Chapter 1:
Souls' Song
WHAT? A voice shouted in the darkness of her mind, sending some of the deep fog scattering. She had heard someone talking to her. Like a whisper in the wind. It's singing, she realized. The most beautiful voice singing the worlds most wonderful song to her.
"I'll be at your side. Forever and ever…" A tear made its way down the side of his cheek as he sang softly into her ear. He had written this song just for her. He had never imagined that life held such pain as this. Every living second felt like a year, every breath like a dagger to his chest, and every thought on her.
It was by sheer luck that he had found her battered body in the woods. He was lucky that it had been a clear night with a full moon. At first, he didn't know what he was seeing. It looked as if a bear or something had beaten this poor person senseless. He wouldn't have left the path to check for any signs of life if he hadn't seen it lying on the ground mere feet from him.
How many times had he seen her pull out her wand? Hundreds maybe even thousands of times over the last seven years. She was the smartest, brightest, stubbornest, most beautiful thing he had ever encountered. And he loved her with all of his heart. Deep down inside he had always known. He just never let himself delve that deeply, let those emotions come out. After her parents were killed, she became an extension of his family, closer than ever.
When he had found her his heart stopped. And then he knew in one blazing instant that he needed her and that if she died so would he. He had checked her pulse which was horribly weak, her breathing shallow and ragged. She even stopped breathing while he was surveying the damage. Somehow, he brought her back to this world, called for help until it felt like his throat was torn apart and bleeding. After what seemed like an eternity, someone found him clutching her battered form and helped him get her to the hospital.
They said that all they could do now was wait.
Finishing his song, he brushed away his tears and softly kissed her temple, the least injured part of her face. Sitting back up in his chair, he surveyed the various contraptions that the healers had hooked her up too. Since she was so unstable still, they had to wait for her to wake so that they could begin her healing process in earnest.
He was brought out of his thoughts as the witch on duty entered into her dark room. He wiped his tears away furiously, not wanting other people to see. Walking over to her other side, the witch held out her wand and placed it against her charges' temple. After a moment, she turned to look at him.
"Well, it seems that her vital signs are picking up finally. Hopefully she will be awake soon." He gave her a small smile and nodded. After watching him for a moment, she spoke again. "I'm afraid that visiting hours are over now. You can come back tomorrow morning if you like." Nodding again, he gave her a kiss on the hand and nodded toward the witch as he exited the room.
He walked quickly down the now deserted halls of the hospital. He had been here so often since she had been admitted that he could have found his way to her in his sleep. Reaching the lobby, he exited and quickly disapparated.