It was another thirty minutes before the mediwizard was ushered back in to administer a counter-potion to Narcissa Malfoy, with Lucius hovering intimidatingly nearby. The potion was slow to act and it took several minutes before Narcissa stirred to wakefulness, blinking in confusion.

"Missus Malfoy—"

Narcissa closed her eyes once more and turned her head away, still disoriented.

"Cissa…" Lucius' voice was barely a trace on the rim of her consciousness; Lucius, for his part, did not try to push his wife to further awareness, partly because she would come around on her own time, and partly because he could not anticipate what her reaction would be.

The lady Malfoy continued in silence while her husband's gaze flitted between her and the floor. Then, a shaky exhale.

"Lucius," Narcissa turned back to meet her husband, "I lost—I'm so sorry…" she broke off into tears.

Lucius closed his eyes and let out a breath.

"I don't k-know what h-happened—" Narcissa began to panic. "What did I do wrong?..."

"No, my dear, you did nothing wrong. How could you have? You're the best… Draco couldn't have a better mother and I…" Lucius swallowed with difficulty and looked back at Narcissa, unable to mask his own grief any longer. "I shouldn't have left you alone to handle this on your own…It's my fault." his voice cracked and faded out.

Narcissa Malfoy continued to weep, her body shaking with pain and jarring grief.

"I was careful! Lucius, I was so careful—" the lady stared at her husband, wide-eyed, gasping erratic cries and it was all Lucius could do to hold her to him, shielding and supporting her in her agony.