Title: On the 23rd of February…

Prompt: Written for the 'One Day' competition on the HPFC – Nappy

Disclaimer: Harry Potter is a trademarked brand owned by J.K Rowling and Warner Brothers. Any material used belongs to the aforementioned parties. This material is only used in recreational purposes and I receive no monetary or material rewards from using it. Please don't sue me.

February 23rd, 2001

Lavender is just putting the finishing touches on her hair when she hears the familiar tinkling that signals a floo call. She ignores it though, certain that her fiancé will answer it as he's downstairs and closer. She pauses her primping when Seamus appears in the bathroom doorway, a slight frown pulling at his handsome features as he fiddles with his shirt collar.

"That was Fergus," he starts with purposeful vagueness.

This immediately catches Lavender's attention. Seamus has never been one to beat around bush, unless of course, he has a reason to fear Lavender's reaction.

"He's got some sort of important work function tonight and the babysitter had to cancel because she's ill with vanishing sickness; he needs someone to watch his two year-old."

Lavender stares at him blankly. 'Please don't let that mean what I think it means, please don't let that mean what I think it –'

He takes a deep breath before, "I'm the only one he considered trustworthy enough to bring in last minute."

Seamus studies Lavender carefully as he waits for her response. Instead of being angry or frustrated like he expected her to be, her expression takes the resigned pout of poorly hidden disappointment, which somehow manages to be much worse.

"So… our date night?"

"I'm sorry love. You met Claudia last New Year's: you know how she is. She's finicky about everything; twice as much when it comes to her kid. She refuses point blank to allow some 'random miscreant' to watch her 'precious daffodil' unsupervised for three hours while they're in London, and Fergus says that missing the gala is not an option."

Lavender is very familiar with Claudia's peculiarities. If there was ever a way to be good-naturedly disdainful, Claudia Levy-Agar somehow manages to pull it off.

"But," she starts again desperately. "Isn't- isn't there anyone else?"

"What was I supposed to do Lav, say no?" Seamus says, pausing in the middle of unfastening his dressy green button down with a pained look on his face. "He's family."

"No- no of course not," Lavender says. "You did the right thing."

"So you're not angry?" Seamus asks uncertainly.

Lavender smiles reassuringly. "I'm not angry, promise. Just a bit disappointed, that's all." She tries to behave casually as she drums her left hand against the countertop. "I'm not sure if you remembered, but today is the-"

"-Anniversary of the night we got engaged," Seamus finishes quietly.

Blue eyes meet brown, and it's then that Lavender realizes that Seamus is just as upset about having to cancel their plans as she is. He opens his mouth to say something else, but Lavender cuts in before he can get the words out.

"You don't need to apologize again Seamus," she starts knowingly, and the much taller man falters, looking sheepish. "It's not your fault the sitter caught vanishing sickness, and considering the date, I'm sure Fergus had to twist your arm a fair bit before you agreed to watch baby Aisling."

It's this last part that seems to finally convince him of her honesty, and it's with obvious relief that Seamus continues to shrug out of his evening clothes. He answers her next question without prompting. "Claudia and Fergus are leaving in twenty minutes, and I need to change into something more baby-friendly," he explains.

Lavender hums in acknowledgement before turning back to her large vanity, suddenly feeling thankful that she had been running a bit behind and hadn't yet started to apply any makeup that would no doubt be too heavy for the sudden change of events. She takes a long moment to consider the lengthy blonde locks of hair she just spent the last half-hour painstakingly straightening, but in the end she decides to tie it back in a simple low ponytail, as she would prefer to avoid getting scalped by a two year-old if at all possible.

She moves back into the master bedroom with growing optimism. Her glance at the form-fitting black dress draped across the queen-sized bed is only slightly longing before she turns her attention to more important matters; namely, finding a pair of jeans that she wouldn't mind getting dirty.

It's this rummaging through her dresser drawers that catches Seamus's attention.

"Erm, Lavender?" he asks hesitantly. "What're you doing?"

"Looking for some casual clothes," she replies pleasantly.

"Why?"

She glances over her shoulder, the incredulous look on her face an automatic response. "Do you expect me to finger paint in a skirt and high heels?"

"Are you coming with me?"

"Of course I am silly! It's our anniversary!"

She looks up at him again through her eyelashes, suddenly feeling a bit shy and sentimental. "And… it's not as if it matters what we do tonight, right? As long as we're together?"

Seamus graces her with a small, fond smile, "Of course it doesn't."

