Chapter 17: A Promise

"We could leave together." Narcissa said softly.

Bellatrix continued her research in the library. She was halfway through diagramming a particular ritual when she heard the voice of Nymphadora Tonks from the fireplace.

"Harry, you in?"

Bellatrix muttered darkly and recast her glamour. She put on a fake smile and walked to the fireplace, she looked to the young woman's head. "Hello Ms. Tonks, I'm afraid Harry is out of the house at the moment."

"Drat, I wanted to invite him to come with me. The Weird Sisters are going to be doing an autograph signing in Diagon Alley." Bellatrix hid her rolled eyes, A likely story. You just wanted to take him out of the house and try to get more information about our relationship. "Well, he's in the alley. If you'd like to find him, I'd be glad to come with you."

Tonks thought for a moment, "Alright, I'm coming through." The flames grew bright green and then Tonks was standing before her. They both apparated to Diagon Alley, just as Harry and Narcissa were going into the cafe. "What's Harry doing with Mrs. Malfoy?" Tonks asked, more to herself than to Bellatrix.

"Who is Mrs. Malfoy?" Bellatrix played dumb, Josephine wouldn't know the whole of the Black family, especially since she had not went to the public reading.

"Bad news. Her husband Lucius is a jackass and he's running with a dark crowd." Tonks frowned and looked to her companion, "You up for some under cover work? Let's find out what she's doing with your boyfriend."

Bellatrix and Tonks came into the cafe and got a table at a corner away from Narcissa and Harry. Tonks conjured a small mirror and maneuvered it so that they could see the couple. They couldn't hear them talking. "Must be a silencing charm..." Tonks had offered. They watched the silent conversation. Bellatrix saw Narcissa touch Harry's hand. Her knuckles turned white as she clenched her fists. Why is she touching him? What is her game? Is she planning on using him to get revenge on Lucius?

Tonks saw that Josephine looked furious. It's not just a passing fancy, unless she's worried that Mrs. Malfoy wants to take him for his money before she gets a chance. The couple prepared to leave. Tonks cast a quick notice-me-not charm so that neither Harry nor Narcissa would see them in the nearby booth. She needn't have bothered though, they two left in their own little world. She looked to Bellatrix. "You alright Josephine? Harry's a good guy, I doubt he'd be doing anything untoward, especially not with a married woman."

"I'd hope not. I've told him before that I'm the jealous type. I'd hate to have to ruin her pretty face." Bellatrix looked to Tonks, "If you don't mind, I'm going back home. I think Mr. Potter and I need to have a conversation." Without waiting, Bellatrix apparated away, leaving Tonks in the cafe.

Good luck Harry, you're going to need it...

Narcissa had retreated to the study when they arrived back at Grimmauld Place. Harry was in the kitchen making a sandwich when he heard the tell-tale pop of someone apparating. He turned and saw Bellatrix and smiled, "Hey, I called for you when I got back, you must have been out. Do you want a sandwich?" He hadn't noticed the look of forced calm on her face yet.

"A sandwich, didn't you have something to eat at the cafe?"

"No, we only had tea..I..wait, were you at the cafe? Did you follow us?"

"Tonks and I came looking for you. She saw you walking with Narcissa. We followed you into the cafe and saw you holding hands with my sister. What happened?" It was not a question, it was a demand. Harry saw the rage behind her eyes, he decided to tell the truth.

"Narcissa asked me to marry her, to make her Lady Potter. I told her that I wasn't going to do that right now." Harry had hoped being honest would soothe her.

"She asked you to MARRY HER!" Bellatrix whipped past him going towards the study. Harry caught her hand, bringing her back to face him. He drew her against him.

"Let. Me. Go." Her voice was a dangerous whisper.

"Bellatrix, please look at me." She drew still and then looked to him, her rage filled violet eyes met his green ones. "I told her that we made a promise to each other, that I wasn't going to treat you like the others have. I'm not going to marry Narcissa just because she'd be easier to take to a party. Besides, I promised you that if I survived this war, you would be Bellatrix Potter-Black."

She felt her cheeks redden. Harry held the embrace for a moment, "Please don't try to kill your sister. She's been through enough. She might not have been put under a spell, but she's lived a life as devoid of love as you have."

"So she says."

"I've seen the way Lucius Malfoy treats people. I'm pretty sure she's not lying when she describes being used to create an heir and then ignored."

"No, that is the pure-blood way..." Bellatrix seemed to be calming down now. She broke the embrace, "She would be a better wife for you though. I can't host a Yule party. No one is going to take a written invitation from the woman who cursed the Longbottoms into insanity...Harry I can't ask you to perform that ritual for me. I'll ruin your life, none of your friends will want to be around you if they find out about us." She felt Harry draw her back against him.

"I made you a promise. Either my friends will accept that you were under a compulsion charm and not responsible for your actions. Or they will have proven that they aren't really my friends." He pulled away. "So how about that sandwich?"

Bellatrix went to respond, just then they heard the voice of Molly Weasley through the fireplace, "HARRY JAMES POTTER, WHAT WERE YOU DOING WITH NARCISSA MALFOY!"