Title: Just in case Author: Ceria Word Count: 294 Rating: PG Characters: Frank/Alice Longbottom Prompt:A letter to Santa for awdt's two weeks of holiday quickies Disclaimer: These are not the droids you're looking for. Author's Notes: Thank you Lee, as always.
He found her in the study five days before Christmas, absently chewing his favourite quill.
"What are you doing, Allie?" he asked, handing her a piece of gum, anything to save the poor feather from her wicked teeth. Which made him think of last night, after Neville had finally fallen asleep. Definitely wicked teeth.
For the first time in years, Frank saw her blush. "Something Emmeline Vance talked about once," she said vaguely.
"And that is?" he asked, leaning over, ostensibly to kiss her forehead, but in reality to sneak a look at the letter she was writing. However, Alice wasn't that dim and quickly covered it with her hands, crumpling the parchment in her hurry.
"Should I be worried you're writing an old boyfriend?" he teased, leaning against her chair, one hand threading through her pale hair.
Sighing, she fussed with it until it was smooth and handed it to him.
Dear Santa,
I am writing on behalf of our son, Neville. He'll be five months old soon and therefore too young to write to you himself. However, while taking our afternoon walk this past Sunday in Diagon Alley, Neville expressed his interest in a puppy.
I was wondering if you might oblige my son…
"Oblige?" Frank asked, trying not to laugh at his embarrassed wife.
"I know. Silly, isn't it? That's why I stopped."
"It's never silly to love your child, Alice," he said gently, leaning over to kiss the top of her head. In the next room , little Nev began to cry, finally awake from his nap.
With a rueful grin, she stood up, quickly kissed Frank's chin, and left the room to retrieve him.
Frank tucked the letter into his pocket; maybe Santa couldn’t help, but he surely could.