Sorry for not updating for a while, but school took over with end-of-school finals and stuff. Now that it's over, I should have more time to finish The Foretold and start a new Harry/Luna story. :) Enjoy!
Escaping Danger
Despite her exhaustion, Luna managed to summon a smile on her lips as she welcomed her first born into the world.
"Welcome," she murmured, her breath subtly tickling the small, raven-black hairs teeming over her daughter's head. "Welcome my little thing. Mama's here. Mama's here just for you."
The baby girl coed contently as she belched up her first meal. Shutting the world from her attractive azure eyes, she fell asleep.
Luna's heart flooded with love. Ten months of carrying such a treasure. One full day of boundless pain and anguish. But it all was worth it. Nothing could be wasted on such a affectionate thing as her daughter.
Silence captured the room. Tonks watched Luna and her child with tears of adoration while Cho and her comrades watched in victory.
"Well, I best am off now." Ewan said delightfully as he gathered his doctoral items. "If only such a breathtaking birth couldn't take place in such better surroundings." He glanced at Cho and grinned. "But I guess as long as the babe and the mother are OK, then nothing's hurt." Holding out his hand, he continued, "I would like my money now."
Cho glared at him, her eyes as pitiless as a blast of winter wind.
"I changed my mind." She growled. "I am not going to pay you anything. In fact, I'm not even going to let you see the light of life again."
Ewan stood in front of her, his ears gradually soaking in all she said.
"Excuse me miss," he said, his face blushing with exasperation. "But I mean it when I say I want my payment."
Cho's eyes raged with livid fire. Luna shivered at the sight and grabbed at Tonk's hand.
"I'm sorry," she said, her lip curling with irritation. "But do I look like I'm going to hand over any galleons to you?"
"But you promised!"
"Some promises just can't be kept." Cho shrugged carelessly. Pulling out her wand, she directed it at Ewan. "It's been so nice knowing you Mr. Ewan Amopolos."
"Now wait just a minute –"
Luna shrieked as a green light blinded all in the room. When it vanished, Ewan's lifeless body rested on the floor.
"Does anyone else want to quarrel with me?" Cho questioned irately. Satisfied that the deatheaters would not be a problem to her, she turned back to Luna. "Now, now that things have settled down, if you just hand me your precious daughter, I –"
"Why?" Luna pulled her baby to her chest. She wasn't going to lose her daughter like she once lost Harry to her.
Cho clucked her tongue.
"Now you don't want to do that, do you?" she said nonchalantly. "If you're worried that Miss Potter will be treated improperly, well, don't worry. I'll treat her as if she were the daughter I never had!"
Tonks and Luna gasped with horror.
"No!" Luna squealed. "You can't take her, you can't!"
"I can," Cho leered. "And I will. Hancord, get that baby!"
Luna screamed, tears streaming down her face. But Hancord was strong for a deatheater his size and he was able to pluck the child from her mother like a cherry from a tree.
"NOOOOOOOOO!" Luna's screams persisted, but Cho and her goons were deaf to them. The baby girl, following her mother, stirred from her sleep and joined her mother's sorrowful wails.
"Oh shut up!" Cho snapped at the baby before turning to her mother. "Maybe in time I'll tell her about her mother Luna. But from now on, she'll be mine and mine forever!"
Cho marched from the room; Luna's howls followed close behind.
"Why even bother if he's not going to listen to me?" Hermione thought resignedly as she slumped onto her cot. It was unmistakable that Cho had done something foul to Harry's brain. Why else wouldn't he pay attention to Hermione's words?
She collapsed onto her bed and clutched at her throbbing head. There had to be some way, but what?
Lupin darted down the corridor, his eyes watchful and alert. First he had to find his friends, as they were the only valuable things left in his shattered life.
Footsteps echoed from behind him and that was when he realized that there was no place to hide.
"You should have seen her face," a voice chuckled with mirth. "I thought she and her companion were going to faint at the spot."
