Chapter Fourteen:

Fading

Harry looked around. How could this be possible? He had actually defeated Voldemort and he hadn't even known why. He looked to his friends are they looked at him in congrats. He had his hand seized by Ron's in an apology and friendly shake. Harry couldn't help but smile.

"The dark mark is actually gone!" Ron had yelled in celebration.

"I can't… I don't… how?" He asked and Ron shook his head.

No one knew how he had done it, and no one knew how he couldn't know. Harry looked at his wand in disbelief. His wand was broken and the phoenix tail sat by it's shattered pieces. Remus Lupin had walked over, patted Harry on the back, and explained to him why his wand was now gone.

"You used every bit of power it had." Remus explained. "Your parents can now rest in peace and you are left with the glory. That phoenix feather was what your wand was made of, and now it's nothing but its original state." Remus had lowered his head.

"I killed him." Harry said. "I actually killed someone."

"Harry!" Ron scolded. "It was your duty to kill him!" Ron said and Neville had come into the picture.

"Thank you," Neville praised.

"Yeah, thank you!" Mad – Eye Moody said when he stepped in.

Harry was now surrounded by thirteen people and eight dead death eaters. He looked around with one thought on his mind. He turned and gave his best friend, Ron, a friendly hug with congrats. When he released he had looked to everyone. How could he have let this happen?

"Ron," Harry started. "I killed him. I have to live through life knowing I have actually killed someone. People get sent to Azkaban for this everyday, and yet, I'm still free. This isn't right! I should be locked up for murder!" He said before he could help himself.

"Harry, what are you saying?" Remus asked in disbelief.

"I'm just saying that murderers should not walk free." He said spiritually.

"You're not a murderer! You're a savoir!" Ron beamed and Harry shook his head.

"He might have changed one day, but I have stopped it." Harry said and picked up the golden feather.

"Harry, if you let him walk then a murderer would go free." Neville commented.

"Exactly," Mad – Eye had growled. "You have a lot of nerve Potter, but you're a little too bit of a softy." He said.

Harry watched everyone around in fascination. Maybe Neville was right. If Harry had let Voldemort go then he would be letting a murderer go. He killed Harry's parents, he had made Mr. and Mrs. Longbottom lose their minds, and he had killed so many innocent people that Harry couldn't even bear to think of. So many had suffered, so many dead, and so many now memories.

"Remus!" Harry turned. "Before Voldemort's body vanished he screamed something." He said.

"What was it?" Ron asked.

"He said never would the heir of Salazar Slytherin lose to-" he was cut off.

"Godric Gryffindor's," Remus said and Harry nodded.

"Yes, but how could you know? Did he mean me?" He asked.

"Yes, Harry, he did mean you." Remus said. "In your Hogwarts years you were put in Gryffindor. You had asked, if I am correct, to not put you in Slytherin. There was a space in your mind and as it filled we had finally figured it out. You weren't even Slytherin material… you were just thirsty for revenge."

"Wait," Harry said. "Isn't it only Slytherins who enjoy revenge?" Harry asked and Remus shook his head.

"Not always." Remus stated. "Godric Gryffindor had died in a fight because he wanted revenge. His opponent had killed his only family left, and when he died he had died with honor. He died with glory and power. We had finally realized that this had happened to you."

"How come no one told me?" Harry asked.

"Because we weren't exactly sure." Remus said. "You had lost part of your memory, and we weren't sure if you would believe us."

"My memory was fine a few days ago, why not then?" Harry asked.

"Because we didn't believe it." Ron stepped in. He had a look of disappointment on his face.

"You needed to believe to tell me?" Harry asked in unknown outrage.

"No, not entirely." Ron sighed. "We didn't want you to know." He said.

Harry looked at the in amazement. This key was something big that maybe could have helped him earlier in time. If he knew about being the Heir then he could have used the power against Voldemort. He could have conquered it fully, and he could have been part of it. This might have been the space in his mind that he felt was missing.

"Why not?" Harry asked. He was careful so he didn't get too angry. He didn't need to create a row.

"Calm down Harry, it's no big deal." Remus assured. "It's just we didn't want you to know until we were absolutely 100 sure about it. Other wise Voldemort might have used it to your advantage."

"He basically didn't use it. He knew about it other wise he would have never said that out loud!" Harry protested.

"Harry, please, now is not the time to fight!" Neville said as he walked into the clearing with a panting voice.

"What's wrong Neville?" Ron asked as Harry growled.

"Trouble… very big trouble." He said and Harry smile had vanished from his face.

"No," Harry whispered then spoke out loud. "What's happened?" Harry asked with force.

"You're daughter…" He panted. "She's in trouble. They need you at the Hospital."

It was almost three in the morning when Harry had barged into St. Mungo's. He had run through the pure white halls as old women had stared at him with confusion. He was running past a lot of sick people and not even noticing them. For some reason; the patients felt a little shadowed out of the picture.

