A/N: Just so you guys know - Confessions of a Black will -always- be the most important story to me. XD I am allowed to have other stories in progress, you know. So - COAB is my main one currently, but my other two projects are "Remus Lupin: My December" and Steph's challenge which I hope to write more of very soon. :) Thanks for all the lovely reviews and favourites - it's much appriceated! And sorry for the short chapter. /

"'But you are normal!' said Harry fiercely. 'You've just got a-a problem-'
Lupin burst out laughing. 'Sometimes you remind me alot of James. He called it my 'furry little problem' in company. Many people were under the impression that I owned a badly behaved rabbit.'" - Half Blood Prince

Disclaimer: Sadly, I own nothing. Never will, unless J.K Rowling decides to give me possession of Sirius Black -demented fangirl look- [moving swiftly on -coughs-


One year passed. Lucius still wasn't out of Azkaban.
Narcissa was becoming very depressed; she'd lost interest in food, her social life, and life in general. Her hair had began to fall out whenever she brushed it - lots of it, not just the ordinary amount. She refrained from brushing it if possible. Her expression had become a tired, pale one, and her eyes had lost their glitter. Nothing seemed to matter now. One morning over breakfast (she merely had a black coffee whilst Draco ate strawberry flavoured toast - his newest obsession) an owl arrived, crashing head-first on Draco's large pile of strawberry flavoured toast; causing them to fall magnificently as if they were dominos. Ignoring her son's cries of dissapointment and anger, she lazily reached for the letter with her slender fingers, and opened the white envelope slowly. A letter fell out, and she began to read it.

Dear Narcissa Malfoy,
Our priorities have solely been to keeping the wizarding world happy, and keeping up with peoples day-to-day priorities. The reason we are writing is because of Mr Lucius Malfoy, employee at Ministry of Magic and contributor towards elementary funds. We have reason to believe he is still in Azkaban awaiting trial, and so, after pulling a few strings, we have made it so his trial is tomorrow morning at ten o'clock. We hope you can make it.

Warm regards,
Cornelius Fudge, Minister for Magic.

She sighed impatiently and dropped the letter to the table, wiping her mouth. Of course, she knew Lucius would worm his way out. 'Contributions towards elementary funds' meant a bribe in other words. She snorted and stood up, brushing herself down even though she was vacant of crumbs. She hadn't interacted with anybody for ages - unless you included a few letters with Remus, and spending time with Dobby and Draco. Draco, it seemed, had forgotten he even had a father, even though Narcissa made a point of speaking of Lucius to her son at least once a day, so he'd stay fresh in his memory, but this was all in vain. She knew what she had to do ... she had to speak to Severus. Standing up, Narcissa made her way to the work-top, were she had stashed parchment and a spare quill, and wrote to Severus.

Dear Severus,
Lucius' trial is tomorrow at ten o'clock. This is just a personal notification if you're unaware of it. I'd appriceate it if you showed up, I have the uncanny feeling I'll be needing moral support. Any news on Harry?
-Narcissa.

She tied the short letter to Fluffy's leg, who had been perched on it's stand, half-asleep. Fluffy hooted happily and swooped out of the house quickly. Narcissa rolled her eyes ... that owl was so loud. As she contemplated buying another owl, she absent-mindedly made her way to the armchair besides the kitchen fireplace, and sunk into it, overcome with fatigue; and it was only eleven 'o clock. From the warmth of the flickering flames, and the comfiness of the armchair, she fell asleep. For once, it was not dreamless.

