I am not sure when the updates will occur now. Its been rough and the only reason why I got this chapter out is because I could not sleep. When you lay wake at night wondering what you did wrong, could you have fixed it, did you drive them away, hurts even more knowing you can never ask them those questions again. Please forgive my horrible grammar. Its probably worse than normal.
Thank you for being patient with me, I'll work as hard as I can to get our epic done when I can get the right head space to do it. Enjoy.
~Snow
Where are you?
Where did you go?
No…
Please no…
You left me… again.
Why?
Please don't go...
Please come back to me.
Hello?
Bella and the Doctor:
"Fleur get Andromeda to St. Mungo's! I have Cissy," Bella yelled taking over the situation. Fleur nodded and ran to Narcissa's office and flooed to Andromeda's. Bella gripped her wand and thought hard. She had not cast one of these in decades, but to hell with it. She thought about Fleur, everything, every smile, touch, or kiss, and then took a deep breath. Expecto patronum was whispered and she opened her eyes. She nearly fell over in relief. Before her flapped a crow.
"Please, find McGonagall and tell her Narcissa in taken to St. Mungo's emergency room," The bird shot off in search of the Headmistress.
Bella placed a quick feather weight spell on Narcissa, hoisted her in her arms, and shot to the Floo. Bella and Narcissa were spat out into the waiting room at St. Mungo's and Bella frantically sprinted for the nearest healer with her sister in her arms. That pansy ass bastard nearly screamed like a girl because Bellatrix Lestrange ran at him. She looked around, head beginning to fill with cotton, and her ear rush like there were waves from an ocean in her eardrums. Dizzy, the world tilted, and she clutched her sister tightly to her.
"SOME ONE HELP MY SISTER BEFORE I CRUCIO THE FUCK OUT OF EVERYONE!" Bella screamed crazed and frantic in the waiting room. People scuttled from her, others ran from the room, evidently not sick enough.
"I will help," a voice came from the side. Bella cradled Narcissa in her arms as she spun around and faced a young healer. Bella walked to her.
"Please, she needs help," Bella's voice cracked, and she felt the tear fall down her cheek. The healer pointed to a nurse and a gurney. Bella gently placed Narcissa on the moving cot. The healer cast diagnostics, hummed, and then brow furrowed.
"Fascinating," she whispered.
"What? What TELL ME!" Bella began to reach for her wand. The healer however saw it and froze Bella.
"Mrs. Lestrange, there is no need for that," The woman said as she nodded to the nurse, "Take her to ICU, just to be sure, I want a spectrometer on her magical core, and I want read outs on the spikes," she demanded and then unfroze Bella then went to follow the patient, but Bella grasped the woman's bicep.
"Please…" Bella begged. It was no louder than a breath with syllables, but she begged. She would only ever beg for her family. The woman, slightly taller than herself with brown hair and blue eyes radiated something. She seemed so familiar. She clasped the woman's hand and squeezed it with a warm smile.
"I will take care of her, I give you my word," her voice was so kind. Kinder than any voice she had heard outside of her family.
"What is your name?" Bella asked as she looked to the doors Narcissa just sent through and then back to the oddly familiar doctor. Once more that warm smile.
"Just ask for Doc, everyone will know who you are talking about," MD turned to leave Bella with a bright smile as if she had a private silent joke, she could never tell anyone. Bella slowly released her clasp on the woman's bicep. She let the woman go and do her job.
30 Minutes later:
Bella sat in a chair looking at the door Narcissa was rolled thorough. Every squeak, or whoosh, or nurse that came through those doors, her head jerked up hoping for news. She looked over when the floo spat out two people. Bella stood quickly and rushed to Andromeda and Fleur. Bella threw her arms around Andromeda. The woman tensed, surprised, and almost threw Bella off her until she felt the woman shaking against her. Fleur looked at Andromeda and, in those eyes, Andromeda swallowed her fear, she patted Bella on the shoulder. Hoping the woman would let her go, but the woman just shook.
