Hold the mask(Narcissa)

[aliceagain]

Narcissa couldn't miss her sisters awkwardness at the mention of the Halloween Ball. She had no doubt that her 'thinking about it' was another way of saying 'not really'. Narcissa couldn't really understand it. They'd been raised in the same house. They'd attended all of the same events, and while sure, some of them were a little boring, they were usually really enjoyable too. She just couldn't understand what her sisters didn't like about society events... Still, she kept quiet and didn't call her out on it.

She looked around the room. It wasn't a bad spot, but it certainly wasn't somewhere she'd like to spend too much of her time. The place had come to be associated with punishments. As for the common room... it was comfy and practical, but it wasn't exactly what one would call private unless you caught it at just the right time. "Perhaps..." Where was there around the school that could be considered private? Very few places. The walls had ears and eyes of their own.

Andromeda sat silent for a while, distant, and Narcissa couldn't help but wonder what was going through her mind.

"Nonsense, Andromeda. You're a Black. Charm comes natural to a Black. As do any guys who have their head in the right places - if they know what's good for them."

Curiosity piqued. A boy? So there was someone in Andromeda's life after all. And did she just stumble over how to define them? Narcissa had a feeling that whoever he was, Andromeda felt more than she was letting on. "Oh? Do tell, sister. Who is this 'friend' of yours?" She wondered how much Dromeda would be willing to say...

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[quof]

Andromeda allowed herself a small smile. Her sister's confidence did hearten her a little, but she was convinced Narcissa would feel different if she saw how Andromeda acted around other people when she wasn't with her family, especially when it came to male students. But she didn't say this, of course, instead she said.
"You are probably right, I should have more faith in myself." Confidence had never been Andromeda's strong suit, at least, genuine confidence, and she doubted it ever would be.

She had expected her sister's response, but that didn't mean she was any more prepared for it. She held back a sigh and smiled with a little chuckle to hide the fact that her mind was whirling as she tried to figure out how sufficiently and safely answer Narcissa's question. She couldn't give a name, she knew that. But there was no reason why she couldn't tell her everything else. Or at least, most of everything else.

"He's in sixth year, like me. And a coupe of days ago we started talking at lunch." She carefully avoided telling her where they talked at lunch. She wasn't sure how Narcissa would respond to all this, since Andromeda had never before had any boy drama to talk with her about, but she wouldn't put it past her to check the lake if Andromeda told her about there meetings there. Especially if she continued to avoid names.

"But I promise you, all we do is talk, and that's all we ever will do." She sounded convincing enough, and she wanted to believe she was telling the truth. But there was a part of her that kept her from feeling so sure. Was it natural paranoia to feel that way? She told herself firmly it was, and ignored the voice that said this was yet another lie.

[aliceagain]

Narcissa watched her sister closely as she spoke. There was something about the way she did that made the words seem... chosen. Specific. As if she carefully thinking out what word to use... But that was ridiculous, wasn't it? What could Andromeda possibly have to hide? Perhaps she was just thinking a little too much into her sisters actions.

Lunch, hmm? Narcissa let her mind drift back. Although she wasn't like Bellatrix who wanted to know where each of her sisters were at all times of day, Narcissa did like to make a mental note of who was around her. And... lunch? Who had Dromeda been sitting with at lunch recently?

Now that she thought of it, whenever she'd looked towards the spot where Andromeda usually sat couldn't remember seeing her at all... Well, it was possible she'd been sitting somewhere along the table different to usual but...

"Lunch you say? I don't think I've seen you at lunch for a few days now Dromeda. Don't say he's just a friend to you. If you're disappearing off to have lunch together somewhere that one or both of you clearly has more than friendship in mind."

She couldn't fight the smile/grin off her face. They didn't have the biggest involvement in each others' lives, but right now, Narcissa wanted all the details she could get.

"Oh, psh! Hardly. Come on now, Andromeda. Where does he take you on these little lunch 'dates' of yours? Where a guy takes you on a date can tell you a lot more about him that you realize - like whether he's really in it or whether he just wants a fling. Oh, you know what I mean. Come on. Spill."

[/justify]

[quof]

It was odd how quickly she had gone from feeling relaxed and content to feeling tense and uncomfortable. She shifted in her seat, unnerved by the certainty in her sister's voice. She didn't know what was going on, so there was no way she could be right, right?

"It's not like that, its just..." But she couldn't find the words, but it wasn't what her sister thought, was it? But that wasn't what worried Andromeda the most anyway. what worried her more was how much she seemed to be trying to deny it.

Her next question posed another problem. She could see there was no getting out of answering it, and if she continued to avoid the question her sister would begin to get suspicious.
"Lots of places, we don't really have a spot." That was a lie, and for all her deceptions Andromeda hated lying in such a blatant fashion. She wasn't looking at Narcissa as she said this either, in case there was something in her expression that would give her away.

The conversation was becoming a little too dangerous for Andromeda's liking, but she could think of no safe way to move away from it. That left one option.

"I think it is time that we get going." She said, "I Have studying to do and I'm sure I'm keeping you from something." She stood up, straightening her robes. "Besides, too long in the musty old place can't be a good thing,"She said with an attempt at a smile, and to cover up her abrupt decision to leave.

[aliceagain]

Narcissa watched as Andromeda struggled to find the words to answer her questions, and whenever she did answer, she wouldn't look at her as she did. What was her sister hiding from her?

Narcissa looked up startled as Andromeda suddenly stood up and voiced her intentions of leaving. "You're completely avoiding the conversation and I'll admit, I'm suspicious. But I'll let it pass..." Seeing as Andromeda was standing Narcissa stood too, brushing down her own robes, her nose curling slightly at the sight of the dust that had already settled there. It was musty alright...

With a sigh, Narcissa gave her sister a small smile. She'd meant what she said about wanting to get to know her sister better, in the way she used to know her, but she really didn't know how well it was going to work out in the end. They were both different, and while they were raised the same, they had different view, and different opinions, and different perspectives. Well, that stood for all three of them really, didn't it? They couldn't all agree on anything these days...

"Well... I guess I'll be seeing you around?" She said softly. Who knew what was going to happen, or even if they would speak again soon. It had all been well and good them arranging to meet more regularly, but perhaps Narcissa had pushed too hard for information. She rested her hand briefly on Andromeda's arm, sending her another weak smile, before she headed back towards the door. Though she had absolutely no idea where she was heading or what to do with her time.

[/justify]