Disclaimer: I just own the plot.
Review Responses:
Dark Comet - Live happily ever after? But then what would I put in my story? *Demented author cackles evily*. I cannot give away the ending but the end of this chapter might leave you worrying about their future. I love it when people use Blaise, and I also love the idea of him being a weirdo loner. I had to put him in after developing the character of his father so much but never really getting a chance to use him the two of them had to at least get a scene. I am currently depriving the monkies of their banana privileges until they learn to be nice to Draco, though as that will never happen I think they've eaten their last bananas! As for Pansy's excuse well I like the girl being a bit strange as you'll see in this chapter! Thanks for reviewing!
Errisar - I'm afraid Patricia and co. will not learn, but we can always hope that Voldemort will fall before Gregory and Vincent throw their lives away as well. It's not so much Voldemort that wants Narcissa as those people who feel she's betraying them, Voldemort remembers her as the hormonal woman who threw a hissy fit just because he wanted to have some fun murdering a small child. He's probably re-evaluated her since and he hasn't forgotten his inability to impress her when they first met but he's got bigger fish to fry, namely Harry Potter. How could anyone not think Severus was the wizarding world's most eligible bachelor? It is best for a man to know when to be ruled by a woman though I think Severus and Narcissa would disagree on this matter! LOL! Glad you liked Greg and Blaise I love their father son relationship, poor Greg means well he's just been so messed up. I said this chapter had a little angst? Understatement I think! Well, it might be angsty it might not it all depends on what's happened at the end of it, but you won't know that until next chapter! You'd teach me leglimancy? Well obviously I'd prefer Sev but as I think he's probably busy keeping Narcissa and Draco in line I'd love for you to teach me! LOL! Must be a useful talent! Now for the response to your second review, I was not at all aggravated by it I was rather touched at the concern and I do apologise my beta reader didn't get the chapter properly and so I'm now putting this up unbetaed as I didn't realise just how long it had been! I am apt to forget these things and though I realised it had been longer the usual I hadn't picked up on just how long. Let's just say that it's better the long gap came now than between this chapter and the next one as I'd probably get lynched if I left you all hanging with this cliff-hanger! Sorry again the update took so long! Thanks for the reviews and concern!
Bonezz - Sneaking onto the computers during a class! I'm shocked and appalled! LOL, personally I used to use the computers during prefect meetings! Hope your computer's fixed soon so that we can find out what will happen next in your fic. Thanks for the review!
A/N: Sorry for the late update, my beta reader lost the chapter and then when I sent it a second time I don't think it reached her at all so I'm posting unbetaed as you've had a rather long wait for which I am sorry. I'll try not to let it happen again particularly between this chapter and the next as I know it's irritating to be left for ages with a cliff-hanger.
I Found a Little Courage to Call it Off
Chapter 18
Narcissa settled down to her work the day after
Severus and Draco left for school and was soon
engrossed in it. The translation was challenging but
not too difficult and the document was fascinating.
She was working on translating the minutes of a
meeting between some foreign ministers for magic and
one of Fudges forerunners. Apparently the ministers
hadn't found it much easier to communicate several
hundred years ago than they did in the present day and
so they had used the runes to prevent anyone crying
favouritism because their language wasn't used. The
meeting appeared to have degenerated into the
questioning of each other's parentage and some of the
insults were most inventive.
Narcissa was beginning to feel settled like she never
had before. She was financially stable with an
interesting job, she had a wonderful fiancée and her
son was turning out to be far less like his father
than she had imagined. She felt content.
A tapping at the window caused her to glance up,
Osiris was waiting with a letter from Draco. She
opened it eagerly.
Hi Mum,
Missing me yet? Or are you just missing Severus?
He's having fun tormenting the new Gryffindors! The
new Slytherins seem alright but people keep quoting
that article whenever Severus is around! He's put
eighteen people in detention for it so far! He's also
complaining about McGonagall, as apparently she
thought the article was very amusing! Dumbledore
actually congratulated him on his engagement to you at
the welcoming feast! I thought Severus was going to
kill him!
