Rating: T
Character(s): Rabastan/Alecto
Warnings: None
Disclaimer: Don't own 'em - not making any money off 'em. Dern it.
Word Count: 543
Notes: This collection will feature only obscure characters. If you look at their name in the archive, they have less than 300 stories.
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry: Daily Prompt Inspiration Thread - Prompt - (dialogue) "It looks like you're in trouble. Can I help?"
Valentine Fluff Competition: Rabastan/Alecto / Prompt: forehead kisses
The Ultimate Patronus Quest Challenge: Class G - Birds - 19. Ostriches: Write about someone receiving a gift that is not money
"It looks like you're in trouble. Can I help?" Alecto asked sweetly.
Her daughter nearly dropped what she was doing. "Um, no?" she tried.
Rabastan walked in the room and quickly strode between mother and daughter. "What are you doing here? You weren't supposed to be back for another couple of hours."
Alecto arched an eyebrow. "Why are the two of you acting so suspicious?"
"We're not acting suspicious," Rabastan denied.
Alecto looked around her husband to stare at Giselle. "What's going on with you and your daddy?"
Giselle pouted, but unlike Rabastan, the lip didn't move Alecto to relenting.
Instead, Alecto stared into her daughter's dark eyes until the young girl gave up. "Fine, it was supposed to be a surprise."
"Surprise?" Alecto asked.
"Happy birthday, Mummy." She held something out for Alecto to take.
Alecto cut a look at Rabastan, and he gestured for her to take it. "Go ahead. Your suspicious nature already ruined the surprise."
Alecto reached for the item and almost cried at the sight of the homemade card that Giselle had been working on so diligently. She never knew a piece of paper could mean so much to her.
"I know it isn't much, Mummy, and it's not even finished—" Giselle stopped talked when Alecto bent down and gave Giselle a soft forehead kiss.
"It's perfect," Alecto breathed, her lips pressed against Giselle's forehead.
Giselle smiled brightly.
Alecto stood back up and looked at Rabastan with an awestruck expression, and he nodded, understanding why she was so choked up.
She never had something as simple as a homemade gift before. Her family, like other Pure-blood families, deemed gifts without a monetary value as worthless. The idea of someone caring enough about her to work on something that took time touched her heart in ways that the old Alecto would have scoffed at.
When her and Rabastan fell in love, neither believe anything would change. They were both still Death Eaters, and they planned to stay Death Eaters. Then Alecto fell pregnant and all she cared about what her child's safety. And she didn't think that was possible with the Dark Lord.
Thankfully, Rabastan felt the same way, so they packed up their most important possessions and ran as far as they could, and they hoped the Death Eaters and their old Lord never discovered them.
It had been years since the fateful day they left the UK and Giselle was six. Alecto had never been happier. As long as she had her family, and they were all healthy, she would always be happy.
Giselle lifted her arms, and Alecto easily picked her up.
"If you want, I can finish your card, Mummy. And then I can give it to you on your actual birthday."
Alecto held her close. "Don't worry about it. I love it just the way it is." She looked at Rabastan. He too looked so happy. Maybe it was time to tell him the news. The family of three was wonderful, but it was small. She was sure he'd be happy to know they were going to be adding to it. And knowing her Rabastan, as soon as he found out she was pregnant again, he'd start praying to Merlin for a son.