Pairing: Narcissa/Hermione

Rating: M, for later chapters. It's femslash. SO, if you don't like it, don't read it!

Disclaimer: Everything, except the plot, still belong to the ever fabulous J.K Rowling I'm afraid. I'm just borrowing some of her lovely characters and making them do things I'd wish they'd done in the series.

I'd also like to thank everyone for their follows, favorites, and lovely reviews. I've never shared my work before and was quite nervous about it, actually. Especially since this is my first fic. If anyone has any suggestions please feel free to suggest! I hope my writing isn't too atrocious and you enjoy this next chapter! I know it's a bit short, so I'll make up for it with chapter 3. Thank you all for reading! Also, big thanks to Bec, Aleah, Jessie, and Dave for being excellent betas for this chapter!

xx Kara

Chapter Two: Save You

Everyone was staring at Draco. Hermione noticed Ron's expression was more of a glare, which was probably due to the Room of Requirement incident that had happened hours earlier during the battle.

"It's my mother Potter!" Draco said, gazing down, "I have to go! You know what it's like!"

Harry nodded, but spoke dryly, "I have no right to stop you from going in, Malfoy. No one should know what it's like growing up without a mother, but how can we trust you? Maybe you forgot how you almost got us all killed…."

"It's my MUM, Potter! My mum…"

Hermione couldn't believe that they were arguing now. Bellatrix could have already caught up with Narcissa, and who knows how long she'd last against her. She had to do something; now was not the time to argue. Hermione knew she had to act fast. She could make a run in to the forest, without the boys, and they could catch up to her, eventually. Hermione was unsure if she would have enough time to reach Narcissa. Her heart was pounding against her chest as her fear grew that they might not find the woman who saved her life alive. Suddenly, she had a wild idea. It could be dangerous, but she had to take the risk; the same way Narcissa had risked her life to save Hermione.

"I AM GOING WITH YOU, WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT, POTTER!"

Hermione shook her head in frustration as the arguing continued. They didn't call her the brightest witch of her age for nothing. She thought, and concentrated very hard on Narcissa Malfoy's face; with a pop, Hermione apparated into the unknown.

Right away, Hermione felt like she was being spun and sucked through a very small hole. Her body was throttled against the hard, cold, forest floor; she was still. Light-headed and dizzy, Hermione stood up. She brushed some leaves out of her brown curls, while grasping her wand firmly. She began to look around, but didn't see a thing. Nothing. It seemed that Hermione was lost and utterly alone in what could be the deepest, darkest part of the forbidden forest. Did her idea of trying to apparate to Narcissa fail?

Without warning, Hermione heard a cackle that sent chills down her spine. She quietly began to approach the sounds; then the voices grew louder.

"P-p-please, Bellatrix! I am your sister…" Narcissa pleaded, terrified and weak.

"Hah! You betrayed us all! You are nothing to me, and now, out here, you will be finished. I shall avenge my Lord! I promise to take my time, dear Narcissa. I promise to kill you in the slowest and most painful way possible. The best part of it all, of us being out here, is that nobody will be able to hear you scream…"

Hidden behind a large tree, Hermione knew she had to act fast. Narcissa began to scream, and Hermione knew that it was time to act was now. She held onto her wand, with a firm grip, and leaped from behind the tree. Her wand was immediately aimed at the back of Bellatrix, and she shouted with fierceness in her voice, "IMPERIO!"

Hermione's curse hit Bellatrix's back. Bellatrix hadn't seen the younger witch; she turned around and stared at Hermione blankly, while a motionless Narcissa lay on the forest floor covered in blood.

"You will walk toward the edge of the forest, and stop until you are captured and arrested. Go. NOW!" Hermione ordered with more confidence than she thought she harbored at the present time.

Bellatrix, still looking spacey, began walking and was consumed into the darkness of the forest. Hermione was slightly shocked that she successfully cast the Imperius Curse on her first attempt. Soon she refocused her attention to Narcissa. Leaves crackled under Hermione's feet, while she quickly came to Narcissa's side. Slowly she knelt down beside her. Though Narcissa was pale, covered in bruises, and she had a large cut above her right eye, where blood was oozing, she was still beautiful. Hermione's hands nervously lifted her head, and placed it softly onto her own lap. She brushed Narcissa's hair out of her face.

"Narcissa," she whispered lightly, "Can you hear me?"

Narcissa's glossy blue eyes flickered open. Hermione wasn't sure what Bellatrix had done to her, and she didn't know if Narcissa was conscious enough tell her.

"It's going to be okay, Narcissa. It's Hermione, I'm here to help you." Hermione hushed in a rattled voice.

She picked up her wand and sent red sparks flying into the sky. She hoped Harry and the others would pick up on her signal, because she didn't want to chance apparating with Narcissa in her condition.

"Draco?" uttered Narcissa.

Hermione's eyes widened with surprise. "Draco, is coming Narcissa," she spoke trying to comfort her, "You're going to be okay!"

Narcissa stared up at her, and Hermione gently began stoking Narcissa's head, and letting her mixture of chocolate and blonde hair run between her fingers. Hermione's mother had always done that when she was upset or sick. As a child, it would always keep Hermione at bay. She let her eyes wander over Narcissa's body and noticed a large spot of redness growing from her torso. Hermione kept one hand on Narcissa's head, trying to cradle it, and held her wand in the other attempting to heal her.

It wasn't working. She muttered the spell, again. Nothing.

"T-tell Draco that I'm s-so sorry…" Narcissa stuttered hoarsely.

"Narcissa, stay with me! Narcissa, keep your eyes open, keep looking at me! Draco will be here at any moment." Hermione was begging her.

"Tell h-him that I love him…" Narcissa's voice began to falter, and her breathing became much more labored.

"Narcissa, I am NOT going to let you die. Stay alive for your son. Stay with me!" Hermione reached for her hand, grabbed it, and spoke in a voice that was almost begging the older witch to listen to her. "Here, squeeze my hand when it hurts, but don't you close your eyes, Narcissa Malfoy. Listen to me. You stay with me! Your son needs his mother…"

Narcissa didn't know why the mudblood girl was being so kind to her, but she was struggling to hold on. It was hard to think, to process anything. She kept her eyes focused on the girl's brown orbs. Hermione Granger looked like she was on the edge of having an emotional breakdown. Narcissa wondered how badly off she was. She could not move, but she knew her sister had caused great damage. Searing pain came over Narcissa and she felt herself grasp the girl's hand as hard as she could. Everything was starting to go black…

Hermione felt the pressure on her hand increase, and her stomach churned as a lump rose to the very top of her throat. Hermione didn't know why, but tears began to slide down her face. She was crying for the witch she once despised. She whispered one last time to the battered beauty that was Narcissa Malfoy, "Stay with us Narcissa… Stay with me…"