"Beell, my love! Beell!"
Bill smiled softly as he aroused from slumber, turning and twisting with mild difficulty through the tumbles of blankets to lie with his head flat on the pillow. He felt his wife's minute weight shift next to him, and he pressed into her warmth.
"Morning, Fleur," he murmured, finally opening his eyes to face the bright sunlight. Fleur was peering down at him, a soft smile stretching across her face. An aura of enthusiasm filled the air, and Bill let himself get swept into the strong influence her Veela powers had on him. He stretched gently, and then snagged her waist and drew her closer to the bed, forcing her to bend down until her lips were brushing his.
She giggled breathily and then granted him a gentle kiss before brushing his wild, ginger hair out of his eyes. "Good morning to you," she beamed. Bill chuckled and let her go—albeit reluctantly—as he sat up. His bones popped and cracked as he continued to stretch, and he saw Fleur grimace at the sound out of the corner of his eye. Knowing his wife was annoyed by the sound, he continued to flex until all of his joints had been stretched.
"You know I hate zat," she sighed, fixing him with a stern gaze. He shrugged at her and slid out of bed, absentmindedly rubbing at the scars decorating his face. Rolling her eyes, Fleur turned to their dresser and began to sift through a drawer, no doubt choosing Bill's clothes for the day. He didn't know why, but his wife loved to be able to do those little things for him occasionally.
"Just zis once," she said, surprising Bill at the hint of happiness curling around her words, "I'll let you get away wiz eet!" He blinked, and then grinned as Fleur turned around and handed him a card in the colors of Gryffindor.
"My birthday," he said, shaking his head in disbelief as he realized he'd totally forgotten about it after waking up. Fleur nodded and went back to pull out a nice set of clothes, setting them on the end of the bed before taking a seat next to her husband.
"Yes, silly! Now open ze birzday card! Eet ees from your family, I zink." She nudged him gently, and he pecked her on the cheek before letting it fall open. Almost immediately, sparks flew from the inside, followed by a stream of confetti that littered every inch of their bedroom. Fleur sighed in exasperation, but Bill could detect that hint of fondness in her heart—right near the soft spot that no one seemed to notice but him.
Laughing uproariously, he smirked as he read all the messages from his family. Of course, the card had been chosen by none other than George… Smile fading slightly, he closed the card and set it gently by his bedside. He hated to admit it, but thinking of George was almost always painful. There was no longer a twin by his side, and he didn't know if he'd ever be able to get used to it.
As if she knew what he was thinking, Fleur squeezed his arm supportively. He smiled at her tentatively and she leaned up to kiss him. He slanted his mouth and deepened the kiss, lingering over her taste—mint tea and fresh bread—and the softness of her skin. As he pulled away, Fleur gently grabbed the sides of his face again and he stilled. Ever so softly, she pressed her lips to each of the scars marring his face.
Closing his eyes and marveling at the inner beauty and gentleness of the woman he was lucky enough to spend the rest of his life with, Bill cupped her waist and squeezed in thanks. As she kissed the last scar of many, he let go and she smoothed over her skirt before standing up and fixing any stray hair.
"I have ze pot on, sweet'eart. What would you like for breakfeest? Oh no, wait! Let me guezz—eggs, bacon, jam, or toast?" she chuckled. Bill shot her a playful glare and reached to poke her in the stomach.
"You know me too well, Fleur," he laughed, reaching to poke her again. She squeaked and ducked out of the room, but he could hear her giggling all the way to the kitchen. Bill happily got dressed, genuinely happy for the upcoming day for the first time in years.
"Let's take a walk," Fleur suggested later that morning, already slipping on her sweater and nudging on her shoes. Bill nodded, knowing he needed to stretch out his muscles anyway. The part of him that had inherited werewolf traits was dying for some fresh air—among other things—and he had to exercise it regularly in order to keep his temper. One of his worst fears was scaring his wife, or hurting her after losing control.
He was lucky enough to have avoided becoming a werewolf, but there was still a dangerous element to him that he knew could never be ignored or pushed to the side. It was always at the front of his mind, demanding attention.
"Beell?" a soft voice asked, interrupting his thoughts. He startled slightly but smiled reassuringly. He hated when Fleur got too concerned over him for no reason.
