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Large double doors opened of their own accord and Narcissa took a breath. Lilith was a lovely woman, a little stand-offish at times but very respectable and very, very stylish. At one point in time, Cissa would have been overjoyed at the idea of Rabastan marrying the eldest Burke girl. They would have been sisters-in-law of sorts and she could have imagined lovely family dinners together, the Malfoys and both of the Lestrange families, all dining happily with their little darlings off having tea in the kitchen with the servants to watch over them and wash them up afterwards. Bellatrix wouldn’t have cared much for Lilith, but she got on well with Rabastan, and Narcissa and Lilith could have chatted while about Lilith’s magazine while Lucius and Rodolphus talked business. It would have been a fabulous triad but sadly so much had gone wrong in the span of only a few years and now big family dinners together was more a stomach churning idea than a pleasant one. Bella dead at the hands of the woman Rod now lived with, and Narcissa’s familial ties to the Lestranges nearly completely severed save for little Aurora. Cissa needed nothing from the Lestranges in terms of her social standing, she and Lucius were doing splendidly on their own and if it weren’t for her niece she might have cut the wealthy wizards out of her life completely, but here we were.

Aurora ran through the opened doors as her other auntie appeared at the doorway. “Aunt Lili!” Lilith bent for a hug and Aurora ran full force into the witch’s arms, leaving her Aunt Narcissa at the doorstep with her hand now empty. “Can we play faeries?” she asked, in response to her aunt Lilith’s enticing greeting.

Narcissa waited politely for Aurora to greet her aunt, then chimed in as talk of play was beginning. It hadn’t slipped her notice that she’d received not even a glance in the way of greeting but then it was hard to pull focus away from Aurora. She demanded all of it at all times. It was rather exhausting and in Narcissa’s current state it wasn’t something she could very well handle on her own. If her own little one made it to term, Narcissa would have hired help specifically for caring for the child, but no nannies or governesses had been hired as of yet – one more thing Narcissa was refusing to acquire, afraid of the inevitable fallout from her toxic body. “Lucius and I appreciate you looking after Aurora for a while until she’s ready to go home, Lilith. I’m not really in a state to be playing faeries,” she added, her free hand now resting carefully on her stomach. The word 'home' was stressed ever so slightly. Narcissa was too well mannered to say what she was really trying to keep Aurora from and it certainly wasn't the chateau.

“Auntie Cissy is having a baby!” Aurora added loudly, excited by the news that was all too obvious. “I want it to be a girl but Cissy says I have to wait and see.”

The last month or so had been worrisome. Narcissa and the baby were both doing well and the healer had nothing but positive news whenever she went in for a checkup, which was much more frequent than she’d ever been seen by a healer before in her life. The worries stemmed purely from her mind and perhaps a bit from the calendar. They had been approaching her fifth month of pregnancy and Narcissa had returned to her hermit ways for the past several weeks, expecting the worst to happen at any moment. She didn’t hide away from her husband as she had the year prior, but she was hardly seen in public and spoke with her friends only through the post. As she reached her fifth month, she found the nightmares began, waking up in a pool of sweat and moving the blankets around to inspect her thighs to find the mess between her legs had only been a dream. She could feel her child moving inside of her stomach and she started most days with that anxious worry that persisted throughout the rest of the morning, sometimes well into the day.

The timeline she’d been dreading had come and gone and while this little love was now further along than their Carina had ever been, Narcissa still couldn’t bring herself to feel at ease. The worst could happen at any moment but at the same time they were getting closer and closer to her due date and she had stubbornly refused to purchase anything for a new nursery. Carina’s nursery would remain intact, the door locked, and the furnishings covered to keep the dust away. Cissa couldn’t bear to have another room dedicated to a lost babe so she’d put it off but there was only so much time left to prepare. The healer had warned her and Lucius that it was a possibility the child would come early, not because of any complications they were currently aware of but just as a precaution following the repeated miscarriages they’d experienced. She could sense Lucius was eager to begin planning and with her belly now far too large to hide from the rest of the world, it was now well known among their families and social circle that the Malfoys were expecting a child. She pretended not to see the pitiful looks the other women gave her, knowing they too were waiting for the same misfortune Narcissa feared but the baby continued to grow and their lives together carried on.

She and Lucius had taken Aurora for the night, and the witches had made a day of it shopping. Mostly they were just buying toys and pretty dresses for the nearly seven year old but Aurora had insisted they get a toy for the new baby. The little girl had asked so many questions when it was first explained to her that Narcissa was pregnant – not fat as the child had abruptly remarked when she’d arrived at Malfoy Manor the night before with her Uncle Luci in tow. Questions Cissa didn’t know how to answer without letting on all of the worries and realities of the situation that ought to be kept from a child, so the Malfoys distracted Aurora with fun activities and treats anytime the subject arose.

