to her husband.

"You're his wife!" Hermione exclaimed. "And you and your son are in danger- surely that's enough to make him turn!"

A delicate but nonetheless bitter laugh escaped Narcissa.

"So naive," she observed shrewdly. "Clearly you weren't raised in pureblood society."

Hermione's back stiffened immediately, her hand subconsciously moving to cover the sleeve under which the wretched slur tainted her skin. She forcefully reminded herself she wasn't a mudblood to this witch- she was a Dumbledore. Sirius, immediately noticing the placement of her hand, felt impatience flare within him.

"Look Cissa," he said in a firm tone. "If you truly want to reconcile with Andromeda and have the open support of the Order, you're going to need to try a lot harder to get rid of the prejudices you were raised with."

Narcissa blinked in a surprise, caught off guard by Sirius's abrupt hardened stance.

"Oh that wasn't an insult," Narcissa assured Hermione quickly. "Merlin, how could it be? You are a Dumbledore, after all. I merely meant it was rare to find someone raised in our circles who had such idealistic thoughts on marriages and families."

"It doesn't quite work like that in high pureblood society, love," Sirius told her regretfully, agreeing with his cousin. "Most marriages are arranged to maintain purity. Love is a rare but happy byproduct."

"And Lucius even more so is unlikely to change his ways. Even for his family," Narcissa said. "He was even harsher about his views than my own parents." A haunting look came over the woman before her neutral facade was smoothly slipped back into place.

"But speaking of which," she turned back to Sirius regally. "You needn't worry about my loyalties, dear cousin. I've met Theodore, and I think he's lovely. He and Meda have a beautiful, talented daughter. Did you know she's a metamorphmagus?"

Sirius's resolute expression broke into a small grin. "I know. She's beautiful."

"She's a Black," Narcissa shrugged. "Of course she is."

"So you'll try to convince him?" Hermione asked.

"I shall try my best," Narcissa nodded.

"Great!" Sirius clapped. "Andromeda can bring you the safe house when you're ready. We'll see you within the hour."

As they left the woodsy but massive cabin, Hermione caught Sirius's hands. He turned to her in surprise, looking down at their intertwined hands.

"Thank you," Hermione said quietly.

"For what?" His lips quirked in amusement.

"For standing up for me back there," Hermione met his eyes. "I know she didn't even know the full extent of what she'd said to me- or at least the significance of it. But I appreciate it nonetheless."

Sirius smiled tenderly, his fingers coming up to brush a few fluttering strands of hair out of her face. His hand lingered as he watched her contemplatively. "I know I'm not the person you're used to having at your shoulder all the time," he said with a sheepish smile. "But those boys are babies right now, so you'll just have to get used to the idea that I'm not going anywhere, and I will be doing all those things they used to do for you."

Hermione's heart fluttered at the confidence in his gaze. She wasn't sure if he knew exactly how important that was for her to hear, but she felt a deep part of her finally relax from the anxious knot it had been in.

She wasn't alone.

~o~O~o~

~ Safe House... Order Stronghold for Prisoners

"Are you sure you know what to do?" Fabian asked Narcissa once more.

Andromeda had brought Narcissa to the safe house promptly, but they hadn't anticipated baby Draco and an energetically curious Nymphadora Tonks accompanying them. Fabian and Gideon were both professionally polite as this was the first time they were actually meeting the Black family- besides Sirius. Remus was also with them, but James and Lily had chosen to sit this one out, deciding not to risk more outings than necessary- especially now that they had two young children depending on them.

"Yes, I'm quite sure," Narcissa said succinctly.

"Because we can go through it once more if you'd like," Fabian assured.

In a moment of uncharacteristic surprise, Narcissa Malfoy actually rolled her eyes.

"Despite what you may think of me, please note that I actually do have a brain," she said dryly, her eyes flashing with impatience.

Fabian jerked back in surprise, his jaw dropped. Hermione snickered before she could stop herself, amused by Narcissa's hidden sass as well as Fabian's Gryffindor chivalry backfiring.

He closed his mouth, before a wry smile broke across his lips. "Consider it noted, Mrs. Malfoy."

He opened Lucius's cell to them, waiting as Narcissa and Gideon walked in. Andromeda knelt down to Tonks, whispering to her to be good as she too followed her cousin into the room. Fabian was the last to enter the room before the door closed, leaving heavy anticipation in the air.

Draco was still a bit dazed from his traumatizing encounter with the Death Eaters, and was happy to rest in Hermione's arms. To her immense surprise, when the Blacks had first gotten to the safe house, the young Malfoy had immediately recognized her from the one time she'd held him. He went to her arms willingly and eagerly, finding it all too easy to settle into her warm embrace.

