For the Through the Universe Challenge at The Golden Snitch Forum. (Beauxbatons, Guinefort, 90. Kingsley Shacklebolt.)
Five More Minutes
The morning light began to filter through the gauzy curtains, reflecting off of Kinsgley's bald head. Rosmerta looked over at him and smiled. The man looked so peaceful when he was asleep, so carefree and unencumbered by stress. It was always nice to see him that way.
A short while later, still under her watchful gaze, he stirred. Rosmerta shifted closer, letting her blonde curls tickle his face. She could feel him grin into her hair.
"Good morning," he rumbled in that deep voice she loved so much.
"Good morning, love," she whispered back, tilting her head upwards to catch his lips in a brief kiss. "Sleep well?"
"Don't I always when I'm here with you?"
Rosmerta toyed with the buttons on his navy blue nightshirt, her face slightly flushed. "Yes, I suppose you do."
Kingsley stretched, letting out a small groan as he did so. "I should go."
"Already?" Rosmerta was disappointed, but she tried not to let on. He would feel guilty, she knew, and he had enough to worry about at the Ministry.
He stroked her hair with a gentleness that still surprised her. The man was an Auror, after all, the toughest of the tough. Yet when he touched her, it was as though she was made of glass and he didn't want her to break. "How about five more minutes?"
"I'll take it," she said, and snuggled closer. He held her to his chest, and she could feel it rise and fall with every breath. It was so soothing, snuggling with him. She wished they could do it more often, but between the odd hours they both worked, it was hard to expect any sort of predictability.
All too soon, the five minutes were up, and Rosmerta sighed. "I guess we'd both better get up."
As Kingsley sat up and began to pull on a pair of socks, she leaned over and kissed him again. He stopped what he was doing and ran his fingers through her hair for a moment.
"I wish I didn't have to go," he said softly, cupping her chin in his hand. "I would happily stay here forever."
She found herself smiling at him again. "I would let you."
Word count: 370
