AN: Ah! I apologize several times over for the lateness of this chapter. But there's absolutely no chance I would have managed to get it out earlier than this. I just recently finished my army service here in Israel (yes, that's very far away, I know). It was one of the most difficult things I've ever gone through and basically meant I was completely devoid of any writing ability for about twelve months. I've been as dry as desert nettles and have hardly managed to write a thing. I've been done for a week now and already everything's come back to me, so at least it wasn't permanent. I will definitely try to get chapters out as quickly as possible, but keep in mind that I'm alternating between this story, another fanfiction I'm writing and my first novel. Don't worry, though. I've got a month and a half of vacation before I start uni, so…
Enjoy!!!
Angelus Patronus
Chapter 1
Light gently filtered in through the open window, along with a soft spring breeze that ruffled the curtains ever so slightly, drifting across the room before finally finding its target.
Harry Potter furrowed his brow as the soft wind drew him out of his slumber. He turned over, eyes still closed, automatically reaching out for the person he knew was there next to him.
Only the spot on the bed was empty, the sheets cold.
Harry opened his eyes groggily, blinking several times before sitting up. He reached for his glasses on the night-table and put them on, looking around the room.
Ginny must have woken up early…
Harry got out of bed, pulling on a robe, and then padded his way into the hall and down the stairs quietly to the kitchen. There was a pot of coffee on the stove, still hot, and the back door was open.
Smiling, Harry poured himself a cup and stepped out onto the back porch. Ginny was there, as he'd suspected, sitting on the porch-swing, nursing her cup and staring out into the woods behind their house. She looked up as Harry drew near.
"Hey," she said softly, giving him a small smile.
"Hey," he answered and leaned down, kissing her lightly before sitting next to her.
The morning breeze continued to blow gently, ruffling Harry's unruly black hair. He had hoped at one point or another that his hair would settle down with time, but that had not been the case. However, he found he didn't mind his messy hair at all. Ginny seemed to love it.
The song birds had only just really started chirping, and the sun had barely crested the treetops, throwing the sky into pearly pink disarray.
Ginny sighed next to him and Harry looked away from the breaking morning. His wife seemed troubled. Ginny was frowning slightly, a small crease between her eyebrows.
"What is it?" Harry asked softly. He knew something was bothering her; it was probably what had woken her up this morning.
Ginny's expression cleared and she smiled slightly. "Oh, it's nothing, really. Just… thinking."
"You're worried about today, aren't you?"
Ginny laughed gently, a sound that sent shivers up his spine even after the ten years they'd been together. "You know me too well."
Harry grinned and reached over to brush a stray lock of hair behind Ginny's ear. "Not as well as you know me. You could probably guess exactly what I'm going to say right now."
Ginny rolled her eyes but humored him. "You're sure everything will be fine and that we just have to have faith." Ginny shook her head, but she was smiling. "And that I'm too pretty to mar my features with worry lines," she added as an after-thought, giggling.
Harry smiled and leaned in, kissing his wife's neck. He could feel her shiver and heard her sharp intake of breath.
"That," he said, "is one of your best predictions yet."
Harry stood up and stretched, then turned to Ginny, smiling in a way entirely different than before. "I'm going to go take a shower. Care to join me?"
Ginny's eyes widened and Harry couldn't help the sense of satisfaction he got out of the soft pink that tinged his wife's cheeks a moment later.
The blush faded to be replaced with a smirk that could only be described as, well, evil. Harry swallowed.
"You'll have to catch me first," Ginny stated and then was off, sprinting inside the house and up the stairs, Harry in glorious pursuit.
Cedric didn't know if he'd ever seen a more beautiful sunset. It was almost as though the sun had drawn the clouds together in just a certain way at just the right time, setting them off into a cacophony of colors. Blushing reds and oranges, yellows and purples, all mixing in with the dimming blue of the evening sky… It was almost as though it was just for him and-
For him and Cho.
Cho. The concept still hadn't quite registered. He'd just been getting used to the idea of having to wait a lifetime (literally) before he'd be able to speak to her, smell her, touch her… And then, so suddenly…
Almost as though to reassure himself once more that this was real, Cedric ran his hands up Cho's arms to her neck, pulling her hair to the side and resting his chin on her shoulder. He could feel her shiver under his touch and he closed his eyes, setting down in his memory just what this felt like.
Cedric could remember the last time he'd held her before today. That gift they'd both been given ten years ago, the chance to say goodbye. That had been the last time he'd touched her, kissed her. And now, he couldn't get over it, couldn't get enough of her.
The wind ruffled the feathers on his wings and he unfolded them, wrapping them around him and Cho. She started slightly, but then relaxed, sighing.
"An angel…" she murmured, smiling. "I remember, or at least I think I do…" She turned slightly to face him. "I knew all this time that you were an angel. I don't know how, but I knew it for certain. I must have dreamt it. You told me good-bye and you told me to live my life and to be happy… It was a long time ago but it let me breathe again. I don't know how long it would have taken me to recover on my own…"
Cedric tightened his hold on Cho and they sat there together in silence for a while, in the middle of the sky, with nothing below them but cloud and a distant view of the Earth.
"Cedric?" Cho queried after several minutes had passed, whispering as though afraid to shatter the moment.
"Hmm?"
There was silence and Cedric opened his eyes. Something was bothering her.
"What is it?" he asked, turning his head so he could see her more clearly.
Cho bit her lip and glanced at him, uncertainty flashing across her features. Cedric raised an eyebrow, prompting her to speak.
"Aren't you, well, angry with me?"
Cedric furrowed his brow in confusion. "Angry? Why would I be?"