"Sorry, flower. I'm fine; just lost in thought today," he explained, sweeping her into a tight hug and pressing his face against her head, inhaling the pleasant, floral scent of her hair.
"Zat ees fine! I just don't want you to be sad on your birzday," she implored. Bill nodded understandingly and then pulled her in for a long kiss. She flushed bright red and Bill congratulated himself on making his wife flustered—it didn't happen too often, after all.
"After that breakfast? How could I be sad?" he teased. She was a great cook—maybe not as top notch as his mum, though he'd never admit that—and he was stuffed full of food. Fleur shoved at him playfully and then pushed their front door open, running ahead slightly and flashing her husband a 'come-and-get-me' grin.
"Where're we walking to today?" he called out, jogging slightly to keep up with his sprightly wife. Fleur flung her silvery blonde hair over her shoulder and pointed north. Bill's expression softened and he fought the urge to scoop her up and spin her around happily.
Fleur was taking him to his favorite spot throughout their whole property. They hadn't known about it when first buying Shell Cottage, but a little exploring during their first week of residency had left them stunned and very pleased. Nestled into a small clearing, surrounded by tall, leafy trees, was a cobblestone well. It was very old, but still in good working condition. Fleur had tested the water they'd pulled from it, and it turned out to be perfectly safe to drink.
Trailing after his unusually animated wife, Bill gazed at the nature around him. They were lucky enough to have gotten a sea property with a small forest stretching behind it, and he couldn't deny that he was becoming almost as attached to this home as he was to the Burrow.
The crisp autumn air made Bill shiver slightly as they came upon the beautiful well, and he absentmindedly reprimanded himself for not bringing along a scarf or gloves. It was going to be winter rather soon, after all. He was just thankful the red, orange, and yellow leaves had stuck around as long as they had.
Fleur took his hand and pulled him along to sit on a bench a few feet from the well. Bill grinned affectionately and pecked her cheek, then drew her head and ducked underneath his chin. He hung on tightly, burying his face in her hair as he was prone to do. He didn't know how he would've made it this last year a half without Fleur—without someone to love.
For a while, they simply sat in that same spot, gazing at their little well, nestled into a corner of the world where nothing had gone wrong for them. Nothing had ever reached Fleur and Bill when they were sitting by their well, and maybe that was why it brought such comfort.
The sun continued to rise in the sky, and the couple didn't speak a word. They were content to be at peace for those small moments, because eventually they'd have to get up. They'd have to look out their window and see the grave of a Free Elf. They'd have to go to the Burrow and greet their family with one member who'd never show up.
But here, right now… this was their safe haven, and it was one of the best gifts Fleur could ever give Bill for his birthday.
Eventually, Bill could feel Fleur shifting in his hold. Glancing at the sky, he figured it was probably about time for lunch. He released her and she gently brushed her fingers through her hair, stretching her arms slightly as she got to her feet. "Time to go ze Burrow, zen!" she smiled softly.
"That it is," Bill agreed, standing and pulling her in for one last kiss before pulling apart and indicating they should Apparate. "See you in a second, Flower."
With a crack, Bill turned on the spot and thought clearly of the Burrow. The uncomfortable sensation of being squeezed through a hole, not being able to breathe, and the loss of sight and hearing passed quickly. As soon as he hit the ground, he turned to find his wife.
Fleur popped next to him a few seconds later, raising her eyebrow indignantly. "You know I hate eet when you App-a-ret unexpectedly!" Bill merely chuckled and began to make his way down the road to his childhood home. His wife's accent was one of his favorite things about her—not only was it incredibly sexy, she sounded intelligent as well.
Once they reached the front of the Burrow, Bill barely knocked once before the door was flung open and his mum appeared, flinging her arms around her son's shoulders and pressing kisses to his cheek. "Bill! How are you? And Fleur, good to see you! You've been feeding him, right? You both look well—a bit thin, maybe. I can fix that up, of course. Come in, come in! I'm so excited to see you on your birthday!"
"Thanks, mum," he grinned, hugging her back quickly. Fleur also pressed a kiss to her cheek, and Bill filled with a sense of pride that his mum and wife were finally getting along after so much bad blood. "Ron, Harry, Ginny, and George are playing Exploding Snap in the other room, and Percy and Hermione are having tea, I believe… Your father should be home soon. I'm just putting lunch on. It should be done soon."
