Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter!
25 Days of December
Chapter Three- Baubles
Pairing: Peter/OC
Note- this OC is from my fic 'No One Messes with a Potter' :)
Peter is a death eater
3rd December 1978
Jess frowned around the apartment that she and Peter shared. She was home alone and had absolutely no idea where he was. Most girlfriends would be worried had they been in his place, but Jess wasn't. She knew that wherever Peter was, Sirius, James or Remus would be with him. And they were smart enough to avoid running into any death eaters.
She bit her lip. The only problem she had with being home alone was the boredom. She could never find anything to amuse herself, and when she did, she'd start feeling bad for doing something fun when others couldn't join in. She rolled her eyes at herself. Peter was right. She was too nice for her own good.
Jess was a quiet person. She had bright blue eyes, strawberry blond hair and light freckles sprinkled across her pale cheeks. She sighed and went to the bookshelf to see if Peter had bought any new books lately. One of them caught her eye:
'Household Christmas Charms'. Hmmm, Jess loved charms! It'd been her favourite subjects at school. She grinned and picked up the book, flicking through it until she found an interesting looking page.
'Decorate your tree with enchanted baubles - charm lasts up to 25 days!
That looked fun. She read the page right through, her eyes lighting up as she saw how easy it was. She set the book down and looked up at the plain, muggle decorated christmas tree that she and Peter had put up the day before. Then, she took down everything but the tinsel and packed it away, and sat on the couch, waiting impatiently for Peter to come home so they could make the enchanted baubles together!
~-3-~
Peter scurried out of Knockturn Alley, shivering. His skin and clothes felt grimy as they usually did after he spent time with the death eaters. He had tears in his eyes that he tried to wipe away, but each time he did, his eyes just welled up again.
He sniffed. He hated the death eaters. The only reason he'd joined is because Jess had been away for two months with her mother and James, Sirius and Remus had been acting weird. He was tired and confused, with no job and no apartment when Snape had found him stumbling through Diagon Alley. They promised him power and recognition. Yeah right! He didn't get nearly as much recognition with them as he used to get back when James, Sirius and Remus weren't acting weird. He scowled at the ground. Then Jess had returned and Peter realized how stupid he'd been. "Well it's too late now. You're in for good." Snape had said harshly.
That was three months ago and Peter still hadn't told Jess. He shuddered. He needed to tell her. He couldn't go on like this. Maybe if he told her now, and told her how disgusting he felt, she might forgive him one day.
Yes, he'd tell her tonight… He gritted his teeth, squeezed his eyes shut, and apparated to the apartment.
~-3-~
There was a crack from outside the door and Peter walked into the flat. Jess grinned brightly as he walked into the living room.
"Hey Pete!" She said cheerily, leaping up from the couch to kiss him. "Look what I found," She said, snatching the charms book off of the table to show him. "I thought we could decorate the tree together. Watch!"
Peter watched in dismay as she waved her wand in a graceful arc and a small stream of pretty pink bubbles came out and hovered. They sparkling, turning shades of pink and purple before solidifying into a bauble and settling into a slow pattern of changing colours. Peter smiled half-heartedly at Jess as she grinned proudly at her enchanted baubles.
How could he tell her now? She was so happy. So much better off without him. It was Christmastime for Merlin's sake! How could he ruin this happiness by just apparating in one evening and bursting her bubble (literally!) by telling her he was practically a bleeding death eater. It would ruin everything. For both of them.
It would destroy her- and that would destroy him.
"Try it! It's really easy." Jess was saying. Peter looked from her kind, happy face to the charms book to the wand he held loosely in one hand.
He could tell her now. Or… he could tell her tomorrow, perhaps if she was in a worse mood. He sighed internally. Who was he kidding? Jess was the happiest person he knew. It could take months for her to be in a suitably bad mood. And even then, Peter wouldn't want to go and make her mood worse by telling her the truth.
He had to tell her.
He looked up at her. She was frowning at him, gazing up at him with innocent, concerned eyes.
"Pete? Are you ok?" She asked, her voice sounding fragile to Peter's ears.
He couldn't tell her. She'd leave him. He'd have no one left. No one to come home to and make enchanted baubles with. He sighed.
"Yeah. I'm fine. Just tired." He said to Jess. Jess bit her lip.
"We can do this tomorrow if you want to sleep." She said uncertainly. Peter smiled at her.
"No. I want to stay up and do this with you." He insisted, putting his arms around her and kissing her forehead. Jess smiled brightly again.
"I love you." She sighed happily. Peter's heart sped up and he smiled vaguely.
"Love you too." He mumbled. She smiled and they took out their wands and began to conjure the little enchanted baubles around the tree. And Peter sat and watched Jess's happiness, thinking that maybe, just maybe, there might come a time when he could be that happy too.
.
.
A.N- Sorry, its not quite so happy as the others. But that's what Peter gets for deserting his friends!
;) review please!
Toff.x