what's a little blood between friends
Title: What’s a Little Blood Between Friends
By: nyourdrms
For: morganmuffle
Pairing: Lily/Narcissa
Rating: G
Narcissa ran her fingers through the icy cold water in the tiny pool. She had slowly tapped away at the ice in the fountain until she had made a space wide enough for three of her digits to fit. She shuddered and pondered why she had made the effort, but then the cold didn’t seem to bother her as much these days as it would have in the past. There was a darkness growing in her soul.
Hadn’t she invited it? Narcissa pondered still. The cold? After all, she wasn’t Andromeda; she wouldn’t dare run away and marry a Muggle.
Narcissa struck the ice with her fist. It broke like shards of glass. Pure blood spilled.
“Bloody Hell!”
Narcissa stood quickly and slipped upon the icy walk. Grabbing at her cloak and into the air, she began to fall, but a pair of burgundy hands quickly rescued her, grabbing her by the arms and righting her.
“Are you all right?” came the songlike voice behind her.
Narcissa’s blond locks swept the rosy cheeks of the smiling young girl as she turned. “Perfectly fine, thank you, Gryffindor,- ” she said straightening up and attempting to pull away quickly.
The young girl smiled sweetly. “Lily.”
“I know who you are, Head Girl,” she said with a great deal of contempt. “I don’t need your Mudblood help.”
Lily didn’t falter. “You’re bleeding and unless you’d like your pure blood spread upon the freshly fallen snow, you’ll take my Mudblood help.”
Narcissa hadn’t noticed how badly she had cut herself and, as she took her first good look at the amount of blood pouring from her hand and onto the snow, she felt her spirit give in and her body nearly give out. Lily took the reluctant Slytherin into her arms and wrapped her scarf around her hand. “Don’t worry,” she whispered, “ -the colors won’t rub off.”
Narcissa stifled the giggle she felt at the back of her throat and allowed the warmth of the Gryfftindor’s body and charm to help her in the castle doors.
They were quiet for a while, Narcissa trying to keep her dignity, happy for the Christmas holidays and the emptiness of the hallways. It would, of course, be horrid for her to be seen being helped by this Muggle Gryffindor swine. What would the other Slytherins think? What would her family think?
Narcissa stopped, causing Lily to nearly trip on her robes. “Yes?”
“I can make it now.” Proudly, she pulled away, looking paler than usual, if that was possible for Narcissa; her skin was normally the color of milk.
Lily contemplated arguing, but then she knew James and Sirius. “All right then. Good luck.” She turned and started to go down the corridor slowly. A few steps off she stopped and looked back at the small, frail-looking Slytherin.
Narcissa clumsily attempted to wrap the scarf tighter, a tear slid down her cheek. She was going to be in so much trouble for this, why hadn’t she gone home?
Lily took a deep breath and straightened her shoulders. With heavy steps she returned to Narcissa’s side. “Listen here, Slytherin. If the Headmaster found out that I left you in the hallway, wounded, and something happened, I would be in detention. I’m not doing this for you, you hear me?” she said sternly.
Lily swept up Narcissa, tightened the makeshift bandage and headed toward the Hospital Wing again.
Narcissa pushed back a smile and cleared her throat, “Whatever you say, Gryffindor.”
No more words were spoken on their trip to see Madam Pomfrey, who incidentally tutted nicely at the cut but didn’t ask any questions as usual.
Lily stood just outside the door to make sure that Narcissa was okay, there was something about the wound, and their trip, that told her there was more to incident than skin deep. She wasn’t quite sure how Narcissa was going to react, she was a Black and she was Sirius’s cousin, but she was Slytherin and Lily knew from Sirius that she walked on the Dark Side. But something didn’t feel right, and no one should be lonely at Christmas.
Lily felt a slight pang with this thought. She had opted to spend this last Christmas at Hogwarts because James had. But James had neglected to tell her that he would be spending all his time with Sirius. She frowned and decided that there was indeed a bit of Slytherin in Sirius too. She decided to wait for Narcissa.
Narcissa hated that Madam Pomfrey didn’t ask, and didn’t judge. She would have rather have been scolded for her stupidity and whipped with a cane. Wasn’t that the way it was supposed to be, hadn’t it always been that way? It was like the Gryffindor, why had she been kind? Narcissa didn’t know or understand kindness. Like Andromeda, she was the kind one, she was the one who would try to fix things in the house, make the girls stop fighting, and apologize for her father’s cane. Andy kissed the boo-boo’s and made the nightmares go away.
And now she had run off, with a Mudblood, burned from the tapestry, forever to be forgotten.
