Disclaimer: I own nothing except for my ideas. Everything belongs to J.K. Rowling.

Chapter Twelve: Ava Daphne Greengrass

Ava Daphne Greengrass, 6 lbs 7 ounces, was born on February 11th, 2017.

It had been Meredith's last year at Hogwarts and she had given birth in the Hospital Wing with the school Mediwitch Mlle. Olsen, who had been there since Meredith's third year, taking care of her the whole time. Leo had never left her side, holding her hand tightly. Teddy and Victoire had Flooed into Mlle. Olsen's office and been present for the birth.

Being pregnant without anybody noticing had been hard. For starters, she couldn't leave her dormitory without casting a concealment charm on her stomach - to give off the illusion that she wasn't huge, when in reality, she could feel her big stomach every second of every day.

Meredith remembered every detail of the night her daughter had been conceived. It had been in May of her Sixth Year, and she had found out about her pregnancy at the end of Term before heading home, getting Mlle. Olsen to cast the pregnancy detector charm on her before she had to leave.

It had been one of the most terrifying moments of her life.

At first, she had been so ashamed of herself. That was why she had decided to conceal her pregnancy from almost everybody. It hadn't been the first time her and Leo had slept together. That had happened right before the Christmas Holidays of Sixth Year.

They had just simply forgotten the protection charm in the heat of the moment. It was a stupid, foolish mistake that they couldn't take back.

Meredith had wanted to reach out to her Mother so many times during her pregnancy, but she had been terrified. She had been so worried that she would disappoint Hermione by having a child even younger than she had. She knew that Hermione had wanted Meredith to have everything - and that included not being a teenage mother.

She had told Leo in a letter at the beginning of Summer Holidays that year - and he had Apparated to just outside her house almost an hour after she had sent it.

. . .

"Meredith..." Leo whispered when she finally reached him.

Meredith felt her eyes well up in tears at the sight of him. He was standing just beyond her property line, practically shaking. She knew that he was just as terrified as she was.

"A-are you sure?" he whispered, his voice barely audible.

She nodded, tears slipping down her cheeks. "I'm sure."

"Holy..." he mumbled, taking a step back from her.

She pressed her hand to her mouth to stop a sob from escaping. She had known for three weeks now and it still hardly felt real. She could not believe it - yet she knew it was true.

"Leo, I'm so scared." she admitted.

And then he stepped back to her, pulling her into his arms. She rested her head on the familiar spot on his shoulder that she had called hers since the end of Fifth Year when they had first gotten together.

"Have you told anyone?" he asked, pulling away only slightly and taking her face in his hands.

"J-just Teddy." she mumbled.

Leo smiled sadly at her, pressing his lips to her forehead.

"You know I've never told my parents about you. How the hell am I supposed to tell them that I - that I'm - I'm pregnant?" she stammered.

She had always wanted to tell her parents about Leo. She felt weird having a boyfriend without them knowing - but she also felt too weird to actually tell them. She liked having something and someone that was just hers in the middle of such a big family.

"We'll figure it out, Mer. We'll figure it all out." he whispered.

"We?" she squeaked out.

"Of course, Meredith. What - you think I'd leave you?" he said, laughing lightly.

She didn't like to admit it - but Meredith had been afraid out of her mind that Leo would leave her. His laughter stopped and she knew that he had seen the fear in her eyes.

"I love you too much to ever leave you, Mer. You know that." he whispered, pulling her closer to him and pressing their foreheads together. "I'm going to be here for whatever you want to do. I'll be behind you."

She kissed him hard on the lips, her fear easing ever so slightly.

. . .

Meredith had worked out a deal with the Headmistress of the school, Professor Lancaster. Meredith had been made Head Girl, and even though Leo hadn't been made Head Boy, Professor Lancaster had granted them permission to live in the Heads' Dormitory for Seventh Year. They had been able to use the one room as their own, while being able to transform the other into a nursery.

It had been a perfect temporary home.

Meredith hadn't planned to get so far into her pregnancy without telling her parents. It wasn't that she was ashamed of her baby - after feeling her daughter kick for the first time she had known that she had never loved anything more. She had just been so terrified.

When she had gone into labour, she had vowed to tell her parents the next time she saw them - which would be on Easter Holiday. She knew that they would be more than angry and shocked, but she didn't care. She knew that her mother would never kick her out of the house.

From the minute she had laid her eyes on Ava, she had been in love.

