AN: Narcissa is a fifth year, Lucius is a sixth year, and Andromeda and Ted are seventh years getting ready to graduate.

"What are the primary ingredients in Calming Draught?" asked Lucius.

"Lavender, crocodile heart, and peppermint," answered Narcissa confidently.

"What is the incantation for the Mending Charm?"

"Reparo."

"Transfigure my Potions textbook into another book," Lucius instructed. Narcissa pointed her wand toward Lucius's copy of Advanced Potion Making and waved it counter-clockwise. It became a copy of Intermediate Transfiguration. She waved her wand again to change it back. "You're going to do great tomorrow."

"I'm still so nervous," Narcissa admitted.

"But you're the smartest witch I know," said Lucius.

"Still, you know how nerve-wracking O.W.L.s are. You were in my place last year."

"And if recall correctly, a certain witch constantly reminded me how great of a wizard I am."

"Hmm. I wonder who she is?"

"She has gorgeous blonde hair and beautiful blue eyes. She's smart and kind and is fiercely devoted to the people she loves. She's also my best mate as well as a witch who will probably become Mrs. Lucius Malfoy one day. And I love her so bloody much."

"She sounds like an amazing young woman." She pecked Lucius on the lips. "I'm going to head back to the dungeons to freshen up before supper. I'll meet you at the Great Hall."

"Okay, I'll be here studying for my Potions final. Professor Slughorn's N.E.W.T. level class has been kicking my arse."

"You'll do just fine." Narcissa stood and kissed Lucius's head before leaving the library.

As Narcissa walked down the corridor toward the dungeons, she heard a voice mention a familiar name. "Dromeda, you have to tell them eventually."

"Ted, you know how my family is. They'll disown me, Auntie Walburga will burn me off the family tapestry, and I'll never get to see them again. Bella and Cissy will be the only two Black witches considered to have 'true' marriages since Rodolphus and Lucius are pure-bloods," said Andromeda in mock condescension. Narcissa stopped when she heard her sister's voice. She quietly walked toward the source of the noise and peeked around the corner, only to find Andromeda and that Hufflepuff Chaser, Ted Tonks, standing close together and holding hands. Now that Narcissa was able to get a good look at Ted, she noticed his hair was as fair as Lucius's. He was a bit chubby in the belly, but other than that, he was fairly lean. Under normal circumstances, Narcissa would admit he was decent-looking, but she knew from Bellatrix what Ted's blood status was. Wait a minute? That Quidditch match several years ago when Slytherin had beaten Hufflepuff to claim the Quidditch Cup. When Bella had called Ted a Mudblood, Dromeda had been furious with her. And Andromeda hadn't attended the party in the common room, but had stayed behind when the Hufflepuff team came out of the locker room. Not to mention all of her sneaking around on the Hogwarts Express or during break times. She couldn't be…

"But you don't believe the rubbish that your family believes," said Ted.

"I did when I was young. But once I started attending here, I realized there are so many powerful Muggle-born wizards and witches who people like my family see as inferior for no reason. And then I met you by accident when you helped me pick up the books I had dropped coming out of the library. And as I got to know you, I knew that everything I was taught is wrong. You're at the top of our class, Teddy. You make some of the pure-bloods look like Squibs. I love you, Ted. Don't you ever think otherwise."

"Then why don't you tell your family about us?"

Andromeda sighed. "I just haven't accepted the fact that I won't ever get to see them again if I do. I won't be able to attend Cissy's wedding. I won't be allowed to meet any future nieces or nephews. I'll be forbidden from attending Mother's and Father's funerals. I'll be banished from the Sacred Twenty-Eight burial ground. And the reverse is true as well. They wouldn't come to our wedding or want to meet our future children. I'll be considered a blood traitor. Imagine if you never got to see your family ever again just because you fell in love with someone they hate for no reason."

"Fair point," said Ted. "But on the other hand, do you really want to spend the rest of your life in a loveless marriage with Xavier Nott just to appease your family? Do you really want to be like Bellatrix? Narcissa is lucky. She and Lucius act like a couple of love-sick idiots sometimes. But you told me a pure-blood marriage with true love is rare."

"It is," admitted Andromeda. "Cissy is lucky. I wouldn't be if I marry Xavier."

"We could elope," said Ted. "Or we could have a small wedding with my family and a few of my mates."

"I'd like to think that you would formally propose to me first."

"Just hypothetically speaking right now."

"But when you ask, I'll say yes. I don't want to marry Xavier Nott. I want to marry you. I love you, Edward."

"I love you too." The pair kissed.

By now, Narcissa's blood was boiling, and a fire was raging inside of her. She stepped forward, revealing herself to the couple, and asked, "Dromeda, how could you?"

"Cissy?" Andromeda asked in surprise, pulling away from Ted. "How long have you been there?"

"Long enough," said Narcissa.

Ted glanced between the two sisters and awkwardly cleared his throat. "Well, I better be getting back to my dorm. Goodbye, Dromeda. Goodbye, Narcissa."

