A/N: Obviously I don't own Harry Potter; that honor belongs to J.K. Rowling. I'm just having fun. Thanks to WinterStorm for the very first review. It definitely made my day to know that somebody enjoys the story.

"Hello dear. I was beginning to wonder if you would ever venture out of your quarters again. How are the potions coming along?" the gentle voice of Narcissa startled Draco as he wandered amongst the brilliant green hedge maze.

She watched him, trying to see the boy she had known only a month ago. His hair was no longer a shimmering white blond, but a dull shadow of what it had been. It was unkempt and stuck up in tufts sporadically which was something she had never seen. He had always kept his hair immaculately tamed. His skin was not the beautiful moon kissed paleness that he had gotten from his father, but it was now nastily white with a yellowish hue. Little red sores littered his arms and as she narrowed her eyes Narcissa realized they were from extensive scrubbing. His clothes were wrinkled and disheveled.

Her blue eyes, a shade darker than the bright summer sky, searched Draco's cold gray ones as he turned towards her. She was displeased to find that he looked completely closed off and devoid of any emotion. Her son had never been an overly expressive child; she knew that he had learned to hide his emotions in the cold mask that was necessary in pureblood society at a young age. However, Draco had never hid his emotions from her. They were family; there was no need to hide things like that.

"The potions are fine, Mother." His replied shortly in a dead tone, still with that blank look in his eyes. Narcissa moved to a bench not far away and sat gracefully, motioning for Draco to sit beside her. He hesitated a moment looking like he'd rather flee than sit.

Why must she look at me with that concern? It's not as if I can tell her what is really bothering me. I can't tell her that I hate my wife. Even if I did tell her, she'd just inform me that love is not a requirement for marriage.

I should have just stayed inside.

Draco grimaced as he made his way over to the bench. The stone was cool to the touch under him as he sat down despite the summer heat. It woke up a part of him that he had not realized had been dormant for the past three weeks.

Narcissa smiled weakly as she saw something inside Draco loosen. It was a small step, but it was step a in the right direction.

"Will you tell me what's bothering you? Your father and I have been terribly worried dear. Severus paid a visit a few days ago. He inquired about your health. It was distressing to tell him you were fine when for all I know you are most certainly not. He has always been uncommonly perceptive of course, and he somehow knew I wasn't confidant that you were indeed fine. He implied that he knew what ailed you but he refused to divulge the secret with us. He said we needed to discuss it with you…" Narcissa trailed off, her voice trembling slightly. Draco noticed her hand fisted at her side so tightly that her knuckles were a stark white.

He felt bad for making his mother worry so but he didn't know what to say. So he just said nothing. The silence between them was tense and it was clear that Narcissa was desperate to have Draco talk to her.

"We love you, you know. I know we don't say it often enough. Okay we hardly say it, but that doesn't mean we don't feel it dear. You must understand that your father and I are not…particularly adept at showing what we feel. That does not mean that our feelings are any less real though. You are our only child and we love you immensely no matter what."

"I know Mother. I love you too." Draco uncurled his mother's hand and held it tightly, as close to a hug as they had gotten since just after the Battle of Hogwarts.

Narcissa sighed and held onto his hand like a life line, taking it as an incentive to continue. She drew in a deep breath and plowed on, determined to find out what was bothering her son.

"Astoria-" Narcissa paused here as she noticed Draco's hand tighten almost painfully around hers and he seemed to draw deeper within himself.

"Astoria has been quite the trouble lately. She seems to believe that you need to be devoting all your time to her. She is under the impression that you are avoiding her." She made it clear with her tone that she did not particularly approve of Astoria but she was curious as to whether or not her son was avoiding his wife. That seemed like such an odd thing to do.

After a few moments she realized that Draco was not going to say anything so she decided to use a new tactic.

"Are you avoiding her Draco?"

He looked her squarely in the eye but she could not detect anything within the swirling icy gray depths.

"I am. I do not have any desire to see her unless it is absolutely necessary. I have completed my duties as heir, Mother. I have done what was expected of me. Now I just wish to be left alone." Draco stood stiffly and pulled his hand from his mother roughly.

Narcissa was puzzled and heartbroken as she watched her son walk away.

.

Narcissa Malfoy was not usually an unkind woman. She had a reputation, that's true, but she when it came to Draco she was willing to do anything to ensure his happiness, no matter the consequences.

She did not know why her son seemed so disinterested in his wife but she would figure it out. His childhood had been less than ideal and she wanted him to have the best life that he could now that the Dark Lord was dead.

The first step in her plan to help Draco was one that would surely anger him, but she could see no other choice. She would accept nothing but the best for him and the best happened to be Healer Lovegood.

That is why the day after her conversation with Draco in the garden, Narcissa traveled to St. Mungo's to speak with Healer Lovegood.

The young wizard at the reception desk looked up at the sharp sound of high heels clicking on the warm sandy brown tiled floor.

"Lady Malfoy, I'm sorry to say, but you must wait here. You can't go through without an appointment."

The wizard's voice shook meekly as he spoke and Narcissa completely ignored him as she made her way through tall dark oak doors to Luna Lovegood's office.

Luna was sitting behind a small desk, talking to herself. Her light gold hair was tied up with bits of what looked a lot like muggle shoe laces. Narcissa cleared her throat rather loudly to get the girl's attention before sitting directly in front of her.

"Lady Malfoy, it is a pleasure to see you. I had thought you'd be here sooner." Luna said dreamily with a far off look in her eyes. Narcissa wondered if perhaps she shouldn't have come but Lovegood was supposedly the best in her field and Narcissa would settle for nothing less.

She decided to ignore the girl's odd behavior and to finish her business as quickly as she could.

"I have heard that you are the best Healer around and that is the only reason I'm here. I expect your secrecy and discretion as a professional. I assure that if you leak one work of this I will make sure your life is ruined for the foreseeable future." The threat was heavy in Narcissa's voice but Luna just laughed airily.

"Threats are unnecessary. I would not betray my client, no matter who that person is. Now will you tell me what is wrong with your son so I know where to start?"

Narcissa looked taken aback but quickly hid it behind the patented mask of Malfoy indifference.

"How did you know I was here because of Draco?"

"Healer's intuition." Luna replied with a strange twinkle in her eye. There was something very weird about this girl.

"I don't know what is wrong with him. He seemed fine up until three weeks ago when he was married. Now he hardly ever leaves his rooms, and his skin is ghastly. It's as if he's wasting away…"

Luna was thoughtful for a moment, seemingly deep in concentration. Her brow furrowed and she opened her mouth to answer many times before closing it, giving her the appearance of a gold fish. Narcissa was steadily getting annoyed

"Well?"

"This is not a very common thing among the magical community, which I'm sure you've already realized. However, one of my close friends has recently gone through a very similar situation. I think it would be good to have your son meet him here on Thursday. That way I can compare their symptoms."

Narcissa nodded, finding it strange that the odd girl said such weird things but was clearly intelligent. She was just happy to be doing something to help her son. Now she just had to figure out how to get him to St. Mungo's on Thursday.