Narcissa knew she was behaving like a petulant child but she couldn't help it. Andromeda had more or less told her to either get over herself or leave and so the blonde witch had huffed before taking the latter option and so that's how she found herself alone in bed at 10 o'clock at night silently angry but deep down more hurt than anything else. Reading an old book but being stuck on the same page for the last half hour, unable to concentrate while she wondered exactly what she had done to make Hermione ignore her. Pulling herself out of bed, Narcissa continued her stream of thought as she stared at herself in the mirror.
Maybe the young witch had come to her senses and realised exactly who it was she was consorting with.
Both she and Hermione had been sending letters back and forth constantly ever since their dinner at the younger witches house a few days ago, continually finding excuses to carry on the conversation. A new book Hermione had read or an old story of Narcissa's school days she thought the young brunette might enjoy.
But not today.
Narcissa had sent two letters today and still nothing in reply. The first one didn't really deem a reply although she had expected one, however the second one that she had sent around noon asking how Hermione and Rose were doing went unanswered.
It was only a few moments later as she sat at her dressing table, humming lightly to a nameless tune while going through the motions of skin care routine, that the sound of something tapping urgently on her bedroom window caught her attention.
Turning toward the sound, Narcissa was met by the sight of Hermione's owl, Oliver, impatiently trying to get her to open the window. A small part of Narcissa felt like ignoring the women's response but it was quickly squashed down by the feeling of glee that ran through her.
Quickly placing her moisturiser down, the blonde dashed toward the window letting Oliver come in. The bird took its usual standing place over by her dressing table before standing still, allowing Narcissa to untie the piece of parchment that was wrapped securely around his leg.
"Thank you Oliver." As always she thanked the beautiful bird, a dark grey colour, and handed him a handful of treats she had made sure to keep a plentiful supply of at the ready for the frequent trips he made back and fore.
Unfurling the letter, Narcissa had to take a second to make sure she hadn't been too hasty in her assumption it was Hermione's bird as she took in the messy handwriting that wasn't anything like the younger witches usually neatly written handwriting. Sure it was Oliver she properly took in the words that were messily scrawled across the page.
Would you come over please as soon as possible? It's urgent.
Hermione
Narcissa felt a sense of dread wash over her, not hearing from the women all day and now all of a sudden there was some kind of emergency. Multiple scenarios raced through her mind, most of them involving Mr Weasley harming either her or Rose but rather than let her imagination run wild Naricssa threw the paper down on the desk.
Wandless, she made quick work of changing her clothes from her nightgown to something a lot more comfortable. Never in a million years could she have ever fathomed owning something as muggle-like as a pair of 'trainers' yet she couldn't resist the comfort they allowed. Not caring in the slightest about whether the clothes matched, the blonde scribbled out a quick note for in case Draco came looking for her and with a quick pop she apparated to Hermione's house.
Before Narcissa could even so much as tap on the door she could hear the loud wailing coming from inside, the sound of Rose's cries making her blood run cold. What could possibly be behind the door causing the young baby such distress?
Knocking loudly on the wooden door it took a moment before she heard Hermione's voice shout from the other side. It was faint but Narcissa could clearly hear a muffled 'Come in!', almost wanting to chastise the younger witch for assuming it would be Narcissa she resisted as the fear of what she was walking into overpowered everything else.
Headed toward the cries, the sight that greeted Narcissa was almost a relief save for the screaming child currently residing in Hermione's arms. Seeing no apparent danger as she took a quick glance around the room, Narcissa rushed over toward the younger witch.
"What's the matter?" Hermione's eyes were red ringed, clear tear tracks marked her cheeks that were a rosy shade of red from crying.
The women's appearance was ragged and that was Narcissa being polite, Hermione looked completely worn down with a baggy sweatshirt and hair sticking out in every possible direction, an old pair of tartan pyjama bottoms that were no doubt comfy but were a size to small.
