Narcissa looked up from her coffee when she heard Draco scream and sighed.
They were at it again!
She knew what was going on, she'd seen it enough times, but she wasn't going to get herself involved. It was none of her business.
Narcissa had learnt over the years that caring just made it more, it was better just to leave them to it. She used to, though. She used to argue her son's defence, but it never made the slightest bit of difference.
So she had made herself immune to it. 'Besides,' Narcissa reasoned to herself, 'I never wanted to have children in the first place. I only did it to please Lucius. Draco belongs to him really.' Narcissa really regarded Draco as a sort of pet; Fun to play with and make of a fuss of sometimes, but everything else was someone else's responsibility
'It's better that way.' She told herself, but she still remembered.
Every single detail of every single time Draco was hit stuck firmly in her memory like super-glue, haunting her dreams like demons.
Especially the first…
March 18th 1983
Narcissa sat near the end of the ludicrously long table in the centre of the Malfoy dining hall, watching nervously as her three year-old, balanced precariously on six cushions, picked up his spoon and stuck in straight in to the middle of his bowl of soup, proceeding to try and and put the steaming liquid straight in to his mouth.
"Darling, blow on it first." Narcissa said quickly, demonstrating with her own spoon. Draco watched her closely, looked doubtfully at the metal object halfway to his mouth, took a deep breath and blew as hard as he could.
The soup, not liking that one bit, blew back at him.
Draco howled as it went in his eyes and scolded his face. Unfortunately, they were hosting a spring dinner party and almost instantly, all conversation stopped and faces turned towards Narcissa and the screaming Draco. Narcissa blushed and mumbled something to Lucius (Who was looking positively livid) about taking Draco upstairs. But instead, Lucius stood up and took the wailing toddler from her, saying,
"Don't worry love, I'll get him to settle." Then without waiting for her reply, he strode from the room, Draco draped over his shoulder.
"Poor little thing," whispered someone at the far end of the table, "He's probably overtired." Narcissa gave a derisive snort, Draco was never overtired. But still, she had a strange sense of misgiving…
"Cissa," Narcissa turned in her chair to see Severus Snape leaning casually on the back of her chair. She smiled,
"Hello, Sev."
"What happened just then?"
"Draco's soup attacked him." Severus nodded sympathetically,
"Ah. Soup does have a tendency to do that. Where did Lucius take him?"
"Upstairs I think." Snape put a hand on her shoulder and knelt down,
"You seem worried, Cissa."
"I'm not…I just feel a little…'odd'. That's all."
"Would it make you feel better if I go and make sure everything's okay?" He offered, standing again. She gave him a small smile,
"Yes, that would be nice. Thankyou."
"Okay. See you in a minute." He turned and went off in the direction Lucius and Draco had taken. Narcissa resumed the consumption of her soup, now considerably cooler, reassured and calmer.
But, naturally, it was short lived as her husband stormed in looking like a storm cloud and resumed his place at the head of the table,
"Darling, are you okay? Where's Draco and Severus?"
"Upstairs." Lucius muttered darkly, picking up his spoon, "Bloody interferer…" Narcissa sighed,
"Oh dear." And walked briskly from the room, up the main staircase, to Draco's room and stepped inside.
It was dark, there was absolutely no doubt about that what so ever…officially. And it took Narcissa quite a while to become accustomed to the contrast from the brightly lit hall to this.
Then she saw them.
Severus was sitting on the edge of Draco's bed cradling the young boy tenderly in his arms, rocking slowly, gently, back and forth. Back and forth.
Narcissa glided across the deep carpet and went to sit by them,
"What happened, Sev?" She asked cautiously. Severus looked up at her, his expression equally sad and angry,
"Ssh. You've got to be quiet. I've only just been able to get him calmed down." Cissa peered closer at the sleeping Draco. His little face was unnaturally red and his features were screwed up from crying.
"What's happened?" She demanded again, "I thought Lucius was going to settle him?" Severus snorted,
"That's certainly an 'Alternative' way of putting it I suppose."
"Of putting what?"
"Child abuse!" Severus almost shouted, nearly in tears himself, "I came up here, expecting to see Draco tucked happily into bed with Lucius reading 'Goldilocks and the Three bears'. Instead, I find Lucius holding him by the wrist, shouting at him about embarrassing him in front of everyone and telling Draco that he was no better than a worthless muggle, emphasising everything he said slapping him repeatedly across the head. Poor little kid was nearly unconscious by the time I'd come. Certainly would've been if I hadn't." Narcissa ran a hand through her hair in a somewhat confused manner,
"But…but that's not possible! Lucius would never hit Draco! Never!"
"But he did!" Severus said, feeling himself becoming slightly impatient, "Not only did I see him do it, but the evidence is clear from the bruising on Draco's face. Why are you trying to deny it?"
"Because it didn't happen!" Narcissa practically shrieked, "You're lying! Why are you doing this to me?"
"I'm not doing anything, Cissa!" Severus snapped at her, adjusting his hold on Draco, "I thought you'd want to know what your darling husband has done to your child. But it appears I was mistaken." Severus stood up and passed the still slumbering boy to his mother, who took him numbly.
"If you want someone to care, you know where I am."
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The memory ended with an unpleasant jolt and Narcissa got up shakily, (More likely from the coffee than not.) now know what she should do.
Although she had stopped caring about Draco a long time ago, she could at least tell somebody who did.
Narcissa headed to the antique bureau, took out a quill and parchment and began to write
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Greetings once again and happy christmas to all! I hope everybody got something nice!
Ahem, I was wondering if anybody would like to do a banner of 'Help Me!'? I would really appreciate it! And I'd try and find a way of putting them on. If you do, please e-mail it to me at and chocolate xmas decorations to...
13BlackAngels, Broken.Baby.Gyrl, lilmissgullible, katiemalfoy19, HPfreakout, TimeMage0955, perfectpureblood, Simone 'cheesecake', blueyedchibi, xrainxnightx and (dun dun dun duuunn!) TobiasHawk13! ( Speacially big hugs for her!)