“Can I help?” Lily asked.
Narcissa hadn’t expected the soft words to come from around the corner. She didn’t jump, but she did lose her balance again for a moment. Lily reached over and grabbed her.
“Maybe I should escort you to the Slytherin dungeons just to make sure.”
Narcissa’s eyes grew. She even had an urge to pull her wand. A Gryffindor had insulted her. Then she realized that it was her only chance for someone to talk to, it may be the last chance to every have someone listen to her again.
“Afraid you won’t get your scarf back, Gryffindor?” she said with a sly smile.
Lily smiled back. “Not at all.”
They started toward their destination, neither girl willing to strike up the conversation. Finally, perhaps out of fear that no further words would be exchanged before they reached the opening, Narcissa finally gave in. “I’d rather you didn’t speak you of this.”
“I understand,” answered Lily softly. “Wouldn’t want you to lose your standing in the club or anything.” Lily waggled her eyebrows.
Narcissa scowled. “You think you’re clever.”
“Yes.”
“So did Andy,” she muttered quietly.
“hmm?”
“Nothing.”
“Is something bothering you Narcissa?” she asked coming to a stop.
“What? I, me, it’s not as though I would confide in you.”
Lily nodded and started to walk slowly again. Narcissa didn’t. “That’s it? You’re just going to give up?”
“Apparently you’re not going to confide in me,” she mocked.
Narcissa scowled again and then pulled her back. “I thought all you Mudblood’s were nosey and . . . and . . .”
“And?”
“I thought you’d . . . help me,” she whispered the last two words.
Lily didn’t laugh again. “Well, I did ask.” She walked over to an out-of-the-way bench and waited for Narcissa to join her. Narcissa hesitated, and then did.
After a moment’s silence, Lily prodded. “Well?”
“Impatient lot, you Gryffindors.”
Lily smiled.
“Why did you stop to help me?” she asked after a moment.
“Because you were about to fall on your arse,” answered Lily quite frankly.
Narcissa looked at her rather irritated. “I suppose you thought I’d give you money or something if you saved me.”
Lily shook her head. “Is that all you ever think about Narcissa, what’s in it for you? Because that’s certainly not the way my mind works.”
Narcissa sighed. “Muggles,” she mumbled quietly.
“Why did you cut your hand?”
Narcissa didn’t look up. Her mind was racing. How could she know? Had she seen her? Would she tell? You can’t trust anyone, her temper, what she had done; it was surely a sign of her weakness. “I, it was an accident.”
“Was it?”
“Listen here, Mudblood,” she began rising to her feet. But Narcissa hadn’t taken into account that she hadn’t fully recovered from her blood loss yet. Her room began to spin before her and she would have surely gone to the stone slab floor if Lily had not once again swept her into her arms.
Narcissa drew a deep breath and looked up into her eyes. “I’m listening,” said Lily, a sparkle in her eye.
Narcissa lingered there for a long moment, deciding that it wasn’t so bad, the warmth of her touch, the tinkle in her eye, the thought for one moment someone had her interests and not theirs in their mind. “You remind me of Andy,” she whispered softly.
“Your sister?”
Narcissa nodded. “She’s pretty like you, and loving,”
“Like me?” Lily leaned forward and pressed her pink lips to Narcissa’s.
It was better than she imagined and sweeter than any confection her mother had ever sent to Hogwarts castle. She wanted it to last but before she could make this wish, Lily was pulling back.
Narcissa opened her eyes and swallowed hard. “How dare you!” she said, finding her dignity.
Lily smiled widely. “You’re right. I shouldn’t have, I just thought.” Then she shook her head. “But no.” She sat up and up righted Narcissa. “I’m much too old for you.”
Lily stood and began to walk away.
Narcissa’s cheeks were rosy red, she huffed three times and then stood and stomped her foot. “No listen here Mud-, err Lily!”
Lily stopped and turned. “Yes?”
“Well,” she looked around, “I still have your scarf and I should wash it out for you.” She nodded. “Yes, that’s it, we wouldn’t want that seen in my dormitory after the holidays, would we?”
“No,” said Lily shaking her head, “Probably not. You can give it to me later.”
“No!”
“No?”
“Well, my hand still hurts. Maybe you could come back to my room and help me?” asked Narcissa.
Lily giggled softly. “I suppose I could do that. Wouldn’t do right for the Head Girl to leave such a pretty young thing like you all alone for the holidays, now would it.” Lily winked.
Narcissa smiled and wondered what her mother would think if she knew she was washing out things with a Gryffindor. It was Narcissa’s turn to giggle.