. . .

"Congratulations, it's a girl!" Mlle. Olsen said, placing the tiny newborn into Meredith's tired arms.

Meredith let out a loud sob of happiness as she cradled her baby close.

"H-h-hi baby." she whispered. "I'm your Mummy."

She tore her eyes away from her daughter for only a second to look at Leo who was staring down at her, absolutely mesmerized.

Leo caught her eyes and kissed her deeply on the mouth before they both turned to look back at their daughter. She had a sprinkling of dark hair - Leo's colour - on her head, and her eyes were squeezed shut as she cried softly.

"She's beautiful, Meredith." Teddy whispered from her other side, kissing the top of Meredith's head.

She looked up at Teddy and Victoire, finding tears in both of their eyes. Teddy wrapped his arm around Victoire who buried her face into Teddy's shoulder for a moment before looking up.

"Does she have a name?" Victoire whispered.

Meredith looked up at Leo who nodded at her. She knew what he was saying immediately. She had felt it the minute she had laid eyes on her daughter.

"Ava. Ava Daphne Greengrass." Meredith whispered, pressing a light kiss on her baby's forehead.

"Beautiful. I will write that on the birth certificate to send to the Ministry, okay?" Mlle. Olsen said.

Meredith nodded, being unable to tear her eyes away from her baby any more. Suddenly, Ava was clean and wrapped in a pink blanket.

"Thank you, Mlle. Olsen." Meredith whispered, knowing that the MediWitch had cleaned her daughter up.

"Can I hold her, Mer?" Leo whispered.

Meredith looked up at Leo and grinned. She gently shifted Ava into his arms and watched as his eyes widened.

"Hi, Ava." he whispered, sitting down on the edge of the bed next to Meredith.

Ava opened her eyes, revealing bright brown eyes - eyes like Meredith's own.

"She's so beautiful." Meredith gushed.

"Just like her Mum." Leo whispered.

Even though Meredith had never planned for this, she knew exactly that she was meant to be a Mother.

. . .

The three of them had lived in the Heads Dormitory for three months before it happened. It had been the most exhausting, yet most amazing three months of Meredith's life. She wouldn't trade them for the world. She had ended up making an excuse to stay at Hogwarts for the Easter holidays - she just hadn't been ready to bring Ava to her home.

May 17th, 2017 was when Meredith's world had changed entirely.

When Meredith and Leo were both at classes, house elves would watch Ava. It usually changed between three of the Hogwarts elves, with the primary one being Winky - an elf that she knew her mother had come across while in Hogwarts herself.

Meredith had come back from Potions class to relieve the elf and spend some time with her daughter while Leo was in another class to find devastation. She heard the frantic, squeaky shouting of the elf and the murmured incantations of Mlle. Olsen.

. . .

Meredith ran instantly to the nursery, dropping everything but her wand on the floor of the dormitory. She stopped at the doorway, clutching her hand to her chest as she screamed.

Esmeralda the House Elf was trembling next to the crib as Mlle. Olsen stood nearest, waving her wand frantically overtop. Meredith didn't understand what was happening.

"Come on, Ava. Come on!" Mlle. Olsen screamed.

Meredith was frozen, watching. She was certain neither had noticed her, even with her frantic screaming. Mlle. Olsen dropped her wand into the crib and began to pump Ava's chest with her fingers.

CPR. Muggle resuscitation. She knew that Mlle. Olsen would not use that unless she had run out of other options.

Meredith watched everything in a blur - Mlle. Olsen continuing to pump Ava's tiny chest while continuing to use her wand with her other hand. Esmeralda stood by the side, shaking uncontrollably until the MediWitch told her to leave and get assistance.

She soon reappeared with Leo and Professor Lancaster, who instantly started helping Mlle. Olsen. Meredith still didn't know what was happening.

What was wrong with her baby?

She stepped forward, reaching the side of the crib and she screamed even louder at the sight before her.

Ava's usual rosy, pale skin was paler than anyone she had ever seen. There was almost a tinge of blue. Her eyes were closed and she wasn't moving. Meredith couldn't even see her chest rising and falling.

"No, no, no, no, no!" Meredith screamed.

She felt Leo come up beside her and she fell over into him. He was screaming just as loud as she was.

"What's happening?" Leo thundered.

When neither witch answered, Meredith felt herself scream again in agony. After a few more minutes, both Professor Lancaster and Mlle. Olsen stopped. Meredith noticed tears in both of their eyes.

