Chapter 26: Rain Makes Your Flowers Grow
Two and half years after Nicolette's amazing and surprising birth she had grown into one of the most adorable toddlers ever seen. Her red curls were really dark and very curly. Her grey eyes were as sharp as her grandfather's but sparkled like her grandmother's and she had little freckles all over her cheeks.
"They here! They here mummy!" the two year old exclaimed running through the home in her brand new red Christmas dress her mother had bought her.
"Okay Nicolette Okay," Minerva laughed as she came out of the kitchen and hurried to the front door just as the door bell rang.
"Ganpa!" Nicolette exclaimed wrapping her little body around Stewart's leg.
"Minerva dear how are you?" Katherine asked as she and Stewart kissed Minerva. They were ignoring Nicolette; it was a game the two played with her.
"I'm fine mother. Albus is just at school. He had some last minute things to do and then he'd leave the Gryffindors with Professor Boron," Minerva explained.
"I'm so ready for next year so I can start Hogwarts!" Gabriella whined as she followed her parents in the house.
Gabby was a pretty as her sister Isabel with her blonde hair and green eyes. The difference was she was devoted to her mother and never left her side…so it made everyone wonder if she was really ready for Hogwarts no matter what she claimed.
"Ganpa!" Nicolette called.
"Shall we head to the sitting room? I'd love to see the tree," Katherine smiled as they followed Minerva. Smirking slightly she looked at her husband in mock concerned and asked, "Dear why are you limping?"
"An old Quidditch wound I think," Stewart shrugged.
They entered the sitting room and the elder couple sat down as a little voice again shouted, "GANPA!!!"
"Oh dear! Oh dear I seem to have something latched onto my leg!" Stewart gasped.
"I think it's your granddaughter dear," Katherine giggled as Gabby sat by her mother and laid her head on the woman's shoulder.
"So it is," Stewart nodded picking up the toddler and setting her on his lap.
"When I big you see me then," the girl stated indignantly.
"I'm sure you'll be beautiful and tall just like your mummy," Stewart nodded seriously.
"See new dress?" Nicolette asked.
"Yes we do and it is very pretty. Nikki you are a beautiful little angel," Stewart smiled kissing her head.
"You say too?" she asked Katherine.
"I say to wee barren. You are very pretty," Katherine nodded.
"Mummy! Mummy Granny and Ganpa say I pretty like you! It must be true!" Nicolette exclaimed.
"It must be," Minerva laughed as she went to answer the door bell again.
"A little pano!" Nicolette exclaimed taking the wrapping off the gift from her grandparents. It was after dark and everyone was now exchanging gifts after the large turkey dinner they had eaten.
"Well look at that. You'll have to practice a lot though," Albus replied.
"Me will," Nicolette nodded and turned to her grandparents. "You two play please?"
"Play what?" Stewart asked playing dumb.
"Please play music," the girl pouted cutely. Stewart cursed his wife for allowing the children to inherit that damn pout. He could not and would not ever say no to that pout.
"Katherine my dear what do you say?" Stewart asked. Katherine shrugged and smiled as they each took a napkin off the nearby table and transfigured them into a guitar and violin.
"Requests then Miss Dumbledore?" Stewart asked the toddler.
"Jiggle Bells!" Nicolette exclaimed.
"Oh yes that one is always fun," Gabriella nodded.
"Jiggle Bells then," Stewart nodded as he transfigured another napkin into a jiggle bell barrette he stuck in Katherine's head.
He started playing and seeing in his deep voice. "Dashing through the snow in a one horse open sleight….ore the fields we go laughing all the way!"
Katherine joined him playing the violin and shaking her head in a rhythmic way to jiggle the bells just right. "Bells on Bob's tail ring…making spirits bright! Oh what fun it is to ride and sing in a one horse sleigh tonight!"
The others in the room laughed and clapped along to the tune singing the course with them till the song was over and everyone applauded the heads of their family's musical talent.
It was late at night and everyone had gone home. A terrible winter storm was pounding outside making the old house shaking and creaking. The storm had woken Nicolette quite easily as she was so terrified of them. She lay in her little bed in her room trying to force herself to stay calm and in bed.
She had seen her mother face fears and she wanted so to be like her mother but she was afraid she wasn't. The louder the storm raged the more frightened the tiny child became and she scrambled out of bed dragging her stuffed tabby cat with her as she padded to her parents bedroom and softly opened the door.
As the lightening lit up the sky before a loud burst of thunder pounded at her poor ears she saw her parents in the large bed. They were in the middle and Albus had his arms wrapped tightly around his wife as she had her head pillowed on his chest.
She ran to the bed and scrambled up the chest at the foot and crawled onto the bed all the way up to them where she snuggled into the middle of them just like a cat.
"Hmm Minerva…Nicolette!?" Albus blearily blinked.
"Pwease daddy?" the girl cried.
"Albus leave her alone. She doesn't like the loud noises," Minerva chastised lifting her head slightly.
"You know it won't hurt you," Albus replied, "The rain is helping the ground get ready for you and granny to plant your flowers in the spring."
"I still no like. It hurt me ears," the baby cried.
"Shush now baby," Minerva's cooed pulling her daughter close, "Mama won't let the storm hurt you."
"I wuv you mummy and daddy," the baby yawned as she fell asleep in her mother's arms sucking her thumb and holding her tabby toy.
"We love you Nicolette," Minerva and Albus whispered as they all fell asleep together.