Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. All characters belong to JK Rowling. The story and chapter titles are taken from the song "Coughing Up Flowers" by Trinity Rose.

Thank you to Webstriker for betaing.

If there was one thing she didn't expect after her fight with Astoria, it was her sister's husband showing up at her house on Sunday morning. He was lucky she was even awake, otherwise she would have jinxed his uninvited arse, and that would go over like a lead balloon with Astoria. She heard the ringing from the charm on the fireplace, but she didn't leave her spot in her kitchen. There were only a few people who would feel comfortable inviting themselves into her home this early, and none of them would mind her not greeting them right away.

She was only a little disappointed when she saw it was her brother-in-law and not Tori. Astoria was obviously going to need a little more time. Daphne knew that, had accepted it, but it didn't mean she had to like it.

Draco frowned as he walked into the kitchen, a crease forming between his eyebrows. "Shite, you look awful." His hands gripped the black box he was carrying.

Daphne rolled her eyes. "I didn't sleep well, so sue me," she said, voice hoarse. She had something of an anxiety attack when she tried to sleep last night; she was lying in bed, eyes closed, and that was when the horrible, sinking realization that she was wasting time hit her. How long did she normally sleep? Six to eight hours on a good night, which would be six to eight hours of her very short life gone every night. She tossed and turned, tried to drown out her racing thoughts by thinking of the lyrics of one of her favorite songs, but her mind just wouldn't turn off. Daphne couldn't stay in bed after that and instead found herself in the library once more, this time looking for a book on flowers.

She learned that carnations, despite what she'd thought previously, did not have thorns. It was a small mercy, but she was very relieved that thorns would not be cutting into her throat every time she coughed up a full flower in the future. Of course, that did nothing for the roots planted in her lungs; they would grow around them, squeezing them, and would start to pierce them. This was still going to end in blood, but things could always be worse.

On top of that, she suffered another coughing fit that woke her up once she finally drifted off. After she vanished the flower and forced herself to close her eyes, she only got a few hours of sleep. She took a sip of her tea mixed with honey, which soothed her throat slightly. "Did Tori tell you everything?"

Daphne assumed so and was unsurprised when Draco nodded. He took a seat across from her, laying the box on the table without taking his eyes off her. "She was very upset when she got home. Cried for at least an hour." She flinched, stomach churning with guilt. "I was able to piece together that you have Hanahaki and are choosing to forgo treatment. Is that correct?"

Daphne nodded silently.

His face softened, reminding Daphne of the way he looked at Astoria. "I'm sorry. Have you told anyone else?"

"No, only you and Tori know so far." Her fingers curled and uncurled around her teacup. Instead of asking the question she wanted to, she looked at the box resting on her kitchen table. "What's that?"

"Astoria woke up at the crack of dawn yesterday and locked herself in her lab practically all day. I'm just glad I was able to convince her to let me help her, even if it took me a couple hours." He opened the box and started taking out differently labeled bottles. Daphne picked up the first and read the words printed on the side in Astoria's neat handwriting: extra strength pain relief. "That one's for when you're farther along. This one," he pointed at one he'd placed on the left, "should help with your cough. That one on the right is the regular pain relief potion."

Daphne watched in silence as he pulled out more bottles. "This one's an appetite stimulant. Astoria wasn't sure what symptoms you have, or might get, so she put together as many different ones as possible."

There were other bottles, but she didn't read all of them right then or even hear his quick explanations. She swallowed, ignoring the pain in her throat, and her eyes started to water. "She did all of this, even though she's angry with me?"

The crease between Draco's brows came back. "She isn't angry with you."

Daphne arched an eyebrow.

His mouth twitched. "Alright, she's angry with you, but that's not all she's feeling." He placed his hands on the table. "She's upset…and very, very afraid for you."

Me too.

"Tell her I'm sorry, Draco. I really am but-"

"You're not changing your mind," he finished for her. There was silence for a long moment, before he suddenly leaned forward. His grey eyes didn't look away from her once. "I want you to know that I understand."