"Don't talk to me, you Mudblood," Narcissa spat at him.

"Narcissa!" shouted Andromeda. Ted was visibly hurt, but ignored the slur as he left them alone. Andromeda turned back to Narcissa and said, "Cissy, I can explain…"

"Explain what? There's nothing to explain. I heard the entire conversation," said Narcissa, her face the picture of revulsion. Merlin, she couldn't even imagine touching a Mudblood, let alone kissing one. "How long have you been seeing him?" Andromeda didn't answer. "How long?" Narcissa demanded.

"Since my third year," Andromeda answered, a tear falling down her cheek.

"So, whenever you sat in a different train compartment with your 'other mates', or when you would skip out on Quidditch matches, or when you would be having study sessions with your 'study buddy', it was to spend time with Ted?"

"Yes."

"And are you really going to marry that M…"

"Don't you say the m-word, Cissy," scolded Andromeda, her hand settling on her wand in her uniform skirt pocket.

"Muggle-born," said Narcissa in disgust.

"If or when he asks, yes, I am," stated Andromeda firmly.

Narcissa shuttered at the thought, but also couldn't help but feel a huge sense of betrayal. Her own sister, a member of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black, actually wanted to run off and marry a Mudblood. Merlin, how were Dromeda's actions going to look on Narcissa and her family? Their family would lose all credibility and honor. It would be scandalous. What did their mother and father do wrong? What did SHE do wrong? Narcissa's heart rate increased and her breathing became shallow as the anger continued to build inside of her. "Cissy, you truly love Lucius. You know what it feels like to be in love. If you found out he was a Muggle-born, would you still want to marry him, or would you marry someone you didn't love just to please our family?"

"Well, thankfully, I don't have to decide. But to answer your question: Toujour Pur. We're Blacks, Dromeda. We have to do what we have to do. Bella did, and I will. It's a shame that you can't too."

"You won't tell Mother and Father, will you?"

"No, I'd much rather have the satisfaction of watching you disappoint them and disgrace the family name yourself. It's your choice; you'll have to suffer the consequences. I might even watch with joy as Auntie Walburga burns your name off the Black family tapestry."

"Cissy." Andromeda stepped forward and reached out for her younger sister.

"Don't 'Cissy' me, and don't touch me, you blood traitor." Narcissa sharply turned and headed toward the dungeons. She gave the password, and when she entered the common room, it was empty. She threw her books down on the coffee table and her bag onto the floor before she sunk onto the couch, the emotion of the entire encounter finally escaping her. Her body racked with sobs, and she was shaking profusely. Her own sister, of all people, was a blood traitor. She couldn't even look at her right now.

Narcissa heard someone enter the common room. "Cissy?" Narcissa looked up, her face tear-stained, her nose runny, her eyes bloodshot, and her breathing sporadic. "Cissy." Lucius ran over to her and promptly embraced her. "What's wrong? Are you worried about your O.W.L. exams? I can escort you to the Hospital Wing so Madam Pomfrey can give you Draught of Peace if you need it to relax." Narcissa shook her head vigorously, unable to say anything. "Then what's the matter?"

Narcissa took a few deep breaths to calm herself. "It's Dromeda."

"What about her?"

"She's going to…she's going to marry…" she hiccupped between sobs, unable to finish the sentence, as she still hadn't processed what Andromeda had told her.

"She's betrothed to Xavier Nott, isn't she?"

"He's not who she's going to marry."

"Then who is she going to marry?"

Narcissa scrunched up her face as she answered, "Ted Tonks."

"Wait, Ted Tonks? The Mudblood who plays Chaser for Hufflepuff?" asked Lucius in astonishment. Narcissa nodded. "But why?"

"Because she loves him," Narcissa quipped.

"Well, so do we, but we also have specific duties as pure-bloods to marry other pure-bloods who aren't blood traitors."

"I tried reasoning with her. She wouldn't listen to me. Be thankful that you have no siblings who could possibly bring humiliation to your family."

"Come here, love," said Lucius as he invited Narcissa to scoot closer to him. She did so without thinking, and he wrapped his arms around her. "Everything will be all right, love."

"We shouldn't be doing this. We shouldn't be snuggled this close to each other on a sofa."

"Cissy, the entire school knows we're courting."

"Still, we're not married. Imagine how embarrassing it will be if we get caught," said Narcissa, though she didn't bother to move because she felt calmer in her beloved's arms. She continued to cry into his chest, soaking his robes with her tears, but he didn't care at this point.

"I promise I won't try to snog or shag you. I'll just hold you," he responded, running his hand up and down her back in a soothing manner while uttering comforting phrases. "Don't worry about that blood traitor. Worry about your O.W.L.s. Worry about your future. Worry about things you can control. Sadly, we can't control other people's bad choices."

"I know," said Narcissa. "I just can't help but wonder if I did something wrong."

"You did nothing wrong. You're perfect."

"I am not perfect."

"Okay, maybe not. But you're perfect for me."