Hermione was nothing short of flabbergasted. Who knew Draco Malfoy was such a lover? She'd rather expected him to be a spoiled, loud, and somewhat nasty child. Yet he was a bit reserved and all together charming.

Sirius had found the whole scene all too amusing.

"So you've got the magic touch with all the kids," he laughed. "Soon enough Harry and Draco are going to be fighting over you. Not to mention Bill, he's head over heels for you."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "I definitely didn't see this one coming. Draco Malfoy was my childhood bully. Though him and Harry fighting would be nothing new to me."

"Look! Now I look like the Black side of my family," Nymphadora exclaimed, tugging on Sirius's coat. The young girl had changed her normally lavender hair to a dark black, her hazel eyes lightening to the striking grey-blue that many of Sirius and his cousins shared.

"You don't need to change yourself to be a Black," Sirius ruffled her hair affectionately. "It's already in your blood."

Tonks hummed happily, her gaze drifting to Remus, who until then had been seated with the rest of them but remained relatively quiet. Hermione almost laughed out loud when she noticed the way he was looking at Tonks- half in uncertain contemplation, like she was a puzzle he couldn't piece together, and half in fear.

"Wooahh..." she said, walking over to him. "Where did you get those scars?"

Remus's eyes followed her like a hawk, and he gulped when she looked to him expectantly. "An unfortunate accident," he muttered. He'd never liked the scars on his face- they made it too hard to forget what he was.

Tonks tilted her head, studying him in a childlike curiosity before she squeezed her eyes shut, concentrating hard. The others watched in surprise as scars knitted themselves onto her skin, much like the ones Remus wore.

He looked at her, horrified.

"I think they look cool," Tonks shrugged innocently. "You must have been very brave to survive them."

Hermione smiled, blown away at the window into the woman she knew Tonks would become. She was awed when she witnessed Remus softening as he leaned over to brush his fingers across the girl's adopted scars, explaining to her that she was the brave one for being so accepting.

Sirius had glanced at Hermione, and he looked at her questioningly when he noticed her entranced expression as she watched Remus and Tonks. She smiled at him, leaning in to whisper in his ear.

"Maybe some things are written in the stars- meant to be beyond time and space."

Sirius looked at her, puzzled. But then he followed her gaze back to his best friend and his cousin. His gaze flew back to Hermione in alarm, hoping she didn't mean what he thought she meant.

Hermione shrugged, smiling at the sight of them.

"Maybe I didn't need to know that quite yet," Sirius whispered back, looking sightly sick.

Hermione snorted, rolling her eyes. "You asked for transparency."

"How was I to know my best friend would end up with my baby cousin?" He whispered incredulously.

"Their age gap isn't that bad," Hermione insisted. "Better than what ours is," she pointed out.

"You're only like four years younger than me," Sirius insisted.

"Semantics," Hermione rolled her eyes. "Technically- at least according to my birth certificate- you're twenty one years my senior."

"Nope," Sirius shook his head resolutely. "Not the same."

"Whatever lets you sleep at night," she smirked. "Just... don't tell Remus yet. He'd just freak out and then avoid Tonks at all cost. They deserve to be able to figure it out themselves. If it happens, then it was meant to be. If not, neither's the wiser. I don't even know if the timeline for them will stay the same, but in my time she was really good for him."

"Trust me love, all I want to do is obliviate that knowledge right out of my head. No need to worry about me blabbing to Remus." Sirius fake gagged.

"I'm quite good with memory charms," Hermione said teasingly. "I could always give it a go."

The two leaned into each other, chuckling quietly as they eavesdropped on the young witch grilling a flustered Remus with a never ending stream of questions. It was about time someone managed to get calm and controlled Remus well and properly flustered.

~o~O~o~

"Narcissa?"

For the fist time since he'd been a prisoner, Lucius Malfoy was genuinely caught off guard. There's no way his wife was in front of him right now. They were playing with his head, that's it. They must've used polyjuice. His wife was supposed to be tucked away safely behind the walls of Malfoy Manor.

"Lucius," she exhaled, feeling reassured at the whole, relatively hale sight of him.

"Your tricks won't work on me," Lucius frowned at the Prewetts. "Though I must say, bringing in my wife's blood traitor of a sister was a good touch." He sneered at Andromeda.

Narcissa stiffened, the look of relief slipping away into discomfort and tense anticipation.

"Don't speak to her like that," she said softly. "You owe her your wife and child's life."

Lucius's eyes hardened on his Narcissa.

"You're not my wife." He spit at her disdainfully. "My wife would never talk back to me."

Fabian and Gideon exchanged an uncomfortable glance, not knowing whether to intervene.

