Harry Potter - Truth Unearthed Chapter 4
Title:Truth Unearthed
Author: vicar_dibley
Fandom: Harry Potter
Pairing: Minerva/OC AU
Rating: NC 17
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters from Harry Potter, they belong to J.K. Rowling. (The woman is a genius.)
Author's note: English isn't my first language, this hasn't been beta'd so forgive me. The mistakes (language wise and otherwise) are all mine. Comments are welcome! Enjoy!
Chapter 4
Siobhan had been suspended for the remainder of the term from her post as DADA teacher after her near attack of the Ministry employees. She didn't mind though this way she could easier split her time between Hogwarts and the hospital. Sibyl and herself kept helping the members of Dumbledore's Army to train which was now even more important than ever before. She had promised to take care of the students after Albus had to flee and now without Minerva there to protect them it had fallen upon herself to look out for them. Unfortunately it wasn't much use since Umbridge had the board and the Ministry behind her to do as she pleases.
The vampire sighed and rubbed her tired eyes before she took hold of Minerva's hand again. It had been a week since the cowardly attack against her beloved and much to her relief Minerva had woken two days later. She had been in horrible pain then and the medication that was administered forced her to sleep quite a lot but also helped her to heal. Siobhan knew that Minerva would be anything but happy that she had to stay another three weeks and use a cane when she would be finally released for another four weeks to keep the pressure off her spine as much as possible. She also knew that the scars she had sustained on her chest would make her beloved wife more self-conscious about her body.
Another sigh found its way across her lips at the thought. Her beautiful brave warrior had suffered enough already and she would go to any length to assure Minerva of the desire, love and want she felt for her. Siobhan lightly ran her fingers through the soft greying hair on her wife's temple when she heard a hesitant knock on the door.
“Come in”, she called out quietly to not disturb her wife's sleep.
The door opened and revealed the elegant figure of Narcissa Malfoy who stood a bit uncertain in the doorway smiling shyly. When the vampire waved her in she quietly closed the door behind her and walked over to the bed.
“I am sorry, I didn't mean to disturb you I just happened to have an appointment and thought to pop in and ask how the good Professor is.”
“This is quite all right, Mrs Malfoy”, Siobhan assured her.
“Call me Narcissa, please.”
“Narcissa”, the vampire nodded, “Minerva is getting better. It is a slow process and she sleeps a lot but she will make a full recovery.”
“I am glad. A world without Minerva McGonagall would be poorer”, Narcissa said sincerely.
“This is very high praise coming from you.”
“Because I am Lucius Malfoy's wife or Bellatrix Lestrange's sister?” The blonde witch asked with sadness lacing her voice. The same sadness was detectable in her eyes. Siobhan noticed her mistake it was unfair to judge the woman in front of her by the action of others. She hung her head in shame.
“I am sorry. You didn't deserve that. Please accept my sincerest apology.”
“Accepted, Daywalker.” Narcissa smiled ruefully at the vampire. “You love her very much, it is plain as day to me and you worry which makes it understandable.”
“Still...”
“No, please,” the blonde witch waved it off, “give the Professor my regards when she wakes up. Good day, Daywalker.”
“I will, Narcissa. Good day to you as well.”
Narcissa walked towards the door but stopped with her hand on the knob.
“Is she happy?” The question was asked so quietly had it not been for Siobhan’s keen senses she would have missed it. First her brow furrowed but then comprehension dawned on her timeless features and she turned in her chair. Narcissa stood at the door, her back to the vampire while her forehead rested against the cool surface of the frame. Another wave of pain hit her, making her feel nauseous as she waited for Siobhan's answer.
“Content”, the vampire said thoughtfully, before she repeated with slightly more conviction, “Sybil is content.”
“Good.” Narcissa finally opened the door and left.
