(no subject)

[clumsy_auror]

Sunday lunch had been spent with the Tonkses, which was a nice change; it felt good to visit with her parents more often, and Nymphadora hoped that they could do so regularly now that Bernard was unbound.

Following the meal, Ted had gently shunted them out the door, saying that he and Sunny had plans for a cushion fort, and Andromeda and Anthony were hoping for a bit of a lie-down, and that 'Dora and Bernard would be in the way, anyhow, so why don't they go for a bit of a cuppa or an ice cream, or something.

It's one of those long August days, hot but with the promise of a chill towards evening, the death knell of a summer that's been one thing after another. She's quiet as they walk along, aimlessly passing through the streets of her parents' neighborhood.

Comments

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

Bernard fiddles with her fingers, his own hand a little over-twitchy.

It has been a long summer. And he never thought he'd be as jumpy as she once was, but it's funny what happens to you in the wake of war and everything else.

The houses in the neighborhood seem normal enough, if a bit grand. Three and four floor -- well, at home you'd call them brownstones, but he's not sure what you'd call them over here -- homes, big windows, kitchen gardens in the back, servants most likely in some.

"...Is this a mostly muggle neighborhood, or?"

[clumsy_auror]

"Mostly, yeah." She waves an idle hand to the west, saying, "Had a friend at school whose family lived over there, but she was Muggle-born, so." A pause. "I have a feeling my parents just wanted to stay well clear of people who used to rub elbows with the Blacks. Not to mention the Blacks themselves."

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

A nod. He chews his lip.

"We should make an effort to come more, now."

[clumsy_auror]

Her face relaxes into a smile, and she squeezes Bernard's hand. "I'd really like that. I mean, I like coming for lunches with them, or going out to help Dad in the garden or something, but I'd like them to get to spend more time with you, too. As a family."

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

Another nod. He kicks an unripe walnut on the sidewalk, all half-smushed after falling from the tree above. It skitters into the road. "I'll come and do Sunday brunch like they've never seen."

[clumsy_auror]

"Brilliant."

They fall into silence, and after a few moments Nymphadora loosens her hand from his -- it's a bit sticky with perspiration from the warm, still air -- and pulls her hair away from her neck.

"So what happens if-- if something happens to the bar?"

It blurts out of her suddenly, like she's been stewing over it for days, waiting for there to be a good time to ask, and finally realizing there is no good time, for a question like that.

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

Struggling to keep his breathing even, Bernard answers slowly. "Then I guess we get to see a lot more of your parents. And none of mine."

[clumsy_auror]

"No. There has to be a way to work it out, so we could-- I dunno, we could bring them here, or--"

Nymphadora doesn't want Bernard to lose his parents, that's certain; but she doesn't want to lose them, either. She's come to love them, and so have her children, and the hole they'd leave in her life would be gaping.

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

"Then we'd better coordinate that really fucking fast, because the place is coming apart at the seams."

[clumsy_auror]

Miserably, "I know. I'm sorry, I just-- are they making any progress at all towards stopping it?"

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

"Hard to tell." He steadfastly looks at the sidewalk in front of them. "People have been making sacrifices, or something, but neither I nor Bar nor Mike have heard of any real solution, or any way we can help."

[clumsy_auror]

She takes his hand again, holding it tightly, and pulls him down a small side street, away from the traffic on the main thoroughfare.

"I know. I'm sorry, I just feel really helpless."

She takes an unsteady breath.

"Let's not talk about it right now."

Oh yeah. Because avoiding always helps.

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

He shoots her an unreadable look, but lets it go.

"Well. Me, too." A breath. "I'll go in tomorrow, help Mike out, and pack up the stuff we need. In case."

[clumsy_auror]

"Okay."

Then she's quiet, again, her eyes wandering over the well-kept lawns and rambling gardens around them.

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

Bernard drops her hand and slows, slipping his arm around her shoulders and pressing a kiss to her cheek.

"Hey, guess what?"

[clumsy_auror]

"What?"

Her arm slides automatically around his waist, and she leans into the kiss.

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

"We're all gonna be okay."

[clumsy_auror]

Unexpectedly, her eyes prick with tears. "How do you know?"

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

He stops. "Because no family can go through this much bullshit in one year without getting some good luck along the way."

[clumsy_auror]

A soft, frustrated noise, but she doesn't disagree outright.

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

"Since when are you the negative one, anyway?"

[clumsy_auror]

It takes all of Nymphadora's self-control not to lash out. Instead she takes a deep, measured breath, and keeps on looking straight ahead.

"I'm not trying to be negative. I'm trying to tell you that I'm scared. Which, if I remember correctly, was something you said you wanted me to do."

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

Quietly, "That I did. So am I. But I really do believe we're gonna be fine. At home, or elsewhere."

[clumsy_auror]

Her arms are crossed over her chest, now, and her breath gradually evens out.

"Okay. But I really don't want to talk about it any more."

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

"Fine." They start walking again, slowly.

"Can we talk about Crowley, or is that gonna be taboo as well?"