Draco whimpered and writhed in bed as a fresh wave of agony swept through his body. He cried out and curled up on his side. Shuddering, he felt the feathery wings he always tried so hard to conceal, erupt from his shoulders.
"Darling, are you alright?"
He just barely heard the muted voice of his mother through the muffled buzzing in his head. Letting out a low groan, he tried to reach for his wand, but found that he was simply too weak. The door creaked open and a gasp sounded from somewhere behind him. Narcissa rushed to his side and knelt by the bed, quickly casting a silencing charm and resetting the locking charms she had broken down with her ring. This was not something Lucius should see.
"Is it them? Your mate?"
A weak nod.
"They are coming of age?"
Another nod. This time his eyes darted down to his ribs, and then back up to his mother. She gingerly moved the arm covering his right hand side, releasing him when he grimaced in pain. She carefully pealed Draco's now shredded shirt from his sweat soaked body and glanced down. It was a gold and silver mark, still rimmed with blood from its sudden appearance and shining in the dim light.
"Oh love, a Shimmering Soul Glyph! They aren't human either, are they? Do you know what he or she is yet?"
An almost non-existent shake of his head. She reached up and began sweeping his platinum blonde hair off his clammy forehead and out of his stormy, tormented eyes.
"No, but…idea…who."
His voice was very weak, almost breath-like, only just audible.
"You don't want to tell me yet, though."
It wasn't a question, and he was deeply grateful. Both for the privacy, and for not having to respond again. He didn't have the energy. Being as gentle as she could, Narcissa slid into the bed beside her son, encircling him in her arms and murmuring soothing whispers into his hair. Draco nestled into the warm comfort of his mother's arms. A comfort so frequently denied him, even as a small child. Burrowing his head into the crook of her neck, he allowed his body to quiver and convulse, praying for sleep to overtake him.