***
Sibyl stepped out of the fireplace on the opposite side of the reception in St. Mungos and dusted her robes off. She was glad to have escaped Hogwarts for a few hours to keep Siobhan company at Minerva's side. The former Divination teacher smiled at the thought of her former teacher, Head of House and long-time friend. Minerva would make a full recovery and be up and about at Hogwarts in no time, given what had happened to her. This couldn't go on forever with Umbridge in full charge of the school and both Headmaster and Deputy gone. Sibyl had a hell of week behind her and not everything was due to the ugly toad’s reign of terror.
Ever since that unexpected encounter with a certain blonde, sleep had been a rarity for her. Try as she might she simply couldn't get the images of a hauntingly beautiful Narcissa Malfoy out of her head. Every time Sibyl closed her eyes at night she was there, looking gorgeous and pained at the same time. Sibyl wasn't blind, even during this short moment she had realised that Narcissa was way too thin for a woman her height, her cheeks were gaunt and there were dark circles under her blue eyes. Her blonde hair had lost its shine and even her lips lacked their vibrant colour.
It had taken every ounce of Sibyl's will power not to fold Narcissa in a tight embrace and never let her go. She had reminded herself that this wasn't her Narcissa anymore and she had no right whatsoever to do as she desired. She shook her head to get rid of these memories and strolled down the corridor to Minerva's room. Sibyl rounded the corner and as she stepped in front if the door to open it, somebody did so from inside. She held her breath when she recognised Narcissa leaving Minerva's room. The blonde witch opened her mouth to greet Sibyl when her mouth distorted in pain and a hand flew to her temple before she collapsed.
Sibyl rushed forward as soon as she realised that something was wrong and caught Narcissa's unconscious body before it hit the floor. She scooped her into her arms and stepped through the door, asking Siobhan to call for a healer. The vampire had sprung into action immediately and after hitting the call button she had transfigured one of the visitor chairs into a second hospital bed.
“Thank you”, Sibyl whispered as she gently laid her precious cargo on the new bed. She sat down on the edge and brushed a few blonde strands from Narcissa's forehead when the door opened and one of the healers rushed in.
“What happened?” He asked while he started to examine the unconscious woman.
Sibyl had left her place at the bedside to make room for him and joined Siobhan at the foot of the bed.
“I don't know”, she shook her head, “she just stepped through the door when she clutched her head in pain and collapsed.”
“Hmm”, the healer continued carefully with his examination. When he was finished he stood back with a sigh of resignation. “It was probably another heavy migraine. Her blood pressure worries me though.”
“What are you going to do now?” Sibyl asked anxiously.
“There is nothing much I can do I am afraid despite trying to lower her blood pressure and find the right medication to keep her migraine at a bearable level. I will send a nurse with some potions she will have to take when she wakes up. Then she is of course free to leave.”
“You are sending her home? Just like that?” The vampire asked incredulously.
“I cannot keep her against her will. Mrs Malfoy has been my patient for nearly a year now and her headaches have become worse since that. Every suggestion on my part to stay at the hospital until we find the correct medication has been rejected. The sudden increase over the last few weeks is due to an enormous amount of pressure she feels. I won't even speculate about the reason for this. Maybe you can make her see reason.” The man finally left to prepare Narcissa's medication.
Without a second thought Sibyl returned to Narcissa's side. She sat down on the bed and took the blonde's left hand in her own. Holding a cold hand between her own the former teacher tried to map Narcissa's face with her eyes, to commit every plane, line, every perfection and imperfection to her memory. She finally lost the fight between desire and restraint as she reached out and let the back of her fingers caress Narcissa's warm cheek. A single tear stole its way down Sibyl's cheek as she caressed Narcissa's face gently. She was startled when blue eyes suddenly opened and looked around unfocused until they returned to Sibyl’s face. Narcissa tried to sit up but felt dizzy and she let herself be guided back down against the pillow.
“Easy”, Sibyl whispered as she squeezed her hand reassuringly. “You collapsed and your healer is going to send you some medication before you can leave.”
