"I—erm. I have a bit of an announcement," Bill said, setting his cloth napkin down on the table. He looked at Fleur, who sat beside him, her hand in his, fingers laced together. She smiled, slightly nervous but stunning nonetheless. "Well," he said once everyone at the table was watching him. "Fleur and I are getting married."
Everyone glanced down at Fleur's left hand, then back at Bill. Arthur blinked slowly; Ron and Ginny put their heads together, whispering frantically; George passed Fred two Galleons; the glass in Molly's hand shattered.
Shards of the crystal showered the table. A chill ran over the room. No one spoke, no one moved.
"You—you're what?"
"Engaged, Mum."
"No…" Molly's voice was slow, as though she was still trying to comprehend what her son had just told her. "No, you're not. That's ridiculous."
"And what exactly is so ridiculous about it?" Fleur cut in. Molly spluttered, at a loss for words. Fleur flipped her hair over her shoulder, revealing a large, gold hoop earring. "Elle ne m'aime pas, je te dis, Bill."
"Non, non, c'est pas ça," Bill said, trying to placate her. "Mum, I've told you and Dad that I plan to marry Fleur. I ran it by you because I respect you, but I didn't ask your permission, nor do I need it. Nothing you say will change our minds, and I'd appreciate it if you at least tried to act happy for me."
The muscles in Fleur's jaw clenched, and Bill was trying to remain calm. He had expected this, if he was being honest, but he'd hoped for better.
"But she—she…"
"Jealous much, Mum?" came a carrying whisper from across the table.
"George! Go upstairs. You too, Fred!" Molly added sharply, addressing the still-laughing twins.
Bill reached over to hold Fleur's hand under the table, giving it a squeeze before letting go. "Mum, can we talk?" He didn't pose it as a question. There was a coldness in his voice, stern enough to match his mothers and causing her to falter for a moment.
He led her into the sitting room, turning on his heel and pacing the room in front of her. It was a nervous habit of his—something he only did when he was frustrated and needed to let out steam. Bill took a deep breath before speaking. "What part of this do you have a problem with, Mum?" His voice grew softer as he met his mother's eyes. She gave him a weak smile in return. "Is it Fleur? Or just the fact that we're engaged? I told you I'd be proposing soon."
"I suppose I just never realized how serious you were about her. I don't know that I understand what you see in her. I mean, sure she's pretty, dear, but there are plenty of fish in the sea…"
"And Fleur is much better for me than any of them. She's beautiful, yes. The most beautiful person I've ever met. But you seem to think that just because she's conventionally attractive, she hasn't got any other good qualities. What, you think that she doesn't deserve me?" he asked, knowing that she had been thinking exactly that. She didn't meet his eyes.
"She's perfect, Mum. If you just had a conversation with her, you'd see what I mean. Her laugh lights up the room and she always knows exactly what to say when I'm upset. She's brilliant and witty and fiery." His eyes were fixed on a spot on the wall across from them, his voice distant and fond. "Will you give her a chance?"
Molly sighed, but upon meeting Bill's eyes—upon seeing the way they shone when he thought about his fiancée—she nodded. "I'll try, love."
"Thanks, Mum," Bill murmured, pulling her into a hug.
After returning to the kitchen, Bill slid back into his seat next to Fleur, whispering to her. Molly met Arthur's eyes, raised her eyebrows, and busied herself clearing up the dishes from dinner. "Fleur, dear," she called. Her warm tone seemed a bit forced, but it was an improvement. "Would you like to stay the night? Bill's staying in his old room, and we wouldn't want to send you off back to your flat this late. We could set up a cot."
"I think she'll be fine without, Mum, thanks," Bill said.
Fleur looked surprised but took it in stride. "Thank you very much. Dinner was wonderful, Bill was right, you are a very good cook."
Molly blushed slightly; Ginny snorted. Bill ignored them both, leaning his head against Fleur's shoulder, melting into her touch, full and content. "Welcome to the family, then," he murmured, kissing Fleur softly. "It's pretty well always like this, suppose you'd better get used to it now."
.
A/N: Written for: Advent Calendar Day 4: (pairing) BillFleur;
Writing Club – Character Appreciation 17: (trait) Cold; Disney Challenge S1: Write about someone accepting they're wrong about something; Cookie's Cooking Corner 8: (dialogue) "Thank you very much."; Showtime 2: (phrase) There are plenty of fish in the sea; Amber's Attic S5: Write about calling someone out on their bigotry and/or prejudice; Count Your Buttons C3: Molly Weasley; Lyric Alley 7: That it won't end; Em's Emporium 6: (event) Mealtime; Angel's Arcade 6: (word) Beautiful, (object) hoop earrings, (dialogue) "Jealous much?";
Fortnightly – Bucket List 12: (word) Melt;
Seasonal – Days of the Year: Sept 22: Write about a family matriarch; Autumn Prompts: (word) Chill; Audrey's Dessert Challenge Cake 6: Write about a dinner; Ravenclaw Prompts: (trait) Accepting;
Writing Month and Dragons: wc 798