A/N: Thank yous for all the glowing reviews and many apologies for the late update life and cold got me down but I'm back! and hopefully won't lapse again! Enjoy!

Chapter 20

Katie knocked on the front door of Warrington's townhouse on the fashionable and rich side of Diagon Alley for the third time. She hadn't owled before showing up but figured since Alicia was now living with him she didn't have to hold to the strict social protocols Warrington expressed upon Katie and Angelina when Alicia was ill. She hadn't even planned on visiting except she was in the neighbourhood and figured why not call in.

She didn't have to wonder what the two were up to on a Friday afternoon but it couldn't hurt for a House elf to answer the door at least. She was about to knock again when the door swung open revealing Montague, he was wearing a navy blue well tailored suit pants and white shirt sans a tie with two buttons undone and the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. In one hand he held a glass whisky as the other held the door. He looked Katie over making her roll her eyes as she could be wearing a potato sack and he'd still think it slutty and inviting.

"Bell, I'd say it's a surprise but only a Gryffindor would have such foul manners to knock more than once and heavy like a man" Montague drawled along with a classic lazy smile.

"My manners are fine. Where's Alicia? And why are you answering the door?" Katie asked annoyed as she hated how his comment about her 'mannish knocking' wrinkled her. Sure her knocking hadn't been dainty and lady like but then no one would hear her.

"Good Afternoon Bell, it's great to see you again. I'm well thank you so much for asking. Are you here to see Alicia?" Montague asked her mockiingly polite.

"No I'm here to see you. Of course I'm here to see Alicia" Katie snapped as Montague really knew how get under her skin and make her feel like a shrew.

"Well she and Warrington are not in residence at the moment" Montague informed her.

"Ok, then what are you doing here?" Katie asked him.

"Drinking, I thought it might be obvious" He said as he held up the glass "Though it has been a long day and your team is doing quite poorly this season. Maybe your head isn't in it, you know I could give you a free check up"

"My medical is paid by the team so of course your services are free and I'm fine and the team is fine how is running in second place doing poorly?"

"It's not first place"

"So do you always make yourself at home at your friend's place when they aren't home?" Katie asked changing the topic. As she already got slammed by sports competitors enough as it was she didn't need Montague adding to her annoyance in regards to her sport.

"Yes I've already spent a couple of hours wearing Alicia's stilettos and lacy underwear because I like how it feels against my skin. Shh don't tell her I like the thought of her wearing them and not knowing" Montague drawled sarcastically while Katie made a face of disgust.

"You are –"

"Graham, don't tell me you are trying to escape? If so you should never leave with a possession of the house-" Maura said as she appeared beside Montague. "Oh Katie! What a lovely and unexpected surprise" she said in greeting she open the door wider and pulled Katie in by the arm. "You're here just in time" Maura said with a smile as she dragged Katie upstairs.

"I am?" Katie asked as she wondered why Maura was at Alicia and Warrington's house and what Montague and Maura were doing together as she knew they weren't lovers.

"You are I need a second opinion and Montague is completely useless" Maura declared dramatically.

"Hey" Montague said voicing his displeasure at the comment as he followed them.

"Of course he was excellent at directing the house elves and the many sarcastic remarks he provides" Maura said as she pulled Katie down the hallway to where the main bedroom and one of the two guest rooms were situated.

"Thank you" Montague said.

"But sadly that's where his interior decorating skills start and finish" Maura said with a roll of her eyes.

"I'm a Healer not a craftsman and I'm a man anything I say is 'good' will just be changed thirty times before it's classified 'perfect' when it is in regards to cushions and wall colours" Montague said as they stopped in front of the door opposite the main bedroom.

"Now prepared to be wowed" Maura said ignoring Montague as she made sure Katie was standing in the 'optimum' position and opened the door. Katie's jaw dropped.

