Disclaimer: I do not own any part of the Harry Potter series
Warning: Contains drinking and the resulting ridiculousness.
Dedication: To Bellalover, who does nothing but increase my love of Bellatrix.
Drinking
Every so often, Narcissa regretted that protecting the values of pureblood society seemed to interrupt actually upholding the values of pureblood society.
On the outside, Narcissa looked every bit the composed, uncaring aristocrat with a new silk gown and her hair fixed to perfection. However, below the table she tapped her foot impatiently, wondering what could possibly be taking her husband, sister, and brother-in-law so long to arrive. But, given the fact that they were supposedly serving the Dark Lord, Narcissa wasn't so sure she wanted to know specifically why they were late.
Narcissa had discouraged a waiter from serving her for the fifth time when finally she saw the trio slip into the banquet hall. Lucius alone was properly dressed. Rodolphus didn't look as though he had bothered to change out of his Death Eater robes. Bellatrix, Narcissa noted sadly, would have been better to have done the same. Her silky black dress clung to her body tightly, emphasizing the indecently low neckline. But worst of all, and Narcissa about died of mortification, she noticed that Bellatrix's fingertips appeared stained with some not so mysterious red color. The Cause did nothing to improve Bella's lacking sense of social grace.
"Where were you," she hissed as Lucius sat next to her.
"Forgive us, Narcissa," Lucius said tersely, glaring at Bellatrix. "Your sister became a little… distracted."
Bellatrix dismissed this with a wave of her hand as she too sat on the opposite side of her sister. "Cissy, you've married a complete and utter bore."
"I'm sorry that you find obeying our master's orders boring."
Bellatrix laughed, "Hardly! I was doing exactly what he told us to do… very thoroughly."
"Too thoroughly," Rodolphus grumbled, "thanks to you we've completely missed the main course."
Bellatrix rolled her eyes, "I didn't hear you complaining."
"Well you couldn't have possibly heard anything over the racket you were making," Lucius snapped.
Bellatrix wore a smile that suggested she was recalling fond memories as she sighed happily, "Yes… they were quite the screamers, weren't they?"
"We could have very well been caught," Lucius hissed back, looking over his shoulder at the surrounding tables as a precautionary element.
Narcissa adjusted a crooked utensil rigidly as she muttered under her breath, "If you two don't hush you very well still could…"
Bellatrix, not bothering to lower her volume, disregarded her little sister, "Your husband's over-exaggerating, Narcissa. We were in no danger, whatsoever… Not compared to those muggles."
Narcissa grimaced; they weren't really going to talk about this over food…
But, even so, Lucius retorted, "One muggle would have been understandable, Bella, but four muggles was a bit excessive."
Narcissa choked a little on the wine she had just sipped.
"I counted five," Rodolphus muttered, a grin tugging at the edge of his mouth despite his scolding tone.
Bellatrix jabbed him with her fork. "You aren't helping, Roddy. Besides, you definitely helped finish off the third muggle."
"Quite nicely, you said," Rodolphus added with a smug smile.
Narcissa rested her chin mournfully in her hand as she stared disbelievingly at her sister. "Bella, you arrived late to yet another important social event to unnecessarily torture muggles?"
"Unnecessary is a matter of opinion," Bellatrix noted, waving a hand at the crowded banquet hall.
"I tried to make her understand just how important our presence at this event was," Lucius said, taking Narcissa's hand in a would-be soothing manner. "And we would have gotten here on time if not for your sister."
Bellatrix glared at her brother-in-law over her wine glass. "Ignore your husband, Cissy. He's just sore because he was out-done by a girl."
"I was not out-done," Lucius snarled back a little too quickly for Narcissa to believe him.
"Oh, sure…" Bellatrix smirked, "I must have forgotten that it was you who successfully identified and killed the Ministry's undercover official for the muggle prime minister, after obtaining the acquired information for the Dark Lord of course. And how could I forget your exhilarating performance of the Cruciatus Curse to extract said information? Or your brilliantly planned escape from the aurors? Oh, I know how. Because you didn't manage to do any of that; I did."
