Remus left Number 12, Grimmauld Place the next morning, without saying goodbye to Narcissa. He told Harry he had "business to attend to" and Harry prudently did not ask questions. Remus did not come back that night or any other, leaving Narcissa in Harry's hands, quite alone and wondering why on earth Remus had been so distant with her.

Under Remus' orders, Harry had covered up the elaborate Black family tree, should Narcissa insist on reading it. He had also boxed up all of the photographs of the Black family. It was true that there were very few of Narcissa, but there were many of Bellatrix, who had evidently been Mrs. Black's favorite niece, and Remus did not have to explain to Harry that he feared that Narcissa would go looking for Bellatrix, a search that would inevitably lead to the Dark Lord.

Harry frequently left Narcissa to her own devices, which lead to her eventual boredom, which hit her harder than her fear of being discovered and sent to prison. As soon as her picture faded from the covers of newspapers, and it appeared that everyone had forgotten all about the Malfoys, Narcissa stepped out into society again, this time wearing a borrowed dress of Harry's friend Hermione's, instead of the faded black one she'd worn to Lucius' trial.

Just as she had predicted, nobody seemed to recognize her. Her blonde hair had been too striking to overlook before; her new short brunette cut was too plain to be noticed. Still, even with plain brown locks, she was too beautiful not to be noticed. Self-conscious, she saw men stop and watch her, eyes on the curve of her hips, as she walked the streets. She blocked out their crass words. For the first time that she could remember (and that wasn't saying much), Narcissa didn't want to be noticed.

Well, that wasn't true; she amended, as she caught sight of her reflection in the window of Flourish and Blotts.

It wasn't so much that she minded being noticed.

It was that she never caught the attention of the one person she wanted the most to see her.

By her own estimate, she was somewhere around the age of thirty-six – still quite young, and of a marriageable age, should she wish to marry again. And nobody could deny that she was a widow – why, hadn't it been all over the papers that Lucius Malfoy was dead? Of course, Narcissa didn't intend on marrying again. What sort of life would it be, she wondered, to tie herself to a man who claimed to know her inside and out, when she didn't know herself?

Better to stay alone, not intrude on anyone else.

Narcissa sighed and leaned against the hard brick of one of the buildings.

Of course, it was easy to pretend she didn't care. But when she thought back to the way he had looked at her, that night, when she'd been all alone, and frightened – that longing in his pale blue eyes – shivers ran all up and down her spine.

Had she made it all up in her mind, as fragile and alone as she was? Could it have been pity, and not caring, that he felt when he looked at her?

"Now, stop it," Narcissa chastised herself, shaking her head, "You're not a sixteen-year-old schoolgirl anymore. You're a widow. You shouldn't be making eyes at other men. Your husband's not cold in his grave yet."

But I don't feel anything, she thought to herself. If I knew Lucius Malfoy, it was another lifetime ago. Why should I pretend to feel what I don't?

A shadow fell over her. She glanced up.

Staring at her from a few feet away was a pair of girls. One was tall, with long, fluffy brown hair – certainly nothing out of the ordinary about her. The other was a shorter, slender girl of perhaps sixteen, exceedingly pretty, with a mane of red hair and a pretty face. Narcissa was startled. The girl with brown hair was looking at her with an expression she could not identify. But the other girl – the redhead – was looking at Narcissa with very thinly veiled hatred.

In two strides, she was standing right in front of Narcissa. Her face was a furious red, almost matching her hair. With clenched teeth, she reached her palm out and slapped Narcissa across the face.

Narcissa reeled. Never in her life had she been struck across the face – and especially not by a stranger. From behind the girl she heard someone cry, "Ginny!"

"I know who you are," the redhead called Ginny spat at her, "Haven't you caused enough trouble already?"

"I don't know – I don't know what you mean," Narcissa managed, grasping her cheek in pain.

Ginny acted as if she hadn't heard, "You come crashing into our lives, as helpless as you are worthless, and you give nothing in return. Harry and Remus are busy enough, without having to worry about you. Why don't you do us all a favor and just get out of it?"

Her friend was beside her in a minute, "Ginny, let's go," she said, "I'm sorry, ma'am, my friend here is just –"

Ginny laughed, a harsh, unfriendly laugh, "Don't be ridiculous, Hermione. Don't you know who this is? It's Narcissa Malfoy – the elegant widow."

Hermione's jaw dropped. Narcissa shrank back, expecting Hermione to call the police on her in an instant.

But Hermione composed herself, and said, "I apologize, Mrs. Malfoy." She seized Ginny's arm and dragged her backwards, "Let's go back and visit your brothers, Ginny."

Ginny glared at Narcissa, "You stay away from Harry, you hear? If it wasn't for you, and all the rest of your family, things wouldn't be this way!"

She shrank against the wall, bowing her head, as she watched them walk away.

"Go on, Ginny – tell him what you said to her!"

Hermione looked enraged as she pulled out a chair and pushed Ginny into it. Remus looked up from the newspaper he was reading at the Weasley's kitchen table and raised his eyebrows.

"What is all this about?" he asked blandly. "Hermione? Ginny?"

Ginny crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes. Hermione glared at her silently.

Remus folded the paper, "Girls, this is ridiculous," he said firmly, "We have enough difficulties without you two bickering about something pointless. Out with it, Ginny."

"I don't have anything to say to you," Ginny snapped, turning away.

"She certainly does!" Hermione shouted.

