A/N: Draco has to say his final goodbyes to the woman he has loved the most. Mother/son Narcissa/Draco fic. RxR. FxF.

Submission for:

Hogwarts Casino 2014 Challenge/Competition: Write about Narcissa Malfoy

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry (Challenges & Assignments): Arithmancy Assignment #4 - Prompt: Death

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

He sits at her side the entire service wanting to get some comfort one last time before she leaves him forever. She was the only family he had had and she will always continue to be, but this is the last time they will be together. It is just him and her in this private moment, nothing he wanted to share with anyone else, one last thing for the two of them.

The minister he hired continues the prayer to lay her soul to rest and guide her on way across the great divide. He wishes she didn't have to go, he wishes she didn't have to go alone, but he knows she wouldn't want him to follow her. She would want him to stay and to make a life for himself. She had lived her life for him so it is time for him to do the same. He knows he cannot follow her to her final destination but he would go with her as far as he could.

But he was still trying to come to terms with the fact that she was leaving. It was truly just unfortunate circumstance. After all that happened, every opportunity she had to leave before, something unavoidable had sent her away, something unchangeable had caused her to leave him, something they could not fight off even with both their mights put together.

They had held on to their last moments together, knowing that at any moment, her time would come, her name would be called and she would have to answer. They enjoyed one another as only they could. She knew everything about him and she made sure he knew everything about her. Nothing was left unsaid between them for they knew there wouldn't be the chance to say anything after she left.

Suddenly, the prayer is over and he gasps as he looks up into the minister's face. His heart speeds up and he turns to her face. Though he had accepted it long ago, all words exchanged, he finds he is not ready. It is too soon, way too soon.

He needs her comfort now more than ever. She is leaving him now when he needs her most but he would never blame her for that.

A ghost of a whisper of their last words flutters through his mind, "When I go, please do not cry for me. Do not shed any tears for I do not want to know I have caused you pain. Please be happy that I have found peace and I am ready to leave on my own terms. Celebrate, do not mourn my absence. Remember our good times together and do not dwell on the bad."

He smiles and can see all their moments together. They walked through the gardens as he picked her favourite flowers for her. They had dinner together and laughed over anything and everything. They took up painting and she was definitely surprised and proud when he seemed to have a knack for it. And all the hours they stayed up just talking and getting to know each other. He loved her and she loved him, and that was good enough.

He nods to the minister and rises from his seat. He stands next to her and brushes her cheek softly. His mother's face is turned up to his, her eyes shut and her mouth in a small smile. Out of everything that could have taken her from him, it was cancer that finally did. They had spent their moments just talking and laughing, crying and apologizing. And they had finally found peace with each other and within themselves.

He leans down to press a soft kiss to her forehead and cheek. His peaceful face matches hers. He would be okay because she would have wanted him to be. He would celebrate her life and not mourn her death.

He stands up and says softly, "Goodbye, mother"