Lucius was squeezing Narcissa's hand so tightly she thought her circulation might be cut off. "Well someone had to be the responsible one; Merlin knows how you lose your head the moment your husband's stupid enough to suggest torturing the intruding muggles."
"One of Rodolphus's better ideas," Bella laughed, pinching her husband's forearm playfully. "Besides, you're just jealous because your pathetic fizzle of a spell could never compare to the infamy of my crucio."
Narcissa rolled her eyes. They were entirely too childish.
"Well why don't we step outside and you can be the judge of how powerful my Cruciatus Curse is," Lucius spat, clutching his wand under the table.
"Don't make me laugh!" Bellatrix snorted. "Face it, Lucy, there isn't anything you can do that I can't do a thousand times better. Why else would I be the Dark Lord's favorite?"
"For reasons that would be improper to mention in front of your husband," Lucius muttered.
At this, Bellatrix's eyes flashed threateningly, her fists clenched dangerously around a butter knife that could easily turn into a projectile. She was seething at Lucius as she snarled cruelly through clenched teeth, "Just because you're only the second best woman in the Dark Lord's service does not give you the right to make false assumptions as to how I got to the top."
"There's that…" Rodolphus agreed, his voice laced with the usual darker intentions, "And the fact that there's no accounting for taste."
If Bellatrix's dinner utensils had missed Lucius, Narcissa certainly didn't expect them to miss Rodolphus. As it was, however, Bellatrix just continued to seethe, leaving Narcissa vaguely surprised Bella had managed to keep from exploding this long. Narcissa supposed that the reason for this was, as she had suspected unwillingly, that there was some truth to Lucius's accusations and Rodolphus didn't seem to grasp the full extent of the situation.
Lucius and Bellatrix were staring unblinkingly at each other, Lucius, his eyes like slits as he seethed, Bella with a scowl across her face.
"Or," Bellatrix growled, "If you really must be convinced, I have no hesitation to disprove your theories myself. Right now."
"Merlin, Bella, put your wand away!" Narcissa muttered urgently as Bellatrix whipped out her own wand, not bothering to hide it under the table. "This is hardly the place to show off."
Apparently Bellatrix did not perceive the mocking emphasis Narcissa had placed upon the phrase. "See, Lucius," she smirked, "Even your wife admits it."
As Bellatrix stowed her wand away to the relief of Narcissa, Lucius's indignation continued to mount.
"Do you really think- is your ego so out of hand that-"
"Lucius, are you really going to lecture me about my sense of vanity?" Bella chuckled. "Besides, what's a little egotism… if it's deserved and righteous?"
Lucius ignored this jibe. "Are you really so wrapped up in your lofty position with the Dark Lord that you can't even consider that you might have weaknesses?"
"Well, since our master hasn't brought any to my attention, then I'm unaware that any exist," Bellatrix yawned lavishly.
Narcissa, though she remained silent, came up with about twenty weaknesses without even thinking about it. Inability to behave and/or act respectably in public was at the top of the list.
Lucius glared into Bellatrix's gloating face.
"What exactly are you getting at, Lucius?" Bella asked curiously. "Care to challenge the fact that I am supremely better than you in every conceivable way?"
"Actually, I do," he snarled back.
Bellatrix laughed at the determined vengefulness that read so clearly across Lucius's face. She leaned back in her chair, swirling her wineglass obnoxiously, smirking at her challenger over the rim of her glass.
"Just name your challenge and I will meet it," Bella replied, "And beat you."
"You two are behaving like children," Narcissa sighed wearily. Though she was very grateful that tortured muggles were no longer the topics of conversation, she couldn't help but worry that the evening was not headed in the right direction. She was right.
"I can hold my liquor better," Lucius noted with a start, pointing at Bellatrix as she sipped the dark wine. "I've seen you at more than enough parties to think otherwise."
Bellatrix swallowed slowly, considering this. "Is that so?"
"Whether or not it is so is beyond consequence," Narcissa interjected stiffly. "If you are suggesting what I think you're getting at, I will answer for the both of you. No."