Daphne frowned. "Excuse me?"

"I've had two days to think about my sister-in-law dying from Hanahaki, which is a sentence I never thought I'd have to say, and I'm not going to lie to you: I was fucking pissed off at first. One because Astoria has been crying on and off the entire weekend."

Merlin, you really went right for the jugular on that one, Malfoy. She crossed her arms defensively, while simultaneously feeling like the worst older sister in the world.

Draco crossed his arms. "And second because you are part of my family now and you are letting yourself die. We've never…I was…I care about you, even though we've never been close. Honestly, I wanted to storm over here and and give you a piece of my fucking mind-"

"How is that not what you're doing now, exactly?" she asked, glaring.

"-but my priority was taking care of Astoria…and she'd also have a fit if I did something like that. So that gave me time to think and, as much as I can't believe that you're self-destructing over sodding Harry Potter of all people, I'd be lying if I said I wouldn't make the same damn choice over Astoria."

She was silent for a long moment. "So we're both dumbarses then," she said and uncrossed her arms.

He narrowed his eyes on her. "Speak for yourself. The point I'm trying to make is that I'll support you. I don't like what you're doing, I hate what it's doing to my wife, and I don't want you to die, but if you're determined to do this, I'll support you. And I'll take care of Astoria." He fidget in his chair. "I'm going to talk to her about you and about seeing you."

"If it's too hard for her, I understand-"

Draco snorted. "Astoria will want to see you. And she'll give you a whole lecture if you try to tell her she doesn't have to." The corners of her mouth lifted into the barest smile and he returned it with an equally thin smile of his own. He rose from his chair, waving a hand at her when she moved to stand as well. "I showed myself in, I can show myself back out."

He paused when he reached the threshold of the kitchen and glanced back at her. "I almost forgot to ask: is your condition going to be a secret between the three of us or are you planning on telling other people?"

It was very tempting to go back on her earlier decision to tell everyone once she'd decided on forgoing treatment. But she thought back to being called into the Auror's office and being told of her father's death out of nowhere, and she didn't want anyone to have to feel that shock over her.

Daphne shook her head. "I'm not going to keep it a secret."

He shrugged. "You're the one with the illness. It's up to you."

"I'm going to tell people about having Hanahaki. But I am not telling them who I'm in love with. So if you could keep it to yourself?" Something nagged at her in the back of her mind, but she pushed it away.

"My lips are sealed. Oh, I almost forgot. Good luck telling Pansy."

Well, shit.

Several hours after that conversation, Daphne was sitting at a table in one of Pansy's favorite restaurants and trying not to feel nauseous. Perhaps she should have done this another day, but she decided to just rip the bandage off. She needed her best friend on her side while the prospect of telling Harry still loomed forebodingly over her.

That was especially true now that Astoria wasn't speaking to her.

She and Pansy had been friends since they were five years old. Their friendship had truly transitioned into best friendship several months later thanks to two events: Daphne pushing Bryce Moon into a pond following the older boy upending a bowl of custard over Pansy's head after losing a game of wizard's chess, and Pansy getting so angry at Sienna Selwyn making Daphne cry that she glued Sienna's lips closed in a burst of accidental magic.

There had been some bad times in their friendship, but they patched things back up every time. Even after the war. This should be the same. Please let this be the same.

Daphne was lost in thought enough that Pansy was nearly at their table before she noticed her friend. I can do this. She smiled and greeted Pansy as casually as possible, but a crease still formed on Pansy's forehead as she looked at her. Maybe it was because she looked pale, even for her, but she didn't think she looked unhealthy yet. She half-expected Pansy to say something then, but all Pansy said was: "This was unexpected. It's not my birthday or a holiday, and you're treating me to lunch at my favorite Italian restaurant."

Daphne smiled. "Was there a question somewhere in there?"

Pansy arched an eyebrow. "Are you cheating on me?" she asked in a mock-serious tone.

