Author: Lyta Padfoot
Category: General, Angst
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Harry Potter is the property of J.K. Rowling. Characters and situations are used without permission, no infringement is intended.
Summary: Cho waits for Roger to come home.
* * *
Rain lashed against the windows and lightening danced across the sky. A perfect night for murder and mayhem, for curling up with a good mystery book. Cho Chang burrowed under the covers; she still hadn't recovered completely from her bought last month with Dragon Pox and chilled easily, though this time her discomfort was not entirely physical. A glance at the clock showed only the slightest increase in time.
Seven hours, thirteen minutes, and fifty-two seconds until Roger's shift ended. It seemed like an eternity.
Cho wasn't meant to know the Aurors were raiding a Death Eater hideout; but Cho knew her fiance enough to guess. She had witnessed the preparation and the aftermath of raids before.
The truth broke through the veil of routine when she found Roger putting away his clean socks. There could not be more than two or three days worth of clothes since the last time they had done laundry. She pretended this was normal. She pretended not to see the folded parchment with her own name in careful letters that he laid on top of the socks. She pretended this was just another night shift until Roger left and the tears slipped down her face.
Seven hours, twelve minutes, and seven seconds. Either he would return home or someone would come to tell her whether death or injury caused Roger's absence.
It happened to every Auror at least once. Cho wondered when Roger would fail to come home on time.
In seven hours, eleven minutes, and fifty-nine seconds she would have her answer.