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[clumsy_auror]

"Bernard, it'll be fine. I Apparated Crowley home from Iraq that one time, didn't I?"

Nymphadora raises an eyebrow at her husband, expectant.

Down at the alley's opening, the traffic of Charing Cross Road whizzes merrily by, and the sidewalks are filled with people out soaking up the bright afternoon sunshine.

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[clumsy_auror]

Laughing harder, Nymphadora stands and unbuttons her cover-up, shrugging out of it. "I'm going for a swim. Getting a bit warm just sitting here."

She picks her way down to the waterline, stopping now and again to examine curious shells or tide-pools, or squish her toes blissfully in the wet sand.

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

Bernard watches her meander towards the water, a soft half-smile on his lips.

When she wades out into the surf and is immediately knocked over by a wave, he snorts and puts his sunglasses on the sand next to her lemonade. It's funny. The sand is hot, but it's not all that bad. And he has black flip-flops to ward off the worst.

Swimming out to his dripping wife, he catches her around the waist and adopts a terrified mien. "I've come to save you from yourself."

[clumsy_auror]

"Chuh! I'm a brilliant swimmer," Nymphadora assures him, but wraps her arms around his shoulders all the same. "But I don't reckon I've got the proper balance for this whole wave thing."

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

"The trick is," he murmurs, pulling her further out to sea, "to get past the waves. The sand bar stretches pretty far out, here."

[clumsy_auror]

Cheerfully, "Right, then. Out past the waves we shall go." Turning away from shore, 'Dora starts swimming out to the calmer waters... and immediately gets another wave in the face.

She laughs when she surfaces, trying to push her sodden hair away from her face.

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

It would be cruel to laugh.

Truly.

Bernard is a bad man.

"...Good try."

[clumsy_auror]

They make it out to the edge of the sand bar eventually, and Nymphadora floats on her back, eyes closed, smiling.

The thought of home, and the war, washes over her for a moment -- I hope nothing's happened -- but I did tell them to owl -- and her smile falters.

But only for a moment.

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

Bernard's hand tangles with hers as he floats beside her.

"This was a very good idea."

[clumsy_auror]

"Yeah. It really was." Her thumb smooths over the back of Bernard's hand. "For as much as I love it at home, I love having you out in the world with me, too."

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

He smiles wryly up at the ridiculously blue sky. "I miss holding your hand in strange new places."

[clumsy_auror]

"I know. So do I." Nymphadora rolls over onto her side for a moment to press a soft kiss to Bernard's cheek. "But we get times like these, too, to make up for the rest."

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

He squeezes her hand. "We're lucky. Astoundingly so."

[clumsy_auror]

Seriously, "I think so, too. Even with all the shite with the war... I feel good, where we're at."

Nymphadora rights herself and, with her free hand, smooths over the rippling surface of the water.

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

"Me, too. And, hey!" He rights himself with a small splash, dunking under the water for a second. "We haven't exposed our children to gross neglect lately, and even the animals are warring quietly."

[clumsy_auror]

'Dora grins, but at the mention of the kids, her face falls just a little. "Hope they're doing all right," she says, worrying her lip. "Especially Anthony, I don't want him to be scared in the night--"

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

Bernard slips his arms around her waist and kisses her to shut her up.

"...They're fine. I know it."

[clumsy_auror]

"Mmmf. 'Kay." A sheepish grin against his lips. "Kitty would send an owl if it got hairy, I know."

The witch rests her head on Bernard's shoulder and looks back to shore, watching the way the palm trees sway gently in the sea breeze. It's almost hypnotic.

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

"And, knowing the people we live with, the entire bar's likely pitching in if she's having any trouble, and may well be pitching in even if she isn't." He sighs and toys with the tie of her bikini "Busybodies, the lot of them."

[clumsy_auror]

Her hand smooths up the length of his spine. "Yeah, but they mean well. Er. Most of them, anyway."

Nymphadora leans back to look him in the eye. "Love you." Because she can't ever say it enough. Not really.

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

He beams at her, bumping his forehead against hers gently. "Love you too, sweetheart." Pulling her yet closer, he kisses the tip of her nose. "Marrying you was the smartest thing I ever did."

[clumsy_auror]

"Funny. I feel just the same," Nymphadora murmurs. "Definitely the most fun, at any rate." She brushes a kiss to the corner of his mouth.

And then, quite handily, dunks Bernard.

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

Bernard emerges, dripping and spluttering, with a murderous look on his face.

Then he grins evilly and hooks his leg around Nymphadora's knee, his arm around her waist, and tackles her into the water.

[clumsy_auror]

She shrieks and flails, even as she giggles madly, and ensures that Bernard gets a few facefuls of water for his trouble.

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

A wrestling match ensues.

...It's pretty obvious who the winner will be.

[clumsy_auror]

Nymphadora doesn't gloat about the victory, though. She musses his wet hair and plants a noisy kiss on his cheek, in consolation.