Daphne chuckled. "So suspicious. We've both been busy. Is it so hard to believe I wanted to catch up with you?" She nearly cringed at herself. Laying it on too thick.

Thankfully they were interrupted by the waiter then and the conversation moved on after he left. Daphne tried to keep the conversation as unfocused on herself as possible, instead she asked as much about Pansy's job and Ron as contented look on Pansy's face was good to see, but having to listen to her talk about her happy relationship was almost painful. Something tightened in her chest, but the tell-tale tickle at the back of her throat didn't come.

Daphne waited until they were almost finished with their meal to break the news. "There's something I need to tell you. Do you remember last week when you ran into me at St. Mungo's?"

Pansy's eyebrows rose. "Yes."

"Right, of course you do." She fidgeted with the bracelet on her right wrist as she continued to speak. "I told you I was there because of a failed charm experiment and that wasn't true. I had a consultation with a healer about Hanahaki."

Pansy froze. "You have Hanahaki?"

"I'm as surprised as you are," Daphne said with a laugh. Pansy only stared back at her, face pale, and Daphne's laugh died quickly. "Sorry. I do have it and I've decided to not have the removal done."

There was a long silence. Daphne bit her lip as she watched Pansy's face cycle through several emotions in rapid succession. Shock, sorrow, worry, anger, and then Pansy's face turned eerily calm. Oh no. Daphne hesitantly said, "Pansy-"

Pansy held up a finger to silence her. She took a deep breath, leaned forward over the table, and hissed, "Are you out of your fucking mind?!"

"Pansy," she tried to speak and was once again cut off.

"No, no, don't you dare try and act like I'm being unreasonable. You invited me to lunch and dropped this on me," Pansy suddenly broke off, eyes narrowed. "Wait. Did you tell me here because you thought I wouldn't cause a scene in a restaurant?"

Daphne said nothing, which was answer enough.

"You sneaky bitch." Pansy leaned back once more, face stony. "Fine, I won't cause a scene. In fact, let's have dessert before you and I go back to your home to have a long conversation." She did not give Daphne a chance to react before she signaled to the waiter and ordered the most expensive dessert on the menu paired with the most expensive wine. Daphne clenched her fists under the table but forced herself to say nothing.

Lunch ended in a tense silence that persisted until they were in Daphne's living room. Pansy rounded on her then and said coldly, "Let me explain to you how people die from this."

Daphne glared at her. "I researched this, Pansy. I know how-"

"You will become so weak that you won't even be able to leave your bed. You will slowly suffocate. If you are lucky, you will just choke to death on flowers and blood. If you are very unlucky, the plant will rip into your lungs and it will be more like slowly drowning in your own blood."

Daphne flinched.

Pansy's mouth flattened into a grim line. "Yeah, it's not pretty. I'd list out the other potential symptoms but let's be honest, nothing's going to top that."

I knew this already, Daphne thought to herself. Between the books she found on the subject and what the healer told her, no one could say that she didn't know what she was getting into. It was just hearing it so bluntly that got her. Her mind conjured up an image of her lungs filling with blood and her heart started beating faster. Don't think about it. The fingers of her right hand clenched and unclenched as she fought to stay calm.

"Wow," Daphne said. "Is this the famous St. Mungo's bedside manner I've heard so much about?"

"Don't try and distract me," Pansy said, her voice almost but not quite a growl. "You are not dying. Understand?" Her tone took on the bossy edge that reminded Daphne strongly of teenage Pansy.

Daphne clenched her teeth. "It's not your choice."

"Oh fuck off," Pansy said. She took a step closer to Daphne and Daphne didn't move an inch, merely stared back. There was a tick in Pansy's jaw at this point and she said, "This isn't the time to be a stubborn arsehole. You are dying, Daphne, and you're just giving up!"

"It's not that simple," Daphne argued back. This was honestly not great for her throat. It was already sore and it was just getting scratchier the more she spoke.

