"I am furious and disgusted!" Narcissa yells at Ursa the next day. "I told you never to speak to them again!"

     "I do not care!" Ursa yells back. "They are some of the only people that are not so terrified of me that they will not talk to me."

     "You cannot be seen with them. Your father says you have been."

     "I do not know what you want me to say! I am not abandoning them! I am not going to stop talking to them! They make me happy."

     "I do not give a fuck if you are happy! We have a reputation to up-"

     "Nobody gives a fuck about our reputation other than the other Death Eater families!" Ursa interrupts. "By the way, our reputation at Hogwarts is shit. To them we are the stereotypical definition of Slytherins; mean, Dark wizards, evil. We are either hated or feared and more often than not, until me, it's hated! We are stuck up snobs who think they are better than everyone and do not give a fuck about others unless they are pureblood. They think everyone but me is fucking weak and use our money and status to compensate. Is that really the fucking reputation you want? Because that's what we have!" Narcissa grabs Ursa's collar and roughly pushes her into the nearest wall. Ursa gasps as the air is knocked out of her and Narcissa pins her to the wall.

     "Do not speak to me like that!" Narcissa spits.

     "All I am doing is telling the truth."

     "You are pureblood. You are a member of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black. Start fucking acting like it or you will be disowned."

     "While I'm on a truth kick, you and I both know there is no way in hell anyone is completely pureblood or else our families would have died out years ago."

     "That is nonsense that dirty-blood and Mudbloods use to try and discredit us. We. Are. Pure."

     "If you say so." Narcissa slaps Ursa and if she wasn't pinning Ursa to the wall, Ursa would have fallen to the ground by the force. Tears come to Ursa's eyes as Narcissa doesn't show shock. Narcissa notices the necklace Kreacher gave Ursa.

     "Where did you get that?" Narcissa whispers.

     "What?"

     "That necklace. Where did you get it?"

     "My friends gave it to me. Why do you care?"

     "Your great aunt had one just like it."

     "Interesting."

     "Where did you get it?"

     "My friends." Narcissa grabs the dragon and flips it over to see the Black Family crest engraved in the back.

     "The Black Family crest is engraved on it. Your friends just happened to have your great aunt's necklace? Tell me the truth?"

     "I can't."

     "Ursa. Now."

     "I can't. I physically cannot even if I wanted to. Now back to our conversation. I believe you said that we are pure and I said something like 'if you say so' and then you fucking hit me." Narcissa's hand moves from Ursa's collar to her throat.

     "Do you get pleasure out of being a little brat?"

     "A little bit."

     "You are dangerously close to being given to Bellatrix for your punishment."

     "Then do it!" Ursa exclaims. "She doesn't scare me anymore. She's cursed and hexed me enough times that the fear has worn off." Ursa's eyes widen and she slaps her hand over her mouth. Narcissa's face softens and she releases Ursa's throat.

     "What did you say?"

     "'She doesn't scare me anymore?'" Ursa starts shaking slightly.

     "After that."

     "I-I didn't say anything after that."

     "Yes you did. You said Bellatrix has cursed and hexed you before. Multiple times."

     "You must be hearing things." Ursa shakes her head. "I-I never said anything like that."

     "Ursa."

     "If I said anything like that they would do worse."

     "Ursa has Bellatrix hurt you before that I did not approve of or already know about?"

     "No. No."

     "Cub do not lie to me."

     "Please I'm not lying."

     "Wait... 'they would do worse?' Does your father hurt you?"

     "No. No he hasn't hurt me that you don't know about."

     "Ursa Jade Malfoy tell me the truth." Ursa pushes Narcissa away from her and tries to walk away. Narcissa grabs her wrist before she gets far and Ursa sighs.

     "Please, please do not confront them, they'll kill you."

     "So they have hurt you before?"

     "No, well yes. Bella and other Death Eaters have. Father knows but Bellatrix threatened to kill him if he stopped her or told you."

     "That is why you told me not to make promises I could not keep."

     "Yeah."

     "This needs to stop."

     "No, you cannot. They'll kill you. The Dark Lord will kill you."

     "Why are they hurting you?"

     "I don't know the exact reason. I know mainly to try to make me join the Death Eaters. Maybe trying to break me so they can use me. I don't want to talk about it. Can we go back to you yelling at me?"

     "Find new friends." Narcissa says before leaving the room.

     Later that day, Draco freezes as Ursa steps out of her room. "Don't bother running, I will catch you." Draco runs anyways and Ursa chases him. She catches up to him and jumps on his back. She hits him with every word she says. "What the hell Draco? I trusted you not to tell!"

     "Oww! Mother threatened me and I'm more afraid of her than I am of you." Draco says.

     "So you didn't just tell her?"

     "No. She threatened to ground me for the rest of break. She was furious. She used my full name and said 'fucking ass.'"

     "Alright. Fine." Ursa gets off of Draco.

     "So what did she do?"

     "Yelled at me and threatened to disown me."

     "That's it?"

