Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

September 30th, 1985

Narcissa was dozing in her bed chamber when she heard floosh from downstairs. Getting up, and fighting a bit of nausea, she stepped out into the loft. “Darling!” she heard Lucius call. Taking a moment to focus, she apparated to the solarium.

“I’m here,” she said, startling Draco who jumped. Lucius stepped towards her and kissed her on the cheek in greeting. She kissed him back and  then turned to Draco, who was averting his eyes. “What happened?”

“Our son thought it was a good idea to steal my wand,” Lucius answered, glowering at the little boy. “I told him we would discuss what to do with him.”

“Why did you take the wand, Draco?” Narcissa inquired, observing his reaction.

“I just wanted to try a few spells,” Draco mumbled. “I saw the Snyde girl use it on another student… and she wouldn’t let me use her wand.”

“So you decided to take your Father’s instead,” she said, glancing at Dobby. “I’m assuming you thought the elf was going to take the blame?”

“Maybe.”

“Draco…” Lucius said darkly.

“You know you’re too young for your own wand,” Narcissa stated firmly. “If you want to practice magic, you will do so under our supervision. With one of the wands we lend you.” She glanced at Lucius, slipping her hand into his free one. “Dobby.”

“Yes, Mistress,” Dobby asked a bit nervously.

“Take Draco to his room so he contemplate his actions while Lucius and I discuss his punishment,” she ordered. “And do make sure he doesn’t try to distract himself with his toys or anything he might take pleasure out of.”

“Yes, Mistress,” Dobby bowed, turning to Draco and trying take his hand. “Come Master Draco.”

“Get your hands off me, you filthy elf!” Draco snapped, slapping Dobby’s hand away.

“Draco,” Narcissa admonished, her voice dropping dangerously low; something she rarely did. While she had concerns about how Lucius treated Dobby— something she expressed when she was certain they were alone— she wasn’t going to tolerate it when the elf was only doing his job.

Draco glanced up at his mother, quickly averting his gaze and slowly walking out of the room with Dobby beside him. “I need you to give him that voice more often,” Lucius smiled, wrapping his arms around her. “How’re you feeling?”

“Still a bit nauseous,” she sighed, leaning into his embrace and basking in his touch. “I’ll be fine.”

Lucius placed a kiss on her cheek again and led her to the couch where they could sit and talk more comfortably. “So,” she began, leaning against him. “Aside from the obvious taking of his broom privileges, what else should we do?”

“I would go as far as him taking care of the dogs,” Lucius answered, referring to their Irish Wolfhounds. “Making him do servant stuff might instill the severity of his actions.” Narcissa remained quiet, her arms wrapping around her body as she fought back an intrusive thought. Both of their parents— particularly their fathers— had used rather harsh punishments on them, and Narcissa wanted to avoid repeating those punishments on her own child. Lucius placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. “Are you alright?”

“I’ll be fine,” she nodded. “As long as we don’t resort to cursing, I think that punishment should suffice. Also, no sweets for a month.”

Lucius pulled her in a tight embrace, rubbing her shoulder lightly as her kissed her head. “Enough about me,” she said, pulling back a bit. “How did the inspection go?”

“As expected,” Lucius shrugged. “Still allowing mudbloods into the school. Most of the professors we had are still there, and as far as I know are expected to stay. So he’ll have at least a descent education.”

“You’re still wanting him to go to Durmstrang,” Narcissa inferred.

“Using legilimens on me?”

“I just know you,” she replied smiling softly. “And I’m not against him learning the dark arts; but, we met at Hogwarts, it’s much closer to us so I can send him owls— I don’t know how I would send them to Durmstrang if the ship goes under water— and I trust Snape far more than I do Karkaroff.”

“I understand,” Lucius murmurred. “I don’t exactly trust Karakroff either; I’m just worried about him mingling with mudbloods under Dumbledore.”

“We mingled with them and we came out just fine,” Narcissa pointed out, wincing a bit as she felt a pain in her stomach. “Besides, if the rumors are true about a certain relative of mine— and unless he interacted with her spawn— they won’t mingle because she’ll be graduated by the time he starts.”

“You’re right,” Lucius nodded, wrapping an arm around her waist as the pain let up a bit; he then changed the subject back to her. “Are you sure you don’t want me to take you to St. Mungo’s? Just in case it’s serious?”

“Give it a day or two,” she sighed, knowing he wasn’t going to back down. After her last miscarriage, Lucius had grown overprotective of her; and while she couldn’t blame him given the circumstances, she did find it slightly annoying. “If it gets any worse, we call St. Mungo’s.”

“Alright,” he said reluctantly, kissing her head. “I’m not going to stop fretting, though. I believe the vow was ‘in sickness and in health.’”

“You’re a worrywart,” she muttered.

“With good reason,” he said, smiling a bit. “Shall we summon Draco?”

Narcissa nodded, composing herself as Lucius summoned Dobby and Draco. “Yes, Father?” Draco asked.

“After discussing with your mother,” Lucius spoke, glancing at his wife. “We’ve decided you’ve lost your broom privileges and sweets for a month. You will also be taking care of the dogs for a week.”

“But that’s servant stuff!” Draco blurted.

“What you did was very serious, Draco,” Narcissa said firmly. “Luckily you were at Hogwarts when this happened so the Ministry isn’t involved.”

“It’s not fair…”

“Life isn’t fair,” Lucius snapped, glancing at Narcissa who was wincing again as a sharper pain hit. “Your punishment is final.”

Draco pouted and turned to storm out. Lucius ignored it for now, turning back to Narcissa, who had broken out in a sweat. “Darling?”

“Fine,” she whispered, taking a few deep breaths.

“You’re going to rest,” Lucius stated firmly, helping her to her feet before apparating them to their bed chamber. Once she was settled in the bed, he kissed her forehead. “I’ll have Dobby bring you something for supper.”

“Alright,” she murmured, curling up as the pain took hold again.

Chapter Text

“What’s wrong with Mother?” Draco asked as he and Lucius sat down for dinner.

“I’m not sure, Draco,” Lucius admitted slowly. “As of right now she just needs rest. While she is resting, we will not disturb her.”

Draco nodded, slowly eating his meal. “I’m sorry I took your wand, Father… I-I didn’t—“

“It’s alright, Draco,” Lucius interrupted, squeezing his hand, struggling to give him a soft smile. “What’s important is that you don’t do it again— and no, this doesn’t get you out of punishment.”

Draco’s face faltered just slightly, but he nodded and continued eating. He couldn’t be blamed for trying to get out of the punishment, but at least he knew his father was no longer angry with him. They finished their meal in silence, summoning Dobby to clear off the table. “Why don’t we take a walk, Draco,” Lucius spoke, glancing up at the staircase that led to their bed chamber when they had reached the foyer.

“Alright,” Draco nodded joining his father. As they walked around the garden, Draco looked up at his father. “After I get my broom back,” Draco began. “Can we do another game of Quidditch?”

“Of course,” Lucius replied, turning a corner where a peacock was extending his tail feathers for a peahen.

“Why do they do that?” Draco asked as they continued walking. He was trying to distract himself and his father from what was going on with his mother. “Shake their tail feathers like that?”

“To impress the girl,” Lucius smirked, shaking his head a bit. “She gets impressed every year.”

“How did you win Mother over?”

“Lots of begging,” Lucius chuckled. “Not to mention long walks and treating her respectfully helped.”

Draco smiled at the idea of Lucius begging for his Mother’s hand in marriage. Most people knew him as a cold hearted scoundrel— at least, that’s how Aunt Eileen describes him— but Draco would occasionally see his soft side; especially when he was attempting to eavesdrop on them (though, he learned real quick not to eavesdrop at night); his dad’s gentle voice easing the concerns is mother had instead of using the harsh cold voice Draco was used to; seeing his father’s gentle touch on her shoulder or him caressing her face and then laughing as they both thought of something funny… he was still confused about that. Adults were weird. Still, he couldn’t deny that his father truly had a soft spot for his mother, which is why he guessed his father was so effected by whatever ailed her.

He paused briefly by a small part of the garden that held three Christmas Roses. Each flower held a golden chain, with small charms attached. One held twelve, the other held nine, and the third held four. “What does each of those charms mean?” He asked as he walked in to kneel in front of them, a bit mystified as he reached out to touch a charm…

“Be careful, Draco!” Lucius snapped, his cane painfully connecting to Draco’s shoulder. Tears welled up in his eyes as he glanced and flinched at his father’s eyes. Even though it was only for a brief moment, he’d never seen someone hold so much rage, and it terrified him. Lucius’s eyes softened and he pulled Draco into a tight embrace. “I’m sorry… those flowers are very dear to your mother and I… almost as dear as you are to us…”

“Why?” Draco asked, embracing his father.