"She was taken back 30 minutes ago. The healer's name is Doc," Bella muttered the information in Andromeda's ear making the woman shiver. Then Bella squeezed her, as if trying to meld them together, "Andy we can't lose her," Bella rasped in her sister's ear. Andromeda closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She will never let it go, the pain, the suffering, the torment… the hate, but she agreed with her sister. Narcissa cannot be lost. She felt the blood drain from her face as she lifted her arms and held Bella to her. She loathed every moment, but she would not be selfish, she would not take this moment from her somewhat unstable sister. She finally broke from her Bella and went to the nurse's station. Bella and Fleur watched her.
"I am Andromeda Tonks. I am midwife to Narcissa Black. I believe she was admitted about 30 to 45 minutes ago and the healer told us to ask for Doc. I need to be in there to know what is going on with the pregnancy," Andromeda demanded but unlike Bella, practically her twin in some people's eyes, she was subtle, she was powerful, but soft. Bella stared at Andromeda as people began to work behind the counter.
"She is powerful," Bella looked at her sister proudly then her hand found Fleur's, "Gentle power," Bella watched Andy in awe as she did in mere moments what Bella had tried to do for half an hour before threatening to Crucio a person. Andromeda turned around and dug in her pocket and flashed a coin. She would keep them up to date if need be. Fleur squeezed Bella's hand. Andromeda was taken to where Narcissa was.
"Now we wait," Bella said defeated as she made her way back to her chair she was in when they arrived. Fleur followed her lover and never let go of her hand. She watched as Bella took this stress. She always monitored Bella under stress. She wanted to see how far her line was before crossing it into madness, and if Narcissa in the hospital with her unborn child on the line didn't push her to the line, Fleur was proud to say nothing ever will.
"What do you think happened?" Fleur asked as she stroked her thumb over the top of Bella's hand.
"She said Hermione's name," Bella whispered. Fleur clutched her hand tightly, and then Bella looked over to her Veela.
"Bella did you know tomorrow will be 6 months since she disappeared?" Fleur asked and then Bella looked at her owlishly blinking. Then Bella blinked as she looked to the door then back to Fleur.
"Do you think…?" Bella couldn't say it. She couldn't give voice to a hope she was afraid to lose with every passing day. Bella looked to Fleur. She had a solemn look on her cheeks. Her lips were drawn, her brow furrowed, but her eyes. When Fleur's eyes connected with Bella's they shone. Bella almost commented, but Fleur shushed her with a finger to her lips. She shook her head. She would not voice her opinion, her hopes her fears, but in those moments, Bella knew her wife well. In those eyes glimmered life. In those eyes they glimmered resolution and hope. Fleur kissed Bella's lips removing her finger. Bella sighed. In those lips without speaking they told of an affirmation for the impossible. Bella wrapped her arms around Fleur relishing in the possibilities.
At Narcissa's Bed side:
Andromeda was ushered into the back where her sister was kept. Her thoughts cleared with every step she took, toward Narcissa. Bella threw her for a loop. Maybe there is a possibility for redemption, maybe even civility. After that the witch had to earn every bit of that trust. When she found Narcissa's door she was ready.
Flurries of sound, and a blast of magic. She watched from the corner, and listened as was her position, and her job. She would never tell anyone that the reason why she got back here was she was once director of St. Mungo's Intensive Care unit. Usually they were the people who were tortured, or severely magicked to half oblivion. What she had seen…. She still shuddered when she thought of one of her former patients.