The sorting hat's song was interesting, it called for
unity between the houses, something about uniting or
risking crumbling from within. The Bloody Baron said
it gives these warnings every now and again.
Crabbe and Goyle haven't given me any more trouble,
thanks to Millicent looking murderously at them
whenever she gets the chance. She and Pansy have been
fine and I've been talking to Blaise like you asked me
to. He seems ok actually, I'm starting to think he's
more quiet than weird.
Well, there's not much else to say at the moment
because I haven't had any classes yet. Oh, but Pansy
let slip that she's the anonymous Slytherin female
source in the article, you know the one who said
Severus was wonderful? I think she's got a crush on
him, it's quite odd really but she seems less
interested in me which I suppose I should be thankful
for. Got my first prefect meeting tomorrow night.
Hope you're well and not too lonely. Millicent
suggested that if you are you should get a cat. She's
got one and he's always wandering around the common
room fighting with the other cats, so I'd pick a calm
looking one if you take her advice.
Love Draco
Narcissa smiled and stared dreamily out of the window
wondering what Severus was up to at that moment.
*******
Severus was in fact trying to restrain himself from
jumping off the astronomy tower. Apparently the
summer had left few improvements in his mixed
Gryffindor/Slytherin, now fifth year, potions class.
At Draco's insistence, he had paired Ron Weasley with
Hermione Granger. Draco wanted some entertainment and
Severus was hoping the girl would keep Ron from
talking too much but he'd been wrong. The two of them
were now bickering madly over some potions ingredient
that Ron wanted to add now and Hermione said should be
added later.
Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil were giggling behind
their cauldron at something Potter and Finnegan were
reading and Pansy Parkinson kept staring at her
teacher with a far away look in her eyes that was
rather troubling.
In fact the only ones in the room who appeared to be
getting on with the potion anywhere near correctly
were Neville Longbottom and Dean Thomas and Blaise
Zabini and Millicent Bulstrode, Draco was too busy
laughing at Pansy to do the work properly and Crabbe
and Goyle had something which was almost entirely
unlike what they were supposed to have. Time for a
change of partners.
Severus swept over to Potter's desk and the class fell
silent suddenly, realising that they were in for
trouble. Potter however had failed to notice his
approach and was still reading the Daily Prophet from
the previous day with the article about Severus and
Narcissa open on his lap.
"Mr Potter!" Harry jumped and looked up a little
guiltily. "I would have thought that the fact you had
no talent whatsoever in this subject might have
convinced you that you needed to work at it, but
apparently not. I see our local celebratory would
rather read the paper." Severus snatched the paper
from him, "I'm confiscating this and you will serve
detention tonight with Mr. Filch. Swap partners with
Mr. Thomas, let's see if Mr. Longbottom can teach you
something about potions as frankly there's no one in
this class you couldn't stand to learn _something_
from!"
Crabbe and Goyle snickered (as did Draco and Pansy but
Severus chose to ignore them) and Severus whirled
round, "Apart from you two that is, what you did to
that potion to make it turn a muddy brown when
everyone else's is a distinct shade of blue, and even
Potter and Finnegan managed green, is something we
will probably never know but I suggest you try to fix
it without blowing anything up!"
He turned back to the Gryffindors and saw that Ron and
Hermione were now bickering silently with each other.
"Mr Weasley! Miss Granger! In future I would prefer
it if you left your flirting outside my classroom! As
for those beetle wings, you were both wrong, they
should have been added several ingredients back. You
don't seem to be able to concentrate today Miss
Granger, I didn't realise Mr. Weasley had such an
effect on you," Severus smirked, getting into his
stride; this was better. He turned back to Draco and
Pansy who were trying desperately not to laugh, "Next
lesson I want Miss Parkinson and Mr. Zabini to swap
partners as well." He didn't give a reason but he
just didn't want Pansy sat at the front of the class
staring at him any longer. "Well?" he said as they
all stared at him, "Get on with it!"