“I’ll tell you when you’re a bit older,” Lucius replied. Draco pulled back and he swore he saw his father wipe away tears from his face. “Just be very careful and respectful when you’re in this part of the garden.”

“Yes, Father,” Draco mumbled a bit confused. He had never seen his father switch emotions so quickly— except maybe when he was angry and his mother stepped in to calm him down and vice versa. But, that was usually when his grandfathers were around. He didn’t understand why his grandfathers and his parents had a strained relationship, but he knew that his parents would always stand together. “Does this have anything to do with my grandfathers?”

“No,” Lucius said firmly. “And we don’t talk about this place to your grandfathers. Understand?”

More secrets. Draco was getting tired of the secrets, but he slowly nodded. “Why?”

“I will also explain that when you’re older,” Lucius murmured, his grip tightening around Draco in a way he swore his father would suffocate him. “They’re some things you’re not ready for… but, I will explain to you when the time is right.”

Draco nodded. As Lucius pulled back, he glanced up at the sky, seeing it nearly dark. “It’s time you went to bed,” Lucius said, taking his son’s hand.

“Can I say goodnight to Mother?” Draco asked after they apparated to the manor loft.

“Quietly,” Lucius said firmly. “She needs her rest.”

Draco nodded, walking to his parents room as his father opened the door. His mother was lying on her side, a pained expression on her face as she whimpered a bit in her sleep. Lucius sat down next to her, stroking her damp forehead. “Goodnight, mummy,” Draco whispered as he kissed her cheek. He looked up at his father nervously.

“Go to bed, Draco,” Lucius said softly, looking down at his wife. “I’ll let you know if anything serious happens.”

Draco nodded, walking to his bedroom. One of the dogs was lying on his bed, and perked up when they saw Draco, whimpering a bit as he guessed they sensed his sadness. Draco sat down on the bed and wrapped his arm around the dog, burying his face into their soft fur as he let the tears fall. “Mummy’s going to be okay… right?”

Chapter Text

Lucius sighed as he saw she barely touched food on the plate by the nightstand and the potion hadn’t even been touched; he’d guessed that she wasn’t going to eat much, but from the looks of the plate she barely even took a bite before giving up. As he crawled into bed, he pulled Narcissa up against him. She moaned in pain, but didn’t wake.

He dozed off, stroking her arm; only to wake when he heard her cry out. He looked beside him to see her drenched in sweat, moaning softly in pain. “Flower,” he spoke, causing her to start as she woke. Her eyes were glazed over with pain as she clutched her stomach. “Do I need to summon St. Mungo’s?”

There was a long pause before she finally nodded. He kissed her head gently, then got out of bed. “Dobby!” The elf appeared quickly, bowing to his master.

“Y-y-yes, Master Lucius?” He quivered.

“Keep an eye on Narcissa while I summon a Healer from St. Mungo’s. If Draco comes in, send him away immediately.”

“Yes, Master,” Dobby bowed.

Lucius sent an owl with the speed charm on it to St. Mungo’s; then two more to Eileen and Dawn with particular emphasis not to alert Cygnus and Abraxas. The reply from St. Mungo’s was answered within a few minutes, as a Healer appeared in the fireplace in the drawing room. “Mr. Malfoy?” The healer asked.

“She’s in our room,” he said brusquely, leading him up the stairs and quickly to the bed chamber.

“Does she have any medical conditions I need to be aware of?” The healer asked. “Any chance of pregnancy?”

“No,” Lucius shook his head fervently, hoping that he was right. He was concerned that perhaps they weren’t as careful as they had thought and she was carrying; but, he had to shove the thought quickly aside. “We’re not trying for children right now.”

“Father?” A quiet voice called from the doorway. Lucius turned to see Draco standing there with Damon as Dobby was struggling to pull Draco away.

“C-c-come with me, Master Draco,” Dobby stuttered as he caught Lucius’s gaze.

“Draco, go with Dobby,” Lucius ordered.

“What’s going on?” Draco demanded.

“Draco,” Lucius said, his voice dropping several notes. “Go with Dobby, now. I’ll tell you when I know.”

Draco looked up at his father, his lip trembling before running off with Damon by his side. He felt bad for snapping at his son, but he couldn’t handle his crying child and whatever his wife had. “How is she?”

“I’m not sure,” the healer answered. “Does she still have her appendix?”

“As far as I know,” Lucius blinked, confused.

“It’s possible she has appendicitis and needs to be treated at St. Mungo’s,” the healer answered.

“Possible?”

“According to her records she’s had at least one miscarriage, correct?”

Lucius bit back his remark and slowly nodded.

“That puts her at higher risk for an ectopic pregnancy,” the Healer explained. “It’s not a real pregnancy… more like a deadly tumor but appears with similar symptoms as appendicitis and a few other differential diagnoses. We’ll need to take her in to confirm.”

“What do you mean not a real pregnancy?”

“It always results in maternal and fetal death,” the healer explained. “No magic can heal it, which is why we try to avoid calling it anything than a tumor. Now, I’m not saying that’s what she has, but we really do need to admit her.”

Lucius nodded solemnly. “Alright,” he said, I just need to get my son.” He hurried to Draco’s room; his son was on his bed, his face buried in Lela’s neck as a sob came over his body. “Draco,” he said softly. The little boy looked up, sniffing and wiping his eyes.

“Yes, Father?”

“Your mother’s going to St. Mungo’s,” he said, kneeling down next to his son. “They’ll diagnose her there.”

“A-are you going?” Draco sniffed.

Lucius nodded. “I’ve sent owls to your aunts to meet us at St. Mungo’s on the sixth floor. Grab your blanket and dragon.”

Draco nodded, grabbing the stuffed dragon, hippogriff and Abraxan winged horse and holding them tight as Lucius grabbed the blanket. They hurried to the bed chamber where Narcissa was already being levitated to the fireplace. Lucius cast a spell to connect it to the floo network and they all went to St. Mungo’s, but were on the sixth floor. It was the private floor and could only be accessed by those who knew of it— and paid well for the discretion.

“What name do you want her under?” A nurse asked, quickly approaching him with a clipboard.

“Serephina Prewett,” Lucius replied, pulling Draco close to him. It was a combination of his mother’s name and a distant Black relative on Narcissa’s side should anyone start digging.

“We’ll let you know when she’s ready for visitors,” the nurse replied curtly, guiding him to a blinded seating area. They placed something on the wall that shielded them as Lucius pulled Draco on his lap. The little boy slumped against his shoulder, still clutching his toys.

Lucius stroked his hair as the boy buried his face in his father’s shoulder. “Mother’s going to be alright, Draco,” Lucius vowed, wrapping the starry blanket around the five year old’s body. He was saying it to soothe the both of them, but he knew that anything could happen at St. Mungo’s. The last time he’d been here was when Serephina had been admitted and it was here she had passed from what he was told a severe infection that not even magic could cure. He had his suspicions, though, that his father had been behind her death; naturally, though, he could never prove it.

“I want to see her,” Draco whimpered.

“I do as well, son,” Lucius replied, glancing down at his offspring. “We have to wait, though. The sooner they find out what’s ailing her, the sooner we can be together again.”

Draco nodded, falling asleep shortly after. Lucius continued stroking the boy’s back to help him sleep; and to keep his own mind off of his wife. “We’re here to see Serephina,” a new voice spoke. Lucius recognized it as Eileen and stepped out from behind the blind as the nurse was about to deny her access.

“Eileen,” Lucius called, waving her over.

“What happened?” Eileen demanded, sitting down next to Lucius.

“I don’t know,” Lucius sighed, glancing at Draco. “She was complaining about nausea and stomach pain… and it got worse.”

“And it just came on?”

Lucius nodded. “I had to take Draco with me to Hogwarts when I was inspecting the school and have two students watch him. I thought she would be over it by the time we returned…”

“Heard from someone else that there was some excitement about a thief at Hogwarts,” Dawn said, coming up behind the two siblings.

“Yes,” Lucius replied gruffly. “We took care of that…”

“Do we know anything?” Dawn asked gently.

“Doctor said it could be a few different things,” Lucius sighed. “Anything from appendicitis to something called an ectopic pregnancy—“

“Good Lord,” Dawn muttered, bowing her head briefly.

