It was while she was supervising a dozen house elves putting the decorations up for the annual Dempsey's summer ball that Narcissa first began to feel slightly dizzy. She was the chairwoman of the committee which organised the event, a position which she had recently taken over from her mother-in-law, and she was determined that the ball, which was to be held in two days time would be a success.

She had been feeling rather tired lately, but she had put it down to the number of functions that she had been going to lately. She was attending luncheons or committee meetings or charity galas on an almost daily basis now, and her schedule was almost as hectic as that of her husband's. She found it tedious on occasions, all the gossiping, and all the discussion of nothing deeper than the most recent scandal or the latest fashions. In a way she envied Bellatrix, who seemed to be apart from it all. Her sister very rarely put in an appearance at society lunches, and certainly never hosted them, and was even said to have frequented a few gentleman's clubs with her husband. Narcissa knew that, on evenings when her husband didn't come home until late that her sister was engaged in very unladylike activities, but while Rodolphus let Mrs Lestrange off from her wifely duties there was no such respite for Mrs Malfoy, she would attend the insipid functions with grace and poise.

She didn't feel particularly poised at the moment though. The world was spinning slightly and she felt exhausted. As she watched the house elves levitate a large bouquet of lilies and roses up onto a high pedestal she stumbled slightly.

Very soon afterwards the world went black.

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When Narcissa regained consciousness the first thought to cross her mind was the realisation that she wasn't laid in her own bed. The sheets didn't have the familiar softness of Malfoy Manor. Her second thought was the desire to be held within the comfort of her husband's arms. Before she even opened her eyes she was calling her husband's name. However he was not there to answer.

"Cissa? Narcissa can you hear me?" the voice was as familiar as her own and it reminded her of cold evenings in front of a warm fire and of shared hot chocolate and fights over ice-cream.

She opened her eyes to see Regalus peering over her anxiously. She blinked groggily, unsure of her what was going on. Lucius would never have allowed another man into her bedchamber, not even Reggie. Then, she remembered, she wasn't in her own bed.

"What's going on?" she asked confusion marring her pretty face as she tried to sit up.

"You fainted in Dempsey's. You scared everybody so much. I've never seen Lucius looking so worried, and Bella nearly hexed one of the healers. You're in St Mungo's now, Cissy. Do you know where that is?"

She shook her head in puzzlement "Of course I know what St Mungo's is" she snapped, looking at him as if he had grown another head as he shied away from her. Why was he asking her stupid questions, and why was he the only person here? And more importantly why was she in St Mungo's?

"Where's Lucius?" she asked, Regalus looked altogether too anxious now for her to get any sense out of him. Regalus looked guilty, obviously her husband wasn't here. "Or Bella? Where's Bella?"

"Lucius had to go to… and Bella too! They both had to go to a…" he trailed off. Despite being a Slytherin, Regalus wasn't the best of liars. He didn't really have the ability to think on his feet. He left her in no doubt as to where her husband and sister were. She tuned back into whatever Regalus was saying. "… but they really didn't want to go, honest! They'd have much rather stayed here with you, and Lucius said that I was to stay here and look after you."

She smiled warmly at that last admission. She couldn't imagine Reggie being able to take care of himself, much less anybody else. Before he had chance to launch himself into another story a healer entered the room. He was pleased to see that Narcissa was awake, but she'd been through a lot and she should get some rest. Ignoring Narcissa's protests that she wasn't tired he announced that a draught of dreamless sleep potion should be administered and practically poured the small vial down her throat. The last thing she saw as she drifted off to sleep were Regalus' warm chocolate eyes smiling at her.

When she opened her eyes again the warm chocolate had been replaced by cold steel. "Lucius" she whispered to herself, the corners of her mouth turning up in the faintest of smiles. She looked down and saw his warm hands wrapped around her own slender fingers. She watched him for a few moments observing the faint lines of worry around his eyes. He looked tired she decided. It was a picture that many would have been surprised to see, in all outward appearances Lucius was a devoted husband but it would have amazed many to see how much he truly cared for his wife.

A slight movement of her fingers jolted him from his bedside vigil. She was awake. Thank God! She had looked so small and pale against the bed sheets.

"Cissy? Narcissa darling?" he called her softly.

"Lucius" she replied, not really knowing what to say. Everything felt wrong. She shouldn't be here. Lucius had married a strong wife, she hated feeling so weak. Wordlessly he walked over to the other side of the room pouring her a glass of water. He helped her to sit up and held the glass to her parched lips. She drank gratefully.

He sat down in the chair next to her bedside and reclaimed her hand. "How are you feeling my dear?" he asked gently.