Severus sat back down at his desk and wondered for the
thousandth time why he had ever taken a teaching post
in the first place.
*******
Severus entered the staff room that night to find
McGonagall sat reading the paper. She glanced up as
he came in and said innocently, "Interesting, this
piece on you and Narcissa, isn't it?"
Severus held back an urge to curse the woman and
simply sat down looking grumpy, it was not turning out
to be a good day.
"The wizarding world's most eligible bachelor it calls
you," McGonagall continued.
Severus managed to ignore her.
"You know I remember the girl who wrote this from when
she was here, do you remember her?"
Severus remained silent.
"Of course you do. She was that Hufflepuff who had a
crush on you! Remember? She took potions at NEWT
level just to be near you. Or at least that was
everyone else's theory at the time!"
A tick had appeared in Severus' cheek and McGonagall
knew that it wouldn't take much more provocation to
send the man totally insane, so she continued. "It's
sort of sweet that she still has a thing for you,
don't you think?"
Severus snapped, "No I bloody don't! The girl was
crazy and never gave me a moment's peace in the
classes she was in! And if one more person mentions
that article...!" He stopped, realising that many of
the room's inhabitants were trying not to laugh, and
stalked out, muttering rude things about Gryffindor's
ridiculous head of house.
*******
A few days after the first, Narcissa received another
letter from her son. A letter that left her almost
killing herself laughing and which she immediately
took round to Molly so she could read it too.
Dear mum,
Our first prefect's meeting was priceless! I mean it
was just too good for words! The Weasel and Granger
were bickering like crazy and suddenly, completely out
of the blue (as she has a habit of doing) Pansy just
goes, "Can you two flirt on your own time? Some of us
would like to get back to our dormitories before
tomorrow morning."
Well, that shut them up pretty fast, but Pansy didn't
stop there! Next thing you know she's saying:
"Granger, we all know you like Weasley but this is
hardly the time or the place, wouldn't you agree?"
Granger went purple, I swear! Pansy, of course, just
went back to doodling on this piece of parchment she
was supposed to be taking notes on! I think the head
boy and girl were a bit taken a back after that!
Granger was furious and the Weasel was just confused!
You should have heard Pansy afterwards though! She
was saying how she admired Ron for playing it cool and
making Granger chase him, instead of the other way
around. She went as far as to say it made him pretty
attractive! Bloody hell, that girl's got nothing but
romance in her head some days! Ron overheard her
though and he went bright red at the attractive part
and then asked what she meant by playing it cool and
letting Hermione chase him! Then Pans finally
realised that he wasn't playing it cool, he's just
clueless!
So, we didn't really get much done in that meeting!
How are you doing? Work going ok?
I'll write again soon,
Love Draco.
Molly was as amused by it as Narcissa and the two of
them were soon saying what a shame it was that Ron and
Hermione didn't seem to have realised that they were
perfect for each other...Yet.
*******
As promised, Severus returned home to spend the
weekend with Narcissa. Most of his possessions were
now at the manor, apart from his school equipment and
potions ingredients, and he was beginning to think of
returning to the manor as coming home.
For several weeks things continued in much the same
way, Severus would come home every weekend and write
letters during the week while Narcissa remained at
home working.
However in November Severus began to worry about his
fiancée, she had been complaining of feeling ill and
throwing up a lot and he was beginning to get
seriously concerned.
He arrived home early one Saturday morning, as he had
had to take a detention till late on the previous
night, to find Narcissa in bed with a sick bowl on the
floor bedside her and an empty bottle on the bedside
table that had held an anti-nausea potion.
"Narcissa? What's wrong, are you alright?"
"I feel miserable!" she was close to tears and Severus
felt a wave of guilt that he had left her alone like
this.
He was about to go and summon a doctor when her hand
caught his and dragged him down to sit on the bed
beside her, "Don't leave me!"
Smiling sadly at her he kicked off his shoes and lay
on the bed beside her, holding her gently and trying
to soothe her. "How long has this been going on?" he
asked.
