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[clumsy_auror]

Nymphadora comes out of the kitchen and walks over to the couch, leaning down to brush Bernard's hair back and give him a sympathetic smile before handing him a glass of cider. "Anything else, love?"

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[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

"Eurgh." Bernard takes the glass and sips gingerly. "Am I allowed to get sick now?"

[clumsy_auror]

"Absolutely. Just not, y'know, so sick that I have to stay home with you, 'cause Allbright'll have a fit if I'm out again."

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

His eyes twinkle up at her over the rim of his glass.

"I'd never be that big of a pain in the ass."

[clumsy_auror]

A dark look. "You were exactly that big of a pain in the ass, as I recall."

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

An innocent look.

"Never."

[clumsy_auror]

Nymphadora tousles his hair and picks up his feet, resettling them in her lap after she sits down.

The lap is rather smaller than it once was, but hey. Still room for feet.

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

Bernard sighs and smiles over at her.

"You look so much better. I was worried."

[clumsy_auror]

"Feel right as rain. Still a bit of a cough, but that's just the old stuff working its way out. And don't worry, I won't overdo it at work tomorrow. And I'll be home right on time."

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

"Never expected anything less." He grins. "And you didn't miss the fall colors totally."

[clumsy_auror]

A pleased smile, at that. "I know. Think I'll have a walk around the lake when I get home tomorrow night."

Nymphadora falls silent and stretches her arm along the back of the couch, letting her fingers sift idly through Bernard's hair.

"Wish they'd write back."

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

Bernard's eyes slide closed. "Hasn't been that long."

[clumsy_auror]

"I know."

She lets her palm flatten on the crown of his head, smoothing over bright strands.

"Just really worried. And a bit scared."

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

"Me, too."

His eyes slit open.

"Trying not to be, though. Doesn't make sense to be, really. Told Susan. He's been around 6,000 years. He'll be around for six million, and he'll be fine."

[clumsy_auror]

"I know," she says again, nodding a little and letting her hand slide to his shoulder. "He's told me so himself plenty of times. I'm just all itchy because he's there and we're here and we can't do anything, just now."

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

"And it's not perfectly clear that there is anything to be done. Susan could have just caught him in a weird mood." He falters, a little. "Maybe some memory of Iskander, or of Hell, or who knows, came up. You know?"

[clumsy_auror]

"Yeah." A tiny smile. Reassuring, both for him and for herself. "Maybe."

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

"...But yeah. I'm still worried," he admits sheepishly.

[clumsy_auror]

"We'll help him sort it out," she says in a quiet voice, "in any way we can."

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

"If he lets us."

[clumsy_auror]

A sigh. "Yeah, well, there is that."

Leaning her head against the couch cushion, Nymphadora just looks at her husband, her gaze open and unwavering.

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

"He can be so closed off. Reminds me he's not human."

[clumsy_auror]

Her brow furrows a bit, at that.

"He is in the ways that matter, though."

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

Bernard's view isn't always so rosy.

Depends on the day.

"He is."

[clumsy_auror]

Simply, "We love him."

Because that's the important thing to remember, in the end.

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

Plainly, "We're family."