Parenthood

by hayleymills

There was no way you could have pictured you and Harry crying in unison, he lying in the enchanted bassinet, his tiny legs kicking at invisible things, you huddled in the corner with your hands over your ears, wanting to cast a Silencing Charm but feeling like a horrible mother for doing so.

Lily/Harry

Parenthood was nothing you expected it to be.

Sure, you had envisioned long nights and dirty diapers and lots of crying, but while Harry was still curled up in your belly, you just had no idea.

There was no way you could have known that your baby would be colicky (whatever that meant, Tonks looked it up in a Muggle dictionary), and no amount of your motherly love could solve his tiny problems. There was no way you could have pictured you and Harry crying in unison, he lying in the enchanted bassinet, his tiny legs kicking at invisible things, you huddled in the corner with your hands over your ears, wanting to cast a Silencing Charm but feeling like a horrible mother for doing so.

There was no way you could have imagined the joy you'd felt when Harry outstretched a chubby hand and said 'Mama.' You'd choked up immediately, bursting with pride. 'Harry,' you responded, touching that chubby hand and realizing what a miracle you had made.

There was no way you could have known your parenthood would end so soon, with you huddled over Harry's crib, crying over the things you would miss. His first day at Hogwarts, his first friends, graduation, marriage, grandkids. You never pictured yourself crying over your husband, dead in the hallway. As if Harry knew, he reached a hand to your face and said 'Mama,' wiping away your tears and comforting you for that last minute of your life. There was no way you could have expected parenthood to end like this.

It was nothing you expected it to be.