3. Make Mine Bloody and Raw
"Eeet 'as been a week, I can take care of Bill at home. 'Ee is my husband! 'Ee wants to go home!" Fleur said impatiently to Madame Promfrey.
"I understand Mrs. Weasley, please stay just one more night. I'll teach you how to make the potions he'll need."
Fleur didn't look pleased but she nodded at the healer in agreement. It had been a week since the end of the Battle of Hogwarts, Bill was still healing. Fleur was determined to have him home before his brothers funeral. The rest of the Weasley's had left four days ago, Mr. Weasley had visited once since then. No one else was ready to return to Hogwarts. Fleur knew Bill understood why they didn't want to need there, but she could tell he missed his family. He needed to be with them so they could all grieve together.
Taking her seat next to her husbands hospital bed she settled back with her copy of Gone with the Wind. She had read it many times, it was a comfort book for her. Losing herself in a world of civil war and unrequited love she waited for her husband to wake up. He didn't wake up until well past dinner time.
"Bill, 'ow nice eet is to see you awake, are you 'ungry? I'll go to ze kitchen for you." she gushed truly excited to see his eyes open.
"I wouldn't mind taking a walk before I have to take that dreadful potion again. I'm so tired of sleeping, did you talk to Madame Promfrey about leaving?" he asked, wincing slightly as he stood.
"We can go home tomorrow Mon Amour! Ze Madame has instructed me already in potion making and bandaging wounds."
" I don't want to take anymore potions! They make me sleepy, you're around me all day but I'm asleep. I miss you, and I miss my family. Madame Promfrey said I'd have to take these kind of potions everyday?" he asked, clearly frustrated.
"She said in a few weeks I'm to remove the ingredient that makes you sleepy, you need sleep to 'eal Mon Chou!"
Madame Promfrey had told him as much, he gritted his teeth as they walked down the stairs. Would pain be a constant in his life now?
"When we get to the third floor you have to tickle the..." began Bill,
"Pear, I know. George told me before they left." Fleur finished for him. "
She smiled brightly at her husband softly kissing him outside the kitchens before she began to tickle the pear and leading him into realm of the house-elves. As per usual the house-elves practically fell over themselves to serve the ex-student and his wife.
"You can call me Ellie, I'm the head chef of the Hogwarts kitchen staff sir and madam. What can I get for you?" a small house-elf said asked.
"'Eeee will have some raw steaks. Make sure they're nice and bloody please Ellie." Fleur answered for her husband.
"Nothing for you dearie?" the kindly elf asked.
"No I 'ad dinner earlier. Thank you."
As they waited the house-elves insisted they have some tea and cookies. They pulled a few chairs from nowhere and set a small platter of cookies in front of them. By the time Ellie returned with the slabs of meat they had each finished a cuppa and had more cookies than Fleur would care to admit.
"D'you guys mind if I eat in here? I'm sorry I know it's kinda gross... It's so nice to be out of that blasted hospital bed."
"Of course you can eat here, Ellie wouldn't ask sir to leave. Ellie knows your brothers very well, she is sorry to hear what happened." Ellie said dabbing tears from her huge eyes.
"It's... Thank you Ellie. These steaks look incredible. If you don't mind I'm going to make a pig of myself. You may want look away!" Bill said with a roguish wink.
"Je t'aime Mon Amour! You're the strongest man I'll ever know." Fleur said kissing her husband full on the lips not even caring that he had steak and blood on his face.
" I love you too Fleur, I can't wait to to home!" Bill said with his mouth full.
