Author's Notes: It's hard to be Draco Malfoy's Healer, especially when he has a wife like Astoria. These is a missing scene from Chapter Thirteen, A Life without Her, of The Pursuit of Unhappiness.

A Healer's Job

"Call my wife," murmured Mr Malfoy feebly.

Victoire Lupin looked at him pitifully. If only he could listen to her. There was a fifty percent chance that the Nightshade Draught could have saved his life. She knew that fifty percent wasn't much, but he was going to die anyway if they didn't find a something effective to cure him.

But Victoire knew that there wasn't much that she could do. He was in full possession of his faculties, he knew what he was saying. He could have refused the therapy if he wanted.

She nodded and stepped away from him. "Do you need anything else, Mr Malfoy?" she asked gently.

"Just call my wife," he repeated softly.

Victoire nodded again and slid out of the door silently. She closed it at her back and took a deep breath as she raised her eyes on the people in the hallway.

"How is he?" asked Scorpius anxiously.

Victoire tried to smile reassuringly, but she had never been good at lying. "He is not well," she admitted.

Rose brought a hand to her mouth, her eyes wide. It wasn't good for her to fret like that when she was in that predicament. Victoire walked next to her and seized her wrist gently between her fingers to take her pulse.

"What kind of Healer are you?" hissed Astoria venomously. "How can he not be well? After all the things that you've administered to him?"

Victoire counted 120 beats. High. She looked at Mrs Malfoy. "He doesn't want to continue the therapy," she explained, "I suggested to try the Nightshade Draught, but he doesn't want to take it."

Mrs Malfoy looked at her with disdain. "Of course he wouldn't take it from you," she hissed coldly, "you're a Weasley. He probably thinks that you want to poison him."

"Mother!" exclaimed Scorpius angrily. His hand went to Rose's shoulder and he squeezed it gently. Rose brought her own hand on his to let him know that she was alright.

"Don't worry, Scorpius," whispered Victoire gently, "people always say things that they don't mean when they are upset." She smiled to let him know that everything was fine. "And I'm a Lupin." She had seen many upset people screaming at Healers in St Mungo's, she was used to harsh words, but she knew that Scorpius and Rose weren't. "Mrs Malfoy, I can assure you that we've done everything we can to heal Mr Malfoy." She bit her bottom lip. "You might want to consider recovering your husband at St Mungo's."

Astoria shook her head, looking away. "No," she replied curtly, "I told you already, Healer, my husband will not leave his house."

Scorpius left Rose's side to step towards his mother. "But it might be his only hope," he told her angrily.

"He's not going," replied Astoria firmly, "those places are filled with people with contagious illness. He will die before they even start treating him."

Victoire nodded even though she didn't understand the woman's reasoning. "Your husband asked for you," she informed her.

Astoria looked at her furiously. "And when were you going to tell me?" she hissed.

Victoire stared at her as she opened the door to Mr Malfoy's room and walked inside, before closing the door again. She sighed. Mrs Malfoy was probably one of the hardest people she had ever met. She couldn't help feeling sorry for Scorpius and Rose for having to deal with her on a daily basis. And she couldn't help feeling sorry for Mr Malfoy too.

But after all, Mrs Malfoy might just have been scared to lose her husband at that moment. Even though Rose had told her that they slept in separate rooms and that they barely spoke to each other, still… he was her husband.

And she had to be patient because, after all, they were family. Not only because her cousin had married their son, but because Victoire herself had married Teddy, becoming first cousin once removed to the couple.

She shook her head and sighed. Then she decided to put on her best smile and knelt next to Rose. "How are you?" she asked, caressing her belly.

Rose smiled back, her face tired. "I'm well," she replied softly, "tired, but I guess that's normal."

"Are you tired?" asked Scorpius anxiously. "Why didn't you say anything?" He hurried at her side. "Do you want to lie down?"

Rose stifled a laugh at his tone, but Victoire looked at her reproachfully. "It's normal, yes," she murmured, "but if you are tired you should rest."

"Did you hear Victoire, Rose?" asked Scorpius anxiously, taking her hand in his. "You should go back home and rest."

Rose brought his hand to her mouth to kiss it. "And leave you here alone with your mother? I don't think so," she replied gently.

"He is not alone," Victoire assured her, smiling softly, "and I'm sure the two of us will be perfectly able to cope with her."

Scorpius looked at her and smiled awkwardly as if he didn't believe it at all, but nodded reassuringly as he looked down at Rose.