"She won't stop crying, all of last night and today and I know it's probably a cold but she just won't stop and I don't know what to do. I've tried everything and I can't think anymore, she's screaming and I can't help when I can't think straight with all the crying! I didn't know who could help but Andromeda mentioned before you were good with healing." Hermione's words were frantic as well as her eyes which darted from Narcissa to the screaming baby in her arms.
It was clear to see that Hermione was severely sleep deprived and her obvious anxiety was rubbing off on her daughter who clung to her Mother with an iron tight grip. Looking around the room Narcissa noticed it was a mess, bottles of what she assumed were Rose's milk scattered everywhere and medicine lined the counter.
"Can I see her for a moment? I just want to see it isn't anything more than a cold." Narcissa watched as Hermione seemed to hesitate for a second, the blonde knew herself if she were in the same positive with Draco she would react exactly the same at being separated from her son but the women's worry for Rose's health clearly was of more importance.
It took a minute or so before Rose finally let the grip she had on Hermione go but as soon as Narcissa had the baby in her arms she gently swayed from side to side. Humming softly as she lightly bounced the baby in her arms, Narcissa murmured a few diagnostic spells before releasing a quiet sigh of relief.
"It's a cold just as you suspected." Narcissa's eyes floated up from Rose's face where her attention had solely been to settle on Hermione, the brunette released a deep breath that she seemed to have been holding ever since her daughter had been placed in Narcissa's arms.
Rose's cries had begun to quieten down, almost as if she had sensed her Mother's stress had started to calm down.
"Hermione? Why don't we sit down for a minute, you look dead on your feet." Narcissa's suggestion was met with a moments silence as though Hermione hadn't even heard the question but before Narcissa could repeat herself she noticed the young brunette nodding her head wearily.
Letting Hermione lead the way, Narcissa followed after the younger witch still quietly humming as Rose let herself be soothed to sleep at last. The blonde had no idea how long exactly the baby had gone without sleep, if Hermione's exhausted appearance was anything to go by she would judge it had been the whole day.
Watching as Hermione more or less fell into the cushions of the couch, Narcissa made a more ladylike effort at taking a seat beside the younger women who had curled her legs underneath herself. Grateful that taking a seat didn't awaken Rose, the blonde felt Hermione's shoulder brush against her own as the younger witch leant closer so she could watch her daughter sleep peacefully at last in Narcissa's arms.
"Thank you." Hermione's words were more or less whispered into Narcissa's ear, the blonde having to make a conscious effort not to shiver at how much the women's close proximity was affecting her.
Turning her head slightly, Narcissa could feel the younger witches breath hitting her cheek as Hermione appeared to be avoiding eye contact instead letting her eyes rest on her daughter's sleeping face.
Narcissa knew she read staring and there was no way that Hermione didn't notice it either and yet she couldn't stop herself from taking in every small detail of the younger witches face. The faint dusting of freckles that spread over the bridge of her nose and across her cheeks, the deep brown eyes that gazed at her daughter with such ferocious love and care. Hermione Granger truly was beautiful.
"No need to thank me. Why don't you rest your eyes for a little while? I'll watch Rose for you." Narcissa felt Hermione's hand rest on her arm as the younger women gently wrapped her fingers around Rose's baby grow covered foot, the warmth of the women's skin against her own spreading throughout her body.
Hermione seemed to hesitate for a moment but the exhaustion was clear to see, it only took another moment before the blonde witch felt Hermione shift around on the couch before settling more or less against Narcissa. A head of bushy hair laid to rest against her shoulder, the brunettes face nuzzling into her upper arm before releasing a deep sigh.
"You'll wake me if anything happens?" Despite it being the quietest of whispers, the silence apart from Rose's sniffle like snores allowed for Narcissa to make out Hermione's words.
Without even thinking about the action, the blonde witch leant her head down so she could place a soft kiss upon the brunette's forehead. The skin so soft underneath her lips, Hermione seemed to melt into the affection.
"I promise." The words were murmured softly, Narcissa's lips lightly brushing against Hermione's forehead with each word.