“What do you know about them, Dawn?”

“The same thing every woman should know,” Eileen said softly. “They’re essentially a death sentence unless you catch them early enough.”

“It’s the only time Father’s mantra about the unborn should apply,” Dawn said darkly. “But I thought you weren’t trying anymore?”

“We’re waiting for Draco to start school,” Lucius clarified, glancing to make sure Draco was still asleep. “Then we’ll discuss the possibility of trying again… trouble is we’ve been very careful.”

“Prewett,” A nurse called. The Malfoy siblings stepped out from behind the blind. “Follow me,” she said, guiding the siblings to a room down a narrow corridor and to the room farthest down. It was a quaint room, with pale pink walls and a nice fireplace. That was likely connected to the Floo network. “She needs rest but we can allow a few visitors.”

“Is there an update on my wife’s condition?” Lucius asked, trying to hold back the frustration he was feeling.

“Not yet,” the nurse replied. “First thing the doctor wanted was for her to get settled in her room. We have her on pain killers in the meantime so she should be able to sleep.”

Lucius sighed in frustration, but nodded appreciatively. “Thank you.”

“Of course.”

Lucius walked towards the bed where Narcissa was sleeping peacefully. “If she’s going to be asleep for awhile,” Eileen said softly. “Do you want one of us to take Draco and then come by in the morning?”

Lucius nodded, gently shaking Draco’s shoulder. He stirred awake, rubbing his bleary eyes. “Where’s Mummy?”

“She’s here, Draco,” Lucius replied, showing him the bed Narcissa was sleeping peacefully on. “I need you to go with your aunts, though. They’ll take care of you while your mother and I are here.”

“I don’t want to go with them,” Draco whined. “I want to stay here with Mother.”

“Draco,” Lucius said, his voice dropping a few notes as he sat his son at the foot of the bed and knelt down to his level. “I need you to go with your aunts. If there is any change, I will send Dobby to you.”

Draco frowned, unhappy with the decision, but finally conceded. He jumped off and placed a kiss on his mother’s cheek. “Take Green Bean, Mummy,” he said, placing the small green dragon in the crook of her elbow. “He’ll protect you and warm you.”

Lucius couldn’t help but smile at his son; then sat down beside his wife again as Dawn and Eileen walked to the Fireplace. Once they were gone, he closed the door and laid his head on his hands, falling asleep in moments.

Chapter Text

Narcissa stirred as a sharp pain broke her out of sleep. As she looked around, she realized the room was unfamiliar to her; but the blond head by her hand was very familiar. “Lucius?” She gasped.

“I’m here, darling,” Lucius murmured, taking her hand. “How’re you feeling?”

“Like something is twisting inside me,” Narcissa groaned. “Where’s Draco?”

“He’s with Eileen I believe… or Dawn…” Lucius recalled, trying to remember which sister took their son. “One of my sisters.”

Narcissa smiled a bit, wincing as she shifted a bit. “You shouldn’t be moving,” Lucius scolded.

“Stop scolding me and lie here,” Narcissa grumbled, patting the area next to her. Lucius shook his head and slid in beside her. “I feel much better with you next to me than I do alone.”

“You’re going to get me into trouble,” he teased, wrapping his arm around her and caressing her face.

“What else is new?” She asked, trying to smile; only to end up gasping as another pain hit. Lucius grasped her hand as they waited for the pain to subside a bit. After several moments, she relaxed slightly. “Have they told you anything?”

“Nothing definitive,” Lucius replied, caressing her hair, and pulling up the small dragon Draco had left them. “Draco left this for you; says Green Bean will warm you up and protect you.”

Narcissa smiled, trying to suppress a laugh. “Why did we let him name it Green Bean again?”

“Because you’re soft on him,” Lucius teased.

“Shut up,” she grunted, wincing again. She lowered her head to rest against his chest, listening to his strong heartbeat against her ear. His fingers gently stroked her hair, lulling her until her eyes were half-closed as she relaxed and was finally able to ignore the pain.

She started when footsteps could be heard entering her room. “Malfoy?” Narcissa looked up as did Lucius, rubbing her arm. The doctor looked at his clipboard and flipped through a few pages. “The good news is that there’s no sign of pregnancy, and we’ve confirmed that it’s not appendicitis.” Lucius squeezed Narcissa’s hand reassuringly. “However, we believe that you may have an ovarian torsion.”

“What is that?” Narcissa asked.

“Basically, your ovary is twisted and we need to untwist it before irreversible damage sets in.”

“Is there a reason why you can’t use magic to treat it?” Lucius asked.

“We can use magic to be certain if it’s an ovarian torsion,” the doctor answered. “But untwisting the ovary will require specially trained hands, and it’s far more accurate surgically. We can also be more certain that we’ve restored blood flow.”

“What are the risks involved?” Narcissa asked, glancing at Lucius.

“Very minimal. Once you’re out of surgery we’ll observe you for a bit, and then send you home with a few potions to prevent infection.”

“And magic?” Lucius pressed.

“There have been successes with a certain spell,” the doctor replied slowly. “However, it’s a fairly new spell and not as accurate as surgery. There have been severe complications as a result.”

“I’d like to discuss with my husband,” Narcissa said. “We won’t be but a few minutes.”

The doctor nodded, and left the couple. “I want to do the surgery,” she murmured when they were sure they were alone. Lucius bored into her eyes as he inhaled deeply.

“Besides the doctor convincing us that it’s a better option,” Lucius began slowly, caressing her cheek. “Why do you want it?”

“Maybe…” Narcissa said quietly, averting her gaze from his. “Maybe they can fix whatever’s wrong with me.”

“Flower,” Lucius said softly, his finger going under her chin as he gently forced her to look at him. “There is nothing wrong with you. But… I need to know… is this for you? Or is this for our parents?”

“For me,” she said quietly, before catching his eye. “For us.” She averted her gaze again. “Can’t hurt if it also gets your father off my back…”

“Narcissa,” Lucius said firmly, catching her eye again, pressing a finger to her lips to prevent her from protesting until he was finished. “I’m perfectly happy if Draco is our only child. That’s not to say that I don’t want more— I do— but not if it costs me you. If you want this, make sure it’s because you want it for yourself, not for me or for our parents.”

Tears welled up in her eyes and she buried her face in his shoulder; her body tensing at the movement, and she had to hold in a gasp until the pain subsided again. “I don’t deserve you,” she whimpered.

“I know that’s the other way around,” Lucius smiled, brushing away her tears with gentle caresses of his thumb. “But, we’re still waiting until Draco starts school, right?”

Narcissa nodded, sniffing a bit and signaling the doctor back. “We agreed… unless you want to try sooner.”

“We’ll discuss it later,” he said softly, kissing her brunette strands. “Right now I just want to focus on you.”

“Have we come to a decision?” The doctor asked.

“Surgery,” Narcissa answered, sliding her hand into Lucius’s.

“I’ll set it up right away,” the doctor nodded. “I’ll just need you and your husband to sign some paperwork and you’ll be the next one in the OR.”

Chapter Text

Draco woke up with a start. It took him a few minutes to realize he wasn’t in Malfoy Manor. “Dobby,” Draco called.

The elf appeared a moment later. “Yes, Master Draco?”

“Where am I?”

“With Mistress Eileen,” Dobby replied. “Your parents are still at St. Mungo’s.”

“Why?” Draco asked.

“Draco,” Aunt Eileen called opening the door slightly. “Oh good, you’re up.” She seemed slightly taken aback at the sight of the elf, but acknowledged him. “Dobby.”

Dobby bowed his head. “Mistress Eileen.”

“Do you bring news about Narcissa?” She asked.

“Dobby is sorry to say he hasn’t,” Dobby replied, keeping his head bowed. “He hasn’t seen his Master since they left for St. Mungo’s.”

“I see,” Eileen pondered. “Find Lucius and ask him how long I need to keep Draco. And for an update if possible.”

“Yes, Mistress,” Dobby nodded, snapping his fingers and disappearing.

“How’re you doing, Draco?” Eileen asked, sitting down next to her nephew.

“Fine,” he said avoiding her grey gaze. Both of his aunts looked nearly identical to his father, particularly Eileen. Dawn was a bit on the plumper side, and slightly shorter than the other two. “C-can I go see Mum?”

Eileen shook her head and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. “I want to wait until I hear from your father.”

“But I want to see them now,” Draco whined, pulling away from his aunt. “How long does it take to fix a stomach ache?!”

“It’s more complicated than that, Draco,” Eileen said harshly. “And honestly, it’s something your parents need to discuss with you.”

