A Daughter's Love
Arthur shyly smiled up into Molly's beautiful brown eyes and felt both rotten and loved. The rotten feeling originated of course from the fact that he had a child with another woman than Molly. But the feeling of being loved came was all Molly's doing. She smiled at him and came closer to his bed. Arthur couldn't believe that Molly would still consider speaking to him after what had transpired in the last few days. He had shocked his wife more in this short time than ever before in their married life.
"Molly, I ..." he began but was interrupted by a gently finger pressed to his lips.
Molly shook her head at him and sat down on the side of his bed. Out of the corner of his eye, Arthur noticed Poppy edging towards the door and quietly leaving them alone to talk through the difficult situation they were in.
"Don't, Arthur. I really don't need to hear you apologizing. Everything happens for a reason and Sarah happening was for the best. Without your eldest daughter you would have died. But you are still alive and for that alone I am able to forgive you", she said sincerely, locking her eyes with his.
She wanted him to understand that she spoke the truth and from her heart. She had told Sarah pretty much the same and the young woman had nodded, feeling overwhelmed. Now she had to convince her husband. Slowly she stroked his cheek and sent him all the love in her heart.
"But, Molly, I ..." Arthur tried to protest again but Molly just shook her head again. "Alright you win, as always, but you're not playing fair when you smile at me like that and look so damned sexy.
"Well, that's why I always win", laughed Molly and leaned forward to kiss Arthur.
Their lips were only millimetres away and Molly had already closed her eyes, awaiting the bliss of feeling Arthur's mouth on hers again. She had waited for that to happen all day long and now she was finally close to have her wish granted.
"Oh I'm so sorry ... I'll leave you two alone", said a female voice from the door.
Molly and Arthur jerked away from each other like teenager caught snooging by their parents or their teachers. With flaming red cheeks Molly stood up from the bed and bravely faced the door, half-expecting Minerva standing there. Instead of her mother though, Sarah stood awkwardly in the doorway.
"No, Sarah, please do come in", beckoned Arthur, ignoring Molly's somewhat disappointed face.
Carefully Sarah entered the room and approached her father. Since she had found out who that man was, she had graved a meeting and at the same time feared that meeting. Now that his wife was yet again by his side made the whole situation even more awkward. Obviously Sarah had interrupted something. Her heart started to beat a little faster and her cheeks flushed but it was Arthur who grabbed his chest, his eyes wide and fixed on her. His lips soundlessly formed the word 'what'. Sarah's own lips had rounded to a silent 'oh'. Molly, though, smiled and eyed both her husband and his daughter with a faintly amused look in her eyes.
"Didn't Poppy warn you?" she asked quietly and received two identical headshakes. She sighed heavily and plunged headfirst into the explanation. "Well, Sarah agreed to having her heart copied. Through Poppy's magic an exact copy was created. An exact copy, Arthur. Basically speaking you have Sarah's heart in your chest. These heart palpitations you are currently feeling ... both of you, I gather ... are the excitement or other emotions effecting the heart of the other respectively."
Both Arthur and Sarah stared at her with wide open eyes and open mouths. Neither could really believe what they had just heard. Arthur eyed Sarah more carefully then.
"So why are you so nervous then, Sarah?" he asked softly, smiling at his daughter with all the warmth he had in his ... her heart.
"I-I ... I just never had a father and don't really know what to expect now that I have one", admitted Sarah, her eyes cast down and her cheeks blushing deeper.
"Oh ... well, I won't try to change your life ..." Arthur started but was cut off by Molly's angry glare and huffing noise and Sarah's raised eyebrow.
"My mother told me that you planned to have me and my family live near your Burrow", Sarah stated more as a challenge than just the truth.
Molly moved stealthily closer to Arthur's bed and placed her hand on his shoulder. When he raised his eyes to lock them with hers, she silently told him to stick to the truth or his relationship with his daughter would end before it had really begun. Arthur heaved a sigh and nodded to Molly.
"I thought you would like to get to know me and my family ..."
Again Sarah interrupted him almost angrily.
"I do want to get to know you and ... and my half-brothers and -sister", she said defiantly. "But my husband is a muggle and I have a none-magical child at home. You are a wizard, your wife is a witch and all your children are magically talented. Mum told me you are considered blood-traitors, like she is, and are in danger from persecution by death-eaters. Now how safe do you think my family will be, living near you?" she asked and Molly and Arthur could see the real fear edged in her face. "I mean your eldest son's wedding was wreaked due to an attack from them!"
Neither Arthur nor Molly could deny the truth and Arthur had the grace to blush.
"Besides", Sarah ranted on, "I don't want to move or leave my mother. ... Oh, by the way, we live in the Highlands. Mum inherited the family estate there but since she is a teacher in Hogwarts she can't spend much time there. So I took over and my husband, Tristan, helps me."
Molly smiled while Arthur looked slightly overwhelmed by all those news. For a long moment he was silent. Molly knew her husband well enough to know he was deep in thought, thoughts that troubled him. She resumed her seat by her husband's side and took his hand gently in hers. She knew also better than to push him to reveal what bothered him. He would come out in time. And finally he did.
"If our hearts are connected in the way you say, Molly, what exactly does that mean if we ... well, if you and I are making love ... or Sarah and Tristan?" he asked intrigued.
"I haven't heard of an actual case of that kind of heart transplantation", admitted Molly after a few blinks. "The only cases I had had in St. Mungo's were normal heart transplantations like the ones muggles perform. Since you two are actually related as well as being connected to through the transplantation, I think the connection is very strong indeed."
"Does that mean she will die when my heart stops beating?" Arthur asked alarmed.
Sarah literally fell off her chair and landed hard on her bum. She cursed involuntarily in Gaelic and Molly had to smile despite the graveness of the situation since Sarah resembled her temperamental mother so much at that moment. Arthur, though, remained serious and bored his eyes into Molly's, forcing him to answer truthfully.
"Arthur, you have to understand ..."
"Molly! A simple 'yes' or 'no'!" Arthur said impatiently but firmly.
Molly closed her eyes slowly, obviously praying for strength, and Arthur already knew the answer. Sarah too seemed to put one and one together for she swallowed hard but straightened her shoulders and looked directly at Molly. No fear or regret shining in her eyes.
"Yes", whispered Molly and a single tear ran down her cheek, showing her sympathy for the young woman.
"Oh no", moaned Arthur, burying his head in his hands. "I shouldn't have allowed this! I shouldn't have accepted this!"
"D-D-Dad", Sarah stuttered out, "it was my decision. You were out cold when I made it. Mum always raised me to honour family and do everything in my power to help and save them. This was natural. I don't regret it and it gives me time to get to know you. My life will not be wasted for I saved you."
She spoke serenely and it was clear to Molly and Arthur that she meant every word. Arthur eyes filled with tears of gratitude and love.
"Thank you", he whispered hoarsely and extended his arms to Sarah.
After only a moment's hesitation she walked over to him and sat on the edge of his bed. Then she wrapped her arms around him and leaned into his chest. Her ear rested just above his heart and she listened to the reassuring beat of his heart, completely in sync with hers, while her father stroked her hair.
