Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter nor any of its characters.

Chapter XXV

"Might I check how your stitches are coming along, Mrs Malfoy?" Hermione asked, snapping Narcissa out of her daze.

"Stitches?" Narcissa's face paled. "What are stitches?"

"Mrs Malfoy-"

"Call me Narcissa, please. I hate being shackled to Lucius in such a way." Narcissa interrupted.

"Of course…Narcissa. As I was saying, when Draco and I found you, you had a very deep wound to your stomach. We couldn't fix it with magic and it was going to kill you if we didn't do something, so I used a Muggle method where you sew up the wound. It's rather grizzly really, but it saved your life." She explained.

"Very well, do as you must." Narcissa waved a hand and leant back into her pillows. "Miss Granger, might I ask you something?"

"Narcissa, I'd much prefer it if you called me Hermione. But yes, ask away." She smiled as she drew Narcissa's shirt up to reveal to wound.

"Pray tell, how did you and my son manage to find me?" She asked curiously.

"I'm not entirely sure to be honest, Draco will be able to explain it better than I." Narcissa smiled at the mention of her son's name, she was very anxious to see her boy again but it was all a shock to her. She had believed that he had been dead for many years now, to wake up back in her old Manor to find out that her boy was alive. It was going to make things a lot harder for Narcissa. She had been prepared to die, without her boy she had nothing more to live for because of Lucius and his precious Master. Lucius had come closer and closer to finding out her secret whilst he tracked down the last Horcrux and she was becoming more and more nervous. If they suspected her for even a moment, she was sure that they would have many ways of getting the answers out of her which she had needed.

She needed to do away with herself, however that would be suspicious to people around her, almost as if she had something to hide, which she did of course, but they needn't know that. What she needed to do, was to try and have Lucius do away with her of his own accord which she was more than happy to do. He had taken everything away from her so there was little more he really could take. He had already removed every reason for her existence, he had taken her lover, her free will and her son away from her, what more could she give?

It wasn't as though she could run away, if she could then she would have done so years ago. However the ring he hand given her upon their wedding day was carrying many ancient charms that would activate upon a bonded marriage. Her wedding ring could never come off, the Malfoys had made sure of that many years ago when the Malfoy men had difficulty with their adulterous wives who would tempt men into their beds. In addition, the ring was connected to Lucius' ring, he could tell where she was at any time if he wanted to, so he could find her wherever she went which was another reason why she needed to pass quickly. If Lucius decided to come looking, he would find Draco and Hermione, and she was sure that he would kill them.

She had tried to anger him in every way possible, she had talked fondly of her son to him, she had argued tirelessly with him, she had insulted him with everything she knew of, she had freed his house elf, she had moved all of the money he had set aside for the Master's war efforts and placed it in an account he couldn't access, one which she would be sure to put in Draco's name on the event of her death. However none of her attempts had managed to anger him enough to kill her, it was only enough incentive to beat her about.

It was what she had done the day previous that had driven him to do it. Lucius was a man of pride, and wouldn't tolerate being insulted in any way. Narcissa knew this after having to put up with it for many years and so she decided to take things a step further and hit his pride where she knew it would hurt the most. It wasn't particularly something she wanted to do, but she knew it would spark Lucius' rage. So she had waited until he had summoned a meeting in the Manor with all of those in high regard of the Master when she had decided to do it. She had taken a lover to Lucius' room, she had made sure that he knew of what was occurring upstairs in his bedroom with her excessively loud shrieking which she was sure all of his accomplices heard, thus humiliating him beyond anything she would ever dare try before.

That was all the incentive he needed to be rid of her and she was just glad it was finally over. It took a lot to crack him in the end, but she gained a sense of gratification at finally putting Lucius in his place after all those years that she had had to abide him. Well no more, she was Narcissa Black and she wasn't going to take Lucius' crap lying down, no sir. It was actually worth all of the pain she had endured at the hands of his accomplices just to see the look on his face when he had burst into the bedroom a while later, by which time her anonymous lover had gone however the evidence of his stay was very much visible. She chuckled darkly to herself before the bathroom door opened, snapping her out of her daze.

"Draco?" Narcissa whisperered, her lower lip trembling as she gazed upon her son. He really was alive. Suddenly she felt immense guilt for leaving her cousin to die at the hands of her wicked sister because he had come through with his promise. He had saved him, he had saved her boy and she would be forever in his debt. She put her hands in front of her mouth and shook her head before she started to cry. She shrugged back the bedsheets and made to get out of the bed.

