Surviving in Harmony

Chapter Fifteen | Ottery St. Catchpole, December 2000

Hazel would cry, but the happy tears she shed when the weather was nice and Remus would play for her with Andrew, when Sonia would come out of her room and sit with them.

“Andy?” Sonia peeked into the music room, Max on her hip. “We better get going, or Amara will marry someone else.”

Standing, Andrew straightened his tux and took a deep breath. “Okay, I’m ready.”

“Er, no you’re not.” Sonia laughed, putting Max down and walking over, her heels clicking along the ground. She straightened his tie, did something to his hair and dusted off the shoulders of his jacket. “There, very handsome.”

“Mamma used to do that.” Said Andrew quietly, watching Max sit down between his mother’s feet and play with a purple flower.

“What?”

“Fix my hair, that thing to my shoulders – say I was very handsome. In that exact order.” He smiled and reached down, picking Max up. “Your Mamma is just like my Mamma.” He told him.

“Mamma have no Mamma.” Said Max, obviously confused.

A looks passed over Sonia’s face that Andrew knew well; it was the one she adopted whenever Max did something that broke her heart, just a little.

“She does,” said Andrew slowly, taking Sonia’s hand and leading her out of the room. “But she’s not here anymore.”

“Why?” asked Max, large dark eyes staring at Andrew with utter disbelief. “Mamma no go.”

“Well, ours had to. She was very nice, and very pretty, and loved you a whole lot.” They went down the grand stairs, into the foyer and through the front door. Winston had found them a car, and they got in together, Max in Sonia’s lap. The car had been charmed to drive itself, because neither twin really knew how to drive – besides the one incident with Mr. Weasley’s Ford Angelina over ten years ago.

“Mamma, where you Mamma?” asked Max, staring up at his mother.

Sonia sniffed and held Max tighter “Well Maxxie, she had to…she had to do it for us, for you.”

“Oh.” Said Max, adopting his pondering face. “Mamma miss her?”

“I miss her everyday.” Whispered Sonia, gaze glued to Andrew’s. “So does Uncle Andy.”

“She comin to weddin?”

“No babe,” Sonia said, reaching for Andrew’s hand. “She’s not coming.”

        When Amara walked down the aisle, Andrew couldn’t believe it was actually happening. He couldn’t take his eyes off of her, in that white sheath gown, holding her bouquet of purple flowers – she was stunning. The beauty of the small white, country church was dulled with her inside.

“Hey.” He breathed when she reached him, and she smiled right back.

“Hey.” Her sea glass eyes were lit up, cinnamon curls pulled into a half up, half down.

Saying ‘I do’ was the easiest, simplest thing Andrew had ever done.

And then it was the reception, the purple cake was eaten, the music was put on – and Amara was in his arms.

“Amara Nelson-Bowen,” he mused “Has a nice ring to it.”

“Not too long, or frumpy – easy for little kids to remember.” Agreed Amara.

“Little kids, huh?”

“Yeah, in a while – Blank Nelson-Bowen.” She laughed and shook her head.

“What’s so funny?”

“I can just picture your Mum’s face right now.” She said “Hazel would be sitting by herself, and at some point she’d say to me: ‘you know, Andrew will eventually forget to stop being perfect.’ She told me that once, a while ago.”

“Did she now?” asked Andrew, surprised.

“Oh yeah. She thought the world of you, Drew.” Amara looked at him seriously as they spun round, feet brushing flower petals, faces lit by lanterns strung across the ceiling. “You do know that, right?”

Holding her close, Andrew shut his eyes. “Yeah, I did.”

In his head he could see her, sitting at the side of the room with Remus, holding a sleeping Max. She wouldn’t dance, only a little bit with Andrew. Her dark eyes would be lit up all night, and at the very end she would whisper –

“I hope you’re happy, Andrew.”

And he would hug her, he’d kiss that cheek that was still young, crush curls that were still like sunshine. “I am.” He’d say “I hope you’re happy, too.”

She would never reply, just smile – because that was how Hazel was.

A/N: Andrew FINALLY got what he wanted!! Oooh, I'm so happy for him and Amara! Andara, married! How long have we been waiting for this? Five years? I think so. Aw. Sweeties.

Question: What do you think of how even though these chapters are about the twins, they're still sort of about Hazel at the same time? Interesting.

School has started, and that means I'll probably update more - writing tidbits in my notebook is more like it.