Chapter 24

After breakfast with Amelia's family, Oliver and Amelia apparated to East Kilbride to spend part of the holiday with his parents. On the walk down the lane, Oliver asked, "Have you decided yet?"

"I have," she answered.

When Amelia did not answer further, Oliver said, "And?"

"And I will, but I have a lease that I want to finish and I need to live where we can have a telephone for my family," she replied. "Can you live with those terms?"

"Of course, love," Oliver said, beaming. "I just want us to be together, and I can still stay with you for a bit, until training camp starts."

"Exactly," she stated. "So, when we go back, you should notify your team where you'll be staying and pack some things. I'll clear out a drawer for you."

"What about your parents?"

"If they find out, we'll remind them that we're both of age and can make the decisions ourselves," she said. "If that doesn't work, they'll eventually get over it." Oliver didn't answer her with words; he picked her up in a tight hug and kissed her.

They broke apart when they heard someone clear their throat. They looked up to see Jane standing in the doorway. "Sorry, Mum," Oliver said, appropriately abashed. "Happy Christmas!"

"Happy Christmas, Oliver, and Amelia," Jane replied. She let them into the house and followed them into the sitting room, where Edward was waiting.

"It's about time," Edward scolded.

"Sorry, Mr. Wood, but my brothers got a little needy when we were leaving," she said.

"I caught them snogging in front of the house," Jane chimed. Amelia blushed scarlet and tried to hide behind Oliver; Oliver squeezed her hand.

"Relax, dear," Edward said. "Jane is just having a bit of fun with you. We won't ask about what you lot do if you promise not to tell us."

"Thanks," Amelia replied.

They took seats in the den and opened their presents. Edward and Jane were quite pleased with the presents that Amelia and Oliver had brought for them as were Oliver and Amelia. After presents, Oliver and Amelia took their bags to their rooms while Edward and Jane set to making dinner.

Amelia was settling in when Oliver snuck into her room. "After my parents go to bed, sneak into my room," he whispered. He startled her completely, but also sent shivers down her spine.

"If they catch us?" she asked.

"They won't care," he promised. She didn't believe him, but she didn't have the energy to argue.

By the time dinner was finished, Amelia was exhausted. She fell asleep on Oliver's shoulder while listening to the wireless. Oliver sent his father a look and Edward nodded; then, he scooped Amelia into his arms and carried her upstairs to put her to bed. She started to stir when she felt him pulling her shoes off.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"You fell asleep and I'm putting you to bed," he replied. "I'm just taking your shoes off. Do you want help changing into your pajamas?"

"As much as you'd like that, I think I can handle it," she giggled.

He leant over her and kissed her. When they broke apart, he said, "I'll never get enough of that."

"Nor will I," she promised. She caressed his face and was tempted to just ask him to climb in with her, but he sighed.

"I really need to go," he said. "I don't want to, but I need to. If my parents think…" He looked at her and noticed the disappointment in her face. Then he toed off his shoes and added, "Aw, bugger it. Shove over, I'm climbing in."

Amelia scooted over on the bed and let Oliver climb in beside her. She snuggled into his chest, threw her top leg over his and fell quickly asleep. Oliver followed suit. Edward and Jane peeked in on them when Oliver didn't return, but since they were both still fully clothed, they let them sleep.

When Oliver woke the next morning, he was shocked that his parents hadn't tossed him from Amelia's bed. He untangled their limbs and went to the kitchen, where he found his mother. "Morning, Mum," he said.

"Morning, Oliver," Jane replied. "Sleep well?"

"Yes," he answered. "Did you and dad know where I slept?"

"Of course, but you looked so peaceful that we didn't want to wake you," she said. "And Amelia looked very happy."

"Cheers, Mum," Oliver said. "Thanks for trusting us."

"You've earned it," Jane promised.

Amelia then stumbled into the kitchen and took a seat at the table by the window. Oliver brought her a cup of tea, just the way she liked it and she sipped while watching a bird in a tree. Jane went to say something, but Oliver stopped her. "She likes to wake up first, Mum," Oliver warned. "It's her morning ritual."

