Title: Hide and Seek
Summary: Narcissa mourns Bellatrix' death
Characters/Pairings: Bellatrix Black, Narcissa Malfoy, Lucius Malfoy; Narcissa&Lucius
Genre: Drama
Type: OneShot
Rating/Warnings: PG-13; Character Death and a little Blood
Word Count: 1450
She had never considered herself to be very brave. It had always been her sister who’d have the right to call herself brave, as the only member of the family.
Yes, it was Bellatrix, who was looking for the monsters under their beds when they still were children, who was constantly seeking adventure. It was Bellatrix, fighting for what she believed in, without spending a thought on the consequences.
Narcissa had always been the quiet one, the lady, silent, when it was required to be silent, remaining obedient and reverent throughout her life.
She was told not to cry when she received the message of Bellatrix’ death, so she did not cry. Crying was pointless, they said, it would just make her look old and less attractive to her husband. Crying would mean that she had lost control, and a Black never lost control. She was told to remain quiet. So she remained quiet.
She had not been told about what had happened, had not even been told about when her sister had died. "Your sister is dead", they said, barely noticing her desperate attempts not to show weakness. "She was found a few hours ago, near Spinner’s End."
Narcissa had locked herself into her room for the rest of the day, unable to talk, to do anything but stare at the window.
She had not even said goodbye... Had gone without saying goodbye to the person that loved her more than she loved herself. "I always thought, you were brave, Bella...", Narcissa whsipered, hardly audible. "How could I be so mistaken..."
Narcissa pretended to be asleep when Lucius came to bed, late after midnight. She did not want to have to talk to him, or even to look at his face. Her whole body started to tremble when she felt his arms around her waist, when he started to carefully stroke over her face. "I brew you some Dreamless Sleep Potion", he whispered into her ear, knowing that she was still awake. She did not respond. Just looked at the purple liquid in the glass her husband was holding in his hands. "Thank you", she said eventually, her voice husky, hardly audible, and turned away from him, too ashamed of her feelings.
The potion started to show its effect fast, only a few minutes after she had emptied the glass. But not fast enough. Narcissa could hear Lucius speak to himself, whispering three words over and over again. "She was murdered..."
He had held her hand all night, unable to sleep himself, always ready to calm her down, in case she would wake up. But she did not wake up, slept quietly, as if nothing had happened. At least sleep would allow her to forget about reality for a while. Would allow her to rest.
"I’m going to get you!", she shouted with her light, clear voice, almost stumbled upon her cloak while running through the corridors. She was glad their parents had gone on an outing and would not find out what they were doing, because she could be sure they’d punish them both if they did. "You can’t escape me, Bella, we both know that! You never managed to escape me!"
They had loved to play Hide And Seek when they still were children, and sometimes they even did now. Now, that they were both grown up. She, Narcissa, seventeen, her sister four years older.
They both knew that, for a lady, it was forbidden to act as childish and unbehaved as they did now, that a lady had to stay calm and controlled in every situation, and especially Narcissa followed these rules strictly. She knew what her family expected, especially now, that Lucius had proposed to her. Bellatrix did not care about what they, or other people, thought. She just did what she wanted, like she had always done only what she wanted to do. It had been her who convinced Narcissa to forget about the rules, to play Hide And Seek with her, as if they were ten again. She knew that it would cheer her up, knew that forgetting about her duties for only an hour would save her life. And it did.
It took Narcissa only five minutes to find her sister, hidden behind a curtain in her own bedroom. She had run a little too fast, though, fell down on her knees, gasping for breath, but smiling. "I told you I was going to get you..."
He was still lying next to her when she opened her eyes, her face all wet with tears. "I’m sorry", she whispered, but Lucius just shook his head. "Don’t", he said, his grey eyes looking at her, worried, like she had only been looked at by her sister.
Narcissa rose, had a brief look into the mirror. Her eyes had lost their shine, but they were from the same bright, clear blue as always, her skin, a bit paler than usual, but as soft, as flawless as before. She did not even look tired, as if it was just an ordinary day.
But everything seemed to move slower today. Her motions, her words, even her thoughts. As if also time was grieving.
Narcissa had never talked much, not even when Bellatrix was with her. Had always been the quiet one, never desired to make friends or to speak with people.
But now, now, only a few days after her sister’s death, she had stopped talking almost completely, hardly ever spoke a word, neither to her servants, nor to Lucius. He did not force her to talk, treated her carefully, as if she was as fragile as a porcelain doll. He brought her a glass of Dreamless Sleep Potion every night, and kept on holding her hand until she had fallen asleep.