"No, no, no," she replied stubbornly, "I'm staying here until…" her words died in her throat.

"Until you know what happens," Victoire gracefully finished for her.

Rose nodded, her eyes filling with tears. She lowered her head and pulled out a handkerchief to blow her nose. "He was so excited when we told him about the baby," she sobbed, "he said he couldn't wait to become a grandfather."

Victoire stood up to hug Rose in her arms. "I'm sure he will see his grandchild," she whispered, "and he will spoil him so much he will put Uncle Ron to shame."

Rose half-sobbed and half-laughed, and Victoire released her. The older witch looked at her and pulled a couple of curls behind her ear. Then she raised her eyes on Scorpius and noticed that he was in much need of a hug too.

She straightened her back and let her arms slide around his waist, for he was way too tall for her to hug him around his neck. He hugged her back with an arm while he searched his wife's hand with the other. "He's going to be alright," she whispered gently, before stepping back.

"I know," he replied, even though he didn't seem to believe it. That was okay, Victoire didn't believe it herself, but she had to say it anyway.

Rose smiled at him and he smiled back.

"Maybe you could lie down in my old bedroom," he told her, "it's cold, but I can cast a Warming Charm for you."

"Good idea," agreed Victoire.

Rose nodded softly, finally giving in on their requests. She made to stand up from the chair, and Scorpius grabbed under her forearm to help her when Mr Malfoy's door opened.

They all stopped what they were doing and turned their curious stares on Mrs Malfoy. She seemed even more upset than before and Victoire worried that Mr Malfoy's untimely death had arrived even earlier than she had expected.

"Mother?" asked Scorpius feebly.

Astoria looked at him as if she couldn't really see him, her eyes clouded with something that Victoire couldn't quite define. Then when she finally spoke, her tone was bitter, "Scorpius, you have to go to Knockturn Alley."

"Knockturn Alley?" asked Scorpius, horrified at the very thought. "Why?"

Rose looked up at him with her eyes wide, she grasped his hand almost spasmodically, trying non-verbally to tell him to refuse.

"You know how to get there, don't you?" she asked, ignoring his question.

Scorpius took a deep breath. "I… I guess," he replied, "but why?"

Astoria's face hardened. "You will have to find a woman," she told him, "her name is Pansy Parkinson, you'll find her at the apothecary in Knockturn Alley. You can't get it wrong, there is only one on that street."

"Pansy Parkinson?" asked Victoire. "She is the woman who discovered the Nightshade Draught."

Scorpius looked at his mother with a puzzled look. "But why do I have to go to her? Can't we get the potion through the hospital?" He looked at Victoire hopefully and she nodded softly.

Astoria glared at him. "He doesn't want the potion," she hissed, "he wants her."

"Why?" asked Scorpius, without understanding.

Astoria flared her nostrils in irritation. "Can you just go and find this woman, Scorpius?" she hissed. "When you find her you will tell her about your father." She swallowed. "Tell her everything. Tell her he is dying and he asked to see her. Tell her everything you know." She looked away. "Tell her to bring the potion." Her eyes snapped back to him. "Don't come back without her, do you understand?"

Scorpius nodded and didn't dare to reply. Mrs Malfoy looked too resolute for him to find anything to say to her.

"I'll come with you," announced Rose, trying to stand up from the chair.

Scorpius shook his head. "No," he replied firmly, "that's out of the question. You can't Apparate in your condition."

"That's right," agreed Victoire, "and I'm sure he'll be back before you can say Weasleys' Wildfire Whiz-bangs."

Rose smiled worriedly at her and looked at her husband, but luckily, she understood that she had to put the safety of her child first. "Be safe," she told him softly.

"Always," he replied, lowering his head to kiss her.

She kissed him and back and murmured against his lips, "I love you."

"Love you back," he replied, before withdrawing and glancing at his mother gravely. "Pansy Parkinson, the apothecary in Knockturn Alley, tell her everything about Father," he summarised her orders.

Astoria nodded softly and she kissed him on his cheek. "Come back soon," she whispered to him.

He nodded and, with a last glance at the three witches, he walked away, down the stairs and out of the Manor.

Victoire stretched her hand towards Rose. "Let's put you to bed," she murmured, helping her up.

Rose nodded and, like an obedient child, she let her cousin guide her to Scorpius' old room.

Victoire only glanced over her shoulder once. Mrs Malfoy was sitting at Rose's place, her face hidden in her hands, her body trembling.

For the first time in her life, Victoire felt sorry for Astoria Malfoy.