Oliver walked over and put his hand on her shoulder. She sighed contentedly and he sat next to her. Jane watched them from where she was making toast and admired how at ease they were; she suddenly realized that Oliver had truly met his mate. She was watching them when Edward joined her in the kitchen. "What are you looking at?" he asked quietly.

"Our son and his future wife," she answered.

"Are you sure about that?"

"Yes," Jane stated. Glancing over, Edward concurred with his wife and noticed that Amelia and Oliver seemed perfectly attuned to each other.

After breakfast, Amelia and Oliver got dressed and planned to go with his parents to visit his family. She was just finishing getting ready when Oliver knocked on her door. "Come in," she called.

"Wow," he marveled. "You look beautiful."

"Thank you." She was blushing, but Oliver insisted that she needn't; she was really beautiful. "What if they don't like me?" she asked, suddenly.

"Who?" Oliver asked.

"Your family," she said. "What if they don't like me?"

"Ames, they're going to love you and even if they don't, you're my choice and I happen to love you quite a lot," he replied. "Now, Mum and Dad are waiting. We're going to apparate to my Grandfather's house in Fife." She nodded and followed him out of the room and to the kitchen, where Jane and Edward were waiting.

Amelia soon found out that she was nervous for no reason. Oliver's family were quite taken with her and she found them all very charming. His grandfather even remarked to Oliver, loud enough for Amelia to hear, that he was a lucky man and should be careful not to screw up the relationship. Amelia nearly snorted her drink from the laughter.

More presents were passed around, but this party seemed to have a theme that everyone should bring one gift and each person would choose at random. Amelia was lucky; she chose a cheap bottle of wine. Oliver got a bottle of mustard and his parents fared even worse, getting a jar of olives and a can of peanuts. "It's a game every year," Oliver explained at the end. "We get to see who gets the worst gift. When they get it, Grandfather gives them something better. I think my Da has won this year."

"What about the person who brought the worst gift?" Amelia asked.

"We don't ever get to know who the gift came from, but it's a challenge to try to pick something horrible," he continued. "You at least got something that we might use."

"We'll open it for New Year's," Amelia promised. "If it's terrible, at least it will be good for a laugh." Oliver agreed just before his grandfather announced that Edward had won the award for picking the worst present and presented him with a very nice bottle of champagne.

After dinner, Oliver, Amelia and his parents returned to their home in East Kilbride by apparating. When the returned, Amelia went to change into her pajamas and Oliver followed her up the stairs. He paused in her doorway and she sensed him watching her. "What?" she asked.

"Nothing," he replied. "I was just thinking how much I love you and how I haven't said it yet today."

"Love you too," she answered, grabbing him by the collar of the shirt and snogging him. She pulled back, groaning, and said, "How many more nights here?"

"Just tonight and tomorrow," he promised. "Then, we're back at yours. I will have to stop by my flat at some point to fetch some things, but we'll be sleeping in your bed for as long as we can." He wrapped his arms around her and held her quite tightly. Then, he whispered into her hair, "Sneak into my room tonight."

"When?"

"In an hour," he answered. "Mum and Dad will be in bed by then." She nodded, kissed him softly once more, and went to the loo to brush her teeth.

As promised, an hour later, she knocked quietly on Oliver's door. He waved his wand and opened it and she tiptoed in. She greedily leapt at Oliver who turned and allowed her to tumble onto his bed. He quickly cast a silencing charm around the room so that the giggling wouldn't wake his parents. Then, he leapt onto his bed with her and started tickling her sides.

She pinched him on the waist and tickled his sides, too. It didn't take long, however, until the tickling turned to kissing, and groping, which then led to shagging. When they finished, Oliver insisted that they at least pull their pajamas back on, in case his parents decided to wake them up. Amelia agreed, but made Oliver fetch her pajamas from where he had tossed them across the room.

The next night, Oliver took Amelia to her first ever ballet. To say that she enjoyed it would be understating, a lot. "This is the most amazing thing I've ever seen," she whispered at intermission.

"Do I get points for a good present?" Oliver asked.

"Most definitely," she replied. "And you shall be rewarded when we return home."

Oliver smirked and they took their seats for the second act. When the ballet was over, Oliver took Amelia for an ice cream before taking her back to his parents' house for the night. The next morning, they apparated back to her flat in London.