We Open at the Close (Drarry)

Trust

After Draco and Narcissa had come back from Grimmauld Place, Harry hurriedly made his excuses and left. Draco looked crestfallen as he departed, but understood that being under his mother's constant scrutiny was a little unnerving.

"I'll come by later," he promised, leaning in close to Harry before seeing him off at the fireplace.

Harry smiled and touched Draco's elbow. "I'd like that. I'll see you tonight."

The rest of the evening was rather sedate, with Draco and his mother going through the final arrangements for the funeral that was scheduled to take place the next morning. Come ten o'clock in the evening, however, he couldn't help but keep glancing at his watch every few minutes. Sensing how distracted he was, Narcissa sighed and lowered her papers.

"Just go, Draco," she implored.

Draco hesitated. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, everything is in order for tomorrow. Just be back in plenty of time to leave."

Draco kissed her goodbye on the cheek and bounced towards the fireplace and out of sight. She watched her son go with mixed feelings. Andromeda opened one of the kitchen cupboards and pulled out an unopened bottle of wine.

"Another drink?" she asked.

"No," she replied. "I need a proper drink."

Andromeda smirked, put the wine back in the cupboard and pulled out a large bottle of Firewhisky. She placed two glass tumblers on the kitchen table, poured out a drink for herself and passed one along to her sister.

"Thank you," Narcissa took a large gulp of the amber liquid without wincing. "Of all the possible outcomes of my life, I never thought this would be it."

"What, sitting in my kitchen having a drink and a friendly chat?" asked Andromeda lightly.

"Widowed and penniless sitting in my disinherited sister's hokey little kitchen having a drink and a friendly chat," she replied silkily. "No, this was the furthest thing I had in mind."

"Well, life has a funny way of pulling the rug out from under you when you least expect it," Andromeda was used to her sister's barbed comments— expected them even. In a strange way she had missed their sparring sessions. "Things could be a lot worse."

Narcissa drew Andromeda a withering look. "How?"

"You could be in Azkaban," she pointed out. "You could be dead. Or worse."

"Not much worse then."

Andromeda rolled her eyes. "I know you well enough to know that's not what's bothering you."

"You don't know anything about me," she muttered.

"So I'd be wrong in thinking that your foulness has nothing to do with Draco and Harry?" asked Andromeda. Narcissa pursed her lips and said nothing. Andromeda sneered into her drink, "Thought as much."

"This isn't a joke."

"No, it's not," said Andromeda flatly. "And your behaviour towards Harry this evening was shameful. He's a guest in my house and you treated him like one of your house elves."

"That boy," hissed Narcissa. "Is dangerous. Trouble follows him wherever he goes. And you allow him to sit here, with my son and your grandson, blind to the danger he poses to everyone around him. Haven't you lost enough already because of him?"

"Don't you dare," snarled Andromeda. "That boy saved us all from a fate worse than death. You only have yourself and You-Know-Who to blame for your current state of misery."