By: nyourdrms
For: morganmuffle
Pairing: Lily/Narcissa
Rating: G
Narcissa ran her fingers through the icy cold water in the tiny pool. She had slowly tapped away at the ice in the fountain until she had made a space wide enough for three of her digits to fit. She shuddered and pondered why she had made the effort, but then the cold didn’t seem to bother her as much these days as it would have in the past. There was a darkness growing in her soul.
Hadn’t she invited it? Narcissa pondered still. The cold? After all, she wasn’t Andromeda; she wouldn’t dare run away and marry a Muggle.
Narcissa struck the ice with her fist. It broke like shards of glass. Pure blood spilled.
“Bloody Hell!”
Narcissa stood quickly and slipped upon the icy walk. Grabbing at her cloak and into the air, she began to fall, but a pair of burgundy hands quickly rescued her, grabbing her by the arms and righting her.
“Are you all right?” came the songlike voice behind her.
Narcissa’s blond locks swept the rosy cheeks of the smiling young girl as she turned. “Perfectly fine, thank you, Gryffindor,- ” she said straightening up and attempting to pull away quickly.
The young girl smiled sweetly. “Lily.”
“I know who you are, Head Girl,” she said with a great deal of contempt. “I don’t need your Mudblood help.”
Lily didn’t falter. “You’re bleeding and unless you’d like your pure blood spread upon the freshly fallen snow, you’ll take my Mudblood help.”
Narcissa hadn’t noticed how badly she had cut herself and, as she took her first good look at the amount of blood pouring from her hand and onto the snow, she felt her spirit give in and her body nearly give out. Lily took the reluctant Slytherin into her arms and wrapped her scarf around her hand. “Don’t worry,” she whispered, “ -the colors won’t rub off.”
Narcissa stifled the giggle she felt at the back of her throat and allowed the warmth of the Gryfftindor’s body and charm to help her in the castle doors.
They were quiet for a while, Narcissa trying to keep her dignity, happy for the Christmas holidays and the emptiness of the hallways. It would, of course, be horrid for her to be seen being helped by this Muggle Gryffindor swine. What would the other Slytherins think? What would her family think?
Narcissa stopped, causing Lily to nearly trip on her robes. “Yes?”
“I can make it now.” Proudly, she pulled away, looking paler than usual, if that was possible for Narcissa; her skin was normally the color of milk.
Lily contemplated arguing, but then she knew James and Sirius. “All right then. Good luck.” She turned and started to go down the corridor slowly. A few steps off she stopped and looked back at the small, frail-looking Slytherin.
Narcissa clumsily attempted to wrap the scarf tighter, a tear slid down her cheek. She was going to be in so much trouble for this, why hadn’t she gone home?
Lily took a deep breath and straightened her shoulders. With heavy steps she returned to Narcissa’s side. “Listen here, Slytherin. If the Headmaster found out that I left you in the hallway, wounded, and something happened, I would be in detention. I’m not doing this for you, you hear me?” she said sternly.
Lily swept up Narcissa, tightened the makeshift bandage and headed toward the Hospital Wing again.
Narcissa pushed back a smile and cleared her throat, “Whatever you say, Gryffindor.”
No more words were spoken on their trip to see Madam Pomfrey, who incidentally tutted nicely at the cut but didn’t ask any questions as usual.
Lily stood just outside the door to make sure that Narcissa was okay, there was something about the wound, and their trip, that told her there was more to incident than skin deep. She wasn’t quite sure how Narcissa was going to react, she was a Black and she was Sirius’s cousin, but she was Slytherin and Lily knew from Sirius that she walked on the Dark Side. But something didn’t feel right, and no one should be lonely at Christmas.
Lily felt a slight pang with this thought. She had opted to spend this last Christmas at Hogwarts because James had. But James had neglected to tell her that he would be spending all his time with Sirius. She frowned and decided that there was indeed a bit of Slytherin in Sirius too. She decided to wait for Narcissa.
Narcissa hated that Madam Pomfrey didn’t ask, and didn’t judge. She would have rather have been scolded for her stupidity and whipped with a cane. Wasn’t that the way it was supposed to be, hadn’t it always been that way? It was like the Gryffindor, why had she been kind? Narcissa didn’t know or understand kindness. Like Andromeda, she was the kind one, she was the one who would try to fix things in the house, make the girls stop fighting, and apologize for her father’s cane. Andy kissed the boo-boo’s and made the nightmares go away.
And now she had run off, with a Mudblood, burned from the tapestry, forever to be forgotten.
