A New Year

Narcissa's muscles ached and her head felt full of air. Was this what pregnancy felt like? No wonder so many people complained about it. The noise of her parents and Bellatrix talking echoed over her, as she tried to respond with a mumbled yes when something seemed to be directed at her.

"Narcissa are you feeling alright? You've barely spoken all evening," her mother finally asked.

"I'm fine, just tired. I've not been sleeping well." It wasn't a lie. She hadn't been; her body seemed to feel nauseous at the most bizarre times, and her mind started racing the moment she stopped for a minute.

"That's a shame, didn't you say you and Sirius were going to a New Year's party tonight?"

"Yes, Sirius said he would be over at nine and we could go together." She glanced at the clock again. Ten minutes to go, she tried to smooth her dress again, paranoid that some sort of bump was already showing.

"Well you look lovely dear," her Father said finally, barely lifting his eyes off the game of chess he and Bellatrix were embroiled in.

Bellatrix on the other hand knew something was amiss. She had been eyeballing Narcissa the whole week, trying to figure out what was going on. "Have fun Cissa. You sure I can't come chaperone?"

"Just because you're bored with Rudolphus being away for work, doesn't mean you can hijack my plans." She almost jumped out her skin when the bell rang and dashed to answer it.

"Thank God you're here," She admitted when a surprisingly preened Sirius stepped through the door. "Any more small talk and I'd have – Aunt Walburga, Uncle Cygnus. Good to see you!" Why were they there?

Sirius fixed her with an apologetic stare and his family stepped through the wooden doorframe. "Don't worry, we're still on for tonight. Mum and dad just decided to stop over since Reg and I were out. I don't think they actually like being alone with one another."

That was hardly surprise to Narcissa, Walburga was a tyrant of a woman who only seemed to like one person other than herself, and that was her brother. Possibly the house elf.

"Have a good night!" She called into the bustling living room. She certainly wasn't going back in there, to be drawn into some discussion or another. "We're just flooing our way there, right?" She turned to Sirius.

"Yep, I've got the address." Not that there were many other ways for her to get there.


"God I hate floo powder." Narcissa exclaimed as she finally landed in James' hallway. Sirius was waiting for her, amusement in his eyes. He knew it was her least favourite way to travel. One sneeze and you could end up anywhere. She couldn't wait until she could apparate.

"Well at least you didn't end up in knockturn alley this time."

"Oh, shut up Sirius, I was eleven. That stupid powder made me sneeze. I swear I'm allergic to it or something."

"Sure you are Cissa."

Music blared from somewhere down the hall and a slight cough drew their attention to Remus Lupin standing in a dooframe, two glasses in hand. She got the impression the party had started a while ago, given the different shoes and items strewn around the hall. "Firewhiskey anyone?" He asked with a roguish smile. It was odd, she wasn't used to seeing Lupin do anything that might be considered breaking the rules.

"Sure -"

"She'll stick to butterbeer," Sirius interrupted, taking both glasses from his friend.

"She can speak for herself Sirius!"

"Huh, I've never seen Sirius do the big brother routine before. It's strange to watch. But Narcissa, there's more firewhiskey or butterbeer in the kitchen." Remus commented cheerfully. She was starting to suspect he had started on the firewhiskey slightly earlier.

"More like an annoying younger brother that I never wanted or asked for."

"Firewhiskey wouldn't be good for you," Sirius whispered in a low voice.

"I was taking it to be social, you great oaf," She hissed, a rising feeling of warmth flooding her face. God he could be annoying sometimes. "Remus, I'll just pop into the kitchen and grab another drink."

She sauntered down the hall, before realising she probably shouldn't be seen to be too familiar with the layout of James' house. Oh well.

A pair of warm arms encompassed her. "Hey Cissa, I'm glad you could come. How are you feeling?" James asked, kissing her neck and sending shivers down her spine.

"Of course, I came," she replied. She had always liked New Year, it was a time to shake off the bad feelings of the previous year and launch into something new. "Who is coming anyway?"

"A few people," James answered shiftily. "Well…it was supposed to be a few people, but word seems to have spread…so it's a bit more than that."

That certainly explained the music that seemed to be making the walls move. "Your mother is going to kill you," she said, as James handed her a bottle of butterbeer.

"I have four days before they come back. The place will be fine by then." Only James could be that laid back, she would have been going mad with stress.

