Christmas Family
A/N: I wrote this is a present for my friend Thestral, because this is her favorite ship. Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!
A smile came to his lips when he awoke Christmas morning. Despite the darkness of the times, he had found something to provide light and warmth. Carefully pulling his wife's hair back from her neck, he pressed a soft kiss to the spot just below her ear. She muttered in her sleep, but did not wake. Still smiling, he traced the tip of one finger along her jaw line. She stirred and murmured his name. Easing her onto her back, he leaned forward and kissed her softly. After only a few moments, her mouth moved under his and her arms encircled his neck. An eternity later, he raised his head and watched as her long lashes fluttered up to reveal a pair of sleepy gray eyes. The sleep slowly cleared from them and a smile curved her lips as she gazed up at him. "Happy Christmas, my lovely wife."
"Happy Christmas, my darling husband," she replied, raising a hand to trace his features.
He caught her hand and pressed a kiss to the palm. "Our previous Christmases together have been wonderful, but this is, by far, the best."
"Indeed, it is," she agreed, raising her other hand to trace the strong line of his jaw. "Especially with Stewart back."
He nodded, sitting back and pulling her into a sitting position. "He may be daffy and get on my nerves occasionally, but he was like a brother to me."
"And now he is," she pointed out, nestling into his embrace. "Since we're married now."
"Yes, and I'm very glad of it, Poppy." He pressed a soft kiss to the top of her head, breathing in the scent of apples that seemed to cling to her tawny curls. "You are my touchstone, Poppy. When I can't seem to go on, I just think of you and I find the strength to go on."
"Oh, Alastor." Poppy flung her arms around his neck and kissed him soundly. "That's the most romantic thing I've heard."
He chuckled, holding her close. "It's true, Poppy."
She smiled, tears glistening in her beautiful eyes. "I know, Alastor."
Just as he was lowering his head to kiss her once more, someone pounded on the bedroom door. "Sis! Al! Get up! It's time to open presents!"
He rested his head against hers. "This is one of the times when he's annoying."
Poppy giggled, kissing him quickly. "We'd better get up, unless you want your brother-in-law to come barging in here."
"Not really, no," Alastor replied, reluctantly letting Poppy slide from his arms.
She slipped into a teal and gray nightgown and pulled a matching dressing gown on over it while he slipped into a white nightshirt and pulled on a handsome green and silver dressing gown. "Mmm, very nice, Dearest."
He smiled, drawing her close. "It's a nice dressing gown, Poppy. Thank you."
"No thanks are necessary, Alastor." She drew his head down to hers for another kiss.
"Poppy! Alastor! Come on!" Griffith Hooch's voice interrupted them this time.
"We should go, or Rolanda will be next," Alastor murmured as he summoned his walking stick to him, "and she won't be so polite."
Poppy giggled, even as she followed him to the door. "No, she won't."
Holding hands, they left the room and headed downstairs to join Poppy's family for Christmas. Rolanda sat between her brother and Stewart on the couch, grinning mischievously. Poppy's parents sat side by side on one loveseat. Without a word, Poppy and Alastor sat down on the other loveseat. Alastor used his magic eye to study the people around him and breathed a contented sigh. He had family at last.
***Finite***
A/N: I wrote this is a present for my friend Thestral, because this is her favorite ship. Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!
A smile came to his lips when he awoke Christmas morning. Despite the darkness of the times, he had found something to provide light and warmth. Carefully pulling his wife's hair back from her neck, he pressed a soft kiss to the spot just below her ear. She muttered in her sleep, but did not wake. Still smiling, he traced the tip of one finger along her jaw line. She stirred and murmured his name. Easing her onto her back, he leaned forward and kissed her softly. After only a few moments, her mouth moved under his and her arms encircled his neck. An eternity later, he raised his head and watched as her long lashes fluttered up to reveal a pair of sleepy gray eyes. The sleep slowly cleared from them and a smile curved her lips as she gazed up at him. "Happy Christmas, my lovely wife."
"Happy Christmas, my darling husband," she replied, raising a hand to trace his features.
He caught her hand and pressed a kiss to the palm. "Our previous Christmases together have been wonderful, but this is, by far, the best."
"Indeed, it is," she agreed, raising her other hand to trace the strong line of his jaw. "Especially with Stewart back."
He nodded, sitting back and pulling her into a sitting position. "He may be daffy and get on my nerves occasionally, but he was like a brother to me."
"And now he is," she pointed out, nestling into his embrace. "Since we're married now."
"Yes, and I'm very glad of it, Poppy." He pressed a soft kiss to the top of her head, breathing in the scent of apples that seemed to cling to her tawny curls. "You are my touchstone, Poppy. When I can't seem to go on, I just think of you and I find the strength to go on."
"Oh, Alastor." Poppy flung her arms around his neck and kissed him soundly. "That's the most romantic thing I've heard."
He chuckled, holding her close. "It's true, Poppy."
She smiled, tears glistening in her beautiful eyes. "I know, Alastor."
Just as he was lowering his head to kiss her once more, someone pounded on the bedroom door. "Sis! Al! Get up! It's time to open presents!"
He rested his head against hers. "This is one of the times when he's annoying."
Poppy giggled, kissing him quickly. "We'd better get up, unless you want your brother-in-law to come barging in here."
"Not really, no," Alastor replied, reluctantly letting Poppy slide from his arms.
She slipped into a teal and gray nightgown and pulled a matching dressing gown on over it while he slipped into a white nightshirt and pulled on a handsome green and silver dressing gown. "Mmm, very nice, Dearest."
He smiled, drawing her close. "It's a nice dressing gown, Poppy. Thank you."
"No thanks are necessary, Alastor." She drew his head down to hers for another kiss.
"Poppy! Alastor! Come on!" Griffith Hooch's voice interrupted them this time.
"We should go, or Rolanda will be next," Alastor murmured as he summoned his walking stick to him, "and she won't be so polite."
Poppy giggled, even as she followed him to the door. "No, she won't."
Holding hands, they left the room and headed downstairs to join Poppy's family for Christmas. Rolanda sat between her brother and Stewart on the couch, grinning mischievously. Poppy's parents sat side by side on one loveseat. Without a word, Poppy and Alastor sat down on the other loveseat. Alastor used his magic eye to study the people around him and breathed a contented sigh. He had family at last.
***Finite***