She was in Azkaban, visiting Sirius. Why she was there was beyond her. She passed Lucius' cell without so much as a glance, and she heard him shout weakly, but all the energy in his face had drained, his voice barely above a whisper. She made her way straight to Sirius. "I've come to rescue you," she was saying in a smooth voice,. He looked at her with an expression that could only be defined as infatuation, and he grabbed her and they begun to kiss passionately. "This can't be real," she said to Sirius when they paused for breath. Sirius, who she had just been kissing passionatley, suddenly turned into Voldemort. His scarlet eyes flashed with cold amusement towards her. "Oh, but it is," said Voldemort, who turned into Dumbledore. He had chocolate all around his mouth and was pulling empty wrappers out of his cloak and throwing them at her, as if they were confetti. "Give me all your chocolate!" he was screaming at her, looking demented. The dream changed quickly.
Dementors glided softly into what now appeared to be her funeral ceremony and began to surround her coffin and the people who had come to show respects. Their eyes were gleaming. Fresh, human flesh to devour ... one lifted it's hood to perform the kiss on her - she was suddenly alive again. She drew her wand and shouted, "EXPECTO PATRONUM!" but nothing happened. Remus appeared from the crowd and she begged for him to help her, but he walked away into the shadows. She felt two cold hands touch her face, and ... "AHHHH!"

"Goodness, Narcissa," said a silky voice she recongized instantly, "Perhaps I shouldn't of bothered coming to your aid." Still in a hot sweat from her terrifying dream, she glanced up to see Snape surveying at her with disdain. "Did you have a nightmare?" he asked curtly, his black eyes glittering somewhat maliciously.
"No, Severus, I merely-"
"Narcissa, I know you're lying ... but let's forget that now. How are you?" he snapped his fingers impatiently at Dobby, who sorted drinks out a few moments later. Curling his lip, he turned his attention back to Narcissa, who still had bright red cheeks. What a strange dream that had been.
"Coping," she muttered, taking a sip from her drink. It tasted vile, she had lost her acquired taste to drinks other than Coffee and water. She hoped sincerely he wouldn't mention James, Lily, Sirius or Remus - she feared she would loose her mind if he did.
"I see ..." he said softly, holding his glass loosely in his hands. She noticed his wrist was scarred, but when he saw her look enquiringly at it, he pulled his sleeve down furiously, blushing. "I assume you are pleased that Lucius will be released?"
"Extactic," she replied unconvicingly, an eyebrow raised. He smirked. "No, it will be good to have him home," she continued, only half truthfully, "The manor feels quite empty without him, and Draco's forgetting who he is."
"Really?" Snape regarded her with a spark of interest she hadn't seen before. She nodded lazily and made no further attempt to go into detail, until he insinuated with a slight nod she should continue. "Really," she said calmly, "I do try to help him remember Lucius by making a point of mentioning him at least once a day, but Lucius is nothing to the boy. He could care less, he really could."
"Have you been eating?"
"I-what?" What indeed. The sudden change in topic un-nerved her, as Snape looked at her in utmost concern, a strained smile on his face. He took her hand slowly, and examined it, his lips pursued as if he was about to kiss it.
"No. Your blood flow isn't as accurate. Narcissa, you have to eat." He dropped her hand and she raised an eyebrow.

"How did you know?"
"I'm a self-proclaimed genius, Cissy," he breathed, his eyes glittering. "Accio toast!"
"Mother, that man just stole my toast!"
"Quiet, Draco."
Snape smiled at her. "Eat." She took the toast slowly but brought it to her mouth, and ate it in a few quick bites. Oh merlin, it was delicious! She really had missed food. Living off black coffee and plain biscuits did not suit her. It felt perfect to be indulging in such a scrumptious food, even if it was Draco's. She figured he would just have to object a little longer --- until she finished his toast. She remembered how the marauders had forced her to eat in her seventh year. That was so long ago, now ... the toast became stuck in her throat and she choked, her eyes watering. The toast flew out of her mouth and hit Draco on the head, who started wailing.
"Silence," snapped Snape towards Draco, who quietened instantly. He turned his attention back to Narcissa, flicking his hair out of his eyes. Such a Sirius-thing to do. "Well," said Snape awkwardly, not being good at coping with emotion, "I'll be here tomorrow at eight to escort you to the ministry." He squeezed her hand sympathetically for dissapearing with a soft pop.