He ran though the halls. Doctors were walking out of their doorways in wonder what all the commotion was. Harry had ignored them too. They tried holding him back for questioning, but his daughter's life was a stake. He had to get to that surgery room before it was too late. He skidded to a halt in front of a desk and a woman with bleach hair looked up.

"Mr. Potter," she said in relaxation. "Thank goodness."

"My daughter," He breathed. "Is she all right?" He asked in a hasty mood. She looked at him with sadness.

"We're not sure." She said in sadness.

"What's wrong with her?" He asked and she gave him the same look, but a different answer.

"She is refusing to budge from the uterus. If we don't get her out of there soon then she might suffocate." She said.

"Can't you do surgery and open Hermione's uterus?" He asked and she shook her head.

"It isn't that simple. One wrong move and you might lose your wife." She was tearing with fear and Harry tried to fight back his tears.

"No, there has to be a way!" He said as he tried to fight.

"I'm sorry, but there is not." She said and Harry growled.

"Where is she stationed?" He asked in a hasty mood.

He needed to get there before something went wrong. There was no way he would lose a daughter or a wife. He promised Hermione he'd protect her, but there was a possibility that he would break that promise. He vowed at his wedding that he'd protect her in sickness or in health, and this went for his daughter too.

"Mr. Potter!" She scolded. "You can not go in there! You aren't allowed in a surgery room unless you are having it done to you." She said.

"Look," He focused on her name tag. "Mindy, my daughter is in danger and I have to be in there. I can not be here, knowing that my wife and daughter are in danger and do nothing about it. Let me go, I beg you." He pleaded.

"I'm sorry," She said. "You are not allowed in." She said with regret.

He paced back and forth. He needed to be in there. He needed to stay in there and hold her hand. He needed to tell her it was alright, but these people were holding him back from her. An idea… he needed an idea.

"Clothes," He said quickly. He turned to her. "If you give me a nursing outfit can you let me in?" He asked.

"I'd have to check with the doctor." She said.

"DO IT!" He said hastily. He didn't care if he said it rudely. These were desperate times.

He had followed her to the outside of the door. It was a tall blue door with no windows on it so people on the opposite side couldn't spy. He tried peeking when she opened the door, but she was too fast. Instead a loud, high, and piercing scream had reached his ears and he knew exactly who it was.

"I NEED HARRY!" Hermione screamed. "I NEED MY HUSBAND!" She had screamed and Harry could immediately tell she was crying.

Harry paced outside the door and waited for the nurse. He would go in there whether they liked it or not. He would be in there and he would help her. He'd gladly take her pain away if he could, but it wasn't that simple. She was screaming for him, but they wouldn't budge a move to get him.

"Alright," Mindy said as she walked out of the room. "They need you in there immediately." She said. "Change into these clothes and go in there."

She had handed the clothes to him. He wrapped the teal robe of thin material around him and sighed. He put a bandana around his hair and pulled out his plastic gloves. The last thing was a pure white cup that had covered his mouth by a stretching band that went around his head. He had walked in and Hermione was still screaming.

"Mr. Potter?" A nurse asked.

"Yeah," He said. His voice was a little muffled from the cup thing that covered his mouth. He looked at her. "Can I go to her?" He asked in a hostile manner.

"Yeah," She took his arm. "Guys," She said. "We've got the husband."

"Thank god." The operating doctor said.

Harry had walked quickly to her side. Her eyes were closed as she let out struggled screams of pain. Harry's eyes had instantly filled with tears and he couldn't contain them any longer. Seeing Hermione in pain was the worse thing that could ever happen to him.

"Harry!" Hermione opened her eyes. She gasped and grabbed him.

"I'm here Hermione." He said soothingly. "I'm here, and I'm not going to let you go."

"She's going to die." Hermione said in a strangled cry. "I know it."

"No she's not!" Harry demanded. "She's going to be fine."

"I was supposed to protect her." She cried. She had completely ignored Harry's comment. "I was supposed to keep her safe."

"You have." Harry said. He had kissed her forehead to calm her down, after he removed the mask, but the tears leaked too much from his eyes.

She was sweating so much that her hair looked like it had been sprayed by a hose. He didn't care at all, so he pulled the strands of hair from her eyes and held her hand with their fingers laced tightly. She was crying and he couldn't bear to see her in pain. He needed to stay with her, but this was worse then he thought.

He needed to be strong, and he needed to be here while she still needed him to be. He would stay here even if it hurt him to see. Hermione and their baby were in trouble, and he would not walk out on them. Never would he walk out on them in the time of need or danger.

"She's losing a lot of blood!" One of the nurses had yelled. "Internal bleeding." She clarified.

"Is she going to be alright?" Harry asked with tears still in his eyes.

