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Tweak says, "*bounces off rubber walls*"

dragonhideboots (dragonhideboots) wrote in wished,
@ 2010-02-22 00:06:00

Entry tags:

!1998: 02, !incomplete, bill weasley, charlie weasley, fleur delacour, nymphadora tonks

Guess who's coming to dinner?
Characters: Bill, Fleur, Tonks, and Charlie
Setting: Shell Cottage, Sunday evening
Summary: Dinner, drinks, chat, and fun.
Rating: PG. Maybe a little cursing.

(Apologies for not getting this scene up sooner, guys! It's been a CRAZY week).

Bill was absolutely thrilled that Tonks and Charlie were coming to visit. Since their start at Hogwarts, he'd seen little of either of them and was happy for the chance to forget bigger troubles and just have a good dinner with friends. Charlie, though obviously his brother, had been his childhood best friend and Bill still felt closest to him of all his siblings. They were relatively close in age, so much so that Bill had considered Charlie his twin as a kid until the real twins came along. As for Tonks, though he'd been in school around the same time as her, he'd only come to know her more during his work for the Order. He thought she was incredibly funny and engaging, and he liked Remus very much as well. The pair were his favorite to sit alongside at Order meetings.

And so, with a case of beer and two bottles of wine in hand, he entered Shell Cottage from the windswept yard and ducked into the kitchen, calling out to Fleur.

"Where are you? They'll be here soon! What can I do to help?"

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dragonhideboots
2010-02-24 03:21 am UTC (link)

Bill tugged open the front door (it was perpetually getting stuck...such is the charm of living by the sea) and smiled widely.

"Cheers, you two!" he said, stepping onto the threshold and extending arms for hugs all around. "Come in, come in."

He stepped back to allow them entry, kissing Tonks on the cheek as she passed.

"You look wonderful," he said, accepting the bouquet. "And these are lovely."

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tamethebeast
2010-02-24 03:48 am UTC (link)

"No need to kiss me on the cheek," Charlie replied, clapping Bill on the back, "and your house is wonderful, Bill. You and Fleur have done wonderfully with it." Keeping the wrapped gift tucked under his arm until Bill's or Fleur's hands were free, he stepped inside behind Tonks.

"Something smells good," he said, his stomach growling. Charlie was usually hungry, usually not without something edible in his hand, and never turned down a meal—of course, this also meant seeing friends and family, so he had an additional motive. "Do you have any pets, yet? I thought about bringing you something... exotic... but decided to give you candlesticks instead," he grinned, giving Bill and Fleur the gift. "Dad suggested it," Charlie continued, "so it's sort of a 'from all of us' gift, though it's not the last thing you'll get, I'm sure. Knowing mum, half of your house will be overtaken with things that used to be in the Burrow," he said with a laugh.

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bleuet
2010-02-25 03:11 am UTC (link)

Fleur had welcomed the guests in with Bill, kisses and embraces for both of them, accepting the housewarming gifts in turn. As Bill had hold of the flowers, she took the candlesticks from her brother-in-law and beckoned them all further into the living room as words of greeting were exchanged.

"These are beautiful candlesticks," she commented, surprised that, for once, she meant it. Often the Weasley heirlooms she had thus far received had not suite impressed her and she had to be careful how she expressed herself for fear of insulting someone. Which had happened often enough. She felt, though, that she was getting better. The candlesticks, though, were pretty and tasteful. "And the flowers will be a wonderful center for the table. I did not get a chance to bring any in myself."

She set the candlesticks and the flowers up in the dining room, then joined the other three in the living room.

"Dinner is not quite ready, but there is wine and beer, and I bought some cheeses." She indicated the coffee table.

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nymphadarling
2010-02-25 08:28 am UTC (link)

Tonks was just about to respond to Charlie when Bill and Fleur opened the door. Giving them wide grins, she kissed them both on the cheek and handed Bill the flowers, only a little bashful about her size.

