Til The End

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`Til The End

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He had seen much, much more than his share of scary things in the less than thirty years that he´d lived so far. Any one of the horrors he´d witnessed was enough to drive most people witless with fear. He had heard innumerable screams. But this was by far the most gut-wrenching, and he had never been so panicky in his life.

And what a time for this, too!

They had been in the middle of Anthony and Una´s wedding, when Cho´s water broke. It was still three weeks early; she´d decided to be there, saying that she would be fine. She could not let her bridesmaid and best man of two years ago down, could she?

And just as Anthony and Una had been pronounced man and wife, and were just passing them on their trek down the aisle, hand in hand, when Cho gave a sharp inhalation, and her eyes had widened in pain, just as she squeezed Roger´s hand.

"It´s time," she had whispered, and not only did Roger react, but the bride and groom stopped in their tracks, and Una, impulsively throwing her bouquet at Gabrielle, her maid of honor, rushed over to Cho, and helped her up from her seat.

Anthony turned to the rest of the guests, and, with a perfectly serious face, shouted, "Sorry everyone, but we´ll have to leave. One of our most honored guests needs to go to the hospital and become a mother. Feel free to linger and enjoy the refreshments... but we´re off."

And with that, the bride and groom, as well as the panicking Roger, had Apparated Cho to the hospital.

That had been five hours ago. And Cho was still in labor.

The mediwitch had shooed him out of the delivery room after the first two hours, saying that she would call him when the time comes.

When would the bloody time come?!

Sitting with him in the waiting room were Anthony, Una, Harry, Gabrielle, Draco and Jing-Li (who had come from China for the summer) along with the latter couple´s almost-two-year-old (and very self-possessed) daughter Mei-Ya (called Maya when in England). All of them wore looks of varying degrees of nervousness on their faces, but none were pacing like he was. And none of them were quite as pale.

Draco leaned over with an impish grin and whispered in his wife´s ear, "Think we should hit him with a stunning spell?"

"He´d kill you," Jing-Li muttered back, "And if you think that I would allow you to do such a preposterous thing..." She let the statement hang, but the impertinent former Slytherin quieted for the time being.

Finally, a young nurse came out of the delivery room, and ran over to where Roger was wearing a hole in the carpet.

"Mr. Davies!" she called out, "It´s time... you can come in now!"

Roger stopped mid-pace, turned sharply, and pushed past her in a run. The door of the delivery room opened, then slammed shut. The others all blinked.

"Well..." Draco blinked, "Someone is eager..."

"Oh, shut up, you..." Jing-Li gave him a rebuking look, "If I recall, you were no less so when our daughter was born."

"That´s because we have the most bloody sodding beautiful child in the world," Draco smiled at the little girl, "Aren´t you, Maya?"

"Don´t use words like `bloody´ and `sodding´ around her, Draco!" Jing-Li hissed.

"Their Chinese equivalent, then?"

"NO!"

About thirty minutes later, the door of the delivery room finally opened again, and an exhausted but jubilant Roger Davies walked out... his arms full.

"Twins!" Una shouted jubilantly, "How lovely!"

The crowd trooped with Roger into the delivery room, where Cho reclined on her bed, her face pale and tired but unbelievably happy. "You know... I couldn´t decide choose who gets to be godparents..."

"So, we´re including all of you. For both of them." Roger grinned, "It´s unconventional, but I can´t think of a better way to do things."

Una grinned at Cho, "That´s all right. Congratulations, by the way."

"Thanks," Cho smiled back at her, "Sorry for ruining your wedding, though."

"Oh, that´s all right," Anthony spoke up from behind his bride, "Two happy events happening on one day... say, isn´t that some Chinese blessing or benediction?"

"Yes indeed... shuang xi." Jing-Li piped up, as she accepted one of the babies, a boy, from Roger. She smiled and looked at the child.

"Dark hair, of course... though it looks rather less straight than yours, Cho. What is his name?"

"Cedric," Cho spoke immediately. The room´s occupants nodded calmly and understandingly.

"And ze girl?" Gabrielle had taken the other child from Roger´s arms, and looked at the inquisitive, tiny face emerging from the pink blanket.

Cho gave a nostalgic smile, and looked at Una and Anthony, still in wedding robes.

"Charisse. Charisse Davies."

The room was silent for a few moments, and then Harry Potter spoke up, his green eyes full of a calm, kind goodwill.

"Cedric and Charisse Davies... welcome to the world. You two couldn´t possibly have had more worthy namesakes."

Jing-Li and Gabrielle handed the babies back to the new mother, and Cho smiled at all the friendly faces around her. This was a place and day of joy... after all that all of them had gone through... to be here today. It was a wonderful thing.

"Thanks, all of you, for everything."

And Roger, her husband, her friend... walked over to her bedside, and as blue eyes met brown, he uttered the sentiment that at that moment, filled everyone´s heart.

"We´re all here for each other, Cho. `Til The End."

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Gahhhhhh!! And it´s over! I need to go cry now....... REVIEW!