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fembuckTitle: The Enemy of Love
Author: Janine
Fandom: Harry Potter
Pairing: Bellatrix/Andromeda
Rating: PG
Warning: blackcest, angst
Disclaimer: I don’t own them
Summary: Bellatrix and Andromeda love each other as much as two people can. But there is love, and then there's life, its enemy. Contains DH spoilers.
Link - Part One
---
Andromeda laughed as Ted twirled her around on the makeshift dance floor, her hair flying freely behind her as they glided across the wooden surface, the sun warming their faces as claps and laughter sounded around them.
Andromeda had never imagined that she would be married in a simple white dress in the middle of an enchanted field, her first dance with husband barefoot as birds chirped around them. It was so much better than the large, regimented, extravagant, spectacle she had always pictured in her head, so much better. It felt like a celebration instead of a business party, as it should.
Laughing, Andromeda took the glass of wine that appeared beside her and sipped it, the excited, happy voices chatting around her no more than a pleasant din as she smiled and laughed seemingly unable to stop.
“Oh, what the fuck is she doing here?” Sirius growled, surprising those around him, everyone’s eyes turning in the direction he was glaring in.
Andromeda’s heart skipped.
Bellatrix. It was Bellatrix. She was standing in a clump of trees leaning against one of the trunks a hundred meters or more away from them, but there was no doubt in her mind that the dark figure watching them was Bellatrix.
“Stay here, Dromeda,” Sirius said handing his glass to James. “I’ll take care of her,” he said his eyes narrowing.
“No,” Andromeda said softly, reaching out to touch Sirius’s arm, halting him. “I’ll do it,” she said meeting his disapproving gaze. “I need to do it.”
Sirius looked back towards Bellatrix, his jaw clenching, but he made no further move towards her.
Andromeda took a deep breath, and then held her glass out for Ted, moving towards her sister the moment it was out of her hands.
Andromeda’s pace slowed as she got closer to Bellatrix and began to be able to make out her features. Under the heavy eye shadow she had taken to wearing, Bellatrix’s eyes were focused on her unblinking, no emotion visible behind them. Her lips, blood red as usual, were curled slightly in a mixture of anger and distaste and her body, though she was leaning against a tree, was coiled with tension. At that moment, Bellatrix looked every inch the predator she had turned out to be.
When Andromeda came to a stop in front of her sister they stared at each other silently, the air between them crackling again as it had so long ago, but this time with fear, anger and resentment instead of tender longing desire.
“Why?” Bellatrix asked finally breaking the silence, wincing and turning her head to the side as she spoke even as her eyes pierced Andromeda. She didn’t need to say more, Andromeda understood all that the single hissed word encompassed.
“Because where you were going, I couldn’t follow,” Andromeda responded softly, her heart aching for her sister as Bellatrix's lips curled and she breathed in deeply, her eyes squeezing shut.
Andromeda's hand twitched by her side wanting to reach out for Bellatrix. She could see her sister's misery written in the painfully tense set of her shoulder and her drawn features. The predator she had seen when she walked over to Bellatrix was gone, a wounded animal curling in on itself to stop the pain left in its place. Andromeda wanted to try and comfort Bellatrix, with every fiber of her being she wanted to reach out and draw her sister into her arms and kiss her head and tell her that everything would be fine. But everything wouldn't be fine and a hug would not resolve the issues between them.
“You chose a Mudblood over your family, over your own blood,” Bellatrix hissed shaking silently, pushing away from the tree so that she was standing upright in front of Andromeda, her body trembling as they looked at each other. She could as well have been accusing Andromeda of stabbing her, or beating her from the hurt and disillusionment evident in her voice.
“No, Bella,” Andromeda replied shaking her head again and again, tears being to pool in her eyes. “I chose myself,” she continued fervently glancing away for a moment to try and pull herself together. “I did what I needed to do to be able to live with myself.”
Bellatrix stared at her shaking her head to herself though she didn't speak. Then she began to pace still shaking her head as her hand drifted up to her hair to tuck at it.
“Do you love him?” Bellatrix asked suddenly stopping and turning to face Andromeda once more. Her eyes were wide as if the idea had just occurred to her and her voice wavered, a nauseated expression coming to her face as if the very idea caused her physical pain. Her hand fluttered to her stomach and as she stared at Andromeda she looked as if she were going to be sick.
“Yes,” Andromeda responded simply forcing herself to look at Bellatrix, to see her face contorted in revulsion and hate and to remember it.
“Do," Bellatrix began before pausing seemingly overcome, her hand lifting to clutch at her head again. "Do you love him as much as you love me?” she finally managed to get out. She'd heard something, or rather a lack of something, in Andromeda’s response that forced the question out of her mouth.
Andromeda sighed deeply. “No,” she said her eyes closing for a second as she took a deep breath.
She loved Ted, she did. She would be a good wife to him, and would support him, and care for him, and she was certain that they would have a happy life together, but she did not burn with passion for him. She did not ache for him when he was out of her sight for too long as she had yearned for Bellatrix. She did not spend hours gazing at him adoringly tears coming to her eyes from the beauty of him like she had with Bellatrix. Bellatrix was her sister as well as her lover, she had known her almost since the moment she exited the womb and until a few months ago they had shared almost every experience there was worth having in life together.
“No," Andromeda repeated quietly blinking rapidly. "I doubt I’ll ever love anyone the way I loved you,” Andromeda continued. And then she looked up sharply, her gaze focusing intently on Bellatrix. “I didn’t love him more. Ted wasn’t the enemy that destroyed us,” she went on softly, “life was.”
Bellatrix did not respond to her right away. Instead the hawk-like eyes that Andromeda used to drown in looked beyond her to the field where her wedding guests were standing around in clumps watching them while trying to pretend they weren’t the least bit interested by what was going on between the sisters under the shade of the trees.
“Come with me,” Bellatrix said focusing on Andromeda once again. Her tone was clear as she spoke, strong, her decision seeming to calm her down. “It’s not too late.”
The truth was that it would take her a little while for her to overcome her revulsion at the knowledge that Andromeda had let that filth inside of her body, though she suspected killing him would help to ease the pain. And she would have to exert quite a bit of energy to convince people that Andromeda had simply gone temporarily insane and was not really a blood traitor. But she could and would do it for her sister. As much misery and heartache as the woman had caused her she did not feel whole without Andromeda and she wanted her back. She needed her back. She could feel herself spinning out of control towards the edge of the earth and she needed Andromeda to catch her, as she always had.
