InsaneJournal

Who? Alasdair Buchanan and Ada Olivier
What? Big life events are happening...
When? Hogmanay/New Year’s Eve (forward dated as Heather is travelling on NYD)
Where? A pretty large party
Warnings: Sickly sweet and posted early ;)

Alasdair was surprised that the waiting hadn’t actually killed him yet, for the thumping going on in his chest was as if his heart had actually burst. The party around him was in full swing, and midnight was still an hour or so off. The room was packed with cheerful, swaying bodies jumping around in the exuberance of their dancing, although Alasdair himself was off to one side, taking a quiet(ish) moment with Ada in the midst of chaos. It was their anniversary, after all.

He slid his arm around her waist, drawing her close and planting a kiss atop her head, one eye on the dancers. It was almost as if he was trying to distract himself from the question he had on his mind in the moment to come… he was certainly contemplating where and how to get her alone in the approach to midnight.

“Having a good time, my love?” he asked, giving her a squeeze.

Ada was smiling brightly as she took in everything around her. Before last year the holiday hadn't meant anything to her but now Hogmanay had, and always would have, a special spot in her heart. Although she was aware of the celebrating happening around them it wasn't where her focus really was. Her mind was thinking back on what a year they'd had; becoming more than friends, moving to Alasdair's native Scotland, their Quidditch careers... There wasn't anything she felt like changing or doing differently - well, except maybe having decided to start dating Alasdair sooner.

Ada turned her head at the question, smiling warmly as she squeezed back before snuggling a little. "Mhmm. It's certainly a little different from the one in France last year - not that I mind. And, of course, I'm here with you which just makes it all the better."

Alasdair smiled as she snuggled into his chest, the warmth of her delicate form against him a familiar comfort he wished he'd come to know sooner. He splayed his hand across her back, listening to her words and rocking her gently, almost as if in a dance of their own.

“The fact you're here too… that makes all of this so much better,” he said, taking in the sight of the crowd around them, all the people they knew but didn't compare to each other and the future they were building together.

It wasn't until his eyes flicked up to the clock - now reading ten to midnight - that he realised he’d spoken those last words aloud.

Ada felt she could certainly, and quite easily, lose track of time being like this. It was comfortable, warm, and it made her feel safe. Not that she really needed protecting but she liked that feeling that no matter what she always felt safe with Alasdair. She blinked a little when she heard him mention the future. It hadn't seemed intentional, as if he'd unknowingly spoken his thoughts aloud.

"I was happy to take that chance you know, even though we hadn't really been together for very long," she told him, glancing up at him. "I don't.... I don't think I wanted to lose what we'd started - at least, certainly not then I didn't... or now for that matter."

Was she reading his mind? It certainly felt like it. To avoid losing each other… that was exactly what he had been worried about. And now that things were going well for them in Scotland, there was a permanency to their relationship that he craved. Perhaps it was time…

Five minutes to midnight.

Slipping his hand into hers, Alasdair tugged on her hand gently. “Come with me,” he urged, heading towards a balcony on the floor above.

Ada cocked her head to the side as she tried to think of what Alasdair had in mind but followed along anyway. Now that she thought about it she had noticed he seemed... not the worried kind of nervous, but the kind you got in anticipation of something. Only she didn't know what exactly. It was their one year anniversary but she'd have thought that'd be more calm excitement rather than anticipatory.

Once they were up there on the balcony she looked at Alasdair curiously. "What's going on?"

Alasdair couldn’t help but grin a bit as he drew out his wand, murmuring a few quiet spells under his breath as he literally worked his magic. By the time he was done, the small enclave was transformed in a manner that would be rather familiar to Ada - walls and ceiling of Willow trellises, interwoven with twinkling fairy lights and the soft glow of candles floating in mid-air. With the soft scent of jasmine that lingered too, it was as if they were back in the dainty little restaurant in Quiberon that hosted the party that began it all, exactly one year ago today. Drawing Ada closer to him, wand now back in pocket, he spoke softly, his words audible only to her.

