lotus_blossom (lotus_blossom) wrote in snark_n_bark, @ 2008-04-11 09:55:00 |
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Entry tags: | complete, faelan, harry, padma |
When I look up from my pillow
Characters: Padma, Faelan, Harry (cameo)
Summary: Parvati has her baby. Padma is exhausted...
Not long after midnight, Padma woke up as her name was called loudly from the Floo. Faelan grumbled, rolling over in his sleep as she grabbed a dressing gown and slipped it on, then hurried to the Floo. Her mother's face looked out at her from the green flames.
"It's time! Meet us at St. Mungo's!"
With that, her mother was gone, and Padma ran back to her room to quickly pull on some clothes and tie her hair back. Faelan sort of woke up as she was shoving her feet into her boots.
"Whassat?" he mumbled, reaching out for her.
"Parvati's in labour," Padma said. She leaned over and gave him a quick kiss. "I have to go, not sure when I'll be back. The alarm should go off so you get to work on time."
"'kay," Faelan said, sleepily patting her hip. He curled up again and fell back asleep.
Padma hurried back into the living room and took a handful of Floo powder out of its pot.
"St. Mungo's!" she called, after tossing it into the grate.
The ride was horrendous, and she nearly fell out in someone's private home before finally arriving safely at the hospital. Well, safely if you didn't count the bruises she'd got being banged around during the trip. The wizard at the reception desk directed her to the room Parvati was in, and Padma ran through the halls toward the maternity section. She passed by a room with all of her family and Parvati's husband's family – a hospital aide was muttering about needing an expansion charm on the room with everyone that was in it – and found Parvati's room easily.
"I'm here," Padma said breathlessly as she slid between two aunties and went to Parvati's side. Naresh, Parvati's husband, gave her a grateful look from Parvati's other side. "What's going on?"
"No magic," Parvati gritted out.
"What?" Padma said, looking at the doctor for confirmation.
He nodded. "Unfortunately, it's true. We've had so many difficulties with magic, that we don't dare risk it with witches in labour. There have been several bad incidents, and it has been decided that it is important not to risk the mother and baby. So no magic."
"No potions either?" Padma asked.
The doctor shook his head. "They don't always work properly. We're using as little magic as possible. So unless something goes wrong in the labour…"
"It's a completely natural birth," Padma finished.
Parvati moaned as another contraction hit, and Naresh rubbed her back soothingly.
"Should we take her to a Muggle hospital?" he asked Padma.
"We can't," Padma said. "Trying to get her to a hospital now when she's so close is not the best idea. Plus with the magical fluctuations, who knows what kind of wild magic she could produce?"
He nodded, but still looked concerned. The aunts were hovering in a corner, chattering with each other and her mother about the horrors of natural childbirth. Padma scowled at them, hoping that Parvati wasn't listening.
~
All too soon Parvati was deep into labour, screaming and crying out as each contraction hit. Naresh was trying to guide her breathing in some odd manner; Parvati supposed it was a Muggle technique of some kind. The aunts just kept getting louder and louder, and Padma's mother cried out every time Parvati did.
"Mother! You're not helping!" Padma hissed, but her mother ignored her, letting out an even louder cry. The doctor rolled his eyes, and Parvati whimpered.
"Make her stop."
"The pain? Make the pain stop?" Naresh said, misunderstanding.
"No. Make Mama stop!"
Padma let go of Parvati's hand and went over to their mother. Practically lifting her mother out of the chair, she hustled her into the hallway and toward the waiting room. The aunts followed, squawking indignantly.
"Papa! Take Mama, she's disturbing Parvati," Padma said, dumping her mother into her father's arms. He gave her a sympathetic look and nodded.
"Come, my dearest. Sit with me here and calm down. Deep breaths."
"You stay here too," Padma told the aunts. She could see one of her cousins hiding a grin.
"We are here to support dear Parvati in her trial!"
"She needs us!"
"She needs you to stop yammering at the top of your lungs while she's trying to give birth," Padma said. "Now stay here."
She pivoted sharply and headed out the door and back to Parvati's room. Padma could hear at least one other witch moaning and crying out as she gave birth. At least Parvati wasn't the only one suffering today.
"I'm back," Padma said, smoothing Parvati's sweaty hair back. She didn't think Parvati noticed, as focused as she was on her labour.
"She's doing very well," the doctor said. His wand had been tucked into a thigh sheath, and he was apparently doing things the Muggle way, which seemed to involve quite a bit of poking and prodding with his fingers in private places. Parvati was too far gone to take offense, and Naresh seemed used to the sight of doctors doing unseemly things to their patients. "We're close now."
Padma wondered who this "we" was, since Parvati was the one doing most of the work.
"Are you sure there's not time to take her to a Muggle hospital?" Naresh asked, looking at Padma earnestly. "We could Apparate nearby, and then…"
"No," Padma said, shaking her head. "Everything is fine here, and we can't risk taking her. The last thing we need is for our magic to go wild in a Muggle hospital."
"Right," Naresh said. He focused back on Parvati.
Padma glanced at the door, but it seemed that her father had managed to keep her mother and the aunts in the waiting room, as she couldn't hear anyone but hospital workers outside. Parvati screeched, and the doctor made a soothing noise.
"Here we go," he said, and Padma held more tightly onto Parvati's hand.
~
Padma had completely lost track of what time it was by the time Parvati's baby had been born, cleaned up and allowed to feed. Naresh was gazing at them both with a soppy expression, and Padma left them alone.
In the hall, she took deep, cleansing breaths, suddenly feeling the exhaustion sweep over her.
"What time is it?" Padma asked a passing mediwitch.
"Almost 2:30 in the afternoon, dear," she said. "Everything okay?"
"Baby," Padma said succinctly, pointing back toward Parvati's room. Fourteen hours of being in St. Mungo's after only a couple hours sleep. No wonder she was exhausted.
"Congratulations," the mediwitch said, smiling warmly.
"Thanks," Padma said. She pushed herself off the wall she found herself leaning on (when did that happen?) and headed toward the waiting room, where she found family members in various states of rest and relaxation. They looked at her expectantly, and some of them shook those who were asleep awake.
"Boy," Padma said, and there were resounding cheers from the room. Padma stepped aside as her mother rushed out of the room, and exchanged wry glances with her father as he followed her mother.
"I'm going to go home to sleep," Padma told one of her cousins. He gave her a sympathetic look and nodded, and she headed off.
Somehow Padma found herself through the Floo and staring at her empty flat. She had a feeling that she would be getting Floo call after Floo call of congratulations and questions and her mother calling just to tell her how cute the baby was and…
Padma couldn't deal with it. She just wanted to sleep. After thinking for a moment, Padma Apparated to Haven's Loft.
~
Padma rapped on the door, leaning tiredly against the doorframe and trying not to yawn. Harry opened the door and she gave him an exhausted smile, pushing herself upright and trying not to stagger as she walked past him.
"Parvati's had the baby," she said. "I'm going to Faelan's room."
Harry made a sound of bemused agreement. "Sure. I reckon you know where it is." She nodded and set off, hearing Harry call out "congratulations" as she walked almost the length of the house to reach Faelan's room. Since when were her boots made of concrete?
Faelan's room was a quiet, peaceful haven, full of artwork and supplies and clothes tossed haphazardly on the floor. Padma sat on the bed and pulled of her boots and socks, then pulled off her shirt and bra, picking up a thin, worn white sleeveless shirt of Faelan's to pull on. Laying down, she pushed off her jeans, then curled up in the blankets and buried her face in the pillow. She had time to think how nice it was here, and then she was asleep.