“Yes,” Andromeda said taking Bellatrix’s hand in hers, “it is,” she continued gently pushing up her sister’s sleeve to reveal an ugly back shape. “You’ve already chosen, Bella,” Andromeda went on a tear falling from her eye as her fingers ran lightly over the dark mark on Bellatrix’s arm. “You chose and it wasn’t me,” she said drawing her fingers away from the mark. “I love you, I’ll always love you, but I can’t go down that road with you,” she finished releasing her sisters hand.
“No,” Bellatrix whispered so softly that Andromeda didn’t hear her the first time though she saw her lips move. “No,” Bellatrix said again, louder this time, loud enough Andromeda could hear. “No,” she repeated again. “No, no, no, no, no!” she cried yanking her wand out of her robes.
“Paries Parietis!” Bellatrix screamed jabbing her wand in front of her viciously.
Andromeda gasped as light exploded from the tip of Bellatrix’s wand, her hand flying to her heart as she turned around to see a huge brick wall forming in the air in front of her, blotting out the view of wedding party within seconds. As she turned back around to face Bellatrix, Andromeda could hears cries coming from the distance, the sudden appearance of the wall no doubt alarming the others, and she knew, as her eyes met Bellatrix’s, that they were racing towards them.
“I love you,” Bellatrix said her voice an angry disbelieving whine. Andromeda couldn't say no, she didn't accept it, she couldn't understand it. “I love you,” she continued, her voice plaintive and then she grabbed Andromeda by the shoulder and kissed her hard, the caress messy and imprecise, their teeth knocking against each other as Bellatrix crushed Andromeda against her body.
Andromeda reached up placing her hand gently on her sister’s cheek opening her mouth to Bellatrix, letting her tongue slip inside, stroking Bellatrix’s cheek softly with her finger encouraging the other woman to slow down the kiss until their tongues met desperately, but tenderly.
“I know you do,” Andromeda breathed out softly when they pulled apart for air, her heart weeping for Bellatrix and herself as she spoke. “I know you do,” she repeated her thumb stroking Bellatrix’s cheek softly as tears fell from her eyes. “But it’s not enough.”
Andromeda turned her head to the side watching as wand after wand pointed in their direction, fierce faces staring at them.
“Don’t,” Andromeda called out lifting her hand as much as she could to ward them off. She understood why they were all ready to attack but it wasn’t necessary, she was sure.
Bellatrix was still standing in front of her when the others arrived behind the wall. Her hands were wrapped around Andromeda’s throat and she stared at her murderously. But what the others couldn’t see from their position was that Bellatrix’s hands were loose on her neck, more resting against her flesh than fastened around it. Bellatrix was homicidally mad at her, but she could not do it, as much as her expression indicated she wanted to, she was not strangling her.
The others kept their wands raised and pointed at Bellatrix but no one cast a spell as they watched confused and mesmerized as Andromeda lifted her hand to cover one of Bellatrix’s stroking the skin softly as she stared into her sister’s eyes.
They stood like that for minutes, Bellatrix’s hands wrapped loosely around Andromeda’s neck while Andromeda caressed her hand gently. And then suddenly Bellatrix withdrew her hands, yanked them away from Andromeda’s body and wiped them on her robes as if she had suddenly discovered that she was covered in scorpions or fire ants.
“I’m sorry,” Andromeda said when Bellatrix turned her murderous, accusatory eyes towards her.
They looked at each other silently for a few moments and then Bellatrix’s expression changed. Her face slackened and her eyes became dull instead of burning with fire. She blinked and when her gaze settled on Andromeda again she looked bored and indifferent.
“Marry a Mudblood,” Bellatrix muttered shaking her head sounding utterly bewildered and flabbergasted as if someone had asked her to milk a pig, or walk a cat. Her eyes drifted over towards Ted, staring at him as she if she couldn’t identify what species he was. “What a childish, dreadful, brainless thing to do!” she continued a moment later, dragging her gaze back over to Andromeda. “Sorry,” she went on scoffing. “Sorry,” she repeated her tone utterly contemptuous. “What should I care about the feelings of baggage?
Andromeda sucked in a deep breath at her sister’s words deeply wounded by them though she tried not to show it. She need not have bothered trying to hide her feelings however because Bellatrix was no longer looking at her, she was looking around her, her nose wrinkled as she angled her head back as if trying to move herself as far away from the people around her as possible while standing still, her body almost comically arched back as she sought every centimeter space she could put between her and the people in front of her.
Andromeda straightened her back. She couldn’t really say that she expected more from Bellatrix but it still hurt.
Without a word Bellatrix turned her back to Andromeda again and began to walk further into the thicket of trees.
“No matter what you say, Bella,” Andromeda called out to her sister’s back. “Despite the horrible things you’ve done, I still love you.”
Bellatrix halted at the words and then turned slightly looking over her shoulder so that she could see Andromeda.
“Silly, brainless baggage,” Bellatrix murmured her eyes lancing Andromeda, focused and intense once more despite her casual tone. “I spit on your love. I shit on your love. You wicked, stupid, gutless creature. You disgust me,” she continued her tone losing its blasé tone becoming harsher with every word as her face contorted with loathing. “I’ve already forgotten you, I’ve burned you from our tapestry and now my memory and heart! I’ve cut you from my heart,” Bellatrix continued the rage leaving her face as quickly as it had appeared, the look replaced with a confused expression. “But, no … no, not from my heart,” she said laughing a little her eyes darting about, “that’s utterly ridiculous of course since I no longer have one,” she finished her eyes finding Andromeda's again as she staring at her blankly.
And then she turned back around and began to walk again her hand disappearing into her robes a few seconds later before she vanished in a cloud of smoke.
Andromeda stood watching the spot that Bellatrix had disappeared from focused on nothing.
“Dromeda.”
Andromeda blinked at the word, her name, it called her back to herself and she turned from the spot where she had last seen her sister. She thought it was Ted who called her, but it might have been Sirius, or any number of people she was barely aware of.
“More wine I think,” Andromeda said smiling easily, surprised by how simple it was to pretend she was fine. At the end of her time with Bellatrix she had gotten very good at lying to the world, and to herself. “Definitely more wine,” she continued laughing lightly, moving forward through the space where the wall had been heading towards the dance floor. “And something up-tempo, I think.”
---
Andromeda fought her way through the crowd firing spells left and right, behind her and in front as she made her way through the mass of people. She wasn’t interested in dueling, the curses flying from her wand were no more than a machete cutting through the thicket of people in her way as she scanned the crowded for a purple or a deathly raven head. Her daughter was all she had left and she was not going to stay at home and hope and pray while Nymphadora was in danger.