     "Well then I said something that threw her off. I'll probably get yelled at and an actual punishment later."

     "What did you say that threw her off?"

     "I um... I told her Bellatrix and other Death Eaters have been hurting and torturing me."

     "What!?"

     "And that Father knew but didn't stop it or tell because she threatened to kill him."

     "So every adult in the house has hurt you?"

     "It seems that way."

     "Wow. What does Bellatrix do?"

***

     "What am I going to do with you?" Narcissa yells as she storms into Ursa's room later that day.

     "Well based on what you've already yelled at me, kick me out and disown me!" Ursa yells back.

     "Stop that!" Narcissa snaps. "Stop being a brat! Stop having an attitude! When did you start having an attitude with me?"

     "Immediately after the first time you hit me!" Ursa yells. "I trusted you not to do that! I trusted you not to be like them! I should have known better than to trust you or any adult family member or any adult for that matter! It has never gotten me anywhere good."

     "I am sorry for that. I-"

     "No you are not! You would not have done it again if you were! You would have apologized long before now."

     "Wait, 'them?'"

     "Your parents, Father's parents, Father, Bella, Beatrice. I trusted you not to hurt me. All you seem to care about is that I'm ruining our reputation. You don't even care about me! Just how I make us look! I'm sorry you think I'm a fucking embarrassment, but I'm not sorry for anything I've done! You know what I am sorry for? You. I'm sorry that you are too fucking narrow minded to see that there is more to life than reputation or money or power or blood! I'm sorry you don't know what real friends are like because you could only be friends with certain people. And before you say they are real friends, would they still be your friends if you lost your money or power or reputation, if you lost everything? No they wouldn't, would they? Mine would. They don't even care about it. Half the time they don't even remember that I am rich! That I'm a Malfoy!"

     "Ur-"

     "No!" Ursa snaps as she gets up. Her irises turn black and she slowly moves closer to Narcissa as she speaks. "No! I am not done talking! You see what I do, my friends, how I act towards non-purebloods and you see disgrace, embarrassment, whatever! Do you know what everyone else sees? 'Hey maybe the Malfoys aren't complete cold blooded assholes.' They see a good, decent human being! And that is doing more for our reputation, more good, then what you do!" Ursa breathes heavily as she finishes. Narcissa stares at her without emotion, processing Ursa snapping at her. "What? Do something! Either say something, do something, or get out. Don't just stand there like a fucking idiot." Narcissa turns and walks out of the room. She slams the door behind her and Ursa hears the lock click. Ursa sighs before falling to the ground where she is and crying. "I'm going to lose everything." Ursa hears someone come by her room and stop outside the door. They don't stay for longer than a few seconds before walking away. Draco knocks on Ursa's door a few minutes later. Ursa doesn't respond so he tries to open the door.

     "Ursa?" Draco says. "Are you okay? Did she hurt you?" Ursa basically crawls to her door and sits with her back against it.

     "No." Ursa replies.

     "No what?"

     "No I am not okay and no she didn't hurt me... did you hear any of that?" Ursa hears Draco sit against the door on the other side.

     "Yeah... I did. I heard what you said. Very brave. Very stupid."

     "Why am I so different?"

     "I don't know. Do people really think we are cold-blooded assholes?"

     "Yeah. I've heard it whispered in the halls. Others calling me 'The weird Malfoy,' or 'the good Malfoy.' 'The one who isn't cold-blooded.'"

     "Have you tried to get out? To leave."

     "No. Mother to the handles to my windows so I can't fly out and you know she took my wand a few days ago." Ursa turns her head and points her fingers at the lock. "Alohomora." She yelps as she is shocked by something.

     "You okay?" Draco asks.

     "Yeah. I think she had someone else lock it or at least protect the lock too. I can't get out."

     "She's really angry. Did she say anything before she left?"

     "No. She left after I finished yelling. I'm scared Draco." Her voice cracks. "She eluded to the fact she would kick me out and disown me or tell Father and Bellatrix and they would. I don't want to lose you... and as much as I don't like her right now, Mother. I don't feel welcome here."

     "Has she hurt you since you got back?" Ursa remains silent. "What did she do?"

     "Just pushing me into and pinning me to the wall. She hit me once and grabbed my throat. It was my fault."

     "It was not your fault!" Draco exclaims before he sighs and gets up.

     "Dray? Draco what are you doing?" Draco starts to storm away. "Draco don't do anything stupid."

***

     A few mornings later, Draco finds Ursa on a bench in the hedge maze, wearing a light jacket and pants in the snow. "What are you doing out here?" Draco asks as he pulls his jacket tighter around him. "It's freezing."

     "Nothin." Ursa says. Draco notices the high proof butterbeer on the bench next to her.

     "Why do you have that?"

     "What?" Ursa asks before taking a drink.

     "That bottle. We aren't supposed to touch that."

     "Oh well." Ursa says, slurring her words. "Not like either of them gonna notice it's missing. Neither usually drink it."

     "Are you drunk?"

