The Reason Why (Harmione)

Chapter 32

The first month of Lily's life went by in a blur. Then one day, time seemed to stop.

Hermione woke up that morning to the sound of rain on the roof. She enjoyed it for a moment, then she went still. Something wasn't right. Hermione had been woken by the sound of her child crying for the past month. She turned over and looked at the clock. It was ten o'clock.

Something was definitely wrong. Lily never slept that late.

Hermione stood and walked down the hall to the baby's room, her heart racing. But when she got to the room, her heart stopped. The crib was empty.

She ran back to her bedroom. "Harry!" She shouted before she was even in the room yet. When she did reach the room, she shook him awake, not trying to be gentle. "Wake up!"

"Blimey, Hermione," Harry murmured sleepily.

"Get up!" Hermione yelled, nearly hysterical now.

He sat up, looking concerned. "What's the matter?"

"Lily's gone!" Hermione cried. "Her room is empty!"

"Are you sure she's not in another room?" Harry asked.

"She's a month old! Unless you're suggesting that a two-year-old managed to take her out of her crib, then there's no way she could be in another room!" Hermione shrieked, her face stained with tear tracks.

Harry stood up as he heard a small voice in the doorway. "Hermy?"

Hermione whipped around. "Yes, Teddy?" she said, trying her best to keep her voice steady.

"Why you crying?" He asked innocently, which made Hermione burst into hysterical years once again.

Inside, Harry was as terrified as Hermione, but he tried to keep his composure. He strode over to his godson, then got down on one knee so that he could look him in the eye.

"Teddy, have you seen Lily this morning?" Harry asked, placing his hands on Teddy's shoulders.

Teddy shook his head. "No."

Harry's heart sank and he heard Hermione sob again.

Harry checked the rest of the house, hoping that by some miracle his daughter had ended up in another room, though he knew the whole time that it was hopeless. He checked the rooms hastily, knowing that if she was gone, the longer he waited to call for help, the more time there was for something to happen to her.

Hermione didn't join Harry as he searched the house. Instead, she tried to compose herself enough to send a message to the Auror office.

After casting a Patronus, she said as steadily as she could, "My daughter is missing. Please send immediately." She then left their address and watch the silvery otter float away.

Once the message was sent, she got herself and Teddy dressed. As she was helping Teddy brush his teeth, he said, "Hermy?"

"Mmm?" Hermione answered distractedly.

"Where's Lily?"

Hermione bit down hard on her quivering bottom lip. "I don't know, honey," she answered quietly.

"Is she gonna be okay?" Teddy asked.

Hermione sniffed as a tear rolled down her cheek. "I hope so."

"I do, too," Teddy said. "I love Lily."

Hermione nodded. "I do, too," she whispered, wiping away another tear.

From down the stairs, she heard a knock on the door. She immediately hurried down the stairs to let them in.

                                ~ooo~

Harry and Hermione stood side by side, watching the Aurors search the house for evidence. Teddy was on Harry's hip. Hermione wrapped her arms around Harry's neck.

"I'm going back to work," she muttered in his ear. "And I won't stop until I find my baby."