leplusbeau | (no subject)

Fleur is fluffing pillows.

And cleaning.

And counting.

She wouldn't be counting days! Why would she be counting those?! She is counting pillows. PILLOWS.

Now she is counting the time ticking by on the clock. "I wonder where my 'usband iz," she asks herself aloud. She might have to call down and ask that their evening meal be delayed. She has been trying lately to have at least something warm for him waiting when he gets home.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

thecoolone

When one can simply Apparate, there is no need for anything so formal as opening a door. However, there's normally a telltale cracking noise when one does Apparate or Disapparate.

After years of stealthy curse-breaking work, however, Bill knows how to Apparate noiselessly and, as a result, he appears right behind Fleur without a sound.

"I'm right here, love." He puts his newspapers and head scarf down, wraps his arms round her, and kisses the back of her neck through all that beautiful silvery hair. "You won't believe what's just happened..."

From:

leplusbeau

She jumps and puts a hand to her heart when he first speaks. "You juste like to see me startled, no?" Even as she settles against his chest, feeling all sorts of girlish things like being safe and content.

"Mmm? Ca va? You sound tired." She tries to look at him over her shoulder, but mostly just bumps her forehead against his chin affectionately.

From:

thecoolone

After he kisses the top of her head, Bill turns her around and folds her into his arms. "Have you ever had one of those conversations where you simply knew your head would explode before it ended?"

It feels so right to have her here, in his arms, waiting for him. Or not waiting for him but just being here when he's home: it's one of his most secret fantasies come true. He likes to believe he's forward-thinking enough to not only respect but encourage Fleur's right to be wherever she likes whenever she likes. But in his months in captivity he had the dream that kept him alive, the dream where he was in another lifetime with a wife and child. Even though that wife wasn't Fleur -- he wouldn't have allowed himself that fantasy at that time, too dangerous in too many ways -- it was still the thing that kept him alive.

Dark times are coming again. Or perhaps they never left. Perhaps it was simply a lull. "Fleur, I have so much love for you. So much. Promise you'll be careful here, in London, anywhere, always."

From:

leplusbeau

She lifts her head. Lightly touches his lips. "I love you, minet. You know I promise to alwayz try. But, what iz it?"

She starts to tug him toward the loveseat, intend on doting on him just a little. For he has a stressed face!

From:

thecoolone

Sitting with her, Bill rubs his eyes, his face, then lets out a sigh. "I've been following some strange patterns of potential wizarding attacks on Muggles in the local papers." He throws those down on the table. "And I was reading, and opened the door to the bar instead of the door to come home, and while I was there I ran into Tom Riddle. He said there have been some unexplained attacks in New York, and now I feel as if there might be something coordinated going on, and I need to keep track of that. But while I was there, Mum showed up. You know, Mum who doesn't know she's Mum yet? and she's Bound to the bar, and she's been staying in Tim Hunter's room." He shakes his head in disbelief. "I don't even want to think about that... and then Ginny pops by to tell me she snogged Draco and shagged someone named Hellspawn, and... she's my sister. My baby sister. I almost know how Dad must feel watching her grow up. What am I supposed to tell her other than use common sense, use the spells..." He shakes his head. "And there's more. I'm just getting started."

From:

leplusbeau

She is listening. And as the story goes on, she starts undoing his boots.

When he pauses, she moves to sit on the wing of the sofa and pats her lap. "You. Lay back." She coaxes him back, and once he has his head settled in her lap, she starts to gently rub his temples and the back of his skull. The hum in the back of her throat is very soft.

"There iz more?" she asks quietly.

From:

thecoolone

He melts into her touch and the quiet sound of her voice, so happy to be here. Happy to be home, happy to be with Fleur, happy to try to let go of the insanity.

"Mum said she might go off exploring the world with Cain. You know, from the Bible." Slowly, he pounds his forehead with the heel of his hand. "She's supposed to be with Dad. What if this changes her reality and I don't even exist any more? My brothers? My sister? Well, I suppose at that rate I won't have to worry about Ginny and Draco Malfoy... or about her sleeping with someone. Or about the world falling apart in front of us." He smiles in a benign sort of way.

