Chapter Seven

The next few days were all but unbearable. Narcissa scarcely looked at Hermione, let alone speak to her. She would avoid her at all costs, doing her work in the Library, eating meals at the other end of the Slytherin table, and when it got late, she would return to the Slytherin dungeon, walking straight past Hermione and up to their room. Unable to endure the stony silence between them Hermione would wait, sometimes until past midnight, before venturing up to their dorm to find the curtains around Narcissa's four-poster pulled tightly shut. In the mornings she would leave for breakfast before Hermione woke.

She hated it. More than she could say. She missed the feel of her warm naked body next to hers at night the way she woke to find her cool curious blue eyes watching her as she slept, and the way she would take her hand in her own under the desks and trace secret patterns in her palm. And she knew, no matter how hard Narcissa tried to hide it, that she missed her too. Though she never heard her, she knew that the blond cried at night, her light eyes giving her away with their unnatural shine and red rims. More than once she had caught her looking at her from across the classroom. But when she tried to talk to her, she simply walked away, or turned her back.

It had been five days. Five days since she had told her everything. Five days since she had last spoken to her, and Hermione was coming dangerously close to breaking point. It was the Friday before the end of term and after dinner Hermione followed Narcissa from the Great Hall. As she turned to ascend the great marble staircase Hermione reached out halted her as she grabbed her hand pulling her back. Narcissa turned slowly to face her.

"Unhand me Song," she snarled. "If indeed that is your real name."

"We need to talk," Hermione muttered. "And no," she added, "it's not."

"Figures."

Hermione marched the young blond al the way down to the edge of the Black Lake which had frozen over, all apart from a small jagged circle in the middle, created b the giant squid and it's insistence for airing it's tentacles.

"We need to talk," Hermione repeated as Narcissa yanked her wrist from Hermione's grip.

"I told you," Narcissa growled. "I have no desire to hear anything further from you."

"Narcissa please just listen to me."

"No," Narcissa interrupted. "You listen to me." The rage that had been slowly bubbling away beneath the surface for the past five days was becoming dangerously close to overflowing. "You lied to me Hermione. You lied about everything. The whole damn basis of our relationship was a lie."

"But Cissy I never…"

"Don't call me that! You lost the right to call me that." She was right. Hermione knew it. "You used me," Narcissa said stepping closer, making Hermione flinch back from her. "You used me and you lied to me about everything. Did I even mean anything to you?"

"Of course!" Hermione exclaimed. "Narcissa that is what I have been trying to tell you!"

"But how can I trust anything you say?" Narcissa cried. "Your bloody name isn't even real!" She took another step toward her. "You," she said pointing. Again Hermione flinched back. "You played me for a fool! And you made me fall in love with you," she finished hopelessly letting her hand fall dejectedly. A loud crack interrupted Hermione as she opened her mouth to speak. Both girls looked down, at the ice beneath their feet, and then at the web of cracks that Hermione was standing on. With a deafening 'snap' and a scream Hermione was sucked under the ice.

Narcissa screamed as the girl went under and lunged forwards, grabbing at her, only to snatch at her jumper, which was ripped from her hands as she was sucked under. She screamed her name again and again, scanning the water s and ice frantically for any sign of life beneath. As she reappeared near the centre of the lake Narcissa grabbed her hand to stop her sliding back under but she was pulled roughly forwards as something tugged sharply at Hermione.

"It's the gryndilows!" she yelled. "They've got my legs!" Narcissa pulled desperately, but only found her self being steadily dragged in the opposite direction.

"Don't let go!" Narcissa yelled. But their hands were slipping, growing numb with cold, unable to hold on. Their fingers slipped, and Hermione was plunged under once more. Narcissa followed on top as Hermione was dragged along under the ice. Pulling out her wand and aiming carefully at the ice above the dark mass around Hermione's legs she yelled,

"Bombarda!" With a violent blast a great hole was blow in the ice the gryndilows fled. Narcissa quickly grabbed Hermione's hands and hauled her out of the water. Her lips were blue, and she was shuddering violently in her arms.

"Please," Narcissa whispered as tears slid down her face, "hang on okay? Just stay awake." The last thing that Hermione saw, was a soft white light escape Narcissa's wand, in what appeared to be the shape of an otter, bounding towards the castle.

Hermione woke slowly, groggy and dazed. She shielded her eyes against the bright white lights above her, and slowly began to recognise the rows of little white beds that lined the halls of the Hospital Wing. She looked down to see Narcissa's white blond head resting on her torso as she dozed lightly. Hermione gently brushed aside her fair from her face and she woke with a start. When she saw Hermione awake and smiling wearily she gave a great sigh of relief.

"Thank Merlin," she whispered. Taking Hermione's face in her hands she kissed her very gently. "Don't ever do that again."

"I've missed this," Hermione murmured. Narcissa rolled her eyes and chuckled.

"You nearly drown and contract hypothermia and that's all you've got to say?" she laughed. Hermione smiled again.

"Well it's true," she said. Narcissa couldn't help but smile, though she swatted her arm playfully all the same. She then looked at her seriously, her eyes bright, shining with unshed tears.

"You frightened me," she said simply, her voice barely more than a whisper. "When I pulled you out you were whiter than parchment. Your lips were blue. And then you lost consciousness in my arms and," her voice had begun to tremble as she spoke. Hermione took her hand in her own and gave it a little squeeze.

"Don't," she said softly. "I'm fine. I'll be fine." Narcissa smiled and kissed her hand, holding it in both of her own.

"I'm sorry," she said, "for how I behaved."

"I know," Hermione said. "So am I."

"I want to help," said Narcissa, lowering her voice.

"Really? Narcissa nodded.

"Really."