Chapter 24

"I wanted you all to meet and play nice with Warrington. My fancy gentleman as my Grandfather would say" Alicia told the group as she and Warrington placed the first pitchers of butterbeer on the table. Everyone was there except for Angelina who apparently begged out with an excuse of too much work. Part of Alicia was sad but also grateful Angelina wouldn't be there pouting the whole time or making snarky comments.

"Really? We all read the Daily Prophet, tell us something new" Oliver said as he picked up a pitcher and started pouring the beers, Warrington sat down next to Alicia on one side of the table while Katie and Oliver too the ends with Lee, Fred and George sat opposite them at the table.

Warrington inwardly smiled as he thought of the earlier comment Alicia made about it not being a job interview. When that was exactly how it felt at least he wasn't the only one in a suit if one called a lime coloured double breasted monstrosity Fred wore a suit. George was no better in a neon purple suit at least they wore white collared shirts that tamed their look by just a fraction. Lee wore a grey pinstripe suit looking like the only man besides Warrington with some fashion sense. Meanwhile Oliver wore a leather jacket with a tshirt and jeans. Katie wore jeans and a blue off the shoulder top, her blonde hair half up half down.

"I'm not a lesbian" Alicia told him dryly. Oliver, Fred and George did a double take as if they were genuinely shocked to hear the news before returning back to acting relatively normal.

"We did wonder" George said thoughtfully, Alicia rolled her eyes and gave a sigh as it was the running joke of their group that she was a lesbian just because she didn't have a small army of exes like Katie. It was that or she was a nun, either way it was an annoying joke because she preferred that they didn't pick on her inadequacies.

"Yeah, here I thought you would tell us you and Katie are lesbians and Warrington here is your fag hag and to just go with it" Fred said, Katie choked on her first sip of beer while the others looked at Fred stunned for a moment.

"Fag hag?" Alicia asked in amazement, she looked to Warrington who looked rather amused but did nothing more than take a pull of his beer. They had already discussed that he would drink most of the beer and switch glasses with her so she didn't have to consume any alcohol. She had a feeling she would have to carry him home later but she was grateful as she found the idea of drinking unappealing.

"It's-" Fred started to explain as he mistook her question for that she didn't know the colloqualism but she cut him off.

"Oh I know what it means I'm wondering how you know it" Alicia said as she looked to Katie who was still recovering from her choking episode. The blonde gave the thumbs up before Alicia turned her attention to Fred.

"I was reading a trashy celebrity magazine when I was on the bog in Angelina's bathroom this morning" Fred explained with a shrug. The table all smiled at him as only Fred would learn something on the toilet and share it with them all.

"Ok well no, Katie and I aren't lovers" Alicia said shaking her head at him.

"Yet" Katie said in a stirring manner as she had regained her voice. She even looked at Alicia in a flirtatious manner and winked at her.

"Good luck with that Bell" Warrington said as he sat back in his chair and draped an arm around Alicia's shoulders.

"She'll get bored of you and when she does she'll come back to me" Katie told him.

"We'll see" Warrington said in a smug tone before he picked up his glass of beer and took a pull of the drink. Alicia looked at the butter beer infront of her and while desperately wanted the alcohol buzz but at the same time she wished it was a glass of wine and not beer.

"Oh no, he's marked his territory already" Fred joked.

"He's a Wizard not a crup" Alicia told him dryly as her nerves started riling at her friends' baiting her. She wasn't used to being the centre of the attention as she was usually the one with nothing going on in her life.

"Same, same in my opinion" Katie commented with a shrug and a mocking smile as the boys at the table didn't like being equated with a crup. So to get off the topic George did what he and Fred were best at; being dramatic.

"Whatever Kates, you lie with the crups and completely off topic. This rogue has despoiled our dear sweet innocent Alicia" George said in a dramatic and aristocratic tone, Alicia felt her her cheeks burn as he had said it loud enough for the room to hear.

"Taken flowers from her secret gard-" Fred's voice was silenced and he grabbed his throat and continued to move his lips but no sound came out.

