When Narcissa came to herself again, several days had passed. She didn't remember having her broken arm and ribs treated, nor any of the following time.
"Nice to see you awake at last" said a plump woman, smiling at her. "We've put you in a private room - keep you away from the school gossip and let you rest properly. How are you feeling?"
"How is my baby?" Narcissa asked immediately.
"Doing fine dear" she was told. "You've been lucky. Professor Dumbledore would like to talk to you when you feel well enough."
"I can talk to him whenever it's convenient" said Narcissa quietly. She lay back, resting her hand on her stomach. She could see bruises on her skin, and knew the matron had been unable to remove all the evidence of her beating.
"Did you take pictures?" she asked suddenly, realising she might need proof of her ill-treatment to divorce Lucius.
"Yes, that's all been taken care of. You should try to rest, you need your strength. Professor Dumbledore will help you now." Narcissa nodded gratefully.
"What does Draco know?" she asked. "Has Lucius told him anything? Does anyone even know I'm not at home?"
"We had a letter from your sister this morning. She's coming immediately, but you'll want to answer her anyway. So far as we know, Draco knows nothing. No-one has heard that you aren't still with Lucius, and Dumbledore's spies are excellent."
"Would I be able to see my son?"
"I'm sure you can, but I think Professor Dumbledore would like to see you first"
Narcissa nodded and turned her full attention to the breakfast tray Madame Pomfrey had brought her. Just as she was finishing it, the door opened and Professor Dumbledore walked in.
"How do you feel Mrs Malfoy?" he asked.
"Better, but please call me Narcissa" she said.
"I am obviously concerned about the state that you were in when you arrived her, and your plans for the future" Dumbledore told her, coming straight to the point.
"I do not want to go back to Lucius" said Narcissa bluntly. "He may not want this baby, but I do"
"Was that the cause of the argument?"
"I told him I was pregnant, having a baby in late March/early April, and he said that I knew perfectly well his feelings about children, and that even if he had wanted a second child, now was not the time to have it. I said I wanted to keep my baby and he beat me. When he left, I packed my things and started walking."
"Has he beaten you before?"
"Yes" admitted Narcissa softly. She knew she might as well tell Dumbledore everything, but she almost couldn't bear to admit it.
"Yes" she said again, more strongly. "Several times. He has a fairly short fuse, but he can be very charming. I've only left him because of the baby," said Narcissa softly, hating to admit it, but knowing it was true. "If I didn't think he'd kill my baby, I would have stayed. I don't want to lose Draco you see, and I'm sure his father won't let me see him once we divorce. Besides, I still love Lucius. He is a great man Professor, and I'm sure he doesn't mean to hurt me."
"Do you want to see Draco now?" asked Dumbledore, watching Narcissa carefully. He could see how much the effort of speaking so plainly about Lucius had cost her.
"Please" said Narcissa. "I want to make sure he knows I'm all right"
"I will fetch him immediately" said Dumbledore, and left the room. Narcissa lay back and closed her eyes, preparing herself for her son's appearance.
Draco was halfway through a double Potions lesson when Professor Dumbledore came in, looking grave.
"Excuse me for disrupting your lesson Severus, but I would like to borrow Draco Malfoy."
Draco, who had been enjoying the expression of nervous panic on Potter's face felt his own face freeze, even as Harry's relaxed. He made an effort to appear normal as he threw his books and quill into his bag, but inside he was wondering what on earth could have happened to make Dumbledore come and get him. He knew it could be nothing good. He could feel Harry's eyes on him as he walked out of the room.
Professor Dumbledore began to lead him along the passage way, towards the medical wing. When they were a good distance from the Potions lab, he said
"Now Draco, I must tell you some things before I allow you to go in" Draco frowned. Go in where?
"Four days ago, your mother was brought to Hogwarts in a bad state." An icy fist clenched around Draco's heart. He knew his father must have beaten her again, badly too if she had come here. His hatred of his father swelled, and he almost missed Dumbledore's next words.
"Madame Pomfrey has done the best she can, but your mother's condition makes healing difficult, so your mother still has bruises. She is very distressed, so I would ask you to try not to upset her further. However, she is going to be all right. We are taking good care of her."
By this time they had reached the medical wing. Dumbledore opened the door and led Draco past the rows of empty beds and through a small door hidden by a tapestry into what seemed to be a store cupboard.
