Round 11 - I Open At The Close
Team: Puddlemere United
CHASER 1: Potion
your story MUST also start and finish with the same word.
POTION Draught of the Living Death
(quote) 'I can write the saddest poem of all tonight. I loved her, and sometimes she loved me too.' – Pablo Neruda.
(word) coffee.
(word) frost
"You can do this, Hermione."
"I hate you, Harry James Potter."
She squeezed his hand and Harry hissed as he felt her ring dig into his hand. They had been married for six months, and were expecting their first child.
Thier Healer, Daphne Greengrass, looked at the couple.
"Time to push, Granger."
"Potter, she's Potter now."
The former Ice Queen gave him a look and he grimaced as Hermione pushed and nearly broke his hand. Her face was scrunched up with pain and she was panting.
Daphne waved her wand and gasped.
Harry looked up at her.
"Daphne?"
She didn't answer him, instead turning to the her assistant, Padma Patil and whispering something. Padma left and she came back with several other people tons of equipment.
"Daphne?"
"We have to operate Harry."
"Daphne."
"If we want to save either one of them, we have to operate now!"
Hermione was whisked away and Harry stumbled after them, past his family and friends.
Rose sat in the chair. Her best friend and now step brother Albus sat next to her. Her entire family was there but the situation was so weird, it was laughable. Her mother Hermione and father Ron had gotten divorced after her second year of Hogwarts. Ron married Lavender Brown two years later and Harry and Ginny got a divorce after her affair with Zacharias Smith. Harry and Hermione moved in together when they moved to Godric's Hollow in her fifth year. They fell in love and then her mother got pregnant and married when she was in her 6th year.
She was 17 years old and had graduated early, allowing her to start an internship, and was about to welcome her youngest sibling.
Her grandmother was not happy about the marriages falling apart but there was little she could do. Ron was happy for the couple and Ginny had nothing to say since she had cheated. Everyone simply said they assured Harry and Hermione would have ended up together eventually.
"I brought you all some coffee."
She looked up to see Scorpius Malfoy, who was accompanied by floating coffee mugs. They landed in front of the adults and the younger kids got hot chocolate.
She snagged the mug in front of her and took a sip.
Coffee with a dash of milk and chocolate. Just the way she liked it.
Scopus sank into the seat next to her.
He had coffee in his hand.
"How are you all holding up?"
"How do you think we are holding up? My mother is in there giving birth and it's been hours!"
"These things take time."
Rose glared at Scopus while Albus sighed on the other side of her.
"We are worried. Hermione had some complications with Hugo's birth and we are all scared for this birth especially since it's twins. They aren't in their early twenties you know."
"Daphne knows what she is doing. It's going to be okay."
Rose couldn't take it any longer and she stood up, wanting to be away from Scorpius. He always pushed her buttons, sometimes with realizing it. Around him, she felt on edge. Lily thought it was because she liked him but that was a ridiculous notion.
Albus looked at his friend sadly.
"Why do you do it? Why do you even try? She doesn't like you but you are still in love with her."
Scorpius sighed.
"I love her and sometimes she loves me."
"Only when she's drunk."
"Albus. It's just every since I saw her I knew she was the one. I knew it wasn't going to be easy and probably impossible and maybe one day I will move on, but as long as she is in my life, it's alway going on here."
"Always?"
"Always."
"That's a sad story."
"It's the truth."
"So how's the internship?"
"Great! I love my job! I love knowing I'm helping people. I recently found a potion that can prevent congenital heart disease."
"That's wonderful. You make a great Healer!"
"I'm hoping to be able to find something to cure Frank and Alice Longbottom. Also something to cure dial down the werewolf symptoms, possibly even control them from happening to often."
"Wow."
Rose returned to the group worried.
"It's Harry."
As one the family and friends flocked to where Harry was sitting on the ground.
"They rushed her to surgery. Daphne wouldn't tell me anything."
Rose grabbed Harry's hand as Luna hugged him.
Scopus meanwhile pulled a nurse aside and whispered to her. She whispered back. He paled when he heard the news.
He walked back to them and knelt down.
"Harry. I just talked to a nurse. There was a complication with the birth. They are doing an emergency C-section."
Harry stared at him wide eyed.
Scorpius swallowed. He hated himself for what he was going to say.
"In some cases, only one can live and they might ask you to choose who to save."
Harry shook his head, tears spilling down his cheeks.
"They can't. They can't ask me to choose between my children and my wife."
"They can." Scorpius said quietly but firmly.
"I just got her. I can't lose her, I can't lose either one of them." Harry kept murmuring.
Scorpius got up shakily and leaned against the wall.
He was thinking of potions and spells and he wanted to go to his lab and see if he could come with something but there was no time and he was needed here.
"Harry, mate."
It was Ron.
"You know what the right choice is."
Harry sighed. "I know. But I can't lose Hermione. I just got her."
"Hermione would want you to pick the babies."
Harry buried his head into Luna's hair. Draco patted his shoulder as he joined the group around Harry.
Rose got up and she stumbled but Scorpius grabbed her and pulled her in close as she sobbed into his chest. Lily was crying ton Hugo's shoulder and Ginny was crying on Albus'.
Scorpius opened his mouth as the idea came to his head.
"The Draught of the Living Dead."
"What?" Rose looked up at him.
"It puts the person to sleep, like a coma. A way to keep someone alive. It's like the spell in that muggle story."
"Would it work?" Albus who had overheard was curious.
"We would have to ask but it should."
They pulled aside a doctor and Scorpius explained the idea, the man was intrigued.
"Interesting but you would have to ask Ms. Greengrass since it's her patient."