"So, will I stick out like a sore thumb?"

"What? No, don't be daft. You don't look remotely pregnant yet."

"No, you idiot," She hissed. God, he could be dense sometimes. Did she look pregnant? She ignored the nervous flutter in her stomach "I meant because I was a Slytherin?"

"Oh. Right…no, people have brought dates with them and stuff. Not everyone here's in Gryffindor, there are even a couple of snakes." He smirked. What time had people started arriving at? Had no one heard of being fashionably late?

"Really?" Yet when she finally made it into the main party room she could see that James was right. Granted there was only two Slytherins she recognised, and even then, they were in the year younger than her, but it was something. "I'm impressed that this is such a unifying party, letting those of all houses attend." She smiled at James. She was sure that if things had been different there would be a no Slytherin policy.

"It's just a party, as long as no one starts a duel or anything."

"Really? I'm sure I've seen you start a duel just to liven up classes before." Narcissa commented, as James pulled her into a slow dance. She couldn't help but role her eyes at the band performing at the back of the room. Typical James, never doing anything in halves. The ballroom was immaculately decorated as well, with Christmas banners of red and green decorating the walls along with holly wreathes and mistletoe. This must have taken the house elves some time to put up.

"We can see how the night goes, if we need a duel to liven things up I'll signal to Sirius." They both laughed at that. It was nice to just dance to the music. The lights were dim, but Narcissa realised she wasn't self-conscious because no one cared what they were doing. Everyone was too busy with their own dates, or friends.

"How did you organise all this?" Narcissa asked, gesturing to the band.

"Heath's a friend of the family. He's started with a new band and they needed to test out their songs."

They were pretty good, although Narcissa wasn't sure the bagpipe added anything to the music.

"So how was your family dinner?" James leaned in to ask, admittedly that was one of the downsides of the music.

"It was fine, quiet actually." At least she had been quiet for most of it.

"So…"

"No, I'm still not telling them until I…" she punched his chest, "I don't want to talk about this now. Let's just pretend for one night that my life isn't a trainwreck."

James enveloped her in his arms and she felt the flutters in her stomach fade away. She still felt safe with James. "It's okay Cissa, I wasn't going to ask." But he had been, James still felt this was the best time to tell her parents and his about the pregnancy.

"I'm sorry, let's go get another drink." She noticed James wasn't drinking firewhiskey either.

"No wait, I like this song." James replied, before spinning Narcissa round as the music changed tempo. The room spun in a blur and they were both laughing, and just for that moment nothing existed except the music, and their bodies dancing in tandem to the song.

When the song finally ended they broke apart laughing. "God, I need that drink now." Narcissa exclaimed, her heart racing.

"So do I," was James' response, a fine sheen covering his forehead.

"James, can I talk to you for a moment?" Came a voice from behind Narcissa.

"Sure Frank, this is Narcissa. Narcissa, this is my cousin Frank. You'll remember him from school?"

Of course, she did. He had been head boy last year and Narcissa had always found him rather annoying. But of course, she smiled at him nonetheless.

"Hello," he greeted her, barely glancing her way, "Just for a moment James?"

James' eyes narrowed, and smile became more forced, "I'll be two minutes Cissa, if you want I'll meet you in the kitchen?" He sighed. Of course, there would have to be someone who would feel the need to tell James what a mistake he was making by dating a Black.


The pantry was stocked full of drinks and food. Narcissa hadn't even known there was strawberry butterbeer until right now. She squinted through the various bottles, trying to decide what to try next. She ignored the various other figures milling about, eyeing her from the side. It was obvious they were thinking the same thing.

She heard James' voice echo in one of the other rooms. "Enough Frank, I'm not asking her anything."

"James?" She shouted, walking in the direction of his voice.

"Hey Cissa, are you okay? Frank and I were just finished talking."

"Let me guess, I'm evil and you should stay away from me?"

"What? No, honestly it's nothing to do with that."

"Then what?" Narcissa asked as she followed James back into the kitchen. He was fidgeting so much that Narcissa knew something was bothering him. She didn't understand why he wouldn't just tell her, she knew that not everyone would be accepting of their relationship, but what did she care about some random second cousin of James'?

"It's not a big deal. Frank he's training to be an auror, he wanted my help with something. But I told him I couldn't. Not now anyway." Although that didn't explain why James seemed to be on edge suddenly.

