Streets of Heaven

A/N: So on to my second fic here on Portkey, and it's another sad story. Believe me, I'm not trying to get typecast or anything, but this type of writing is kind of my comfort zone. Oh well, I basically go wherever my head drags me (and that can get interesting sometimes!). Please tell me what you think. And I know I don't tell you what Lily is sick with in the story, but I couldn't think of anything that would fit the song and not contradict the wizarding world. Any suggestions are welcome!

Streets of Heaven

"Thanks, love." Hermione Potter whispered quietly, looking up into the face of her husband , Harry, and taking the cup of coffee he offered. She peered down at the tiny face of her three year old daughter. "Lily, sweetie, your daddy is back."

"Hello angel, feeling better?" he asked of his daughter, not expecting an answer. She was only three and quiet under normal circumstances, so given her current ordeal she hardly ever spoke.

"Oh hi Ron, thanks for visiting again." Harry said tiredly, noticing his best friend was now sitting by the side her bed.

"She's my goddaughter, of course I'm visiting her." Ron replied, although the same, overworked tone was as evident in his voice as it was in Harry's. "Sorry I came so late, couldn't get away from work. But any time either of you need me, I'm here."

"We know Ron, thanks." said Hermione. Although she was tired too, probably more so, she wouldn't leave her daughter's side, not even for a moment. Harry was amazed at her resiliency.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Weasley, but visiting hours are over." said a young medi-witch from the doorway. "You'll have to be leaving now."

"Alright. I'll be back tomorrow. Maybe Luna will feel up to coming," he said, first hugging Hermione and then shaking Harry's hand. "She said she didn't have the heart to see Lily like this, at least not today. She does apologize."

"Oh Ron, tell her not to be silly, she doesn't have to come. Lily knows she loves her." said Hermione quietly, although she still wouldn't take her eyes off of her daughter. It seemed like the only time she did look away anymore was for Harry.

Ron gently leaned over the little girl's frail figure, nestled beneath the bed sheets. Their bright whiteness seemed to make her even paler. "Goodbye, honey. I'll be back tomorrow." he whispered to her as he softly kissed her forehead. She raised her small, brown eyes to him for a moment before they again rested on her mother.

As Ron walked out of the room, Hermione began to fuss with the sheets. She was straightening them out and smoothing them, and then she began to fluff up the pillows. It was obvious to Harry that she was only doing this for something to keep her hands busy, so he put his arms gently over hers. "It's okay." he whispered. "You don't have to be strong all the time." At this, she turned in her chair and dug her head into his chest. She wept and wept until her eyes went dry. The same words kept repeating over and over in their heads. 'Why her?'

Hello God, it's me again

2 am room 304

Visiting hours are over

Time for our bedside tug-or-war

The sleeping child between us

May not make it through the night

I'm fighting back the tears, as she fights for her life

"Shhh." Harry whispered into his wife's forehead. "She'll be okay. She has to be."

"What if she isn't, Harry? What if they can't do anything more for her and she's taken away from us? The doctors all say this is really bad." she whispered, pulling away from him just enough to look into his eyes. She'd always found solace their deep, emerald depths before but there was no comfort to be found now. They both knew the chances were slim.

"Well then she's going to another place, love, probably one better than here. Either way, all that matters is that she is happy. That's she's not in pain or alone."

"Wouldn't she be alone without us? We're her whole world."

Well it must be kind of crowded

On the streets of heaven

So tell me, what do you need her for

Don't you know one day

She'll be your little girl forever

But right now I need her so much more

She's much to young to be on her own

Barely just turned three

So who will hold her hand when she crosses

The streets of heaven

"I don't know, all we can do is pray for her." Harry whispered, sighing deeply. He reached out and gently touched his little girl's face. He could still remember the day she was born, and the doctor saying she was perfectly healthy. He couldn't have foreseen that something like this would happen.

Even in the state that she was, Harry thought that she must have been one of the most beautiful little girls anywhere. She looked so much like her mother, with deep chocolate eyes and light brown hair that fell in ringlets around her face. But she wasn't happy and full of life as usual. It broke his heart to see his baby girl so pale and haggard. He'd do anything to take her pain away.

"This isn't fair, she's always so wonderful, singing and playing. She didn't deserve this." Hermione sobbed silently as she took in the painful way Lily was looking up at her parents. She expected them to save her from this and it would break her heart to have to tell her that they couldn't. "None of us did." she added quietly.

Tell me god, do you remember

The wishes that she made

When she blew out the candles

On her last birthday cake

She wants to ride a pony

When she's old enough

She wants to marry her Daddy

When she's all grown up

"Oh Harry, what are we going to do. She's counting on us to save her and make her feel better. She's just a little girl and we're her parents. It's our job to make this better."

"She's knows that we love her and that's all we can do. This is one problem we can't fix for her, Hermione."

"I know, but that doesn't make it any easier." Then she turned back to her daughter. "Oh Lils, I'm sorry. Mommy wants make it better. But I promise, everything will turn out okay." She felt fresh tears start to sting her eyes as Lily shook her head up and down ever so slightly. There didn't seem to be much strength in her anymore. "Now go to sleep. Sweet dreams." The little girl's eyelids slowly folded shut.

"So, anything new today?" Hermione asked of her husband, obviously trying to lighten the mood.

"Nothing really. I talked to her doctors."

"And?" she questioned gently.

"Nothing new. They can't seem to figure out a way to help her."

"Oh." she said, her voice trailing off, contemplating what that meant. It had been too long. She knew deep down that the doctors were just waiting it out now, seeing what would happen and hoping for the best. But that didn't make it any easier to accept. "Well, I guess all we can do now is pray that God is good to us, right?"

"Right, love." whispered Harry, grasping her hand in his.

Lord don't you know she's my angel

You've got plenty of your own

And I know you hold a place for her

But she's already got a home

Well I don't know if you're listening

But prayin' is all that's left to do

So I ask you lord have mercy

You lost a son once too.

"Hermione, Lily's not the only one that needs sleep. Why don't you go home for a little while? I'll stay here." Harry said almost pleadingly, not really expecting his wife to give in.

"No, Harry. I promised her I wouldn't leave her."

"You need to rest anyway. Come here." he said, motioning to his lap. Hermione slowly dragged herself out of her chair and over to Harry. She nestled into his arms and layed her head in his chest. "Now get some sleep. I'll tell you if Lily wakes." He whispered into her ear, placing a soft kiss on her forehead. She nodded her head and was asleep almost immediately.

'If she doesn't take it easy, she'll be sick next. I'll have to try to talk to her tomorrow.' Harry thought, but knew it would be useless. Hermione would not relent, she would stay faithfully by Lily's bedside every day for as long as she was here. While he admired her devotion to her daughter, he was still terribly worried about her. She was running herself ragged. All he could do was hope that God would save them, his girls.

Well it must be kind of crowded

On the streets of heaven

So tell me, what do you need her for

Don't you know one day

She'll be your little girl forever

But right now I need her so much more

And Lord I know once you've made up your mind

There's no use in beggin

So if you take her with you today

Will you make sure she looks both ways

And would you hold her hand

When she crosses the streets of heaven

Streets of heaven

Streets of heaven

**Song "Streets of Heaven" taken from Sherrie Austin's album of the same name. Written by Sherrie Austin, Al Kasha, and Paul Duncan. I did change the age in the chorus from seven to three in order to better fit the story.