Pour me another, so I can remember how

Dianna’s hand trembled as it grazed the shimmering satin edge of the small blanket before her. Five hundred fifty-one days and twelve hours since she had been arrested for the murder of her brother Liam. Five hundred forty-nine days and seven hours since the last memory she had preceding that day. Five hundred forty-six days and two hours since two Unspeakables apparated into her flat and “encouraged” her to join them at St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries following an incident in her pub The Lion’s Den that required help from the Ministry of Magic to contain.

Five hundred twenty-four days, thirteen hours and forty-two minutes since she had been informed of her pregnancy while sitting on the cold hard bench in St Mungo's. She could still feel the strain of the hard leather cuffs tightening against her wrists as she attempted to place a hand on her abdomen. Five hundred twenty-four days, thirteen hours and thirty two minutes since she had to be fully restrained as she screamed and begged the healers to do something– anything to make the child go away. “It won’t survive,” she pleaded, “they never do!” 

Five hundred and nine days seven hours and eleven minutes since her first owl from James after he was invited to the facility to meet with Dianna and her healers about how to proceed. The remaining two hundred twenty four days could only be remembered through journals no matter how much the healers tried to mend Di’s memory. Though every time she flipped through the hundreds of pages Dianna found herself grateful for how much she was able to forget. She had been awful– worse than awful, and James stood through it all, not a single entry neglected to mention him.

Four am, November the fifth, she remembers vividly as she adjusts the small stuffed bear in the corner of the carriage, careful not to disturb it’s primer occupant. Nothing could ever erase that day from her mind, for it was the day Lia Temperance Potter was brought into the world despite all the wrong doings and darkness that had preceded her existence. For that one day she smiled with James at their small infant as if nothing in the world had ever been wrong. And then they took her away, taking James shortly after, leaving Di alone in the same gray room again.

Seventeen days later Dianna Finch-Fletchley was released from St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries and allowed to re-enter society as a witch and a pub owner for the muggle society. She was not, however, permitted custody of her child, though she knew the infant to be in excellent hands. James without fail sent Di at least eight pictures of little Lia, and had even more to spare. It was agreed that Lia was not to see or speak to, if applicable, Dianna until her first birthday. 

Having lost all her fight and fire Dianna agreed to these terms silently, counting the days until then. James on the other hand, found a way around the enchantment that the Ministry put on their child and made certain to exploit it immediately. And so, every evening at seven, after James made sure the baby was asleep he would return to his living room to find a petite and tired Di, standing eagerly awaiting to look upon her daughter’s face.

All she wanted was a little bit of solid Feels like love, it doesn't matter what you call it