"Oh my, Freddie someone has silenced you" Katie said with giggle, they all exchanged looks and laughed as everyone gave the 'It wasn't me' shrug. Fred narrowed his eyes and looked at them all while George pressed two fingers to his temple.

"Being his twin, I can tell you that we are telepathetically linked. And yes, I meant Telepathetically not telepathically. He demands for his voice to come back Warrington" George said pointing at Warrington.

"It wasn't me" Warrington said calmly but he knew it was Alicia as she did have outbursts of magic here and there. Obviously no one else at the table knew about it as they didn't even look to her as the culprit. How they couldn't feel the magic crackling in the air around her was beyond him as even now he could sense her magic.

"You're the only one at the table who would silence him and no one will believe the old 'I don't know wandless magic' excuse" George told Warrington.

"I do know wandless magic but it does require one to wave their hand or some movement." Warrington said as he moved his hand to the back of Alicia's neck giving her a soft massage in the hopes of relaxing her before she managed to blow something or someone up. Alicia took a deep breath beside him and leaned more towards him.

"Well it looks like we have another situation besides Alicia being despoiled by a Slytherin. Fred's been cursed into silence" Oliver said with a smile.

"I for one am grateful as he is way too vocal" Katie said in a teasing tone. Fred folding his arms across his chest looking annoyed as he couldn't make any retorts or even reply to their continued mocking of his quiet nature.

"My Brother says we should get back to the problem at hand of our despoiled Alicia and how we will salvage her reputation" George said.

"Stop saying I'm despoiled or better yet stop talking about my love life. I haven't seen you guys in a while and I'd like to hear about your lives" Alicia told the others as she knew they were all waiting with their own joke or jibe about her love life and Warrington.

"Then why did you bring him here to meet us?" Oliver said.

"Because I wanted to meet you all, as my intentions towards Alicia are rather serious" Warrington said before Alicia could answer. He moved his hand away from her neck and moved it to her hand under the table and intertwined their fingers.

"Rather Serious" George repeated in poor imitation of Warrington's voice and accent.

"Does this mean you guys are getting married?" Katie asked excitedly.

"Then they'll have kids and then we'll never see Alicia again" George said which made Alicia and Katie frown as they both didn't understand how having kids and being married meant she was going to disappear. Warrington must of sensed her shift in emotioncal state as he squeezed her hand and she turned to look at him and he gave a soft look with a closed lip smile. Her world melted as she found comfort in his presence and the look he was giving her.

"We don't approve of this" Fred said, he smiled as his voice had returned. He smiled and pointed to his mouth and laughed as sound came out of him.

"I don't need your approval and I'm not cutting Alicia off from you all. I would prefer we all be on good terms" Warrington said a little perturbed.

"I don't see anything wrong with that" Lee said speaking up for the first time.

"You're siding with him?" George said looking at Lee like he was a traitor but they all knew their conversation was superficial and no one was taking it seriously enough to end friendships or create rifts even if Alicia was feeling incredibly riled and wished they would try some semblance of being polite company.

"I'm supporting Alicia, our friend for over a decade." Lee said as if he were reminding everyone at the table. "I don't see why Alicia would disappear when she has children and settles down. She will always be our friend" Lee told them. Warrington knew Lee liked to keep the peace and in saying he supported Alicia meant he supported the also knew that Lee wasn't held into the same interhouse rivalry that the others loved playing into but then he did work with Marcus Flint.

"You do realise once he knocks her up, she can't drink. She has to rest more-" George started.

"Then she gets like the side of house-" Fred continued.

"Which means any chances of hooking up in this bar with her all pregnant and bloaty are considerably lower-" George was going to finish his sentence but Warrington cut him off.

"Lower than what they are now?" he asked in a mocking tone, while they didn't know Alicia was pregnant he knew she was incredibly sensitive and he didn't want her friends unintentionally hurting her.

"Hey, don't make it sound like we don't pull tail in here" Oliver said defensively.

