After so long (Dramione) ✔

/5/

The moment was heavy

With pure emotion.

He looked at both the faces

Talking excitedly

Filling him in on their lives.

He had learnt, at the special ward

at St.Mungo's,

to always treasure

all moments

spent with the ones you cherish.

Her rosy cheeks glowed framed by

Locks of platinum blonde

As she told of her exciting adventures

At pre school

"Oh and we did this really fun thing

For Father's Day!"

His heart and fists clenched

as he watched her run up the stairs;

Why did he have to be so weak?

To be forced to leave them

So he could rid his stupid mind

Of a stupid curse

That just insisted on claiming his very being?

His baby had grown up without him to witness

Her sweet first words heard only by her mother

Heck, he didn't even know what they were

She probably recognized him from the photos of the wedding

And Hermione's fervant chants that she was not fatherless

He looked up at her

"Baby, thank you

For keeping her strong

For never letting her feel lonely

For letting her know...

That I existed"

He closed his eyes

And immediately felt her warm hands

Cupping his face and holding his hand

Her thumbs working magic into his skin

"Of course, love

Why wouldn't I?"

"Look, Daddy!

I found it!"

Her small arms presented a haphazard pile of paper

With flourish.

He flipped through the pages

Of large drawings; quite beautiful for her age,

From the last to first,

Slowly as ever

Of a man and little girl

With bright yellow hair

Going on adventures

And having fun.

And he reached the page with the title

That made his breath hitch painfully in his throat.

'Daddy and Me'

It said, in large pink letters

With a rainbow on top

And the two hugging at the bottom

A small voice tugged at his thoughts

"They said Daddy wasn't ever going to come back

But I said no,

He is.

Because he knows that I love him.

And mommy says he loves me

And absence only makes

Love stronger"

He chuckled at the mini Hermione

And picked her up

Pulling her close

Her small body radiating warmth

And whispered

"That's my girl"