For the first few weeks of pregnancy, Narcissa was enthralled with her new baby. Despite the constant morning sickness and frequent need to use the bathroom, her usually cold demeanor had warmed considerably. Even the house elves had noticed. Lucius, noticing this, had become happier too. Draco, although still adjusting to the idea of having a sibling, saw his parents joy and couldn't help but reciprocate. She had already started making the baby's nursery, with a cradle, rocking chair, colored stuffed animals and blankets.

Narcissa was in her ninth week of pregnancy when she woke up late one morning to see her husband had already left for work. She rolled out of bed only to choke up acid a few minutes later. When she was sure she was done, she sat on the toilet to relieve herself.

When she looked down, however, she had to clamp a hand over her mouth to keep from screaming.

There were scarlet stains in her underwear.

For a moment she was too frozen with fear to even speak. She snapped her fingers, and a house elf appeared not nearly fast enough.

"Get my husband from his work now! I must go to the hospital!" She snarled. The elf poofed away as quickly as possible, and Narcissa threw on a set of robes, not caring who noticed if they didn't match. She moved down to the fireplace as if walking on eggshells, trying her best not to cry.

Lucius appeared like a white knight and took her hand, flooing them to St. Mungo's. She was set in a wheelchair and whisked away almost immediately when she yelled that she was pregnant and bleeding. The healer gave her a potion to stop the bleeding, and although she typically disapproved of that, she drank it hurriedly. Her face was pale as white parchment, her eyes wide as a doe. She gripped her husband's hand so tightly that he wondered if she'd broken any bones. He put his pain aside. This was far more important. He patted her hand, trying to be comforting but not daring to say a word.

The healer returned and Narcissa held her breath.

"Mrs. Malfoy, in order to ascertain whether or not you've miscarried, I need to ask you a few questions."

She nodded, and Lucius squeezed her hand.

"Have you felt any cramping?"

She shook her head "no".

"Any back pain?"

"No."

"Okay. May I know both of your ages?"

"38 and 39."

She jotted it down. "Miscarriages are much more common in couples that are over 35 years old. However, since you haven't had any pain had haven't expelled a fetus, I'm afraid I can't tell if you've miscarried or are just hemorrhaging. I can't take any decisive action until I know which. I advise that you go home for now. If you start bleeding again then come back and I'll see what I can do. Otherwise just come back when it's time for your next check up and we can see what's happening with the baby.

Although she detested the answer, Narcissa nodded.

Lucius apparated them home, unsure of what to say. Wordlessly, Narcissa left his side and slowly made her way to the baby's nursery. She opened the door and stepped inside. She kept her eyes fixated on the cradle, and carefully sat down in the rocking chair. Her breathing, usually such a small, fickle thing, became uneven and unsteady. They escalated into sobs and finally desperate wails as she buried her face in her hands.

The only thing she could think about was her failure. She had failed to carry this child properly. Even if it was still alive the hemorrhaging could do no good for her baby. Never before had she despised herself so much. She hid her face from any mirrors, ashamed to look at her own face. The sentence that kept popping up was "If I had only done things differently, none of this would have happened."

Draco, who had no inkling of what was happening, ran when he heard her impotent sobs. He didn't understand what was going on but knew nothing good could come of it. Lucius had beat him there and put both hands on his wife's shoulders. His head was hung in disappointment. Draco felt terror gripping him. Rarely did Father ever show emotion. Draco stepped forward. Lucius looked up at his only son and squeezed his wife's shoulders before accosting his son outside and shutting the door.

"Your mother may have lost the baby. We don't know for sure." He said, quietly. Draco felt a rush of emotions flash by in a second, but couldn't latch onto one.

"Oh." Draco felt unsure of his place in this current situation. Lucius put a hand on his son's shoulder. Draco forced a smile, then turned his attention to the door and opened it carefully. His Mother was still crying. He sat next to her, silently worried. Narcissa felt her son's presence in the room, and lifted her head to plant a kiss on his head. She ran her hands through his hair, just as she had done when he was little. He shut his eyes and let her. Anything to stop her sobs.

Their small family gathered together in the nursery, protecting their matriarch. Narcissa felt loved, despite the fear that consumed her. Neither Lucius nor Draco left her side that evening. Narcissa went on bed rest for the rest of the week. When she was up and around the week after, she tread lightly, so afraid of losing her child that she hadn't slept well or breathed easily since she'd discovered blood in her underwear. Slowly, life took on a strange type of normalcy and predictability. She was just counting down the hours until she would know if her precious child was still alive. There was no more bleeding, nor was there a fetus expelled from her. It gave her slight hope.

Three weeks later, when it was time for her twelve week check up, she discovered that she was still pregnant.