"Oh wow" Katie said looking into the room, the walls were dark greyish sky blue that blended well with the ceiling that was enchanted with a skyscape showing peaceful blue skies with white fluffy clouds, on one of the walls was a large clock that had two dials one for the time and the other was more of a night and day dial as Maura walked over and turned the dial to the moon. The sky turned to night with twinkling stars as the room darkened and small lamps made the room glow just dark enough for a child to sleep but light enough that a person could walk around with ease.

There was an elegantly carved baby Appleseed Davenport crib painted white with matching chest of drawers, bookcase and changing table and all the other furniture a baby nursery came with were placed around the spacious room. There were toys and book and everything else one could need or imagine for a baby's nursery was in the room.

"This is amazing Maura but why are you making a nursery?" Katie asked.

"This is my subtle nudge" Maura said proudly. Katie looked to Montague who gave a shrug making Katie question what kind of friend Montague was if he couldn't stop his best friend's mother from overhauling a bedroom.

"No offence but you're about as subtle as bludger to the head with this room. Wouldn't you rather I don't know have them get married first?" Katie asked Maura. The woman made a face and shook her head.

"I'm more progressive though…" Maura drawled as an idea came to her.

"Oh no now you done it Bell" Montague said as they both could see the cogs turning in Maura's face as a slow smile spread across her lips.

"What?" Katie asked Montague though Maura cut in first thinking the question was for her.

"The banquet room could be transformed into a private wedding ceremony area, then we can extend the dining room to fit a large table at least 20 guests" Maura said getting very excited at the challenge.

"Hold on" Katie said as it sounded like Maura was planning the wedding when an engagement had yet to happen.

"Oh don't worry dear all Warrington's have a small intimate wedding. We are not about flashing our money around and puffing our chests out saying 'look at me'." Maura said with the roll of her eyes. Katie was speechless as she was pretty sure there was a miscommunication between what she was saying and what Maura was hearing.

"What's she's trying to say is that she's not as crass and pompous as the Malfoys" Montague said as he moved to Katie's side.

"I was getting to it. I mean really there is no need to invite over 1000 guests to witness you voicing your commitments and endearments of love like some farce. Those two are more in love with each other than themselves so their wedding suited them as it fed their egos. It was a beautiful wedding but no, that is not how we Warrington's celebrate our affairs" Maura said.

"They prefer to keep it intimate to save from kissing cheeks and pretending to care about the guests" Montague added.

"It's truly the only time we don't have to put on a face and be a family without all the bullshit of being rich and pretentious" Maura said, Katie blinked as hadn't expected Maura to swear or be so openly bitchy. She felt like she had fallen behind the scenes of Downstairs upstairs or something.

"Yes, people of a higher echelon of society do use foul language" Montague told Katie who smacked his arm in annoyance and wishing she hadn't visited. Sure she can accept Alicia and Warrington being in a relationship but babies and marriage was pushing it for her. But then what did it matter to her if the two got married if anything it meant a night of crazy partying and booze.

"I was never in doubt of that" Katie drawled sarcastically.

"Anyway Warrington is visiting Alicia's Grandfather asking For Alicia's hand. The way Alicia speaks of her Grandfather I assume he's a very gentle and lovely man" Maura said, Katie coughed to stop herself from bursting into a fit of laughter.

"Hey, you feeling any better?" Alicia asked Warrington as the bar was in full swing around them Cillian had been pulled away to help his protégé with the 5 o'clock rush.

"How much did I drink?" Warrington asked as he still felt drunk to his toes. Alicia had spent the last hour pouring tea into him along with food but it wasn't helping. He needed a sobering potion or something. In fact he was ready for a hearty meal and a good night's sleep.

"Apparently quite a lot" Alicia said with an amused tone as she watched him.

"Indeed, your grandfather isn't what I imagined" Warrington remarked.

"Yeah he's a great man"

"I was expecting different, the way you talk about him I was thinking he'd be a sweet, portly man"

"Well you never asked me for specifics and anyway I thought you were going to wait until after I introduce you two properly before asking him permission for my hand" Alicia told him in a tone that said 'you brought this on yourself'.