"Stop trying to cover up for your husband, Cissy," Bella said airily, "For once he's trying to defend his manhood, and I for one, will prove him wrong. Lucius, I accept your challenge, however small."
"Care to join us, Rodolphus?" Lucius drawled, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
"No thanks, I'd rather stay sober so I can take advantage of the aftermath properly," he muttered, his eyes darting to Bellatrix quickly.
She caught his comment, however, and replied, "If you're so eager, you can go get us some firewhiskey."
Rodolphus stood up after a silent battle of power with Bella. "How much would you like, my dear?" he asked sardonically.
"Oh," Bella said, smirking at her challenger, "I don't think Lucy will last through more than one bottle."
Rodolphus looked vaguely amused as he walked away, saying no more. Narcissa was at the pinnacle of exasperation as she sat in the middle of the line of fire.
"I will not allow this to happen," she said finally.
Bella disregarded this with a wave of her hand. "Yeah, you're sure going to stop two Death Eaters by stamping your foot and pouting."
"Bellatrix, I mean it! I don't mind you making an arse out of yourself but not when you make me look like a fool too," Narcissa fumed.
"Cissy, language," Bella scolded, sipping her wine delicately.
Realizing that converting Bellatrix to reason was a hopeless case, Narcissa turned on Lucius.
"If she can't see sense, then you have to," she said, jabbing her husband in the chest.
Lucius looked between Narcissa, who was obviously livid, to Bellatrix, who was holding her glass between her long fingers tantalizingly, just waiting to be put in her place.
"Your sister calls upon my honor," Lucius said tersely, avoiding his wife's eyes.
Narcissa snapped her fingers in front of his face so that he might focus on the issue at hand; their position in society and the keeping thereof.
"No, my sister calls upon your ability to behave like a barbarian whenever she threatens to do the same," Narcissa disagreed.
"I do not behave like a barbarian," Lucius snapped, his level of irritation rising as Bella laughed at Narcissa's words.
"Oh, really? I must have overlooked the last ten or so times you and Bella have arrived at the Manor still feuding about some mission assignment, unable to resolve your differences, eventually dueling in the dining hall over dinner; and I'm only considering the last few months!"
"All of which I came out of victorious," Lucius muttered.
"Your ability to keep count is worse than your magic," Bella snapped.
"Lucius," Narcissa finally pleaded. "You're holding a contest, the outcome of which will ultimately show only who can make more of a drunken spectacle of themselves and you really expect to beat Bella? Pick your battles, you egotistical-"
"Damn house elf didn't even want to give me the stuff, so you'd better drink up quickly," Rodolphus announced as he returned with the tools of battle.
Narcissa threw her hands up in the air, her logic completely overlooked as Bella and Lucius both grabbed glasses full of the amber liquid from Rodolphus.
"May the best man win," Lucius snarled, holding up his firewhiskey.
"Don't worry, I will," Bellatrix replied, throwing back the drink without the slightest hesitation.
Narcissa couldn't help but sink down lower in her seat, hoping to Merlin that nobody had caught wind of what her sister and husband were doing. Luckily, everyone else seemed to have finished eating, proceeding to the adjacent room to dance, or engage in other amusements that were actually acceptable to society, just as their glasses hit the table and Rodolphus poured again. Narcissa let out a weary whimper of protest, hiding her face in her hands.
An hour later, and Narcissa couldn't have been more thankful for this state of reclusion from the other guests. When she had considered the evening's events several months ago upon receiving the invitation, Narcissa had not once envisioned a scene like the mortifying depiction of unseemliness before her. To make matters much worse, the only sober, like-minded companion that remained in the room with her was Rodolphus. In other words, she was completely on her own in terms of saving her family from impending shamefacedness as Bella and Lucius prominently displayed every sign of drunkenness.
"Don't. You. Dare." Narcissa snarled, her wrist closing upon Rodolphus's wrist as he reached for Bella's half-finished glass. She was surprised by the sudden ability to stand up to Bellatrix's formidable husband, but she took advantage of what similarities her face held to Bella's all the same. "You have to help me get them out of here without anyone noticing."
"Narcissa," Rodolphus said, removing her small hand from his muscular arm. "I think that possibility has passed us."
