It's About the Sacrifice

Her heart was racing and her sweat felt hot against her skin. Everything hurt as she screamed and screamed. There were people around her, but she took no notice of them as the one person who she wanted – no, needed – was missing. She screamed again as the pressure finally left her and suddenly she felt empty. There was no pain, there was no need to scream. She was done.

Lily could hear the crying as she lay there. She could hear the doctors as they cleaned him up. Suddenly all she wanted was to hold him, or she was afraid her heart might burst.
"Can I –?" she began, but she could not finish the sentence. Only then did she realise how tired she was. Resting her head back against the pillow she let out a deep breath and sighed.
"Would you like to see him?" One of the nurses asked, and Lily knew instantly that he was talking about her son.
"Yes!"

He was beautiful. His hair was black and his skin was like ivory. He looked like his father, which made Lily smile – but there seemed to be a darkness behind it.

Suddenly a man entered, his breath heavy as he stared at her. One of the nurses attempted to stop him, placing a hand on his chest.
"Sir, please! You can't just barge –"
"Get out of my way!"
"No! He's okay," Lily called, her free hand outstretched. The nurse looked from her to the intruder and nodded, allowing him to move freely.
"I came as fast as I could!" He sighed as he looked down at the baby in Lily's arms. "He's lovely."

Lily looked at him, his face was not what it used to be – but she was able to look past that and see what he was on the inside.
"Tom," she whispered, her eyes closing slightly.
"Yes, my love?"
"Are you really going to kill my son?" He looked to the small child in her arms, then seemed to understand what she meant.
"I must… If I don't I will have failed –"
"Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising up every time we fail," Lily sighed. "I know you believe that this is the only way… but imagine how you would feel if someone was threatening your son?" She held up the new born, letting her lover stare at the baby's face – his hard eyes softening slighting.

The rain outside seemed to lessen as the pair stared at each other, the little baby between them. Lily could see in Tom's eyes that something had changed, that she had changed him. They were both silent, yet both knew that no child would be killed by the new father. Not now, not ever.


Words - 463

Gringotts –

(OLD – Cross-gen Het, 2) Tom/Lily
(
OLD - Rand. Gen. BrainyQuote Quotes, 3) "Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising up every time we fail." - Ralph Waldo Emerson
(
OLD - Colour Prompts, 2) Ivory
(
OLD – Restictions, 1) No word 'said'
(
OLD – Characters, 7) Tom Riddle

Chocolate Frog – Maximillian Crowdy (Bonus) 'non-canon Pureblood/Muggleborn'