"Well your wife never expected to be attacked in her own bloody home, so perhaps I have a reason to finally talk back!" She replied, her voice growing louder and louder until she was fuming at him.

Lucius went wide-eyed in shock. No.

"Narcissa?" He asked hesitantly, really studying her now.

"It's me, Lucius," she nodded wearily, the exhaustion of the past week hitting her all over again.

"Why are you here? Why are you with them?" He looked to the others in disgust.

"We were attacked," she told him again. "They came looking for us in the Manor- the Dark Lord's henchmen. And when I refused to leave, they tried to Crucio Draco. I knew I couldn't stay there, so I fled to Andromeda."

Lucius froze. "They what?"

"T-they tortured our baby," Narcissa exhaled shakily.

Lucius's nostrils flared as he assessed her, conflicted. "You could've sought out the Dark Lord," he insisted. "He would've offered you sanctuary."

"Who do you think ordered your former colleagues to come after us?" Narcissa pleaded. Surely he couldn't be so blind to the truth.

"Then he must have a reason!" Lucius insisted, his voice rising now.

Narcissa stared at her husband in dumb shock. "They wanted to use us as insurance you wouldn't talk to the Order. They tortured your son, a baby, and yet you still defend them?"

"The Dark Lord is merciful," Lucius insisted. "We can still go back."

"There is no going back! I will not sacrifice my family for your cause, not again!" She cried out in an outburst, breathless by the end.

Andromeda slipped her hand into her sister's, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

He sneered at her with a cold disregard. "What a disgrace to the Black name, to think another has turned blood traitor."

Narcissa's face fell in despair for a moment, but she recollected herself with the support of her sister's strong presence.

"Think very carefully on this Lucius. Because I will disappear from your life if that's what you truly think, and I'll take Draco with me."

"You're not taking my heir anywhere," Lucius snarled, his previously indifferent facades melting away to reveal the dangerous man underneath.

"He's your son. Though clearly you see no other value to him. So yes, I will be taking him."

"Don't do this Narcissa," he warned lowly. "I can forgive you still, but not if you betray everything we hold dear."

Narcissa watched her husband, her delicately shaped hopes for their marriage and family completely shattered. Her eyes gathered unwanted tears she'd held at bay the entire time, but she was unable to hide them any longer. "You've already betrayed everything I hold dear. And this time I don't think I can forgive you."

Lucius flew to his feet, his hands slamming down on the table as he glared at her, the sound of the rattling chains on his wrists ringing through the dark room.

"Come on," Andromeda pulled her little sister out of her husband's toxic presence, grateful the Prewetts didn't insist on them staying.

She pulled Narcissa out of the room, standing steadily by her. Andromeda was concerned she was still shaking, knowing Blacks and Malfoys alike were never easily open with their emotions and weaknesses.

"What happened?" Sirius asked them, sensing the tension.

"His priorities don't align with his family," Andromeda said shortly.

"I was afraid of that," Hermione grimaced. "But we had to try. I would've asked Snape, but Lucius already threatened to kill him for defecting."

"Severus is with you all?"

Hermione nodded. "Always has been. I'm just sorry about your husband."

Narcissa shrugged weakly, forgetting to keep up her appearances. "He never had our best interests at heart. If he had, he would've never joined the Death Eaters."

"I was so surprised when they arranged your marriage to him," Andromeda said.

Narcissa smiled weakly. "Well, after you ran off, they just scrambled to get me matched as soon as they could. Turned out it was to the highest bidder."

Andromeda's face crumpled in guilt, but her sister went to reassure her.

"No it's fine, I promise. I was always glad you were able to get out. I would've never had the courage to resist either way- if it wasn't Lucius, it would simply be another one in the Dark Lord's ranks."

"You resisted today," Gideon pointed out with silent commendation.

"Yes, well..." Narcissa smiled. "I am a mother first and foremost, I should at least do right by that."

"I'm sure we'll find some other way to get him to talk," Fabian shrugged. "May not be conventional, but clearly he's beyond redemption if he won't even change for his only family."

Narcissa turned to the Prewetts in surprise.

"You just wanted information?"

"Yes..." they said hesitantly.

"And here I thought you wanted him to defect," she rolled her eyes. "If you simply needed information, you should've said so before. I have plenty."

Fabian looked at her in surprise, and everyone else was caught off guard when Narcissa laughed at the sight.

"My head truly isn't filled with dust, no matter what you may believe."

"Of course not," Fabian agreed immediately. "But if you have valuable information that can help the Order, do let us know."

Narcissa arched an eyebrow regally, a truly cheshire smirk gracing her features. "Be prepared to take notes."