Come Back to Me (Don't Save Me Book 3)

Chapter 44: Lies

I opened the door, stepping into the living room and hanging my cloak on the back of the door.

"Sev, I'm home!" I called, figuring he was probably upstairs in his sitting room. I began heading upstairs, only to find Narcissa sitting in a chair, Severus seated across from her, a glass of wine in each of their hands. He looked up, his eyes wide as he saw me.

"Y/n! I-I thought you'd be gone for a while."

"Clearly," I spat. "No, I got done early so I came home. I thought you had to go into town?"

"I-I did."

"Yeah? And now you're here with her?"

"Y/n... It's not what you think," Narcissa said, standing up and placing her glass of wine on a small table near her chair. She began walking toward me but I took a step back.

"Don't!"

"Y/n, please."

"I apologize for barging in. It's clear I should've knocked." I turned my back on them, trying not to allow the tears to fall down my cheeks. It wasn't that I thought he was cheating... it was the simple fact that she was there. Seeing her face reminded me of her husband and I felt the anger rush through me at the image of his face in my mind. I could still remember the feeling of the Imperius Curse on my mind and the overwhelming helplessness I felt in that moment. I headed for the door but I felt her small hand wrap around my wrist.

"Y/n, please just wait. Let me explain."

"I don't want to hear it, Narcissa." I pulled my hand away from her. "Go run back to your husband and my father. Why don't you go run back to them and plan how to kill my godson!"

"Y/n... I would never hurt you... or Harry."

"That may be the case but your husband already did." I looked at Severus. "And you... you lied to me."

"Y/n, I didn't want to hurt you any more than you've already been hurt."

"So you thought lying to me was the better option!? Sev, I knew what I was getting into when we started dating. I knew about your past and that one day Tom would probably return. I can handle that... What I can't handle is you lying to me. You brought her here!"

"Y/n, it's Narcissa... why does it matter so much that she's here?"

"You should know why," I hissed. "After what her husband did to me... I don't want to see any of them again."

Narcissa looked confused and turned to Severus who simply stared at me, unsure of what to say.

"So, what? You thought you'd just have a lovely conversation while I was out defending you!?"

"Defending me... Y/n, what are you talking about?"

"I'm constantly defending you! To everyone! I was with some old friends who don't think very highly of you but I always defend you!" I hissed, carefully avoiding the fact that it was an Order meeting given the fact that a Death Eater's wife was standing in our sitting room. "And this is what you do behind my back! You thought you'd betray me by bringing her here!? Next time at least warn me so I don't show up here!" I was trying to maintain my composure but I could feel the warm tears stinging my eyes. I wasn't sad. I was furious and the rage threatened to spill from my eyes as I yelled at him.

"Y/n... what did I do to make you hate me so much?" Narcissa whispered, tears forming in her eyes.

I looked at her, feeling my walls crumbling around me. Images flashed in my mind of the times I had spent with her family and the tears spilled from my eyes, the memories becoming too overwhelming to hold in. My legs were growing wobbly and I fell to my knees, sobs racking my body, as Severus ran toward me, crouching to the floor.

"It's not you she hates, Narcissa," he answered for me, taking my shaking form into his arms.

"No! Don't touch me! You've been lying to me this whole time! You're working for him again, aren't you!" I hissed, crawling away from him.

"Baby, please," he whispered. "I promise I'll explain everything. Just... Please don't shut me out. Don't be afraid of me."

I hugged my knees to my chest, making myself as small as possible. Narcissa slowly moved toward me, crouching next to Severus, keeping a small distance between herself and I.

"Y/n... you're the closest thing I have to family. My sister was disowned... and my other one is in Azkaban. You were always like a sister to me. I would never hurt you."

I shook my head, curling further into myself. "He Imperiod me. I couldn't do anything," I muttered, the words not seeming to make much sense to her.

"Y/n, sweetheart, what are you talking about?"

"Lucius." I looked up at her. "He Imperiod me in the graveyard. I had to watch as Tom used the Cruciatus Curse on Harry and I couldn't do anything to help him."

"H-he did what?" she whispered, her eyes wide as she looked up at me.

"You didn't know?" Severus asked, turning to her.

"N-no. How could I have possibly known that?"

"We assumed Lucius would have told you," Severus answered.

"Well... he didn't. He refused to speak of that night."