(no subject)

[clumsy_auror]

It's dusk, at Milliways, and though Sunny has begun to protest going to bed while the sun still shines, she's curled up fast asleep in her room. Anthony's snoozing in his bouncy chair, and Nymphadora's distracting herself with cleaning up the kitchen.

Hopefully Bernard'll be coming home soon, and she'd rather not catch hell for the state of the stove top.

Comments

[platonicowgirl.livejournal.com]

There's a knock at the door, and then Kathleen just lets herself in.

Somebody better set her straight.

"Hello?"

[clumsy_auror]

'Dora jumps, and then relaxes when she recognizes the voice. "Wotcher, Kathleen. In here."

[platonicowgirl.livejournal.com]

Kathleen drops a kiss on Anthony's droopy head and jaunts into the kitchen, her hands full. "Brought you a casserole. Thought you might like a little extra food on hand."

[clumsy_auror]

"Oh! Blimey, thank you."

She quickly dries her hands and opens up the fridge, making room for Kathleen to slide it inside.

"Mmm. Looks like... green bean?" she guesses, with the air of one who has learned everything they know about casseroles only since marrying an American. "Does Bernard make you call it haricots vert?"

[platonicowgirl.livejournal.com]

"I threw some peas and carrots in there, too, for more color. And, no. He doesn't dare. I have a wooden spoon and I know how to use it."

[clumsy_auror]

A soft laugh. "Good on you. Do you want a drink, or anything?" She waves a limp hand at the small bar in the dining room. "I've got the kettle on, as well, if you want tea..."

[platonicowgirl.livejournal.com]

"Tea would be lovely, thanks." She breezes out to the living room and collapses on the couch. "I swear, there is nothing dustier than an onion farm in July."

[clumsy_auror]

"I'll just bet," Nymphadora replies from the kitchen, clattering around in the cupboards and setting up a tray as the kettle begins to boil. "Do you guys need help? I could come out some weekend, give you a hand with odd jobs."

[platonicowgirl.livejournal.com]

A snort. "Girlie, aren't on vacation?"

[clumsy_auror]

"I'm on leave. It's a bit of a different thing."

Carefully, she carries out a tray and set it on the table, handing her mother-in-law a mug of Earl Grey.

[platonicowgirl.livejournal.com]

"Thank you." She takes a tentative sip; it's hot, so she sets it on the table to cool a bit. "At any rate, you should be resting. Not farming, for God's sake."

[clumsy_auror]

"You sound like Bernard."

A half-smile.

"Anyway. Thanks, really, for all the help with Sunny and Anthony. Dunno what I'd have done without you and Dude and my parents.

[platonicowgirl.livejournal.com]

She grins. "You know we love helping you any way we can." She sips her tea, a little less gingerly. "When's he coming home?"

[clumsy_auror]

"Soon as he can walk, Healer says. He can make it to the bed from the table, but not without a lot of help."

[platonicowgirl.livejournal.com]

A sigh. "Goddamn. He really got himself into a bind this time. Lucky he can move his legs at all."

[clumsy_auror]

"He is."

Nymphadora sighs, and her voice softens.

"One of the Healers told me that he'd have been paralyzed, or worse, without Aziraphael."

[platonicowgirl.livejournal.com]

"Jesus God," Kathleen breathes. "Can you imagine what a pain in the ass he'd be then?"

[clumsy_auror]

A choked laugh escapes Nymphadora, and she abruptly puts down her mug and stands, going over to gently lift Anthony out of his chair and settle him against her shoulder. The baby stirs, and sighs, burying his face in his mother's shoulder.

Nymphadora holds him close, almost clinging.

[platonicowgirl.livejournal.com]

Kathleen watches her closely, her brow furrowing. "Sweetheart?"

[clumsy_auror]

"'M okay, really," she murmurs, walking back over to the sofa and sinking back into the cushions. "Just been a long couple of weeks."

[platonicowgirl.livejournal.com]

"I know." Kathleen hesistates, then runs a light hand over her hair. "You should ask for more time off, after Bernard gets home. Get some proper rest."

[clumsy_auror]

A slow shake of her head. "I can't, Kathleen. It's not done out there, you know? Everything's still a mess, Death Eaters hiding out from here to Timbuktu..."

[platonicowgirl.livejournal.com]

"And you, of course, have to be in the thick of it always."

[clumsy_auror]

"Um." A blink, and her brow furrows. "Well, yeah. It's... sort of my job. Jobs, even, with the Order and all."

[platonicowgirl.livejournal.com]

"Hm." Another sip of tea, as her eyes flicker to Anthony. "Well, looking at it sideways, you really have three."