Draco scowled at his aunt, crossing his arms stubbornly. Eileen then sighed and placed an arm on his shoulder. “Why don’t you come downstairs, have a spot of breakfast, and play quidditch with Vincent and Gregory?”

“Fine,” Draco grumbled going downstairs. He hardly touched his food, his thoughts going to the last time he had seen his mother and the pained expression on her face.

Dobby appeared next to his aunt. “Dobby has come back with news of Mistress Narcissa.”

“Why don’t you go outside,” Eileen suggested to Draco. “I’ll update you later.”

Draco glared at his aunt who met his gaze evenly. He finally relented, realizing how similar to his mother his aunt was when she wanted her way. He walked out to the backyard where Crabbe and Goyle were flying about, hitting bludgers. “Watch it, Malfoy!” Goyle called.

Draco dodged the bludger heading toward him. Crabbe flew closer to him. “You playing Seeker, Malfoy?”

“I’ll sit this one out,” Draco mumbled, sitting on the patio. He was getting more anxious about his mother, and why no one would tell him anything. I’m five years old! I can handle it! He thought bitterly.

“A ride on the broom might help you,” Aunt Eileen said as she walked outside, sitting down next to him. “Though, I think we better go take care of the dogs first.”

“Father told you about that?” Draco asked, his eyes widening in embarrassment.

“He said if you want to see your mother, you need to feed the dogs, and let them out into the gardens so they can exercise.”

“That’s servant stuff,” Draco grumbled.

“Well,” Eileen shrugged, leaning toward him a bit. “Now you know better than to steal your father’s wand. You’re lucky, that wand’s an heirloom. It could be far worse.”

“How much worse?” Draco asked.

“Just take my word for it,” Eileen sighed, standing up and offering her hand to her nephew. “Let’s go. The sooner we let the dogs loose, the sooner we can see your mother.”

Draco frowned, but took his aunt’s hand. They walked inside and headed to the fireplace where Aunt Eileen spoke the location of Malfoy Manor.

Chapter Text

The doctor came to speak with Lucius about an hour after Narcissa requested the surgery, letting them know she would be taken in a couple hours, when the next OR was available. Lucius nodded, then walked back to the bed. He slid in next to her, and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “You’ll be in the next Operating room,” he whispered, stroking her hair and trying to help her relax more.

“Did they say if they’d give me another potion?” She asked, her voice laced with pain as she gripped Lucius’s free hand. Her pain had steadily intensified as the potion wore off.

“They don’t want to give it to you before the operation,” he said gently, trying to keep the annoyance out of his voice. “They said it might interfere… somehow.”

Narcissa nodded slowly, her head resting against his chest. “While I’m in surgery… do you think you could bring me back a book?”

“Of course, my love,” Lucius murmured, kissing the top of her head. “Which one?”

“One of the Narnia ones,” she said softly.

“Really?” Lucius asked shaking his head teasingly. “You want to read the one by a muggle?”

“It has magic in it,” she pointed out, pouting a bit. “That’s why it’s an acceptable read.”

“It’s an acceptable read because it’s your guilty pleasure,” Lucius stated.

“It’s not like you don’t have any of your own,”Narcissa mock retorted, trying to glare up at him; instead, she winced. Lucius continued stroking her hair, occasionally rubbing her neck and back, trying to get her to relax as much as possible. “I seem to recall you reading Lord of the Rings.”

“Completely different story,” he replied, checking to make sure no one was listening in.

“I’m sure,” Narcissa chuckled, wincing again. “Can’t laugh.”

Lucius smirked, kissing her head again. She jumped and gasped when there was a slight popping sound. Lucius scowled when he saw
Dobby’s ears trembling. “Dobby,” He demanded. “What are you doing here?”

“Mistress Eileen sent Dobby over,” Dobby quivered. “She was curious to know how long she planned on keeping Master Draco… and she wanted on update on Mistress Narcissa.”

Narcissa squeezed his hand gently and looked up at him. It was her way of telling him not to punish Dobby for doing his job. He sighed, lightening his tone a bit. “Tell her she’ll have to keep Draco for the next couple of days at least. Also, that Draco is not escaping his punishment, and must take care of the dogs if he wants to see his mother. As for the update…” He looked down at Narcissa, wanting her consent to tell Dobby. She nodded, squeezing his hand reassuringly. “Tell her that Narcissa requires minor surgery.”

Dobby bowed and snapped his fingers. “You shouldn’t be so hard on him,” Narcissa whispered, settling her head back down to where his heart beat. “Especially since he was doing his job.”

“I forgot Eileen was able to order him around,” Lucius sighed with a shrug, stroking her hair again as he tried to get her to relax more. He smirked, relishing in the thought that he was the only one able to ease her pain; at least enough to get her to sleep a bit.

“I can hear your ego through your heartbeat,” Narcissa muttered.

Lucius chuckled. “Is that a bad thing?”

Narcissa smiled, jumping slightly as a flooshing sound came from the fireplace.

“Are we interrupting something?” Eileen asked, pulling Draco closer to her.

“Not at all,” Lucius replied, looking down as Narcissa pushed herself up slightly; she winced at the pain.

“Draco,” she smiled. The little boy ran to her bedside, but was blocked by the railing. She held out her hand to him, and he gratefully took it.

“How’re you feeling, Mummy?” Draco asked.

“Still in pain,” she sighed, glancing at her husband. “However, that should end soon.”

Lucius squeezed her free hand gently. “Your mother needs surgery,” he began slowly, as Narcissa leaned her head against his chest again, squeezing her eyes shut; a whimper escaping her throat. “After that, she’ll hopefully be able to come home.”

“Are they not giving her any potions for the pain?” Eileen demanded as tears began streaming down Narcissa’s face.

“They said it would interfere with the surgery,” Lucius grumbled, kissing her head and wiping her eyes.

“Malfoy?” The doctor called walking in with a few nurses. “We’re ready.”

“Finally,” Lucius grumbled, standing up and walking to Draco.

“Listen to your father, Draco,” Narcissa whispered, gently pulling her hand free as they put up the railings up to take her away. “I’ll be back.”

“Okay, Mummy,” Draco whimpered.

Lucius leaned over and kissed her forehead. “I love you, darling.”

“Love you too,” She whispered.

“Merlin’s speed, Narcissa,” Eileen said, turning to her brother. She waited until she was sure they had taken his wife away. “Mind telling me the diagnosis?”

“Ovarian torsion,” Lucius said lowly, glancing at Draco. “Basically, her ovary is twisted and they need to untwist it.”

“They can’t use magic?”

“Apparently not,” Lucius sighed. “They said there have been severe complications.”

“How long to recover?”

“They said they could send her home after a day or two,” Lucius replied, sighing a bit. “I doubt that’s all that her recovery involves, though.”

“Well,” Eileen said lightly, trying to be optimistic. “At least she can recover fully at home.”

“How long will Mother be gone?” Draco asked.

“Few hours at least,” Lucius replied, kneeling down next to Draco. “I need you to behave for Aunt Eileen until we have everything sorted, understand?”

“I don’t want to go with her!” Draco cried, stomping his foot. “I want to stay here.”

“Draco,” Lucius said darkly, his voice dropping dangerously low. “You will do as you’re told. Your mother will be in surgery for awhile, and I need to be here for any updates on her condition.”

Draco’s lip quivered, but he said nothing, glaring at his father who met his gaze more intensely. He eventually gave up and walked back toward his aunt; Eileen lowered herself a bit to hug him. “Why don’t we go back to my place and you can play Quidditch for awhile?”

Draco nodded slowly as his aunt pulled him away and walked back to the fireplace. “You should get some rest, Luce,” Eileen called over her shoulder.

“I will once she’s out of surgery,” Lucius replied, sitting down in a chair at the corner. When they were gone, he leaned forward with his head in his hands, praying to whoever would listen that his wife would make it out.

Chapter Text

When he got back to Aunt Eileen’s, Draco hurried back to his room, slamming the door shut, as he buried his head into his pillow. “Draco,” Aunt Eileen called as she cracked the door open.

“Go away!” Draco cried, his Abraxan winged horse coming to life beside him. It paced anxiously, whinnying and flapping its wings in warning to the intruder.

“Oh dear,” Eileen sighed, walking into the room. She then sat down beside Draco, rubbing his back; completely ignoring the Pegasus. When he realized she wasn't leaving, he turned continued to grudgingly stare at his pillow.

“What’s wrong with Mummy?” Draco demanded, wiping his eyes.