"A few weeks, it comes in waves I guess. It just
isn't going away like I thought it would."
"Narcissa," he scolded gently, "You need to see a
doctor."
"I'll think about it," she groaned.
"Narcissa," he said warningly, "You need a doctor, and
if you won't call one I will!"
"Just let's see how I feel by this evening, alright?
Maybe I've just got a touch of food poisoning."
He grudgingly agreed and by evening there had been an
improvement. Indeed for the rest of the weekend she
seemed to brighten up but Severus was not willing to
let it rest and he refused to go back to Hogwarts
until he had extracted a faithful promise from her
that she would go and see a doctor sometime. He knew
very well that people didn't throw up for no reason
and he doubted it could be something as simple as food
poisoning as he had eaten a lot of the same things she
had and he had never heard of food poisoning lasting
for several weeks in this manner.
He returned to school feeling worried and upset, he
hated thinking of her alone and ill in that house but
she had reacted strongly against him taking time off
from school as she didn't want to worry Draco. Draco
seemed to have noticed that Severus was worried though
and kept trying to get him to tell him what was wrong
but Severus simply assured him that everything was
alright. Though, in truth, he wasn't sure that it
was.
*******
After suffering another bad bout of sickness early in
the week after Severus went back to school, Narcissa
called for a doctor. She felt simply too ill to go to
one herself.
The medi-wizard arrived on the Tuesday morning, a
friendly little man with glasses and a moustache. He
ran all kinds of tests and eventually came up with a
diagnosis which left her feeling stunned. He asked if
she wanted him to stay with her any longer but she
shooed him off, wanting some time alone to think about
what she'd just found out. He fixed up a future
appointment and left.
Narcissa wandered round the house in state of shock.
Suddenly finding tears rolling down her cheeks she sat
down heavily in a chair and, sinking her head
disbelievingly into her hands, realised she needed to
talk to someone.
*******
Ok, very very evil cliff-hanger! Promise to update again soon so no one gets too keen on the idea of hunting me down and killing me for this one. Next chapter's quite serious.
Review Responses:
Dark Comet - Live happily ever after? But then what would I put in my story? *Demented author cackles evily*. I cannot give away the ending but the end of this chapter might leave you worrying about their future. I love it when people use Blaise, and I also love the idea of him being a weirdo loner. I had to put him in after developing the character of his father so much but never really getting a chance to use him the two of them had to at least get a scene. I am currently depriving the monkies of their banana privileges until they learn to be nice to Draco, though as that will never happen I think they've eaten their last bananas! As for Pansy's excuse well I like the girl being a bit strange as you'll see in this chapter! Thanks for reviewing!
Errisar - I'm afraid Patricia and co. will not learn, but we can always hope that Voldemort will fall before Gregory and Vincent throw their lives away as well. It's not so much Voldemort that wants Narcissa as those people who feel she's betraying them, Voldemort remembers her as the hormonal woman who threw a hissy fit just because he wanted to have some fun murdering a small child. He's probably re-evaluated her since and he hasn't forgotten his inability to impress her when they first met but he's got bigger fish to fry, namely Harry Potter. How could anyone not think Severus was the wizarding world's most eligible bachelor? It is best for a man to know when to be ruled by a woman though I think Severus and Narcissa would disagree on this matter! LOL! Glad you liked Greg and Blaise I love their father son relationship, poor Greg means well he's just been so messed up. I said this chapter had a little angst? Understatement I think! Well, it might be angsty it might not it all depends on what's happened at the end of it, but you won't know that until next chapter! You'd teach me leglimancy? Well obviously I'd prefer Sev but as I think he's probably busy keeping Narcissa and Draco in line I'd love for you to teach me! LOL! Must be a useful talent! Now for the response to your second review, I was not at all aggravated by it I was rather touched at the concern and I do apologise my beta reader didn't get the chapter properly and so I'm now putting this up unbetaed as I didn't realise just how long it had been! I am apt to forget these things and though I realised it had been longer the usual I hadn't picked up on just how long. Let's just say that it's better the long gap came now than between this chapter and the next one as I'd probably get lynched if I left you all hanging with this cliff-hanger! Sorry again the update took so long! Thanks for the reviews and concern!