Cho's lower lip quivered as she turned to face him fully. "Because of everything. Because of Gerald, because of the baby…" There was a pause and Cho's eyes filled with tears. "I forgot you."
Cedric shook his head, smiling softly. "No you didn't, Cho. I was watching you. You spoke to me every night. Just because you couldn't see me didn't mean I wasn't listening. I've got most of it fixed to memory… Did you think I'd forgotten you? As for Gerald… Cho, no one could expect you to put your life on hold just because I went away. That's not the way it works. Maybe in this particular case it would have been better… Bastard…" Cedric muttered darkly. "I can't believe he left you like that. I can't believe anyone would leave you. Of course, I can't talk, I did the same…"
Now it was Cho's turn to be indignant. "Don't you say any such thing! As though you had a say in it!"
Cedric chuckled. "Okay, you're right, I suppose. What I'm trying to say, is that no one can foretell how these things will work out. Actually, you're lucky."
"How did you figure that out? In case you hadn't noticed, I'm dead…"
Cedric laughed. "Shh, we don't use the "D" word here. We prefer the term "Mortally Challenged"."
Cho shook her head, but couldn't help giggling despite herself.
"Now, despite the aforementioned fact," -more giggling- "you are lucky. Cho," Cedric became serious, "you brought a new life into the world. There's a brand new soul somewhere down there because of you. I just wish…" He fell silent.
"What?" Cho asked, curious.
Cedric looked away over the setting sun. "I wish I could have done the same."
"Oh Cedric…" Cho whispered, kissing his cheek. "He's more yours than Gerald's. Gerald didn't care. When he found out I was pregnant, he just took off without a word. He should've waited around. I can't imagine what he would of thought about me being a witch... Anyway, tell me if I'm wrong, but you were there everyday, weren't you?"
Cedric nodded.
"And you were helping me out, weren't you? That's what you do, isn't it? You help people?"
Cedric turned to look Cho in the eyes. "I've been watching over you since I left, helping in any way I could."
Cho nodded. "Well, then you're more of the baby's father than Gerald ever will be. Cedric, you saved his life. He's not alive just because of me. He wouldn't have made it at all if you hadn't-" Cho shook her head.
They were both silent for a time as the sky began to darken. The moon was cresting the clouds to the West.
"Cedric, what's going to happen to him now?"
Cedric shrugged, holding Cho tighter. "I don't know. He'll be put up for adoption."
Cho shivered, though this time, Cedric knew it wasn't because of him. "How do we know he's going to be okay?"
Cedric shrugged once again. "We don't unless somebody-" he cut off abruptly, sitting up straight.
"What?" Cho asked in alarm. "Unless what?"
Cedric looked at her, an incredulous grin spreading across his face.
"Unless somebody we know acts as Guardian."
Cho looked confused. "What does that mean?"
Cedric shook his head, remembering that Cho still knew very little about the after-life. "Whites play several roles in helping those still living down below. One of those roles is Guardian. You know, a sort of guardian angel, a constant patronus. Normally, blood relatives are forbidden to act as Guardian, but I…" Cedric's grin broke into a full-blown smile. He stood up quickly, pulling Cho up with him.
"I have to go," he said, turning to leave. Cho still didn't seem to understand, but when she began to question, Cedric shook his head, stopping her. "Later," he said, leaning down to kiss her quickly. Then remembering something, he pulled back. "Just one question before I go. What did you plan on naming him?"
There could be no doubt as to who Cedric meant. Cho answered, still not quite understanding. "Wayde. I was going to name him Wayde."
"Wayde…" Cedric knew the name and its meaning. The irony was not lost on him. "It's perfect. I love you." He kissed Cho once again in good-bye and took off, heading back towards the Imperial City.
Nurse Hutchins had been an unbeliever up to that morning. Nothing in her life had ever given her reason to believe in anything besides what she could see and hear and touch. But that morning, she could have sworn there were angels in the operating room of the maternity ward. That poor woman…
But the baby… It had been a miracle. The baby had been still-born, blue and cold. Nurse Hutchins had just been "tsk"ing to herself at how sad the whole ordeal was when she'd felt wings, yes, wings, wrap around her and the babe. She could feel the feathers, as soft as snow, but with none of a winter snow's cold. No, there had been nothing but warmth in that embrace, warmth and a love of life.
Nurse Hutchins shook herself mentally. This was the fifth time today that she'd caught herself daydreaming about angels and it was beginning to get ridiculous. Sighing, she turned to the next birth certificate she was supposed to be filling out. Her eyes widened when she realized it was that of the orphaned baby from that morning. Yes, she was beginning to believe…
Shaking her head, she poised her pen above the line for "name". Normally, the nurses named all orphaned boys "Tom" and all girls "Emily", but something made her hesitate here. She felt as though this baby deserved more than a random name given to dozens of others like him.
It was while she was pondering this that she felt it again. A feeling similar as to that of that morning. Only this time it was more of a warm wind than a presence. Nurse Hutchins felt herself drift off lazily, smiling vaguely at the sensation. She really out to start praying once in a while…
Suddenly, she sat up with a start, a name popping into her head. "Oh, that's a nice one," she exclaimed to herself, proud of having thought of it. She wrote it down and filled in the rest of the fields, and then filed the certificate with the other orphaned children who were to be put up for adoption.
Cedric smiled as he watched the tiny sleeping form of Cho's son. The perfect little hands, closed tightly in little fists, the miniscule nose, the tuft of black hair… A life just begun…
He looked up as he heard the door open and a nurse entered, making her way to where he stood. She reached out,þ taking off the small blue sign marked "anonymous" and replacing it with a new one. Cedric smiled at the name written there.
Wayde.
Angel from God.
TBC