“Don’t tell your father I told you,” Aunt Eileen firmly, before carefully choosing her next words. “There’s something twisted inside of her stomach. The Doctor’s are going to untwist it, and she will be better.”

“Will she?” Draco pressed, looking up at his aunt.

“There’s going to be some recovery,” Aunt Eileen replied. “Otherwise, yes.”

“I thought magic fixed everything,” Draco mumbled.

Eileen snorted. “It’s useful, but there are some things still unexplored in the medical field that make it too dangerous sometimes.”

“I want her better now,” Draco mumbled.

“I know,” Aunt Eileen smiled. “Your father wants her better as well. Although, that could be because he wants to snog her again.” Draco made a face, shuddering as his aunt chuckled. “Now, why don’t we go get some ice cream and wait for an update?”

Draco nodded, sitting up and taking his aunt’s hand. He was barely able to eat his ice cream, though, his thoughts drifting back to his mother. He couldn’t erase the pained expression she had from his mind; even his father looked scared— something he knew his father would never admit. He then got an idea. Father kept several artifacts in the manor; specifically, in the cellar under the drawing room. Maybe, if he could get his hands on one, he could use it to help his mother. “Can we go back to the Manor?” He asked his aunt. “I need to brush some of the dogs.”

⨝⨝⨝

During the surgery, Lucius briefly went home to grab a few books; a couple for his wife, and a large potion book for him. Once he had them, he cast a spell to give him a freshened look; and to change into something a bit on the casual end. Afterward, he sat down in the chair and opened his potion book. He tried to focus on the words of his book; but, he found he barely could. Fear gripped at his heart, the fear that he had seen his wife one last time; just like he had seen his mother the last time. Her death had taken a massive toll on him, and Narcissa had been the one to keep him sane. I can’t lose my wife, he thought, taking a deep breath to help him remain calm. I can’t…

The sound of wheels turning caught his attention, and he looked up to see nurses roll his wife in. “How is she?”

“We’ve untwisted the ovary, and discovered a cyst on it,” the doctor said as the nurses settled Narcissa. “We shrunk it and removed it. It’s likely what caused the torsion. We’ll observe her over the next day or two, as long as she remains stable, we can send her home.”

“Thank you,” Lucius breathed, his gaze focused solely on his wife's sleeping form. “How long until she wakes?”

“Not too long,” the doctor replied. “We’ll give her a small potion every few hours to manage the pain.”

“Thank you,” Lucius nodded, walking back to his wife. He sat down in the chair, and took her hand. “I’m here, my flower,” he whispered, kissing her hand. When she didn’t respond, he returned to his book, finally able to focus on the words. He was about finished with the first chapter, when he heard her shift.

“Lu…” he heard her moan.

“‘Cissa,” he whispered, rushing to her side. He cupped her jaw as she looked toward him, tears streaming from her face. “Do you need a potion?” She nodded as he wiped her tears calling for a nurse. They came quickly, handing her a vial that she quickly drank. Lucius waited until they had cleared out and shut the door, before turning back to her. “How’re you feeling?”

“Like I’m dying,” Narcissa moaned, grasping Lucius’s wrist as he brushed her cheek again. “Though… I guess I have to admit, it’s not quite as bad as childbirth…”

Lucius smiled, pressing his forehead against hers. She smiled, reaching up to touch his face before looking into his steely grey eye; he kissed her hand. “I wish I could take it away from you,” he murmured, caressing her face.

“There is a way you can help,” she smiled up at him, patting a spot next to her as she shifted a bit to give him room.

“You really want to get me in trouble,” Lucius chuckled, sliding in beside her. She winced a bit, causing him more concern. “Are you alright?”

“Just… hurts to move…” she moaned, leaning her head against his shoulder. Her eyes closed, as he wrapped his arm around her shoulder, sighing softly. “Worth it, though, to have you with me.”

Lucius smiled, stroking her shoulder. “Rest, my flower,” he murmured, all his fears ebbing away as he continued holding her. The feeling of her head against his shoulder told him that she was there; still there with him, still there for Draco. He summoned his potion book, and continued reading, checking on her every so often. 

⨝⨝⨝

The nurse came in a couple of hours later. There was a disapproving look on his face, but he kept his mouth shut, tapping Narcissa’s shoulder.

“Mrs. Malfoy,” the nurse said quietly, tapping her shoulder more firmly as Narcissa stirred. “Mrs. Malfoy.”

“What?” Narcissa demanded, wincing as she glared at the nurse.

“Just need to check your vitals.”

“Is that really necessary?” Lucius asked as Narcissa gave them her right arm. Her left hand slid into his, squeezing a bit as they drew blood.

“Afraid so,” the nurse sighed, using a charm to indicate his wife’s vitals. “Even our biggest donors aren’t exempt from the rule. We’ll be back again in four hours.”

Narcissa winced and settled back against Lucius, trying to get comfortable again. Lucius put down his book, turning his focus to his spouse. “You need to summon Dobby,” she said quietly, her eyes half closed. “Draco’s going to get anxious.”

“Dobby,” he called quietly, kissing her forehead, and stroking her hair; trying to get her to relax enough so she could sleep again. The elf appeared a moment later.

“Yes, Master Lucius?” Dobby asked.

“Give Eileen an update. Tell her Narcissa’s out of surgery, and she should be okay to see Draco in the morning— after he takes care of the dogs of course.”

“Yes, Master Lucius,” Dobby replied, snapping his fingers.

Lucius turned back, smiling as Narcissa slowly drifted off. He kissed her head gently, stroking her arm a bit as he heard her breathing deepen. He caressed her face, and she shifted slightly. “I love you,” he whispered, turning back to his book; a sigh of content slipping out of his throat.

Chapter Text

At the Manor, Draco led his aunt to the kennel where the dogs were kept. “Can you take the dogs out while I get the brushes?”

Aunt Eileen scrutinized him for a moment, then nodded. Lela and Damon trotted up first, followed by their four pups. Lela whimpered as she looked at Eileen, looking for her mistress. “Lela, go,” Draco commanded.

The dog whimpered, but followed Eileen anyway. When they were gone, Draco made his way to the drawing room; where he located the cellar staircase. He frowned as he saw the lock on the door. “Open!” He ordered, slamming his fists against the iron gate. When it didn’t, he slammed his fists again and again, but to no avail.

Suddenly, he heard a faint whispering. “The key… the key… under… the mat…” Draco froze, looking around for the owner of the voice; but, then he decided to obey it. Finding the key under the mat. He quickly inserted it, turned the key and opened the door to the cellar. “Follow my voice… follow it…” Draco had an uneasy feeling settle into his stomach, but he continued walking toward the painting on the back of the wall. “Say the password…”

“Dragon sun,” Draco said. He heard gears shift and turn, soon revealing a door that slid down and revealed a large room with several artifacts.

“No!” The voice screamed, scaring him. He began whimpering, trying to find the source of the voice. “Wrong password! The other one!”

“What other one?” Draco whimpered, tears streaming down his face.

“Draco!” Aunt Eileen called, hurrying down to the cellar. When she saw him in the doorway to the vault. “Draco, what are you doing here? You realize how dangerous this place is?!”

“There’s someone down here,” Draco said softly.

“Who?” Eileen demanded, holding him roughly by the shoulder.

“I-I don’t know…” Draco whimpered. “Mum and Dad let me come in here sometimes…”

Eileen looked up, and froze for a moment. “This… this isn’t the vault…”

“It’s not?” Draco asked.

“Not like I remember it,” Aunt Eileen mused, before turning her gaze back to Draco. “But, still, you shouldn’t be down here! Your mother would have my head if anything happened on my watch.”

“Why?”

“There are dangerous artifacts, Draco,” Eileen warned, taking Draco roughly by the arm and pulling him out of the vault; the door closing behind them. “Some heirlooms, but mostly collectibles. Now let’s go. I found the brushes, so you’ll be grooming them until their coats shine if you don’t want me to tell your parents you were down here.”

⨝⨝⨝

The nurses had disturbed Narcissa's rest twice more during the night, and it was taking a toll her mood. She buried her head into his shoulder, moaning a bit as the Nurse left again. "When can I go home?"

"Soon," Lucius murmured, handing her the next pain relief potion. "I'll even have Snape brew you a draught of Living Death so you can sleep better."

"Just have him brew Dreamless Sleep," She mumbled, sighing as Lucius stroked her brunette strands back. "If I remember the rumors correctly, his brew is particularly strong; and I'm not sure I want to be asleep for the next decade."