Narcissa barely stifled a shriek of outrage as Rodolphus raised the glass to his lips, downing the rest of the liquid.
But he didn't get further than that, for just as he set the glass on the table to refill it, Bellatrix draped herself across his lap.
"Roddy," she giggled, wiggling her finger at him, "Cissy told you not to."
Narcissa glared at Bellatrix, as if the man had needed any encouragement.
Rodolphus merely raised an eyebrow at his drink-sodden wife. "Bella, if you don't scare me when you're sober, why on earth do you think I'd listen to you when your aim is impaired."
"Oh, Roddy," Bellatrix grinned as her fingers wrapped around his belt. "If you can't think of any reasons to be afraid of me, especially when I'm sitting on your lap, then I'll have to give you some."
Narcissa died of mortification as Bella clicked her teeth with a threatening grin as Rodolphus fidgeted noticeably. He might be rude, Narcissa realized, but Rodolphus wasn't stupid enough to doubt Bellatrix's threats.
"Besides, my aim is never impaired," she added as an afterthought.
Neither Rodolphus nor Narcissa felt the need to contest this.
"Come on," Bella slurred, her point having been made, "Let's dance."
"You can not possibly take her out on the dance floor," Narcissa hissed, even as Bellatrix struggled to stand up with Rodolphus's hands planted securely on her waist. "People will see her."
"Bellatrix has always been a dirty dancer," Rodolphus reasoned as he prevented his wife from tripping over her own feet. "Nobody will even notice the difference."
"They might notice that," Narcissa said through gritted teeth, nodding pointedly to Bella's forearm.
"What? Oh, right," Rodolphus said, pulling the sleeve of Bella's dress back over her dark mark. "Don't worry about us. I'm sure she'll collapse after a dance or so, and then I'll take her home."
"You're not getting off that easy," Bella hiccupped. "If you can pull at my clothes then I can pull off yours."
"Your logic is impeccable," Rodolphus laughed as Bellatrix grabbed the hem of his dress robes, holding on or else fall backwards.
Narcissa continued to glare at him, needing him on her side in the matter of drunken spouses.
"Narcissa," Rodolphus noted with a smirk, "You've got your own problems to worry about."
She turned around just in time to see Lucius stumble noticeably as he attempted to join the discussion. Narcissa threw her hands up in exasperation as she left Rodolphus and Bellatrix to their own doom.
"Lucius, I really think we should get you home," she said, frowning at he grinned sloppily at her.
"And I think we should get you home," he differed, taking her hand in his. After pressing his lips to her hand with more enthusiasm than the gesture warranted, he made his way up Narcissa's entire arm until he ended up nuzzling her collarbone.
"This is ridiculous," Narcissa grumbled.
Lucius looked up at this comment, took hold of her hand again as he sat down unsteadily in his chair. With a yank of her arm, he pulled her into his lap with a toothy smile.
"Why hello there," Lucius said as he wrapped his arms around Narcissa.
"Lucius, contrary to your thinking, this is not amusing me," she said distractedly as she attempted to wiggle out of his grip.
"You know, my wife would kill me if she saw such a pretty little Veela sitting on my lap," Lucius whispered into Narcissa's ear.
She pushed him away irritably. "Don't think she needs any additional reasons to do away with you," she snapped.
"I'll make it up to her somehow…" Lucius murmured, closing the distance between their mouths.
"Mmph-" Narcissa protested, struggling to claim her lips as her own. "You smell like firewhiskey, Lucius."
"I bet I taste like it too," he laughed, commandeering Narcissa's lips once more.
Lucius was more persistent this time and Narcissa almost found herself forgetting that her husband was horribly drunk. Almost. Finally she swatted the side of Lucius's face to make him stop.
"You're behaving worse than Bellatrix!" Narcissa scolded over Lucius's whines of protest at their stopping.
However, Narcissa had to reconsider this statement as Bellatrix and Rodolphus approached the table. Both looked rather spent and Bellatrix's already low cut dress seemed to have slipped down even further, if possible. Narcissa realized that this fashion statement could have been either member of the couple's doing. She also wondered how much time they had actually spent dancing.
