THC - Hufflepuff - Year 1 - Round 3 - Drabble - Theme: Family - Prompt: Malfoy Manner - Word count: 649 - Betas: Aya and Magi

Draco closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He slowly counted to ten. On number ten his eyes opened and he looked around, eyeing up the large ballroom at the Malfoy Manor. The thirty-year-old tried to look like this wasn't the worst game he'd ever played. "Ready or not," he sighed, "here I come."

The excited giggles of his six-year-old were clearly heard from behind the curtain. Draco sighed again. "I wonder where Scorpius is…"

The giggles intensified as Draco made a half-assed effort to 'pretend' to look for the boy before pulling the curtain open. "There you are!"

"You're so good at this game, Daddy! Again!"

"Not again. Daddy has to work."

Scorpius pouted instantly. "Really?"

"Yes, really." Draco checked the time. "It's nearly your bedtime. Use your time wisely," he advised before exiting the room. He had spent longer than he anticipated playing with his son after dinner and would be up late working.

Draco had been so absorbed in completing his work in the home office that four hours went by. His wife, Astoria, made him aware of the time when she walked in.

"It's time for bed," she informed him.

"Later."

"It's already late."

He glanced up at her. She looked tired. "Then go sleep. I'll be up late."

She let her head drop into a nod and left him alone.

It was almost morning when Draco climbed into bed next to his wife. Out of habit he ran his wand over her and sighed. She wasn't doing well. He put his wand away and pulled her into his arms. The way she fit was simply perfect. The thirty-year-old knew he should be taking advantage of any and all opportunities to hold her and spend time with her, but he had work to do.

Right before he nearly drifted off completely, he felt his wife move closer and smiled. Something about Astoria snuggling up to him always made him sleep better – not that he'd reveal that to anybody except her.

Three months later seemed like a mirror day. Draco spent too long doing his work and not enough time with his family. However, when Astoria didn't come and tell him it was time for bed at the usual time, he knew something was wrong. Was this break in the pattern deadly?

Draco quickly made his way through Malfoy Manor. Up the old staircases which no longer squeaked. Down the long corridor to rooms which were no longer used. And through the door which revealed his greatest fear – Astoria laying there motionless.

She was still. Unmoving. Gone.

His whole world stopped. Draco managed to take very slow steps over to his wife. Each step opened up a new observation. Step. Astoria's book wasn't finished. Step. Her hair was still damp from a bath. Step. She was wearing the pyjamas Scorpius brought her for Christmas. Step. Her skin was cold. Step. Goodbye.

Draco's heart broke as he watched her body be taken away. He had wanted her to remain longer. However, he didn't want Scorpius to remember her that way. They had spoken to him about Astoria's life being short… about her having to leave them. Yet, Draco had never thought about how he'd tell the six-year-old that she was gone and not coming back. Scorpius was always filled with so much energy, even when he spoke about the Muggle games he learnt from his playdates. Would that still be the same without Astoria? Could he still keep the two of them together? Were they still a family without her? What would they do without her?

Draco didn't know. Unfortunately, he had no choice but to try.

He watched his son sleep. Scorpius would wake up to this nasty change. Draco let him sleep for as long as possible. His son deserved every second still believing his mother was around. Scorpius deserved the world.