Three minutes to go.

“Happy anniversary, my love. It really has been the most incredible twelve months of my life,” he began, lifting her hand to kiss it reverently.

There was a slight gasp as she watched in wonder, unable and not feeling as if she could speak, as she watched Alasdair transform the little enclave they were in. Ada had always suspected he might do something to celebrate their anniversary but she hadn't expected anything like this. Lost in recollection it wasn't until he drew her closer that she came back to the present.

"This is..." she said in wonder, with a soft laugh. What words were there really to describe what a year it had been for them? "It's been an amazing year and I love you so much-" Ada couldn't resist leaning in to press a slow kiss against his lips. "Happy anniversary, chéri."

Two minutes to go, and Alasdair couldn’t help but chuckle as she kissed him. “A wee bit early, my love,” he grinned, holding her against him. “But really… I want there to be many more of these. Because after everything we’ve been through together, I know life wouldn’t be the same without you in it. We’re a team, and even before...well, even before we were ‘us’, we were solid.”

One minute to go. He paused, raising a hand to touch her cheek with the back of his fingers. “And this team of ours… I want it to be for always. Growing old together, raising a family together, the whole lot. I can’t picture anyone else i would rather do that with.”

As the countdown to midnight officially began, he tilted his head down - not to her lips, but beside her ear to whisper. ”Marry me.”

"I don't care," she murmured. She really didn't, and wasn't about to let one teeny little tradition stop her from expressing how she felt. Ada couldn't stop the smile that suddenly seemed to be infused in her features as she listened to Alasdair. In the pause of silence she was going to say something in return, something about how she agreed with what he said or something more but then he continued speaking.

Ada's eyes widened in wonder when it all finally clicked into place just what it was Alasdair had clearly had planned for the night. It left her speechless enough that for a split second she hadn't immediately given him an answer. Then just as quickly she was nodding. "Yes... yes," she said, with a shaky laugh escaping past her lips as she threw her arms around his shoulders. "Definitely yes."

Alasdair’s grin was so wide at that moment that he felt it was about to split his face. Putting his hand on her arm, he pulled it down a little to free up his right side, slipping his hand inside the pocket of his jacket, where he’d been keeping a burgundy coloured, velvet covered box hidden carefully since before they’d left the house.

Carefully kneeling, he pulled out the box and opened it, holding it up to Ada with the grin still on his face. “Because you didn’t quite let me finish…”

Ada couldn't stop grinning either. Not even when she giggled at his words. Because how could he expect her to wait when he'd said those two words, even if they weren't quite a question? "Sorry, chéri," she managed to say, as she gazed down at him. Her eyes had taken in the ring, which was beautiful and Alasdair had clearly taken her tastes into consideration, but honestly she really only had eyes for him right then and there. "If it helps, the answer is most definitely and still very much a yes."

Alasdair, still beaming, took the ring from the box which he replaced in his jacket pocket. Taking her hand, he slid it onto Ada’s ring finger and smiled down at it. It looked rather fitting, twinkling there in the low light. Going with a traditional Scottish jeweller had been a good choice, really - Ada’s ring would be different without being outlandish.

He gazed up at her again for a moment, silently drawing her into another embrace.

Ada felt she was practically vibrating with giddiness the moment Alasdair slid the ring onto her finger. It looked wonderful and fitted perfectly, and for a moment she couldn't help but think back to a while ago when she'd gone looking for a particular piece and wasn't able to find it. Clearly it hadn't been the fault of the cats. Even if it had been she really didn't care now.

She allowed herself enjoy the embrace for a moment to just wallow in the blissful happiness. After a moment she reached up to gently pull him in for a kiss. "Love you," she murmured.

”Je t’aime aussi,” he murmured against her lips, kissing her again, chuckling a little as he could hear the strains of ‘Auld Lang Syne’ still coming up from the floor below.

“Happy New Year, my love.”