"Mother, please don't move. I don't want you to injure yourself further." Draco said gently. However, she ignored him and slipped out of the bed before hobbling over to her son despite the blinding pain in her stomach. She almost fell into his arms and began sobbing loudly on his shoulder whilst he patted her back gently.

"I thought you were dead." She choked. "Your Father told me you had been killed and I-" She cut herself off with another heart-breaking sob.

"There there, Mother. Get back into bed and we can talk." He assured her.

"Oh my boy, you always were so caring of your poor Mother." She said affectionately and patted his cheek. "But I'm only injured Draco, not crippled. I wish to have a walk about, since it's been many years since I've come back here so wait for me at breakfast. Oh and send Blinky up to help me dress." She smiled. Hermione and Draco each left the room quickly and headed towards the breakfast room when Narcissa finally dropped her act. She almost fell back onto the bed and clutched her chest, breathing deeply for a moment. Something was definitely wrong with her, she was getting dizzy spells and her heart felt like it was pounding.

Just at that moment, Blinky entered the bedroom.

"Mistress Narcissa!" Blinky bowed low to his Mistress before looking at her again. She was panting heavily, trying to gulp air into her lungs which seemed to quell the symptoms for now although she felt incredibly weak. "Mistress called for Blinky."

"Yes, Blinky. I need you to check me over for any lingering curses, any trace of dark magic." She ordered, standing up again to try and support against the bedpost, only to feel a severe head rush. The elf wasted no time and took his Mistresses' hand before closing his eyes and concentrating. She waited patiently as the elf did his work, trying to stop herself from swaying. Blinky's eyes snapped open and he screeched.

"Bad magic Mistress Narcissa, lots and lots of bad magic!" The elf whimpered and began to cry.

"What will it do to me?" She asked.

"The bad magic be killing yous Mistress. It be shutting Mistresses' heart down."

Bingo. No wonder Lucius hadn't come looking for her yet, he knew exactly what he'd done the sly dog. It would be expected of him to make her die a slow and potentially painful death, probably to humiliate her with the loss of her dignity. But he didn't know she was unafraid of what awaited her beyond the grave, for nothing could have been worse than the hell it had been being married to him. But it would crush her son. That was the only reason she had for living, her boy, the boy who saved her from her dark existence. No, it was too late for that now, if she stayed alive then Lucius would find her wherever she went, and if she lingered here for too long, he would find Draco too.

"How long do I have?" She asked curiously.

"Blinky thinks Mistress has only days. But Blinky will help! Blinky be telling Master Draco and be helping!" Blinky assured her confidently. She reached out and patted her loyal elf on the head.

"I can't let you do that Blinky. I have to do things this way. So you mustn't speak of this to anyone, and that's an order." She said harshly. The elf began to whimper again, he didn't want to lose his favourite Mistress. He had served Mistress Narcissa since she was first married and he didn't want to see her in pain.

OOO

"Are you alright?" Hermione asked Draco who was oddly silent as he sat at the opposite end of the breakfast table.

"Peachy." He replied with a fake grin plastered on his face.

"I'm not as blind as you may think, Draco. There's something bothering you." She remarked.

"Would you just leave it!" He snapped, she didn't even recoil at his harshness but then again, she wouldn't. Just like she wouldn't leave him alone until she managed to weasel it out of him. In reality, everything for Draco was not fine, he felt guilt and anger brewing in his heart and had a horrible feeling that he might snap at any moment. The way his Mother had cried to him had put him out of his comfort zone, his Mother barely ever cried in front of him and so it was upsetting for him. He was the cause of his Mother's distress because he hadn't let on ever that he was alright. Of course at first, he had missed her terribly during the time when he was being accepted by the Order however they had prevented any form of contact to ensure his safety. When he was able to contact her though, he had forgotten about her much to his own disgust and she had worried herself to death, to the brink of insanity.

He was angry at whoever had left her in that state and he had no doubt it was his Father's doing. If he got his hands on him, he would be sure he paid for every time he ever neglected himself and his Mother, as well as the destruction of Hermione's life. As soon as Harry brought him in, he would be organizing a little trip to go and visit him before he was locked away for life. Revenge was going to be sweet.

"You can talk to me you know. God knows you have to listen to my woes all the time." She smiled kindly at him, although it did nothing to appease his terrible mood.

"There's nothing to talk about. I'm fine." He spat out through gritted teeth, stabbing at the scrambled egg in front of him.

"Okay, you're fine, whatever. Come and find me when you've decided to grow up." She huffed before storming out of the dining room.

"And where the bloody hell do you think you're going?" He bellowed after her.

"Outside. I need to practice my magic." She shouted back, not bothering to turn around as she went. He clenched his fists tightly so that his nails were digging into his palms as he tried to contain his rage.

