She cuddled into the arms around her, staring at the ever-shifting hues that alighted the sky. It had always been her dream to see the Aurora Borealis in person, and now here she was. In-person, with the man she loved. She turned to look at the man behind her, but there was fog across his face. She couldn't quite make out his features, but that didn't matter. She was at peace with him. They were safe, and everything was ok. The pain wasn't there anymore. The blood had gone, clean and washed away. Everything was perfect; there was no more death. Finally, just living in peace eternal.
Odie awoke with a start, gasping for breath. She sat up and shook her head as if to be rid of the dream she hadn't entirely understood.
"Mmm, good morning to you too." Odile glanced over in surprise, only to feel a sense of relief overtake her chest.
"Nightmares?" Fred asked softly, arm reaching to rub slow circles against her back. She shook her head, the dream slipping from her mind as if she were running her fingers through the current of a river. She cleared her throat, and memories of the previous night's activities rushed to her mind. She flushed at Fred's outrageous bed head, sure that hers was not much better. She lowered herself back down carefully before glancing over to the man in the bed next to her.
"Good morning, baby." She murmured, laying her head on the pillow opposite to him, giggling as he wrinkled his nose.
"I don't think that's the pet name for me, love." He replied distastefully, and she raised her eyebrows playfully.
"No? What do you think is the 'pet name for you then?" He furrowed his brow in mock thought before shifting closer to her, his fingertips tracing a steady line down her arm to the rest of her body.
"Not sure yet… give me a few hours, and I'm sure I'll land on one I'd love to hear." She flushed even brighter at that, relaxing against the mattress as his fingers continued their path lower, and lower, and lower, and-
"Oi, LOVEBIRDS!" The couple jumped apart as a heavy knocking appeared against their bedroom door. Fred groaned loudly when it didn't stop and threw his head against the pillow.
"WHAT?" He shouted back at his brother, frustration seeping through his voice.
"Some of us have work to get to! And by some of us, I MEAN YOU TWO!" He cried, angry footfalls stomping away from the door. Fred moaned as Odile began to giggle, placing a delicate hand on his shoulder.
"Well, that's what I call a wake-up call, Mr Weasley." He grinned at that, turning his head to wiggle his eyebrows at her suggestively.
"Mr Weasley? Now that is something I could get used to."
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The days continued to be about as lazy as they could. The foursome worked tirelessly in their little shop, also creating and perfecting products. Remus' creations were of great help, as she told him multiple times through her letters to him. He and Tonks had been beside themselves when she'd told them what had happened that night. She had visited briefly to pick up the things she'd left at their house, but the brief visit soon became lengthy as the story unravelled. Odile had to reiterate multiple times how much it wasn't their fault and how nothing they could have done would have changed the outcome of that night. She also may have snuck in a bit of dig at the apparent chemistry between the two as she left, leaving Tonks red from cheeks to hair and Remus sputtering in her wake.
It had taken some time for Odile to reorganise the stock room to her liking, berating Fred for letting it get so out of order the entire time. He didn't mind much, just happy to be in her presence. Her once bedroom quickly became a guest bedroom instead, her spending most nights in Fred's room. The added intimacy that they'd recently included was incentive enough, but what it really came down to was touch. Falling asleep in each other's arms, feeling the body heat radiating from the other as you fit together like a jigsaw puzzle. Fred could honestly say he didn't mind her icy feet pressing against his legs or waking up with a mouthful of hair. No, that had become practically second nature at that point.
They talked as well; oh Merlin, did they talk. They talked for hours about their hopes and dreams; pillow-talk tended to loosen one's tongue after all. She shared her love of travelling, all the sights she wanted to see. Iceland, for one, the number one bucket list item she had her mum had never gotten to cross off. She talked about her dreams as a child to be a mechanic of all things, bred from her love of old cars and cigarette smoke. That was even her Amortetia potion; gasoline, cigarette smoke, and her mother's perfume. She somehow wondered if that would change if she smelt it again. He spoke too about his insecurities growing up in such a big family, constantly being compared to his brothers and sister. He told her about his long-standing dream to become a provider, to have a successful business, and two kids to dote on constantly. He never wanted a big family; being a part of one tended to wipe that idea away. She couldn't contain her grin when he talked about kids, knowing what an incredible father he'd be. Knowing how wonderful he was and that she had him all to herself.
They'd all been loosely keeping up with the events at Hogwarts; a new potions teacher, Snape of all people becoming the DADA professor, and a new romance on the horizon, according to Ginny's letter. Seemed like just another term if one could ignore the tension growing in the Wizarding World. Odile barely left the apartment anymore and was always accompanied when she did. Fred could see the toll it was taking on her; he knew her almost better than he did himself. He knew he had to do something, even if it could be considered dangerous. It had taken rather a lot of planning and a lot of convincing, but Fred had done it.
He enacted his plan on the 21st of December, ignoring the pit in his stomach at the thought of potential danger.
Odile could not deny the suspicion in her gut as her boyfriend hailed a cabbie down on the high street. They'd made the unusual decision to travel into muggle London; in fact, Fred had pushed for it. He'd made up some relatively weak excuse about wanting to visit this muggle wonderland they called "IKEA". Odile had tried to go into the situation with an open mind, but as he held the cab door open, she couldn't help but narrow her eyes.
"What's going on?" She hissed, and Fred's smile faltered for a moment before reappearing as if it had never left.
"We're going somewhere silly, now get in." When she didn't move, Fred frowned and gestured towards the vehicle again. She regarded her boyfriend with ever-growing suspicion but followed him in suit. It was only when they arrived outside the grand doors of Heathrow airport that Odile finally understood his secretive nature. She rounded on him once he'd waved off the cabbie, luggage just somehow having been prepared in the boot.
"Fred Weasley, if you do not explain what is going on this instant, you are going to wish you were up against Moldy Voldy instead." He chuckled at her furious whisper, wrapping an arm around her as he led her towards the doors.
"Well, if I did everything that Hermione told me to do correctly, then we're taking a flight."
"Yes, well, I gathered that," she remarked dryly to his amusement, "A flight where?" She continued impatiently as she allowed herself to be led towards the
check-in counter.
"Why, I thought that was obvious. North Carolina, of course." She sent him a look of shock, and his lips turned up in a gigantic smile. He then staggered backwards as the full force of Odile's body flew onto his, her lips quickly covering hers. He was pretty red-faced when she pulled back, his hair in disarray, blinking nonsensically.
Their little public display of affection went unnoticed by many bustling about, but a few small grins were there. That's the thing about airports, you see; they're full of the most miserable geezers and simultaneously the happiest people alive. Businessmen running off four hours and six cups of coffee, hustling back from Tokyo to wherever the next phone call takes them. The lovers, the families holding their poster boards decorated with children's scrawls, and the men and women finally returning from deployment. Home at last, and the cheers coming from some families were loud enough to hear halfway across the building. And throughout all the hustle and bustle of Heathrow airport, one couple stood alone, entwined as their fates and souls twisted together, two halves made whole once more.
"I love you, Fred Weasley." She emphasised, fingers gripping the hair at the nape of his neck, calves wrapped around his waist. He grinned softly and stroked her cheek gently.
"And I you, Odile Resinger."
A/N: Hmmm, do I sense a hint of foreshadowing? Mayhaps. You know I couldn't leave out a good trip to NC. While I don't live in the state, a lot of my extended family does, so I've been there countless times. Also, not sure if you can sense a little theme from the tidbit in the beginning, but it will be delved into in the next book.
Special thank you to Orzeszeky for favouriting, and to Lionluck for following!