Written for the Ultimate Patronus Quest (mongoose: Write about someone surprising someone else
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John raises his brows. "You're smiling. You're approaching me, and you're smiling," he says. "There is a smile on your face as you approach me."
"You forgot to mention that I'm smiling," Amelia says dryly with a roll of her eyes. "Kingsley said you just got back. Tough day?"
John groans and shakes his head. "Tough week," he says, filling out another page of the mountain of paperwork before him. "Attack in Surrey, three curse victims in critical condition. Attack in Yorkshire, one dead. Attack in Dublin… I don't even want to talk about that one. And it's only Tuesday, Milly! I shouldn't have this much to do this early on."
"Amelia," she corrects out of habit, though she's long since stopped caring that he insists on using his pet name for her. "I have something that might make it better."
John's expression lightens at that. He looks up, glancing around quickly. "Well, we have to be quick about it," he says, pushing off his robe in a rush. "Kingsley will be back to get the paperwork soon, and I would hate-"
"John, no," Amelia says, trying not to laugh. "I'm not making it that much better. Well, maybe tonight. Much later tonight."
She watches in amusement as his cheeks turn a dull pink. He pulls his robe back on and clears his throat. "Right. Yeah. I knew that," he says, scrubbing his hand over the back of his neck. "I was testing you. That's all."
Amelia snorts and pulls the tickets out of her bag. "The Weird Sisters have are playing a show tonight," she says, Setting the tickets down in front of him. "It's the last stop on their tour, and I wanted to surprise you."
"Definitely surprised," he says with a nod. "You hate them. Said their music sounds like a bunch of hippogriffs dying."
Amelia shrugs and sits in the chair across from him. She collects the tickets again with a grin. "I hate them, but you love them. Sort of like how you hate coffee, but you bought coffee for when I stay the night at yours " she points out, reaching across the desk and caressing his cheek. "That's what people do when they love each other. The deal with things they don't like because it makes the other happy."
"Coffee is atrocious," he grumbles.
"The show starts at nine," she tells him. "Dinner, then music. Then back to your place for the night."
John looks at the pile of paperwork, his lips drawn into a tired frown. So many names. So many dead or injured. She wonders how he hasn't lost his mind completely having to deal with it all.
"I think I could definitely do with a good night tonight," he says with a sigh.
Amelia climbs to her feet and kisses him quickly. "I'll see you tonight, then," she tells him.
"Or sooner?" he asks hopefully.
Amelia laughs. "If you're good and get your work done," she tells him.
John gestures at the stack of paper work. "Really?"
"Get to work, Dawlish," she says before walking to the door.
"Oh, yes ma'am."