"Because we do" George told Warrington who turned his head and surveyed the crowd he couldn't spot any woman in their age group or attractive enough to warrant special attention but then it was a quiet night.

"I highly doubt that unless the witch happens to be colour blind" Warrington said making a point to look at George's colourful suit.

"Whoa he's mocking my wardrobe. I tell you this suit is the height of fashion" George said with a smile as he puffed his chest out and held the lapels.

"For a Muggle Mardi Gras?" Warrington asked with a mocking smile, Alicia, Katie and Lee chuckled while the reference was lost on the twins and Oliver.

"Katie, you're single. if we never met before and you spotted me in the bar you'd throw a leg over me right?" George asked her, Katie placed her beer on the table and looked George over while the table watched on waiting for an answer.

"No" She said.

"Is it the suit?" George asked her.

"No, I'm just not into Redheads" Katie said with a shrug.

"Fair call, I asked the wrong girl" George said not admitting defeat.

"So when will you and he be making babies?" Fred asked.

"Why do you want to know?" Alicia asked.

"Well ee need to know when this transition is going to happen so we can be prepared becuase once you guys make the leap the pressure is going be on Fred and Ange considering they've been together longer and all" George said.

"I don't know, Alicia when do you think would be a good time to have babies?" Warrington asked Alicia looking to her, he knew she wasn't going to tell them and wondered how she was going to wriggle out the question.

"Hey, do twins run in your family?" Fred asked.

"No" Warrington answered, he was pretty sure these were the kinds of questions people should ask when they were on far more intimate terms that Warrington was with Alicia's friends.

"Shame, twins are the best" George said. Fred nodded in agreement while Alicia paled slightly at the thought. She was excited about having a child but having more than one at time sounded a little frightening.

"I think starting with one will be enough and then have maybe a two year break before the next one. I like the idea of a boy and two girls" Warrington said in a serious manner but if he were honest he didn't care about the sex of the child as long as he or she were healthy and happy.

"I'm not sure if you're being serious or not" Oliver said looking at Warrington but then Warrington knew that like most men his age they weren't interested in settling down.

"Can we talk about something else?" Alicia asked as she was reaching her limits.

"Ok How's the sex?" Katie asked, Alicia groaned.

"Please can we talk about something that isn't incredibly intimate in a public place?" Alicia asked through gritted teeth as Warrington kept a straight face even though he was inwardly amused watching Alicia squirm from embarrassment from her friend's brashness. It was obvious Alicia drifted in the group's interest as she was gettinf flustered by their intense curiosity.

"I agree, I would prefer not to discuss my sex life in the Leaky Cauldron. the way you all carry on I'd think you were spies for the Daily Profit" Warrington said.

A few hours later,

"Oh never have I been so happy to be home as I am now." Alicia groaned in relief as she flopped back onto the bed but with her feet still on the floor as she wasn't changed for bed even though her body was ready for it. "What?" Alicia asked as she noticed Warrington looked at her with an unreadable expression.

"I was just thinking that's the first time you've said this place was home before" he said he didn't know why but the words made him warm with contentment.

"Really? I'm pretty sure I've said it before. Anyway I'm sorry about my friends, if we do that again hopefully they'll ease up on us as the novelty will wear off" she said looking completely exhausted. Her friends had ribbed him in the last four hours about his house mates and lifestyle nothing about him had been left un-mocked. Though he didn't sit back and let it roll off him instead he mocked them in return which he was sure didn't help Alicia who spent most of the night feeling flustered and embarrassed.

"Well I quite liked hearing about your past boyfriends" Warrington said with a smile as he took off his coat and placed it over the wing chair in the room, he had learned a lot about Alicia's life listening to her friends talk about her.

"Talk about the shortest topic at the table" Alicia said covering her eyes with an arm. Warrington moved to the dresser and took off his cufflings.