"Been enjoying yourselves?" Rodolphus laughed, noticing Narcissa's flushed appearance.
"I wonder, Rodolphus," Narcissa fired back cruelly, "given the eagerness with which you greet your wife's state of intoxication, that such drunkenness is the only way you can get Bella to touch you."
It was a low blow, and an untrue one, presumably if anything Bellatrix often and not so subtly hinted about was true. But Narcissa had had it with the evening's festivities.
Rodolphus opened his mouth to retort angrily, but Bellatrix beat him to it with her usual directness.
"I think I'm gonna be sick."
Rodolphus and Narcissa stared hesitantly at Bellatrix as she swayed even while she clutched the edge of the table, rather green in the face.
"Take her home!" Narcissa finally urged Rodolphus who seemed to be torn between amusement and disgust. Narcissa was banked surely and firmly on being disgusted.
"I can't apparate her home in the state she's in!" Rodolphus argued. "She's your sister; you take her to the bathroom."
"I don't think I'll make it that far," Bella moaned, slipping towards the floor.
Rodolphus caught her around the waist just in time.
"Here, hold onto your sister," he said, shrugging his wife off on a highly disgruntled Narcissa.
"Cad," Bella mumbled, clutching to her sister as if she would fall at any minute, which, given the circumstances, seemed a keen possibility. "Cissy, will you be mad at me if I ruin your dress?"
Narcissa rolled her eyes. "Bellatrix, you spent the greater part of this evening slaughtering muggles into a bloody pulp, and then bragged about it for the rest of the evening before you drank your weight in firewhiskey. Excuse me if I don't hold much sympathy, but there is no reason you should make a further disgrace of yourself tonight by publically vomiting. More importantly, if you ruin my dress, I will make sure you regret… or you can fall asleep on me, that's fine," she sighed as Bellatrix's chin drooped so that her head was resting on Narcissa's shoulder.
Rodolphus was beyond laughter at this point as Narcissa struggled to balance Bellatrix onto a chair of her own.
"What are we going to do?" Narcissa moaned into her hands as she sat down between equally drunken Lucius and Bellatrix.
In some sort of answer, Bella slumped over so her head was resting in Narcissa's lap, and Lucius rested his chin on Narcissa's shoulder.
"I have a few good ideas if you don't," he murmured a little too loudly.
Rodolphus, apparently amused to no end, flopped down on his own chair in laughter.
"If you won't take your wife home, at least get rid of him," Narcissa practically shouted in exasperation.
"And miss the show?" Rodolphus exclaimed, delighted by Narcissa's humiliation.
"I hate you," she spat, discouraged by her lack of creativity.
Rodolphus looked as though he was about to reply, but then cleared his throat, giving a silent nod to his left. Narcissa practically squeaked in terror as she realized what Rodolphus was addressing. Walking towards their table with steady purpose, the Minister of Magic was the last person Narcissa wanted to talk to.
For a brief second, she considered shoving both Bellatrix and Lucius underneath the table; but the Minister had surely already seen them. Bellatrix wasn't too dangerous, Narcissa decided, since she wouldn't be talking. However, Narcissa wasn't sure the Minister could view Lucius without comment, especially as he seemed content in trailing sloppy kisses down Narcissa's collarbone. Rodolphus stood up quickly, walking to greet the Minister with uncharacteristic enthusiasm, giving Narcissa that much more time to do something. With no other ideas coming to mind, however, she pulled Lucius closer, pinning his head to her chest so his words were at least smothered.
"Nice view," Lucius mumbled, seconds before Rodolphus arrived with the Minister.
"Most unfortunate," Rodolphus was explaining, "They were fine up until that last course. I don't think it sat very well with them."
A look of confusion subsided into one of concern, much to Narcissa's relief.
"Indeed, unfortunate," the Minister agreed. "Madame Malfoy," he addressed her.
"Good evening, Minister," she replied with a forced smile.
"Yes, I had hoped to speak to your husband tonight about his interest in making a donation to the Department of International Magical Cooperation that we had discussed."
