This little story was written in response to a prompt by the wonderful starrnobella in a Dramione group on Facebook. Her prompt included cherry, princess, stubble, and the phrase 'I hope I never lose you.'

Disclaimer: I do not own anything or anyone recognizable from the Harry Potter world. I just play in JK's sandbox.

WARNING: Minor character death

Many thanks to xxDustNight88 and twztdwildcat for their help and encouragement as I wrote in a genre I've never tried before.

I hope you enjoy.

Draco sat beside the bed, small fingers clutched tightly in his large hand. Large, dark circles marred the delicate skin underneath sad grey eyes that regarded the still form before him.

"I hope I never lose you," he had said when they first learned of her illness. Even at the time he knew that wish was one that would be broken, he just never thought it would come so quickly.

Narcissa Malfoy fell ill less than three months ago with a mysterious disease that attacked not only her magic, but also her lungs. The Healers at St. Mungo's were at a loss, and even the Muggle doctor his wife brought in had not been able to help slow the progress.

Draco lost his father two years previous to congestive heart failure. He was only 55. Now, with his mother dying right before his eyes, he didn't know how he would continue on without both of them.

The sweet smell of cherries broke him from his thoughts. Draco looked to his left and saw his daughter standing next to him.

"Daddy, what's wrong with grandmère?"

He reached out and scooped his four-year-old daughter into his arms. "She's very sick, princess."

The little, curly-haired blonde looked at her grandmother lying still underneath crisp white sheets. "Will she come back home soon?"

Draco closed his eyes tightly, trying to stop the tears that threatened to trail down his cheeks. He shook his head sadly. "No, princess, grandmère will not be coming back home."

She reached forward and wrapped her tiny fingers around Narcissa's pinky finger. "Grandmère, I miss you and hope you stop being sick soon."

Tears spilled from Draco's eyes unchecked at his daughter's words and he hugged her closer to him. He pressed a kiss to her cheek, his stubble scraping softly against her soft skin.

"Daddy?" She turned to look at her father, tears starting to build in her amber eyes.

"I'm sorry, princess," Draco sighed. "Daddy's sad right now."

She reached up with her hand that wasn't still wrapped around Narcissa's pinky and wiped at the tears that tracked down Draco's face.

"Don't be sad, daddy," she whispered. "Grandmère will stop being sick soon and be with grandpère again."

Draco was torn between breaking down at his daughter's words and being proud at how observant she was for a four-year-old.

"Rhea, come here, sweetheart."

Draco shook his head. "No, love, she's fine."

Rhea let go of Narcissa's pinky and wrapped both small, chubby arms around her father's neck. "No, mama. I want to stay."

Hermione Malfoy nodded her head. "Okay, sweetheart." She stepped forward and placed one hand on her husband's head and the other on her daughter's.

A heavy silence descended over the small family, the only sound heard was Narcissa's rattling breaths as her lungs started to shut down.

Hermione carded her fingers through Draco's silky blond hair as the couple watched the matriarch of the Malfoy family take her final breaths. Tears fell unchecked down both of their cheeks.

After several quiet moments, Rhea pulled back from her father's neck and looked back at Narcissa.

"Is grandmère with grandpère now?"

"Yes," Draco choked out. He reached for Hermione, silently asking her to take their daughter.

"Sweetheart, come with me, please," she whispered as she reached down and picked up Rhea, shifting her daughter around the small bump of her abdomen. "Let's give daddy some time."

"Okay," Rhea replied as she looked back at her father. She noticed a slight shake to his shoulders. "I love you, daddy."

The door closed with a soft click as Draco continued to mourn the loss of his mother.

AN: Rhea is one of Saturn's moons