Fleur winked at Bill and followed Molly, beginning to chat idly and offering assistance. She gestured towards a pot of stew as Bill backed out of the room and made his way towards his siblings. Ron and Ginny were squabbling about cheating as George and Harry watched amusedly, while Hermione and Percy each held a cup of tea and rolled their eyes.
He smirked slightly—yes, this was definitely his family.
"Bill, will you tell this twat that dealing the cards wrong definitely counts as cheating?" Ginny demanded immediately. Ron scowled and slammed his hand on the floor indignantly.
"It's not like I did it on purpose! And I'm not gonna shuffle the cards again, Gin. I bloody hate shuffling," Ron grumped. Bill chuckled and plopped down next to his youngest siblings. The two were still glaring at each other, although Harry was patting Ginny's hand sympathetically. He was as much of a peacemaker as ever, Bill mused.
"She's being a—!" Ron began, and then cut himself off as Ginny threw him a sharp glance. He smirked at him slightly, and then his eyes widened and he threw an arm around his eldest brother's shoulders. "Blimey—I almost forgot! Happy birthday," he grinned widely. Of course, the others didn't hear. George, Ginny, and Harry were all focused on the game again, the situation seemingly having been sorted out by Harry.
"Want to join in, then?" Ron said, nodding towards the deck. Ginny smiled at him and entered him into the game. As they played, bursts of noise and the mouth-watering smell of homemade cooking filled the house. Bill became increasingly hungry as the early afternoon wore on. Sighing in exasperation as he lost yet another game of Exploding Snap, Bill climbed to his feet.
"I think I'm going to step outside for a minute to clear my mind," he said, only getting nods in response as his ever-busy family paired off to talk about this or that. Bill smiled softly and picked his way through the maze of people towards the door. The cool air brushed across his face as he stepped outside.
He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, taking the moment to appreciate the quiet. He loved the chaotic and loving atmosphere his family provided, but ever since he was little, he'd always taken some time to steal for himself. Gathering his thoughts was an opportunity he relished.
"Beell? Your muzzer wants me to tell you zat lunch ees on."
Bill jumped slightly when Fleur's voice broke the quiet, but he quickly broke out in a grin as she broke out in laughter. "Did I scare you?" she teased, striding up to Bill and leaning up to kiss each scar that mauled his face. He gathered her close and twirled her around, just fast enough to emit a little shriek.
"Lâchez-moi! BEELL! Lâchez-moi!" she giggled, straightening her hair absentmindedly as he lowered her to the ground.
"I love it when you speak French," he murmured, capturing her face between his palms and bringing it to his. Their lips brushed, just slightly. Bill tilted his mouth, caught her lip between his teeth…
And then blinked in shock as Fleur abruptly pulled away. "Flower? What's..?" he began, trailing off as he saw his wife begin to tear up. "Fleur? What's wrong? What happened?" he questioned, hesitantly placing an arm around her shoulders. She sniffled delicately and dabbed at her eyes.
"Ee-eet's just… I am so sorry! I 'ave been hiding somezing from you for almost a monzh now because I'm scared to tell you! Eet's so soon, and we did not plan and… and… ugh, I'm babbling!" She pressed her hands to her face, hiccupping occasionally as Bill stood stock still with his mouth gaping open like a fish.
"Fleur… what… what are you trying to say?" His heart was beating irregularly fast and his mouth become curiously dry in an instant. She couldn't be talking about…
"I am pregnant, Beell," she sighed, rubbing at her wet cheek. "And I do not know why I am zo upset about zis, because I know we will be fine eizer way, but—!"
"Fleur?" Bill interrupted quietly. She shut her mouth, gazing up at him with hopeful eyes. He pulled her flush with his chest, trapping her trembling arms against his chest. Carefully, scraping away the drying tears, Bill kissed her gently, pulled away, and then flashed a beaming smile.
"Fleur..." he paused, shook his head, laughed. "Shut up."
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.
This was written for the FanFiction School of Imagination and Creativity Challenge on the HPFC forum. This was the first Math Assessment. I had the fourth table of prompts: birthday card, sleeping, well, Ron Weasley, Exploding Snap, and autumn.
Please leave your thoughts and comments in the review box! ^_^