But the world did not stop turning, she knew that she had to go on, had to fulfill her duties, and she did. Tried her best to please everyone around her, like it was her obligation. But she had become careless, about herself, about what happened. Had become numb. And only this numbness could help her survive.
She rose when she heard the noise from outside. When she heard Luicus shouting. After a few minutes she had reached the entrance hall, hardly interested in what was going on, to be honest. But Lucius seldom lost control over his voice, and she felt like there was an invisible power, forcing her to go.
Narcissa felt like heart had stopped beating when she reached the entrance hall, finding her husband, furiously shouting at a small, masked figure, seeming to be ready to beat him up.
"Will you stop it!", she shouted, horrified by what she saw. "Lucius, for Merlin’s sake, have you lost your mind? Stop it!"
She was not able to undestand what he was talking about, just heard the screams echoing in her ear, but she did not want to know. All of a sudden, everything had started to remind her of Bellatrix, how she had shouted at her mother, when they were having a fight, how hysterical she had become, even when she had grown older. It had been almost impossible for Narcissa to calm her down again, but she had always managed to do so. She knew that the only reason that kept Bellatrix from running away was her, because without her sister, she would be lost. Would not be able to survive.
"Lucius, please..." Narcissa hardly realized that her husband had now pulled a knife out of his cloak, ready to throw it at the man. She was standing right behind him, not daring to move, in case could make Lucius even more furious. "Please... Don’t! I don’t want to lose you too!"
But he did not listen to her. She was not even sure if he was able to realize what she said. "That’s for Bellatrix!", he shouted, tossing the knife at his opposite. But he disapparated, less than a second earlier. Lucius and Narcissa’s gazes crossed, for only a moment, his eyes wide open with horror and fear...
The pain in her stomach made her fall down on her knees, gasping for breath. She felt Lucius’ hands on her body, could feel how he laid her down on the floor, carefully, her head lying in his arms. "I’m so sorry, Cissy...", he whispered, over and over again. "I’m so sorry..."
Lucius, the entrance hall, everything started to blur before her eyes, she could hear Bellatrix’ voice, laughing, shouting from far away. "You found me, Cissy! And I really thought my lair was good enough this time..."
Narcissa closed her eyes, smiling. "I told you I’d get you, Bella", she whispered.
Summary: Narcissa mourns Bellatrix' death
Characters/Pairings: Bellatrix Black, Narcissa Malfoy, Lucius Malfoy; Narcissa&Lucius
Genre: Drama
Type: OneShot
Rating/Warnings: PG-13; Character Death and a little Blood
Word Count: 1450
HIDE AND SEEK
She had never considered herself to be very brave. It had always been her sister who’d have the right to call herself brave, as the only member of the family.
Yes, it was Bellatrix, who was looking for the monsters under their beds when they still were children, who was constantly seeking adventure. It was Bellatrix, fighting for what she believed in, without spending a thought on the consequences.
Narcissa had always been the quiet one, the lady, silent, when it was required to be silent, remaining obedient and reverent throughout her life.
She was told not to cry when she received the message of Bellatrix’ death, so she did not cry. Crying was pointless, they said, it would just make her look old and less attractive to her husband. Crying would mean that she had lost control, and a Black never lost control. She was told to remain quiet. So she remained quiet.
She had not been told about what had happened, had not even been told about when her sister had died. "Your sister is dead", they said, barely noticing her desperate attempts not to show weakness. "She was found a few hours ago, near Spinner’s End."
Narcissa had locked herself into her room for the rest of the day, unable to talk, to do anything but stare at the window.
She had not even said goodbye... Had gone without saying goodbye to the person that loved her more than she loved herself. "I always thought, you were brave, Bella...", Narcissa whsipered, hardly audible. "How could I be so mistaken..."
Narcissa pretended to be asleep when Lucius came to bed, late after midnight. She did not want to have to talk to him, or even to look at his face. Her whole body started to tremble when she felt his arms around her waist, when he started to carefully stroke over her face. "I brew you some Dreamless Sleep Potion", he whispered into her ear, knowing that she was still awake. She did not respond. Just looked at the purple liquid in the glass her husband was holding in his hands. "Thank you", she said eventually, her voice husky, hardly audible, and turned away from him, too ashamed of her feelings.
The potion started to show its effect fast, only a few minutes after she had emptied the glass. But not fast enough. Narcissa could hear Lucius speak to himself, whispering three words over and over again. "She was murdered..."