Lucius was working today and normally would have been the one to take Aurora home to her father but since the man had seen fit to invite his murderous whore to move into his home, Narcissa refused to set foot on the property. She had also remarked to Lucius that they would need more time with Aurora, to ensure that Meadowes didn’t taint her niece in any irreversible way. With Luci unable to take Aurora home and Narcissa not up to keeping the child by herself until the evening, an arrangement was made that she would deliver the girl to her paternal uncle and let Rabastan deal with seeing her home. Aurora was pleased and chatted the entire carriage ride about how fun her Uncle Rabby was. Aurora wanted to run inside unannounced but Narcissa chided her gently, reminding her that a proper witch never barged in to anyone’s home uninvited. They stood in front of the large double doors and waited, Aurora having rung the bell twice and needing to be pulled away in order to keep her from ringing it a third time.

Having been holding both candy floss sticks, Narcissa had surprised herself by finishing at least half of each. She did not typically possess a sweet tooth but experiencing the childlike wonder of Bonfire night through her niece’s eyes had perhaps awoken a merriment and lightness inside of her that had slowly been dying with each traumatic development in their lives. Or perhaps this was the beginning of a wholly unhealthy pregnancy craving that would challenge Narcissa severely. At the moment her stomach was mostly flat, only the hint of a belly beginning if you knew to look for it but nine months of eating sweets would certainly result in her swelling up like a balloon. If she made it nine months. If she even made it half that far. Every happy thought seemed to be tainted by mental reminders that she might never know what it means to be a mum and with each reminder she plucked off a wisp of candy floss and popped it into her mouth, starting the cycle all over again.

Soon enough Lucius was holding Aurora and the little witch was drooling on his coat sleeve as she dreamed of sweets and fireworks. Lucius smiled and prompted their trip home. Narcissa smiled in return, soaking in the sight of a beautiful babe in her husband’s perfect arms. She kissed the back of Aurora’s head, her dark curls so much like her mother’s, and then nodded. The journey home was quick enough and although there was a moment when Aurora had awoken in the carriage and looked around with blurried eyes asking where they were, she was snoring gently again by the time they arrived at Malfoy Manor. Cissa walked lightly behind her husband, watching as he laid Aurora into the bed they had made up for her and tucked her in snuggly. Her father had sent a stuffed dragon with her earlier and Aurora clung to the ratty thing as she curled into the warmth of the blankets and drifted back to dreamland. Narcissa watched her niece sleeping for a few moments, not aware that she was pressing her palm gently to her belly and stroking it in a loving, absentminded fashion.

"I think she had fun," Narcissa whispered as they sneaked out of the room and gently shut the door behind them. “I know I did. Perhaps too much fun. My feet are killing me.” Having had so much previous practice in the early weeks and months of pregnancy, Narcissa’s body was quickly adjusting to her current state in preparation for a day that might never arrive. Her feet were already showing signs of swelling and her trim stomach was beginning to stretch. The marks around her breasts were growing darker and already she was finding she needed to enhance the cup size of her brassieres in order for them to fit more comfortably under her blouses.

Whatever worries Narcissa held about Aurora enjoying her time with her auntie and uncle after being scolded for using profanity quickly subsided as Lucius appeared among the crowd, holding two unexpected sticks of candy floss. She smiled sweetly at her husband, but the smile broadened as her eyes turned to watch the excited little witch bounce up and down on the balls of her feet and squeal with excitement over the treat her uncle had brought for her. Narcissa had the same thought as Lucius, that there would be little sleeping done by the child tonight but perhaps that was okay. They would spend some quality time together as a family, time Narcissa had neglected in the past and which was well due, and perhaps Aurora would learn a thing or two about acting like a proper lady. “You’re too perfect,” Narcissa cooed in her husband’s ear as he handed her a stick of candy floss for them to share. She pressed her lips to his cheek, careful not to smear her lipstick on him.

The treat was enough to keep Aurora entertained for a few moments of near silence as Narcissa rested her head on Lucius’ shoulder and held the candy floss between them so that they could pick at it. It was incredibly sweet and Narcissa was sure she’d grow sick of it shortly, having a refined pallet that did not often indulge in such items, but it was delicious, and she ate far more than she had expected of herself. Aurora had long since finished with her own candy floss, eating about half of it before asking if her auntie would hold it for her, and was now running around in circles making shapes in the air with the sparklers she held in each hand. “I want one,” she said softly to her husband, her eyes still fixed on Aurora as she laughed and ran around playfully. There was a change in her voice that hinted she was not talking about a sparkler or candy floss or any other item that could be purchased from any of the stalls at tonight’s festival. They were pregnant but they both knew from far too much experience that pregnancy did not mean they would have a child in the end. A burst of light calmed the crowd and heads turned upwards to see the first of the fireworks display beginning. While everyone else’s eyes were fixed on the sky, Narcissa instead watched her niece’s face light up with wonder at the beautiful spectacle of lights.