"Go on" he said, gesturing towards a small door at the other side of it.
Draco pushed open the door quietly and looked cautiously into the room behind it. His mother lay there, her eyes closed. Her face was covered in bruises and her right arm was in a sling. Draco could see more bruises on her arms. She looked pale and fragile lying there, a still figure against the sheets.
"Mum?" he said nervously, his voice trembling. At the sound of his voice his mothers eyes opened.
"Come here Draco" she begged. Draco rushed over to her and she pulled him into a fierce hug. He could feel her body shaking with sobs, and despite himself Draco began to cry.
When they had both calmed down a bit, Narcissa began to talk to her son, explaining what had happen and why, trying to spare Lucius as much as she could in the telling of his crimes.
"You can't go back!" Draco told her furiously. "He nearly killed you! You mustn't go near him again."
"It won't be as easy as that" Narcissa told her son gently. "Your father may accept this easily and allow me to divorce him quietly, possibly even with a settlement to avoid disgrace to the family name, but he may not. I may have to fight him for a divorce, and if I do, things will get nasty. There would be a public battle, mud-slinging, name-calling etc., and it would be very unpleasant."
"It doesn't matter! You've got to leave him, no matter what he does. You can't go back!"
"And then there is the issue of you. Lucius has no interest in this baby - only in you. In his mind, you are his sole heir, and he will want to raise you himself. He may not want you to have any contact with me at all, and you could lose everything - the money, the land, by flouting his wishes. If he will allow you to see me, then things may be OK, but if he won't..." Narcissa let the sentence trail off. Both she and her son knew the lengths to which Lucius could go, and Narcissa knew that she wanted to see her son.
"With any luck" said Narcissa, forcing a cheerful smile "he'll be so busy supporting Lord Voldemort that he'll give me the divorce without arguing."
"You never know" agreed Draco, before quickly changing the subject. Both of them knew how unlikely that was.
"What are you going to call the baby, and when is it due?" asked Draco after a while.
"It's due around the end of March, and I haven't even considered names yet" Narcissa told him.
"But it's October!"
"Only just!" laughed Narcissa
"But the baby's due in March! That's only five months!" said Draco. 'At least Draco likes the idea of a baby!' thought Narcissa.
"Six actually including October, but a pregnancy only last nine months overall"
"How long have you known?" asked Draco interestedly.
"Since the day we bought your school things. I sneaked off to buy a pregnancy test then and confirmed it that evening. Since I knew your father wouldn't like it, I thought I'd wait until you'd gone to break the news. I spent the whole of September waiting for the right moment."
"Oh" There was a small pause.
"But you must have some idea." he said "Do you want a boy or a girl?"
"I want a healthy baby. I don't care what sex it is. What would you prefer?"
"I don't know."
"You should hope for a boy" Narcissa told him, "because if it's a girl you're obliged to spoil her rotten!" The two laughed. Just at the moment, Madame Pomfrey walked in.
"It's nice to see you looking so much better" she told Narcissa "but you should really get some rest now. Go on young man! Shoo!" Draco looked slightly crestfallen, and Madame Pomfrey relented enough to say
"You can come back for an hour at seven o'clock, but no more mind! Your mum needs her sleep." Draco nodded and hurried off to lunch.
When Draco had gone, Narcissa leaned back onto her pillows. Seeing her son had tired her more than she had expected, and had also brought back many memories, both good and bad, memories of his birth, memories of Lucius. A tear slid down Narcissa's cheek. She lay there, crying quietly as she remembered the early days of her marriage, how happy Lucius had been when she had told him about her first pregnancy. After a while she shook herself and reached for a tissue before snuggling down and falling asleep again.
When she woke again, Narcissa remembered the letter from her sister, lying unread on her bedside table. She reached out and picked it up.
Dear Cissa,
I just got an owl from Professor Dumbledore saying that you're at Hogwarts, pregnant and Lucius has been beating you. Why didn't you tell me? You know I'd drop everything to help you. I'm leaving this evening and should be with you on the seventh of October. Be strong until then. I'll help you sort everything out. You aren't alone Cissa, no matter what Lucius wants you to think.