"Then, a Tim showed up. I have no idea which one. He said there were 999 of him. One of them slept with my mother, and one with my sister. Or at least that's what I think happened. And when I thought the insanity was past, Morgan le Fae sat at the table and said hullo. I swear, Fleur, I never thought that Luxor was the bastion of sanity, but compared to the bar? We're the luckiest couple in the whole bloody universe. The whole one."

This is nice. This is normal. This is... what it is, and it suits him just fine at the moment, thank you kindly. He lets his eyes close.

"I'm sure there have been crazier days there, but I'm hard-pressed to come up with one that makes less sense."

From:

leplusbeau

"...I think you might have eaten too many paradoxes, minet." Her voice is still soft, and she continues to hum after she says that.

Then, she lets the sound fade away. "I think...you needed someone to be nice to you. And if your mère does...run off with that man, you will still exist. Timelinez are very fluid. Meanz she iz not your mère, juste could have been. And..." she makes a face. "Ew. Malfoy? He iz so pointy! Not that Tim iz much better. Very...Tim. May be Malfoy iz very good with hiz--" She looks down at the husband in her lap. "--iz nothing!"

She continues to rub his temples and starts to hum again. Then, "You could tell your brotherz. About the boyz. If thingz go too fast. Wizardz make tastey dragon treastz, you know." She's teasing? That's why she giggled! She doesn't touch the subject of war. That's something else entirely.

From:

thecoolone

He rests one hand over hers, on his temple, and closes his eyes. "Your voice is such a lullaby. Keep talking, keep singing. You're the only thing making any sense at all today. Tonight."

He could sleep in her arms... if he could get the notion of Malfoy being good with his... whatever out of his mind. Opening his eyes, he looks into Fleur's benevolent and exceedingly beautiful face. "For the first time, talking with Ginny, I had an idea how Dad must feel some days."

From:

leplusbeau

Very sweetly, "Poor Bill."

She smooths his hair back from his forehead.

"Mmm. You became a real adult, hm?"

From:

thecoolone

"Not yet."

He grins up at her, hoping he never ever does.

From:

leplusbeau

She snorts. "You are going to be one hundred and still breaking cursez, no? I am going to have to hide the good silver to keep you entertained so you do not break your hip."

From:

thecoolone

"Reparo. See, I'll be able to take care of it." Laughing, he reaches up and pulls her face down toward his. "I'm tired of the insanity: kiss me."

From:

leplusbeau

Who is she to deny him?

They are upside down, and her nose keeps bumping his chin, but her smiles grows more and more.

From:

thecoolone

"Woman I love," Bill manages between kisses. "Falling in love with you was the smartest thing I've ever done, and I do it all over again every single day." Gazing up into her eyes, he blushes with the sheer adoration he feels. His hand sneaks to her chest and he kisses her again.

And there's a knock at the door.

"Delivery."

Bugger.

From:

leplusbeau

She giggles. "Stay. I will get it."

She straightens out her top as she bounds over to the front door and retrieves their dinner. It is starting to smell good in here!

From:

thecoolone

Sitting up, Bill takes off the bulky galabayya, smoothing out his t-shirt ("Property of Gringott's Athletic Department") and jeans beneath: that's better.

He smells lamb kebabs and suddenly, he's famished. As soon as Fleur's back, he Summons plates and silver from their little kitchen, setting a makeshift table right here in front of the sofa.

Rice, lamb, iced tea, cucumber salad: it's just what he wanted.

For food, that is. Taking Fleur's hand in his, he tugs her to sit next to him. There's something so satisfying about just being here with her, sharing a meal, smelling her perfume: he thinks that possibly -- just possibly -- things don't get so very much better.

"You're wonderful." He grins at her before taking up a forkful of rice.