"Wonderful? I look like I swallowed a watermelon," she said to Bill, amused. "But you're sweet to say so. Wotcher, everyone."

Being around Charlie wasn't nearly as awkward as she'd anticipated, which made things much easier. When Fleur directed them toward the coffee table, she hesitated and said as politely as she could, "None for me, thanks. You've got a beautiful home. I'd have killed to grow up by the shore."

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dragonhideboots
2010-02-25 07:48 pm UTC (link)

"Of course you can have a kiss, you big girl," he said teasingly to Charlie, planting a particularly sloppy kiss on his cheek as he gave his brother a hug. "The candlesticks are lovely. Mum won't be upset at you handing them off to me? Then again, if they were Great-Great-Great Aunt Aggie's, I'm sure she's happy to have them out of the house!"

"And, yes, wonderful," he said to Tonks, following the group into the den. "Can I get you a pumpkin juice instead? Or water?"

He retrieved a glass from the kitchen for Tonks along with a few options of non-alcoholic beverages, setting them on the coffee table before settling onto the couch alongside his brother.

"Yes, we're happy with the place. I'm glad we went for the shore instead of that farm plot. We should all go walk on the beach later. It's really a great treat at sunset."

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tamethebeast
2010-03-01 06:04 am UTC (link)

"A good-looking watermelon," Charlie replied to Tonks with a grin, slipping out of his jacket and making sure he hung it somewhere he would remember as he somehow managed to return from visits with less clothing than he brought, assuming Bill or another family member had jumpers, jackets, and anything else that belonged to him thinking it their own. And Charlie only minded the one time he left a hooded jumper at The Burrow he bought in Romania, left it somewhere around the house, and it somehow 'mysteriously disappeared'—which he knew was a lie.

Not surprised Bill kissed him, Charlie wiped his face from the slobber. "I'm cutting your hair off for that, Bill. Don't turn your back on me for even a moment," he threatened, a prominent smirk on his face. "And I dunno what mum will say," he replied with a shrug, glad Fleur liked them as he watched her for a moment. Charlie never saw fit to judge Fleur or assume anything negative about her with the exception that he assumed she knew they did their best to welcome her and love her as a part of their own family.

"Anything you've got handy is fantastic, Fleur, thank you," he said smiling as he strolled slowly into the sitting room. He would have offered to help, but figured Bill would have been more than willing to direct him if needed.

Leaning forward to grab his coffee as he sat on a particularly comfortable couch, Charlie nodded as he looked around, "I agree, Tonks, it would have been lovely to grow up here, too. And," Charlie said, taking a drink from the coffee (which he found very tasteful), "a walk sounds brilliant." He nearly offered to hoist Tonks up on his back if she got tired (pregnant women did, right?), but thought better of it. He needed to respect that if she was still offended by anything he said previously, he needed to let things return to the way they were in time—and perhaps make a second attempt to apologise so she knew he meant it, which he most certainly did.

"Seriously... any pets?"

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dragonhideboots
2010-03-01 07:35 pm UTC (link)

"No, no pets, save for some noisy gulls that spend lots of time outside our kitchen window making a ruckus," Bill said, pouring himself a glass of wine. "Maybe a dog, someday. Not soon."

He winked at Fleur slyly.

"I won't stand for a cat, as I'm sure you're aware," he said. Turning to Tonks, he remarked, "I'm ridiculously allergic to the things and I don't think I could stand taking an allergy tonic every day. I met Hermione's cat once and I was sure I would be sneezing and itching for a year after that; blasted thing has more fur than you could imagine."

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bleuet
2010-03-04 07:10 pm UTC (link)

Fleur accompanied Bill in seeing to it that everyone had what they needed before she settled into a chair with some wine herself. She could not imagine having grown up on a farm - too much dirt, and bad smells, and noisy animals for her tastes. Their decision to live here had been a huge relief to her for, even though she thought she'd have been happy living anywhere as long as Bill was with her, Fleur was positive a farm was at the bottom of her list.