Narcissa didn't know what it was that came over her, never so impulsive with such forms of affection. Narcissa didn't earn the title of being an Ice Queen for nothing, anyone with the exception of family was never shown any affection. Now Hermione was the exception. In so many ways she was the exception. Every kiss and tactile touch was well thought out and yet she didn't even have a second thought before her lips were placing a soothing kiss upon the young witches face.
Hermione must have accepted Narcissa's promise, the blonde feeling all the tension leaving the muggleborns body as her hand still lay protectively over her daughter's foot as though still soothing her even while they both slept.
It didn't take long until Hermione had joined her daughter in dream land. The two Grangers sleeping peacefully, a vast contrast to the scene that had greeted her when she had arrived an hour beforehand. A sense of pride washed through Narcissa that over everyone else, she had been the one that Hermione had come to. It warmed her heart that she had been the one Hermione had turned to and yet it broke her heart still that her husband was nowhere to be seen.
Hermione deserved so much better than Ron, Andromeda had commented on it relentlessly over the last couple weeks and Narcissa had found herself agreeing as more and more stories were told of exactly how often Hermione had been let down by the man.
It was second hand news and gossip yet from a reliable source such as Andromeda paired with Hermione's comments that she would drop here and there, Narcissa was going to believe it.
Hermione had been on track to becoming one of the greatest Transfiguration teachers Hogwarts had ever had, McGonagall included, however Rose came along. It was clear for everyone to see that Hermione hadn't been expecting to become pregnant and for her career to be cut short however she soon became as good a Mother as what she was a teacher. Deciding she wanted to be a stay at home Mother rather than a mum who relied on babysitters, Hermione found herself at home most days, alone.
Ron on the other hand could always be found in the Hogs Head, completely inebriated and flirting with any woman who was willing to listen to him. The friendship he shared with Rita Skeeter, proving her stories constantly about anyone and everything including Narcissa, was the only reason why his nightly escapades weren't plastered all over The Daily Prophet.
How Hermione had ever ended up with such a pig as a husband Narcissa didn't know. The only thing Narcissa did know was that she was going to show Hermione her worth, even if she ended up heartbroken falling in love with a married woman she would be willing to put her own heart on the line to be friends with such an extraordinary woman.
The time on the clock above the kitchen door read 11:30 but to Narcissa it felt like she had been there for hours already, looking down at Rose she let her fingers trace lightly over the baby's little button nose. Narcissa couldn't find any of the young babies features resembling her fathers, everything down to the dark chocolate eyes matched her Mother's. Narcissa hadn't been around a baby in so long, the 8 month old resting in her arms reminded her just how small and precious Draco had been at that age too.
It meant a lot more to Narcissa than probably even Hermione knew that she was willing to let the older witch watch over her daughter, especially given how sick the young baby was.
The two Granger girls seemed to have her wrapped around her finger, not that Narcissa objected in any way whatsoever.
—
Hermione couldn't quite be sure exactly how long she had slept but when her eyes opened she found herself dazed and confused, a throw blanket lay over the top of her as her head rested comfortably on a pillow.
Sure that Narcissa wouldn't be far, Hermione quietly moved to rest up on her elbow. Narcissa and Rose came into her line of sight, the older blonde witch hadn't noticed she had woken up and continued to sing softly to Rose who was greedily guzzling down a bottle of milk. The sight certainly warmed her heart, Rose was extremely fussy when it came to settling for anyone but with Narcissa she seemed to be right at home in the blondes arms. Glancing up at the clock Hermione was surprised to find it 6 o'clock in the morning, nearly 7 hours of uninterrupted sleep. Something Hermione couldn't remember the last time she had experienced between nightmares and Rose waking up at all hours of the night.
Narcissa's singing floated across the room, it didn't really surprise Hermione that it was actually rather good. There didn't seem to be a whole lot that Narcissa couldn't do, the women had many hidden talents and Hermione was enjoying finding out about every single one of them.
The woman was a mystery she so desperately wanted to solve, everything about her was intriguing. It was hard at first trying to separate the women who had watched as her sister tortured her with the women who would happily sit and conjure up bubbles for her daughter to play with. It was as if the real Narcissa had been crammed down throughout the years and it took her sons safety for her to spring free.