     "Probably. The bottle was full when I started it like maybe an hour ago."

     "Why are you doing this Ursa?"

     "It helps me feel numb. Of course the time I want to feel numb I don't."

     "You must be freezing."

     "No idea. Helps numb the pain."

     "What pain?"

     "The pain of being alone because I have to abandon my friends, just pain from sadness, oh and the pain that one of the people I love the most fucking hates me and is disgusted by me!" Ursa takes another drink.

     "Mother doesn't hate you."

     "Yeah. She does. Have you seen how she's looked at me the last two days. It's the same look she gets when she has to be around a lot of dirty-blood. She hasn't spoken to me since I yelled at her, she just ignores me. Now shoo." Ursa drunkenly shoos Draco. "I'm trying to forget about my problems. I don't need you to remind me."

     "Yeah I'm taking you inside before you get frostbite."

     "Nooo." Ursa says as Draco walks to her.

     "Give me that." Draco says as he tries to swipe the bottle from her.

     "No." Ursa takes another drink and Draco takes it and closes it. "Hey! Asshole!" Draco grabs Ursa's arm and carefully throws her over his shoulder. "Put me down!"

     "No." Draco carries Ursa out of the maze and into the manor.

     "Put me down asshole!" Ursa yells.

     "What is going on?" Narcissa asks after she steps out of the library and sees them.

     "Don't worry about it." Draco replies.

     "Put me down!" Ursa says and she starts hitting Draco's back as he goes up the stairs.

     "Knock it off or I'll drop you on your head."

     "Go ahead! You'd be doing me a favor!"

     "Why are you carrying Ursa?" Narcissa asks while she follows them. She notices the butterbeer in his hand. "What is in your hand?" Draco walks into Ursa's room and pulls her comforter back. He drops her on her bed and covers her. She tries to get up but he pushes her back down.

     "Ass!" Ursa yells.

     "Shut up." Draco snaps. "Sleep this off and warm up."

     "I'm fine."

     "No you are not. You were outside in a light jacket for awhile. Sleep this off."

     "Sleep what off?" Narcissa asks and Ursa sneers as she sees Narcissa

     "Oh great." Ursa slurs. "Just what I need right now. Mummy. More reminders."

     "Shut up." Draco says and Ursa rolls her eyes.

     "What is going on?" Narcissa asks Ursa. "Are you drunk?"

     "Oh look." Ursa says. "Now she finally speaks to me. Yes I'm drunk. Wait. No. Shit. Fuck. Crap."

     "Shut up before you get yourself in more trouble." Draco says before Ursa yawns.

     "Fuck off." Ursa says before curling up. "Get out." Draco shakes his head and sighs. He leaves her room, Narcissa behind him. Neither speak until Narcissa closes the door.

     "What the hell is going on?" Narcissa asks. "Why did she say she is drunk?"

    "Because she fucking is." Draco replies. "I found her in the hedge maze with this." Draco hands Narcissa the bottle.

     "Draco do not curse at me." Narcissa says as they start walking down the hall. "Why would she do that? She knows we do not like it."

     "Well because of you for one."

     "Me?"

     "You told her you were disgusted by her because of her friends. She thinks you hate her and you are one of the two people she loves the most."

     "You do not think it disgusting that she is friends with a Mudblood?"

     "Of course I do but I'm not going to say it to her fucking face."

     "I do not get it. She normally does not care what others think about her. She did not act like this during the summer."

     "She cares what we think. You and me. And during the summer, you didn't threaten to disown her or elude to telling Father and Auntie. She loves us more than anything and is scared of losing us again. She doesn't feel welcome here right now. She feels like she isn't wanted here or is an imposition or something."

     "I do not know what to do about this." Narcissa sighs. "I am not going to encourage these disgusting friendships but I do not want her doing stupid shit like this."

     "It's not just that. She spoke of a voice and Pansy says she's still having nightmares and not going to Severus. She told Pansy a few of them. They're not just about that night or Beatrice anymore. Nightmares of us dying. Often by the Dark Lord because she is friends with Potter... I also know you've been hurting her." Narcissa sighs.

     "Draco, that does not concern you."

     "Ursa is my sister therefore it concerns me!" Draco exclaims.

     "Do not yell at me."

     "Leave her alone. She already has been abused by Beatrice and Auntie and a few Death Eaters. Father knows about Auntie and hasn't stopped it."

     "Wait. You know about that?"

     "She told me a few days ago. In decent detail. Every time she has attacked them makes complete sense now. She trusted you not to hurt her too. You realize she has almost no one to trust anymore! She's starting to shut me out! If she's shutting me out she is not okay. Do you realize how deep her Dark Arts knowledge is? How much that has effected her mental state? She- I am really worried that everything that has happened will push her over the edge. But not over the edge that she helps the Dark Lord. Over the edge where she kills herself to stop the pain! Over the edge where she kills Father and Auntie... or in general! Where she becomes Auntie! And if she does go after Father and Auntie, with the way you have been treating her, you would probably be next!"