"Honey, I'm home !"
Frank's voice echoed in the small flat. The lights were turned off. His wife didn't answer. It was late but she used to wait for him before going to bed.
"Everything's okay, Alice ?"
Nervousness was audible into his words. His fingers found his wand in his cloak's pocket.
"Homi..."
There was a noise on his right side. Then, he aknowledged Alice's familiar scent and her body wrapped around his. And his back also aknowledged the floor.
"Hi." she said, kissing him.
"What were you doing ? Aren't we a bit old to play hide and seek ? Don't do that again, I'm going to have an heart attack."
Alice turned on the lights.
"Happy birthday, love."
"That's today ?"
She laughed softly, her hand covering her mouth, like when she was still a school girl.
"You're so absent-minded sometimes. You're 23 and Augusta is doing some baby-sitting for us tonight. She wishes you an happy birthday."
"Neville's fine ?" her husband asked, one hand lost in her hair, the other on her waist.
"Yes. I think your mother frightens him a bit, but that he truly likes her." Alice responded.
"Are we speaking of our son or of his mother ?" Frank teased, helping her to stand up.
She scowled at him and crossed her arms, pouting.
He smirked.
A few seconds mater, she was yelling, hitting Frank's torso with her small fists in vain, while he took her to their old couch.
"Revenge is coming !" she mumbled, grinning, when he sat on the couch.
Frank's deep laugh filled the room the instant she began to trickle him.
Alice didn't remember how that happened, but she was now yawning, lying down on the sofa with her husband, who wrapped his arms around her.
"See ? I payed you back." she murmured, her head on his belly.
There was so much love in Frank's eyes when he looked at her that Alice's heart almost stopped.
"My wonderful Alice." he whispered into his hair, as she was falling asleep.
His shift has finished later than he thought and she had to work early tomorrow.
He knew there were leftovers in the fridge but he wasn't hungry yet, and Alice's warm body against him was an excellent reason to stay there.
He was almost asleep when a noise bothered him.
"Alice" he murmured, shaking his wife's shoulder.
She opened her eyes sleepily. He put a finger on her lips. She nodded. They stood up. There were voices outside. Frank lead his wife in the flat, the lights turned off. He looked at her once more.
He etched the little he could see of her in his memory. The round cheeks, her curly hair, her soft lips, her entire face. Her petite frame, her small hands.
She was doing the same. He took her hand one last time. She smiled at him lovingly.
Then, the door burst open and they began to fight.
He never took her hand again. She never smiled at him thinking of good memories they shared.
If they had known, they would have done their best to die this night.