Drabble #6
Nov. 6th, 2006 02:01 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
matrilWell, here goes. I haven't ventured much into Harry Potter fanfic, trying to hold out until Book 7 comes out and the canon is officially complete. But....a few drabbles can't hurt, right? :P
A World Tomorrow
----
"Lily, you really must sit down. You've been on your feet far too much lately."
Lily merely laughed as she accepted her cup of tea. "You're one to talk, Alice. Does Frank know you've spent the entire day cleaning the house from top to bottom?"
Guiltily, Alice shook her head. "All right," she smiled ruefully, "let's both sit down then." They each took a seat at the newly polished table in the Longbottom's kitchen. "Though, in my defense," Alice went on, "casting a few cleaning spells is hardly heavy labor." She let out a chuckle. "I can't imagine how Muggle women get along."
"They manage all right," Lily replied cheerfully, setting down her cup. As had become a habit of late, she put a fond hand on her growing abodomen.
"How much longer for you?" Alice asked, a slight smile on her face that probably meant her baby had just moved. Lily knew the feeling.
"August, probably." Lily did her best to keep her voice steady. "Perhaps the end of July."
Alice's eyes lit up. "Mine too."
"Our children will be good mates, then." Lily's gaze wandered to the window. It was growing dark outside. The warm glow of the kitchen seemed to diminish.
Alice put a hand on hers and asked softly, "Are you afraid?"
Lily looked at her. "About the birth? Not really. About everything else? Yes."
Alice nodded in understanding. "It's a harsh world we're bringing these children into."
The question came bluntly from Lily's mouth. "Do you ever feel guilty for doing it?"
"Hmm." Alice sighed. "That's a good question." She was silent for a moment, then said, "Sometimes I do." Her face changed, taking on a determined strength. "But then I think - You-Know-Who wants us to give up hope. To believe there's nothing left fighting for. And I can't let him win."
"Nor I," Lily said softly. She took a deep breath. "In a way, this child is a way of saying There will still be a world tomorrow, a world where he can grow up safe and happy."
Alice nodded again, wiping her eyes. There was a knock at the door then, and she got up to answer it.
"Good evening, Alice," a voice said gravely. Lily looked up in surprise. It was Dumbledore. As she rose, he came into the kitchen with Alice and greeted her. "Lily. I'm glad you're here as well."
For no reason she could explain, Lily's heart was pounding, her throat closing up. "It's good to see you, Professor," she managed to say.
He bowed slightly. "I only wish I had come merely to exchange pleasantries. Alas, I have not."
Lily and Alice looked at each other worriedly, then back at Dumbledore. Briskly he asked, "Where is Frank? And James? I must speak with you all."
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Sheesh, two posts about pregnant women in a row. I seem to have a one-track mind lately...
A World Tomorrow
----
"Lily, you really must sit down. You've been on your feet far too much lately."
Lily merely laughed as she accepted her cup of tea. "You're one to talk, Alice. Does Frank know you've spent the entire day cleaning the house from top to bottom?"
Guiltily, Alice shook her head. "All right," she smiled ruefully, "let's both sit down then." They each took a seat at the newly polished table in the Longbottom's kitchen. "Though, in my defense," Alice went on, "casting a few cleaning spells is hardly heavy labor." She let out a chuckle. "I can't imagine how Muggle women get along."
"They manage all right," Lily replied cheerfully, setting down her cup. As had become a habit of late, she put a fond hand on her growing abodomen.
"How much longer for you?" Alice asked, a slight smile on her face that probably meant her baby had just moved. Lily knew the feeling.
"August, probably." Lily did her best to keep her voice steady. "Perhaps the end of July."
Alice's eyes lit up. "Mine too."
"Our children will be good mates, then." Lily's gaze wandered to the window. It was growing dark outside. The warm glow of the kitchen seemed to diminish.
Alice put a hand on hers and asked softly, "Are you afraid?"
Lily looked at her. "About the birth? Not really. About everything else? Yes."
Alice nodded in understanding. "It's a harsh world we're bringing these children into."
The question came bluntly from Lily's mouth. "Do you ever feel guilty for doing it?"
"Hmm." Alice sighed. "That's a good question." She was silent for a moment, then said, "Sometimes I do." Her face changed, taking on a determined strength. "But then I think - You-Know-Who wants us to give up hope. To believe there's nothing left fighting for. And I can't let him win."
"Nor I," Lily said softly. She took a deep breath. "In a way, this child is a way of saying There will still be a world tomorrow, a world where he can grow up safe and happy."
Alice nodded again, wiping her eyes. There was a knock at the door then, and she got up to answer it.
"Good evening, Alice," a voice said gravely. Lily looked up in surprise. It was Dumbledore. As she rose, he came into the kitchen with Alice and greeted her. "Lily. I'm glad you're here as well."
For no reason she could explain, Lily's heart was pounding, her throat closing up. "It's good to see you, Professor," she managed to say.
He bowed slightly. "I only wish I had come merely to exchange pleasantries. Alas, I have not."
Lily and Alice looked at each other worriedly, then back at Dumbledore. Briskly he asked, "Where is Frank? And James? I must speak with you all."
----------
Sheesh, two posts about pregnant women in a row. I seem to have a one-track mind lately...