"Cock sucking mother fucking shit!" He roared and thumped his fist down on the table. He didn't need Hermione getting her panties in a twist because he was angry, now she was just being impossible. Stupid stubborn Gryffindor, doesn't know what's good for her.

"I thought I raised you better than to use language like that." Came Narcissa's voice from the doorway. "I heard shouting from across the hall, is everything alright son?"

"Forgive me Mother. Do stop asking after my wellbeing, I just had all of that of bloody Granger." She snarled.

"Language!" She snapped. "Miss Granger is only concerned dear, as am I. Although I might ask what she's doing here, not that I mind or anything, it just seemed rather odd for the two of you to be alone at the Manor. Are you involved with-" She started but Draco cut her off quickly.

"No, Mother. We are not involved beyond friendship I assure you." Even though I'd like to be. "As for why she's here, it's a rather complicated issue. You see, someone's got it in for her and so the Order have assigned me to protect her."

"Oh my word, the poor girl. You say the Order assigned you, so you are involved with them?" She asked as she slowly paced herself, walking across the dining room to take the seat that Hermione had vacated, ignoring the blackening of her vision or the exhaustion.

"Yes. They found me before Father could get to me at Hogwarts, they took me in and although it took a while, they accepted me. I've been fighting for them ever since." He declared.

"I always knew you'd make the right choices, unlike your foolish Father." Her lip curled in disgust at the thought of her husband.

"Speaking of daddy dearest, what did you do to anger him. I know he did this to you."

Narcissa felt uneasy under her son's gaze, was it really that obvious to him? She straightened herself and tried to keep a calm composure.

"Of course not dear, you have it all wrong. I didn't see the men who did this to me, it was too dark outside to see them but I assure you it wasn't your Father's doing. I suspect it was a group of his accomplices who are obviously jealous of your Father." She replied. "What happened to them? And how did you find me? I don't quite recall." She raised an eyebrow at her son.

"As for how I found you, just be glad that I did otherwise you'd surely be dead by now Mother. And with regards to the sick bastards-"

"Language!" She scolded again.

"-who did this to you, I gave them what they deserved." He said darkly and thought back to the previous night. It was rather an odd experience, killing for the first time. Some people say that it truly destroyed a person however that wasn't the case for him. When he cast the curse, it gave him a sense of power and satisfaction, he gained a rush and it were as though it were a drug and he couldn't stop doing it. He fed of their pleading and pained cries in his fit of rage which he came to question severely all the way through last night. He didn't quite know what had come over him, something odd had happened indeed but it were as though he had had a personality switch, he had just snapped and taken his rage out on anything around him. It was something he didn't plan on doing again, it was wrong, it was monstrous but at the same time it was exciting.

OOO

Over the next few days, Narcissa's health was rapidly deteriorating but she did well to conceal it. She was experiencing a wealth of different symptoms now and they weren't doing her any good. The curse that one of Lucius' henchmen had put on her was taking its toll now and it would only be a matter of time before the inevitable happened. If what Blinky had said was true, then her heart was shutting down, gradually slowing her pulse which would explain her symptoms. Her death would most likely be peaceful, hopefully her heart would just stop so she could end this charade once and for all, move on and reunite with her childhood sweetheart who she would join in death.

She felt guilty for leaving her son, but he was better off without her now. He had Miss Granger. She had seen the mild attraction between the two even though she tried her best to conceal it, but Narcissa was very perceptive, that's where her son got it.

She felt incredibly weak on this day, to the extent where she couldn't stand very well and by tomorrow she would surely be incapacitated. So she was going to enjoy a late afternoon walk in the garden if it killed her. She admired each of the flower beds, full of her flowers, the Narcissus as she slowly and painfully strolled through the gardens until she came across Miss Granger, sitting beside the pond with her knees pulled up to her chest and her fingers delicately skating the surface of the water.

Narcissa sat herself beside the girl next to the pond, hoping to finally have a conversation with the girl without Draco coming over to interrupt.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" She remarked, staring out across the expanse of the pond, with the lily pads hovering above the water, slowly drifting in the direction of the wind.

"It's exquisite, I've never seen a garden quite like it. Blinky really outdoes himself sometimes." She said light-heartedly.

"Yes, but he is an adorable little thing." She began to laugh but it caused great pain in her chest and she found herself quickly out of breath again. "I used to sit out here with Draco all the time when he was a boy, such a timid little thing he was too."

"Draco? Timid? I find that quite hard to believe." She chuckled in response.

"Oh yes, he was quite the little lamb. Never did he stray far from me at all, he loved me as much as a child could ever love his Mother and he was the most open-hearted little boy I'd ever known." She spoke lovingly.

