Narcissa had finally drifted off to sleep, when a large crashing noise sounded from downstairs. She sat bolt upright, wincing as she caught her side, yet another punishment for not being at Lucius's beck and call. She left the bed and found her way over to the mirror; seeing the bruise that had formed around her eye, lifting her night gown she exposed a large blackening bruise just below her breast, she was sure he had cracked a rib. Lucius had hit her before, but Azkaban had brought out the worst in him.

She thought she still loved him, but how could she love the monster that had done this to her. She thought back on the days when she would gaze into his soft brown eyes and she felt safe, like nothing could hurt her. But the light in his eyes had died long before her went to Azkaban, much like her sisters. Now when she looked in his eyes all she saw was hatred and anger, every noise made in the house scared her. She held her breath every time she heard footsteps on the stairs.

She lifted her night gown higher and turned around; large searing red marks penetrated her back where he had use the fire poker to teach another of his many lessons. She would have to go to the healers to get these seen to but of course she couldn't tell him she was going. He would be busy tomorrow and he had asked her stay away from the house for a while, something she did not object to.

She let her night gown drop back down and blew out the candles in the room, then fumbled her way back to the bed. She slowly drifted to sleep the way she did most night, thinking about how alone she was, how the war had taken the one piece of her family that spoke to her and how her own son didn't want anything to do with her because she had stayed with him. Her other sister Andromeda wanted nothing to do with her and that was understandable, she would forever be associated with Deatheaters, not that she was one or had ever been one.

She dreamt about the battle that night and about her fear that Draco and Lucius would be killed, she had been so worried most of it was a blur. She remembers stumbling upon her niece and Remus' bodies and she had wept. She knew that it had been Bellatrix, she hated the fact that Nymphadora had been a mudblood, she had set out that night with a determination to end the shame Andromeda had brought on the family.

"I will get that dirty little mudblood, she is no niece of mine, rotten piece filth."

Narcissa tossed and turned all night. She had never wanted any of this; she recalled the split second it took for Bella to fall to the floor, her eyes wide open, the look of shock still on her face. Narcissa stood stunned at the red haired witch's ferocity, but she would have murder her herself, if Molly hadn't. She would never forgive Bellatrix for she had done to her own niece, leaving her son Teddy with no parents and devastating their sister by taking her only child. Muggle born not Nymphadora was still family.

She woke the next morning in a cold sweat, it had been 15 years since the battle and still the nightmares were a vivid as the fight itself. She quickly got herself dressed, placed a glamour spell over herself, so she didn't attract attention. Then she headed down the stairs, Lucius stormed past her and bellowed for her to leave, which she happily obliged. With a pop she was gone, she was just glad he hadn't hurt her.

She apparated straight to St Mungos, she knew she should she a healer sooner, rather than later. She spoke to the witch at the reception and asked to see a healer as soon as possible. "May I ask what the problem is Mrs…." Narcissa cut her off, there was no way she was telling her, if Lucius found out he would kill her. "Malfoy, Mrs Malfoy and no you may not, it is a private matter. Now, if it isn't too much trouble may I have an appointment please?" her voice dripped with sarcasm.

"Yes, Mrs Malfoy may apologies, I didn't mean to pry. There should be a healer free in about half an hour, if you just want to take a sit in the waiting room. She nodded silently at the woman and turned back to the seated area she had arrived in. She was so nervous, she didn't want anyone to see her and then have Lucius find out. She staring biting her nails and twirling her hair with her finger, two things she had done since she was a child, when she got nervous.

She looked up glancing around the room, she did not recognize anyone but that did not mean they did not recognize her. When she had looked up, she caught the rather portly woman from behind the reception coming towards her. "Healer Granger will see you now, third door on the left."

She swiftly left the waiting room and headed towards the healing room. Once inside she took a seat, the healer had not been in the room when she had arrived. Then it hit her, what had she said her name was, "Granger," Narcissa whisperer just as Hermione came through the door.

"Yes, that's me, what can I do for you today," she hadn't looked up from Narcissa's records yet, "Mrs Mal…." She stopped mid sentence and slowly looked up at the petrified woman. "Mrs Malfoy, what a surprise, I am sorry what can I do for you?" Narcissa immediately regretted coming her and she rose to her feet quickly. "It doesn't…..this is…I should go." Just as she reached the door a warm hand closed around her wrist.

"Mrs Malfoy, I am here to help, please don't go, the past is the past and I take my job very seriously. You wouldn't have come here if everything was ok." She pulled the older woman back gently. "Please sit." She led the other woman back to the chair and guided her into it.

Tears had begun to fill Narcissa's eyes, this girl, well woman was so compassionate. Compassion was not something Narcissa deserved. "It is just…" she didn't know how to say it so she would merely show her, she took out her wand and waved over her face, "Ostendo," she whispered and the glamour spell ended.

She heard a small gasp from the young female as the spell wore off and her blackened eye became visible. "Did he do this to you? Is there anything else?" Narcissa hung her head and nodded, tears steaming off her face and hitting her hand. "My ribs….and back." She forced out between sobs, "I am going to need to take a look, do you mind?" she moved towards Narcissa with caution and the older woman turned her head away and nodded. She bent down and lifted the older witch's shirt. This revealed a very dark angry looking bruise on the woman's usually porcelain white skin.

She gently reached out and traced the bruise with her fingers, the other woman flinched, "I am sorry did I hurt you?" The blonde witch shook her head, still unable to make eye contact. She moved around and slowly lifts the back of her shirt, this time her eyes widen in horror. Deep red gashed spanned the length and breadth of Narcissa's back, and they were all angrily inflamed. Hermione knew a burn when she seen one, and she couldn't believe what he had done.

She replaced Narcissa shirt and came around to sit face to face with her again, "Narcissa, I will be able to treat you with minimal scaring as well but you have to promise me something." Narcissa looked up intrigued and she came stared straight into Hermione's tear filled warm brown eyes, "promise you will not return to that house tonight, to him!"

Narcissa's head hung once more, "I have nowhere else to go, besides the punishment for not returning home would be worse" She was about to leave when Hermione spoke again, "Well you will just have to stay with me then, you are my patient and I cannot let you leave knowing you life could be in danger."

The older woman sat stunned at the healer's suggestion, "but why would….." she trailed off, seeing the stern look on Hermione face, she knew she was completely serious. "Narcissa, as I said before the past is the past, you saved my best friends life, let me repay the favour." She placed a comforting hand on Narcissa's shoulder, "You cannot go on living like this, I will not take no for an answer."

Narcissa smiled softly, Draco had always said she was a bossy one, "I don't think that is a good idea, you don't want to be associated with people like me. Please Hermione, he will find me and I am not having you put yourself in danger, for someone like me."

"Please let me help, look I am going to go hand in the paper work for the day and change. If you are here when I get back then we shall go to my apartment, if not come back on Tuesday and I will treat you properly. Narcissa, this is your chance to get out, you don't deserve this, please just consider it."