It was strange, Narcissa had always been a beautiful woman. Not a wizard or witch in the Wizarding World could argue that and if they did it was clearly either from spite or jealousy. But during the war she had appeared broken, her hair not the luxurious silk it is now and her eyes not nearly as bright as they appeared these days. The women standing in Hermione's kitchen may be older but she certainly seemed even more beautiful than she was 10 years ago. It was baffling.
Hermione startled slightly as Narcissa was suddenly only an arms distance away, the blonde had a soft smile on her face as she patted Rose's back softly while the baby rested on her shoulder.
Narcissa seemed to be a natural with babies, which didn't surprise Hermione in the slightest given Pureblood women were more or less born into the world to give birth to children and devote their life to bring them up to be well mannered and polite.
"Nice sleep darling?" The term of endearment didn't escape Hermione's attention, her heart racing slightly as Narcissa's gaze never left hers.
Hermione felt her breath catch in her throat as she watched Narcissa crouch down slowly, unable to respond verbally instead she settled for a nod of the head and a smile in the women's direction.
"I wasn't sure whether Mr Weasley would be joining us at some point.. I was going to suggest maybe I should leave before he arrives back home." Hermione had to stop the tears from welling up in her eyes at the thought of her husband, the man who was supposed to be here helping soothe their daughter as she cried.
Narcissa had laid Rose down beside Hermione, the baby gladly drifting off back to sleep after the blonde made quick work of casting a cushion charm to make sure she couldn't fall from the couch.
"Ron hasn't been home for the last week so I think you're safe. No doubt laying in some other witches bed as we speak right now." Hermione pinched the bridge of her nose as the stress began to tear its ugly head yet again, her eyes drifting toward her daughter who luckily was fast asleep and couldn't sense her middle of emotions.
Ron wasn't as smart as he liked to believe he was, Hermione was the brightest witch of her age and she didn't receive that title for nothing. Pat of Hermione wondered whether he didn't bother to hide his infidelity so she would be the one painted as the villain when she asked for a divorce, the one who split up their family and left their daughter with split up parents. Lipstick smudges on his shirt collars, the smell of cheap perfume as he rolled into the bed beside her on the rare occasion that he stumbled home.
Hermione knew she was a fool, staying with a man who treated her like a doormat but the thought of losing everyone who had become her family when they would no doubt pick Ron's side made her stay. Harry and Ginny, as much as she loved them like a brother and sister, would pick Ron's side over hers. Ginny was Ron's sister and Harry was married to Ginny and would no doubt not want to cause any undue drama in his marriage siding with Hermione.
It was a mess that Hermione would rather ignore, she knew it was unhealthy but the alternative of being left with no one kept her up at night worrying.
Hermione didn't even realise she had begun to cry, the tears that had fallen without her permission being brushed away by the most tender of touches. Narcissa's fingers gently brushed away the pain and hurt as her hand lightly cupped her cheek in the palm of her hand.
It was the look in Narcissa's eyes that finally let her walls down, the look of empathy and care swirling so deeply in the women's dark eyes.
Big fat tears continued to roll down her cheeks, her own hand coming up to cover the ugly raw sobs that wanted so badly to break free after years of pent up upset and hurt.
Before Hermione could resist Narcissa's strong arms encased her into a hug, a hand gently drawing soothing patterns on her back as the blonde murmured quiet words of reassurance.
It had been a very long time since anyone had held her like this and an even longer time since she had allowed herself to cry in anyone else's presence. It felt like a weight had been lifted off her shoulder, actually speaking out loud what she had known for so long about her husband.
Hermione knew it was almost hypocritical for her to be commenting on Ron cheating on her when she was starting to feel something for Narcissa but she also knew it was different. Ron had pushed her to this point, the point where she had to seek comfort from someone else when he had left her alone for so long to fend for herself. The guilt she felt was slowly becoming something more of courage to find herself and Rose a better life. Her daughter deserved to look at her parents and see happiness, not the distrust and loathing that had accumulated so heavily over the years.