Bonezz - Sneaking onto the computers during a class! I'm shocked and appalled! LOL, personally I used to use the computers during prefect meetings! Hope your computer's fixed soon so that we can find out what will happen next in your fic. Thanks for the review!
A/N: Sorry for the late update, my beta reader lost the chapter and then when I sent it a second time I don't think it reached her at all so I'm posting unbetaed as you've had a rather long wait for which I am sorry. I'll try not to let it happen again particularly between this chapter and the next as I know it's irritating to be left for ages with a cliff-hanger.
I Found a Little Courage to Call it Off
Chapter 18
Narcissa settled down to her work the day after
Severus and Draco left for school and was soon
engrossed in it. The translation was challenging but
not too difficult and the document was fascinating.
She was working on translating the minutes of a
meeting between some foreign ministers for magic and
one of Fudges forerunners. Apparently the ministers
hadn't found it much easier to communicate several
hundred years ago than they did in the present day and
so they had used the runes to prevent anyone crying
favouritism because their language wasn't used. The
meeting appeared to have degenerated into the
questioning of each other's parentage and some of the
insults were most inventive.
Narcissa was beginning to feel settled like she never
had before. She was financially stable with an
interesting job, she had a wonderful fiancée and her
son was turning out to be far less like his father
than she had imagined. She felt content.
A tapping at the window caused her to glance up,
Osiris was waiting with a letter from Draco. She
opened it eagerly.
Hi Mum,
Missing me yet? Or are you just missing Severus?
He's having fun tormenting the new Gryffindors! The
new Slytherins seem alright but people keep quoting
that article whenever Severus is around! He's put
eighteen people in detention for it so far! He's also
complaining about McGonagall, as apparently she
thought the article was very amusing! Dumbledore
actually congratulated him on his engagement to you at
the welcoming feast! I thought Severus was going to
kill him!
The sorting hat's song was interesting, it called for
unity between the houses, something about uniting or
risking crumbling from within. The Bloody Baron said
it gives these warnings every now and again.
Crabbe and Goyle haven't given me any more trouble,
thanks to Millicent looking murderously at them
whenever she gets the chance. She and Pansy have been
fine and I've been talking to Blaise like you asked me
to. He seems ok actually, I'm starting to think he's
more quiet than weird.
Well, there's not much else to say at the moment
because I haven't had any classes yet. Oh, but Pansy
let slip that she's the anonymous Slytherin female
source in the article, you know the one who said
Severus was wonderful? I think she's got a crush on
him, it's quite odd really but she seems less
interested in me which I suppose I should be thankful
for. Got my first prefect meeting tomorrow night.
Hope you're well and not too lonely. Millicent
suggested that if you are you should get a cat. She's
got one and he's always wandering around the common
room fighting with the other cats, so I'd pick a calm
looking one if you take her advice.
Love Draco
Narcissa smiled and stared dreamily out of the window
wondering what Severus was up to at that moment.
*******
Severus was in fact trying to restrain himself from
jumping off the astronomy tower. Apparently the
summer had left few improvements in his mixed
Gryffindor/Slytherin, now fifth year, potions class.
At Draco's insistence, he had paired Ron Weasley with
Hermione Granger. Draco wanted some entertainment and
Severus was hoping the girl would keep Ron from
talking too much but he'd been wrong. The two of them
were now bickering madly over some potions ingredient
that Ron wanted to add now and Hermione said should be
added later.
Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil were giggling behind
their cauldron at something Potter and Finnegan were
reading and Pansy Parkinson kept staring at her
teacher with a far away look in her eyes that was
rather troubling.
In fact the only ones in the room who appeared to be
getting on with the potion anywhere near correctly
were Neville Longbottom and Dean Thomas and Blaise
Zabini and Millicent Bulstrode, Draco was too busy
laughing at Pansy to do the work properly and Crabbe
and Goyle had something which was almost entirely
unlike what they were supposed to have. Time for a
change of partners.
