❝ Daring christmas and attack. ❝
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In two months of recovering from the horrible attack, Aurora had spoken to worried friends and family though most mostly in letters. To Harry and Andromeda Tonks, Aurora eased their worries by portraying good words that she's perfectly healthy after being treated fairly well by her friends in the Grimmaulds place. It must've taken numerous letters to Andromeda to stop her from stomping in the place but she withdrew heavy fires and stayed at home.
Much understanding debate, Aurora simply agreed to Andromeda's wish for her to visit in Christmas and on her birthday.
Aurora finds herself lost in a world where consumption of betrayal sucked her in with no ounce of mercy. For as the hour she spent in Godric's Hollow was enough to ease her painful mind of Elias Grant being responsible for her family's pain and suffering over her head. Aurora would simply sit besides her aunt Lily and uncle James's grave, grumbling in silent over her own sullen thoughts of despair.
She likes to imagine they were there despite only air accompanying her.
Who knows, maybe there are. Listening to their friend Sirius's daughter grumble words such as frustration and regret and having no sole power to advice her of what to do because they have been silenced by death.
Upon not worrying anyone else, Aurora asked Fleur not to tell after finding out herself on where she's been sneaking off to all the time. Of course, loving and understanding as she is, Fleur agrees and held no doubt over Aurora's intentions of visiting her aunt and uncle's grave to comfort herself.
Nowadays, Aurora has been mentally getting better enough to help standby outside or near the Ministry, incase Voldemort does make a move and steal something in the Department of Mysteries. Much less to Molly and Fleur's acceptance but couldn't deny Aurora of her own accords in helping the Order.
"Happy birthday, my love." Fleur whispers in the night, warm breath enacted as a tickle to Aurora's fair skin down her neck where they lay tangled on soft bed in Fleur's apartment.
"The sun's barely risen, Fleur." Aurora softly grumbles, her eyes welded shut and pulls Fleur closer to her until the last of space between them depletes respectively.
Fleur — however — did not care about that as they have a long day ahead of them. They have to move the presents they bought for everyone to the Grimmaulds place, help set dinner and help assist Arthur Weasley if ever he has troubles.
A few nights ago, Arthur was attacked in the Department of Mysteries by Nagini but is luckily alive and well, spend days before Christmas recovering in St. Mungo's. Of course, everyone was deeply worried for it is now the second time someone in the Order had been attacked to the point they need to be registered in a wizarding hospital.
Harry — most of all — is worried that he can't sleep properly. For he had seen Arthur get attacked but didn't know why as Dumbledore did not answer why that is.
"It's your birthday — At least act happy you're nineteen." Fleur scolds and playfully hits Aurora's chest.
"Yay?"
"Why do I bother?" Fleur mutters and rolls on the other side.
Aurora softly yet quietly laughs, gently following her actions and wrapping her cold arm around Fleur's waist, pressing their bodies together underneath thick comforters. The weather was cold, air conditioning must've been mismatched. But Fleur gives in as Aurora trails multiple kisses to her nape, each gesture softer than before. If not, much adoration and love poured in every single one.
"I'm grateful to have spend another year of my life with you." Aurora whispers seriously, resting her head on the pillow now just behind Fleur, breathing in her sweet scent of shampoo and conditioner. "I wouldn't know what to do without you here, hm?" She mumbles silently yet meaning every word.
"Is it my cue to give you your gift now?" Fleur asks softly, turning back around and meeting lovely eyes she looks at everyday but does not get tired of.
"I thought we agreed no gifts."
"It's not like you did a good job on hiding your gift for me in Sirius's room." Fleur chuckles cheekily and sits up. Aurora complains in her mind dotingly to her father and reminded herself to give him a scolding because of him and him can't keeping a secret. "Come on, sit up. I've been practicing." She says and pulls Aurora's wrists upwards.
"Alright, I'm up, darling." Aurora rubs her eyes and lazily sat up, the left side of her shirt exposed her shoulder upon fixing her hair that fell smoothly on her shoulders.
"It might take a few tries. Don't make fun of me."
"I would never." Aurora promises with scout's honor, winking at her under the darkness of the shared bedroom.
Fleur pressed her lips together and closes her eyes, her palm outstretched up in the air between them. Aurora's smile dies down and capability of being utterly proud begins to pile into her heart. This was a trick she was proud of discovering herself. She tried teaching her friends but the only one who could ever do it was Sirius — her father.
She taught Fleur to as well once but failed in numerous tries.
But her eyes widen slightly in amazement of Fleur catching something welded shut in a neatly wrapped present that fits in her small palm too big. "Honestly? I would've liked it if the present was aimed in you doing the trick." Aurora says truthfully before placing a soft kiss on Fleur's cheek that lead the heated face and flattered feelings.
"Open it."