Andromeda’s eyes caught on a dark figure, a shock of recognition tearing through her as they did. She remembered that stance; she knew the gracefully predatory movements that were playing out in front of her.
Bellatrix.
Andromeda ducked just in time to avoid a spell flying at her face. Spinning she crouched down on her knees and lifted her wand at the Death Eater behind her. “Stupify!” she cried sending him flying backwards her eyes already turned away from him and scanning the crowd once more by the time he crashed into the wall.
Finally Andromeda spotted her. Bellatrix was standing in place, her hauntingly dark form almost serene in repose as she stood still as a statue. Her wand was pointed in front of her aiming at something as curses and people moved around the frozen goddess, a symphony of colours exploding all around her lighting her up though none touched her.
Andromeda turned her head following Bellatrix’s gaze wondering why the tip of her wand had not exploded in colour yet. And then she saw what had captured her sister’s attention. Nymphadora fought meters away from where Bellatrix was standing, her wand a constant source of light as curse after curse shot from it while she fought three Death Eaters at once, her eyes narrowed with concentration, her lips curled in determination as she fought.
Andromeda turned back towards Bellatrix. Her sister had a perfect shot, Nymphadora didn’t realize that she was there, that she was being stalked, and there was an opening in crowed between them. Nothing stood in Bellatrix's way and still Bellatrix paused.
Andromeda jerked forward, her body moving before her mind was aware of it, her movements awkward and ungainly as she stumbled desperately through the crowd shoving and kicking and cursing her way to Bellatrix, her heart screaming.
“Expelliarmus!” Andromeda cried as a figure moved in front of her, sending the Death Eaters wand flying before kicking him in the shins. She didn’t have time for him she needed to get to Bellatrix while she was still frozen in place.
Andromeda looked up from the Death Eater she had just disarmed to the spot where Bellatrix had been standing.
She was gone.
Andromeda’s head immediately turned to the side towards where Nymphadora had been fighting. She was still there, fighting two now, still there, still alive. Bellatrix had gone and Nymphadora was still alive.
Andromeda glanced away searching the hallway, looking to see where Bellatrix had gone, just managing to catch her sister’s dark, laughing form backing through a doorway her wand alight as a scream pierced the air and a body flew backwards through the crowd.
Andromeda turned away. Bellatrix was no longer her concern. She began to pick her way desperately towards Nymphadora.
“You!”
Andromeda turned to the side spotting her son-in-law beside her.
“You’re not supposed to be here,” Remus said firing in front of him. He was right, she was suppose to be at home babysitting so that if everything went horribly wrong Teddy would still have family to take care of him. It was a logical plan, but love wasn’t logical.
“She’s my daughter,” Andromeda said firing her wand off to the side.
Remus nodded.
“Here, there’s an opening,” he said beginning to pick his way towards his wife as Andromeda followed.
Andromeda stood blinking as she stared at her feet.
Nothing made sense anymore.
Her vision narrowed until all that she could see was the slight body on the floor at her feet, the battle raging around her no longer registered with any of her senses.
Nymphadora.
Andromeda reached out her hand towards her daughter. She felt herself swaying towards her, falling, moving towards her baby where she could touch her and would find out that she had just been knocked unconscious, that she would have a head ache the next morning but would be fine.
She let herself continue to fall.
“Lady, you have got to move it!” Neville muttered grabbing Andromeda and hoisting her back up. A moment later his wand was pointed at her once he got a good look at her face, a curse on his lips before he realized that she was different. She looked like Bellatrix and she didn’t. In any case he was certain that it wasn’t Lestrange and wrapped his arm around her waist as his other kept a firm grip on his wand as he began to drag her through the crowd towards a more secure area.
Andromeda stumbled towards the sound, familiar and terrifying, her eyes on the ground looking. She’d lost Nymphadora.
That sound … that laugh it was so familiar.
That boy had dragged her away from Nymphadora.
She looked up at the ceiling expecting to see the sun, that laugh … she remembered the sun when she heard that laugh.
“NOT MY DAUGHTER, YOU BITCH!”
Andromeda turned her head to the side.
Daughter.
Bellatrix.
Molly lifted her wand jerking back slightly when she felt a hand on her arm.
“Andromeda!” she exclaimed surprise and irritation clear in her voice her eyes shifting to look at Bellatrix who's wand was raised but was watching them with a curious expression on her face, her head tilted slightly to the side like a dog trying to identify a strange sound it had heard.
“I'll do it,” Andromeda said softly, her eyes on Bellatrix as she spoke. "I need to do it," her voice gaining strength as she spoke.
Bellatrix grinned at her and Andromeda grimaced.
“It was always going to come to this,” Bellatrix said the smile vanishing from her face, her voice suddenly serious as she stared intently at her sister. Her face was calm and almost thoughtful as Andromeda stepped in front of Molly Weasely and lifted her wand.
“Yes, I suppose so,” Andromeda said feeling steadier as she looked at her sister, feeling the truth of Bellatrix's words. Her sister had once told her that they would have to pry her cold dead corpse from her Andromeda's arms and it seemed as if her prophecy was about to come true. “I had hoped otherwise,” Andromeda continued, her thumb brushing over the polished wood of her wand.
Bellatrix smiled, the expression fond as she laughed airily. “You always were a fool,” she replied though there was a note of affection in her voice. “Well,” she continued, her voice becoming sickeningly chipper and filled with dark mirth once more. “I suppose it’s time to take out the trash.”
Andromeda nodded grimly.
“Spetumpectra!” Andromeda cried her wand exploding in a sea of red a second later as Bellatrix laughed and danced out of the way.
“Infinitas dormio,” Andromeda cried her wand lighting up as a streak of green light shot from it hitting Bellatrix square in the chest.
Andromeda's heart seized in her chest. It was done.
Bellatrix froze as the curse hit her, her laughter dying on her lips as her eyes widened and body froze.
Andromeda moved forward, closing the small distance between them, her hands extending to catch Bellatrix’s body as it finally began to fall.
Bellatrix looked up into the face that she had once known so well, a face so much like her own only still fresh and full. Azkaban had ravaged her good lucks but Andromeda was still so beautiful, never more so than at that moment with her face haunted and stained with tears.
“It wasn’t me,” Bellatrix said blinking at the sound of her voice surprised by how small it sounded, how weak.
“I know,” Andromeda said softly biting down on her lip to control the urge to break down in tears as she thought about her daughter. She wasn’t able to say goodbye to Nymphadora but her daughter knew that she loved her, her daughter died knowing that she had come for her, to fight with her, to protect her … always her mother. She would say a proper goodbye to Nymphadora later by herself and then with friends and other mourners, her daughters death would be commemorated with a sea of tears.
