.
A few years later….
*** CHARLIE ***
Pansy was exhausted. Her face was puffy, her eyes ringed with dark circles. Sweat had matted her hair to her skin and she looked ready to pass out.
I kissed the top of her head and whispered, "I've never seen anyone so beautiful."
She smiled sleepily at me. "Me or your daughter?"
I touched my hand to the tiny baby on her chest. "Both of you."
Pansy's pregnancy — just two months after our wedding — was a complete shock. We'd not even discussed children, not seriously, but now looking at this little miracle, I knew she was exactly what was meant to be.
I'd fallen in love with Pansy the first time I met her and now it was happening again. Meeting our little girl for the first time, my heart was full to bursting. And our little girl — less than an hour old — was completely content laying on her mother's bare skin. Covered with a blanket and wearing a tiny pink hat, she was the sweetest little doll I'd ever seen.
"You look like you need to close your eyes for a bit." The midwife spoke quietly to Pansy who nodded. "Well then, it's time dad took over. Take your shirt off and sit in the armchair."
I raised an eyebrow at her, "Take off my shirt?"
"I'm not hitting on you, Charlie," she sniggered. "Skin contact with newborns is important."
I nodded, hesitating slightly before dragging my t-shirt off and sitting in the chair. The nurse winked at Pansy, making her laugh, then carefully took the baby from her and brought her to me.
I held my breath. I'd not yet held her; since the birth, she'd been tucked against Pansy's chest.
"Support her head," the nurse instructed. "Then gently lift her to your chest."
I nodded, still holding my breath. The fear of breaking her was insanely real. Dragons were a breeze compared to my tiny daughter.
She let out a whimpering cry and I froze. The nurse chuckled and helped me arrange her on my chest.
"You didn't hurt her, Charlie. Babies cry. Sometimes for absolutely no reason," she assured me and covered us both with a blanket before returning to my wife. "Just a few quick checks, Pansy, then you can rest." She snapped on some gloves and did what I assumed were normal postpartum tests. She declared Pansy to be fine, but my wife was already nodding off, her exhaustion finally winning out.
I smiled at her. She was incredible. After a long labour, she had brought our daughter into this world with such strength and determination, I was even more in awe of her than I usually was.
The baby squirmed on my chest, pulling my attention away from Pansy. She opened her eyes and looked up at me, the most adorable yawn scrunching her face. She was still all too new to this world to really make out her features, but I knew without a doubt she would look like her mother. And the tiny smattering of hair she had was dark — not a red Weasley strand in sight.
"She's the most content baby we've seen in a while," the nurse said. She'd covered Pansy, making sure she was comfortable and warm before coming back to check on me and my daughter. "Looks like she's as exhausted as her mother."
I nodded. "They've both had a big day."
"Indeed they have," she agreed. "We'd normally swaddle her by now, but she's doing well with you both."
"You're sure?" I glanced up at her; I only wanted what was best for my baby girl.
"Yes, she's perfectly fine. She needs some time with her daddy." She squeezed my shoulder. "Did you both decide on a name for her?"
"Melody," I smiled down at the baby. "Melody Raven Weasley."
It was the name Pansy had chosen early in her pregnancy, and admittedly I wasn't sold on it at first, but Pansy wouldn't budge. The name was her only choice and after witnessing my wife over the last twelve and a half hours — and since Melody was her Grandmother's name — who was I to disagree?
"Melody." She nodded slowly and finally smiled. "Just beautiful."
I glanced at Pansy then back at my daughter; the woman of my dreams and my tiny baby girl. I kissed Melody's crown and closed my eyes, breathing in her soft, newborn scent.
"I couldn't ask for anything more beautiful."
