"If you ever need me for anything - anything Draco - just say my name".
***
Narcissa Malfoy was dying.
Her family, which consisted of Draco, Lucius and Severus Snape - and some house elves - had no idea on how to heal her or even knew that she could be healed. They just wanted the hurt to go away so that she could focus on getting better and be her usual beautiful self. They missed her laughter, and her spontaneity.
They missed her bringing fresh flowers to all the rooms in the Manor. The way that she would insist on making them hot chocolate every night before bedtime, because she wanted to do it for them.
The portraits in the hallways loved chatting to her about anything and everything, especially Aunt Nyxodina, who would always tell Narcissa the truth about her choice of dress that day.
How she would coo over a new dish that she had come across, or even the familiar taste of a particular food that she loved so dearly. The way that she would drag Draco and Pansy to the shops with her and tell them that they could buy anything they desired, because she only wanted them to be happy.
To see smiles on their young faces was what made her heart fill with a love so forceful that they had to wonder how she had made it this far.
The sudden change had happened shortly after the war.
She had been standing in the dining room looking at the long table where the dark lord had once sat, body shaking, her vision becoming blurred and strained, and when she opened her eyes, she was lying on the cold hard floor.
Peering down at her were her son and husband with worried faces. They had picked her up and carried her to the lounge where they lay her down on the large couch.
Asking if she was all right, demanding that Bippy the house elf bring her some water and a cool face cloth. Lucius wiped her face down and asked if she had pain anywhere.
She said no.
"Have you eaten anything today Mother?", asked Draco with worry.
She looked at him and shook her head. "No I don't believe I have", she said with a sad smile.
Lucius told Bippy to prepare her a tray of food. When it arrived they sat with her and made sure that she had a little bit of everything. Which wasn't much. Narcissa had never been a big eater, and with the way she was feeling, she wasn't sure if she would be able to keep anything down.
Small bites, baby sips. When she told them that she had had enough, Draco sat down next to her and asked how she was feeling.
Her eyes would glisten with tears and she would beg of them just one thing. "Get Severus".
When Snape arrived, he did a diagnostic healing on her with his wand and his brow would furrow in confusion.
"Physically there is nothing wrong Cissy", he would tell her.
But she would hear something in his voice. Something that he wasn't telling them. She let it slide for now, hoping that her son and husband never picked up on it.
"Perhaps I am just tired", she answered, hoping to ease their stress.
"Perhaps", mirrored the potions master.
Draco and Lucius would look at each other with worry, see that she made it to her bed, where they insisted that she get some sleep. Whatever she had wanted to do that day could wait until tomorrow.
She agreed.
When both the Malfoy men confronted Snape about what was wrong with her, he said he didn't know. He would have to do some research, but he was certain that it wasn't serious.
