A Promise is a Promise

A/N Well, I must say that this was unexpected. I'm currently in the middle of writing something completely different. But on my way home today I heard something on the radio and this popped into my head. It's kind of rough and not really edited beyond spelling and grammar, but I like it that way.

To those reading Greater Things, very sorry for the delay, there was a "mistake" with the computer. Rather than the however many pages of story I had, I now have three pages of poorly written report on the death penalty, thanks to my little brother. I'm currently in the rewriting stages. Have no fear, not everything was lost. Just the most current chapter.

Enjoy

Disclaimer: I own nothing… 'cept a really crappy car… you can have it if you want…


"Look after him, Colin. He's only a little thing, might get into trouble some day, then he'll need his big brother to help him."

Looking at the tiny infant in the crib, the boy had nodded.

"Good. That's a promise. You mustn't break it." His father had said with a heavy hand on his son's shoulder.

The weight of that hand still lay across Colin Creevey's slim shoulders as he helped his drunken brother through the living area of his flat into the bedroom. The stench of alcohol and vomit was turning the older man's stomach and he bit his lip hard to keep from gagging.

"I can't keep doing this. I'll lose my job." He said harshly, depositing his brother unceremoniously on the bed.

Dennis moaned and rolled to his side, covering his face with his hands.

"Honestly, the next time someone owls me, I'm not answering. You can find you own way home."

"Don't mean it…" The younger man whispered with a cough that might have been laughter.

Colin responded by grabbing Dennis' shoulder and forcing him to sit up, "You smell disgusting, lift up your arms."

The offending shirt was removed, followed by the stained trousers, both of which were tossed into the bathtub to be dealt with at a later time. Divested of his foul smelling attire, the younger Creevey crawled beneath the blankets and allowed his brother to tuck them around his shoulders.

"Colin?" He asked, voice clearer than before.

"Yeah."

"Did you mean it?"

"What?"

"Not coming to get me?"

"I dunno."

"She left me, you know." Dennis said, swallowing hard.

"Looking at you now, I can't say as I blame her."

"Yeah."

Colin sighed loudly and brushed a few strands of hair from his brother's face, "This has to stop."

"I know."

"This is why you didn't make it through your training, why you didn't become an Auror. This is why she left. You can't do this every time something doesn't work out."

"Do you reckon I was all wrong from the beginning?"

"What do you mean?"

"She said I'd never be right, that I must have been born this way, could she have been right?"

"Some people are born bad, but you just made a few mistakes. We'll get it right."

"We?"

"Yeah. Can't let you go making a fool of the family name, now can I?" Colin laughed.

Dennis smiled at him sleepily.

"I'll go see to your clothes, probably just throw them out."

The other man nodded, "Will you stay?"

"Yeah."

While his brother slept, Colin resolutely cleaned the soiled shirt and trousers, as well as the carpet by the door. He knew it wouldn't be the last time, but Dennis was his brother and a promise mustn't be broken.