I started this for HP rare pair net on tumblr, but missed the deadline by a long shot.
The ring felt heavy in Fleur's pocket, more like lead than gold, poking into her thigh with every step she took, as it had been all day. She should have left it in the box, in the drawer like it had been for the past three months, but today was the day, and she was going to ask. Every now and then, when her girlfriend wasn't looking, she'd reach into her jeans and stroke it with the tip of her finger, a little thrill of excitement running through her, a small, secret smile tugging at her lips.
A shout sounded from a room upstairs, followed by a delighted cackle and the sound of small feet belting down to the hallway. Hastily Fleur pulled her hand from her pocket, spinning around to face the door as Teddy burst in, his hair a mess of blue and pink. He didn't seemed to have noticed her by the sink, both of her eyebrows raised and fighting a smile. Grinning rather manically, he glanced behind him, and at the sound of his mum following, threw himself under the table, tucking himself under one of the chairs.
As soon as he'd 'hidden' himself away, Tonks ran through the door, pausing when she noticed her girlfriend standing by the sink.
"Oh," she said, her smile turning soft, "hullo love." She walked over, completely ignoring Teddy who'd started giggling loudly, and kissed Fleur softly. Fleur's heart fluttered nervously as Tonks' hand brushed against her thigh, exactly where the ring was, suddenly feeling sick at the idea of Tonks' finding out before she was ready. She'd made plans for this, she didn't want them ruined before Remus had even picked up the kids. But she didn't seem to notice, kissing Fleur again briefly.
"Hello," Fleur murmured against her lips. "What are you doing?"
Tonks moved to stand beside her, their shoulders brushing. "Playing hide and seek with Teddy. Haven't seen him, have you?"
The question had Teddy in another fit of giggles so violent it set the dining table was shaking. "I haven't seen him since he finished school."
"I don't believe you." Tonks winked, threw herself to the floor and grabbed Teddy by the ankles.
Peals of laughter filled the kitchen, filling Fleur with a fluttering warmth beginning in her heart as two of her most favourite people laughed and played on the floor so loudly she didn't even hear the doorbell ring.
With a load crack, Remus appeared in the kitchen, barely a foot from Teddy's head. He looked for much happier than he had when Fleur had first known him, ill and miserable, and she couldn't help the rush of affection she felt towards the father of her son.
"Wotcher Daddy!" Teddy shouted, scrambling up from the floor and throwing himself at Remus. Remus grinned and swept him off his feet. "How are you doing kiddo? Where's your sister?"
"She's sleeping!" Teddy cried, his little voice utterly outraged. "She sleeps all the time!"
"Well," said Remus before Teddy started complaining about Victoire again. "I'm sure she'll be awake later. How was school?"
Fleur and Tonks both shot him a grateful smile at the quick distraction. Teddy loved his sister, Fleur was pretty sure, but he did seem to get bored with her so easily, and he moaned whenever she slept during the day.
She was awake, however, and gurgling happily at Teddy, when Remus whisked them away to his house, laden with their belongings. For a moment, Fleur revelled in the silent house, before Tonks' hands were on her hips, quick mouth kissing up her neck. Her lips were soft against the delicate skin of her neck, kissing up to her ear and then back to her jaw.
"We need to get ready," Fleur whispered, not making any more to get her girlfriend away from her.
"Could we not stay in?"
Tonks' didn't let Fleur answer, capturing her mouth in a searing kiss quite different from the gentle worship of her throat. They were both breathing heavily when Fleur finally pushed her away, hands firm on the older woman's shoulders, the thought of the ring reminding her of her plan for the evening. "No," she said. "We're going out."
It was Tonks' favourite restaurant, a Thai ten minutes' walk down the river, small and tucked away. The food was always amazing, fresh and fragrant, and as far as Tonks was concerned, that entirely made up for the fact that the tables were crammed tightly together and the decorations were terribly tacky. Fleur wasn't so sure, but for tonight, it was perfect.
She was fingering the ring even more often now, so much so that Tonks got a twinkling, knowing look in her dark down eyes. Nerves fluttered deep in her gut, along with the constant chant in the back of her mind telling her now, now, now. Tonks' hand was in hers, their fingers twined, the feeling of soft skin against hers doing a little to calm the butterflies in her stomach.
"Tonks," Fleur began. When she'd planned this, she'd decided she'd go with Nymphadora, but here and now, it didn't fit, didn't flow from her tongue the way she'd thought it would. Tonks was smiling, her eyes crinkling at the corners, bright and warm, and she knew. Tonks knew, and Fleur had imagined it would ruin the moment, but it hadn't, it wasn't, instead, it was somehow better. "I love you, you are the mother of my children. Marry me?"
The ring in her open palm was largely ignored as Tonks leapt across the table, hands tangling in Fleur long silvery hair, kissing her without the grin ever leaving her face.
"Yes," she whispered against her lips. "Yes, yes, yes."
They continued kissing for a few moments, only stopping at the polite coughing from the table next to them.
"Teddy will be so pleased," Tonks said, grinning as she slid on the ring Fleur hadn't noticed she'd taken.
"I'm so pleased." Her heart squirmed at the sight of her ring on her girlfriend's – no, fiancée's – finger.
Tonks looked at her then, and Fleur noticed her hair had changed, shifting ever so slightly to a slightly paler pink, a colour Fleur knew from the beginning, before Teddy and Victoire and being 'Mum'.
"Me too."