Aurora gives in as the gift is already in front of her. She pulls the ribbon to an untying knot and let it slip down the blanket on her lap while she opens the box. It was a small locket, golden chains and a small circular pendant on the middle of it. Alongside the pendant — a charm — was an animal.
A dove.
It brought Aurora to warmly smile upon seeing the symbolism. "I still liked it better when you did the trick."
"Open it, Aurora." Fleur rolls her eyes in a wide smile, shaking her head indecisively.
"Okay, fine." Aurora picks the locket from the velvet box and places it on her palm. It was smaller than she thought and carefully opened the locket. It was charmed picture of herself with Fleur, both smiling widely on the camera. They moved flourishly, Aurora had tried blocking Fleur's face who attempted to smile but her hand was battered away with a slap of a wand.
Aurora laughs at the image and kept it between her palms, being a greedy person who wants to keep it all to herself.
"Still liked it better when I did the —"
Fleur never really did get a chance of teasing Aurora seeing as the Black was always cutting her off mid sentence with a deep and loving kiss. Though she never really complained, it was just getting a tad annoying at this point but Fleur makes exceptions with people she loves. Even more now when Aurora pushes her gently back down on the bed, her fingertips trailing on the side of Fleur's hips, underneath her night top.
"Slow," Fleur pulls away, much to both's dismay by loss of contact. "down."
"I will simply act as if you did not just say that, Delacour." Aurora whispers and her arm reaching up as the locket now lays safely on the sidetable. "Because honestly, you'll break my heart if you deny me one more time."
"You're very lucky I love you." Fleur mumbles and tangled her arms around Aurora's neck with parted lips and lustful eyes.
"Very, my love."
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The Christmas day wasn't nearly as terrible as Aurora expected it would be seeing as Mr. Weasley came back from St. Mungo's. Still bandaged but very firmly holding on with a smile but on a wheelchair and messed up red hair. He was just very happy with a telly that Aurora and Fleur gifted him for Christmas. He almost refused it as he heard how expensive it was but Aurora wouldn't let him.
Because of this, Mrs. Weasley strictly forbade anyone to gift her anything even if Aurora wasn't about to hand the present right away. So she slipped the gift to Bill who took it and promised to give it to his mum when she settles down in the morning. Despite differences, Aurora cared enough to buy a gift.
"I feel awful here." Sirius grumbles, knit picking on the blue ribbon of the present handed to him by Fleur who chuckles besides Aurora who simple smiles. "I haven't given you a gift!" He exclaims in a baffled expression.
"It's okay. You've possibly created one that changed my whole life." Fleur tucks a strand of hair behind Aurora's ear who sips on hot chocolate with heavy whip cream floating on top.
"Cheeky." Sirius comments in an applause after seeing his daughter blush behind a warm cup of hot chocolate. He grins, "Looks like you're reflecting your snide compliments onto Fleur. Keep it up, you two would be unmatched."
"Dad, open the gift."
"Alright, okay."
Fleur can't help but chuckle, finding it amusing to see how similar Sirius and Aurora is by something as simple as opening a present but reluctant in doing so. She leans her head against Aurora's shoulder as Sirius gasps at the wrist watch that seems as though it costed a whole lot. Especially when the small arrows pointing at rightful numbers were floating. It was ticking, each tick counted as a second and Sirius was just amazed by how perfectly it would fit his wrist.
"Fleur, I —" Sirius stops and looks at Fleur. "Thank you. And to answer your question much more properly yesterday, it'd be yes." He says genuinely and Fleur breaks into a wide smile before accepting Sirius's embrace.
"Question? What question?" Aurora asks curiously, arching an eyebrow between her girlfriend and father who shared secretive looks.
"Oh, that's something for tomorrow." Fleur says with a decent chuckle and parting from Sirius who was happy with the watch he received. "Didn't you have a gift for Harry and Sirius? There's also Remus, Tonks and Daphne left." She says and now resting her arm on the sofa, hand casually resting on her head whilst facing Aurora.
"Harry! You little git — Get over here!"
"Aurora." Fleur lightly slaps Aurora's shoulder by that behavior and comment.
That night was special and perfect for a large family that isn't bounded by blood. It was perfect because of joyous laugh and ridiculous gifts being exchanged. It was perfect because everyone sung happy birthday to Aurora who was peer pressured on staying to listen and to blow out the candles. In which she did and Ron ate most of the cake.
Aurora was too busy pressuring Harry into accepting a new pair of glasses that matched him perfectly as the old one was too crippled and fixed enchantments had worn it off too much.
Because of Aurora forcing Harry to accept her gift, she couldn't see Sirius talk to Fleur secretly on the side with Remus and hugging her like he's her daughter.
𝐀𝐔𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐑'𝐒 𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐄:
— Aurora and Fleur is like two cool aunts who gifts everyone unnecessary yet expensive things and doesn't expect anything in return. 😤