"What happened to him?" Hermione's brow furrowed.

"When he was a little older, shortly before Hogwarts his Father finally took an interest in him. Beforehand Lucius was a stranger to him, we would stay at the other Manor for special occasions and all but otherwise all Draco would hear from his Father was a small birthday greeting each year. Then Lucius destroyed my Draco, he beat the sensitivity and kindness out of him before drilling his head with all of these ideals and expectations that turned him into a cold-hearted little boy. During his years at Hogwarts he wasn't my boy anymore, didn't have time for his silly old Mother. No, he wanted to be just like his Father, he craved his appreciation but never would he get it from him and all the love and affection from me counted for nothing. Quite sad really." Narcissa remarked before dabbing at the corner of her eyes.

"But you see Miss Granger," She continued. "When he's around you, I see less and less of the cold-hearted boy Lucius wanted him to be and more and more of my little boy again. I don't know how you do it, but thank you." She whispered.

"You have nothing to thank me for, really. I'm not doing anything." Hermione said, puzzled.

"Oh Miss Granger, you're doing more than you know." Narcissa smiled. "My, it's getting rather cold Miss Granger, would you escort me inside?" Narcissa asked and Hermione obliged. As soon as Narcissa stood up, something felt awfully wrong.

OOO

Inside, Draco was lazing about inside, searching through the small library that they had on the bottom floor of the house. It was nowhere as big as the one at Malfoy Manor, and yet it was still comfortable, equipped and humble. No wonder Hermione liked it in here so. He sat in front of the small fireplace on a plump armchair with a mug of the hot chocolate that Hermione had insisted they buy in his hand. Then, racing through the window came a silver stag, one which undoubtedly belonged to Harry Potter.

"Malfoy, if you're there I have news. I haven't found anything on Lucius to suspect him for the murder of the Grangers, but I do believe there is in fact something more sinister going on here. I have heard multiple references to the Master in this house and there are many Death Eaters, information this crucial could – wait….wait…..STUPEFY!"

Oh bloody fucking brilliant, Potter had gotten himself into trouble again and at the hands of his Father no doubt. Draco sprung up from his chair and was about to run for Hermione, when he heard her calling for him instead.

"DRACO!" She screamed from upstairs. Forgetting all about Harry, he dashed out of the study and bounded up the stairs, taking them three at a time before bursting into the room where Hermione's cries were coming from with his wand drawn. He wrenched open the door, expecting to find his Father if he was truly honest, but he saw Blinky hovering his Mother onto the bed and she didn't look well at all.

His heart dropped into his stomach. "What happened!?" He bellowed, running to his Mother's bedside and taking her hand in his own.

"We – We were outside talking and – she ju-just collapsed on the way inside. I'm sorry Draco – I had no idea what to do!" She whimpered helplessly, her hands were shaking in shock. He stroked his Mother's hand reassuringly as her ashen face turned towards him and looked at him with heavy lidded eyes. She was taking incredibly deep and slow breaths and Draco didn't possibly know what was wrong with her. She had been perfectly fine over the past few days, no side effects from her injuries or anything. Blinky sprang to Narcissa's side and held her other hand in his own, closing his eyes again to concentrate.

"Bad magic too strong now Master Draco." Blinky shook his head solemnly.

"What do you mean 'bad magic'? Mother?" He turned to his Mother to see her nodding at Blinky weakly.

"Mistress Narcissa has a bad magic curse Master Draco, it be making Mistresses' heart slow down and stop." He began to bawl. "Blinky is sorry Master Draco, Mistress Narcissa wished Blinky not to be telling yous!"

"Why Mother?" He asked exasperatedly. "We could've saved you. We can still save you." He said hurriedly. She shook her head slightly.

"No Draco. It's time….for me….to go….." She panted heavily.

"Don't you say that Mother, you're not leaving me. You're staying here okay? I need you." He pleaded. She raised a shaky hand up to cup her son's cheek and gave him the biggest smile she could muster which happened to be a mere twitching of her lips.

"You'll….be fine….I love you….my boy…."

"No. No. No. No. NO! Don't leave me Mother, I'll never forgive you if you do - don't close your eyes, don't you dare close your eyes!" He bellowed yet despite his pleading, Narcissa brought her son's hand to her mouth and kissed his open palm before her eye lids dropped. The dark magic running through her blood finally constricted around her heart making it spasm slightly before stopping forever.

Hey guys, I know Narcissa's death is a little quick but she's served her purpose now and I simply couldn't think of any fillers. Besides, you want to get onto the juicy bits quicker don't you?