However that moment on the cold, hard floor was her last opportunity to say goodbye to her sister and she had to focus on that.
“N-never cut you out,” Bellatrix said her hand twitching as she tried to lift it to Andromeda’s face. She wasn't strong enough however and her hand fell on Andromeda’s arm instead.
She had tried to, oh how she had tried to eradicate Andromeda from her heart. She cursed her name, she destroyed all pictures and keepsakes she had of her, she told herself that she would destroy Andromeda, that she would make her pay for leaving her, and on some days she was almost able to convince herself that she hated her sister, that she had succeeded at removing her from her heart. But she never had, she knew for certain she had failed to stop caring when she had let Andromeda’s little whelp go free.
“Nor I you,” Andromeda said softly her hand moving to Bellatrix’s head, stroking her hair gently.
She was sure that it seemed strange to those surrounding them to see them acting the way they were. It must have looked ludicrous to onlookers for her to be tenderly holding her sister after delivering the curse that would soon take her life. But looking down at Bellatrix, Andromeda knew that Bellatrix understood. It seemed right to Andromeda somehow that she should be the one to put her sister down and she could see in Bellatrix’s eyes that she was at peace with her sister being the one to end her. Andromeda thought that this was the way it should be, that Bellatrix should die as she had spent half of her life, surrounded by her love.
“Ridiculous,” Bellatrix muttered seemingly reading Andromeda’s thoughts, her lips twitching a little as she spoke.
Andromeda smiled down at her. They were ridiculous. The whole situation was ridiculous. But they had always been ridiculous, loving each other and thinking it would work, hurting and hoping and loving each other all these years, their loved doomed the moment it had bloomed.
“She fought well,” Bellatrix said her voice barely a whisper now. She didn’t have long left.
Andromeda breathed in deeply and released a small, broken sound, tears flowing down her cheeks. She squeezed Bellatrix’s hand. The words didn’t seem like much, but Andromeda knew how meaningful they were.
“She r-reminded me of y-you,” Bellatrix continued remembering the look of determination on Nymphadora's face as she fought. There had been a haughty look in the girls eyes and a noble tilt to her head as she dropped one of her opponents. Despite the taint of that Mudblood the girl’s Black blood shone through.
“Bella,” Andromeda cried softly clutching at her sister.
“You already told me,” Bellatrix whispered smiling a little as she remembered Andromeda’s pledge of love at her wedding. Oh how she had mocked it at the time but it warmed her now to know that it was true, that despite all she had done and said that Andromeda had still loved her, that she loved her now even as she died in her arms.
“My love,” Andromeda mouthed holding Bellatrix’s gaze her voice failing her as she watched her sister fade further and further away.
“You were never b-baggage,” Bellatrix managed to choke out as her eyes began to slide shut. Her time was almost up.
Andromeda leaned down, pressing her lips to her sister’s forehead, her tears raining down on Bellatrix’s pale skin, bathing her in her love.
She pulled back from her sister's skin a few minutes later and when she did, Bellatrix was gone.
The battle had moved on to other parts of the castle and those that had remained behind to watch the sisters fight stood around them in a loose circle, quiet as the battle raged on in the distance.
“Andromeda,” Molly said gently taking a step forward, breaking the revere that had settled over them all.
Andromeda stared down at the dead body in her arms.
“Andromeda,” Molly tried again touching her hand to Andromeda’s shoulder. She couldn’t stay there, the battle had moved for the moment but the hallway would not remain empty forever.
Andromeda stood on shaky legs as her eyes held on sister’s prone body, peaceful in death in a way it never had been in life. Finding Bellatrix again had shocked some sensation back into her but now that Bellatrix was gone the devastation and numbness she had felt as she stood over Nymphadora’s body sweep through her once more and it hurt for her to breathe.
She stumbled to the side, her legs moving one in front of the other though she had no real conception of commanding them to move.
Andromeda began to walk the worried voice calling out to her blurring into a hum. She walked unaware of where she was going, she walked through duels, spells flying around her, colours exploding all around as she stumbled unseeing towards she knew not what.
Andromeda stumbled back, an obstacle suddenly appearing in her way.
“Get down, what’s wrong with you!”
Andromeda blinked, she couldn’t focus, she wasn’t certain what was happening, but she felt herself moving again.
“Get her legs, Draco.”
“She looks different,” Draco complained as they settled down into the alcove, his father helping Narcissa with Andromeda’s limp body before casting some protection spells around the space in the hope that it would keep them somewhat safe.
“Andromeda,” Narcissa breathed out looking down at the body in her arms closely for the first time since colliding with the figure she had thought to be Bellatrix at a quick glance. “Dromeda,” she repeated, her cool fingers moving to stroke the cheek of the sister she hadn’t seen in person for over twenty years.
Andromeda blinked some sense slowly returning to her.
“Cissy,” she said softly, her voice catching halfway through her little sister’s nickname.
“It’s alright, I’ve got you,” Narcissa said softly, her eyes drifting over to Lucius as Andromeda blinked up at her. The Dark Lord had given them orders to get rid of Andromeda and her family, but she didn’t much give a flying fuck what the Dark Lord wanted anymore. Besides, she had already lied to him about the Potter boy so if the Death Eaters won the battle that was raging, Andromeda would be the least of their concerns.
Lucius tossed his arms up in the air and nodded. He didn’t see what possible difference helping Narcissa’s sister could make now.
“Shh,” Narcissa said turning her gaze to Andromeda once more, finding her sister’s eyes more alert now, certain that she was now aware of what was going on. “Shh, be still. Rest,” Narcissa said petting Andromeda’s hair gently. She wanted to ask her what happened, she wanted to ask how she had come to be in such a state, but she feared what the answer might be, and she was too afraid already to handle any more.
“What’s wrong with her?” Draco asked moving closer to his father, Andromeda’s expression frightening him.
Narcissa stared down at her sister cradling her as Andromeda turned in her arms, burying her face in Narcissa’s robes as if she couldn’t bear to face the world any longer. Narcissa blinked and felt tears dotting her cheeks. When she was little and got scared by thunder or the monster under her bed or any of the number of things that had scared her as a child she had gone to Andromeda and buried her face in her robes as Andromeda was doing to her now.
She held Andromeda closer, keeping her secure in her arms.
“I don’t know, Draco,” she said softly, her free hand reaching for her son’s, squeezing it tightly. She was suddenly afraid to let him go. “Life maybe," Narcissa continued looking down at her sister's broken form. "I think it must be life."
