In The Water

Dementor

The ocean always spit things up after a storm. The beach was littered with driftwood and seaweed. Broken glass bottles and other questionable muggle trash. I'll clean it up after I take Lily to town. Right now the fence requires my attention. The fence was by the tree I first saw her under. For a brief moment I let myself get lost in the memory of that day. My hangover keeping me from focusing to hard on them.

"Cedric." A voice screamed from the water. I must have been lost in the memory because I swear it was her voice. With a shake of my head I went back to the fence. Months ago I would of ran towards the ocean. My heart and mind is tired of hoping. Maybe the years of talking to an empty ocean has affected my brain because the ocean screamed my name again.

With a heavy sigh I stood up and ran my hand though my hair. I tugged at it as I debated on going to the voice. The hell with it, everyone already thinks I'm mad,might as well go towards the voice. There was a copper smell mixing with salt air. I look out into the ocean and notice some fins off the shore. Could be whales or dolphins but probably sharks. They always come out after a storm.

There was what looked like blood washing up on the shore. Great the sharks found something, probably a dolphin. I expected silence from the beach. Like every time I ran to the shore chasing phantom sounds. Instead I was greeted by soft crying from a small heap of sea weed. 

The tug around my heart constricted and I could feel my heart pounding in my chest. The heap was much to small to be her.

"Mama." A tiny voice wailed. I approach the heap and it moved. The voice kept crying for its mama. Couldn't be more then two from the sound and size. Finally I touched it pulling some of the seaweed off. A tiny body covered in seaweed with honey colored curls looked up at me with glowing silver eyes.

"Hey there little one." I whispered as I pull the coat off and wrapped it around her. She tried standing up but fell into my arms.

"Mama." She whimpered again. She was covered in blood but I couldn't see any injuries. Her small tan fins began to retract into her arms as she laid her head on my shoulder. The little ones cry began to soften as she nuzzled the scar on my shoulder.

I stood up and adjusted the coat around her. Dammit Hermione where are you. The whole walk up to the house I debated bringing her to Lily. They were about to leave, I didn't want to dragged them back. I couldn't handle this, Draco words about mortals interfering came to mind. Then him telling me of his lost siblings. Had Hermione heart really gone that cold. Little one couldn't be more then two.

"Cedric honey, everything okay? James is on his way home so you don't have to take me to town." She paused looking at me with the bundle in my arms. "What did you find."

I had no words instead I put little one on the table and removed my coat. Lily dropped the cup she was holding. She rushed towards us but stop in front of the small girl. Her hand went to touch her but she paused.

"Cedric." She gasped looking at me with tears. Little one began crying again calling for her mama. "Hey hey, honey. Don't cry honey."

Little one seemed to calm down at her words but reached for me. I couldn't. The silver eyes faded to gray color and her hair was drying into a dark blonde mess of curls. There's no doubt she is Hermione child.

"Come here honey." Lily cooed at the child and the little one lips quiver as she kept looking at me.

"Lily I can't." I say as I leave the room the child begins crying louder. I waited outside the front door waiting for James to arrive. When he did he was curious as to why I was outside.

"Everything okay son, is Lily okay?" I nodded my head.

"She's okay, I found something on the beach." I stayed sitting on the chair as he went in. Twenty minutes later he came back out.

"Come inside." He demanded, James has never demanded anything from me. I took a shaky breath.

"I can't James. I can't." The tears were burning my eyes and a sob was tearing at my throat.

"I don't give a damn what you can't do. Get inside now." He grabbed my collar and dragged me inside. The little one was still crying, even louder then before. My heart was breaking again, it felt like that first day. It was one thing knowing she choose him, another seeing the proof of it in front of you.

"Cedric honey please." Lily pleaded with me. I nodded and slowly walked towards the crying child.

"Hey little one." I whispered crouching down to be eye level with her. She whimpered out a mama again before throwing herself at me. I wrapped my arms around her and patted her back as I stood back up.

"Bring her up to Hermione old room. I start a bath. James see if you can find some of the kids old clothes and meet us there." Lily order and we both obeyed her. Little one was just whimpering and put her head on my scar again.

Lily filled the tub with warm water and salt. The memory of doing the same thing for Hermione pulled at my mind. Lily had me sit on the edge of the tub and put little one on my lap. I faced her towards Lily.

"Hi there honey. Is that better?" Little one back more towards me when Lily began talking to her. "You're okay. We won't let anything happen to you."

James knocked on the door and came in holding a small pink night gown and some towels. He handed everything to Lily and went to the back corner out of little one line of sight.

"Come on little one, Miss Lily is here to help you." I whisper to her and she looks up at me with a sad frown. She then turned back to Lily and relaxed slightly.

"James, Love. Are there some scissors in here." Lily asked and he opened a couple of drawers and handed them to her along with a wash cloth.

"See little one, we're just going to clean you up and make sure you're not hurt."  She relaxed even more and let Lily clean her face off. When she began cleaning her arm little one began fussing again.

"It's okay honey, what do you have here?" Lily asked as she held the girl tiny fist in her hand. Her knuckles were white from clenching it so hard. Lily gently uncurled her tiny hand. I sobbed escaped and a few tears came out of my eyes. The blue stone and pearl ring I gave Hermione had cut the girls hand from her holding it so tight.