She didn't understand. Why were they stopping? Why weren't they saving her baby girl?

"Don't just stand there! Save her!" Meredith yelled.

"Meredith, I'm sorry. There's nothing left to do. We've tried everything." Mlle. Olsen whispered, pressing a hand to her mouth.

"No, no. You have to save her! You have to!" Meredith screamed.

She reached into the crib, feeling Ava's motionless body and sobbing until her world was black.

. . .

Meredith had passed out after that and woken up in the Hospital Wing with a sobbing Leo at her side.

Mlle. Olsen, Esmeralda and Professor Lancaster had explained what had happened to Ava. Her lungs had collapsed - both of them. Apparently it had been a condition that went undetected at birth and all the further checkups. Her lungs had been underdeveloped for her age of three months and therefore didn't supply her with enough oxygen. Ava's body had worked overtime to try and save itself, sending magical blood into her veins, summoning her magic much earlier than any child should have. It had been too much for her.

It had been a flux. It was something that was incredibly rare and only occurred in less than 2% of magical children.

Meredith didn't understand why her daughter had to be part of the 2%.

After that, Meredith hadn't attended any classes for the rest of the month. She had stayed in bed, either sobbing uncontrollably or remaining completely silent. Leo had stayed by her side, doing everything for her. He had been struggling just as much as she, yet he had been able to remain strong.

He had helped her eat, drink and shower in the first few days.

He had held her while she cried.

Meredith hadn't been able to look at him after that - not really. She blamed herself for not being there when her daughter needed her. Maybe if she had been watching Ava, they would have gotten to her in time.

When exams were over and her family was coming up for graduation, she knew that she wouldn't be able to tell anyone. Not then - when the wounds were so fresh. She wasn't even sure how to be around Leo anymore.

. . .

Meredith smoothed down her Hogwarts graduation gown before looking up at Leo. He had the same expression that he had had since May 17th - tired, stunned and defeated.

Meredith knew she looked the same way.

"Leo." she called out, knowing what she had to do.

He looked up at her, his eyes watering. She knew that he already knew what was coming.

"Don't do it, Mer. Don't." he begged, walking over to her from the other side of their bed.

"I'm sorry." she whispered.

"Please, Meredith. This isn't the way to do this. This isn't the way to deal with things." he said, grabbing ahold of her hands.

Meredith shook her head, tears forming in her eyes. She knew that if her heart weren't already gone, it would be breaking. But she was numb. She couldn't do anything anymore. She couldn't feel anything besides numbness or pain.

"I'm going to Europe with Teddy and Victoire in a few weeks. We're going to travel for a while." she said, pulling her hands away.

"How long is a while?" he asked.

"I don't know. However long we want to." she shrugged.

"I'll come with you."

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because... because it's too hard."

"Mer..."

She looked back up at him, stepping closer and pressing her lips to his, taking in one last kiss. The last kiss they would ever share. She knew that he could feel it too. He wrapped his arms around her, gripping her blonde hair in his one hand while the other clasped at her waist.

"I love you." he whispered when they pulled away.

She just nodded, crying freely now. She knew that a part of her wanted to stay with him. But she couldn't. Not when every time she looked at him she saw Ava.

"When you're ready... come back to me." Leo whispered.

"Leo, you don't have to wait for me. Live your life." she whispered, stepping away from him.

"Meredith, our daughter is dead. I can't live my life anymore." he said bitterly.

She closed her eyes in pain for a minute before opening them and finding him sitting down on the bed with his head in his hands.

"Just... don't wait for me." she repeated.

"You're the love of my life. I'm going to wait forever."

. . .

Graduation had been the last time she had seen him until he had shown up in her kitchen. He had sent her letters - which she had all ignored. She had drawn out her trip in Europe, staying there even when Victoire and Teddy had returned to England for weeks at a time.

When she had come home last Christmas, she had visited her Aunt Ginny. Teddy had told her that she had suffered from a miscarriage before any of her children had been born - before he had even gone to live with him. It was then that Meredith had first spoken about Ava to anyone who hadn't already known. Ginny had held her as she cried.

As Meredith sat in Leo's arms, both of them sobbing again and again, she knew that she couldn't let him out of her life again.

Running from him had been a mistake.

Nobody understood like he did.

Author's Note: Please READ AND REVIEW! xx Thanks for reading!