Title: Clarity
Author: stop and go
Rating: G
Word-count: 535
Pairings/characters: Frank Longbottom/Neville Longbottom
Summary: Alice Longbottom never recognizes her son after what happened. But Frank does.
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It happens in the middle of the night. The window is open and it smells like September. Like autumn and pumpkins and – something. Frank can't quite remember anything else. He hates it because the old woman who visits him every month keeps saying how he's so talented and wonderful and just – what was he talking about?
Oh look, the healer left him a pudding cup. He loves pudding, especially the chocolate kind.
It's cold, he realizes, and pulls his sheets higher up. Except that's he's pulled them up too high and now his toes peek out of the bottom. They look just like little pigs. This little piggy went to the market, he sings to himself. This little piggy stayed home. This little piggy had roast beef. This little piggy had none. And this little piggy cried, "Wee, wee, wee!" all the way home.
And abruptly, he remembers … wet. And blue. And warmth.
It's gone in the next second and he is enraptured with the breathing from the bed next to him. Frank knows that she's supposed to be his wife. He just never remembers her name. Ashley? Angela? Allie? His head hurts and he turns over to avoid thinking any more.
Why is he up anyways? He remembers he had a strange dream. There was a laughing face that keeps popping up. It gurgles and smiles and looks so, so familiar.
Neville?
His mind is suddenly full with lost memories. He sees himself holding a baby, cooing soft words. He remembers anxiousness and utter elation when his son takes his first steps. He recalls Christmas and wrapped toys covered in red and gold paper that end with sleeping in front of the fire. He knows a boy of age, a man, a true wizard who visits weekly to talk about his life even if Frank won't remember a word he says.
It's his son.
There is sudden clarity.
His son. His.
And frantically, Frank searches for something, anything to let Neville know that he remembers and he loves Neville and that he is so, so sorry. He snatches up the pen and paper and begins to write.
Ne –
A streak of light falls onto his bed as a healer enters his room to check on the pair. She notices Frank staring at her with a dumbfounded look and gripping a blue pen.
"Frank, what have you got there?" She walks over with a slight disapproving look and takes his pen and paper. There's nothing on it really, except for a few scribbles here and there. She smiles politely and gives him the pudding. "Here, it's your favorite. Eat up and then try and get some sleep, okay Frank?" she says and leaves.
He is confused for a moment but begins eating. Chocolate is his favorite flavor and this pudding seems extra delicious. He finishes it off quickly and sets it aside.
He is content and full. Still, something is bothering him and he can't quite figure out what it is and it doesn't matter anymore because he doesn't remember what it is and he only knows the sweet comfort of a fuzzy mind and -
He turns over once more and falls asleep.