Cissa stared lovingly at her husband’s backside until he disappeared into the crowd, off to find something for their niece to entertain herself with until the fireworks started. He would be an amazing father, if given the chance. He was already an amazing husband, so doting and caring. His efforts were considerably amplified during each of her short-lived pregnancies, each time growing more in his efforts. He had remained faithfully hers while she wallowed in self-loathing and anguish after losing Carina, coming to her every day to remind Narcissa that she was loved, that it would get better someday. He had stood at her side at Bellatrix’s funeral, allowing her to unceremoniously sob on his shoulder as he comforted her the best he could. He was loving and patient and understanding, everything a perfect father needed to be.

Cissa pressed her hand lightly to her stomach as she silently prayed she could give Lucius the one thing missing from his life, but her thoughts were interrupted almost as soon as they’d begun by an adorable little six year old who was now oohing at a juggler walking by, followed by a dog with a basket tied to its collar asking for tips. “Doggie! Auntie Cissy, may I pet the doggie?” the little witch asked excitedly.

Narcissa, still kneeling down to the child’s height, turned her head and followed Aurora’s gaze a short distance to the wandering performer and his begging canine companion. Her initial reaction was one of disgust. Petting a strange dog? A street performer’s dog at that. They were probably homeless, most definitely poor, and possibly not well groomed. The idea of Aurora touching such filth made Cissa turn her nose up, but the little girl had asked politely and without attempting to dash off on her own. Good behavior needed to be rewarded. 

“He’s working, dumpling. You have to give him money first, then just a quick pet.” Narcissa stood and unclasped her handbag, looking for her coin purse and pulling a single knut from it. “Here you are. Put it in his basket.” She moved a few steps forward, keeping Aurora close as the child dropped the coin into the dog’s collar basket and then began patting him roughly on the head, rubbing between his ears and laughing at the fun she was having.

The juggler thanked her and Narcissa avoided making eye contact with him. “Alright, love, let’s go wash your hands now,” she said to Aurora, though close enough to the juggler to be overheard.

Ushering Aurora quickly to the nearby public toilets, Aurora complained. “But I’m not dirty,” she whined.

“That dog looked dirty, and you don’t know where he’d been. You don’t want to catch something, do you? We’d have to miss the fireworks if you became ill.” They wouldn’t. Barring some strange new fast-acting disease, if Aurora did catch something from the mut, they wouldn’t know it before the display began but this was easier to explain to a child her age and it effectively halted the whining from the little brunette. Cissa stood at the door as Aurora washed her hands and when the six-year-old’s technique wasn’t up to par for the regal witch, Cissa helped her niece to wash more thoroughly. Hands dried and hopefully free from any fleas or other unpleasant things the dog might have been carrying, the witches strolled back toward the edge of the crowd where Lucius had left them.

“The fireworks should be starting soon, love. And Uncle Luci will have your sparkler to play with.” Cissa looked down at the little girl, her pretty brow furrowed ever so slightly as she spoke words that only hinted at one of her bigger worries. “Are you having fun, lovey?” What she really wanted to know, though there was no sane way to ask, nor no way for a six-year-old to be able to respond with anything remotely insightful, was if she was a good auntie, and by extension would she be a good mother. The first hurdle in answering that question was the one that had been too difficult for them to overcome thus far – actually having a child of their own. However slim their chances were now with this new pregnancy, the opportunity was there to finally have a go at being a parent but Cissa remained hopefully realistic. It might never happen for them, and while she’d not yet spoken to Lucius about their plans should she lose this child too, Narcissa knew this would be their last attempt. One way or the other, there would be no more pregnancies for Narcissa Malfoy.

“Feck yeah,” Aurora answered enthusiastically, causing Narcissa to stop dead in her tracks despite not pronouncing the vulgar word correctly. It was clear what the child was trying to say.

“Aurora, where do you learn that word?” she asked in a gently scolding tone, looking down on the girl from her standing position.

Aurora looked up, confused. “Daddy says it,” she answered honestly.

Of course he does. Narcissa knelt down beside the little girl, her voice softer than it had been a moment ago. “Ladies don’t use language like that, sweetheart. You’re a proper little lady, aren’t you?” Aurora nodded. “Good. Your mummy wouldn’t want you saying that word. Only men and daft women say that.” And vulgar pricks like Rodolphus, but Narcissa kept that thought to herself. They were nearly back to their original spot on the lawn, and Narcissa took Aurora’s had and guided her back, hoping a sparkler would distract the girl enough into thinking she was still having a good time.

