Ethereal {N.B.}

Chapter 4

After Naya had finished playing the night before, the four had gone their separate ways. Naya slept in her own bed for the night after assuring Narcissa that she would be fine on her own. In reality, Naya had struggled to fall asleep in her absence, but she didn't want to be a bother to the older woman. It had been a few days since Draco and Harry arrived, and they all had settled in nicely, enjoying most meals together and spending plenty of their time chatting and sipping their drinks of choice.

It felt as though she had just fallen asleep when she was woken from her nap by a knock on her bedroom door. She rolled out of bed with a quiet groan and padded over to the door. She opened it to see a slightly grumpy-looking Draco.

"I apologize for waking you, but Harry and my mother insisted on us all eating dinner together in the garden. They said to meet downstairs in half an hour," he said with a dramatic sigh. It was just like Draco to hate being woken up from his nap too.

"It's alright, and thank you for letting me know. I'll see you down there," she said before he sulked away, and she closed her door. She moved to the bathroom and quickly shed her clothes to take a shower before redressing in a white sundress that stopped about mid-thigh. She had the few articles of clothing that were provided to all of the guests that stayed at the manor, but nothing else. Deciding the dress was good enough for the occasion, she dried her hair with a quick spell and made her way down the stairs. As she descended the stairs, her eyes locked with Narcissa's. She felt the older woman scan her body before looking back up to meet her eyes and sending her a smile. Naya smiled back, a light blush spreading across her cheeks as she moved to stand beside her, Draco, and Harry.

"Is everyone ready?" Narcissa asked. She was met with a chorus of yeses and motioned for all of them to follow her out into the garden. They walked to a gazebo Narcissa had built for entertaining guests a few years ago. They all sat at a little round table, and plates of food appeared in front of each of them. They ate in mostly silence, a few questions asked here and there.

"So, Naya, how's Lucas been? I haven't heard from him since your graduation either," Draco said. Naya froze as the image of her twin brother hovering over her flashed in her mind. She tried to force down the panic that was rising in her chest, but it was no use. She couldn't have them see her like this.

"Excuse me," she whispered as she stood and moved from the table. She quickly made her way back to the manor, unaware of the very concerned Narcissa chasing after her and calling her name. Tears burned trails down her cheeks as she picked up her pace and pushed into her room, running straight for the bathroom. Narcissa followed close behind her, pulling her hair back and rubbing her back when she threw herself over the toilet. Everything she had eaten that day and possibly the night before came back up until she was left dry heaving and sobbing.

"It's okay. Let it out," she soothed, continuing to rub circles on her back. Eventually, Naya sat back on her heels, continuing to sob and shake, but no longer having anything left in her stomach. She dove into the older woman's embrace, sitting the same way she had the first night after her nightmare. Narcissa hugged her closer, rocking slightly and whispering soft words of support in her ear as Naya sobbed into her neck. It troubled Narcissa to see her so hurt, and she wished at that moment that she could take all of her pain away. Naya's cries eventually subsided to sniffles, and she pulled away just enough to look the older woman in the eyes.

"It w-was him, Cissa. He d-did it," she whispered. Narcissa's eyebrows knit in confusion as she looked between Naya's deep brown eyes.

"What do you mean, sweetheart? Who did what?" she asked softly. She brought her hands slowly to either side of Naya's face and held it, wiping away the remains of any tears clinging to her cheeks.