"Oh?" Narcissa laughed nervously. "Well, I assure you that he holds every intention of seeing through with that matter."
She was struggling now to control Lucius, a fact which the Minister unfortunately seemed to notice.
"Perhaps he is feeling better? I only need to talk to him for-"
"Imperio," Narcissa heard Rodolphus mutter, his wand held below the table.
When Rodolphus had successfully led the Minister back into the dance hall, Narcissa turned to Rodolphus with a crazed expression upon her face. "Are you insane?" she hissed.
"Narcissa, surely you know I have done far worse things than imperio the Minister," Rodolphus drawled, looking at his sister-in-law as though she was daft.
Narcissa was about to reply viciously when Lucius pinched her squarely on the bum.
"Ow! Lucius that hurt," Narcissa screamed, her frustration finally coming to a head. As Lucius seemed merely content to ogle back at her like a needy schoolboy, Narcissa finally unleashed her fury onto her husband. "This is exactly what I meant when I said Bellatrix makes you act like a barbarian! Couldn't you control your unfounded desire to best Bellatrix at something for once? Because, as it would seem; it isn't going to happen any time soon! In fact, Bella brings out the worst in you!"
Lucius babbled an unintelligent sort of protest which Narcissa ignored.
"Slobbering drunk and acting utterly uncouth towards me! What have you proven except Bella's point?" Narcissa screeched in outrage.
Lucius had stopped babbling in the wake of his wife's fury. He stared at her as a scolded schoolboy might, looking as if he was on the verge of tears.
"Narcissa," he mumbled earnestly, "You don't mean that, do you? I beat Bella- see? She fell asleep, that means I win."
Narcissa rolled her eyes. "No, Lucius. That only means that you've allowed yourself more time to fondle me in front of my loathsome brother-in-law. Congratulations."
Lucius did not understand the sarcasm. "You mean I can keep doing it?" he asked eagerly.
"No!" Narcissa cried over Rodolphus's laughter. "Merlin, Lucius. Where are your manners? Suggestive sweet nothings in my ear is one thing but squeezing my-"
"I didn't mean to hurt you!" Lucius interrupted with a flurry as his arm wrapped around Narcissa, his hand searching blindly to rub Narcissa's sore bum. "I'm sorry, darling, you know I am. I'll make it up to you."
Lucius's hand wandered about Narcissa's back and chair more to Narcissa's irritation than comfort.
"Lucius, just stop it. I want to go home. I've had a terrible evening and your overactive hands only capitalize the misery!" Narcissa growled into Lucius's face as showed every inclination of kissing her.
"But you can't tell me that doesn't feel good," Lucius murmured smugly, his arm still behind Narcissa.
Narcissa almost snorted in disbelief. "Lucius, I don't even feel anything."
"Come on, Narcissa. You don't have to put on airs for Rodolphus. Because I certainly feel something good," Lucius grinned.
Narcissa stared at Lucius incredulously, her mouth hanging open, dumbfounded.
"My lord…" Bellatrix giggled, her words muffled in Narcissa's lap even as Narcissa was about to speak.
If possible, Narcissa's jaw dropped lower as she glared daggers at the roguish grin plastered on her husband's misinformed face.
"Get your hand off of my sister's arse," Narcissa hissed in such a deadly voice that Lucius looked as though he'd been slapped in the face, even if the meaning behind the words did not exactly translate.
Indeed, his hand still rested upon Bellatrix's rear as she mumbled, "Master, don't stop there."
With a decidedly would-be-seductive pout, Bellatrix raised her head off of Narcissa's lap to address the owner of the hand that had just previously been caressing her. However, it only took a second for Bella's mouth to transform from a sulk to a snarl as her eyes fell upon her brother-in-law.
"You!" she spat in outrage. Her state of intoxication, however, seemed to render Bellatrix's ability to come up with snarky retorts useless. She was able only to sputter a stream of colorful profanities, the likes of which did not seem to register with Lucius either.
But Lucius's accidental close encounter with Bellatrix was not to continue. Yanking Lucius's hand off of Bellatrix, Rodolphus lifted Lucius to his unsteady feet. With a snarl, Rodolphus twisted Lucius's arm, satisfaction glinting in his eyes as Lucius yelped in pain. Rodolphus it seemed, much like Bellatrix, did not like to share.
