A mother cries
It seems no one is listening
Her baby died before his time
She tried to raise him right
No medal for the fight
And she's tired now
She’s tired now

Narcissa sat, rocking steadily back and forth, staring blankly into the flickering fireplace. She glanced up at the clock on the mantel and, noticing her son was a bit late coming home, her heart started to race. Draco had had a hearing at the Ministry a few hours before, and he was expected home a quarter of an hour previously.

There was a loud whoosh and the flames grew tremendously large, turning green as they did. Narcissa stared into them, nervous. Draco Malfoy stepped out of the fireplace, his hair swept partially over his blank face.

“Draco,” Narcissa called. Her son looked up, and in the moment they made eye contact, Narcissa knew the verdict.

“Mother, you know-” Draco started, slowly making his way towards her.

“I know what? That you’ve done things that normal people wouldn’t dream of? You’ve committed almost as many crimes as your father? I raised you differently than that, Draco,” Narcissa stated, her voice eerily calm.

“Mother, I know how you raised me,” Draco said, kneeling gently in front of her. “You raised me quite well.” He laid a hand on her arm and locked eyes with his mother.

“Obviously not well enough,” Narcissa said roughly pulling her arm out from under Draco’s hand. “Your whole life I’ve been fighting with you, and your father. I’ve tried to raise you as a gentleman, a respectful young man. But when you go against your own like that… I’m tired of fighting, Draco,” she finished, her voice a low whisper.


“What?” Draco asked, taken aback. His mother never said things like that.

“Maybe that wasn’t the right thing to say. I love you, Draco. You’re all I have left. I’d do anything for you. But now that this has happened…” Narcissa trailed off, her voice choked with tears.

”Mother, I love you, too. And, remember. I’ll always be there for you. You are my mother, after all.”

Can you hear me now
The time is coming
Can you hear me now
The time is near
Can you hear me now
The time is coming
Can you hear me now

“That’s a just punishment,” Narcissa commented when Draco repeated the verdict. Draco’s face contorted with anger as he rose from his knees.

“Just? You call that just?” he seethed, balled fists at his sides.

“Draco, after everything you’ve done, I think so.”

“Mother, you’re not supposed to be happy about this!” Draco shouted, his voice filled with disgust.

“Darling, you must understand, I’m not happy. I’m just angry,” Narcissa stated. “You’ve spent years pushing me aside, not listening to the warnings I gave you, nothing. It’s your fault, and those crimes deserve punishment.”

“Mother, I’ve always listened to you! Or I’ve tried. Every time I didn’t, Father was there to drown out your common sense with bull.” Draco sighed and dropped down next to his mother again. He looked into her eyes pleadingly; the only thing he wanted before serving his sentence was his mother’s happiness. “Please, mother. I’m sorry for those years. I can see now I was wrong not to hear your warnings.”

“Well, Draco, it seems a bit too late for that now, doesn’t it?” Narcissa’s voice dropped to an almost inaudible whisper and Draco had to strain to hear it.
“Mother, I’d do anything to take those moments back, to hear you and to listen. I honestly would.”

In a haunting voice, Narcissa locked eyes with her son and said, “Can you hear me now?”

A tear in her eye
A heart full of sadness
And a memory of pain
She struggled, she fought
She tried
The years in her mind
Could never replace
The image of your face

“Draco, I remember when times were different,” Narcissa said, her eyes filled with tears. Her voice was choked with sadness, obviously thinking of a time before all of this.

“Were they happy times?” Draco asked, his heart yearning for his mother’s happiness.

“Very. I remember your first steps.” She hiccupped as she held back tears. She must be strong, for her son’s sake, at least. Draco needed her now more than ever

“Did I fall?” Draco asked, chuckling slightly. He could picture himself, his little toddler self, trying to walk.

“Oh yes, many times. But you were so darling,” Narcissa said with a laugh. But then her face clouded over as she remembered something she’d rather not. “Your father didn’t care. He said that all that meant was that you were normal. He didn’t care.”

“Mother, let’s not think of him. Think happy thoughts.” Draco tried to soothe his mother, but it was to no avail.

“Oh, Draco! How am I supposed to think happy thoughts when every memory is filled with pain, every memory filled with fear?” she sobbed hopelessly. Draco had never seen his mother like this, as vulnerable as she was now.

“Mother, try to forget them.”

“Draco, don’t you see? Once you’re gone, these painful memories, all those horrible years, will be all I have left of you. I’ll never forget you.”

Can you hear me now
The time is coming
Can you hear me now
The time is near
Can you hear me now
The time is coming
Can you hear me now

The room got cold, as if all the heat was sucked out of the room at once. Draco sat on a chair next to his mother, and they sat, hands intertwined, staring into the flickering flames, waiting as Narcissa had done earlier.

Draco felt a chill travel down his spine and he knew, this was it. He took a deep breath and swallowed hard. Never once in his life had he felt real fear. He had never known the true meaning of the word. But now, fearful was the only way to describe his mind.

Narcissa squeezed Draco’s hand as the door opened and a soft wind could be heard. The room got dark and colder still, as the time drew closer. Neither of the two looked up from the fire, both too afraid to face the creature now approaching.

Narcissa’s mind went blank, except for a single memory. Her worst memory flooded her every thought, and she willed herself not to cry. She had to be strong. For Draco.

The black hooded figure approached slowly, drawing back its hood as it drew nearer. Draco stood up, his mind fixated on his horrible memories. He tried to block it out, so he could say one last thing.

“Mother, I love you. Never forget. ”


Just as the figure planted the dreaded kiss on Draco, Narcissa screamed. “Draco! Don’t leave me! I love you, son!” But it was too late. His soul was gone. He never heard those words.