"Wait until Cho kills that Mrs. Potter." his cohort said keenly. "That should be a sight to see!"
Lupin's heart stopped. They were going to kill Luna! Which meant that they must have found her and that meant …
Lupin hurried down the corridor even more. Right now, Luna and her baby were in horrifying peril and now he was more than ever resolute to find his friends.
"Hey, what the hell –"
Lupin realized that it was one of the deatheaters that he had overheard. He didn't waste a moment pulling out his wand and stunning the two surprised deatheaters.
"That should take care of –" Lupin broke off, bewildered. "Patrick Hemmingway, is that you? Tsk, tsk, tsk. You were such a good Auror."
Ripping the cloaks off his once-been colleague, he clothed himself with them.
"Might as well help if I look like one of them," he said, sliding his mask into place and transfiguring the two men into pebbles. Turning his back on them, he started his way back down the corridor.
Lupin couldn't help but wonder the men's words. No doubt they were talking about Luna, but who the heck was her companion?
Voices grew louder as Lupin continued down the corridor. As he reached the end, a group of deatheaters swelled in front of him.
"Milady, what is to be the child's name?" one deatheater inquired.
"May we see her?" another asked.
Lupin blended with the crowd. To his dismay, Cho stood in front of all, a small bundle lying in her arms.
"When shall you kill Luna Potter?" came another question. To this one, Cho answered.
"Not yet," she purred, her smile curling into a victorious smirk. "But soon. Real soon. Once the Boss had given me consent."
The deatheaters nodded and a great cheer rose up. Lupin could only stand, petrified with shock. He needed to find the others … and soon.
"Geez, is there ANY way to shut this woman up!" the deatheater roared to his partner.
Ever since Cho and Hancord left with the baby, Luna's screams never halted. Her face was red with tears and her eyes were screwed shut, never opening.
Tonks turned and stared fiercely at the two deatheaters. If she only had her wand, she and Luna could actually escape. Unless ….
"Sirs," she murmured, looking both in the eye. "I fear she's very ill. If you don't do something, she may die!"
The deatheaters stared at each other and chuckled.
"Then it'd sure save Ms. Chang some trouble." one of them retorted.
That was it. Tonks had had enough. Seizing the deatheater's shoulder, she pushed him into the wall, striking him in the face with her fist. Dazed, the deatheater could only stare back as his companion was helpless to the same fate.
"Luna, help me here! Is there any rope in the place?" Tonks asked, shoving both men into the wall.
Luna only moaned.
"Not so fast pretty lady!" the deatheaters pushed against her hold, pressing Tonks into the wall.
Tonks slithered her hand around them. She would not follow her friends' outcome! Grasping into one of their pockets, she successfully pulled out a wand.
"Stupefy!" she shrieked. The two deatheaters fell to the ground, their eyes frozen in surprise.
Pocketing both wands, she traveled over to Luna.
"We need to get out of here." she announced, pulling Luna into a sitting position. "Right now."
But how? Luna had only just given birth and was still terribly exhausted and fragile.
"Luna, you're going to have to walk if you want your daughter back." Tonks said finally. "It's the only way."
Luna, at last, stopped crying and gazed at Tonks. Nodding her head, she swung her legs over the bed, her flimsy nightgown revealing two, scrawny legs. With the help from Tonks, she was able to get on her feet.
"Careful now," Tonks whispered as Luna almost crumpled. It took them awhile, but lastly Luna was able to find her strength and take some weight off of Tonks.
They abandoned the room and found themselves back in the dark corridor. As they reached the end, voices overcame them.
Tonks panicked. They had come so far. They just couldn't give in now! She glanced at Luna. Her breathing was swift, and she was shivering with cold while sweat glazed her body.
Tonks had to get help. If she didn't, then Luna was going to die.
Ok, I had to end it there, cause I really couldn't think of anything else to add in this chapter. So hopefully you enjoyed and PLEASE, PLEASE don't forget to review, however late this may be:) I'll try to update it sooner next time. :o)
