Abraxas's house-elf, Brenan, watched as his master poured a potion into the tea meant for Narcissa. Abraxas then used his wand to stir the potion until it was no longer noticeable.

"Brenan," Abraxas spoke, "give this tea to Dobby, so that he can give it to my daughter-in-law. I know that she won't accept anything that comes from you. Make sure, though, that Dobby doesn't tell her that he got the tea from you."

"Yes, Master," Brenan replied.

"And you didn't see anything," Abraxas added.

"I didn't see anything," Brenan agreed with a twisted smile before disappearing with a crack.

This would end up being a routine that would repeat itself regularly throughout the rest of Narcissa's pregnancy.

It was late at night when Narcissa suddenly sat up in her bed.

"What's wrong?" Lucius asked sleepily from beside her.

"It's the baby," Narcissa gasped. "Lucius, I think it's time."

Lucius blinked, at first not comprehending his wife's words in his semi-asleep state. Then, his eyes became wide.

"The baby," he breathed, throwing off the blankets covering him and Narcissa. "Are you going to be able to make it to St. Mungo's?"

"Yes, I believe so," Narcissa replied, her voice somehow both calm and panicky at the same time. "My water just broke only a moment ago. We should still have some time."

Lucius used his wand to summon some outer clothes for him and Narcissa. He wasn't willing to waste any time.

"Dobby," he called out.

The house-elf appeared with a crack. "Yes, Master."

"Tell the Healers at St. Mungo's that we're on our way. Tell them that Narcissa is in labor."

"Push," Roberts encouraged Narcissa. "You need to keep on pushing."

"What do you think I've been doing this whole time, taking a nap?" Narcissa snapped.

Lucius was about to say something to the Healer as well, but he was stopped by his wife suddenly squeezing his hand, very hard. Where had she gotten this inhuman strength from? Was this normal?

Lucius managed to keep himself from crying out. The same, though, could not be said of Narcissa. Her screams were loud and piercing.

Lucius had not realized that having a baby would be this painful. Why had no one told him this?

Roberts and his assistants were not fazed by Narcissa's angry outburst, no doubt because they were used to it.

"I can see the baby's head," Roberts cried out. "You're doing great, Mrs. Malfoy. It won't be much longer now."

"That's easy for you to say!" Narcissa screamed. "You're not the one in pain!"

But does that mean I have to be in pain as well? Lucius couldn't help thinking when Narcissa once again squeezed his hand, even harder than the last time. Why had he given her his hand in the first place? Why hadn't Roberts or one of his assistants warned him about this?

Despite his pain, though, Lucius watched in fascination as his and Narcissa's baby began to come out.

That's our first child, Lucius thought happily.

"The baby's out, Mrs. Malfoy," Roberts spoke. His joy, though, was quickly replaced by worry and concern.

Lucius was too happy to notice the worried expressions on the faces of Roberts and his assistants.

Narcissa was also looking happy, despite her obvious wariness. She shared a tired but warm smile with her husband.

Roberts pointed his wand at the baby several times, but nothing happened. The baby remained silent and unmoving. The assistants held their breaths anxiously.

Then, Lucius and Narcissa finally noticed the way that Roberts and his assistants were looking. The two Malfoys also noticed that the room was now usually silent.

Wasn't the baby supposed to be crying? That was what they had been told.

"What's going on?" Narcissa gasped. "Why isn't the baby crying? Is there something wrong with the baby? Why isn't the baby crying?"

At first, Roberts (who was holding the silent baby) did not say anything. But the expression on his face told the whole story.

"No," Narcissa breathed in disbelief. "No."

Lucius felt his wife's grip on his hand go limp, but he barely paid any attention to that. His eyes were completely focused on Roberts. And on his and Narcissa's silent, unmoving baby.

Lucius took several breaths to compose himself. He couldn't, however, bring himself to look at Narcissa.

"What's wrong?" Lucius asked calmly, almost emotionlessly.

"I'm sorry, Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy," Roberts spoke in choked voice, "but the baby isn't breathing. And there's nothing I can do to fix that."

Both Lucius and Narcissa were stuck speechless for a moment. Then, Narcissa released a scream of despair and angst.

Lucius could not help but wince slightly at Narcissa's scream, but he somehow managed to keep himself composed. He just stood there, his body completely stiff.

Narcissa then broke into uncontrollable sobs.

Lucius wanted to cry as well, but all his years of Pureblood breeding and training were able to kick in. He wouldn't break down. He couldn't break down. Not here. Not now. Not ever.

Instead, Lucius placed all of his attention and thoughts into comforting Narcissa. He bent down at his waist and wrapped his arms around her, holding her close. He made soothing sounds as Narcissa cried on his shoulder.

Roberts and his assistant could only watch on with agony.

"We are truly sorry for your loss," Roberts said.

Narcissa didn't hear the Healer over her sobs, but Lucius did.

"How did this happen?" Lucius asked Roberts angrily, still holding Narcissa. "Why is our baby dead? What did you do wrong?"

"I'm sorry, Mr. Malfoy," Roberts replied, somehow managing to keep his voice calm and composed, "but there was nothing that I could have done to prevent this from happening. Sometimes babies come out stillborn, and there's really no way to prevent that from happening. We just don't know enough about it. I'm very sorry."

"Save your sorries for when it actually means something and for when it's actually of some real use," Lucius snapped.

"I understand how you're feeling, Mr. Malfoy."

"No, you don't! Enough with your false pity! We don't need it!" If Lucius had not been concerned about comforting a still sobbing Narcissa, he would have went over to the Healer to strangle him.

"We will give you and Mrs. Malfoy some time alone," Roberts responded, clearly seeing the murderous expression on Lucius's face.

"Wait!" Narcissa cried out, her tears now semi-controlled. "I want to hold my baby. It's still my baby. It's still my baby."

Roberts hesitated. "I don't think that would be a good idea," he finally said. "It will only make things harder."

"I want to hold my baby," Narcissa repeated firmly. "I need to hold my baby. I need to see my baby."

With some reluctance, Roberts walked over to Narcissa and handed her the dead baby.

Narcissa looked down at it. Lucius forced himself to look as well. He would stay composed. He needed to stay composed for Narcissa's sake. She needed his strength right now.

"It's a girl," Narcissa breathed. "It's a little girl."

A girl. His daughter. His little girl.

His little Narcissa.

Narcissa held the dead baby close to her chest as she began to cry again with a renewed vengeance, her tears falling onto the baby's head.

Lucius, meanwhile, pulled his wife closer to him, refusing to touch or even to look again at what should have been his living, breathing precious little daughter.

Author's Note: I decided to make the baby a stillborn instead of a miscarriage because there was just something about the emotional impact of Narcissa going through labor, only to learn afterwards that it was all for nothing. There was also something about the emotional impact of Narcissa holding a dead baby. I hope I wrote Lucius's and Narcissa's reactions okay because that part really had me nervous. How do you write parents that have just heard the worse news possible? I really don't know.