"Luckily for you," Lucius replied, kissing her head. "Wiggenweld is the counter. But, if you want Dreamless Sleep, I'll brew that myself once I find the ingredients."

"Thank you," she smiled up at him, trying to focus on his heartbeat as she tried to relax once again. His continue strokes then slid down her face. She smiled up at him as he pressed his forehead to hers; making her feel safe and happy, despite the dull throb in her side. His heartbeat thrummed in her ear, lulling her. She was brought out of it, though when they heard a fwoosh from the fireplace. She looked up to see Eileen standing with Draco. She smiled, opening her arm invitingly to her son. "Draco."

Draco immediately ran to her side, although Lucius had to hold up his hand to prevent him from jumping on the side where she had her incision. He instead crawled in between his parents. "How're you feeling, Mummy?"

"Tired," Narcissa murmured, looking at Lucius as she hugged her son. "Nurses keep waking me up just when I start drifting."

"Why?" Eileen asked, standing next to the bed.

"To make sure I'm alive," Narcissa replied bitterly. "I guess they haven't figured out yet that sleeping is supposed to revive the body?"

Lucius chuckled, rubbing her shoulder. "As long as you remain stable, I'll try to get you home tonight. You can probably finish recovering at the manor."

Narcissa smiled up at him, resting her head against his shoulder. "Speaking of recovery," Eileen added. "How long do you predict Draco staying with me?"

"Hopefully no more than a week," Lucius replied, glancing at his wife. "We'll send you whatever you need, of course."

"What if I don't want to stay with her?" Draco grumbled.

"Draco," Narcissa murmured softly. "Your father just wants to make sure I have a good start with my recovery process." Draco pouted a bit. Narcissa sighed internally; she knew this was going to be hard for him at his young age, but she wasn't sure what else they could do. Neither she or her husband wanted Dobby to take care of their son. "You will be good, won't you, Draco?" she pressed. "For my sake?"

"He will be good," Eileen spoke firmly, giving Draco a hard glare. Draco seemed to tense for a moment, then slowly nod. Narcissa glanced at Lucius who seemed to shrug. They would ask Eileen about it at another point in time. That was when the doctor walked in.

"Family, I presume?" he asked, looking around in a disapproving manner; particularly at Lucius who was still laying next to his wife.

"Yes," Narcissa nodded. "They can hear what you have to say."

"Everything seems to be okay," the doctor said, flipping through a few pages on her charts. "I would prefer you to spend one more day here, but your husband insists that you will fare better in your own home. Has even offered a rather generous donation from my understanding if we send you home before evening falls."

"I would be surprised if he didn't," Narcissa murmured, shaking her head slightly at her husband.

"Then I shall prepare the paperwork for you to sign, and afterward you can use the fireplace to head back to your home," the Doctor nodded. "I will have to warn you, though, this recovery is going to take at least a couple of months; however, results will vary depending on if you stick to our regimen or not."

Chapter Text

Lucius returned from the Ministry late, and quickly walked up to check on Narcissa. She was reading a book as he entered the chamber. "Hello, darling," he murmured, kissing her on the lips and lingering there for several moments. She smiled up at him, cupping his cheek and returning the kiss. "How're you feeling?" he asked, placing a few items down on his dresser.

"Alright, I suppose," Narcissa sighed, putting the book down on the nightstand, and watching her husband. "Still finding it difficult to walk."

"Did you at least get some rest?" Lucius asked, walking back toward her.

"I did," Narcissa nodded, wrapping an arm around his neck as he slowly lifted her to her feet. She fought off a gasp of pain as she slowly started walking a few steps. "Wish you would just carry me," she grumbled as crossed the room.

"I carried you the first three nights you were home," Lucius replied firmly, stopping as she doubled over slightly. "The doctor wants you to get used to walking, and I am determined to get you there as fast as possible; or, at least at your pace."

"Torturer," Narcissa grumbled, as she took another step forward. "Sometimes I wonder if you enjoy my pain."

"Only when I'm causing it in bed," Lucius smirked a bit, and she shot him a glower; however, he knew that it didn't carry much weight as they reached the loo. He waved his wand and started the tub, and then finally picked her up. "Now, I'll carry you." 

"You're not getting a kiss."

"I'll get one later." He tapped his wand to her body, and her clothing disappeared as he gently placed her into the water, caressing her cheek briefly. Narcissa continued glowering for several moments, until Lucius joined her in the tub. The water was nice and hot, and immediately eased the ache in her side. Lucius placed several kisses on her neck and shoulders, causing her to relax. She shook her head irritably, but a small sigh escaped her lips and she felt his smile broaden, making her more irritated with him. He then traced his fingers down her spine, causing a shiver. "I'm getting closer to that kiss," he whispered.

"No, you're not," Narcissa replied, though she leaned back against him as he began washing her. His expert hands ever so lightly touched her incision and moved on. "Why were you so late at the Ministry?" 

"Haggling a particular bribe," Lucius replied, continuing to wash her body. "Or rather, donation. Trying to pass laws that protect muggles more from us, the likes of that."

"Nothing you want me to worry about?" Narcissa asked, smiling up at him.

"Precisely," he whispered, leaning close to her neck again. "You need to worry about getting better."

"Is it because you truly care about my well-being?" she asked, taking the washcloth from his grasp as she slowly began washing him. "Or because you want to get back to our nightly activities faster?"

"Why can't it be both?"

Narcissa chuckled, reaching up to wash his shoulder. "It can be, however, I do recall you being rather miserable that we weren't able to make love for over a month after Draco was born. And even afterward, it was a bit difficult for me."

"As I recall," Lucius said, gently, tilting her head back a bit by a gentle pull of her hair. "I was very understanding of that."

"Of course, darling," she replied, smiling up at him. He smiled back, releasing her a moment later. "You are still the strangest man I know."

"Love makes me do strange things," Lucius agreed, pulling her back against him. She smiled as she looked up at him, caressing his cheek. They remained that way for several moments, caressing each other. "Do you remember sneaking into the prefect's bathroom for moment's like this?"

"Of course," she giggled fondly at the memory. "McGonnagall almost caught us, and Slughorn almost had a stroke when he heard the rumor."

Lucius gave a hearty laugh, rubbing her shoulder and holding her hand tightly. "Slughorn had to pull me aside and discuss the things a proper gentleman would do if something were to result."

"Nothing resulted until my seventh year," Narcissa murmured, her voice saddening slightly.

Lucius looked down and met her eye, and nuzzled her cheek. "Think it's time we went to bed." Narcissa nodded, shifting a bit as Lucius got up. Once he had his robed and pajama pants on, he returned and wrapped her up in a robe and helped her out of the tub; though, he made her walk to the door before carrying her to the bed. "You want my side or yours tonight?"

"Mine," she replied as he helped her into a nightgown. He nodded and gently placed her in the sheets, before crawling into the bed beside her.

His arm slowly slid under her body, wrapping around her upper abdomen while his other hand wrapped her chest, most noticeably around her breasts. "I could get used to this," he murmured, squeezing her breasts.

"Down, boy," Narcissa chuckled, sliding his hands between hers, smiling a bit. They remained that way for several moments, Lucius running his hand along her side, making her sigh.

"Should we postpone Draco coming home?" Lucius asked.

Narcissa looked over her shoulder to glance at him curiously. "I don't think we should," she said slowly. "Eileen mentioned he's getting restless, and I'm sure he wants to be home as much as I do."

"Yes," Lucius agreed. "But, I'm more concerned about him tiring you out. You're also having difficulty walking right now, and if you have to chase after him, I'm worried it'll cause you more pain."

"We have the wheelchair," Narcissa pointed out. "Not to mention, I can apparate with it. So if Draco tries running off outside, I can probably keep up."

"Probably being the keyword."

Narcissa glanced at him over her shoulder. "Do you want to him to stay away longer?"

"No," he admitted. "I want us all home together again."

"Is there much going on at the Ministry that you really need to be a part of?" Narcissa asked, stroking his arm. "Or, can you stay here?"

"There is the govenor's report that I'm still waiting on the responses," Lucius sighed. "But, otherwise, no there's nothing that needs my immediate attention."

"Then stay with me."

Lucius sighed a bit, and a ghost of a smile crossed her lips. She knew she'd won. "You're the only person who can persuade me so easily," he grumbled, pulling her tighter to his chest, and kissing her cheek.

"I would hope so," she smirked. "Otherwise, we'd have a problem."

