A/N: Written for THC and HSWW (Challenges and Assignments)
(THC) House: Hufflepuff; Category: Short Story; Prompt: Theo/Pansy [Pairing]
(HSWW) Assignment #5: Potions Task #1: Write about someone experiencing some kind of awful trauma. Addition Prompt: 'I'd choose you, in a hundred lifetimes, I'd choose you.'
Crystals & Gemstones Club: Amethyst intermediate: Write about the before and after effects of a couple/single person going through the pains of a miscarriage.
Fortnight Event: Song Lyrics: 'I'm where I'm meant to be' from At Last I See the Light - Tangled Songtrack
Word Count: 957
Breath pale against the numbing air, he blinked thoughtfully as the frost patiently kissed his cheek, captivated by the soft, dusty illusions of light that sat heavy on his lashes. Theodore enjoyed being in the snow, moreso when it was falling. It was therapeutic, giving him the fantasy that things could be covered and taken care of.
The cruel reality that crushed the imagery of solid white blankets were the drops of red blood that followed along his path from his fingertips; it didn't belong to him, but it belonged to his wife. She was not dying, but she was hurt physically and emotionally; the mental pain came from Theodore. The dream of having a child was pried from the couple once again, and that tore away at his heart and picked at his mind. It was torture to watch her crumbling and hugging herself in the bathroom, so he left.
His mind was plagued with her cries and screams of sorrow; the sight of what would have been his son lying in a pool of blood on the floor was just as fresh. Theodore had scrambled to pick up the baby that held only the shape of a walnut and somehow revive him; of course, he was unsuccessful. Instead of comforting his wife in her time of need, Theodore walked out, not bothering to wash his hands; he wanted the reminder that his past actions brought repercussions on his family.
Looking around, Theodore found himself in the once vibrant meadow near his home; he hadn't gone as far as he had thought. His mind was so far away that it appeared as such as he strolled in the snow. The blood continued to cascade off his nails; this he knew because it was a rhythm he felt with every drop.
In the center of the snowcapped meadow, Theodore dropped to his knees, staring down at his hands. He looked at the remnants of Keelic Theo Nott, a baby who would never see the world. The blood on his hand began to blur because his eyes were starting to fill with tears. They spilled relentlessly down his face, falling into his hands and blending with the wet blood on his hands.
"Why?" Theodore asked softly when he looked up towards the sky. "Have I not been punished enough?"
In the midst of the falling snowflakes caressing his face, Theodore blinked away the tears when he thought he saw something forming in the sky; the clouds were moving about into the shapes of Theodore with his family. He choked back sobs that were threatening to erupt, and he knew then that wallowing this way was wrong on his part; Theodore was supposed to be there for his wife.
He couldn't blame her for what fate represented as a wrong time for them, but how many more times would be the wrong time? Nevertheless, Theodore had to push back his selfishness and turn home; he knew where he needed to be and that was by his wife's side. He prepared to stand up from his knees when he saw the feminine figure approaching. Her long, dark hair fluttering in the wind while the snowfall disguised her emotions from his sight. The red hues contrasted with the rest of the snow while she approached, and Theodore made his way to her in a quick fashion. The minute he touched her, she slumped against him, gripping his arm and nuzzling into his chest.
"Pans, you're not supposed to be out here," he said softly; Theodore felt foolish for running away from her in this state.
"You're not supposed to be out here either," she retorted in his chest. "Why?"
Theodore swallowed. He knew why, and whether she knew the reason at this moment or not, he was not going to tell her. "I thought I heard something," Theodore lied lamely.
"Are you sure?"
"I wouldn't lie about this."
"You also said you wouldn't leave again."
That struck a fragile chord on Theodore's heart. He closed his eyes and leaned into her hair, taking in the scent of roses and blood from her body; he wanted nothing more than to turn back time and redo the moment of when he turned to leave the bathroom. Seeing her like this again...hearing her voice so broken swung another hit to his heart.
"Would you choose to leave again?" She asked him, pulling away from his chest weakly and staring into his dark colored orbs.
Theodore shook his head gently. "I'd choose you, in a hundred lifetimes, I'd choose you." He kissed her hair, running his hands through the side of it, soiling its sheen with blood. Theodore hadn't noticed it, and Pansy didn't care; she was too busy focusing on her husband's expressions.
"Promise me."
It was a simple request, and Theodore knew it held so much for their union and their future; he was not going to deny it.
"I promise." He leaned down and placed an arm under her legs, hooking them securely and lifted Pansy bridal style. "You shouldn't be out here any longer like this. I'll have a warm bath ran for you and whatever else you'd like."
Pansy nodded absentmindedly as she wrapped her arms around his neck, clinging to her husband while he walked away from the meadow.
"Could we go shopping tomorrow?" She asked meekly.
Theodore chuckled lightly. "Anything you want."
He kept moving, keeping Pansy close to his body. As much as he wanted her back into the manor safe and warm, Theodore had specifically chosen to keep Pansy's eyes from wandering through the snow. He couldn't risk the wind betraying him and revealing the three other small memorial stones that were sitting in the meadow.