Andromeda Tonks was a veritable legend in the past decades she worked there at St. Mungo's in trauma surgery, and curses or curse breaking on the flesh, before she left to become an Auror in their healing unit but would always be welcomed back on staff. It was similar to muggle military service. She signed up when the first war got hot. Left her hospital job to serve her people. When the war dissipated, she began a quiet life with Ted and Dora. She never told a soul she was awarded a stipend yearly for saving the previous Minister of Magic as he took a septumsempra to the chest. The ministry owed her. They offered her positions, riches, everything or anything she wanted. All she wanted was to raise her daughter. She knew her Gringotts account was supplemented by the Ministry, no matter the minister in power, until she died. So she got her wish. Quiet, loving family. She wanted to come back, oh yes, she did, but something always kept her back. Maybe it was her shaky hands from the trauma.
Now the legend stood in a corner listening, watching, following all read outs. She would step in if she had to, but so far, they were an excellent team. A loud beep from nowhere snapped her eyes to another diagnostic she could sort of get the gist of.
"How is this possible?" asked a nurse. The Healer, Doc, she presumed looked over and went back to work unfazed. She cast a spell she never knew off. It was interesting to see the magic flow through each body. With this spell the doctor could see the magic rivers in all aspects of the body. She traced it with her finger, and then it stopped. Her brow furrowed.
"Let me guess there are two magical signatures, and we are stuck with a blockage of magical flow?" Doc assessed. The nurse cocked her head stupidly. Doc looked over and chuckled. "It's alright, we will deviate the other magical signature," Doc picked up her wand.
"NO," Andromeda stopped the woman, and she looked at her, and Andy was ready for the woman to shout at her to stay in her own lane. She was Midwife, not surgeon. But it never came. Soft blue eyes bore into her, then a mouth, thin lips, smiled at her.
"Midwife, right?" asked Doc and Andy nodded. Doc turned around and looked at the monitors and readouts, "Not just a midwife are you?" the doc turned around and waited. Andy flinched and shook her head.
"She may have two magical signatures because she is soul bound," Andy informed but her gaze never came from the woman. She was familiar, but she didn't know her. She was suddenly suspicious and then the healer lifted a hand and chuckled.
"I mean no harm. I simply know more than most in this room. Soulbound? Do you think if we deviate the other magical signature, we could kill her?"
"Yes," it was automatic. Andromeda knew, she could feel it in her bones, see it on those charts, and she knew, Narcissa would die.
"Do you have a solution?" the healer asked and then Andromeda did what she had not done in almost two decades. She operated. She looked into her sister's magical flow and could see the other magical flow overriding her own, stopping in the heart. Andromeda thought like a soulmate. If I were to feel you it would be in my heart. It would hurt, it would be excruciating. Then, Andromeda waved her hand and isolated the other signature. She sighed thankful her hands were steady for once. Then she slowly let the signature seep into the stream. Finally, after two hours of holding her magic, and waiting with sweat running from her brow, the last of the signature ran smoothly with Narcissa's.
Andromeda slowly reversed her spell so as not to aggravate the now peacefully mixed magical stream. She watched for a while and saw Narcissa's magical signature take over. The other signature ran slightly, as if dormant. Then Andromeda nodded to Doc and went back to her corner. Doc finished up on Narcissa and the nurses were ushered from the room as they relocated Narcissa to a more comfortable bed in the Maternity ward.
Andromeda plopped down in a cozy little chair and watched her sister. She wondered so many things. What was going on? Whose signature was it, even though she knew it was Hermione's? Why did this happen? Andromeda leaned her head back and closed her eyes.
"Fuck, Cissy, I need a cigarette," Andy groaned to no one.
"Here you go then."
Andromeda spun around and then took in the woman that ran the OR. Andromeda found respect for the woman who trusted her staff, and those of the people around her. She was not egotistical, and it was refreshing to see it at St. Mungo's. Doc opened a window, and then pointed her wand at the adjacent wall and made another window. Andromeda narrowed her eyes. You shouldn't be able to do that to the building. Doc waved her wand, wordlessly, and then sat on an elongated perch from the windowsill. The open window created a windy effect and Andromeda's voice caught.