⨝⨝⨝

Draco was very glad to be home, and overly excited to see his mother. He was a bit surprised to see her in a wheelchair, though when he arrived at the manor. "Why are you in a wheelchair?" he asked, glancing up at his father.

"It just hurts to walk too much, Draco," his mother replied, opening her arms out to hug him tightly. "I won't be in here forever." She turned her gaze to her husband. "Your father is going to great lengths to ensure that I do."

His father beamed proudly for a moment. "Why don't we take a stroll through the gardens?" he suggested, walking behind his wife to push her.

She smiled up at him gratefully, before turning back to her son. "How was staying with your cousins for a bit?" she asked.

"Alright," Draco shrugged, taking his mother's hand that she offered. "Aunt Eileen's and Aunt Dawn's are much smaller houses, so it was more cramped. We still played Quidditch, though, to get more practice. Aunt Eileen refused to let us use actual bludgers, though."

"I should think so," Narcissa replied firmly. "It's certainly not pleasant when you're struck by a bludger. You'll be able to use them when you get a bit older."

"How are your uncles?" Lucius asked.

"Didn't see much of them," Draco shrugged. "Only for meals. The rest of the time they were out of the house doing something or other."

Narcissa glanced up at Lucius, who placed his hand on her shoulder. Draco could see that she wanted to say something about the matter, but opted to remain quiet. "Did you only play Quidditch or did you find anything exciting to do?"

"Went to the Magical Zoo," Draco replied. "Had ice cream out and all."

"But you missed us?" Narcissa replied, a smile crossing her lips.

"Missed my room," Draco replied stubbornly, kicking the stone pebbles.

Narcissa chuckled softly, sighing as she leaned back a bit.

"Think it's time to return to the manor," Lucius murmured. "Dobby should have supper ready soon."

Chapter Text

While Draco was happy to be home, he was very concerned about his mother. His father had purchased a walking stick to help his mother as she started to regain her mobility, but she still complained of pains and how tired she was. He remembered the voice he had heard downstairs, and mentioning the wrong password to get into the vault. He laid in bed, thinking about it long and hard. Unable to sleep, he got up and walked toward his parents room, pausing by the door.

"I'm so tired, Lucius," he heard his mother talk. "Even with the walking stick, I still tire."

"I know, darling," his father replied. "But, you're doing so well. The Doctor will be here tomorrow to assess your progress."

"Better be good news."

"Maybe it'll be the news you've always wanted."

"Let's not get our hopes up," he heard his mother say firmly, but there was an airiness to her voice. "But, it would be nice to hear the cries of another child."

Another child?  Draco thought, pulling back from the door. Why would they want another child? Are they not happy with me?

Draco walked toward the staircase and into the drawing room. He went down into the cellar, and tried to find the key under the mat. Glad to see it was still there, he pulled it out and reached up to unlock the gate. He walked in and walked toward the vault. You've returned.... the voice said. Do you know the password?

Draco thought about it for a moment, then called the house-elf. "Dobby!"

Dobby appeared a moment later. "Master Draco?" Dobby asked, surprised. "What are you doing in here? And at this hour? Anxious Mistress will be if she finds out."

"Mother won't find out," Draco said firmly. "Because you won't tell her. Or my father. I forbid it. You will tell me the password, though."

"Dobby is forbidden from telling anyone the password..."

"Anyone outside of the family," Draco corrected. "I'll be your master after Father, and you will answer anything I want. Now, tell me the password."

Dobby shook his head firmly. "Master and Mistress will punish Dobby very severely. Especially Mistress... she may have Dobby's head hanged in 12 Grimmauld place. Ghastly place." Dobby then gasped and walked toward the wall and started to bang his head on it. "Bad Dobby!"

"You'll have far worse to worry about if they find out you were in the garden near Mother's flowers," Draco said, a smile crossing his lips.

"But, Dobby never goes there," Dobby whimpered, his eyes widening in horror. "Dobby is never needed there."

"Doesn't matter," Draco continued. "My parents find out you were near Mother's flowers, they'll flay you alive. Now, what's the password?"

"Sun Dragon," Dobby whimpered.

"Finally, now go," Draco ordered, turning to the vault as Dobby disappeared. "Sun Dragon."

⨝⨝⨝

"Do you want to try again right away?" Narcissa asked, as she laid curled up in her husband's chest. They had switched sides of the beds to give her the ability to rest more against him. She always loved falling asleep in his arms; it made her feel safe, protected even.

Lucius smiled, kissing her gently. "You know I always want to wait until you're ready," he whispered.

"I know," Narcissa sighed. "It was your idea though, that we wait. So, I want to make sure you're okay with trying again."

"As long as you're not disappointed if there are no results," Lucius replied firmly. Not only did Narcissa struggle to carry to full term, but there was also an odd number of gaps between each conception; with the exception of the last one, Narcissa was seemingly only able to get pregnant every few years. They had conceived Leo in '73, Mira in '75, and Draco in '79. That was including Narcissa's grieving periods for their first two children, where Lucius had gone through great efforts not to seduce her until she was out of mourning. "You know how I feel about seeing you distressed about this matter."

"I know," she nodded, sighing as she rubbed his chest with her nails. "I just want to see if there's a chance of it happening, that's all. If it doesn't happen, I promise to do my best not to fret."

"And if you do fret?"

"I suppose I'll have to leave you in charge of our nightly activities."

Lucius chuckled, kissing her head again. There both jumped when there heard a pop into the room, and saw Dobby standing in their bed chamber. "This had better be good, Dobby," Lucius growled.

"Dobby is greatly sorry to disturb you Master and Mistress," Dobby squeaked, bowing lowly. "But, Dobby implores you to head to the cellar immediately."

"And this can't wait until morning?" Narcissa asked, placing a hand on Lucius's shoulder to hold him back.

"Afraid not, Mistress.... Dobby's been forbidden from telling you who is down there... but it's someone you greatly care about."

"What would Draco be doing in the cellar?" Lucius demanded as Narcissa glanced at him, her breath hitching a bit. Dobby squeaked, then turned to bang his head on the wall. "Stop, Dobby and answer my question."

"Dobby doesn't know, Master Lucius," Dobby replied, trembling fiercely. "Dobby can't say anything more..."

The room trembled for a moment, and the couple caught each other's eye. "Dobby," Narcissa spoke in a deathly whisper. "Which vault is he going into?"

⨝⨝⨝

There was a clicking of gears and a whirring sound as the doors opened in the back and Draco slowly walked in. "Hello?"

"At last we meet," a voice sounded. Draco turned to see a tall boy looking down at him.

"Who are you?" Draco demanded. "How'd you get here?"

"I'm a ghost," the boy replied. "It becomes easier to cross the boundary between the land of the dead and the land of the living at this time of year. My name's Sal. You're Draco, aren't you? Son of Lucius Malfoy, the right hand man to the Dark Lord?"

"Yes..."

"Good," Tom replied, nodding to a golden ring. "There isn't much time, I've imbued that ring with a spell so you can communicate to me. Now hurry and grab it and stuff it in your pocket, then try to grab the book right there."

Tom vanished, and Draco did as he was told, trying to reach the diary that was on a tall shelf. However, before he could touch it, though, a voice bellowed into vault.

"DRACO LUCIUS MALFOY!"

The boy quickly turned and his eyes widened in terror as his father grabbed him by the hand and dragged him out of the vault. "Father!" Draco cried. "Father, you're hurting me!"

"You'll be hurting far more if I ever catch you in the vault unsupervised again," Lucius grumbled, waving his wand and closing the vault doors. He then dragged Draco to the gate. Once they were out, Lucius apparated them to Draco's bedroom. He flung Draco onto the bed, and then kept his distance, his arm clearly trembling in rage. There was a tense silence as Lucius fought to compose himself, and Draco realized just how truly terrifying his father could be. "Just tell me one thing, Draco," Lucius growled. "What were you thinking of going down there?"

"I-I thought there was something down there that could help Mummy," Draco whimpered.

"How did you get the password into the Dark Vault?" Lucius demanded, still keeping his distance as Draco huddled into a corner.

"The elf."

"I should've known," Lucius grumbled, turning away from Draco. The boy continued watching his father, his heartbeat drumming loudly in his ears as he stayed huddled in the corner. Finally, Lucius spoke again. "Get to bed, and you better not leave this room until morning. If you do, you'll lose your broom privileges for a year; and I wouldn't go looking to your mother for escape on that one."

Draco nodded tensely, getting under the covers and grabbing Green Bean to his chest, whimpering softly. He felt a soft weight on his back and turned to see one of the dogs placing their head there. He turned over and buried his face into their fur, crying himself to sleep.

