Chapter 12
Hermione woke the next day at noon, and as promised, Narcissa explained everything.
Bellatrix was, as they had said the previous night, a double agent. She had done as Hermione had begged of her, making sure that, whatever happened, her little sister was safe, so that when one day she had walked in on Lucius with his hand raised and ready to strike, and Narcissa on the floor, an angry bruise painted across her cheek, she had sworn to do everything in her power to make him pay, exposing him as a Death Eater and switching sides in the process. Draco had been barely two years old.
Bellatrix's change in allegiance had in turn caused many other drastic changes to the world Hermione thought she knew. Sirius was still alive, as was Lupin. Hermione had nearly fainted when she had seen Sirius and Remus walking past her door. The Dark Lord still had control over the Ministry, but because of Lucius's absence his influence was sorely diminished; having had to take it by force rather than stealth, many had fled and joined the resistance. But perhaps most shocking was the presence of Frank and Alice Longbottom. As Bellatrix's switch had happened at the very end of Voldemort's last reign before their attack on the Longbottoms, it had never happened.
Although Hermione remembered everything the way it had happened to her, new memories, of what had changed, slowly started to filter their way into Hermione's dreams, so that two sets of parallel memories were formed. And when she woke, sweating and shaking in the middle of the night, unable to tell if her dreams were simply that, dreams, or new memories, Narcissa was there besides her.
It was at least a week before Hermione had both physically and psychologically begun to heal. She woke one morning to find Narcissa asleep besides her, one arm thrown casually across her waist, the other with her hand tucked under her cheek like a child. And for the first time since she had been back, she could see just how much she had changed. It was not just that she was older, though that was the most obvious change, it was the little things that shocked her the most. For where little over a week ago she had known every detail, every line, every freckle, ever scar that was the map of her lovers flawless body, now she found new roads pathways and ally ways formed by scars and burns that had laced their way across her once marble skin. She had been broken, and crudely mended like a flawless marble statue, that was now latticed with thin scars.
She traced a light burn down the side of her white neck, over her shoulder and out of sight, feeling the smooth silken skin give way to rough, crinkled scar tissue. Narcissa stirred under her touch, her icy eyes fluttering open, and she smiled sleepily at Hermione.
"Where did you get this?" Hermione whispered. Narcissa's hand fluttered lightly over the burnt skin and she sighed.
"Bella's husband Rodulphus. Normally I don't go out in the field. I stay back and help when people are injured. But Andie was captured, so I wanted to be a part of the rescue team." Anger burned behind Hermione's eyes, tears threatening to spill. "Now don't you dare look at me light that," she said softly, stroking a dark curl from her lover's face. "I've had to sit here and watch you come in with much worse that this before. And simply wait for news, praying that you wouldn't die before I got you back."
"It's just, only last week I knew your body like the back of my hand and now…" Her sentence trailed off as she looked up at her hopelessly. "I guess I am still adjusting.' Narcissa chuckled.
"So am I my love. Don't you think it feels strange for me to be lying here, in bed with a woman I haven't slept with in over twenty years, and for her to not look a day older?" Hermione laughed a little, a small smile tugging at her mouth.
"True," she said. "Does anyone…?"
"No. Merlin no. The only people that know about us are you, me and Bella."
"Do you think we should tell them?" Hermione asked, her voice little more than a whisper. Narcissa remained quiet for a minute, turning to star up at the canopy above their bed.
"I don't know," she said slowly.
"People will find out eventually."
"I know. But Hermione it's complicated. I have Draco to think of now." Hermione frowned.
"But you waited. You waited more than twenty years for me." A blind panic started to rise up in her chest. "Are you saying that…?"
"My love I'm and not giving you up." Narcissa said quickly cutting her off. "Don't, even for a moment, think that that is what I want." She gently trailed her fingers down the girls face and Hermione's eyes fluttered shut at her touch. "I only just got you back," she whispered. "I'm not giving you up any time soon. I promise." She kissed her and pulled the girl into her arms; her lover, her Hermione was back, but how long could they go on like this for undisturbed?
Sorry this has taken so long to update. Where I have been the internet is pretty crummy so it wouldn't let me upload a new chapter. I am going to change the update's to the weekend now so that I know it will work and I don't run the risk of being so late again! I hope you enjoy.