"You are not who you seem to be either Doctor," Andromeda walked to the healer and ripped a fag off the woman. Doc held up a lighter, delightfully muggle, and then Andy placed the cigarette in the flames and inhaled and puffed. She walked to the other side of the room to ventilate the smoke from Narcissa.
"I suppose not," the doctor replied cryptically. She took a deep pull of the cigarette and exhaled out the window and then looked to the woman in the bed.
"Who are you?" Andromeda asked as conversationally as possible but the urge to guard her sister made that impossible. She almost crouched infront of Narcissa's bed, but the healer chuckled. Andromeda's eyes narrowed, then looked back to Narcissa. The woman remained perched on the windowsill flicking ash off the cigarette into the wind.
"Again, who are you?" Andy said straightening her clothes, looking over to Doc. Doc flicked the butt out into the universe then lit one more.
When Doc came into her space, she handed Andy the barely lit cigarette then Andy's mind raced. Doc simply stepped away from Andy and with a small wave she walked from the room. Andy brought the cigarette to her lips sucked deep and hard feeling the burn deep, in the bottom of her lungs. She exhaled and watched the steady flow of grey smoke, and then looked at Narcissa. She shook her head. She could never seem to have it easy.
Narcissa wakes:
Narcissa bolted awake. She was in a room she didn't know. She placed her hand over her chest trying to feel her heart, and then she felt a hand on her thigh. Her eyes snapped and found a drowsy Andromeda.
"You collapsed, Bella brought you here," Andromeda said. Narcissa looked around. Hand still near her heart. Narcissa's eyes watered. She felt it for a split moment. Then her eyes could not control the stream of tears that were released as she remembered it clearly. The full feeling of ….
No… she gasped and then lay back, hand on her belly. She was teasing Bella over a photo, then pain. Her chest exploded and radiated into her veins. She knew what date it was. She would have never played that prank of Bella with the cake if it wasn't that day. She needed a distraction, and pranking Bella seemed perfect, then a snap in her chest… no… it tore at her.
"Hermione," Narcissa spoke and saw Andromeda snap her head toward her. Narcissa didn't elaborate as she lay down and played the good patient.
"Yes, Love? What about Hermione?" Andromeda asked and then her eyes drifted to the left. Narcissa watched her sister. She followed her gaze. Fleur and Bella curled in upon themselves in a modified chair and Narcissa couldn't help but let her eyes soften. Then she looked to Andromeda.
"Get me out of here," Narcissa gritted, but not painfully, it was against the magic in her body, "Before you go, is it the baby's magic and my magic fighting her or something else?" Narcissa asked looking into Andromeda's eyes.
"I will only tell you the truth, are you prepared for that?" Andy asked and Narcissa nodded, "It was a second magical core flooding your heart and other systems."
"The baby is strong then…"
"Cissy, it wasn't the baby," Andy tried to ease her into the situation. Narcissa sat stock still. Then Andromeda watched each and every feature fall apart. Andromeda lunged for her hand. Grasped it and felt Narcissa hold on for dear life.
"I can't rely on a hope Andy," Narcissa rasped with a stray tear that flowed into her hairline on her temple.
"OH, sweet sister, never would I tell you to," Andromeda kissed Narcissa's hand.
"I want to go home," Narcissa said softly. Andy knew her place was lost, now she was messenger to the hospital. So, she went. Narcissa took a breath.
A hand reached out. Narcissa looked to her hand, followed the arm, and looked into blue. Narcissa sighed and turned away, but never let go of Fleur's hand. She would never admit with these hormones and Hermione's untethered bond, she wanted Fleur. Merlin she fucking wanted Fleur.
"I can see our threads, cheri," Fleur whispered making Narcissa turn to her.
"Explain," Narcissa whispered her soft demand.
"Let me show you," Fleur opened Narcissa's palm and slashed it with her Veela's nail, and then her own. She clasped Narcissa's retreating hand.