"I can't remember my thoughts on the subject" he commented which meant he couldn't remember for the life of him. Alicia chuckled. "Though I did come to ask him permission for your hand" he said.

"And?" She asked with interest. She wanted her grandfather to approve and while he said he did

"He didn't answer my question or I was too drunk to remember his answer" Warrington said as he tried to wrack his brain for the memory but the whole afternoon was a complete blur.

"Well he came to the shop and told me about you visiting him. The shock he got from all the news about me being pregnant and how my eyes were the colour of the richest dark chocolate and you just get lost in them for hours" Alicia said with a chuckle.

"Oh gods" Warrington groaned more towards the sappy words about Alicia's eyes or what else.

"Apparently you also said you could write sonnets about my luscious lips and my curvaceous ass" Alicia said before giving an evil laugh as the tables had turned in her favour to tease him ruthlessly.

"I was drunk" Warrington said defending himself. Alicia propped her head up on her elbow and smiled.

"I'm sad I missed it as you usually hold your liquor incredibly well and I'd love to see you drunk" Alicia told him.

"Mmm well you'll have to wait until another time" he said as sat back in the booth and looked at her through narrow eyes. Happy she missed it and suspicious of what exactly her grandfather told her happened.

"Deal. I should tell you my grandfather expects us to stay the night" Alicia informed him changing the topic.

"He does?" Warrington asked, he was shocked to think he was invited to stay considering he made a right ass of himself.

"Uhuh and it's storming outside so it's best we stay anyway I have no desire to catch a cold" Alicia pointed out as the windows were being pelted with hard rain and the clouds outside were dark grey.

"How long has it been like that?" Warrington asked her. She smiled again.

"The past couple of hours, it's about a 4km walk to the nearest floo network. So even when the storm let's up we'd be knee deep in mud walking to it and freezing. You are also in no condition to be apparating" Alicia told him.

"Fair call. Tell me why you don't speak like your grandfather?" Warrington asked changing the topic from himself and any further teasing.

"You mean with a thick Irish brogue?" Alicia clarified.

"Yes"

"Elocution lessons with my Grandmother but when I'm around the old man I tend to slip back into the old tongue from habit" Alicia said slipping into her Irish brogue. "My Grandmother thought it hard for the folk outside of the country to understand me and the Old man" She slipped out of her Irish brogue back into her English accent "So I was taught how to speak like this so no one had any issues with me" Alicia said.

"That's incredibly sexy" Warrington drawled as he smiled at her.

"Oh so you find the Irish brogue a turn on?" Alicia asked leaning in closer to him in a flirtatious manner.

"Only when it's rolling from your mouth" he told her.

Back as Warrington's townhouse,

"I'm just showing them an ideal view of what they could have to make them want it. Trust me Cassius and Alicia will love it." Maura said. Katie felt her head spin from just being in the room but then she was years away from settling down.

"This is why Warrington kept his wards up against his own mother. Fire Whisky?" Montague asked as he held out a glass to Katie who took the drink and tossed it back as she felt like she had opened a can of worms by mentioning the fact that Warrington and Alicia might want to get married first. Though the Baby nursery was amazing Katie knew Alicia was going to have a major freak out before she enjoyed the humour of Maura's 'hint'.

"Another please" Katie said as she handed the glass to him.

"Well now that Alicia is off powdering her nose. I should tell you that I'm not giving you permission for my granddaughter's hand" Cillian informed him, half an hour after they had enjoyed a healthy serving of stew and bread for dinner and a pot of tea and apple rhubarb pie for dessert. Alicia had excused herself to the bathroom.

"Excuse me?" Warrington said shocked but not overly surprised though he wondered how much it would cost to get Cillian's permission. He hated that he immediately felt the pinch that Cillian would want a fat cheque considering he didn't appear to be a man concerned about money. But history told him people without wealth always desired it and he wondered what Cillian's price was.

