In The Water

Kappa

Once we were able to get the ring away from her it was fairly easy to get her out of the tangle of seaweed and into the tub. James left to put clean bedding on Hermione old bed and I sat on the toilet near the tub.

"There we go honey pie. Doesn't that feel better?" Little one nodded at question before submerging herself underwater. The tan fins unfurled and she curled herself into a ball.

"Draco told me the mother often abandons their offspring if something is wrong with them. I didn't see any injuries." I say and Lily looked at me and sighed.

"You of all people know Hermione would never abandon a child. Especially her own." Her voice was still calm and soft so not to upset little one.

"I of all people know how easily Hermione can abandon people." I replied in bitter hiss. She bit her lips and inhaled sharply.

"Cedric. Honey." I put my hand up interrupting her. Little one had poked her head out of the water and was staring at me with glowing eyes.

"I'll contact Luna. Maybe her or Rolf will know what to do with it." I leave the room only to have Lily chase after me.

"What do you mean what to do with it? That is my granddaughter in there. I dare you to try to take her from me." I've never seen Lily angry before, it was terrifying.

"You're telling me you're going to hide out here and go though all that for another twenty years just to have her jump back into the damn ocean. You can do whatever the hell you want.I'm not going to go though that again." I yelled and storm out of the room. Little ones cries almost bring me back but I can't.

"That tiny blessing isn't her mother. She doesn't deserve your anger. She can't help what she is anymore then Hermione could. If you ever loved her, please stay. At least until we get her calmed down." James said as I stormed into the hallway.

"I want to, but I can't. I can't get attached to her. I don't know how you two did it." I slumped against the wall tugging at my hair before hitting it against the hard surface.

"The day you call and told me you lost her I was so angry. But Lily was right we always knew the ocean would take her from us. We're just thankful we had the time that we did. I'm can't tell you what to do." He sat down beside me with his hands in his lap.

"I'll stay in the main house until Luna gets here. I can't promise more then that." I stood up and went into Harry old room. The last few hours had been exhausting and I was still nursing a hangover. A small nap, that's all I needed so I quickly put a sheet on the bare mattress and grabbed a blanket. Just as I was about to fall asleep Lily came in with the sobbing child. Without a word she dropped her onto the mattress and left. Little one quieted almost immediately and climbed up on my chest like a cat. She laid her head on my scar again, guess after all these years my mark still meant something.

"What am I going to do with you little one?" I asked as I rubbed her back.

"Meri." She hiccuped looking up at me. " Meri." She patted her chest proudly.

"Your mama called you Meri, little one?" I ask and she nods with a yawn. After a few minutes she fell asleep and I stayed still to let her rest. A soft knock woke me from the semi conscious state. Carefully I rolled her on to the bed.

"We need to talk." James said in a whisper looking at the small girl asleep. I followed him into the living room where Lily was going though an old trunk.

"Hermione was never that small." Lily muttered as she pulled some blue and green clothes. " Harry's old things will have to do until we can go to the store."

"Lily dear. We have to talk." James said sitting beside her putting his hands over hers stopping her from messing with the clothes.

"I don't care what you two say, she's staying with us. She's our granddaughter James. She part of Hermione." Lily was near tears and James pulled her into a hug.

"Of course she's staying, Love. We just need to get our story straight and start making arrangements." As he comforted her I sat down in a chair.

"I still say you should Luna and her husband deal with it." I grumbled as I poured a glass of firewhiskey from the decanter next to me.

"Cedric." Lily sounded angry with me.

"You both have been telling me to move on and now you're telling me to stay. I'm tired of hurting. Seeing that beautiful little girl is just a constant reminder that she left me. That I wasn't good enough." I swallowed the drink and they both shook their head.

"We don't know what happened. And it doesn't matter. All that matters is protecting that little girl up there. Obviously something happened, Hermione wouldn't abandon her." James said and I bit the inside my check  hard enough to draw blood. "Something happened and Hermione sent her to us. I know it, it wasn't an accident she showed up here."

"Like I said I can't. You two do whatever you want but I'm contacting Luna." I went to get up but James pushed me back into the chair.

"You contact her, maybe she can help us take better care of little one."  He began.

"Meri.She said her name was Meri." I interrupted and they both smiled.

"Meri, it's so beautiful." Lily said with a happy voice.

"Okay, you contact Luna, but you have to help take care her until then. She seems to only want you." James said, his tone told me I didn't have a choice.  "So no more drinking, we'll tell everyone that one of the slags you fooled around with dropped her off. Less questions that way."

I don't know how I agreed to their terms but I nodded and went back upstairs. Little one was still asleep in the middle of my bed. With a groan I sat in a chair by the book case.

"No bites." Her little voice broke me from my daydreams. I look down and she had crawled off the bed and toddled towards me.

"No bites?" I repeated and she nodded. She frowned and climbed into my lap. I stiffen and grit my teeth.

"Mama has bite." She yawned and laid her head on my shoulder.

"Mama has bite?"  What does that mean. Mama had bite. Hermione bit me, does she mean mama had been bitten that way.

"Big bite here." She pointed to her side as she began crying again. Her little hands clung to my shirt as I stayed still. She cried herself back to sleep and I carried her to Hermione old room and put her in the bed. Meri had inherited her mother curls and I smiled without meaning to.