This was it. This was the moment where she overcame her fear and guilt and closed the space that had existed between them for too long.

She moved slowly, her breath coming out in excited gasps and her heart pounding hopefully—though hesitantly— in her chest.

It had taken so long for the others to leave so they could be alone together, a lot longer than she'd anticipated. Not that she cared, she would've waited as long as it took.

She took a seat on the silky-green sofa, slowly, like she was trying not to spook a particularly jumpy deer.

"Narcissa? I—"

Narcissa leapt up, and—without so much as glancing at Andromeda—gathered her things and stormed out of the common room.

Andromeda just sat there, staring where her sister had been, trying so hard to ignore the hollow feeling that was eating up her insides.

She'd learned not to get her hopes up, but she'd been so sure that this time, Narcissa would be ready to forgive her.

Though forgiveness hadn't really been a theme in her life lately.

The hollow feeling wasn't going away, no matter how hard she stared at the empty spot next to her. It just kept growing, seeming to travel up her throat into her eyes. When the tears threatened to spill out she finally forced herself to look away. No Black could be caught crying in the corner of the common room. Fortunately, there weren't many people left in the common room, and none were close enough to see her tucked away in the alcove.

At least she'd thought so, until she heard someone cough.

Her body immediately stiffened, but she managed to stay in control as she ever so slowly shifted her gaze.

Standing in the dark, looking like he was trying to blend in to the emerald drapes next to him, was none other than Lucius Malfoy.

Andromeda raised an eyebrow. She'd never known Lucius to not draw attention to himself in any situation he was ever in. He was a flouncing peacock. His behavior would explain why she hadn't noticed him until now though.

At the moment he hadn't noticed her gaze, as he was too focused on the staircase Narcissa had disappeared down. He'd been doing that a lot lately, staring after her sister when no one else was looking. It didn't take a genius to realize he was interested in her.

Andromeda sighed. She had nothing against Lucius. He was pompous bully like many of his Slytherin peers, but he didn't exude the same twisted sadism the others did. He seemed more—refined— than that. Regardless, another arrogant man who wanted nothing more to get into Narcissa's robes was the last thing Narcissa needed.

As if he could finally feel her gaze, Lucius turned his head in her direction. Their eyes met for only a second, but it was long enough for her to see the accusation in his cool grey eyes. He must've witnessed the exchange between the two younger Black sisters. Perhaps he'd also been waiting for the chance to speak with Narcissa privately, but Andromeda had beaten him too it. And now he probably blamed her for Narcissa's sudden departure.

At least that one actually was her fault.

"Andromeda?" A voice cut into her musings. A low, purring voice.

Rabastan's habit of surprising her like that used to make her jump, but not anymore. She even had a small, half-hearted smile on her lips as she looked up to greet him. It was nice to speak with someone who didn't think she was the worst human being on the planet.

"Is something going on with Narcissa?" he asked, while taking Narcissa's place next to Andromeda on the sofa.

Apparently, Lucius hadn't been the only one watching their exchange. Though how she hadn't noticed Rabastan was baffling. He stood out more than Lucius did.

"Why would you think that?" Andromeda said coolly, her tone guarded. Despite her new friendship with Rabastan, she couldn't tell him what was happening between her and Narcissa. Blacks never discussed family matters with anyone else.

"Narcissa seems to be rather… tense, as of late," Rabastan said. "Figured you knew why."

It was a good thing Andromeda had so much practice lying lately, as it allowed her to keep her face impassive, even though the mind underneath was anything but.

She'd walked in on Narcissa sobbing in the bathroom a few days after her confrontation with Ted. Narcissa had been too hysterical for Andromeda to have a real conversation with her, but from what she'd gathered between her younger sister's heaving sobs, Rodolphus had ended things with her and she'd concluded it was Andromeda's fault. Andromeda tried to comfort her, but Narcissa had wanted nothing to do with her.

That had been month ago, but Andromeda was no closer to mending the rift between her and her sister than she had been back then.

But she couldn't very well tell any of this to Rabastan, not when his older brother was the cause of it all. It would strain their already fragile relationship. And she really couldn't afford lose another friendship.

"Her OWLs are getting to her, and she won't let me assist her," Andromeda sighed. A light, fake sigh devoid of any real emotion.

"She won't let you assist her?" Rabastan shook his head. "Don't worry, I'm sure she'll come around."

Andromeda smiled. A tight, controlled smile that was over as quickly as it came. "Yes, surely." She had become quite proficient at deceiving lately, but just to be safe she pretended to be suddenly interested in the cuff of her robe.

The next thing she knew Rabastan's hand was on top of hers. "You know I've been waiting all night to get you alone?" he'd said things like this to her before, but this time it didn't annoy or fluster her.

"Oh?" Andromeda didn't look up. Rabastan's hand on top of her was doing interesting things to her skin. Her skin didn't burn under his touch the way it used too. It just felt lighter, like he'd lifted something heavy off her. It left her with an oddly calming sensation.

Yes, Rabastan's presence being calming was odd indeed.

"I want to ask you something, privately." He moved his hand up to her wrist and then wrapped his hand around it. It was like her hand had been dipped into a warm bath.

She looked up, as found his staring at her rather intently.

"Oh?" she said again, though this time with a soft smile on her lips.

"There's a rather ridiculous holiday coming up, you see. Valentine's Day. Have you heard of it? People put pink lace everywhere and give each other singing grams and other such nonsense."

Andromeda giggled a little.

