The Twenty-third

"...people think? You will come home immediately, or you will regret it! You are my wife and will do as I say!"

When the Howler had finished, Molly threw it into the trash where it belonged. It had been the third in as many days.

"He'll have to understand he can't order you around," she said, placing cups of hot tea in front of Narcissa and Draco.

"The more important thing is that I begin to understand." Narcissa looked tired, and thinner than before.

Draco squeezed her hand. "It takes some time, but you will. Believe me, I must know."

The Twenty-fourth

"How is everyone?" Molly asked, just preparing the tea as Narcissa returned.

"Hermione is still feeling sick every day. I gave her some tips that worked for me, at least sometimes. It's going to be hard on her." Narcissa sighed sympathetically. "But he boys are fine. Ron had about a third of the cake within twenty minutes. You'd think they don't get fed properly."

Molly laughed. "It's a good feeling to see someone appreciate your efforts, isn't it?"

Narcissa agreed. She would never have imagined that something like baking a cake herself could be anything but a waste of time.

The Twenty-fifth

Narcissa and Molly were sitting at the kitchen table silently, all thoughts about Lucius and Howlers currently forgotten.

"Harry said it helps her a lot to talk with you," Molly finally said. She had just returned from visiting Hermione at the hospital.

Narcissa smiled sadly. "I had hoped it would. Others can't really understand, no matter how much they try."

"I believe that. At least I saw Charlie and Ginny grow up...but to not even get to know your child..." She couldn't suppress a sob, and soon, the two women were crying over Hermione's loss as well as their own.

The Twenty-sixth

"Harry's aunt was there as well." Narcissa had returned just punctual for teatime from visiting Hermione at home, a little over a week after the miscarriage. "I didn't see her come, but when I left, she was sitting in the living room with Harry. They seemed to get along quite well."

"Harry told me his cousin died in a car crash a year ago," Molly said thoughtfully. "They didn't have contact after that, but maybe this was the final straw."

"Maybe," Narcissa agreed. It made her hopeful, but also scared. What would it take for her own family to mend?