The End
Comments and feedback are greatly appreciated! Thanks for reading :D
Author: Janine
Fandom: Harry Potter
Pairing: Bellatrix/Andromeda
Rating: PG
Warning: blackcest, angst
Disclaimer: I don’t own them
Summary: Bellatrix and Andromeda love each other as much as two people can. But there is love, and then there's life, its enemy. Contains DH spoilers.
Link - Part One
Andromeda laughed as Ted twirled her around on the makeshift dance floor, her hair flying freely behind her as they glided across the wooden surface, the sun warming their faces as claps and laughter sounded around them.
Andromeda had never imagined that she would be married in a simple white dress in the middle of an enchanted field, her first dance with husband barefoot as birds chirped around them. It was so much better than the large, regimented, extravagant, spectacle she had always pictured in her head, so much better. It felt like a celebration instead of a business party, as it should.
Laughing, Andromeda took the glass of wine that appeared beside her and sipped it, the excited, happy voices chatting around her no more than a pleasant din as she smiled and laughed seemingly unable to stop.
“Oh, what the fuck is she doing here?” Sirius growled, surprising those around him, everyone’s eyes turning in the direction he was glaring in.
Andromeda’s heart skipped.
Bellatrix. It was Bellatrix. She was standing in a clump of trees leaning against one of the trunks a hundred meters or more away from them, but there was no doubt in her mind that the dark figure watching them was Bellatrix.
“Stay here, Dromeda,” Sirius said handing his glass to James. “I’ll take care of her,” he said his eyes narrowing.
“No,” Andromeda said softly, reaching out to touch Sirius’s arm, halting him. “I’ll do it,” she said meeting his disapproving gaze. “I need to do it.”
Sirius looked back towards Bellatrix, his jaw clenching, but he made no further move towards her.
Andromeda took a deep breath, and then held her glass out for Ted, moving towards her sister the moment it was out of her hands.
Andromeda’s pace slowed as she got closer to Bellatrix and began to be able to make out her features. Under the heavy eye shadow she had taken to wearing, Bellatrix’s eyes were focused on her unblinking, no emotion visible behind them. Her lips, blood red as usual, were curled slightly in a mixture of anger and distaste and her body, though she was leaning against a tree, was coiled with tension. At that moment, Bellatrix looked every inch the predator she had turned out to be.
When Andromeda came to a stop in front of her sister they stared at each other silently, the air between them crackling again as it had so long ago, but this time with fear, anger and resentment instead of tender longing desire.
“Why?” Bellatrix asked finally breaking the silence, wincing and turning her head to the side as she spoke even as her eyes pierced Andromeda. She didn’t need to say more, Andromeda understood all that the single hissed word encompassed.
“Because where you were going, I couldn’t follow,” Andromeda responded softly, her heart aching for her sister as Bellatrix's lips curled and she breathed in deeply, her eyes squeezing shut.
Andromeda's hand twitched by her side wanting to reach out for Bellatrix. She could see her sister's misery written in the painfully tense set of her shoulder and her drawn features. The predator she had seen when she walked over to Bellatrix was gone, a wounded animal curling in on itself to stop the pain left in its place. Andromeda wanted to try and comfort Bellatrix, with every fiber of her being she wanted to reach out and draw her sister into her arms and kiss her head and tell her that everything would be fine. But everything wouldn't be fine and a hug would not resolve the issues between them.
“You chose a Mudblood over your family, over your own blood,” Bellatrix hissed shaking silently, pushing away from the tree so that she was standing upright in front of Andromeda, her body trembling as they looked at each other. She could as well have been accusing Andromeda of stabbing her, or beating her from the hurt and disillusionment evident in her voice.
“No, Bella,” Andromeda replied shaking her head again and again, tears being to pool in her eyes. “I chose myself,” she continued fervently glancing away for a moment to try and pull herself together. “I did what I needed to do to be able to live with myself.”
Bellatrix stared at her shaking her head to herself though she didn't speak. Then she began to pace still shaking her head as her hand drifted up to her hair to tuck at it.
“Do you love him?” Bellatrix asked suddenly stopping and turning to face Andromeda once more. Her eyes were wide as if the idea had just occurred to her and her voice wavered, a nauseated expression coming to her face as if the very idea caused her physical pain. Her hand fluttered to her stomach and as she stared at Andromeda she looked as if she were going to be sick.
“Yes,” Andromeda responded simply forcing herself to look at Bellatrix, to see her face contorted in revulsion and hate and to remember it.
“Do," Bellatrix began before pausing seemingly overcome, her hand lifting to clutch at her head again. "Do you love him as much as you love me?” she finally managed to get out. She'd heard something, or rather a lack of something, in Andromeda’s response that forced the question out of her mouth.
Andromeda sighed deeply. “No,” she said her eyes closing for a second as she took a deep breath.
She loved Ted, she did. She would be a good wife to him, and would support him, and care for him, and she was certain that they would have a happy life together, but she did not burn with passion for him. She did not ache for him when he was out of her sight for too long as she had yearned for Bellatrix. She did not spend hours gazing at him adoringly tears coming to her eyes from the beauty of him like she had with Bellatrix. Bellatrix was her sister as well as her lover, she had known her almost since the moment she exited the womb and until a few months ago they had shared almost every experience there was worth having in life together.
“No," Andromeda repeated quietly blinking rapidly. "I doubt I’ll ever love anyone the way I loved you,” Andromeda continued. And then she looked up sharply, her gaze focusing intently on Bellatrix. “I didn’t love him more. Ted wasn’t the enemy that destroyed us,” she went on softly, “life was.”
Bellatrix did not respond to her right away. Instead the hawk-like eyes that Andromeda used to drown in looked beyond her to the field where her wedding guests were standing around in clumps watching them while trying to pretend they weren’t the least bit interested by what was going on between the sisters under the shade of the trees.
“Come with me,” Bellatrix said focusing on Andromeda once again. Her tone was clear as she spoke, strong, her decision seeming to calm her down. “It’s not too late.”
The truth was that it would take her a little while for her to overcome her revulsion at the knowledge that Andromeda had let that filth inside of her body, though she suspected killing him would help to ease the pain. And she would have to exert quite a bit of energy to convince people that Andromeda had simply gone temporarily insane and was not really a blood traitor. But she could and would do it for her sister. As much misery and heartache as the woman had caused her she did not feel whole without Andromeda and she wanted her back. She needed her back. She could feel herself spinning out of control towards the edge of the earth and she needed Andromeda to catch her, as she always had.
