I Don't See Any Angels (Narcissa/Lily and the Sisters Black)
Title: I Don't See Any Angels
Author: themajoritylied
Pairing: Narcissa/Lily
Disclaimer: Nothing's mine but the plot!
Rating: T (to be safe)
Summary: Andromeda always used to have these horrid delusions.
When they were young, Andromeda always used to have these horrid delusions. She'd talk of angels and heaven and whenever Bella would correct her she'd always say 'Well, muggles say unicorns don't exist either', as if a Black could be concerned with the less than mediocre mind of a mudblood.
Narcissa never believed her; she was always right behind Bella. She was her favorite big sister, but sometimes the way she'd smile down at Narcissa and then glance back up with those eyes made her think she maybe hated her baby sister.
She never did discover why.
+++
By the time Narcissa was married off to Lucius Malfoy, Andromeda was no more than an ashy burn on the magnificent tapestry.
Bella scoffed and said 'I told her so, didn't I, Cissy?' and Narcissa nodded but didn't believe her, not really. She'd grown wary of that hidden hatred, the way those violet eyes flashed, only just hidden by the lion's smile.
But that would come much later; she wouldn't learn that lesson so painlessly.
+++
It was her first day of school and Narcissa was clinging to Bella's arm when she saw the flash of red disappear behind a plump woman. She let go of Bella for just a moment, because she was eleven and she hadn't quite learned to ignore curiosity yet.
She took a couple steps to the right to try and locate the mysterious crimson and her silver eyes settled on a pair of jade ones. The little girl was huffing as her mother bid her a teary goodbye, her cheeks puffed out and for an instant Narcissa thought she was just a little bit adorable.
Then Bella snapped her back with just a flick of the wrist, one word escaping the tight, thin line of those sneering lips.
“Mudblood.”
The word came out as a growl and Narcissa instantly looked away from the red-headed girl.
She'd regret that move for the better part of forever.
Blacks never look away first.
+++
It was her third year that Narcissa realized Bella was a hypocrite.
Narcissa had learned to 'sniff out' the unclean blood early on (but after that incident all those years ago) and easily sensed it in the handsome, dark haired boy with the pale skin.
She figured maybe Bella didn't sense it; that maybe her radar was a touch off.
And it wasn't as if he were a full mudblood; his blood was purer than that girl's, Bella always insisted.
The first time Bella's eyes flashed that dark violet was the day she laid eyes on the boy with the messy obsidian hair. He was more beautiful than handsome, Narcissa decided. His eyes were always cold and empty and so opposite Bella's every time they were together.
She'd never admit it but he terrified her.
+++
Years later she'd discover what that cold, icy feeling was whenever she'd been around him; why her skin crawled every time Bella would smile at him like that.
But that's years away.
She's still got so much more to learn.
+++
It was sixth year and Narcissa had the most brilliant idea.
She would break that red-headed girl's heart.
It wasn't that she hated her, even though she did (Bella did). It just seemed like an entertaining idea, and it would certainly make Bella proud.
She discovered her name was Lily (Evans, she'd become to Narcissa, and so much more), and that she was a fifth year and the Potter prat's girlfriend even though they were awful for each other.
Narcissa botched potions and assignments on purpose when they were paired up because obviously she didn't need the grades, and eventually Lily lost it and they both ended up in detention.
She hardly remembers that day, now, just that it involved a rather vicious Lily Evans, one acne-curing potion gone horrendously awry, and Narcissa's “bloody french tips”.
+++
It was the night before she left on the Hogwarts Express for the last time and Narcissa's sprawled across the emerald duvet on the head girl's bed with Lily Evans resting against her bicep. She wasn't sure how she ended up there, just that her plan to break the girl's heart may not have gone exactly according to plan.
Lily didn't want her to marry Lucius; she'd yelled and she'd cursed Narcissa and she'd threatened to hex her (though she never would). But she never cried.
Day after day Narcissa would watch for any sign of tears, hoping for just a sign that maybe she'd won in the end.
But none fell and she started to wonder who she'd really screwed over, in the end.
+++
Years after Lily's death would be announced in the paper, Narcissa would speak to Andromeda for the first time since she'd been erased from the Black name.
She'd ask her where they were, those angels, because they must have been somewhere, they must have been real or else she wouldn't have said anything at all. And she would be desperate, then. She would be met with those jade eyes for the first time since that final, bored “Evans”, and she'd be falling to pieces as she stood there before her only big sister left.
Even though she wasn't, not really.
Andromeda wouldn't reply for the longest time and Narcissa would stand up to leave because obviously she wasn't welcome.
Then Andromeda would meet her eyes and oh, she hated Narcissa but then her eyes softened and she didn't, not really. She would be sad and broken and finally the reply came, soft and poisonous like a silent curse.
“I don't see any angels.”