2.| ✮𝓛𝓸𝓿𝓮, 𝓑𝓲𝓵𝓵. ✮ {𝓑. 𝓦𝓮𝓪𝓼𝓵𝓮𝔂}

\𝓈𝒾𝓍\

"I'll be fine," said Lupin, his mouth twitching into a small smile. "Tonks is patrolling at Hogwarts right now so maybe I'll meet up with her after. Take the night off."

Eleanora tried to protest, but it didn't take much for Lupin to convince her to go home early. Her head felt heavy and her vision was fuzzy from dehydration. "Alright then," she said at last. "Let me know if you need anything, I'll be at Shell Cottage."

"I'll send word if anything happens."

"Take care of yourself," said Eleanora, her voice suddenly full of genuine concern. "Promise?"

"Of course I will. You take care of yourself too. Say hello to Bill for me."

"I will." Eleanora gave him one last wave, then turned on the spot and disappeared.

She showed up on the beach outside of Shell Cottage, which was considerably colder than the streets of Hogsmeade because of the sea breeze. She hugged Bill's sweater tighter around herself and started towards the front door, the wind blowing her long hair in every direction. She jogged the last few steps to the door and flung it open, eager to get out of the cold wind. The moment she closed it behind her, hard raindrops started splattering on all of the windowpanes in the house.

Eleanora let out a breath and slid away from the door, creeping into the kitchen to put a pot of tea on. While it was heating up, she sat down on the kitchen floor and leaned her head against one of the counters. She couldn't wait to live here permanently. Visions of her and Bill cooking dinner together, relaxing on the couch in the living room in the middle of a rainstorm, and walking the beach in the early mornings danced through her head as her eyes drooped and her head rested against the side of the counter. She dozed off to the sound of rain splattering on the roof and the waves outside growing louder and louder in her ears.

"Shit!" Eleanora woke up to see Bill furiously stifling a growing fire with a towel. He swore again and pulled out his wand. "Extinguisio." The fire died and Bill pulled the teapot from the stove, hurriedly setting it in the sink and running cold water over it.

"What's happening?" Eleanora asked, struggling to stand up. The rain had grown even harder and the sky outside was pitch black. Bill was still in his work clothes and his hair was soaking wet from the rain.

"You- almost set the house on fire!" Bill spluttered, wiping rain water off of his face. "What were you thinking?"

"I- I dunno," Eleanora said, her voice still full of sleep. "I must've- fallen asleep."

"Well yeah, that's obvious." Bill rolled his eyes and took a step back, surveying the scene. Luckily, nothing had really gotten burned aside from the teapot. "Why would you leave it on?"

It was rare that Eleanora heard him get this worked up. She scowled at him. "I wasn't planning on falling asleep- it just happened." Bill scoffed but didn't say anything. He paced to the other side of the kitchen, pulling his tie off as he went. "Wait..." Eleanora said, only now looking at the clock. "Why are you just getting home now? I thought you got off work at six?"

"I had to stay late," Bill muttered, not meeting her eyes. "We got busy."

"You got busy? At the bank? You're always talking about how slow things have been lately." Eleanora crossed the room to face Bill, trying to read his expression.

"El- don't change the subject." Bill sounded exhausted, but Eleanora was still skeptical.

"No, where were you?"

"I was at work," Bill said through gritted teeth. "Maybe you would understand if you'd ever bothered to get a real job."

That stung. Eleanora took a step back, a look of disgust on her face. "What the hell's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing," Bill sighed. "Forget it."

"No- why are you being like this right now?" Eleanora's voice rose and she took another step back when Bill met her gaze. They'd never been in a real fight before, and Eleanora hated the look he was giving her. "What's wrong?" she said, more softly this time.

"You almost burnt our house down!" Bill practically shouted. He immediately felt bad when he saw Eleanora flinch at the sudden noise.

"Our house?" she shouted back. "Last I checked it wasn't our house, it was my house-"

"And that makes it alright to burn it to the ground?" Bill yelled. "You know, the rest of us don't have rich dark wizard fathers who can buy-"

"Stop it!" cried Eleanora, backing away towards the garden door. "Just- stop it! I'm not doing this right now."

"El-"

But she was gone. Bill swore again then ran out the door after her, trying to see through the blinding sheets of rain soaking his clothes and hair through. He turned in a slow circle, but Eleanora had already apparated away. Bill paused, staring out at the tumultuous ocean for a moment, and then turned on the spot, knowing exactly where Eleanora had run to.

just got my wisdom teeth out so im highly medicated

words dont look like words rn