My Modern AU universe kept nagging at me, so here is another chapter!
Thank you Hogwarts-Duo! you are the best beta EVER!

"Ainsley Kathleen, for the last time, you are not wearing a purple flower girl dress," Elsie said for the umpteenth time in the past two hours of wedding dress shopping.

Ainsley stomped her foot and crossed her arms over her chest. She flopped down onto the chairs outside the dressing room beside Isobel, and Elsie went in to try on dresses. She shook her head as she remembered Charles insisting they have a proper wedding. She was not too keen on it, would have been perfectly happy getting married at the registrar's office. After all this was her second marriage.

But he had insisted that he wanted to see her in a real wedding gown. So, here she was in a dressing room trying on dress after dress. She hadn't found the one yet, and she was beginning to have her doubts as to actually finding it.

"Ainsley! Come back here!" She heard Isobels voice ring out. She shook her head as the attendant giggled and finished lacing the back of the dress.

She stepped out onto the platform, and took in her appearance with a grimace. No, she was not the princess type. However, her daughter was, and she had wanted her mummy to try on a princess dress. As her daughter came round the corner she made a face.

"Mummy, that doesn't look like you at all. Maybe you shouldn't have a princess dress,"Ainsley said definitely.

Elsie sighed, and was about to go back in when Isobel called out to her.

She came round the corner and had a dress in hand. "Elsie, I think this just may do it."

Elsie sighed and took the dress and went to be disrobed from the princess dress. She slipped into the 1920's inspired gown and she breathed a sigh of relief. It was much lighter than the other dresses she had tried on. It was so comfortable. The sleeves had buttons up to the elbows, and then turned into a gauzy fabric that was perfect for an autumn wedding. It had a higher neckline that fed into a beautifully draped low back. It nipped in at the waist and then flowed nicely down her hips. It was a beautiful ivory colour.

She stepped out onto the platform, and she heard several gasps. She turned around to look at herself in the mirror. Her breath caught. It was perfect. It made her look fabulous, and it felt wonderful on her. She took in the way it clung to all the right places, and then heard her little lass clapping her hands together.

"Mummy, you look bootiful!" Ainsley said excitedly.

"Mrs. Hughes, here are the shoes that are supposed to go with the dress." The sales assistant came round the corner with a pair of stunning ivory peep toes that sported a beautiful vintage brooch. She kicked off her little flats and stepped into the shoes. She knew that this was what she would walk down the aisle in. She smiled and looked to Isobel who had tears in her eyes.

"Oh, Izzy, I think this is the one," she said as her voice broke and she watched Isobel nod vigorously.

She turned to her little girl and smiled. "Now its time to get my best girl something to wear."

After she had her dress, it had been easy to find something for Isobel and Ainsley. Elsie loved the little oatmeal colored sheath dress they found that featured a little lace top half that fed into the skirt. They even found a little hair band that would look beautiful on her girl and would stand out against her red hair.

They arrived home to a fully cooked dinner and Charles bopping around the kitchen. He hadn't had classes today, one of the perks of being a professor, she supposed. She on the other hand had just taken the day off. It was lovely to be the boss and to have time stored up. She giggled as Charles turned around to face her in an apron.

"I didn't want to dirty my shirt" he replied defensively then curiously asked, "What's that in the boxes?"

"Never you mind what is in the boxes. You will find out in six months, Charles," she replied as she made her way down the hall. She peeked into the first spare room and saw that the number of boxes had increased. (They had decided that he would move into her house. It was bigger and had a few more bedrooms. That would be nice since they had discussed maybe one or two more children)

She put her boxes under her bed carefully and went back into the kitchen to eat. She sat down and the little trio ate together recapping the day, with Ainsley telling Charles all about the dress shop. She told him that mummy didn't pick the princess dress, but her mummy would look 'bootiful' anyway.

After dinner Elsie and Charles did the washing up and the family settled down for a movie. Half way through, Ainsley fell asleep and Charles carried her to her bed. He smiled as he watched Elsie tuck her in.

The couple went back out and cuddled into the couch once more.

"So did you, indeed, find the 'perfect dress'?" Charles asked nonchalantly.

"Yes, and it was Isobel's doing. She said she just looked up after catching Ainsley and there it was," Elsie sighed wistfully.

"I'm glad you agreed to a real wedding, love."

"You were rather insistent. I still could just do with a visit to the register's office," she sighed, "but it is too late, now that I have found the perfect dress."

He chuckled and kissed her. The kiss built in passion, and she soon straddled his lap with her hands in his hair. they broke apart at the sound of a little voice.

"Mummy, Mummy, I had a bad dream," Ainsley sniffled.

Elsie sighed as she pressed on last kiss to Charles's lips, "I think you had better go."

He smiled as he helped her off his lap. He knew that having a kindergartner in the house would be challenging, and Elsie had warned him of the mood killer she was. But, his heart swelled as he watched Elsie kneel down to pick up the crying little girl and carry her into her own room. He locked the door as he left and shook his head, wondering how he had let this wonderful woman and her adorable little girl wiggle their way into his heart.

Let me know what you think!

Much love
Samantha