Chapter Text
September 5th, 1980
Lucius smiled as he saw wife walking around the garden from the balcony, turning as he his son started to cry. The newborn had begun stirring in their room while Narcissa was spending a small amount of time away from her son. Per his insistence, as he wanted to spend a bit of time with the babe. Being an active Death Eater and Lobbyist, he rarely saw Draco during the waking hours, lest Narcissa was breastfeeding when he arrived home from meetings, or the off chance he was home for dinner. He was also getting worried about her health. She seemed happy enough, but he would catch an occasional sob or sometimes hear her muttering to herself; arms hugging her body as she was overwhelmed by something he could not see or comprehend. There were also a few concerning things his elf had brought up that he needed to discuss with her.
He looked up as a soft pop alerted him to his wife's presence in the Chamber. "Did you enjoy your walk?"
"I did," Narcissa replied, walking toward her husband and giving him a kiss on the lips, before redirecting her attention to their son. "Do I need to feed him?"
"At least a snack," Lucius chuckled, adjusting his grip so he could carefully pass the child to his mother. "I think he just becomes hungrier and hungrier as he grows."
"I think Aunt Walburga may have mentioned she had the same thing with her boys," Narcissa murmured, taking her child as she lowered her dress and pulled out the breast that was the fullest. "They seemed to always be hungry despite eating only an hour prior." She slowly teased Draco's lips with her nipple, making sure to have the right angle before the babe latched himself. "I don't mind, though, I'll do whatever it takes for our son to be healthy."
"That will include looking after yourself as well," Lucius replied firmly, startling Narcissa slightly by the change of tone in his voice; however, the tension eased when she saw the light smile on his lips as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and guided her to the fainting couch. "I know it is difficult," he continued, once they were settled. "But I need you to find some way to relax more. Have Druella come by and watch Draco if I'm not here."
"I am doing fine—" Narcissa protested, only to be swiftly cut off as Lucius placed a finger on her lips.
"You are doing incredible," Lucius corrected, his steel grey eyes boring into her brown ones. "However, I can see how tired you are, and so can others. Dobby has told me he has had to rouse you more than once during the day because you would fall asleep nursing. He also mentioned you wear the sling when you do that."
"Just in case," she murmured, averting her gaze. "If he is in the sling, I know he won't fall out of my grasp."
Lucius shifted his grip to just under her chin, gently forcing it up once more. "There is more, is there not?"
"It's... it's not just Draco that has me tired," she murmured.
Lucius sighed, shifting a bit as he released her chin, lowering his head to press against hers. "You know I would be here more often during the night if I could be."
"I know," She mumbled, adjusting her grip a bit as Draco squeaked. She tried to keep herself calm, she'd noticed that if she became too anxious during feedings, Draco would stop and refuse to take any more milk. "It's for the cause, though. A noble cause that will cleanse our world of those who would rather taint it with impure ways."
Lucius smiled, placing a kiss on her forehead. "Save the lines for when guests are here," he murmured, a hand going down to caress their son's face as she shifted the baby to her other breast. "The War will hopefully be over soon, and when it is, we'll go on a long holiday. Just the three of us."
"I would like that," she smiled. Lucius smiled back, gasping a bit as he felt his Dark Mark begin to burn. Narcissa recognized the sound all too well, looking up at him with understanding. "Go. I have everything."
"We'll talk more when I get back," he murmured, reluctantly releasing her and standing up as he switched his clothes to his Death Eater robes.
"Give Bella my love," Narcissa replied just as he apparated away with a soft pop. She returned her attention back to the babe in her arms. He was still so small in her grasp, though he did feel heavier. His eyes were still the light hue of blue, although she swore she could see hints of his father's grey in them. "You are going to look so much like your father," she cooed. "You will have all the pure-blood girls fawning over you, my darling." The tiny babe started to slow down in his suckling, his eyes starting to slowly close; and she stood up, feeling a bit drowsy herself.
She placed Draco in his crib, making sure there was nothing around that would likely harm her child in his sleep. Once she was certain that he was comfortable and safe, she walked over to her bed, barely getting the sheets over her body before she drifted off to sleep.
Ψ
A couple of hours later, Draco started calling for his next meal. "I'm coming, Draco," she moaned, swinging her feet down, only to collapse as she realized she could not stand. Gasping, she struggled to understand what had happened, looking down at her legs, and seeing that her right foot was missing. Panic and horror flashed through her mind as she tried to comprehend what was going on. "Narcissa?" Lucius called, opening the door. "Are you alright?"
"No," Narcissa replied, fear clawing at her heart as Lucius walked in. She saw his eyes widen a bit as he saw her ankle missing. Slowly, he waved his wand and lifted her back into the bed.
"Dobby!" Lucius called, walking toward Draco, who was whimpering now. The elf appeared a moment later, just as it felt like a knife cut through Narcissa's left hand and she cried out, seeing that her hand had also vanished. "Get a healer from St. Mungo's post-haste," he ordered calmly, slowly picking up the baby and rubbing his back soothingly. Dobby nodded, snapping his fingers to leave the Chamber, and Lucius turned back to Narcissa. "I'll come back after I take Draco to Eileen's; she can care for Draco until we get this sorted."
Narcissa nodded, tears coming to her eyes as the thought of being separated from her child tightened the fear she had already felt on her heart. "Flower," she heard him say firmly, though there was an added gentleness to his voice. "I will come back."
Narcissa nodded, her body trembling a bit as she tried to curl up into the sheets as Lucius apparated away with their son.