All my love
Persephone
Narcissa felt a rush of emotion at reading her sister's letter. She wondered what the date was, how soon her sister would arrive. Quickly she scribbled a note to Persephone telling her that she was grateful to her and would explain everything when she saw her. Just as she finished writing it, Madame Pomfrey came in with a tray.
"How are you my dear?" she asked cheerfully.
"Feeling better" said Narcissa, looking eagerly at the tray. "Would you be able to send this letter to my sister for me?"
"Of course. Here you go!" she said, giving Narcissa the tray in exchange for the letter. "She'll be here in two days, so this might not reach her. You just concentrate on getting better."
"Thank you for helping me. I'll try and get better as soon as possible and get out of your hair."
"How could we do anything else? Don't you worry about us, concentrate on that baby."
Narcissa smiled and began to eat her meal. When she had finished it all, she picked up a piece of scrap paper and a pen and began to draft out a letter to Lucius, a task she was not sorry to take a break from when Draco came back at seven.
"How are you?" he said worriedly.
"Much better thanks! I had a good sleep this afternoon, and that's helped me I think."
"Oh good. What are you doing?"
"Writing to your father" said Narcissa with a groan. "Your aunt Persephone is arriving in two days, so I'll know more what's going to happen when I've discussed things with her." Draco nodded and changed the subject. The two chatted cheerfully about safer subjects until eight o'clock when Madame Pomfrey came to chase Draco away, with the promise of letting him return the following evening.
Narcissa watched her son leave the room, thinking about the effect her actions could have on him. Then she heaved a deep sigh and resumed writing her letter to Lucius.
A/N Sorry this was so long in coming! A slight touch of writers block and a large case of exams have SERIOUSLY delayed this fic! Still, with any luck, the next chapter should be along soon. I've also started a Harry/Draco (slash) companion fic to this one, and the first part of this should be posted eventually. Thanks for being so patient!
Thanks especially to PurpleSailorSaturn7, Lakshmi Luna, Angel, Draco's Gurl, Thea, Mandi, Atlanta Zora, Landry Anne, Mandy of the Amoeba, Amanda, Empress of the Eclipse, Phoebe Angela, Lady Potter, Darla, Gileonnen, Kimoon, Sarah, Erin, Malfoy's Girl and Lelio, who all reviewed this and encouraged me to keep writing it. Your reviews are appreciated people!
"Nice to see you awake at last" said a plump woman, smiling at her. "We've put you in a private room - keep you away from the school gossip and let you rest properly. How are you feeling?"
"How is my baby?" Narcissa asked immediately.
"Doing fine dear" she was told. "You've been lucky. Professor Dumbledore would like to talk to you when you feel well enough."
"I can talk to him whenever it's convenient" said Narcissa quietly. She lay back, resting her hand on her stomach. She could see bruises on her skin, and knew the matron had been unable to remove all the evidence of her beating.
"Did you take pictures?" she asked suddenly, realising she might need proof of her ill-treatment to divorce Lucius.
"Yes, that's all been taken care of. You should try to rest, you need your strength. Professor Dumbledore will help you now." Narcissa nodded gratefully.
"What does Draco know?" she asked. "Has Lucius told him anything? Does anyone even know I'm not at home?"
"We had a letter from your sister this morning. She's coming immediately, but you'll want to answer her anyway. So far as we know, Draco knows nothing. No-one has heard that you aren't still with Lucius, and Dumbledore's spies are excellent."
"Would I be able to see my son?"
"I'm sure you can, but I think Professor Dumbledore would like to see you first"
Narcissa nodded and turned her full attention to the breakfast tray Madame Pomfrey had brought her. Just as she was finishing it, the door opened and Professor Dumbledore walked in.
"How do you feel Mrs Malfoy?" he asked.
"Better, but please call me Narcissa" she said.
"I am obviously concerned about the state that you were in when you arrived her, and your plans for the future" Dumbledore told her, coming straight to the point.
"I do not want to go back to Lucius" said Narcissa bluntly. "He may not want this baby, but I do"
"Was that the cause of the argument?"
"I told him I was pregnant, having a baby in late March/early April, and he said that I knew perfectly well his feelings about children, and that even if he had wanted a second child, now was not the time to have it. I said I wanted to keep my baby and he beat me. When he left, I packed my things and started walking."
"Has he beaten you before?"
"Yes" admitted Narcissa softly. She knew she might as well tell Dumbledore everything, but she almost couldn't bear to admit it.