"NO! STOP I DON'T WANT! Fleur…." Narcissa's hand clamped to Fleur's blood gashed palm. Now they shared a bond. Narcissa knew this. She curled on herself and sobbed but her hand was never let go of Fleur's.
Narcissa opened her eyes and then looked to her violator, and the gasped. She saw blue threads, red, and golden. Narcissa almost reached out for one thread and then had her hand slapped away and looked into Fleur's eyes.
"You don't need to touch our thread, Narcissa," Fleur said. Narcissa narrowed her eyes and then ran her fingers along the invisible bright red thread connecting her to Fleur. She watched as Fleur sighed and moaned quietly. Then eyes opened and they were hard. Corrective.
"You do not need to see these threads, but it seems to soothe your oddly rational mind. Look at this," Fleur indicated another thread that came from herself to Bellatrix. It was golden like the sun and almost as blinding. Narcissa went the reach for it but Fleur caught her wrist.
"No, mon amore," Fleur clasped Narcissa's hand, "How would you feel if someone touched your tether and bond to Hermione?" Narcissa pulled her fingers back.
"Why did you share this with me?"
"To see," Fleur said cryptically and then she looked down. Fleur plucked and stoked the same line Narcissa did. The woman arched. Eyes slammed shut, and she squirmed.
"Narcissa relax, it's what you just did to me. Revenge, but evidently you were not expecting that," Fleur smiled. Narcissa stared her down. No thoughts, nothing.
"Will it go away? And I bound to you again?" Narcissa swallowed. Fleur shook her head.
"No, you are bound to me in anyway other than that of the truest love between friends. As for seeing these, yes it will fade in a day or two," Fleur informed Narcissa watching her.
"I want to go home," Narcissa made to get up but Fleur's hands reached her shoulders to be shrugged off. She looked at the Veela, fight in her fingertips, who gave a shit? She was already in a hospital. Let her and Fleur fight it out, she just wanted to go home.
"Hallow Mrs. Black," came a woman from the door.
"Oh, just call me Doc. It will be alright. I will tell you this right now if your sister had not gotten you here and then your other sister not operated on you it would have had a disastrous end. Praise them both," The healer pointed to first Bella and then Andy. The healer looked the Fleur and then smiled. "Accept healing when and where you can get it.
"I just wish to be rid of this place, no offence," Narcissa relaxed as Doc chuckled and waved it aside.
"Andromeda and Draco are waiting for you and want to take you home. I see no reason why you should stay seeing as Your sister will be staying with you," Doc said watching Narcissa. She knew that look, but she couldn't place it. Narcissa sighed.
"Ok," That was all she said. No fight, no trying convince everyone she was alright. She would accept the conditions.
"Good, please get changed, and sign out at the nurse's station. If you feel any discomfort what's so ever, just come back, and I will personally see to it you are on my on-call list to take you case. It was a pleasure to meet you," Doc smiled warmly, and waved the walked from the room.
Narcissa turned back to see Fleur. Something about the look on her face said something, she knew something, or she was close to piecing something together. Fleur looked to Narcissa.
"I love you, Cissy," scratched a voice from Fleur's side. Bella sat up, kissed Fleur on the cheek, and then looked into Narcissa's eyes.
"Will you let Andromeda stay with you?" Fleur asked and Narcissa sighed, "She saved your life in the OR, Narcissa, she can be …"
"Yes, she will stay with me, but I want everyone to go home and get rest," Narcissa looked out the window on the brisk fall morning. She knew the day and she lifted her hand to her chest. She didn't have to say anything, everyone knew today would be hard.
"Alright, you ready?" Andromeda asked as she waved papers in the air, "Your release papers, and your son is waiting like a caged bear. You have to see him," Andy supplied. Narcissa nodded and went to sit up. She winced and the hand at her chest grasped the fabric. Andy went to help her but Narcissa shook her head.