"Of course it is! You could live, easily, but you're not even going to try for the removal-"

"The removal isn't a perfect choice, Pansy. You know as well as I do that there are side-effects-"

"But you'd be alive! You just have to let go of Potter," she said, calling Harry by surname for the first time in two years. Her hazel eyes started to shine with unshed tears and Daphne had to look away.

"I can't." Two years of friendship, of slowly falling in love with Harry would be gone. No, actually, it would be more than that: her memories of school and the war would also have holes poked into them. I don't want them messing with my memories. And I don't want to lose him.

"Not can't. Won't." Pansy scoffed. "Do you even hear yourself right now? You're really fine with dying in what? Six months? A year at most?"

Daphne grimaced and looked away. "I'll likely get four months at most. My family's history with the disease is not promising."

"And I actually thought this wasn't going to get worse. For fuck's sake, Daphne, dying form Hanahaki is a horrible, drawn-out death. Have you actually thought about this at all?"

"That's all I have been thinking about for two weeks! And this is what I've decided. Would a little sympathy or even support really be too much to ask for?" The scratching feeling was worse now and she bit down on her lip. Do not cough, she ordered herself as her throat tightened.

"That is not fair. You can't just tell me you're dying and expect me to-"

Daphne could no longer hold the cough back. Her entire body shook and doubled over as she coughed and coughed and felt something rise up her throat and into her mouth. There was a split second of relief as she spat out a stemless and bloodless carnation, but then she started to gag again. By the time it completely subsided, she coughed up three flower petals. She let herself fall back onto the couch and closed her eyes against tears as her throat burned.

It was so quiet she wondered if Pansy left, until she was pulled into a tight hug. "Just so you know, you can't cough yourself out of arguments with me. I'll allow it this once, but that's it," Pansy said softly.

Daphne's laugh turned into a groan. "My throat is killing me. Please don't make me laugh," she said, her voice little more than a raspy whisper.

Pansy didn't break the hug yet and Daphne leaned into her. "I didn't realize you already started coughing up full flowers. It's only going to get worse from here."

"I know."

"And you still don't want the removal?" she asked.

"I don't want to die," she admitted. "But I don't want to forget Harry. Not much of a choice here."

Pansy sighed. "And is telling him out of the question?"

"What would be the point?" Daphne flicked her wrist and the carnation and petals floated in the air in front of them. "Is this not enough of an answer?" She made them twirl in the air once before vanishing them. "He doesn't need to know it's him I'm hopelessly in love with. It'll be easier that way."

"Easier for him or for you?"

How was the answer not obvious? She tried to imagine telling Harry that she loved him enough that his unknowing rejection of her caused a plant to grow in her lungs. The man already had enough of a guilt complex as it was, he didn't need her adding to it. She could practically see that sad yet guilty expression on his face and the pity in his eyes.

Daphne would not be pitied.

"Both of us."

Pansy muttered something under her breath before she said, "You have no idea how badly I want to drag you to St. Mungo's and force you to get the removal." Daphne frowned, started to move away, but Pansy pulled her back down. "Sit. I said I want to, not that I'm going to. I'm a healer. We take oaths about this sort of thing…and as a healer I have to respect your wishes, no matter what I think."

Daphne turned her head so she could see Pansy's face; her friend's mouth was drawn into a thin line and her eyes had a watery sheen to them but she wasn't crying yet. Pansy started to speak again: "I'm not going to stop wanting you to get the removal. That's just not going to happen, so I'm putting that out there now. But if you're going to be really stubborn about this, I'm not letting you do this alone."

"Thank you," she sighed.

"I'm not going to keep my thoughts to myself," Pansy warned.

Daphne laughed again and regretted it immediately as another stab of pain hit her throat. "When do you ever?" she finally managed to ask, earning herself an unimpressed glare.

Pansy instead asked, "What do you need?"

What didn't she need? Daphne rubbed a hand over her face as she thought. "Mostly I just need your support. Astoria didn't take it well and I don't know how everyone else will take it." Especially Harry.

"I wish you told me Astoria knew before I wasted my breath. If she can't convince you, no one can."