“Yes,” Andromeda said taking Bellatrix’s hand in hers, “it is,” she continued gently pushing up her sister’s sleeve to reveal an ugly back shape. “You’ve already chosen, Bella,” Andromeda went on a tear falling from her eye as her fingers ran lightly over the dark mark on Bellatrix’s arm. “You chose and it wasn’t me,” she said drawing her fingers away from the mark. “I love you, I’ll always love you, but I can’t go down that road with you,” she finished releasing her sisters hand.
“No,” Bellatrix whispered so softly that Andromeda didn’t hear her the first time though she saw her lips move. “No,” Bellatrix said again, louder this time, loud enough Andromeda could hear. “No,” she repeated again. “No, no, no, no, no!” she cried yanking her wand out of her robes.
“Paries Parietis!” Bellatrix screamed jabbing her wand in front of her viciously.
Andromeda gasped as light exploded from the tip of Bellatrix’s wand, her hand flying to her heart as she turned around to see a huge brick wall forming in the air in front of her, blotting out the view of wedding party within seconds. As she turned back around to face Bellatrix, Andromeda could hears cries coming from the distance, the sudden appearance of the wall no doubt alarming the others, and she knew, as her eyes met Bellatrix’s, that they were racing towards them.
“I love you,” Bellatrix said her voice an angry disbelieving whine. Andromeda couldn't say no, she didn't accept it, she couldn't understand it. “I love you,” she continued, her voice plaintive and then she grabbed Andromeda by the shoulder and kissed her hard, the caress messy and imprecise, their teeth knocking against each other as Bellatrix crushed Andromeda against her body.
Andromeda reached up placing her hand gently on her sister’s cheek opening her mouth to Bellatrix, letting her tongue slip inside, stroking Bellatrix’s cheek softly with her finger encouraging the other woman to slow down the kiss until their tongues met desperately, but tenderly.
“I know you do,” Andromeda breathed out softly when they pulled apart for air, her heart weeping for Bellatrix and herself as she spoke. “I know you do,” she repeated her thumb stroking Bellatrix’s cheek softly as tears fell from her eyes. “But it’s not enough.”
Andromeda turned her head to the side watching as wand after wand pointed in their direction, fierce faces staring at them.
“Don’t,” Andromeda called out lifting her hand as much as she could to ward them off. She understood why they were all ready to attack but it wasn’t necessary, she was sure.
Bellatrix was still standing in front of her when the others arrived behind the wall. Her hands were wrapped around Andromeda’s throat and she stared at her murderously. But what the others couldn’t see from their position was that Bellatrix’s hands were loose on her neck, more resting against her flesh than fastened around it. Bellatrix was homicidally mad at her, but she could not do it, as much as her expression indicated she wanted to, she was not strangling her.
The others kept their wands raised and pointed at Bellatrix but no one cast a spell as they watched confused and mesmerized as Andromeda lifted her hand to cover one of Bellatrix’s stroking the skin softly as she stared into her sister’s eyes.
They stood like that for minutes, Bellatrix’s hands wrapped loosely around Andromeda’s neck while Andromeda caressed her hand gently. And then suddenly Bellatrix withdrew her hands, yanked them away from Andromeda’s body and wiped them on her robes as if she had suddenly discovered that she was covered in scorpions or fire ants.
“I’m sorry,” Andromeda said when Bellatrix turned her murderous, accusatory eyes towards her.
They looked at each other silently for a few moments and then Bellatrix’s expression changed. Her face slackened and her eyes became dull instead of burning with fire. She blinked and when her gaze settled on Andromeda again she looked bored and indifferent.
“Marry a Mudblood,” Bellatrix muttered shaking her head sounding utterly bewildered and flabbergasted as if someone had asked her to milk a pig, or walk a cat. Her eyes drifted over towards Ted, staring at him as she if she couldn’t identify what species he was. “What a childish, dreadful, brainless thing to do!” she continued a moment later, dragging her gaze back over to Andromeda. “Sorry,” she went on scoffing. “Sorry,” she repeated her tone utterly contemptuous. “What should I care about the feelings of baggage?
Andromeda sucked in a deep breath at her sister’s words deeply wounded by them though she tried not to show it. She need not have bothered trying to hide her feelings however because Bellatrix was no longer looking at her, she was looking around her, her nose wrinkled as she angled her head back as if trying to move herself as far away from the people around her as possible while standing still, her body almost comically arched back as she sought every centimeter space she could put between her and the people in front of her.
Andromeda straightened her back. She couldn’t really say that she expected more from Bellatrix but it still hurt.
Without a word Bellatrix turned her back to Andromeda again and began to walk further into the thicket of trees.
“No matter what you say, Bella,” Andromeda called out to her sister’s back. “Despite the horrible things you’ve done, I still love you.”
Bellatrix halted at the words and then turned slightly looking over her shoulder so that she could see Andromeda.
“Silly, brainless baggage,” Bellatrix murmured her eyes lancing Andromeda, focused and intense once more despite her casual tone. “I spit on your love. I shit on your love. You wicked, stupid, gutless creature. You disgust me,” she continued her tone losing its blasé tone becoming harsher with every word as her face contorted with loathing. “I’ve already forgotten you, I’ve burned you from our tapestry and now my memory and heart! I’ve cut you from my heart,” Bellatrix continued the rage leaving her face as quickly as it had appeared, the look replaced with a confused expression. “But, no … no, not from my heart,” she said laughing a little her eyes darting about, “that’s utterly ridiculous of course since I no longer have one,” she finished her eyes finding Andromeda's again as she staring at her blankly.
And then she turned back around and began to walk again her hand disappearing into her robes a few seconds later before she vanished in a cloud of smoke.
Andromeda stood watching the spot that Bellatrix had disappeared from focused on nothing.
“Dromeda.”
Andromeda blinked at the word, her name, it called her back to herself and she turned from the spot where she had last seen her sister. She thought it was Ted who called her, but it might have been Sirius, or any number of people she was barely aware of.
“More wine I think,” Andromeda said smiling easily, surprised by how simple it was to pretend she was fine. At the end of her time with Bellatrix she had gotten very good at lying to the world, and to herself. “Definitely more wine,” she continued laughing lightly, moving forward through the space where the wall had been heading towards the dance floor. “And something up-tempo, I think.”
Andromeda fought her way through the crowd firing spells left and right, behind her and in front as she made her way through the mass of people. She wasn’t interested in dueling, the curses flying from her wand were no more than a machete cutting through the thicket of people in her way as she scanned the crowded for a purple or a deathly raven head. Her daughter was all she had left and she was not going to stay at home and hope and pray while Nymphadora was in danger.