"Just tender, lets go. Where are my clothes?" Bella gave Narcissa her clothes, and Narcissa shuffled everyone out of the room. She sat for a moment on the side of the bed. A sob, just one choked sob escaped her throat. Then she swallowed down more trying to escape and then slowly took her clothes off, and then put her regular clothes on. When she walked out of the door, she held her head high. Her back straight. She was a Black. Act like it.
Bella and Fleur went back to the school to let McGonagall know what was going on. Draco held his mother for long moments and then Andy, Narcissa, and Draco Floo-ed back to Black Hall. Draco watched his mother as she kissed his cheek, and said she was going to the bedroom to rest. Andromeda told her she would be there momentarily. Narcissa waved a hand, she didn't fight.
"I'm worried," Draco said. Andromeda turned toward him. "She always fights. She never wants help. What happened to make her compliant?" Draco searched his Aunt's eyes. She shook her head and then her grasped her fingers.
"Tell me please," Draco begged.
"There was magical signature that was trying to take over the same space in Narcissa's magic," Andromeda simplified.
"The baby…" he paused thinking the worst.
"No, Draco. The baby is fine," Andromeda sighed.
"Then the baby tried to mix with mother's magic?" Draco asked and then Andromeda shook her head. His brow furrowed.
"Its only a theory, but I believe that it was Hermione's magical signature that wanted to be with Narcissa's. Something snapped inside of her, almost as if she was hit with an overdose of magic all at once and it made a blockage in her heart," Andromeda looked to the stairs, "She will be fine. The Healer and I operated on her and mixed the signatures evenly. They blended together seamlessly. That's why I think it was Hermione's. Only a soulmates magic and blend that perfectly with another's. It was just too much at one time," Andromeda closed her eyes. She hoped and she prayed that it was the beginning of something wonderful. She hoped Hermione came back. Then she opened them as she felt Draco's arms around her, and she sighed melting into his comforting embrace. After a moment she broke from him and bid him farewell. Then she looked to the stairs.
When she approached the door, she heard Narcissa talking.
"No little friend, I think I will be alright. It was just too much at one time," Narcissa said as she walked around the room in nothing but a night gown. Dobby was sitting on a chair. Andromeda slowly opened the door. She wasn't an eavesdropper, and if she pushed the door open, she was technically listening in.
"But your heart. It rebroke," Dobby squeaked and Narcissa stopped and looked at her friend.
"How do you know that?" She asked as she sat across from him.
"I feels it right here. Like it was torn into two parts. It feels like after the battle," Dobby said and Narcissa sighed. She reached out for her friend and hugged him. His tiny hands patted her back.
"We will get through this together my friend," Narcissa said as she pulled away the walked to the bed. She picked up a pillow held it in her hands, "Dobby can you bring me one of her shirts?" Narcissa whispered. Dobby popped off and Andromeda walked into the room.
"I am happy you have some one to talk to, sister," Andromeda said and watched Narcissa's shoulders slump forward. Dobby popped back in with one of Hermione's muggle t-shirts. Red cotton, no designs. Narcissa took the pillow and stuffed it into the t-shirt. Andromeda watched this all. She watched as Narcissa slowly brought the shirt covered pillow to her nose and then lurch forward.
Andromeda sprang for the woman. Narcissa let her hold her, let her comfort her. She was in full knowledge that Narcissa would have denied her the task if she so chose. Andromeda led the shattered woman to her bed and waved a hand over her own clothes and transfigured them into night clothes. She slipped into bed behind her. She held a quaking Narcissa until finally the woman settled. Andromeda lifted on her elbow. She looked down into her sister's face. Sleep took the woman. Andromeda lay back down, arm over Narcissa's waist and held her to her. In time Andromeda found sleep.
Hello?
Narcissa?
Hermione?
Yes! I am right here!
Where?
Here.
I can't see you. Hermione?
Hermione…
Please, my love… Hermione.
Then nothing.