"Are you sure? Is there anything I can do -"?

"No, honestly. Let's talk about something different. What are your family doing tonight?"

"What?"

"Sorry, it's just…something Frank said threw me tonight. Can we just talk about something normal for a minute?"

"They're just spending the night in, like always. Sirius' parents are round. They'll just drink a couple too many brandies and then go to bed after the bells. I told you this."

"That's right. Did Bella make it to that party you mentioned?"

"No, she was going out her mind with boredom at the house when I left. Rudolphus is away with work, so Bella decided to stay home. She was trying to invite herself here, but I didn't think she would mix well."

"You are probably right." And with that some of the tension seemed to leave James. Was that what this was about? Bellatrix? She didn't even want to ask, she had a feeling it would lead to an argument she didn't want to have. "But anyway, another Dance?"

Narcissa took James' hand and they danced the New Year in.


Narcissa was woken up by some strange thudding noise from downstairs. She was curled around James, his breath heavy on her skin. She probably shouldn't have stayed the night, but by the end of the party she was exhausted and Sirius had already passed out in a guest bedroom.

"Morning beautiful," James exclaimed sleepily.

"Morning," She replied, as she picked her away across to her dress. She really should have thought ahead and brought a change of clothes.

"You could always stay?"

"What, and help with the tidy up?" She laughed at the pained expression that crossed James' face. "I'm okay, my parents will be expecting me home. I'd like a good Christmas and New Year with them." Especially since it could be their last family Christmas. God knows how they would react to this pregnancy.

"Ughh, don't remind me. I'm hoping the house elf has dealt with it all." What a surprise.

"Before I go, I need to talk to you about something."

"What's up?" She tried not to stare as James got dressed, focus, stupid pregnancy hormones.

"Last night you tried to use me to get information on Bella didn't you?" He froze, his mouth opened and Narcissa knew without thinking that he was about to try and lie his way out of this. "I need you to tell me the truth James."

He slumped slightly. "I said no, when Frank asked. He's been investigating Bella, he wanted me to find out if she was at some big death eater thing in Scotland this weekend. I told him I wasn't going to use you that way."

"But you asked anyway?"

"I thought…I don't know what I was thinking. I'm sorry. For what it's worth I didn't tell Frank anything, he doesn't even know I tried to ask."

"It's okay," and it was, she wasn't angry. It was strange. "I just…I will not let you use me to get information on my sister." Even if she is a death eater, she thought to herself. "I had to pick a side, and I chose you. I need you to do the same for me."

"That seems fair."

Narcissa felt like her legs were full of lead by the time she got home. She had barely said two words to her parents before heading up to her room. Oddly enough they hadn't asked many questions.

Instead it was Bellatrix who was sitting at the end of her bed. "Hello sis, how was the party?"

"It was fine, but I could really do with some more sleep."

"Hungover?"

"No, just tired. I wasn't drinking."

"Why not?"

God, this was getting tiring. She did not want to have this conversation on four hours sleep. "Why wasn't I drinking? Seriously? Because I didn't want to. James wasn't drinking either."

"I saw Sirius in the guest room downstairs reeking of firewhiskey."

"That's Sirius, you know what he's like." Narcissa could feel her heart hammering in her chest. Please just leave me alone.

"You know you can talk to me Narcissa. I'm your sister, I love you. I even love that oaf of a cousin downstairs and I will help you." Yeah, and that love will probably kill us.

"What, like you talk to me? Where was Rudolphus this weekend? Deatheater duty?"

Bellatrix barely batted an eyelid, but Narcissa knew she had rattled her. Bella just had a better poker face. "I don't tell you about things like that, because we both know you don't want to know about it. God forbid you should have to decide about where your loyalties really lie. And I know you are pregnant but go ahead and lie about it if you want."

"Please don't tell them." She pleaded. Why did Bellatrix have to be so bloody perceptive.

"I won't," Bellatrix softened. "Have you decided what to do? I know a woman who can help if you want to make it disappear?"

"I'm not putting my health on the line with some backalley abortion. I…I just need some time."

Her sister nodded in understanding. Narcissa couldn't help but wonder if Bella had faced something similar in her youth and chosen a different path. "I won't tell mum or dad, but you'll have to say something eventually if you choose to keep it."

"I know."