Andromeda’s eyes caught on a dark figure, a shock of recognition tearing through her as they did. She remembered that stance; she knew the gracefully predatory movements that were playing out in front of her.
Bellatrix.
Andromeda ducked just in time to avoid a spell flying at her face. Spinning she crouched down on her knees and lifted her wand at the Death Eater behind her. “Stupify!” she cried sending him flying backwards her eyes already turned away from him and scanning the crowd once more by the time he crashed into the wall.
Finally Andromeda spotted her. Bellatrix was standing in place, her hauntingly dark form almost serene in repose as she stood still as a statue. Her wand was pointed in front of her aiming at something as curses and people moved around the frozen goddess, a symphony of colours exploding all around her lighting her up though none touched her.
Andromeda turned her head following Bellatrix’s gaze wondering why the tip of her wand had not exploded in colour yet. And then she saw what had captured her sister’s attention. Nymphadora fought meters away from where Bellatrix was standing, her wand a constant source of light as curse after curse shot from it while she fought three Death Eaters at once, her eyes narrowed with concentration, her lips curled in determination as she fought.
Andromeda turned back towards Bellatrix. Her sister had a perfect shot, Nymphadora didn’t realize that she was there, that she was being stalked, and there was an opening in crowed between them. Nothing stood in Bellatrix's way and still Bellatrix paused.
Andromeda jerked forward, her body moving before her mind was aware of it, her movements awkward and ungainly as she stumbled desperately through the crowd shoving and kicking and cursing her way to Bellatrix, her heart screaming.
“Expelliarmus!” Andromeda cried as a figure moved in front of her, sending the Death Eaters wand flying before kicking him in the shins. She didn’t have time for him she needed to get to Bellatrix while she was still frozen in place.
Andromeda looked up from the Death Eater she had just disarmed to the spot where Bellatrix had been standing.
She was gone.
Andromeda’s head immediately turned to the side towards where Nymphadora had been fighting. She was still there, fighting two now, still there, still alive. Bellatrix had gone and Nymphadora was still alive.
Andromeda glanced away searching the hallway, looking to see where Bellatrix had gone, just managing to catch her sister’s dark, laughing form backing through a doorway her wand alight as a scream pierced the air and a body flew backwards through the crowd.
Andromeda turned away. Bellatrix was no longer her concern. She began to pick her way desperately towards Nymphadora.
“You!”
Andromeda turned to the side spotting her son-in-law beside her.
“You’re not supposed to be here,” Remus said firing in front of him. He was right, she was suppose to be at home babysitting so that if everything went horribly wrong Teddy would still have family to take care of him. It was a logical plan, but love wasn’t logical.
“She’s my daughter,” Andromeda said firing her wand off to the side.
Remus nodded.
“Here, there’s an opening,” he said beginning to pick his way towards his wife as Andromeda followed.
Andromeda stood blinking as she stared at her feet.
Nothing made sense anymore.
Her vision narrowed until all that she could see was the slight body on the floor at her feet, the battle raging around her no longer registered with any of her senses.
Nymphadora.
Andromeda reached out her hand towards her daughter. She felt herself swaying towards her, falling, moving towards her baby where she could touch her and would find out that she had just been knocked unconscious, that she would have a head ache the next morning but would be fine.
She let herself continue to fall.
“Lady, you have got to move it!” Neville muttered grabbing Andromeda and hoisting her back up. A moment later his wand was pointed at her once he got a good look at her face, a curse on his lips before he realized that she was different. She looked like Bellatrix and she didn’t. In any case he was certain that it wasn’t Lestrange and wrapped his arm around her waist as his other kept a firm grip on his wand as he began to drag her through the crowd towards a more secure area.
Andromeda stumbled towards the sound, familiar and terrifying, her eyes on the ground looking. She’d lost Nymphadora.
That sound … that laugh it was so familiar.
That boy had dragged her away from Nymphadora.
She looked up at the ceiling expecting to see the sun, that laugh … she remembered the sun when she heard that laugh.
“NOT MY DAUGHTER, YOU BITCH!”
Andromeda turned her head to the side.
Daughter.
Bellatrix.
Molly lifted her wand jerking back slightly when she felt a hand on her arm.
“Andromeda!” she exclaimed surprise and irritation clear in her voice her eyes shifting to look at Bellatrix who's wand was raised but was watching them with a curious expression on her face, her head tilted slightly to the side like a dog trying to identify a strange sound it had heard.
“I'll do it,” Andromeda said softly, her eyes on Bellatrix as she spoke. "I need to do it," her voice gaining strength as she spoke.
Bellatrix grinned at her and Andromeda grimaced.
“It was always going to come to this,” Bellatrix said the smile vanishing from her face, her voice suddenly serious as she stared intently at her sister. Her face was calm and almost thoughtful as Andromeda stepped in front of Molly Weasely and lifted her wand.
“Yes, I suppose so,” Andromeda said feeling steadier as she looked at her sister, feeling the truth of Bellatrix's words. Her sister had once told her that they would have to pry her cold dead corpse from her Andromeda's arms and it seemed as if her prophecy was about to come true. “I had hoped otherwise,” Andromeda continued, her thumb brushing over the polished wood of her wand.
Bellatrix smiled, the expression fond as she laughed airily. “You always were a fool,” she replied though there was a note of affection in her voice. “Well,” she continued, her voice becoming sickeningly chipper and filled with dark mirth once more. “I suppose it’s time to take out the trash.”
Andromeda nodded grimly.
“Spetumpectra!” Andromeda cried her wand exploding in a sea of red a second later as Bellatrix laughed and danced out of the way.
“Infinitas dormio,” Andromeda cried her wand lighting up as a streak of green light shot from it hitting Bellatrix square in the chest.
Andromeda's heart seized in her chest. It was done.
Bellatrix froze as the curse hit her, her laughter dying on her lips as her eyes widened and body froze.
Andromeda moved forward, closing the small distance between them, her hands extending to catch Bellatrix’s body as it finally began to fall.
Bellatrix looked up into the face that she had once known so well, a face so much like her own only still fresh and full. Azkaban had ravaged her good lucks but Andromeda was still so beautiful, never more so than at that moment with her face haunted and stained with tears.
“It wasn’t me,” Bellatrix said blinking at the sound of her voice surprised by how small it sounded, how weak.
“I know,” Andromeda said softly biting down on her lip to control the urge to break down in tears as she thought about her daughter. She wasn’t able to say goodbye to Nymphadora but her daughter knew that she loved her, her daughter died knowing that she had come for her, to fight with her, to protect her … always her mother. She would say a proper goodbye to Nymphadora later by herself and then with friends and other mourners, her daughters death would be commemorated with a sea of tears.