"Hmm trust me that isn't a bad thing" he told her as he liked knowing that he was the one of the very few men she had dabbled with in the sexual sense and something he had missed entirely was that he had been her first compatible lover and not just from enjoyment but genetically as Montague had laughed at him for a full ten minutes when he accidently let it slip that Alicia was part Maltese. Of course only Montague would know obscure Wizarding mating blood traits to ensure.

"So you're not put off that I'm inexperienced?" Alicia asked tentatively. Warrington moved to the bed and leaned down placing his hands on each side of her, caging her in as he leaned in close, so close their noses nearly touched.

"You well and truly make up for it with imagination and enthusiasm" he told her before he covered her mouth with his and kissed her deeply and thoroughly. He drew back after a few blissful moments and looked down at her. "We should get changed for bed or would you like to have a bath?" he asked.

"Depends you joining me?" she asked as she ran her hands up his shirt and began undoing the buttons.

"Someone has to make sure you don't drown yourself" he told her. Alicia smiled and Warrington took hold of her hands pulling her to her feet. He lifted her up into his arms bridal style and moved to the bathroom.

Three weeks later,

"Why is my Grandfather writing to you?" Alicia asked as she had been sifting through the stack of mail and found a letter addressed to Warrington in her Grandfather's hand writing. Though it didn't say Warrington it was addressed to 'Alicia's Fancy Man'.

The weeks had passed in a blur as Alicia continued to work from home in the library, doing the books for the twins. It didn't keep her busy so she spent a good amount of time admiring the Kimono in the Library hanging on the wall or sitting in the Baby room. She didn't know why but she enjoyed sitting in the rocking chair looking up at the ceiling at the clouds drifting by in the magicked artwork. She liked it as she didn't have to leave the sanctuary of the house and she didn't think about Callaghan and his visions.

She wasn't out and about as she had been as Katie was in full season training mode and thus she and Oliver both fell off the map. She did drop by the shop once a week as she, Lee and the tiwns had lunch together to be social and to catch up other than that she was usually at the house. She and Warrington had fallen into a pattern of living together and sharing breakfast and dinner in a new room an open kitchen/dining space Warrington had magicked into the back of the house with the help of his elf Hetty.

It was a comfortable sized room with a French Provencal feel and white wash walls that made the room light and bright contrasting well with the greenery outside the windows. It had a spacious Kitchen and table that sat six people but there was room to expand the room if necessary. They were currently sitting at the table on opposite sides with a large spread of food between, they hadn' even changed from their bed clothing as Alicia wore his cotton pyjamas while he wore the bottoms.

"I asked him to arrange a meeting with the seer" Warrington said as he tried to take the missive from Alicia's hand but she pulled it back out of his reach and eyed him suspiciously.

"Why? I told you what he saw what more is there to know?" she asked him.

"I trust what you told me but I want to see for myself if he is a crackpot like Professor Trelawney or an actual true seer for myself" Warrington answered. He had hoped that he would have intersected the letter before Alicia did so she would never had found out. Apparently Cillian didn't see any point in keeping Warrington's business with Callaghan between them. He wondered if Cillian had gone after Theodore Nott as well but then all of Warrington's associates said Theo was laying low. He wasn't sure if it was a good sign or not. As for the people stalking him and Alicia he had them found and gave them an ultimatum to work for him or go to Azkaban. He didn't need them to break their bond of secrecy in telling him who hired them and of course the youth grabbed for legal employment and housing as it meant they would become respectable citizens. He did have provisos in place so they didn't think they were getting off easy.

"Can't you just ask around?" Alicia asked a little annoyed at Warrington for going around her and seeing her Grandfather to make the meeting with Callaghan when he could have included her.

"I have, he's not well known but then most seers aren't. They are handled by Unspeakables or remain in isolation. I'd say he's one of the latter. Now may I read my missive?" he asked her politely as he held out his hand.

"Depends" She teased as she held the letter in front of her face.

"On?" he asked.

"Well it's addressed to 'Alicia's fancy man'. Are you my fancy man?" She asked with chuckle as Warrington was doing his best not to roll his eyes.

