Golden Boy

-Thirty Seven-

James stared down at the incubator. Due to the magical advances the hospital had compared to muggle hospitals, the incubator was in the same room as Cassie. James bit his lip as he looked up at Cassie. He couldn't tell if she was awake or asleep. Her back was facing him, like always. Since she had woken up a few days ago, she couldn't bare to look at the baby. Cassie felt as though it was her fault for what had happened. 

James cleared his throat as he watched Cassie stir. "We need to name her," James whispered. "She needs a name," He added, his eyes moving back to look at the tiny baby inside of the incubator. He laid his hand on top of the glass. James wanted Cassie to say something, desperately. 

"I know," She said. Her voice was hoarse and it had shocked James. He hadn't expected her to say anything. "The nurses told me to in so we have a name for the death certificate," She mumbled. James sighed. "Cassie, she's alive. She's lasted longer than everyone thought she would," James shook his head. He crossed the room and lowered himself onto Cassie's bed. James placed his hand on the side of her thigh. 

"If you don't have faith in her, no one will," James mumbled. Cassie rolled over to look at James. There were tears in her eyes. "I do, I just...I don't know what I'll do if she doesn't make it, James," She whispered. James shifted and wiped her cheek with his thumb. "Don't worry about that. She'll be fine," James grabbed her hand. 

"Come, I'll show you," James stood up and Cassie shook her head. "James, I-""Just come look. Please," He added. Cassie sighed and sat up. James helped her out of the bed and over to the incubator. Cassie was clutching his bicep the entire time. They reached the edge of it and Cassie peered into the glass box. Her breath caught when her eyes fell on the baby. 

Cassie's hand squeezed James bicep. She hated this. Her child was covered in wires and tubes. Cassie shook her head. "I can't," She whispered, quickly looking away. Jame sighed. "Cass-""I can't look at her when she looks like that, James. I'm supposed to protect her! and look at her. She can't even breath on her own. How am I supposed to look at that?" James frowned. "She's your kid," Cassie nodded. "I know and I love her but it hurts me to see her like this," Cassie turned and walked back over to the bed, climbing inside it. 

The door opened and Cassie looked over her shoulder. Harry, Draco, and Ginny stood in the doorway. "I'm afraid we have some news," Ginny said. James sat up straighter. "What news?" He asked, noticing the solemn looks on their faces. 

Harry and Draco shared a look. "When the rest of the students go back to school, you'll be joining them," Harry stated. James and Cassie shot forward. "What?" They shouted. Cassie threw the blankets back and climbed out of bed. "Dad, you can't let them do this! We need to be here!" Cassie shouted. James stood up nodding. 

"I know, Cassie. I tried. I tried very hard but McGonagall was stubborn, either you two went back...or you didn't graduate," Draco whispered. Cassie shook her head, her voice breaking. "I can't leave her, dad. What if something happens and I'm not here? I will never let myself live that down. She deserves better than that. I owe her more than that," Cassie blubbered. Draco nodded in understanding. 

James felt anger bubble up inside of him. He scoffed. "You can't even look at her," James said. Cassie looked over her shoulder at him. Her face fell as she tilted her head. "Excuse me?" She whispered. James stepped towards her. "You just spend all day looking at the wall! Not saying anything, not doing anything! You just stare! For Merlin's sake, you can't even help me chose a name!" James shouted. 

Cassie frowned as tears filled her eyes. Harry stepped forward but Draco's hand flew in front of him. "Let him hear what she has to say," Draco whispered. "Then we step in?" Harry asked. Draco nodded, slowly. "Then we step in," 

Cassie shook her head. "Because I'm the reason she's here, James," Cassie shook her head. "I put her in that incubator. It is my fault!" Cassie growled. "I can't bare to look at her because I'm the one who caused her pain," Tears flowed down her cheeks as James stared at her emotionless. Cassie sighed. 

"You want me to be this perfect mother but I'm not perfect. I can't look at her because I'm scared to see her last moments. I'm scared that when I look at her face, it'll be the last time," Cassie shrugged. "I can't live with myself knowing that it'll be because of me," 

"It's not your fault, Cassie,""You weren't there! I could have ran, I could have screamed, I could have pulled my wand out but I- I couldn't I just froze," James stepped forward, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "Then I suppose it's my fault too, huh? My fault for getting drunk. I should have been there to protect you! I shouldn't have told you it was nothing to worry about," James scoffed. "Or maybe part of it is Albus's fault too because he didn't protect you either! Because he could have done something! He could have-"

"It's no one's fault but Lucius!" Draco shouted. Cassie and James fell silent as Harry looked at Draco hurt. He wanted to be the one who stepped in. Draco looked between the two teens. "You two need to stop this. If you don't work together, then this will pull you apart," There were tears in Draco's eyes as he spoke and Cassie felt her shoulders slump. Her mother and father had faced something similar. 

"Cassie, you can't let the fear of her dying stop you from loving her now. How would you feel if in five years you couldn't remember what she looked like because you didn't memorize every little detail about her. This isn't your fault and you can't put that on yourself. There's is nothing you could have done, there is nothing anyone could have done to stop this from happening," Draco whispered. Cassie knew the speech wasn't entirely directed at her. Her father was still upset about those seven years that he had lost. 

Draco turned to look at James. "And you can't blame her. You can't force this onto her because it might not be for her. She's right, you weren't there. You didn't feel what she went through. The pain, the fear. None of us know but her. You can't hold how she's dealing with this against her," Draco shook his head. "If you two are going to make it through this, you have to work together and be in this together, or else you'll regret it," 

Cassie and James shared a look. "Can we have a minute alone?" James asked. Draco nodded and turned to look at Harry and Ginny, trying his best to ignore the look on Harry's face. He didn't want to deal with pity at the moment. 

"I'm sorry," They both blurted out at the same time once their parents were out of the room. Cassie drew in a deep breath. "I'm just scared, James. What if we lose her?" She asked. James nodded. "I am too but let's not think about that," James shrugged. "Let's talk about something else, like...." James trailed off. "Like a name," Cassie threw out. James smiled and nodded. "Yeah," He whispered.