Daphne came out looked haggard.
"Harry, I need to ask you a hard question."
"Save the babies."
She blinked.
"How?"
"Scorpius told me."
"Aunt Daphne. Can you give Hermione the Draught of the living Dead?"
Daphne thought for a moment, "Yes, but.."
"Just give it to her. I'll figure out the rest."
Daphne nodded, trusting her nephew's judgement.
She went back and Harry sank to the floor, knowing that he made the hardest choice of his life but hoping it was the right one. Hermione would have told him to pick their children over her because he would have done the same. Just like his parents choose to die to save him.
It wasn't long until Harry was called in.
Harry held Hermione's hand.
"I'm sorry Mione."
She blinked at him sleepily.
"You picked right."
"You are going to be okay."
"I love you, Harry James."
"I love you too, Hermione Jean."
"Always."
"Always."
A baby wail was heard and as the child was taken by the nurse and then the second child came. Harry cried as he kissed Hermione's hair as Daphne helped her take the draught.
"I love you, Hermione. Always."
He let go of her hand and walked to where his twins where.
Boy and girl.
Emma Esmeralda and Thomas Daniel.
He walked out to the crowd that had seemed to double.
"We had twins. They are doing fine. Hermione is…"
He crumpled and Draco rushed to keep him from falling. Between his and Ron they were able to get Harry to sit.
Rose was sobbing into Scorpius' chest again.
"I'm going to save her, I promise." He kept whispering it into her ear.
Harry took the twins home and tried to settle into a life where Hermione was not there. It was hard. He packed away her favorite books into a separate room, a mini library so he wouldn't see them. Rose moved into the house to keep an eye on him and friends and family were constantly stopping by to check on all four of them.
Harry would go visit Hermione every day, while Rose and sometimes Molly or Fleur would watch the twins.
He would tell her about the day before and told her he loved her.
He left every day wishing his life was a story so he could kiss her and she would wake up.
The twins grew up and Harry was sure to capture every moment of their lives so Hermione wouldn't miss anything once she was cured. He had faith that Scorpius would save her.
Scorpius worked day and night trying to find a cure for Hermione. He also had to work on other things too, but Hermione was his main priority. He practically lived in his office and refused to see anyone including Rose.
Rose meanwhile had quit being an Auror training for a while to stay home with Harry. She eventually convinced him to go to work at least twice a week and she went to work the other days. Between the two of them and the rest of the family, the twins were being taken care of.
Four years had passed.
The twins were going to be four years old. Albus had recently gotten married and Rose was still single. Harry and Rose were now working full time. Jame's wife who was running a daycare for witches and wizards and took care of the twins.
Scorpius was basically nonexistent since he was always working.
The twins were having a party that evening so she was setting up. Harry had taken the twins to see a movie.
She was just about done when people began to arrive. Many of them came armed with food and presents.
Harry arrived with the twins who rushed to get hugs by everyone. They loved the attention. Harry pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Thanks, Rosie."
"No problem Harry."
Rose followed the twins as she snapped pictures of them laughing and playing and eating cake and opening their presents.
Suddenly an owl came in with a letter.
Emma and Tom,
Happy Birthday! You guys are so big and I hope you guys love your present. It took me a while but I think it's perfect.
Love Scorpius.
Rose read the letter out loud and frowned. The letter was odd.
A knock was heard and everyone turned to the door.
Luna opened the door and gasped when she saw the other person.
She threw her arms around her and burst into tears.
A familiar male chuckle was heard and Rose assumed Scorpius finally came out of his lab.
Then Luna stepped back and wiped her tears.
And a woman stepped in. Her long brown hair was curly due to the wind and her eyes were bright, her cheeks were flushed(probably due to the frost in the air, as it was winter). She was a bit skinny but she looked well, she looked alive.
The woman's eyes were on Harry who was staring at her like he had seen a ghost.
"Hermione?"
"Mama?"
She raised a hand to her lips, tears in her eyes.
Rose and Hugo slammed into their mother and Rose couldn't believe she was here, alive, in the flesh.
When they pulled away, Hermione took a small step towards Harry but he was already rushing towards her. He picked her up and kissed her soundly on the mouth. He pulled away and buried his head into her hair, they were both crying.
"I love you so much!"
Harry pulled away as the twins tugged on his pants.
Hermione gasped.
"Emma and Tom, I want you to meet…"
"Mommy!"
Both kids hugged her and Hermione sank to the ground and Harry smiled as he looked up and laughed. His entire family was here.
Everyone gave the family some time but then they all attacked Hermione with hugs.
Rose walked up to Scorpius, as he leaned against the wall. He seemed happy but tired. She looked at him, and saw the silver eyes she knew so well and the smile she loved, although she would never admit it.
"You did this? After all, I said and did to you, you saved her?"
He looked at her and tucked a red curl behind her ear.
"Easy, Rose. I did it for you. I did it for Harry who gave my dad a second chance. For Albus who is my best friend. For your mother, who made me socks every Christmas. For the twins who need a mother. But I did it mostly for you. I am in with love you Rose. Always have been."
Rose looked at him and she saw what everyone else saw but she never did. She saw her future with Scorpius Malfoy, and it was going to be a good one. She smile and stepped closer. She kissed him softly and then passionately. When she pulled away, blue eyes met silver eyes.
"Scorpius Malfoy, I love you."
Scorpius smiled and intertwined their fingers.
That night, as the frost descended into the air, a couple laid in bed. Green eyes met brown and hands tightened.
"Always?"
"Always."
"Good night Harry."
"Good night Hermione. I love you."
Hey Wallflowers! Let me know what you think!
Love you- Queen