At the mention of pets, she arched an eyebrow and sipped at her drink before chiming in. "A dog, hm?" She seemed to consider the idea. Growing up, Fleur had not had very many animals around - a few fish and a cat had been it. She liked dogs well enough, as long as they were the kind that didn't jump on one or bark too much.

"That might be nice, actually. Nothing too big, though. Or too small," she mused. "One that likes the water?"

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nymphadarling
2010-03-05 01:51 am UTC (link)

Taking the glass of water from Bill gratefully, Tonks eased herself down onto the couch and watched the back-and-forth between the brothers with a grin on her face.

"Don't cut his hair!" she protested, laughing. "I'll give you a tail if you do. I'd be horrified if someone cut my hair without telling me. If I couldn't grow it back, that is," she added.

"I'm allergic as well." She rubbed her belly at another painful kick. "Cats, that is, or at least I think I am. I get sneezy. I much prefer dogs. A dog seems like it'd be perfect for this area. Golden Retriever?" she suggested to Fleur. "They're great with kids."

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dragonhideboots
2010-03-05 02:09 am UTC (link)

"Maybe a spaniel," he said. "I hear they like water. Goldens are nice, though."

He grinned at Tonks.

"You think with all the wonders of magic they'd've found a way to cure allergies by now, but no. Instead, I'm blessed with sneezing every time McGonagall decides to show off her Animagus talents."

"Is he kicking?" Bill asked, watching Tonks rub her tummy. "Mum used to shout all the time when she was pregnant with Fred and George. Scared the lights out of me until she told me what was going on and let me feel."

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nymphadarling
2010-03-05 02:17 am UTC (link)

Tonks nodded, wincing again. "He's going to be a bloody footballer if this is any indication. Your poor mum--I can't imagine having two of these going on at the same time. One's bad enough. He likes my kidneys and my bladder in particular."

All the talk of babies and dogs made her more wistful for all of this; a proper family with a cottage and a proper home. Did Bill and Fleur know how lucky they were? Undoubtedly, she figured. And they deserved every bit of it.

"Spaniels are awfully nice too," she said. "Our neighbours had one while I was growing up. I was scared to death of it until I was six or so, and I fell down while running away from it and broke something--my arm, I think, though thinking on it, it might've been my ankle--and the thing went all Lassie on me."

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tamethebeast
2010-03-05 02:56 am UTC (link)

"If you decide not to get a dog that enjoys the nearby water, I can think of a few, um, other animals," he laughed. "And what's brilliant about living out here is being able to play Quidditch over the water! When your son is old enough to ride a broom, Tonks, he'll be flying with his old, decrepit Weasley uncles." Laughing a bit, Charlie poured himself a bit more coffee, his stomach rumbling a bit as he hoped Fleur would have dinner ready soon.

Looking at Tonks' stomach, Charlie grinned. He was very excited about the prospect of being an uncle. "I remember that," Charlie said to Bill, "to a young kid, I was absolutely amazed." He was not about to ask Bill and Fleur when they would be starting a family—especially since he did not want to be asked that question himself. Charlie was already feeling a bit of pressure to settle down, but he could not see himself doing that in the middle of a war. Some of his mates in Romania offered to introduce him to some women, and Charlie declined. It was not as though he was completely against the idea of someone in his life, but girlfriends broke up with him for his lack of commitment over the years. He did not want to be unfair to a witch, knowing it would be the same, during the height of a war. At the moment, the people he sat in the room with were more important than any of that—his happiness was a cup of coffee, sitting on a couch with friends and family, talking about exactly what they were talking about.

"I didn't know you were allergic to cats," Charlie added offhandedly to Tonks. He did, however, know about Bill's reaction. Charlie liked Hermione's cat very much. "Oh!" he said, finishing adding sugar, "what about a wolfhound? They don't live long, though, maybe 8 years. Brilliant, though, and not difficult to train. They are, however, the biggest domesticated dogs..."

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