Please note that I headcanon Louis as five years younger than Dominique.
Fleur reads the thermometer with a sigh of relief. It seems like Victoire's fever has gotten better since this morning, which she's thankful for; she hates when either of her children are sick. She brushes her daughter's hair out of her face and pulls the blanket up around her shoulders. She grabs the half-eaten bowl of soup from the nightstand and closes the door behind her to make sure her oldest isn't woken up.
By the time she makes it downstairs, Dominique has managed to put on one of Fleur's dresses all by herself, with scarlet feather boa wrapped around her shoulders. Her youngest looks so absolutely ridiculous that she can't help but grin. Even years after being with Bill, she can't help her French accent lacing her words when she asks, "What is 'appening 'ere?"
Dominique whirls around happily. "Look, Maman, pretty!"
"Oui," she agrees, the smile never fading. "Very pretty. Are you going to a ball?"
Her daughter considers it for a moment. She nods. "Oui."
"What type of ball would it be without music?" she asks, pulling out her wand to start the music.
"I got it, Maman," Dominique says determinedly. She shuffles forward, having difficulties walking because of the dress, across the small living room and into the dining room where the music box is kept. She drags a chair from the table over, climbing on it before she starts to press all of the buttons.
Fleur shakes her head fondly as she goes to show Dominique the right button. Her three year old crosses her arms and huffs when Fleur shows her the right button by pushing it.
"I can do it."
She remembers when Victoire went through her independent phase just two years ago. While she's proud that Dominique wants to do more and more for herself, there's a part of her that doesn't want her freckle-faced little girl to grow up. She presses the button to turn it off.
Dominique grins as she leans forward and presses the button herself. Music starts to fill the air, a soft melody that Fleur tends to prefer. "Maman, you dress."
She hasn't been asked to join in on dress up since Victoire was little. Her two daughters are more than happy to play dress up together while she spells the laundry folded or cooks lunch. It's helpful that Victoire has a playmate in her sister when there's chores to be done, but Fleur didn't realize that she's misses the tea parties and balls.
It doesn't take her long to go and change into one of her other dresses. Dominique smile widens when she returns. Fleur tries to teach the blonde how to dance, but she only gets her feet step on in return. She's just about to break the news of bedtime when she hears a voice from behind her.
"What's going on here?"
Fleur turns to see her husband walking through the door. There's a smile on his lips as he takes in the scene of the living room.
"Papa," Dominique cries happily, tripping over the dress she's wearing as she tries to get to her father. "I pretty!"
"Yes, you are," Bill says, sweeping her up into his arms. "You are very pretty. Is that Maman's dress?"
Dominique nods eagerly.
He leans in conspiringly and whispers, "You look better in it than your maman does."
"You're just in time for bed," Fleur tells Bill solemnly. In hindsight, she shouldn't have allowed her daughter to get so wound up right before bedtime. "Victoire is feeling better too so Dominique doesn't 'ave to sleep with us again tonight."
"That's good to hear," Bill says. They didn't want their youngest to catch the same stomach bug as Victoire, so she's spent the last two nights in their bedroom.
Dominique starts to protests bedtime, and Bill asks, "What if I tucked you in and read your favorite book?"
She can hear her husband walk up the stairs to the girls' bedroom with Dominique in his arms, arguing with her the entire way up. With a few spells, the toys in the living find their way back to the toy chest, and the music stops playing. She heats up Bill's plate and starts to make his lunch for the next day.
She's packing everything into his lunch box when she feels arms wrap around her waist. She leans back, relaxing into her husband's embrace.
"She's going to be impossible when she gets older, isn't she?" Bill asks softly.
"What gives you zat idea?" she responds, laughter in her voice.
He laughs and buries his face into her shoulder. "Oh, I don't know. I just have this feeling that she's going to take after her maman."
She turns to slap his shoulder playful. "Oi, you married zis 'impossible'."
He laughs again. "I guess I did."
As they kiss, Fleur's heart fills with happiness. She can't believe that she got so lucky, with two beautiful little girls and a loving, devoted husband. She wouldn't trade this for anything, not even a bigger home.
Insane: 181. Location - Shell Cottage
365: 242. Relationship - Parent & Child
Cookie's: Dishcloth - Write from the perspective of a housewife/househusband
Showtime: 12. (situation) doing something for the first time
Amber's Attic: T2 - Write about someone important to your main character
Buttons: O1 - Thermometer
Lyrics: 16. And I'm marching on to the beat I drum
Ami's: 7. (song) This is Me — The Greatest Showman Soundtrack [And I'm marching on to the beat I drum/ I'm not scared to be seen], (word) music, (dialogue) "What is happening here?"
Em's: 12. Write about an incredible mother
Film: 50. (object) Feather Boa
Days: Son and Daughter Day: Write a kidfic
Flowers: Dahlia - (title) Impossible Girl
Musicals: 31. write about someone bringing joy to a family
Gryffindors: (colour) Scarlet
Gobstones: yellow - joy; 14. Freckles, 7. Book, 15. Relax
Tearoom: Cardamom Whirls: (location) Shell Cottage
Holmes: (trait) independent