"Yes" she said again, more strongly. "Several times. He has a fairly short fuse, but he can be very charming. I've only left him because of the baby," said Narcissa softly, hating to admit it, but knowing it was true. "If I didn't think he'd kill my baby, I would have stayed. I don't want to lose Draco you see, and I'm sure his father won't let me see him once we divorce. Besides, I still love Lucius. He is a great man Professor, and I'm sure he doesn't mean to hurt me."
"Do you want to see Draco now?" asked Dumbledore, watching Narcissa carefully. He could see how much the effort of speaking so plainly about Lucius had cost her.
"Please" said Narcissa. "I want to make sure he knows I'm all right"
"I will fetch him immediately" said Dumbledore, and left the room. Narcissa lay back and closed her eyes, preparing herself for her son's appearance.
Draco was halfway through a double Potions lesson when Professor Dumbledore came in, looking grave.
"Excuse me for disrupting your lesson Severus, but I would like to borrow Draco Malfoy."
Draco, who had been enjoying the expression of nervous panic on Potter's face felt his own face freeze, even as Harry's relaxed. He made an effort to appear normal as he threw his books and quill into his bag, but inside he was wondering what on earth could have happened to make Dumbledore come and get him. He knew it could be nothing good. He could feel Harry's eyes on him as he walked out of the room.
Professor Dumbledore began to lead him along the passage way, towards the medical wing. When they were a good distance from the Potions lab, he said
"Now Draco, I must tell you some things before I allow you to go in" Draco frowned. Go in where?
"Four days ago, your mother was brought to Hogwarts in a bad state." An icy fist clenched around Draco's heart. He knew his father must have beaten her again, badly too if she had come here. His hatred of his father swelled, and he almost missed Dumbledore's next words.
"Madame Pomfrey has done the best she can, but your mother's condition makes healing difficult, so your mother still has bruises. She is very distressed, so I would ask you to try not to upset her further. However, she is going to be all right. We are taking good care of her."
By this time they had reached the medical wing. Dumbledore opened the door and led Draco past the rows of empty beds and through a small door hidden by a tapestry into what seemed to be a store cupboard.
"Go on" he said, gesturing towards a small door at the other side of it.
Draco pushed open the door quietly and looked cautiously into the room behind it. His mother lay there, her eyes closed. Her face was covered in bruises and her right arm was in a sling. Draco could see more bruises on her arms. She looked pale and fragile lying there, a still figure against the sheets.
"Mum?" he said nervously, his voice trembling. At the sound of his voice his mothers eyes opened.
"Come here Draco" she begged. Draco rushed over to her and she pulled him into a fierce hug. He could feel her body shaking with sobs, and despite himself Draco began to cry.
When they had both calmed down a bit, Narcissa began to talk to her son, explaining what had happen and why, trying to spare Lucius as much as she could in the telling of his crimes.
"You can't go back!" Draco told her furiously. "He nearly killed you! You mustn't go near him again."
"It won't be as easy as that" Narcissa told her son gently. "Your father may accept this easily and allow me to divorce him quietly, possibly even with a settlement to avoid disgrace to the family name, but he may not. I may have to fight him for a divorce, and if I do, things will get nasty. There would be a public battle, mud-slinging, name-calling etc., and it would be very unpleasant."
"It doesn't matter! You've got to leave him, no matter what he does. You can't go back!"
"And then there is the issue of you. Lucius has no interest in this baby - only in you. In his mind, you are his sole heir, and he will want to raise you himself. He may not want you to have any contact with me at all, and you could lose everything - the money, the land, by flouting his wishes. If he will allow you to see me, then things may be OK, but if he won't..." Narcissa let the sentence trail off. Both she and her son knew the lengths to which Lucius could go, and Narcissa knew that she wanted to see her son.
"With any luck" said Narcissa, forcing a cheerful smile "he'll be so busy supporting Lord Voldemort that he'll give me the divorce without arguing."
"You never know" agreed Draco, before quickly changing the subject. Both of them knew how unlikely that was.
"What are you going to call the baby, and when is it due?" asked Draco after a while.
"It's due around the end of March, and I haven't even considered names yet" Narcissa told him.
"But it's October!"
"Only just!" laughed Narcissa
"But the baby's due in March! That's only five months!" said Draco. 'At least Draco likes the idea of a baby!' thought Narcissa.