There was pushing the boundaries and then there was breaking them altogether. Bellatrix hadn’t even been dead a full year and her husband was flaunting his new whore around his family’s home as if she were a trophy. It would have been bad enough at that, at least in Narcissa’s eyes, having discovered like the rest of polite society that the scoundrel was sleeping around on his wife, but for her to also be the woman who had murdered Bellatrix in cold blood! Adding Aurora’s apparent adoration for the witch into the mix only made a shite situation shittier, and here Lucius was telling Cissa to just ignore her. “I suppose I’ll have to, given the situation, but I expect you to speak with him about it atsome point. My sister should have been here tonight, not that little – Oh.” A twinge in her stomach made Cissa’s eyes widen and her hand moved instinctively to her belly. The feeling was gone just as quickly as it had come on. She exhaled deeply and forced a smile for her husband, one that became more convincing as she realized it was just her stomach growling. “I’m just hungry.” Narcissa was making herself so sick with worry over this pregnancy that even normal sensations were cause for worry but she hated making Lucius worry along with her. He was already doing enough of that on his own, even if he was a good husband and tried to keep it mostly to himself.

Moving her hand from her stomach and placing it on his chest, she leaned in closer and rested her head near his heart. “Darling, would you hate me if I sent you to track down one of those waiters with the little puffy spinach things? I’ll keep your drink fresh for you if it arrives before your return.” There were comfortable looking chairs nearby and the idea of getting off her feet for a few minutes was ever so appealing. At this point with Carina, Cissa’s feet hadn’t begun to swell yet, but this new little love was rushing the timeline for everything it seemed. She was showing earlier than she had before, the cravings had already started – though not terribly bizarre just yet but intense enough that Lucius had gone out to the shops in the middle of the night to curb them on a few occasions, and now her feet had begun to puff as much as those delicious little spinach puffs Narcissa suddenly found herself thinking about. She needed to have a sit and Lucius, bless him, probably needed a moment to feel like a normal bloke who wasn’t tethered to his fragile porcelain wife and their unborn child. “And maybe some of those little things with the nuts on top, you know, the red things.”

Tonight, for the second time this month, Narcissa was having mixed feelings about the couple’s plans. She had already made it through the Lestrange-Burke wedding only weeks earlier but it had been trying. Morning sickness was unpredictable and with every queasy sensation came immense worry that something was going to go wrong, either she wouldn’t make it to the loo in time or worse. The anxiety that came with pregnancy after a miscarriage was bad enough on it’s own, but to add the publicity of a wedding, and now a massive Christmas party was too much. As such, the Malfoys were a little beyond fashionably late but they arrived in time to see Adolph Lestrange give his speech and for Narcissa to spend a little time playing with her niece before she went off to bed. She felt a twinge of jealousy as Aurora announced happily that her auntie Lilith had bought her pretty new dress for her, and Cissa wondered how on earth the woman managed it all while planning a wedding.

Looking out across the ballroom, Narcissa admired Lilith’s dress and her trim figure, instantly feeling like a whale in her own dress which was designed to hide her already showing baby bump. “Lucius, do I look fat?” she asked softly, hanging on her husband’s arm. Another witch with a pristine figure strode passed at that moment and Narcissa looked up into her husband’s blue eyes for support. It would be different if they were telling people of Narcissa’s pregnancy. She would have dressed to show off her little belly, her handsome pure little angel growing inside of her, and she wouldn’t have felt fat, just pregnant. But they were three months in and neither of them dared to say a word to anyone beyond a healer, for risk of cursing themselves yet again, so Cissa was dressed in what she previously had considered a fashionable gown but now was feeling like she was wearing a potato sack. In comparison to her Adonis of a husband, Narcissa felt even more like a beached whale, but his face put her worries at ease more than anything else.

The night dragged for the pretty blonde, indulging others in conversation all while sipping on sparkling apple juice and not commenting on her lack of alcohol consumption. She wasn’t regularly a heavy drinker but as this was a social event and it was Christmas, it would have looked out of the ordinary for her not to have a flute of something in her hand. Narcissa excused herself to the toilet and took advantage of the privacy to fix her hair and makeup, and give herself a little pep talk before returning to the party and her husband. “I cannot believe Rodolphus brought her,” she said in an annoyed tone under her breath, turning her back to Dorcas Meadowes, the woman who had murdered her sister. “It’s not bad enough that he was cheating on my sister, now he’s flaunting the little harlot who killed her? She has some nerve showing her face here.”