Chapter Twenty One
A/N: Thanks to Nevaeh -Rose Malfoy for reviewing the last chapter.
The Slytherin common room was silent when Narcissa descended the staircase, although it had over a dozen occupants gathered across the dark leather sofas. She wrapped her hands around her waist, shielding herself, when over a dozen pairs of eyes turned to face her. Slytherins had very long memories, especially when it came to Blood Traitors. And their sisters.
Narcissa all but ran through the space, seeking the comforting anonymity of the hallways. It was not much of a comfort to be away from the Slytherins, in truth. The other Houses judged her just the same, though they judged her for her sins rather than her sister's. They did not understand the way Pureblood families worked, did not understand the choice Andromeda had made; all they saw was a heartless coward who did not even have the strength to love her own sister.
"Narcissa, wait!" a familiar voice called down the corridor. The girl quickened her pace; she did not want Lucius to be seen with her. It would only make it worse for him.
If she wanted to avoid anyone in the world, she ought not to have chosen someone as stubborn as a Malfoy. He chased her like a man possessed, following each twisting corridor and shifting staircase without ever seeming to tire. Eventually, Narcissa whirled around, so suddenly that Lucius almost ran straight into her.
"What do you want, Lucius?" she snapped. It was a far harsher tone than she ought to have taken, considering the precarious position she found herself in.
"I wanted to make sure you were alright." Lucius reasoned, seemingly unfazed by her outburst. Somehow that made Narcissa seethe all the more.
"Alright?" she repeated, as if each syllable was a word of its own. "How could I be alright, Lucius? The entire of Slytherin House thinks I am tainted, while the rest of the Houses think I'm some kind of monster!"
"No one thinks that." Lucius assured her. His expression was less convincing than his empty words. He had seen the others just as she had.
"Yes, they do." Narcissa affirmed. All the fight had gone from her voice as she sunk down to sit on the steps beneath her. "And they're right. I shouldn't have let it happen."
"Cissa, you didn't have a choice." This time Lucius' voice was not hollow, his hand reaching out to clutch hers. Narcissa wanted to take comfort from the gesture, but she could not.
"That's exactly how this keeps happening." she sighed, pulling her hand away. "The Purebloods tell each other that it's alright to cast out their families, their friends. And then they keep doing it for generations, believing that it's what has to be done. But just because something is traditional, that doesn't mean it's right."
Silence fell between them, and at any other moment, Narcissa might have regretted her decision. After all, Lucius belonged to one of the most traditional Pureblood families in England, just as she did. But her loathing for the practices was so intense at that moment that she could not bring herself to care.
"I'm sorry." Lucius whispered eventually, as if he was worried he might be overheard. Narcissa almost laughed at that. How like a Malfoy, to care for nothing but his reputation. "I should not have criticised you. You were right to try and defend your sister."
Narcissa frowned a little. "You don't… blame me? Think I'm foolish, for going against the rules?"
"No." Lucius stated simply. The young woman waited for him to elaborate, but he left it at that. It was another minute before he spoke again. "I don't have any siblings. I sometimes wish I did, but I would not want to subject another child to my father's rule. Anyway, if I did, and they made the choice your sister made, I would be questioning our traditions as well. The matter is, Narcissa, it can never come to more than questioning. And I think you understand that this can never be told to anyone but me. I would never give you away, but there are plenty who would."
Narcissa looked to the floor, then to the window. Then she nodded.
Lucius sighed in relief, placing his hand over hers again and patting it, the way a father might do to their child. It was a reassurance that they had done well, that they had followed the rules they were taught. Just as she had tried not to do.
"I know it's hard, Cissa, but it'll be all alright in the end." Lucius promised. "People like us have so many rules to follow, someone else will make a decision they frown upon and they'll forget all about Andromeda. But in the meantime, I won't let anyone take this out on you. It wasn't your fault that Andromeda made the decision she did and you shouldn't be blamed for it."
'She shouldn't be blamed for it.' Narcissa argued in her mind, though she did not speak the words aloud. Lucius was the only friend she had left, she would not risk losing him as well.
"I just feel so alone now." she whispered. It felt almost like an admission of weakness, but Lucius simply smiled it away, his eyes kindly and sad.
"You're not alone, Cissa." He was holding her hand tighter now, leaning towards her. It took a moment for the girl to remember how to breathe. "You have me. I've told you, I'll be here for you. Whatever you want from me… I'm here."
Narcissa was not sure whether her eyes were deceiving her or whether he had not stopped leaning forward. Her mind seemed to be exploding with fireworks, making her temples ache with their intensity. She could not deduce the situation if her life depended on it.
In the end, she did not have a chance to, because Lucius had already closed the final gap and pressed his lips to hers. If she had thought the fireworks were intense beforehand, it was nothing compared to the way she felt now. She felt safe, warm, supported, and for the smallest moment, she forgot all about the sister she had lost.
A/N: Just had to get some Lucissa in! However, not everyone loves them as much as me, so let's see how that works out in the next couple of chapters. Please review!