"You don't expect me to hand over my only family relation that I like to a complete stranger even if he does love her? What kind of man do you think I am Boy-o?" Cillian asked him

"I'm not entirely sure" Warrington said carefully as he would never be blunt enough to ask Cillian his price up front unless the man was already acting like a degenerate which Cillian wasn't.

"Exactly I don't know you and you have no idea of the family you want to marry into and it's not something you can learn from a few pints and couple of good meals in one day" Cillian told him.

"If I don't marry Alicia within the next three months or news of her pregnancy comes out she will be shunned by our society. While they can turn a blind eye to her being spell damaged they won't be if she is an unwed mother and our child will be treated like a bastard and no one would believe the child to be mine and think me the fool" Warrington told him.

"British magical society and all your uppity social standards I'm amazed at how backward you all are. Here in Ireland we are fair more progressive. She wouldn't be shunned here, she'd be welcomed like an old friend and the babe would grow up never short of friends or male role models. Alicia also wouldn't be short of work as there is plenty of potioneering work available. You'd be welcome to visit or even move here if you didn't wed before the three months were up" Cillian said.

"I have business and an image to maintain. I can't be as progressive as the Irish if I want to keep doing business in England and most of Europe. I have a legacy to maintain" Warrington told him.

Though part of him would happily toss the legacy over the shoulder to be tied to Alicia and their child there was another part of him that wanted to prove he could run an empire better than his father. Competition with a dead man was a fool's game as his mother kept telling him. Warrington's had an obscene amount of money but he still wanted prove he was better than his old man.

"Shouldn't have knocked boots with my Granddaughter without researching her bloodlines first that way you would of known to marry her first but that's irrelevant now. What you have is two months to convince me that you are worthy of my granddaughter's hand and of my trust"

"That is reasonable" Warrington said.

"Indeed, you should also know that there are a few things that are non negoatiable in regards to having my granddaughter's hand"

"Please clarify" Warrington said sitting back he knew the man was going to ask for money. It was the perfect opening.

"You have to have your wedding on Irish soil and your wedding rings will be supplied by me as well as Alicia's engagement ring. When I think you have proved yourself I will give you the rings" Cillian started only for Warrington to cut him off.

"Perhaps you should come to dinner next week at my London townhouse so you can meet my mother." Warrington said.

"What does your mother got to do with this?" Cillian asked.

"You both seem to have strong opinions about the wedding when all I care about is being married to the woman I love. I'd elope but my mother would kill me for denying her chance to plan said wedding. So perhaps you two can knock out an agreement that's agreeable for you both" Warrington offered diplomatically. Cillian laughed when Warrington said he'd elope as he made his mother sound like a trying person.

"Sounds like a fine arrangement." Cillian said as he took a sip of his tea, Alicia returned from the bathroom to find the table quiet.

"Hey what are you two talking about?" Alicia asked as she retook her seat in the booth beside Warrington.

"Dinner next week with your grandfather and my mother" Warrington said.

"Sounds like fun" Alicia said with a smile.

"Oh aye I'm looking forward to seeing your new residence. Perhaps you should come home that day and we'll go see ol' Callaghan about getting you a new wand and then you can escort me to England so I don't get into trouble" Cillian joked, Alicia chuckled and smiled.

"I'd like that" Alicia said.

"Why don't you go to Ollivander's" Warrington asked Alicia.

"Callaghan is more than just a wand maker" She said.

"Oh?" Warrington asked out of curiousity not that he cared where Alicia bought her new wand.

"He has the ability to take your hands and figure out your magical strengths and weakness thus he moulds a wand specifically for you and your magic instead of 'allowing' the wand to choose its master" Cillian explained there was a slight bit of disdain tainting his voice.

"I assume it is better that way?" Warrington asked.