⨝⨝⨝

"You didn't strike him, did you?" Narcissa asked gently, as Lucius climbed into bed next to her.

"Believe me, Flower," Lucius sighed, his eyes closing as he fought back some dreadful demon in his mind. Narcissa touched his shoulder to bring him back to the present. "I wanted to... after taking him back to his room, I had to keep my distance because I didn't trust myself. I was so angry... and scared."

"Lu," she whispered, pulling him closer to her. "You held back. That shows the kind of father you are."

"You're not worried about it?" Lucius questioned, his voice containing a note of surprise.

"Of course I am," Narcissa admitted, stroking his arm as she rested her head against his chest. "However, you showed restraint; and you didn't need me involved."

"If it weren't for the fact that he's our flesh and blood, I would've struck him."

"That does concern me a bit more," Narcissa sighed. "However, I know you. While I don't condone the mere thought of violence against our child, you had every right to be upset with him; and you didn't lash out. The Cellar has been off limits to him since he's learned to walk."

"Speaking of which, we need to hide the key if we're going to stop these midnight wanderings," Lucius said firmly.

"That won't be too hard. We'll just keep it on the vanity until we need it for parties. What I want to know, is how he got the password."

"Dobby," Lucius called.

The elf appeared a moment later, trembling before his Master at the foot of the bed. "Y-yes..."

"Did you give him the password to the Dark Vault?" Narcissa asked.

"Dobby was forced to give him the password!" Dobby cried. "Master Draco said he was going to tell you he saw Dobby in the garden near your flowers."

"Even if he did tell us that," Narcissa replied coldly. "You've been expressly forbidden from that part of the garden; unless specifically summoned by either Lucius or I; especially given the fact that elf magic likely circumvents blood magic."

"Dobby didn't think about that Mistress."

"I ought to have your vocal chords removed for this," Narcissa said darkly, crossing her arms. "However, I think that's a bit too harsh. Draco did force you after all." Dobby seemed to relax a bit, hearing Narcissa's reasoning; but, his face quickly fell as she continued. "So instead, I think holding your hands over the fire in the kitchen's for five minutes, quietly, ought to be punishment enough. I would recommend you do it now."

Dobby squeaked and snapped his fingers, vanishing from sight.

Lucius turned to Narcissa, a look of disappointment on his face. "What?" she asked, as he leaned over her body.

"You couldn't wait until you were completely better to do that?"

Narcissa stifled a chuckle, tilting her neck a bit as he leaned down to kiss her. "He put our son in imminent danger. He should be grateful I didn't kill him."

Lucius kissed her lips passionately for a moment, before settling beside her. "Rest now, Flower," he whispered, pulling her close to him as he started stroking her hair.

Chapter Text

Draco sat in his room, glancing at the ring. “Hello?” He whispered, listening closely for anyone to come in. “Sal?”

“I’m here, Draco,” Sal replied appearing before the boy. “What seems to be troubling you?”

“Mummy,” Draco mumbled. “She’s been sick for nearly a month… she says she’s nearly better… but she’s still in pain…”

“And you want there to be a way for her to be healed?”

Draco nodded.

“Well,” Sal replied. “There could be a way to heal her.”

“Really?” Draco said, perking up.

Sal nodded. “Tell me, what do you have in the garden?”

“Roses,” Draco listed. “Father has a small collection of daffodils toward the west side of the manor… I think tulips… A weird plant called a Christmas Rose…”

“Christmas Rose?” Sal mused. “If I remember correctly, those are known as Winter Roses. They have healing properties. Take two petals and crush them into a fine powder. Then put it into her tea later.”

“Petals?” Draco questioned.

“Yes, they have the most potent properties.”

“If you’re sure…” Draco murmured, remembering that his father had reacted rather angrily for him going near the flowers. “W-what if I get caught?”

“Then don’t,” Sal said harshly. “But then your dear mother will be lingering in pain for all eternity.”

Draco grew very pale, then put the ring down. His father had stayed home today, and he was sure he was in the parlor with his mother, that would make it very easy for him to slip outside and get the petals.

Putting the ring in his pocket, he quietly walked downstairs, and slipped out the front door. The path was easy to find, as the alcove was so close to the manor. He felt uneasy as he walked to the flowers. He was once again wondering why they held charms around the petals. One held twelve, one held nine, and the final one held three. He went to the last flower, since it had the least amount of charms. Hesitantly, he reached out to take a petal…

“Draco…” a gentle voice called behind him. He turned to see a middle aged woman with a blue aura around her.

“Who’re you?” Draco asked.

“It doesn’t matter,” the woman replied, kneeling down next to him. “Why are you trying to take the petals?”

“I want to help Mummy,” Draco mumbled, still glancing at the flowers. “Sal said this would help.”

“I wouldn’t listen to him if I were you,” the woman replied. “His intentions are not what you believe.”

Draco frowned. “How would you know?”

“I’m a ghost,” the woman replied, smirking a bit. “I know everything.”

“Then why isn’t Mummy getting better?” Draco asked.

“She is, Draco,” the ghost replied gently. “Slowly, but surely. I should think she would be completely better by Christmas.” She then leaned close to his ear. “I would give your father the ring back as soon as possible.”

“Draco?” A new voice called, causing the boy to turn and see his father push his mother into the garden. “Why are you over there?”

“I… I… I was told…” he stuttered, flinching a bit under his father’s gaze. His mother’s hand went up, and gently squeezed her husband’s, which was resting on her shoulder. His gaze softened as he leaned down to listen to her whisper. “I was told… that taking these petals would help you… get better…”

Lucius’s face contorted a bit, but quickly reverted when his mother squeezed his hand again. “Who told you this?” She pressed.

“S-Sal…” Draco muttered, averting his gaze. “He also told me to take this ring…” he pulled the golden ring out of his pocket. “So… I could communicate with him.”

“Draco!” Narcissa gasped, her eyes widening at the ring before glancing at Lucius.

Lucius held out his gloved hand as he strode forward; Draco slowly handed his father the ring, and he returned to his mother. “Your father and I will discuss this later,” she said firmly, glancing at her husband. “Is this Sal someone we know?”

Draco shrugged a bit confused. “Maybe… he knew who father was… why?”

“Because, if you had succeeded in your little endeavor and somehow got me to ingest those petals, you would’ve poisoned me.”

Draco’s eyes widened for a moment, glaring at the flowers. “I wanted to help you …”

Narcissa held out her hand to him and he slowly pulled him closer. “If you want to help, perhaps you should ask us how,” she said smiling at him.

Draco was silent for several moments, nodding as he hugged his mother. “How did you know I was out here?”

“We didn’t,” Narcissa replied, glancing up at Lucius. He leaned down to whisper something in her ear. She whispered something back, and he nodded.

“Each of these flowers represents one of your siblings, Draco,” Lucius spoke softly, helping his mother out of the wheelchair and walking her toward the flowers. “Siblings we’re sorry you never met.”

“I had siblings?” Draco demanded, confused. He had never seen any portraits, but maybe there was a reason why they didn’t have any. Maybe they were blemished or deformed.

“You would have,” Narcissa murmured, placing a charm on the second flower’s petals; so now there were ten.

Lucius wrapped his arm around her shoulder as tears came to her eyes, and he pulled her close. “We lost your older brother and sister during the war,” he spoke, rubbing her shoulder and back. “Before you were born, and your younger brother after.”

“What were their names?” Draco asked, walking closer to his mother.

“Leo was your older brother,” Narcissa whispered, Lucius wiping the tears from her eyes. “Mira your sister… and Algol was your younger brother…”

Lucius kissed her head comfortingly. Draco shifted a bit, and Narcissa reached out to Draco. The boy walked forward and hugged her tightly, and she smiled. “You know, Draco,” she said quietly. “You make me feel better just by hugging me.”

Lucius shook his head; and his mother shot him a glare. Pecked her lips and she smiled. “It’s odd,” Narcissa said softly. “Whenever we come out at this time of year… I always feel like they’re with us…”

Draco looked over his parents’ shoulders, and he swore he saw the ghost he had met earlier surrounded by three children. One had long blond hair, the other two had brown hair; the smallest one was being held by the tall ghost. When he blinked again, though, they were gone. “I wouldn’t be surprised if they were, Daffodil,” Lucius murmured softly.

Draco looked up as he said his mother’s nickname. She smiled up at him, resting her head against his chest. “Shall we go in for Supper?”