"Better" she replied.

"Why didn't you tell me?" his voice cracked. "I would have taken better care of you."

Her heart bled, he looked so distraught. "Tell you what?" she asked him bewildered. This vulnerability was a side of her husband that she rarely saw and it frightened her a little. "Tell you what Lucius?" she repeated sharply when he didn't answer.

"That you were pregnant."

"I'm…" her hands involuntarily flew to her belly in joy, and as comprehension of his words settled in they dropped to her lap. "I was pregnant."

"The miscarriage…" his voice was hoarse and he sounded on the verge of tears "it's what caused you to faint this afternoon."

Narcissa stared at him "I was pregnant" she repeated in shock.

"Why didn't you tell me?" he sighed.

"Lucius, I didn't know. I swear to you, I didn't know. I would have told you had I known" She paused a huge weight dropping onto her shoulders. "I'm so sorry"

"Oh baby" he leaned forward and kissed her forehead gently and cradled her into his chest, whispering soothing nothings that she could barely hear.

Three days later Narcissa was released from St Mungo's and returned home, though Lucius was determined that she was to rest for at least another two weeks and Narcissa didn't have the strength to argue. She felt so tired.

She'd been pregnant.

She didn't understand how she could have missed it. There'd been a life growing inside her and she hadn't even noticed. The healer at St Mungo's had said that she hadn't been very far along, that it had only been a few weeks, six at the most. She'd said that it was understandable that Narcissa hadn't realised she was pregnant, and even if she had, there would have been nothing she could have done to prevent this.

It had been of little comfort though.

A week passed. Narcissa was stronger now, no more bed rest, though she was still reluctant to leave the house. Lucius was worried about her, though he said nothing she could tell. He was cutting his working day short and haunting her footsteps whenever he could.

Thankfully he wasn't there at the moment, he was currently at work. However Narcissa fully expected somebody to arrive soon. Lucius wanted someone to keep an eye on her. Bella had been there most days this week, chattering inanely about whatever popped into her head. Belinda Malfoy had been round to fuss over her daughter-in-law, a couple of times. Sometimes she was grateful for the distraction that they brought with them, most of the time she just wanted to be alone.

She was enjoying the solitude at the moment. She was sitting in the window seat, just gazing out at the world. She could imagine the child that they would have together. A little boy with blonde hair and blue eyes, with a smile just like his fathers. And as Narcissa dwelt on the thought of this child the more she realised that she wanted it. She wanted to have a baby with Lucius, and unbidden a smile crept to her lips.

Unsurprisingly somebody turned up later to keep an eye on her, and to Narcissa's pleasant surprise it was Regalus. He was quite astonished to see how cheerful she was, nothing like the reports that he had received from Bellatrix. As he arrived he was promptly scolded by the tubs of ice-cream that he had brought round. "As the last thing I need Regalus is for you to come along and ruin my figure."

"You'll always be gorgeous. You know that."

She smiled warmly. "I don't need a babysitter Reggie, you can go home. I'm feeling much better today."

"I promised Lucius that I would take care of you today."

"Well I will tell him that you did."

"No good, if I'm not here when he gets back he'll hex me."

Narcissa sighed, there was no use in arguing. Regalus was scared stiff of Lucius, and would follow any orders that her husband gave to the letter. If that meant keeping an eye on Narcissa well…. she was just surprised he wasn't staring at her constantly. It actually turned out to be rather a pleasant afternoon. Reggie had brought with him a pack of exploding snap cards, and Narcissa hadn't played since she left Hogwarts five years ago.

They were still sitting in front of the fire, though the game had been long abandoned, when Lucius came home. He breathed a sigh of relief that he hadn't realised that he'd been holding for the last few days. Narcissa was smiling again. There had been a few half hearted attempts in the last week when she'd been trying to reassure everybody that she was fine. He hadn't believed her.

Narcissa turned her head slightly, saw her husband leaning in the doorway and smiled "Hello darling, you're home early."

He walked into the room and sat down beside her, pausing to kiss her cheek "I missed you" he whispered to her huskily.

"Right then, I'm off" Regalus announced standing up, eager to be out of the couple's way. "Mum wants me home for tea" and with that he almost ran to the fireplace and was soon gone.

"We should have him over for dinner sometime next week" said Narcissa thoughtfully "he's been such a sweetheart lately."

"Whatever you want Narcissa" he replied. Determined to give her anything to keep the smile on her face. She rolled over and rested the back of her head on his knee, staring up at his face.

"You know, I missed you today too" she said as she sat up, a playful smile on her lips.