Fergus and Claudia have one of the oddest relationships that Lavender Brown has ever seen, and that's really saying something, because she's had to deal with the dysfunctional friendship between Dean Thomas and Luna Lovegood for the better part of the last three years.

It's no surprise then that when they finally arrive, Claudia is impeccably dressed and waiting patiently for her husband: a simple clutch in one hand, a giggling baby resting against her opposite hip, while Fergus is still searching through the house in vain for a pair of matching socks. Lavender's not really sure how they make their relationship work, as he's overflowing with immaturity and dirty jokes and she suffers from a type A personality in the first degree, but they've always seemed happy, so she tries her best not to judge them.

"Seamus, Lavender!" the auburn haired witch exclaims with relief. "Thank Merlin you're here!"

"Hello Claudia," Seamus greets with a cautious hug, taking care not to squash Aisling. "How are you?"

"I'm doing quite well, thank you for asking. Though admittedly, I'd be a bit better if Fergus could pull himself together before we end up late."

The older wizard stumbles into the room as if summoned by the sound of his name, grinning victoriously as he laces up his sleek leather dress shoes.

"Found them!" he announces with the grandiose air of a person who'd invented a spell to conjure gold. "We can leave now."

Claudia rolls her eyes at her husband's antics, but her expression becomes suddenly anxious. She hugs Aisling tighter for a moment before she hands over her daughter to Lavender.

"Thank you so much for doing this for us," she says gratefully. "I know the request was ridiculously last minute."

"It's not a big deal," Lavender replies, "After all, we hope that you'd return the favor if we ever need you to."

"Ooohhh!" Fergus says, waggling his eyebrows. "Is there something you'd like to tell me cousin?"

Lavender blushes as Seamus scowls. "Shut your face Fergus. That's none of your business."

"Aisling has already been fed and bathed," Claudia cuts in firmly, throwing chiding look in her husband's direction, "So you don't need to worry about that. She'll probably get tired in about an hour, so you shouldn't really have to do anything besides put her to bed and make sure she doesn't hurt herself. Aisy's very good about sleeping through the night, so that shouldn't be a problem, but if she does happen to wake up and start crying, just rock her gently until she falls back to sleep."

Claudia's on a roll now and the engaged couple pays close attention to her precise instructions. "Diapers, extra clothes, and other supplies are all in a cupboard on the right side of the nursery, but feel free to 'accio' something if you don't have time to look for it. There are age lines around the toilet, the dust bin, the litter box, the fireplace and the front and back doors, but keep an eye out please. Aisling can and will stick her hands into anything if you give her half a chance."

The redhead murmurs under her breathe as she ensures her thoroughness in briefing the pair babysitting her darling. "I think that's everything of importance, and if you're unsure about something, go with your gut; I trust your instincts."

Claudia smiles warmly and at the same time, two things happen at once. Fergus's watch begins to ding loudly, a last minute signal to hurry up, and somehow, strangely, a much subtler tone begins to emit seemingly from Aisling herself.

"She needs to be changed," Claudia states, transforming from calm to panicky in half a second. "I'll just go and…" She reaches out for her daughter but Lavender leans out of her reach.

"We've got it under control Claudia," Lavender says firmly. "We can handle a dirty nappy. Now go before you two end up late."

Claudia gives the trio one last anxious glance before she takes Fergus's proffered elbow and the two apparate out of existence.

"You know how to change a nappy?" Seamus questions. "I didn't know that."

"Can't you?" the blonde asks in return.

"Well… no," he admits.

"If you can't change a nappy, then how did you expect to take care of the little one for the next three hours without me?"

"It can't possibly be that hard," Seamus says confidently.

Lavender shrugs. "You'd be surprised at how squirmy a baby can be."

Seamus stares at her for a long moment before blurting out with startling conviction, "Teach me how."

"To change a nappy?"

"Yeah," he nods, his voice slightly hoarse. "It'll be good practice, you know. For… later."

His gaze drifts down to Lavender's collar bone. She's sure that he's thinking of the rose gold engagement ring that hangs there because she hadn't gotten around to putting back on after getting home from work, and the wedding scheduled on the first day of spring, and futures that once seemed so far away. And there are many different ways that Lavender could respond to Seamus's statement, but she decides that for once, maybe… less is more.

"Okay."

It's finally finished! XD Since this is the first romance-centric fic I've written, I'm very pleased with how it turned out. Thanks a ton to anyone and everyone who read and/or reviewed this story! Your kind words mean the world to me! - Cadid423