"Next time you want to touch my wife, Lucius," Rodolphus growled, teeth barred, "Why don't you ask for my permission?"
Lucius still seemed confused as Rodolphus held him by his collar.
Bellatrix, however, had no such fear of Rodolphus, drunk or not.
She hiccupped loudly as she struggled to stand, using Narcissa's shoulder as a support.
"Rrr-dolphus," Bellatrix slurred angrily. "Since when am I 'your wife'? Don't think you can own me, Rod, because you can't."
Narcissa stood up quickly, sensing the beginning of an explosive argument between Madame and Monsieur Lestrange.
"Come on, Bella," Narcissa reasoned gently, wrapping her arm around Bellatrix's waist to direct her away from either husband.
"I own you!" Bellatrix laughed nastily, stumbling even as she said so.
Given the nature of Bellatrix's previous mutterings for the Dark Lord, Narcissa thought it best if her sister didn't antagonize Rodolphus so boldly.
Before Rodolphus, red in the face, could manage to fire back a retort to his ever so insolent wife, Narcissa snapped, "Rodolphus! Know that I don't hate it whatsoever when I tell you, I told you so. None of this would have happened if you had helped me make them see reason. I'm taking Bella home with me; I don't really care what you do with Lucius at the moment, as long as he ends up at my manor by morning."
And without another word, Narcissa held onto Bellatrix more tightly and spun on the spot, disapparating with a loud pop.
Bellatrix moaned in agony after they had apparated into a dark parlor room, clutching her stomach as she stumbled away from Narcissa.
"This sisn't your house, Cissy," Bella managed to point out, right before throwing up onto a finely upholstered couch.
Narcissa watched her sister with limited sympathy. "You don't really think I was going to let you vomit all over my furniture, did you?"
But Bellatrix was too preoccupied to reply.
"Don't think for a minute that I'll be over here tomorrow to take care of you, either," Narcissa added snootily.
"You mean you're leaving me?" Bellatrix wheezed before she doubled over once more.
Narcissa raised an eyebrow at the hunched over form of her sister. "Bella, you aren't exactly the greatest of company at the moment. I don't care if you're my sister. This is just disgusting. And besides that, you've brought this sort of thing upon your self more than just once. Somehow, little Cissy has no idea what she's talking about when you get a great idea to behave vulgarly. Funny then, that such triviality as being nursed out of a hangover should bother you so much," Narcissa mocked, perhaps a little cruelly.
Bellatrix, as ever, seemed beyond listening to her sister.
Narcissa wrinkled her nose in distaste as Bella beckoned her with a vague groan.
"What?" Narcissa demanded, taking only a step closer to Bella.
"Hair," was all that Bellatrix could cough out as she looked at Narcissa with surprisingly weak eyes.
"Ew! No. I refuse, Bella," Narcissa said, taking two steps back.
Bellatrix groaned again, clutching the edge of the couch. "P-p-please," Bella finally exclaimed with a dry sob.
Narcissa considered the very appealing idea of disapparating loudly, leaving her sister to her well-deserved fate. However, she walked over to Bellatrix with a sigh. With mild disgust, Narcissa pulled Bellatrix's curtain of dark curls away from her face.
Bellatrix coughed something that might or might not have been a thank you. Narcissa thought bitterly of the night's events and her sister's unfailing ability to care nothing for appearances. This time, she supposed, Narcissa could give Bellatrix the benefit of the doubt and blame her actions on far too much firewhiskey. The sad part, Narcissa realized, was that Bellatrix didn't act much differently sober.
Author's Note: It's a funny fact that the longest chapter I've posted so far detailed drunken Lucius and Bellatrix. However, I can not take all the credit. As mentioned in the dedication, Bellalover helped me brainstorm this chapter many a times, so a special thanks to her! Also, if you have never read her story Greatness, you are severely missing out on some priceless Bellatrix, so check it out! As always, thank you for your alerts, favorites, and most especially reviews!