"Hermione, that's enough," Remus broke in, "I think it would be better if I talked to Ginny alone about this. If you would leave us, please?"

"Why don't you go snog my brother," Ginny snorted, "I hear you talking about wanting to enough in your sleep."

"Enough, Ginny!" Remus replied, watching Hermione's face go red with fury right before his eyes, "Hermione, I'll deal with this. Go outside."

Hermione glared at Ginny one last time, then turned her back on her and slammed the door behind her. Remus rubbed his temples and sighed.

"What's going on, Ginny?" he asked her.

"It's none of your business," she replied.

"I doubt that," he answered, "I've seen you these past two weeks, Ginny. Something's wrong, and I want to know what it is. Perhaps I can help."

"Help?" Ginny snapped, standing up and planting her hands on the table firmly. Remus was strongly reminded of Mrs. Weasley, "You can help," Ginny went on, "by getting that no-good slut out of Harry's house!"

"Ginny!" Remus' mouth dropped open, "That's a terrible thing to say!"

"It's true!" Ginny shouted, "How dare she live there with Harry? How do you know she's lost her memory? She could have been planted there by the Death Eaters, she could be trying to take advantage of all of us – she could be there to kill Harry!"

Remus stared at her for a minute, then closed his eyes and sighed.

"Narcissa is no Death Eater," he said slowly, "She may have been married to one, but trust me on this – she is not connected to any Dark conspiracy."

"I don't trust her," Ginny said shortly, "And you shouldn't trust her, either. Her whole family is bad news, Remus."

"Sirius was part of her family!"

"Well – he was an exception!" Ginny blustered, "He even said so himself! And look what happened to him, when he got mixed up with her sister!"

"What do you expect me to do with her?" Remus asked acidly, "Put her on the street? When anyone could be looking for her? The Ministry – her sister Bellatrix – the Dark Lord himself?"

"I don't care what happens to her!" Ginny shouted, "I just don't want her there, that's all!"

Remus looked at her hard, "Tell me, Ginny, does this have anything to do with Narcissa Malfoy at all? Or has it got something to do with Harry?"

Ginny looked up at him quickly, "That's none of your business."

"Isn't it?" Remus asked, "Isn't it my business when you want to throw a helpless woman out onto the streets where you know she'll be killed, over emotions that you yourself can't define?"

"You know nothing about it!" Ginny shouted. Her eyes were liquid with tears, "You don't know what it's like!"

"What what is like?" Remus asked her.

"I saw how you treated Tonks!" Ginny cried, furiously wiping her eyes with one hand, "You men are all alike. You don't mind us around when there's nothing better going on – but as soon as something happens, you have to go out and be heroes, and you leave us all behind." The tears spilled out onto her cheeks and fell, hot and wet, to the table, leaving spots.

Remus felt wretched. Just as he'd expected, of course. The girl was in love with Harry, and Harry, fearing for her safety, had sent her away. So this was the reason why they were no longer speaking. So this was why Ginny hated Narcissa so – she could be with Harry every day, see him, make sure he was all right – and Ginny herself could not.

"Sit down, please," he said softly, pulling out the chair for her again. Ginny swiped her eyes again, looking quite as if she wished to defy him, but sat. He sat down next to her and squeezed his icy fingers together.

"What happened between Tonks and I didn't occur because I sent her away for her protection," he began, "Which I think you know very well. Tonks left me because she knew I didn't have it in my heart to love her the way she deserves to be loved. And I would hate for you to think of me as someone who prefers to let others think of him as noble when really he's nothing of the sort."

Ginny opened her mouth to speak, but Remus shook his head.

"All your life, you've been treated as a child," he said, "The only girl, youngest in all things. But you're not a child, are you, Ginny? You're sixteen years old, and you have a heart and soul of a woman much older. You're not willing to let the ones you love walk away from you without a fight."

Ginny was crying again, quietly. Remus lifted her chin up until her red eyes looked into his.

"You remind me so much of a girl I knew once," he said.

"W – who?" she asked, sniffling.

"A very dear friend of mine," he replied, "Narcissa."

"I don't want to be like her!" Ginny cried, "I don't want to be anything like a Malfoy!"

"But you are like her," Remus replied, as if she hadn't said anything, "You're both brave and beautiful and loving – and stronger than anyone gives you credit for. You're not willing to give up. You feel so strongly for people – you always put their safety before your own."

Ginny sniffed, staring at him again, "How do you know all this about Narcissa?"

He looked away, letting silence answer her childlike question.

Ginny grabbed his patched shirt, eyes flaming with emotion.

"You loved her!" she cried, "You loved her once, long ago; that's the reason you don't want Tonks, that's why you couldn't love her!"

"Yes, that's the reason!" Remus stage-whispered desperately, "Now forget I said it! You mustn't tell her that, or Harry, or Hermione, or anyone else! Promise me!"

Ginny stared, "Why shouldn't you tell her? She's free of Lucius Malfoy, there's nothing holding you back now!"

"Now isn't a good time," Remus managed, pulling away from her.

Ginny's eyes brimmed with tears again.

"It never is, is it," she whispered, "I've tried to understand, I've tried so very hard – but I love him, Remus – and I'm so scared!"

She covered her face with her hands and began to sob brokenly. Remus wrapped his thin arms around her and pulled her close to him, burying his face in her flame-colored hair. Once he had held Narcissa like this, when she had cried. Once, he'd had all the answers, he had known exactly what to do. And now –

Now, he was as lost as the teenager he was trying to comfort.