Severus swept over to Potter's desk and the class fell
silent suddenly, realising that they were in for
trouble. Potter however had failed to notice his
approach and was still reading the Daily Prophet from
the previous day with the article about Severus and
Narcissa open on his lap.
"Mr Potter!" Harry jumped and looked up a little
guiltily. "I would have thought that the fact you had
no talent whatsoever in this subject might have
convinced you that you needed to work at it, but
apparently not. I see our local celebratory would
rather read the paper." Severus snatched the paper
from him, "I'm confiscating this and you will serve
detention tonight with Mr. Filch. Swap partners with
Mr. Thomas, let's see if Mr. Longbottom can teach you
something about potions as frankly there's no one in
this class you couldn't stand to learn _something_
from!"
Crabbe and Goyle snickered (as did Draco and Pansy but
Severus chose to ignore them) and Severus whirled
round, "Apart from you two that is, what you did to
that potion to make it turn a muddy brown when
everyone else's is a distinct shade of blue, and even
Potter and Finnegan managed green, is something we
will probably never know but I suggest you try to fix
it without blowing anything up!"
He turned back to the Gryffindors and saw that Ron and
Hermione were now bickering silently with each other.
"Mr Weasley! Miss Granger! In future I would prefer
it if you left your flirting outside my classroom! As
for those beetle wings, you were both wrong, they
should have been added several ingredients back. You
don't seem to be able to concentrate today Miss
Granger, I didn't realise Mr. Weasley had such an
effect on you," Severus smirked, getting into his
stride; this was better. He turned back to Draco and
Pansy who were trying desperately not to laugh, "Next
lesson I want Miss Parkinson and Mr. Zabini to swap
partners as well." He didn't give a reason but he
just didn't want Pansy sat at the front of the class
staring at him any longer. "Well?" he said as they
all stared at him, "Get on with it!"
Severus sat back down at his desk and wondered for the
thousandth time why he had ever taken a teaching post
in the first place.
*******
Severus entered the staff room that night to find
McGonagall sat reading the paper. She glanced up as
he came in and said innocently, "Interesting, this
piece on you and Narcissa, isn't it?"
Severus held back an urge to curse the woman and
simply sat down looking grumpy, it was not turning out
to be a good day.
"The wizarding world's most eligible bachelor it calls
you," McGonagall continued.
Severus managed to ignore her.
"You know I remember the girl who wrote this from when
she was here, do you remember her?"
Severus remained silent.
"Of course you do. She was that Hufflepuff who had a
crush on you! Remember? She took potions at NEWT
level just to be near you. Or at least that was
everyone else's theory at the time!"
A tick had appeared in Severus' cheek and McGonagall
knew that it wouldn't take much more provocation to
send the man totally insane, so she continued. "It's
sort of sweet that she still has a thing for you,
don't you think?"
Severus snapped, "No I bloody don't! The girl was
crazy and never gave me a moment's peace in the
classes she was in! And if one more person mentions
that article...!" He stopped, realising that many of
the room's inhabitants were trying not to laugh, and
stalked out, muttering rude things about Gryffindor's
ridiculous head of house.
*******
A few days after the first, Narcissa received another
letter from her son. A letter that left her almost
killing herself laughing and which she immediately
took round to Molly so she could read it too.
Dear mum,
Our first prefect's meeting was priceless! I mean it
was just too good for words! The Weasel and Granger
were bickering like crazy and suddenly, completely out
of the blue (as she has a habit of doing) Pansy just
goes, "Can you two flirt on your own time? Some of us
would like to get back to our dormitories before
tomorrow morning."
Well, that shut them up pretty fast, but Pansy didn't
stop there! Next thing you know she's saying:
"Granger, we all know you like Weasley but this is
hardly the time or the place, wouldn't you agree?"
Granger went purple, I swear! Pansy, of course, just
went back to doodling on this piece of parchment she
was supposed to be taking notes on! I think the head
boy and girl were a bit taken a back after that!