"Aye immensely better especially since her magic will have been completely altered it will be best for her to be tailor made a wand than to let some pommy wank- wand maker say 'the wand chooses the master' like a piece of wood has a mind. If a tree which is wood had a mind it'd pull it's roots out of the grounds and run from a lumberjack" Cillian said rolling his eyes while Alicia laughed at the imagery running of a tree doing exactly that.

"Ok now Katie you stand there and Montague here" Maura said as she position the two at the make shift altar in the banquet room. "Now hold hands I want to see the whole picture" she said with a smile. Katie eyed Montague with disgust as the last thing she wanted to do was hold hands with him. Montague however was enjoying himself far too much as he held out his hands with a grin as he was enjoying the frivolity and Katie's reluctance.

"Promise I won't bite" he teased.

"I'm not worried about that" Katie told him. She felt like a life size barbie doll but was glad Maura hadn't transfigured her clothing into a wedding dress but then she hadn't mentioned it just in case Maura did. The woman was a force to be reckoned with.

"Then take my hands" he said with a chuckle.

"This is not how I wanted to spend my night" Katie said under breath and she reluctantly took Montague's hands in hers.

"Just imagine it's our wedding day" Montague told her, Katie gave a snort of laughter and shook her head.

"I wouldn't marry you if you were the last man on Earth" Katie told him.

"Ha you say that now but we both know you'd take me" Montague said with a wink while Katie rolled her eyes. She turned her attention to ignore Montague enjoying the dark mahogany floor boards and gold patterned walls and ceiling the lighting was dimmed to make the walls give off a soft glow.

The aisle was framed with red and gold autumn leaves from the deciduous trees that had been spaced around the room charmed to give the room an autumn feel*. It was definitely beautiful and Maura definitely had way too much time on her hand as she had to have practiced the spells many times as she now performed them with comfortable ease.

"No I wouldn't" Katie assured him.

"Oh it's so glorious I can just imagine the wedding" Maura said as she flittered around the room like the happiest woman on the planet.

"Remember you started it" Montague said.

"I just stated the obvious"

"I think you did it so we could spend the night holding hands" Montague said as he swung their hands like a child and teased her further.

"Yeah you got me" Katie drawled rolling her eyes at him.

"Yet you haven't let go of my hands" Montague taunted her.

"Ok fresh towels are on the bed. Bathroom is just down the hall to the left. I'll see you both in the morning" Cillian said before he kissed Alicia goodnight and gave her a hug. He turned to Warrington "I'm not kissing your ugly mug goodnight" Cillian informed him with good humour. Alicia and Warrington chuckled.

"I appreciate that goodnight" Warrington said as he offered his hand and Cillian took it giving it a shake before he went back downstairs to the bar. "When does the bar close?" Warrington asked.

"When my Grandfather is tired of having company" Alicia said as she opened the door to her old bedroom. It was a medium sized room with a single bed to one side and desk with a couple of photos and wardrobe to the other. The walls were a vanilla yellow and the floorboards a rich mahogany. No decorations hung on the walls and he couldn't help but notice how old but well loved the furniture was. Overall he liked the room and could imagine Alicia loving this room as child growing up. She wasn't one for clutter.

"You'll have to resize the bed" Alicia said as she picked up the towels and moved them to the desk. She was making sure there was nothing too embarrassing on display or a journal out in the open. She closed the door to the bedroom.

"Of course, I have to say I was expecting embarrassing posters of Quidditch teams and a mountain of stuffed toys." He said as he picked up the sole toy from the bed, it was a very well loved stuffed toy version of a crup that had a button where one of the eyes should have been. He couldn't tease her about anything in the room. Everything was well loved and taken care of, much how Alicia was. It seemed that once she found something she loved she held onto it dearly.

"I played outside a lot as a kid so there wasn't a great need for heaps of toys" Alicia said as she took the toy from him. He watched how guarded she was about his comment and the way she held onto the toy, clutching it to her chest.

"Well it is beautiful outside" he commented as he pulled his wand out of coat pocket and resized the bed so it was a queen. "did you have any pets growing up?"