He had held her hand all night, unable to sleep himself, always ready to calm her down, in case she would wake up. But she did not wake up, slept quietly, as if nothing had happened. At least sleep would allow her to forget about reality for a while. Would allow her to rest.
"I’m going to get you!", she shouted with her light, clear voice, almost stumbled upon her cloak while running through the corridors. She was glad their parents had gone on an outing and would not find out what they were doing, because she could be sure they’d punish them both if they did. "You can’t escape me, Bella, we both know that! You never managed to escape me!"
They had loved to play Hide And Seek when they still were children, and sometimes they even did now. Now, that they were both grown up. She, Narcissa, seventeen, her sister four years older.
They both knew that, for a lady, it was forbidden to act as childish and unbehaved as they did now, that a lady had to stay calm and controlled in every situation, and especially Narcissa followed these rules strictly. She knew what her family expected, especially now, that Lucius had proposed to her. Bellatrix did not care about what they, or other people, thought. She just did what she wanted, like she had always done only what she wanted to do. It had been her who convinced Narcissa to forget about the rules, to play Hide And Seek with her, as if they were ten again. She knew that it would cheer her up, knew that forgetting about her duties for only an hour would save her life. And it did.
It took Narcissa only five minutes to find her sister, hidden behind a curtain in her own bedroom. She had run a little too fast, though, fell down on her knees, gasping for breath, but smiling. "I told you I was going to get you..."
He was still lying next to her when she opened her eyes, her face all wet with tears. "I’m sorry", she whispered, but Lucius just shook his head. "Don’t", he said, his grey eyes looking at her, worried, like she had only been looked at by her sister.
Narcissa rose, had a brief look into the mirror. Her eyes had lost their shine, but they were from the same bright, clear blue as always, her skin, a bit paler than usual, but as soft, as flawless as before. She did not even look tired, as if it was just an ordinary day.
But everything seemed to move slower today. Her motions, her words, even her thoughts. As if also time was grieving.
Narcissa had never talked much, not even when Bellatrix was with her. Had always been the quiet one, never desired to make friends or to speak with people.
But now, now, only a few days after her sister’s death, she had stopped talking almost completely, hardly ever spoke a word, neither to her servants, nor to Lucius. He did not force her to talk, treated her carefully, as if she was as fragile as a porcelain doll. He brought her a glass of Dreamless Sleep Potion every night, and kept on holding her hand until she had fallen asleep.
But the world did not stop turning, she knew that she had to go on, had to fulfill her duties, and she did. Tried her best to please everyone around her, like it was her obligation. But she had become careless, about herself, about what happened. Had become numb. And only this numbness could help her survive.
She rose when she heard the noise from outside. When she heard Luicus shouting. After a few minutes she had reached the entrance hall, hardly interested in what was going on, to be honest. But Lucius seldom lost control over his voice, and she felt like there was an invisible power, forcing her to go.
Narcissa felt like heart had stopped beating when she reached the entrance hall, finding her husband, furiously shouting at a small, masked figure, seeming to be ready to beat him up.
"Will you stop it!", she shouted, horrified by what she saw. "Lucius, for Merlin’s sake, have you lost your mind? Stop it!"
She was not able to undestand what he was talking about, just heard the screams echoing in her ear, but she did not want to know. All of a sudden, everything had started to remind her of Bellatrix, how she had shouted at her mother, when they were having a fight, how hysterical she had become, even when she had grown older. It had been almost impossible for Narcissa to calm her down again, but she had always managed to do so. She knew that the only reason that kept Bellatrix from running away was her, because without her sister, she would be lost. Would not be able to survive.
"Lucius, please..." Narcissa hardly realized that her husband had now pulled a knife out of his cloak, ready to throw it at the man. She was standing right behind him, not daring to move, in case could make Lucius even more furious. "Please... Don’t! I don’t want to lose you too!"
But he did not listen to her. She was not even sure if he was able to realize what she said. "That’s for Bellatrix!", he shouted, tossing the knife at his opposite. But he disapparated, less than a second earlier. Lucius and Narcissa’s gazes crossed, for only a moment, his eyes wide open with horror and fear...
The pain in her stomach made her fall down on her knees, gasping for breath. She felt Lucius’ hands on her body, could feel how he laid her down on the floor, carefully, her head lying in his arms. "I’m so sorry, Cissy...", he whispered, over and over again. "I’m so sorry..."
Lucius, the entrance hall, everything started to blur before her eyes, she could hear Bellatrix’ voice, laughing, shouting from far away. "You found me, Cissy! And I really thought my lair was good enough this time..."
Narcissa closed her eyes, smiling. "I told you I’d get you, Bella", she whispered.
