Notes:

This fic was specially written for my friend Lydia, who wants to read a fic about Draco having a heart condition (I'll reveal the exact condition later). I hope she enjoys this.

Draco

My hair stands on end. It feels so cold. I don't want to open my eyes. I know what I will see. The Dark Lord and his snake. This shouldn't be possible! Potter defeated him! I can hear the soft brush of fabric on the ground as he draws nearer.

"Draco... you and your family are traitors." His voice is deceptively soft. "You should have known I would come back. Lord Voldemort always comes back."

Panic wells in my throat. I can't speak. I whimper, curling up on the floor. I feel the brush of Nagini as she moves against my side.

"I've already taken care of your parents. It's your turn... but first... I feel like you deserve to be punished for betraying me. You can try begging for mercy. I might make your death quick."

"P-Please," I choke out.

Gods, please let it be quick. I don't think my body will withstand anymore torture. My heart is already beating painfully fast.

There is the sound of a quiet laugh. My stomach drops. I know nothing I do will be enough.

"Crucio!"

"Draco!"

Someone slaps me upside the head. I jerk up, my ear ringing from where Pansy hit me.

"Thank Merlin!" she says, wrapping an arm around my shoulders and forcing a bottle into my hand. "You were having another nightmare."

I gasp for breath and stare around the spare bedroom in Pansy's flat, trying to get my bearings. I barely hear her. She seems to realize that I'm not listening. She takes the bottle back and presses it to my mouth instead.

"Drink."

I obey the command without thinking, downing the familiar concoction. It takes a few seconds, but soon my heart rate starts to slow to a more manageable and safer rhythm.

"What time is it?" I ask her, shivering.

"Four in the morning... Was it another nightmare about... him?"

I nod jerkily and try to relax. I am safe. The Dark Lord is dead. That damned snake is dead too. I nearly cried when Neville sliced her head off.

Pansy is rubbing my shoulder. She's trying to soothe me, but nothing really helps after a nightmare. I feel cold.

"I need to go. I have to make sure my mother is alright." I start to stand up, but Pansy grabs my arm.

"Draco, she is okay. She's at the chateau in Bourbonnais. No one is going to hurt her after she saved Potter's life." She must see me frown, because she adds quickly, "Draco, we're supposed to go to Luna's wedding. You are her best man."

I pause, grimacing. Luna forced her friendship on me after the war. She apparently grew fond of me when I kept sneaking down to the cellar to bring her food and water when she was being held prisoner at the manor. We did talk a lot during that time.

Truth be told, I really like her. She is a bit mad, but she was the first person to speak for me at my trial. I was still sent to Azkaban, but Luna protested the decision for hours. I strongly suspect she continued to badger the ministry until they let me go a few months later. I also just like her as a person. She is fun to be around.

When she asked me to be her best man at her wedding, I tried to refuse. I didn't want to cast any shadows on her special day. I was certain that people would be unnerved at seeing a former death eater in the wedding party. Luna was persistent though. She completely ignored my protests, carrying on as if I had said yes. Finally, I had to accept my fate. I love her and I won't ruin her wedding. I trust her judgement on this.

My eyes find Pansy's gaze. She knows she's won. I stumble to my feet and grab my wand, casting a quick tempus. I still have two hours before I'm expected to help prepare for the wedding.

"Pans, I'll be right back. I just need to see her. I'll only be an hour."

"If you are late and Ginny blames me for it, I swear I'll hex you into next week."

"Love you too, Pans."

My mother is in the garden when I arrive at the chateau. She doesn't notice me at first. She is bowed over a bed of irises. They've been spelled mother of pearl and gold. Mother took up gardening as a hobby after my father was imprisoned.

I clear my throat, letting my mother know I'm here. She turns around and a smile lights up her face when she sees me. All of the tension leaves my body.

"Good morning, Mother," I say, as she walks up to me and cups my face in her hands.

"You missed some ash," she murmurs, running a thumb over my cheek.

"It gets all over when I travel via floo powder." I take her wrists in my hands as she searches my face. She knows something is wrong. She always knows.

"How is your heart?"

I can't blame her for worrying. I was hospitalized the last time I had a panic attack. Her fingers find my pulse before I can answer.

"I am fine. Pansy woke me up from a nightmare and gave me the potion before it got too bad," I reassure her, but she still frowns. She's counting the irregular beats over and over again.

"Take some more potion. We don't want you to end up at St. Mungos before Luna gets married."

My mother loves Luna as if she were her own daughter. If Luna and I weren't both hopelessly gay, I'm sure my mother would have tried to arrange us to be married. She did try once, but Luna had hugged her and started calling her mother as well. Apparently, that was all my mother wanted. Now, Luna and I are like siblings.

My mother has loved Luna since my trial. When I came home from Azkaban, Luna helped nurse me to health. I was malnourished and my heart condition had gone untreated for too long. I was dead on my feet.

When I was finally well again, she tattooed a garden of flowers around my dark mark. Morning glories, African daisies, poppies, moon flowers, four o'clocks, and evening primrose surround it. Luna enchanted them to open and close when the real flowers would. Right now, as dawn breaks over the horizon, the night flowers are closing on my arm and the day flowers are blooming.

My mother watches them. She loves the tattoo as much as I do. She never approved of me getting the dark mark. The flowers are supposed to symbolize change and growth. They are fascinating to watch. The beauty of the flowers hides the ugliness of the dark mark.

After I take the second potion, I eat an early breakfast with my mother. She's still worried, I can tell, but she doesn't say anything. She goes out into the garden when breakfast is over and starts cutting flowers. I don't know the name of all of the flowers. They're all gold and mother of pearl. She makes two bouquets, the irises at the center of them.

"Give these to Luna and Ginny. I've spelled them to never wilt." Mother kisses my cheek and hands me the bouquets.

"Alright," I smile at her, "I'll see you at the reception.

Notes:

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