(no subject)

[clumsy_auror]

The flat is silent, and lit eerily by the moonlight reflecting off the snowbanks outside.

Ellie's finished her midnight rounds, and after a final snack in the kitchen, curls up in her bed in the living room.

Sunny is tucked into her bed, warm and sleeping peacefully, Beatrice held tightly in her arms.

Nymphadora and Bernard are cocooned in the master bedroom, Bernard snoring lightly, Nymphadora's arm flung across his chest.

And Anthony Ezra is lying wide awake in his cot, waiting for Mummy and Daddy to come and feed him, and also provide entertainment. Because that is what they do.

He waits. And waits.


And then remembers that somebody always comes when he cries.

The flat?

Not so silent anymore.

Comments

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

:O!!!

Bernard does not snore!

...He has something in his nose. Yes.

A large frog, maybe.

But that is beside the point.

Because he is not ribbiting anymore.

Because there is crying.

"...Sssshit."

[clumsy_auror]

"Mrfle."

Yeah. Not really awake, yet.

'Dora rolls over and curls into a tight ball, only the top of her dark head visible above the duvet.

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

"Nuh-uh, baby," Bernard slurs, pulling her side of the duvet down. "Your turn."

[clumsy_auror]

"Nooooooo," she whines, yanking the covers back up over her head. "'Ere, gimme my wand. Few spells an' I'll have you in th' milk-makin' business, too. Bes' idea ever."

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

Outraged, "Fuck. Off. My. Love." Anthony lets out a particularly piercing yell, and he kicks the covers off both of them. "Augh. Fine. You'll pay f'r this."

And he stumbles off in the direction of Anthony's room.

[clumsy_auror]

Swearing softly under her breath, Nymphadora follows, grabbing her robe and pulling it on as she goes.

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

Bernard picks Anthony up, rubbing his back. "Hey, now. What's all this fuss?" Anthony lets out a half-hearted wibble, and then an irritated shout, because, hey. He likes this one, but this one does not have boobs, goddammit.

[clumsy_auror]

Here are the boobs.

Er. And also Mummy.

"Hi, sweetheart." Her hand comes up to smooth over his dark head, and she presses a kiss to his cheek. "Shhhh. Settle down."

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

Anthony practically launches himself at Nymphadora, and Bernard hands him over, rolling his eyes. "See? Told you it was your turn. That was totally cry number four."

[clumsy_auror]

The witch settles her son low in her arms, jogging him gently and dropping a kiss onto his forehead. "Yes, yes, you were right and I was wrong."

A winning smile up at him.

"Could go for a cuppa, though, while I'm doing my motherly duty."

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

Bernard sighs long-sufferingly, and then ruins the effect by stretching and yawning cavernously.

"'Kay. What sort?"

[clumsy_auror]

"Barman's choice." A soft kiss. "Love you."

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

He smiles and rolls his eyes. "I must love you. It's 3:30 am." And he's gone to the kitchen.

[clumsy_auror]

Smirking slightly, 'Dora turns to the rocking chair and settles she and the baby in it, fishing the lap pillow from between the chair and the nightstand.

"There now," she murmurs, smiling, as Anthony settles down to nurse. "There's my good lad. Mummy's glad to see you, too."

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

In the kitchen, Bernard putters while the kettle warms.

Putter.

Put the dishes away. Fill the tea ball. Putter putter putter.

[clumsy_auror]

It's a peaceful thing, really. Something only she and Anthony can share. For all that it's hard to crawl out of bed in the middle of the night, it's worth it for these few minutes right here.

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

There's a reason Bernard putters so determinedly. As much as he loves spending time with them like this, he understands that sometimes she prefers to be alone with their son now.

The water finally boils, and he fills the mug and steeps the tea, grabbing himself a glass of milk.

[clumsy_auror]

Nymphadora's just switching Anthony to the other breast when Bernard returns, and nods at the free chair beside her. "Take a load off, dear," she says, offering a hint of a smile.

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

Bernard sets his milk and her tea on the nightstand, and opts to curl up at her feet, his head against her knee.

"Rather sit next to you."

[clumsy_auror]

"Well. I wouldn't say no to that." One of her hands drops down to rake through his hair a few times before picking up her tea.

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

He smiles, and brushes her robe aside to kiss her knee. "He feeling better now?"

[clumsy_auror]

"Oh, yeah. He's right as rain." Nymphadora skims a finger down Anthony's cheek, and the baby reaches up to grasp her finger loosely. "Don't reckon he was ever all that upset. Just wanted our attention."

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

"Imagine that," Bernard croaks tiredly, and reaches up to poke Anthony in the side. There is flailing. Bernard bends his head to kiss Nymphadora's leg again, this time on the inside of one calf.

He may well be angling for something.

[clumsy_auror]

Yeah, she can tell.

Grinning slightly, Nymphadora shifts the baby and bends to press a soft kiss to Anthony's forehead, and the three of them fall silent for a few minutes.

Then, "Think he's just about done."

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

"Okay."

He lifts up one long leg and presses a kiss to her ankle. "You have nice ankles."