Daphne chose to ignore that. "I was going to try and tell everyone one by one, but now…I don't want to have this conversation over and over again. It's fucking draining. Telling them all at once might be the way to go." She would have to send letters to Millicent and mother, but that shouldn't be as bad as telling them face to face. A thought started to form then, but she was distracted by Pansy..

"Just rip the bandage off."

"Right. I might as well invite them all over-"

"Don't do it here," Pansy said. At Daphne's frown, she continued, "If things get too overwhelming, you'll want somewhere to go. So it should be somewhere you can leave easily. We can do this at my place."

"Are you sure?"

"About letting you kill yourself? Of course I'm fucking not," Pansy snapped. Daphne moved back, bristling, and Pansy rubbed a hand down her face. "I'm sorry. I…look, we'll just invite everyone over to my house and you can tell them. I can handle it." She looked back at Daphne and asked, "Can I tell Ron before?"

Daphne must have looked as uncertain as she felt because Pansy patted her on the arm. "I won't tell him who it is. But he lives with me and will be confused if we have everyone over out of nowhere." Pansy twisted the ring on her left hand, and Daphne suspected that wasn't the sole reason she wanted to tell Ron. "He won't tell anyone before you're ready, I promise, not even Harry or Hermione."

She thought for a few seconds before deciding to just give in. Astoria told Draco, so why shouldn't Pansy tell Ron? In a way, it would be doing her a favor since it would give her one less person to break the news to. "Sure, as long as he won't tell anyone himself, go ahead."

Pansy gave her ring another twist before she said, "I'm not sure we can do it this week, there's a family thing at the Burrow happening, but next week should be fine. Are you alright with waiting that long?"

Daphne shrugged. "It's fine. I need to talk to my solicitor this week, and start putting my affairs in order. And then there's my job…how long do you think I can still work?" Pansy shot her a look. "What?"

"You learn you're dying and you still want to go to work? You don't want to say go traveling while you still can? It's not like you need the money."

"I like my job," Daphne said, mouth turning down. She'd wanted to be an Unspeakable since she was fifteen.

"Alright. It's hard for me to say. I'm not your healer and this isn't my area anyway…and from what I read it depends on the individual. Hanahaki doesn't affect everyone the same way. I'm not comfortable giving an estimate." Pansy said most of that in a measured tone, but her voice cracked towards the end. "Sorry."

"It's fine. I'll figure it out."

Pansy nodded. "I should go. Ron's going to be wondering where I am." Daphne stood up after her and nearly fell back as she was suddenly grabbed in a tight hug. "How am I going to explain to him that you're dying you stupid bint?" Her voice cracked at the end.

Translation: "I don't want you to die."

Daphne felt tears falling on her shirt and she hugged her friend back.

"It won't be that much of a surprise. The real surprise is that Theo and bloody Draco are outlasting me." she said.

Translation: "I'm sorry."

Pansy sniffled. Daphne decided silence was the safer option and held onto Pansy until the other witch broke the hug. "Stupid allergies," she muttered. She tilted her head away from Daphne, running at her eyes, and Daphne looked away so they could both pretend that that was the real reason Pansy's eyes teared up. "Bye Daphne."

She watched her friend step through the floo before going straight to the kitchen. Merlin, I need a drink. It was too early for that so Daphne was going to settle for a nice, not hard on her throat glass of cool water.

Well, that's two more down. Now I just need to figure out what to say to everyone else. She groaned at that thought. "Screw it, I'll have that drink after all."

How's that for coping mechanisms?

Notes: Like the previous chapter, this one went through a few rewrites. The orignal plan was that more people were going to find out about Daphne having Hanahaki, but I couldn't get that to work in a way that I was happy with. Instead, I thought it was better to show Daphne making the step to tell someone on her own and planning the best way to tell the others.

Astoria the stress potion-maker was one of the small parts I was really looking forward to showing so I'm glad I could keep that in.

For anyone interested, there is a fund Harry/Daphne discord: discord. gg / pKSdvJQvhU