A Child is Born

by Charlie's Mum

A One-Shot plot bunny, based on the idea that every living thing is a baby, once. (Updated to fix a really stooopid error I made, and to fix some other little things that were bugging me)

There was no pain, save the pain in her heart from knowing the man she pledged her love to was not standing by her side as she had dreamed, but instead had fled from her, frightened by her nature. There was no pain, the medi-witches and wizards had seen to that, but something was wrong. She could feel it.

She loved being pregnant. She loved the idea of a child growing inside her, a mixture of her own life and the life of the man she loved. She thought he would be so happy, and he was, thrilled to be having an heir, a son to follow in his footsteps. Until she told him the whole truth, and he ran from her. She thought she knew him. She was wrong. Now all she had left was the child, he was all she had left to cling to, to live for, to love.

She would talk to the babe within her womb, sing to him; tell him stories of his family, his illustrious ancestors. She told him of her school days, and of the dreams she had for him. She even told him of his father, hoping that perhaps when he was born his blood would somehow call to his father's and they would be reunited, they would be a family.

She had been so looking forward to starting a family of her own. Her parents were gone, killed by the evil wizard Grindelwald just weeks before her wedding. She missed her father and she missed her husband, and hoped her son would carry the traits of both these men, so they could live on through him.

If her father had lived, would he have said 'I told you so'? He had warned her against marrying a Muggle. But she loved him so. He was so handsome and smart, and he had money, which in both the wizard and muggle world made things easier. Not that she really cared about the money. All she wanted was to have people she could cleave to, to love and protect. Now all she had was her child, and that would have to be enough. It would be enough. She was giving birth to her son, and he will be her family.

There was no pain, but she felt like something was draining from her, and it was an effort to look at the child the medi-witch lay on her breast, but she did it, smiling at him through her tears. He was beautiful. A medi-witch asked if she'd thought of a name.

"Yes. Tom, for his father and Marvelo for my father." She gently kissed his downy head, her heart full of joy. She held her child, even as the strength drained from her. He was her heart. He was her hope. He was her son. And she would always love him.