She started to get off the bed but was held back by the hand she still held, so she sat down again looking questioningly at the blonde witch.
“Why?” Narcissa asked softly.
“Why what?”
“Why are you so kind to me?” The blonde wanted to know as she closed her eyes.
“Oh, Cissy”, Sibyl whispered as she cupped one of Narcissa's cheeks in her palm.
Watery blue eyes opened at the nickname she thought she would never hear from the other woman. They gazed deeply into each other’s eyes, searching and finding what they both had thought had been lost so many years ago. It was still there, underneath many layers of pain, regret and loneliness. Narcissa covered the hand on her cheek with her own, entwining their fingers. She turned her head and kissed the palm tenderly, letting her lips linger before she leaned into the touch.
“I am so sorry, Sibyl”, Narcissa whispered through her tears.
“So am I, Cissy. I should have been stronger, braver. I am so sorry. I wasn't the woman you needed.”
Sibyl hung her head in shame as she remembered that summer nearly that had finally ended their relationship and made Narcissa the wife of Lucius Malfoy
“No, no”, Narcissa sat up and cupped Sibyl's face in her hands forcing the other woman to look into her eyes, “you were everything I wanted, needed, dreamed of and so much more. Please, don't ever doubt that.”
She leaned forward bringing their lips closer together when the door was opened by a nurse with the medication for Mrs Malfoy. They jumped apart and Sibyl stood from the bed. She walked over to the window, looking down into the street that was bustling with muggles on their way to and fro. Siobhan joined her at the window while the nurse tended to Narcissa.
“I am an old fool, aren't I?” Sibyl suddenly said with her eyes still on the street below.
“It is not foolish to love, my friend.”
“I still do, you know, love her I mean. I never stopped.” The former teacher admitted ruefully.
“I know.”
Sibyl sighed heavily and raked her shaking hands through her short straight hair. They heard the nurse leave and turned from the window. Sibyl returned to Narcissa's side but didn't sit down again. She stood in front of the woman who had stolen her heart so long ago. She never wanted it back. There has never been anybody else she could have given her heart. How could she? She couldn't give what was no longer hers.
“You are still wearing it?” Narcissa asked surprised as she spotted the necklace with the heart around Sibyl's neck.
“I have never taken it off. It was the only reminder I had of you. Nothing and nobody could take that away from me.”
“Sibyl...”, the blonde started but was stopped by a gentle finger over her lips.
“No, Cissy. No apologies for things you had no control over.” Feeling bold Sibyl closed the distance between them and covered Narcissa's lips gently with her own. It was a short and sweet kiss, full of longing and promise.
“Maybe one day, Cissy.”
“Yes, maybe.” The blonde agreed before she stood and left a sobbing Divination teacher behind.
***
“Where have you been?” Lucius demanded forcefully when he grabbed Narcissa’s arms as soon as she entered the drawing room in search of a place for solitude. She had forgotten that this house no longer held any place where she could find even a moment of peace.
“Let me go! You are hurting me.” Narcissa hissed before her head flew to the side from the slap with the back of his hand. She covered her stinging cheek and felt something wet under her fingers. Pulling them away to look at them she saw blood from a cut by his ring. He grabbed her with both hands now, squeezing stronger as he spat, “Tell me where you have been or I will beat it out of you.”
“Lucius, please, let me go.” Narcissa pleaded, very well aware that he would be true to his threat.
“I wouldn't do that if I were you”, the menacing voice from the door let her husband's hand freeze in mid-air. “If you dare touch her again, you filthy scumbag, I will make you pay. And believe me when I say at the end you will beg me to kill you like all those filthy mudbloods before you.”
“Threatening your own kind now, Bellatrix”, Lucius laughed shakily, fear lacing his voice. He knew what was his sister in law was capable of and he had no desire to become a victim of her crazy games.