"I was hoping you'd agree to spend the day with me," Rabastan said, his husky voice unusually gentle. "If you're up for that kind of nonsense." He smiled, but she could see the sincere question behind his words.

She didn't look away, but she didn't give an answer either.

Talking with Rabastan when they got a moment in the common room or library was one thing, but spending time with someone on Valentine's carried weight. Technically a weight they'd been carrying since their engagement last October. But so far, they hadn't done many romantic things with one another, other than one dance in the great hall and a kiss by the lake. Both of those experiences had left Andromeda breathless with a fluttering heart, but they'd only been for show. They brought with them no sincere, emotional commitment.

This, she knew, would be different. And though she enjoyed Rabastan's company. It wasn't his face that kept her lying awake at night, wasn't his voice she played over and over again in her head, his touch that she longed for so much she could barely breath at times…

But Ted had scarcely even looked at her since that night by the lake, and nothing she did seem to be changing his mind.

But Rabastan, Rabastan was right here, his soft hand brushing against hers, keeping it warm and safe.

"I— "

The sound of footsteps coming up from the girl's dormitory immediately distracted her. She hadn't been expecting Narcissa, just hoping, which is why her heart flipped as she recognized the glimmering blond hair and bright green eyes.

Narcissa may have lost some her vibrancy, but she was still the most beautiful girl in Hogwarts in Andromeda's completely unbiased opinion.

She wasn't the only one who noticed Narcissa's arrival. Lucius immediately straightened, his eyes glued to her little Narcissa. Narcissa didn't notice. She kept her gaze straightforward and based on the uncharacteristic look of concentration on her face, she was doing it to purposefully avoid eye-contact with Andromeda. It also made her a little unapproachable.

But Lucius had already missed his opportunity to speak with her once, he wasn't going to do it again. Just as Narcissa passed him he stepped forward. She and Rabastan weren't that far away, but she couldn't hear anything he said. He must have said something though, as Narcissa stopped, before slowly turning around.

Andromeda had been privy to many of her baby sister's romantic entanglements before. In fact, she could scarcely remember a time Narcissa had been in a boy's presence and not been flirtatious in some form or fashion. Assuming they were a pureblood and not a complete oaf, of course.

But Lucius was neither of those things which is why her sister's cold, blank expression looked more out of place than Bellatrix at a muggles' rights convention.

Lucius must've felt the same way, as his hesitantly excited smile instantly slipped away. Red flushed in his cheeks and he even cast his eyes towards the floor for a second. His shoulders hunched slightly, and he even shuffled his feet. The proud peacock rendered a desperate mutt by one cool look from her sister.

Whatever he'd wanted to say to Narcissa he was clearly struggling to get out, based on the way her sister's face went from politely disinterested to bored in a matter of seconds. Narcissa, like Bellatrix, had never had much patience for people who wasted her time.

Lucius must have noticed this as well, as he did his best to straighten his shoulders and stop shuffling around on his feet.

Andromeda still couldn't make out their words, but he must have asked her something, as her eyebrows lifted in surprise. A moment later she shook her head and then turned and walked away.

Beside her, Rabastan let out a low whistle. "Damn. You Black girls sure know how to knock a guy off his pedestal. That was cold."

But Andromeda was barely listening. She was watching Lucius, watching the way he collapsed in on himself. That wasn't the way a man looked when his pride had been hurt, it was the way he looked when the one thing he wanted more than anything was walking away from him.

She knew, because she'd seen that same look on Ted's face after she'd run away from him during that fateful masquerade ball. And then she'd felt it herself, that day Ted had left her alone by the lake.

Lucius' gaze drifted to her, but the moment their eyes met again he averted his gaze and straightened his shoulders. He lifted his head before stalking off, as though nothing had happened. She'd seen this behavior before of course, as it was she engaged in it so often. No true Slytherin would ever let anyone else see their vulnerable side. It was second only to being a blood-traitor, or poor.

She'd hoped Lucius' interest in Narcissa had just been simple fancy, something that would've quickly faded. She'd feared it had been a desire to dominate and possess Narcissa like Rodolphus had. But this was neither of those things, this was something more. This was exactly the thing Narcissa had been hunting for her entire life.

And she was walking away from it without another thought.

Andromeda had assumed that after everything Narcissa had been through, a relationship was the last thing she needed. But what if it was? What if it was exactly what she needed to get her little sister back? Nothing else she'd tried had been working. Perhaps it was time for a new strategy.

"Andromeda?" Rabastan said again. Most people probably wouldn't have noticed the slight waver in his usual purring vocals, but Andromeda did.

Slowly, she turned back to face Rabastan. He was doing his best to keep his usual cool charisma about him, but she could see the real worry underneath his mask, like a much toned-down version of Lucius. For some reason, this thought made her smile, and she had the oddest urge to gently push the hair away from his eyes. She resisted, however, and not just because it would have made what she planned to do next a little more complicated.

I'll consent," she kept her voice light, and let only the barest of flirtatious smiles escape through. "Provided you do me one little favor."

If she remembered right, it had been both Cissa and Bella, united in a rare cause of teaching Andromeda how to interact with the male species, that had taught her how to use her feminine wiles to get men to do her bidding. She'd never imagined she'd actually have to use their counsel.

It worked though. The worried lines disappeared from his face as he took her hand gently kissed it, like butterfly wings dancing across her skin.

"For you, anything."

Some part of her seem to shrivel inward at Rabastan's words, but she was able to push it down at the warm feeling that spread through her body at Rabastan's kiss.