"No my Grandfather said he only had the patience to look after one little monster" Alicia said with a chuckle as she placed the crup on the desk and moved to the wardrobe.

"Of course" he said equally amused.

"What about you?" she asked.

"No, my father claimed to be allergic to crups and my mother is allergic to kneazles. Owls aren't exactly pets they are couriers of mail" Warrington said as he shrugged out of his coat and unbuttoned his shirt.

"Katie is pretty attached to her owl"

"I'm attached to mine but I don't consider him a pet in the way a crup or kneazle would be" Warrington said.

"So are you allergic to kneazles and crups?"

"No, I always wanted a crup but I don't have the time to train one from infancy. They are incredibly loyal animals where as kneazles are selfish and solitary creatures."

"Crups hate muggles"

"But they can be trained to not act on their impulses. Why are we having this discussion now?" he asked.

"I'm just curious" Alicia said as she changed out of her clothing into one of her night shirts she kept in her room it was just a man's flannel shirt large enough to swamp her and be comfortable. She pulled the white bed spread and doona back climbing into the bed and lying down with a sigh.

"Should I ask if you want a crup?"

"Not anytime soon" Alicia told him with another sigh and she got comfortable.

"But you're not averse to having one?" he asked as he shed the last of his clothes and slid into the bed beside her in just his boxers. He pulled the blankets up and settled onto his back enjoying the fact he was lying down. Sleeping sitting in a stool was not his idea of a good afternoon nap.

"No" Alicia said as she turned so she was lying on her side and moved into Warrington's side making herself comfortable. "but let's wait a while before we get one everything is a little hectic at the moment"

"I was just asking in general and anyway I only house trained Montague I'd hate to go through it all again" Warrington said, Alicia laughed.

"You laugh but I'm not jesting. He leaves empty glasses around the house like he's testing my house elves and my patience. He is possibly the worst house guest" Warrington told her. Alicia propped herself up so she could look at him.

"So that's why there was a glass on a coaster wedged between to books on the top shelf two days ago in the library?" Alicia asked with laugh.

"Yes, you see I trained him to put the coasters under the glass" Warrington said.

"You couldn't train him to stop depositing empty glasses everywhere?" Alicia asked with an amused smile.

"That would take far too long and anyway he's back in his own abode. It is only an issue when he visits unnounced or otherwise" Warrington said as he struggled to keep his eyes open. Alicia clicked her fingers and the lights flicked out. "You're using magic" he remarked.

"Only minor things and very rarely" Alicia said in the dark.

"It's good to practice. If I wasn't so exhausted I'd say there were other things I'd like to practice right now" Warrington drawled as he ran his hands up her upper arms and neck before he cupped the sides of her face bringing it down to his in a languid and deep kiss.

"Then why are you starting something you aren't going to finish?" Alicia asked when he broke the kiss.

"I can't help myself" he said with a chuckle as he captured her lips again and pulled her down and rolled them so he was on top making Alicia half laugh and groan in pleasure. "Shh your Grandfather might here us"

"He's in the bar and there is a silencing charm over the room" Alicia told him as she ran her hands slowly up and down his back.

"You?" he asked referring to if she was the one who performed the spell.

"No it's permanent charm my greandfather casted it keeps the noise from the bar out and the noise from inside the room in. Unless I say a few safe words then an alarm is sounded" Alicia informed him as his hands roved up her legs and flanks. the exhaustion she had felt early melted away while she wasn't energetic she was definitely awake.

"Well then I suggest you don't say those words whatever they are" Warrington said before kissing the sweet spot on her neck.

"Trust me I won't" Alicia said in a breathless tone.

TBC~ Cya in a week hopefully if I don't get bogged down again… Also the * from earlier is there because I felt I didn't give the description justice so I changed the cover of the book so you know what I am talking about as fanfic won't let me display the address all broken to bits... :-)

Then use your imagination and think of a smaller version of the room lol :-)