"Really?" he asked, with a slight smirk as she started to kiss his bottom lip.

"Really" she confirmed breathlessly between kisses. She pulled back and looked into his eyes, it was hypnotising. You could drown in Lucius' eyes. He took advantage of her pause to move closer, nibbling gently at her neck teasingly, and noticeably lightly. He was normally more forceful with his affections, preferring to bite than to caress, not that Narcissa objected to being bitten. He didn't think that this was going anywhere she concluded. They hadn't made love all week. He was scared of upsetting her. That was about to change.

She pushed him down to the ground and straddled him, smiling with satisfaction as she looked at him lying beneath her. She leant down and started to unbutton his shirt, enjoying the texture of the white linen. As she revealed more of his firm chest she trailed it with light kisses and he moaned lightly with pleasure.

He ran his hand up her side, trailing his long fingers along her abdomen and reached to gently cup her breasts, grazing her nipple with his thumb. She gasped with pleasure and doubled her efforts in removing his shirt. It had always amazed him, how the passion had never faded. They had been married for over four years and he still desired his wife now as much, if not more than on the day that they had wed.

"Narcissa" he panted warningly. She had to stop now, he would understand if she didn't want to make love, but it had to stop now.

She pulled away from him and stared into his eyes. "I want this Lucius" she told him, bending down to kiss him gently. "And I've been thinking" she paused and smiled slightly "I want to have your baby Lucius."

It was possibly the most erotic thing he'd ever heard, the idea of making a baby with Narcissa, it sent fire coursing through him. The idea of his seed inside her, impregnating her. He'd almost never thought about it before, but he was thinking about it now and he'd never wanted her more.

With a sound that could only be described as growl-like he rolled them over, she'd been on top for too long and now he was in charge. With a few tugs her dress was soon in a heap on the floor beside them and his trousers quickly joined the pile.

Knowing how aroused she was he entered her with one thrust and moved inside her, causing her to moan with pleasure. She'd always considered marrying a man who was such an excellent lover to be one of the luckiest things that she'd ever done. She had friends who had described laying with their husbands as a duty, and she always smirked slightly when she considered how superior her husband was.

Narcissa wasn't thinking about that now however, she was gasping with pleasure, knowing that she was close now, as was Lucius, judging by the look on his face. With one final thrust a wave of bliss overcame her, and she listened to her husband moan as he came within her.

He rolled off her, and she snuggled in beside her, resting a hand on her belly "I can't even begin to imagine how perfect a child we would make" he told her proudly.

She privately agreed "Boy or girl?" she asked him quietly.

"I wasn't aware that I would get a say in the matter" he chuckled.

"But if you could choose" she pressed.

"I know how much pressure there is, in our circle for you to produce an heir" he stroked her cheek gently, "but any child of ours Narcissa would truly be a miracle, and while I do wish for a son, to carry on the Malfoy family name, a daughter would also be equally precious to me."

Narcissa snuggled closer to her husband and closed her eyes, deciding to rest them, just for a moment. However when she awoke it was morning, and she was in her own bed, Lucius gently snoring beside her.

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Weeks passed and life carried on as normal, weeks turned into months. Life continued at Malfoy Manor much as it always had. However recently things had slowly begun to change. First of all the wizarding war had intensified, her husband was now out two or three nights a week, doing the Dark Lord's bidding. On those nights Narcissa barely slept a wink; petrified that the Aurors would come in the night to inform her of his arrest, or worse, that he would not be coming home at all. It was of little comfort to know that her situation was by no means the worst. From what Rodolphus had been telling her, Bellatrix was almost never at home, refusing to leave the Dark Lord's side unless she had to. Narcissa could well believe it, she had barely seen Bella for months now, and when the two had met, all Bella could speak of was the Dark Lord.

She sighed to herself, Lucius was out tonight and from what he had indicated he wouldn't be home until early the next morning. But she was finding more and more that she couldn't sleep without his comforting presence.

Narcissa walked through the hall, her heels clicking on the cold marble floor. When she heard a faint knocking coming from the front door. She was puzzled as to who could be calling at this time of night. She didn't think it was one of Lucius' 'friends' as they didn't tend to come by using the front door. Nor did she think it was the Aurors, as they didn't tend to knock politely. She adjusted her dress as she pulled the door open.

Regalus was standing on the doorstep, hand poised ready to knock again. He was shaking like a leaf and his face was incredibly pale in the moonlight. Narcissa would have smiled apart from the terrified look on his face.

"Reggie, what are you doing here?"

"Cissy, I've done something really stupid" he was almost on the verge of tears "I've left the death eaters."