A Rose By Any Other Name

Chapter 3

Over the next few months Narcissa had regular checkups and appointments at St Mungos, much to her disgust. Lucius had insisted and she had promised to attend on the basis that he didn't. She hated how he expressed concern, he had never cared about Draco, Lyra or any of the others. Maybe he felt guilty that he had never been there. However today's trip to St Mungos was different ...

Lucius went alone.

Narcissa stayed at home. Lucius had resulted to drugging her with sleeping pills she had once been prescribed for insomnia. She had isomnia throughout her pregnancy with Draco and Lyra but that was due to heartburn, back pain and all the other retched side effects of pregnancy. But these pills were stronger and were for the times she would wake up in pools of cold sweat due to her nightmares. Nightmares about the things she had seen death eaters do, what her husband, brother in law and sister had done. Many could call Lucius drugging and looking Narcissa in their room cruelty, captivity even. But Lucius always said he was putting her safety first and nobody ever seemed to questioned it; ethics were never at the forefront of Lucius' mind when he was deducing a plan. What he wanted, he got.

2 weeks ago, their house elf Dobby has spotted Narcissa on the balcony, possibly in an attempt of suicide. He was worried about her. She was painfully thin, like a strand of hair. She didn't really look human anymore. Narcissa had always cared about how she looked, even when she was pregnant with Draco but when she began to feel him to move and kick, she started to care less and almost magically (without the use of magic or cosmetics) shrank back to her pre pregnancy size in a matter of a week. This time however she was almost starving herself, looking only 2 or 3 months despite being over 6 months. Narcissa hardly ever ate anything, lying to everyone by saying her morning sickness was still very apparent but Lucius knew that she was punishing herself even though she had been sick on and off since she entered her second trimester.

He left his sleeping wife and apparated to St Mungos. Once he had arrived, he enquired what healer his wife had been talking with. The receptionist wasn't much help, she was as useful as a chocolate teapot. However Healer Ashton, Narcissa's healer and midwife happen to be passing by on her lunch break. She invited him into her office down the corridor from the reception. Lucius hated hospitals, the smell and feel reminded him to much of his childhood. It reminded him of things he had blocked out for years, things he never wanted to experience or look back on again.

"Lucius, what's been worrying you?" She asked, gesturing for him to sit down

"Well" he started "my wife Narcissa is almost 7 months pregnant but she isn't showing yet. She is hardly eating and I'm worried she is doing harm to herself and well, the baby."

Healer Ashton flicked through a mountain high pile of medical folders before locating Narcissa's. She briefly browsed through it before turning back to Lucius

"It's is uncommon for woman not to show this late on but she is quite a petite girl and this baby must be following in her footsteps. Maybe more of a seeker than a chaser"

"But she is starving herself. Surely this is dangerous" he said, on the verge of tears " Please the health of my child is at stake. Please just tell me!"

The nurse shook her head, angering Lucius he clenched his fists under the mahogany desk.

"I mad sorry Mr Malfoy but this is your wife's baby as well as yours and whilst it is still inside of her , your wife is our main priority. You do understand ?"

Lucius hung his head low "yes"

She sympathetically grabbed his hand before replying "I wish there was something that I could do but I have to respect your wife's wishes of confidentiality and privacy. The doctors haven't expressed any issues or worries about her but we will try to keep an eye on her weight and the baby's size. You must remember Mister Malfoy that no two babies are the same. We will let you know if anything changes in her condition but in the mean time, just go home. You are mire use there than you are here."

"Fine !" He snapped and with that the healer left the room, leaving Lucius sat there shocked and scared not only for his baby but his wife who was still asleep at home .

He stood up from his seat and exited the clinical room to apparate back home. He could only think about looking after his wife and also ridding his body of the foul stench of hospital and sick people that clung to him like dirt. He was now a ticking time bomb...

TICK .....

TICK.....

BOOM