“Don't delude yourself. You were never one of my kind, Lucius. ”
Bellatrix circled the man she abhorred nearly as much as her own husband. In doing so she pried her sister from his clutches and gently pushed her towards the door. When she heard the door close behind Narcissa did she close the remaining distance between them. She laughed out loud when she saw the fear in his eyes. She could smell it which made this whole disgusting affair even more delicious.
“You are perfectly right to fear me, Lucius. You are a coward. Should you ever dare touch my sister like that again I will kill you.”
Bellatrix turned on her heels and stormed out of the room in search of her sister. She found her in her darkened bedroom, curled in a foetal position on the bed with her back to the door. Bellatrix closed the door with a sigh, warding it with a powerful spell against any intrusion before she slid on the bed and took her sister's sobbing form into her arms.
***
The weeks were slowly going by but there was not much time until the school year was finally over and Minerva was getting decidedly grumpier the longer she had to remain in St. Mungos. She had even snapped at her wife yesterday, immediately cursing herself at the hurt look in Siobhan's eyes. Minerva sighed at herself for being impatient but with both her and Albus gone from the school and Siobhan suspended she felt restless and worried. She would have to do a lot of apologising when her beloved would come to see her today.
Siobhan had been patient, caring and so gentle and she had snapped at her like she was a third year student. The door opened and revealed the dashing figure of her wife. The vampire crossed to her bed and leaned down to kiss her hello but when she tried to pull back, firm and insistent arms around her neck held her in place. When oxygen became an issue Minerva let go of her wife who still had her eyes closed and a dreamy expression on her face.
“You always had very talented lips, my love”, Siobhan said huskily as she sat down on the edge of the bed. “Whatever did I do to deserve such a welcome?”
“I wanted to apologise for yesterday”, Minerva said, finding the pattern of the blanket awfully interesting. “You deserve better than that. I didn't mean to snap at you like that. I don't know what came over me.”
Gentle fingers under her chin raised her head to look into the sky blue eyes of her wife. Minerva felt tears spilling over at the love in those captivating eyes only to have them brushed away by gentle thumbs. Siobhan closed the distance between them and captured Minerva's lips with her own. Long fingers slipped into her raven hair, scratching her scalp as she was held against those oh so wonderful lips she devoured with gusto. They were slightly panting when Siobhan rested her forehead against Minerva's.
“You don't need to apologise, my love. I do understand how frustrated you must be. It is not much longer, at the end of the week you can leave the hospital.”
“Thank goodness”, Minerva mumbled.
Siobhan tucked a stray strand of grey hair behind Minerva's ear, letting her hand cup her wife's cheek. The vampire smiled when she leaned into the touch, needing the closeness and warmth of her wife's body after last night's events. Minerva was her strength, her rock, her unwavering noble Highlander. How she loved this woman, with every fibre of her being. Every part of her being, human and beast belonged to this witch. Siobhan knew she would never love anybody else. She had known from the moment they met. The thought of ever losing Minerva was unthinkable, unbearable.
“Darling, what is it? What worries you so?” Minerva's question brought her from her musings.
The vampire sighed there was no beating around the bush. Minerva would see through her so better tell her now and get it over with.
“There was an incident last night at the Ministry.”
“What incident?”
“Voldemort has lured Harry there by making him believe that Sirius was there as a prisoner.”
“And?” Minerva asked anxiously.
“He, Ron, Hermione and a few others went there but they were ambushed by Voldemort and his Death Eaters. Bellatrix killed Sirius but could be captured by the Order when they tried to escape.”
“Goodness! Where is Madam Lestrange now?”
“At Grimmauld Place”, the vampire said with a frown. “Since her escape from Azkaban we thought it not prudent to take her back.”
“Probably not. How are they?”
“Fine. Except for a few cuts and bruises. Harry is of course distraught over Sirius. Bellatrix's constant mocking doesn't help either.”
“Hardly.”
TBC