Granger was furious and the Weasel was just confused!
You should have heard Pansy afterwards though! She
was saying how she admired Ron for playing it cool and
making Granger chase him, instead of the other way
around. She went as far as to say it made him pretty
attractive! Bloody hell, that girl's got nothing but
romance in her head some days! Ron overheard her
though and he went bright red at the attractive part
and then asked what she meant by playing it cool and
letting Hermione chase him! Then Pans finally
realised that he wasn't playing it cool, he's just
clueless!
So, we didn't really get much done in that meeting!
How are you doing? Work going ok?
I'll write again soon,
Love Draco.
Molly was as amused by it as Narcissa and the two of
them were soon saying what a shame it was that Ron and
Hermione didn't seem to have realised that they were
perfect for each other...Yet.
*******
As promised, Severus returned home to spend the
weekend with Narcissa. Most of his possessions were
now at the manor, apart from his school equipment and
potions ingredients, and he was beginning to think of
returning to the manor as coming home.
For several weeks things continued in much the same
way, Severus would come home every weekend and write
letters during the week while Narcissa remained at
home working.
However in November Severus began to worry about his
fiancée, she had been complaining of feeling ill and
throwing up a lot and he was beginning to get
seriously concerned.
He arrived home early one Saturday morning, as he had
had to take a detention till late on the previous
night, to find Narcissa in bed with a sick bowl on the
floor bedside her and an empty bottle on the bedside
table that had held an anti-nausea potion.
"Narcissa? What's wrong, are you alright?"
"I feel miserable!" she was close to tears and Severus
felt a wave of guilt that he had left her alone like
this.
He was about to go and summon a doctor when her hand
caught his and dragged him down to sit on the bed
beside her, "Don't leave me!"
Smiling sadly at her he kicked off his shoes and lay
on the bed beside her, holding her gently and trying
to soothe her. "How long has this been going on?" he
asked.
"A few weeks, it comes in waves I guess. It just
isn't going away like I thought it would."
"Narcissa," he scolded gently, "You need to see a
doctor."
"I'll think about it," she groaned.
"Narcissa," he said warningly, "You need a doctor, and
if you won't call one I will!"
"Just let's see how I feel by this evening, alright?
Maybe I've just got a touch of food poisoning."
He grudgingly agreed and by evening there had been an
improvement. Indeed for the rest of the weekend she
seemed to brighten up but Severus was not willing to
let it rest and he refused to go back to Hogwarts
until he had extracted a faithful promise from her
that she would go and see a doctor sometime. He knew
very well that people didn't throw up for no reason
and he doubted it could be something as simple as food
poisoning as he had eaten a lot of the same things she
had and he had never heard of food poisoning lasting
for several weeks in this manner.
He returned to school feeling worried and upset, he
hated thinking of her alone and ill in that house but
she had reacted strongly against him taking time off
from school as she didn't want to worry Draco. Draco
seemed to have noticed that Severus was worried though
and kept trying to get him to tell him what was wrong
but Severus simply assured him that everything was
alright. Though, in truth, he wasn't sure that it
was.
*******
After suffering another bad bout of sickness early in
the week after Severus went back to school, Narcissa
called for a doctor. She felt simply too ill to go to
one herself.
The medi-wizard arrived on the Tuesday morning, a
friendly little man with glasses and a moustache. He
ran all kinds of tests and eventually came up with a
diagnosis which left her feeling stunned. He asked if
she wanted him to stay with her any longer but she
shooed him off, wanting some time alone to think about
what she'd just found out. He fixed up a future
appointment and left.
Narcissa wandered round the house in state of shock.
Suddenly finding tears rolling down her cheeks she sat
down heavily in a chair and, sinking her head
disbelievingly into her hands, realised she needed to
talk to someone.
*******
Ok, very very evil cliff-hanger! Promise to update again soon so no one gets too keen on the idea of hunting me down and killing me for this one. Next chapter's quite serious.