It was embarrassing knowing her husband was cheating on her and yet with Narcissa she didn't feel the women judging her, she felt nothing other than compassion and someone who wanted to be there for her. Narcissa was different from anyone else.
Hermione felt Narcissa begin to draw back, a stab of something akin to disappointment racing through her body at being separated from the women even if just for a moment. Attempting to take a deep breath, the brunette hiccuped slightly and heard the blonde let out a sigh of sadness as Narcissa's eyes roamed over her puffy tear marked face.
"I would understand if you said no but it would make me sleep a whole lot easier if you and Rose came to stay with me for the next week. I still have a nursery set up at the Black Manor where Rose could sleep and of course there's plenty of rooms for you to sleep in or I could put a room in the nurse-" Hermione had never seen Narcissa so nervous, she had never thought the blonde was capable of rambling when she always appeared so calm and collected. It was something she actually found rather attractive about the older woman's ability to hold her cards so close to her chest and not let her opponents use her emotions against her. But around Hermione she seemed to let her guard down, something which the brunette found extremely fascinating.
It was sweet in a way, watching the women bite her lip and stumble over her words as though afraid that Hermione would actually say no to such a kind and considerate offer. It didn't hurt that she loved spending time with Narcissa and she was sure Rose was much the same.
Reaching out she pressed her finger against Narcissa's lips as she cut off the blonde before she carried on about the many rooms in the Black Manor, not failing to notice the way the women gulped at the action.
"We would love to Narcissa." Hermione couldn't help but grin at the way the women's eyes lit up in front of her, the same grin she was sporting was mirrored on Narcissa's face as she quickly stood up from her crouched position.
Hermione was sure she looked like she had been dragged through a bush backward, glancing down at the sweatshirt she was wearing and she could see multiple stains of Lord only knew what was marking the front. Not even wanting to think about how her face looked, Hermione rose to stand up beside Narcissa who was muttering away to herself as she gathered up her coat and wand that had been thrown down on an armchair hours earlier when she had rushed into the room in a blind panic.
"I should really go over to the Manor now and make sure it's safe for Rose. It's been nearly 30 years since a baby has been there so the baby proofing charms will have worn off long ago. I'll come back around noon, does that suit you?" Hermione nodded her head eagerly watching as the older woman quickly waved her wand over her head, the platinum blonde hair fixing itself into a French roll at the back of the women's head.
The women's beauty could easily be summed up in one simple word; effortless.
"We'll be ready." Hermione could feel the sadness that had been so deeply rooted within herself slowly but surely began to melt away with each smile that Narcissa sent her way.
It was like a breath of fresh air every time the women gave her that specific smile. Not the polite smile she had witnessed the blonde use out in public. No, this was something much more special. It reminded her of a child, unrestrained happiness brimming to the edges.
Hermione knew she was in trouble, the kind of trouble that as soon as she got herself into it was going to be hard to ever drag herself out of it.
The young brunette was finding herself falling for a woman who was old enough to be her Mother. Not that she looked anywhere near her real age.
Watching as the Pureblood leant down to brush her finger lightly over Rose's face in a gesture of goodbye, Hermione so greatly wished she could receive the same kind of affection from the other women. Each touch was as addictive as the last, each one making her pulse race and her stomach flutter.
The look on Narcissa's face when she reciprocated the tactile touches, touching the older women at any given chance told her that it wasn't one sided. It was only a matter of time before something happened and both of them knew it.
Narcissa's hand lightly squeezed her own as she walked passed her toward the door, the older women brushing just that little bit closer than necessary. It took everything in Hermione not to grab the women's wrist and tug her back, the women's lips so tempting as they quirked up into a not too innocent smirk. A wave thrown over her shoulder and within the blink of an eye the blonde was gone.
Narcissa was going to be the death of her but what a lovely way to die that would be.
Hermione knew the smart thing to do would be to cut it off now, save everyone from being hurt in the end but how could she when something so bad felt so good?
The answer was simple..she couldn't and she wouldn't.
—
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