Friends by Chance Lovers by Choice

The Secret is Out

It was another full week before we heard anything more about Lucius. Draco, Narcissa, and I were having dinner together when a door slammed and in walked a panicked Dumbledore and Mcgonagall looking for us.

"I'm sorry to disturb your evening like this Narcissa, but the two of you need to see this." He motioned towards Draco indicating this involved him as well. "Mrs. y/l/n if you will." I knew I had been dismissed and unhappily walked out into the living room to wait.

They had placed a silencing charm on the kitchen so all I could do was wait for them to leave and someone to tell me what was going on.

After what seemed like an eternity the headmaster and transfiguration teacher left her chambers still looking a bit nervous. I continued to wait until the other two came out of the kitchen in case they were discussing private family matters.

Just as the anticipation had begun to drive me mad, Draco burst into the living room stalking angrily to the door and slamming it as he left. Narcissa walked out into the room I was in soon after, tear streaks running down her cheeks.

She walked over to me and finally collapsed in my arms as I sat us both down on the sofa. I rubbed her back and tried to soothe her in order to figure out what had upset them so much.

"Lucius knows we're hiding. He's looking for us intent on killing both Draco and I." She nestled into my side, seeking protection and comfort and I obliged, wrapping my arms more securely around her trembling frame.

"He can't lay a finger on either of you while you're within these walls my love. You know that. We just to wait until he's been recaptured and you'll be safe."

"He'll just escape again! We'll never be free so long as he is alive." Her sobs broke my heart and I gently kissed the top of her head as I contemplated what to do next.

Draco was Merlin knows where sulking and probably ranting to someone about his father that night and so I kept Narcissa company in her room.

She was laying on my chest in bed that night, slowly falling asleep as we finished up a random movie that was just there to act as background noise to our endless thoughts. I had been mindlessly tracing patterns on her back until she finally gave in to sleep, tightening her grip around me as she did so afraid I would leave her.

/   /   /   /

I suddenly woke up panicking, feeling thrashing beside me and not sure exactly what was happening. Narcissa was in the throes of a nightmare, tears streaming down her face as she fought with her invisible demons.

"Hey hey Cissy wake up." I tried to grab her arms to keep her from hurting herself and abruptly woke her up, causing her to fall off the bed and start crawling backwards away from her imaginary attacker.

I quickly walked over to her side of the bed, dropping down beside her and wrapping her tightly in my arms soothing her worries.

"You're ok. You're ok. I'm here love I've got you." She relaxed into me and hid her face in my chest as she trembled in my arms. I continued shushing her and assuring her that she was safe until she finally took a long, shaky breath and pulled away.

"I-I'm sorry y/n. I'm alright." I pushed the stray hair out of her eyes and kissed her forehead, wiping the remaining tears away with my thumbs.

"It is not your fault love. You have nothing to apologize for." I helped her up and back into bed, cuddling her as tightly as I could to comfort both of us as we both fell back into a stressful sleep.

/ / / /

That was how we spent the next couple of weeks. It was now around mid March, and school would be ending for Spring Break next week. Draco and I were swamped with semester tests, and Narcissa was looking more tired everyday due to her daily recurring nightmares.