"We don't know." She said. "We're going to need you to leave for a little bit." The doctor said.

"He can't!" She said. Harry green eyes had filled with so many tears that his vision was blurry. He had to leave this place, for now.

"Be strong baby," Harry said. "Be strong." She had let go.

The doctor had turned him away and he had no choice but to leave. He whipped the tears from his eyes and walked out the door. He was greeted by the entire Weasley family, but this was an unhappy visit. He sniffled a bit when Molly Weasley had pulled him into a hug. She tried to smile, but Harry couldn't stop his tears from falling.

"How is she?" Ginny asked and Molly had released him.

"She's bleeding too much." He said. "If they make a mistake then both Hermione and the baby will die." He said. Molly had gasped.

"Are you going to be alright?" Ron had asked when he joined the crowd. Molly had soon begun to cry.

"I don't know," He said. "I don't know what I'd do with out her." He cried.

The family had given him a hug and tried to tell him that everything would be alright in the end. Harry felt anger towards Ginny for what Hermione had told him a while ago, but he couldn't think of that now that this was happening. He hugged her too and the family had sent him their regrets.

"How was she acting?" Molly asked.

"She was sweating a lot and she was screaming quite a bit too. I don't think she had ever been through so much pain. She was crying a lot too, and that's when the nurse declared that she was having abnormal internal bleeding." He said.

"Everything will be alright," The twins said after a long silence from them.

"I'm sure the doctors will handle it." Ron spoke.

"I don't know." Harry said. "I'm sorry; I really didn't want you to see me like this." He wiped the tears from his eyes.

"It's alright dear," Molly had said. "You have every right to be upset." She said comfortingly.

"How long do they think the surgery will take?" Ron asked.

"I don't know. Only time will tell." He responded.

"Harry you need to calm down." Ginny said in an unbelievable comfort. "Hermione is tough, and she'll get through this. The baby will make it and you guys will live your long, happy lives together." Ginny said.

"You should talk." Harry snipped back and she looked at him in confusion. "Hermione told me about you. You had turned her into the death eaters and that's why you were mad at her. She caught you, and it had nothing to do with me." He said.

"Ginny, is that true?" Molly asked.

"No, mother," She said. "Hermione is lying."

"Never!" Harry threatened. "Never call my wife a liar!" He spat at her.

When Ginny had backed down he had sat down next to Ron. Harry leaned over his knees and cradled his head in his hands. His breathing was struggled. His hands were filling with tears fast, and he had nothing to do but wait. His heart pounded with fear and hopes, but that wasn't enough.

A thought had come to his mind. He was once told that love was all that ever mattered and love was the only thing that anyone could need. He believed love could prevent everything, but he was wrong. He was wrong because something had come straight to his mind: Love wasn't enough to save her life.

"Mr. Potter." The nurse named Mindy said as she once returned from the operating room.

"Yes," He said as he jumped to his feet. "Is everything going to be alright?" He asked.

"We think so, but I'm afraid we have one problem." She said.

"What?" He asked. "I'll do anything to help it from happening!" He yelled.

The woman was crying heavy, thick, and sad tears. Her blond hair was spiked and Harry could tell right away that something really bad must have gone wrong if a nurse was crying. He could tell by her what it was, but this nurse sounded like she could barely talk about it herself.

"Your wife," She hiccupped.

"She's fine... right? Everything is fine." He said to get these thoughts out of his head.

"I'm sorry, but I'm afraid..." She paused. "She's fading."

Author's Notes:

A little intense, but I wanted a chapter that would make readers die for an update. But it wasn't that good.Ikind of like it, but what do you think? Did it keep you on your toes:P

To My Reviewers:

Harryisahottie101 – I wanted a change, but no too much. Though I think it changed a lot. They are facing more tragedy and this is how I wanted it. I like stories with a lot of fluff, but I enjoy writing tragedy/horror too.

pumpkinpie4ever – I did check out one of your stories. It was good, I might have written a review but right now my memory isn't exactly full, so excuse me.

rockergurl13 – Well, here you go. Enjoy!

NicciBubbles – Story was? This story isn't over. I have no idea when I'm going to finish it, but I doubt it'll be too soon. I think my fans still enjoy it... right?

PrincessLuckyCML – Well I loved it, and I'm glad we're basically penpals now. You're the coolest!

Ms. Sakura Moon – Well now the book is out, so did you enjoy it? I personally don't think it was as good as the others, but I liked it. Also thanks on reviewing for this story. I'm glad you like it.

Margaret – Well, I'm glad you took the time to read all 13 chapters. It means a lot and I have to admit that my first couple of chapters were horrible, but I think I've gotten better. Enjoy!

THANK YOU EVERYONE!

Airalynn

UPDATED: (SATURDAY) JULY 23, 2005 – HARRY 16th BIRTHDAY DANIEL RADCLIFFE!