"Six actually including October, but a pregnancy only last nine months overall"
"How long have you known?" asked Draco interestedly.
"Since the day we bought your school things. I sneaked off to buy a pregnancy test then and confirmed it that evening. Since I knew your father wouldn't like it, I thought I'd wait until you'd gone to break the news. I spent the whole of September waiting for the right moment."
"Oh" There was a small pause.
"But you must have some idea." he said "Do you want a boy or a girl?"
"I want a healthy baby. I don't care what sex it is. What would you prefer?"
"I don't know."
"You should hope for a boy" Narcissa told him, "because if it's a girl you're obliged to spoil her rotten!" The two laughed. Just at the moment, Madame Pomfrey walked in.
"It's nice to see you looking so much better" she told Narcissa "but you should really get some rest now. Go on young man! Shoo!" Draco looked slightly crestfallen, and Madame Pomfrey relented enough to say
"You can come back for an hour at seven o'clock, but no more mind! Your mum needs her sleep." Draco nodded and hurried off to lunch.
When Draco had gone, Narcissa leaned back onto her pillows. Seeing her son had tired her more than she had expected, and had also brought back many memories, both good and bad, memories of his birth, memories of Lucius. A tear slid down Narcissa's cheek. She lay there, crying quietly as she remembered the early days of her marriage, how happy Lucius had been when she had told him about her first pregnancy. After a while she shook herself and reached for a tissue before snuggling down and falling asleep again.
When she woke again, Narcissa remembered the letter from her sister, lying unread on her bedside table. She reached out and picked it up.
Dear Cissa,
I just got an owl from Professor Dumbledore saying that you're at Hogwarts, pregnant and Lucius has been beating you. Why didn't you tell me? You know I'd drop everything to help you. I'm leaving this evening and should be with you on the seventh of October. Be strong until then. I'll help you sort everything out. You aren't alone Cissa, no matter what Lucius wants you to think.
All my love
Persephone
Narcissa felt a rush of emotion at reading her sister's letter. She wondered what the date was, how soon her sister would arrive. Quickly she scribbled a note to Persephone telling her that she was grateful to her and would explain everything when she saw her. Just as she finished writing it, Madame Pomfrey came in with a tray.
"How are you my dear?" she asked cheerfully.
"Feeling better" said Narcissa, looking eagerly at the tray. "Would you be able to send this letter to my sister for me?"
"Of course. Here you go!" she said, giving Narcissa the tray in exchange for the letter. "She'll be here in two days, so this might not reach her. You just concentrate on getting better."
"Thank you for helping me. I'll try and get better as soon as possible and get out of your hair."
"How could we do anything else? Don't you worry about us, concentrate on that baby."
Narcissa smiled and began to eat her meal. When she had finished it all, she picked up a piece of scrap paper and a pen and began to draft out a letter to Lucius, a task she was not sorry to take a break from when Draco came back at seven.
"How are you?" he said worriedly.
"Much better thanks! I had a good sleep this afternoon, and that's helped me I think."
"Oh good. What are you doing?"
"Writing to your father" said Narcissa with a groan. "Your aunt Persephone is arriving in two days, so I'll know more what's going to happen when I've discussed things with her." Draco nodded and changed the subject. The two chatted cheerfully about safer subjects until eight o'clock when Madame Pomfrey came to chase Draco away, with the promise of letting him return the following evening.
Narcissa watched her son leave the room, thinking about the effect her actions could have on him. Then she heaved a deep sigh and resumed writing her letter to Lucius.
A/N Sorry this was so long in coming! A slight touch of writers block and a large case of exams have SERIOUSLY delayed this fic! Still, with any luck, the next chapter should be along soon. I've also started a Harry/Draco (slash) companion fic to this one, and the first part of this should be posted eventually. Thanks for being so patient!
Thanks especially to PurpleSailorSaturn7, Lakshmi Luna, Angel, Draco's Gurl, Thea, Mandi, Atlanta Zora, Landry Anne, Mandy of the Amoeba, Amanda, Empress of the Eclipse, Phoebe Angela, Lady Potter, Darla, Gileonnen, Kimoon, Sarah, Erin, Malfoy's Girl and Lelio, who all reviewed this and encouraged me to keep writing it. Your reviews are appreciated people!