“Can I help?” Lily asked.
Narcissa hadn’t expected the soft words to come from around the corner. She didn’t jump, but she did lose her balance again for a moment. Lily reached over and grabbed her.
“Maybe I should escort you to the Slytherin dungeons just to make sure.”
Narcissa’s eyes grew. She even had an urge to pull her wand. A Gryffindor had insulted her. Then she realized that it was her only chance for someone to talk to, it may be the last chance to every have someone listen to her again.
“Afraid you won’t get your scarf back, Gryffindor?” she said with a sly smile.
Lily smiled back. “Not at all.”
They started toward their destination, neither girl willing to strike up the conversation. Finally, perhaps out of fear that no further words would be exchanged before they reached the opening, Narcissa finally gave in. “I’d rather you didn’t speak you of this.”
“I understand,” answered Lily softly. “Wouldn’t want you to lose your standing in the club or anything.” Lily waggled her eyebrows.
Narcissa scowled. “You think you’re clever.”
“Yes.”
“So did Andy,” she muttered quietly.
“hmm?”
“Nothing.”
“Is something bothering you Narcissa?” she asked coming to a stop.
“What? I, me, it’s not as though I would confide in you.”
Lily nodded and started to walk slowly again. Narcissa didn’t. “That’s it? You’re just going to give up?”
“Apparently you’re not going to confide in me,” she mocked.
Narcissa scowled again and then pulled her back. “I thought all you Mudblood’s were nosey and . . . and . . .”
“And?”
“I thought you’d . . . help me,” she whispered the last two words.
Lily didn’t laugh again. “Well, I did ask.” She walked over to an out-of-the-way bench and waited for Narcissa to join her. Narcissa hesitated, and then did.
After a moment’s silence, Lily prodded. “Well?”
“Impatient lot, you Gryffindors.”
Lily smiled.
“Why did you stop to help me?” she asked after a moment.
“Because you were about to fall on your arse,” answered Lily quite frankly.
Narcissa looked at her rather irritated. “I suppose you thought I’d give you money or something if you saved me.”
Lily shook her head. “Is that all you ever think about Narcissa, what’s in it for you? Because that’s certainly not the way my mind works.”
Narcissa sighed. “Muggles,” she mumbled quietly.
“Why did you cut your hand?”
Narcissa didn’t look up. Her mind was racing. How could she know? Had she seen her? Would she tell? You can’t trust anyone, her temper, what she had done; it was surely a sign of her weakness. “I, it was an accident.”
“Was it?”
“Listen here, Mudblood,” she began rising to her feet. But Narcissa hadn’t taken into account that she hadn’t fully recovered from her blood loss yet. Her room began to spin before her and she would have surely gone to the stone slab floor if Lily had not once again swept her into her arms.
Narcissa drew a deep breath and looked up into her eyes. “I’m listening,” said Lily, a sparkle in her eye.
Narcissa lingered there for a long moment, deciding that it wasn’t so bad, the warmth of her touch, the tinkle in her eye, the thought for one moment someone had her interests and not theirs in their mind. “You remind me of Andy,” she whispered softly.
“Your sister?”
Narcissa nodded. “She’s pretty like you, and loving,”
“Like me?” Lily leaned forward and pressed her pink lips to Narcissa’s.
It was better than she imagined and sweeter than any confection her mother had ever sent to Hogwarts castle. She wanted it to last but before she could make this wish, Lily was pulling back.
Narcissa opened her eyes and swallowed hard. “How dare you!” she said, finding her dignity.
Lily smiled widely. “You’re right. I shouldn’t have, I just thought.” Then she shook her head. “But no.” She sat up and up righted Narcissa. “I’m much too old for you.”
Lily stood and began to walk away.
Narcissa’s cheeks were rosy red, she huffed three times and then stood and stomped her foot. “No listen here Mud-, err Lily!”
Lily stopped and turned. “Yes?”
“Well,” she looked around, “I still have your scarf and I should wash it out for you.” She nodded. “Yes, that’s it, we wouldn’t want that seen in my dormitory after the holidays, would we?”
“No,” said Lily shaking her head, “Probably not. You can give it to me later.”
“No!”
“No?”
“Well, my hand still hurts. Maybe you could come back to my room and help me?” asked Narcissa.
Lily giggled softly. “I suppose I could do that. Wouldn’t do right for the Head Girl to leave such a pretty young thing like you all alone for the holidays, now would it.” Lily winked.
Narcissa smiled and wondered what her mother would think if she knew she was washing out things with a Gryffindor. It was Narcissa’s turn to giggle.