"Apparently I am though I would prefer a different title." He remarked as Alicia handed the letter to him. He opened the seal and unfolded the parchment reading the three lines scrawled on the page. Cillian was not one to wax on lyrically in fact he didn't even address the letter or sign it.

It just said a time and place with a brief message to Alicia of his love and that he missed her. Warrington folded the letter up and looked to Alicia who was waiting for him to tell her what was in the letter.

"He sends his love and misses you also wants to know if you're well" Warrington told her.

"Well it has been a few days" Alicia said, Cillian made a habit of dropping by their house unannouced at least once a week. She knew she should hate it but after years of keeping people at a distance she was glad to have them back in her life.

"He must be spending too much time with my mother" Warrington commented as Cillian had announced that Maura was currently staying in Ireland working on the Halloran House.

"Maybe it's a love connection. Can you imagine if they got married that would make you my – well I don't know what relation that would make you to me" Alicia asked in a tongue in cheek manner as she opened a missive and started reading it.

"I would be your Uncle by marriage and please don't joke about that" Warrington said as he really didn't want their family to be intermarried in that fashion. It wanted just Alicia and all relations from her side of the family via their marriage. Alicia laughed at his aversion to the idea.

"Relax, my Grandfather hasn't remarried since my Grandmother and while I'm sure he has some lady friends he has never gotten serious with any of them" Alicia said as she looked up briefly from her letter to smile at him.

"I would prefer not to think of my Mother as a sexually active person especially with your Grandfather" he told her.

"Well when are you going to Ireland?" Alicia asked him as she placed the letter down and to eat the remaining french toast and fruit on her plate.

"Today" he said.

"I'll come with you" she said as she took another bite of her food.

"I'd prefer to go alone" he said. Alicia gave a tilt of the head and he knew his words came out the wrong way but she didn't look angry or upset as she swallowed her food and had a sip of tea.

"Actually your mother invited me to come today and see her progress on the Halloran House" Alicia said picking up the letter she had been reading.

"And not me?" He asked shocked.

"Well I think in her mind we are a couple thus when she invites me it's an invitation for both of us unless stated otherwise. She says she loves Ireland" Alicia said.

"Oh dear, has she changed citizenship yet?" Warrington asked dryly.

"I haven't gotten that far yet but apparently my Grandfather has been very accommodating" Alicia said with a cheeky smile.

"Not what I want to hear" he told her.

"So what time should we leave?" Alicia asked.

"I am not meeting with Callaghan until after noon. We can have lunch with my Mother and your Grandfather beforehand" Warrington suggested.

"Sounds good, I read that it's not raining so we won't have to worry about traipsing through the mud. I should get changed" Alicia said as she took up from the dining table. She had barely made it one step when Warrington spoke up.

"Ah not so fast you haven't finished breakfast" he said.

"You expect me to lick the plate?" She asked as she had eaten more than her usual fill but then she and Warrington had burned a lot of energy the previous evening. They had attended a charity benefit before coming home and enjoying one on one time with one another.

"You forgot your potion" He said holding up the light blue vial of Prenatal vitamins and minerals enriched potion.

"It's a little disgusting to have something so sweet after breakfast" Alicia said, Warrington remained silent on the fact that she had chosen the flavour and could only blame herself as it was easier not to argue.

"But you have to" he told her.

"You know I don't even feel pregnant. Maybe Montague is horrible at that diagnostics spell and I'm not pregnant"

"My Mother also did the spell. She confirmed you were pregnant. Would you like me to test you? or perhaps you'd like to do one of the muggle tests where you pee onto a stick and let's not forget all the unprotected sex you and I have shared these past weeks since our firt time together. You are pregnant" he told her as he dangled the vial in the air.

"Just give me the stupid vial" Alicia said stepping forward and taking it from him. She uncorked it and downed the content, handing the empty vial back to him. "Happy?" she asked.

"Ecstatic" he told her with a smile, he caught her hand and pulled her into his lap and wrapped his arms around her. "Now kiss me" he told her.