However that moment on the cold, hard floor was her last opportunity to say goodbye to her sister and she had to focus on that.
“N-never cut you out,” Bellatrix said her hand twitching as she tried to lift it to Andromeda’s face. She wasn't strong enough however and her hand fell on Andromeda’s arm instead.
She had tried to, oh how she had tried to eradicate Andromeda from her heart. She cursed her name, she destroyed all pictures and keepsakes she had of her, she told herself that she would destroy Andromeda, that she would make her pay for leaving her, and on some days she was almost able to convince herself that she hated her sister, that she had succeeded at removing her from her heart. But she never had, she knew for certain she had failed to stop caring when she had let Andromeda’s little whelp go free.
“Nor I you,” Andromeda said softly her hand moving to Bellatrix’s head, stroking her hair gently.
She was sure that it seemed strange to those surrounding them to see them acting the way they were. It must have looked ludicrous to onlookers for her to be tenderly holding her sister after delivering the curse that would soon take her life. But looking down at Bellatrix, Andromeda knew that Bellatrix understood. It seemed right to Andromeda somehow that she should be the one to put her sister down and she could see in Bellatrix’s eyes that she was at peace with her sister being the one to end her. Andromeda thought that this was the way it should be, that Bellatrix should die as she had spent half of her life, surrounded by her love.
“Ridiculous,” Bellatrix muttered seemingly reading Andromeda’s thoughts, her lips twitching a little as she spoke.
Andromeda smiled down at her. They were ridiculous. The whole situation was ridiculous. But they had always been ridiculous, loving each other and thinking it would work, hurting and hoping and loving each other all these years, their loved doomed the moment it had bloomed.
“She fought well,” Bellatrix said her voice barely a whisper now. She didn’t have long left.
Andromeda breathed in deeply and released a small, broken sound, tears flowing down her cheeks. She squeezed Bellatrix’s hand. The words didn’t seem like much, but Andromeda knew how meaningful they were.
“She r-reminded me of y-you,” Bellatrix continued remembering the look of determination on Nymphadora's face as she fought. There had been a haughty look in the girls eyes and a noble tilt to her head as she dropped one of her opponents. Despite the taint of that Mudblood the girl’s Black blood shone through.
“Bella,” Andromeda cried softly clutching at her sister.
“You already told me,” Bellatrix whispered smiling a little as she remembered Andromeda’s pledge of love at her wedding. Oh how she had mocked it at the time but it warmed her now to know that it was true, that despite all she had done and said that Andromeda had still loved her, that she loved her now even as she died in her arms.
“My love,” Andromeda mouthed holding Bellatrix’s gaze her voice failing her as she watched her sister fade further and further away.
“You were never b-baggage,” Bellatrix managed to choke out as her eyes began to slide shut. Her time was almost up.
Andromeda leaned down, pressing her lips to her sister’s forehead, her tears raining down on Bellatrix’s pale skin, bathing her in her love.
She pulled back from her sister's skin a few minutes later and when she did, Bellatrix was gone.
The battle had moved on to other parts of the castle and those that had remained behind to watch the sisters fight stood around them in a loose circle, quiet as the battle raged on in the distance.
“Andromeda,” Molly said gently taking a step forward, breaking the revere that had settled over them all.
Andromeda stared down at the dead body in her arms.
“Andromeda,” Molly tried again touching her hand to Andromeda’s shoulder. She couldn’t stay there, the battle had moved for the moment but the hallway would not remain empty forever.
Andromeda stood on shaky legs as her eyes held on sister’s prone body, peaceful in death in a way it never had been in life. Finding Bellatrix again had shocked some sensation back into her but now that Bellatrix was gone the devastation and numbness she had felt as she stood over Nymphadora’s body sweep through her once more and it hurt for her to breathe.
She stumbled to the side, her legs moving one in front of the other though she had no real conception of commanding them to move.
Andromeda began to walk the worried voice calling out to her blurring into a hum. She walked unaware of where she was going, she walked through duels, spells flying around her, colours exploding all around as she stumbled unseeing towards she knew not what.
Andromeda stumbled back, an obstacle suddenly appearing in her way.
“Get down, what’s wrong with you!”
Andromeda blinked, she couldn’t focus, she wasn’t certain what was happening, but she felt herself moving again.
“Get her legs, Draco.”
“She looks different,” Draco complained as they settled down into the alcove, his father helping Narcissa with Andromeda’s limp body before casting some protection spells around the space in the hope that it would keep them somewhat safe.
“Andromeda,” Narcissa breathed out looking down at the body in her arms closely for the first time since colliding with the figure she had thought to be Bellatrix at a quick glance. “Dromeda,” she repeated, her cool fingers moving to stroke the cheek of the sister she hadn’t seen in person for over twenty years.
Andromeda blinked some sense slowly returning to her.
“Cissy,” she said softly, her voice catching halfway through her little sister’s nickname.
“It’s alright, I’ve got you,” Narcissa said softly, her eyes drifting over to Lucius as Andromeda blinked up at her. The Dark Lord had given them orders to get rid of Andromeda and her family, but she didn’t much give a flying fuck what the Dark Lord wanted anymore. Besides, she had already lied to him about the Potter boy so if the Death Eaters won the battle that was raging, Andromeda would be the least of their concerns.
Lucius tossed his arms up in the air and nodded. He didn’t see what possible difference helping Narcissa’s sister could make now.
“Shh,” Narcissa said turning her gaze to Andromeda once more, finding her sister’s eyes more alert now, certain that she was now aware of what was going on. “Shh, be still. Rest,” Narcissa said petting Andromeda’s hair gently. She wanted to ask her what happened, she wanted to ask how she had come to be in such a state, but she feared what the answer might be, and she was too afraid already to handle any more.
“What’s wrong with her?” Draco asked moving closer to his father, Andromeda’s expression frightening him.
Narcissa stared down at her sister cradling her as Andromeda turned in her arms, burying her face in Narcissa’s robes as if she couldn’t bear to face the world any longer. Narcissa blinked and felt tears dotting her cheeks. When she was little and got scared by thunder or the monster under her bed or any of the number of things that had scared her as a child she had gone to Andromeda and buried her face in her robes as Andromeda was doing to her now.
She held Andromeda closer, keeping her secure in her arms.
“I don’t know, Draco,” she said softly, her free hand reaching for her son’s, squeezing it tightly. She was suddenly afraid to let him go. “Life maybe," Narcissa continued looking down at her sister's broken form. "I think it must be life."
The End
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