Surprise!

[sightlesswolf]

Date: Sunday, January 7, 2001
Time: Early afternoon
Location: The Woods' cottage
Characters: June Connors, Oliver Wood, Wini Wood (NPC), Severus Snape
Rating: G - there's a child present! (Well, now that Snape's involved, I should probably push that to at least PG...)

Comments

[sightlesswolf]

"Oh, Oliver, it's barely been a month since I saw you last," she protested, glad to be able to give him a direct gaze. She might have folded her arms, had they not been burdened with packages. "What call do you have turning into an old man while my back's turned?"

What she wanted to say was more along the lines of What's wrong? but she fancied he wouldn't want to talk about it. Not now, anyway. But her look was frankly concerned.

"Not yet," she admitted to his question about flying. "I couldn't the first week or so - I could barely keep them in more than an hour, and the makers suggested too much wind or sun wouldn't be a good idea right at first. And with Christmas and all... well, it's been a bit of a whirlwind. But I'll have to get up there before long!" She smiled up at him, knowing he of all people would understand.

With a flourish, she held out her burdens. "As I said, I come bearing gifts! For you and Wini, in case that part wasn't clear. Merry Christmas and a very happy January!"

Inside Wini's was a book of Muggle faerie tales, beautifully illustrated, among them the famous tale of the Frog Prince. Oliver's, though she'd thought long and hard of getting him something Quidditch-related, was in fact a glass globe barely the size of a fist. It looked like a large Remembrall, but the substance inside was shimmery and vaguely pink.

"You use a basic Recognition Charm to sort of introduce it to Wini, and from then on it can always tell you where she is," she explained. Then a faint grimace crossed her face. "I wasn't sure- it reminds me a little bit of the Ministry tracking devices, but I still think it's not a bad idea while she's so little. You don't have to use it."

[mroliverwood]

"These are wonderful," Oliver said as he took the presents. He still had his eyes on her face, however, and his brow furrowed for a moment before he took the packages and took a step backwards. He took in a deep breath. "I didn't get you anything," he admitted. "Sorry. I, well, I wasn't expecting to see you, I suppose." And he didn't really enjoy doing the Christmas thing any longer.

He set Winifred's package in the inside of the door, and he could hear his daughter giggling with Snape. Giving a slightly embarassed smile, he opened up his own present.

Oliver stared at it for a moment until June explained it. His face softened and he looked up at her, obviously pleased. "It's great, really," he said. "This is brilliant." It'd certainly save him a load of worry.

"You want to go and watch Wini open up hers?" he asked.

[sightlesswolf]

"Oh, it's all right," she replied quickly, a smile coming instictively to reassure him that it really was. "It's not as though we said we were going to exchange or anything, I just thought... Well, I just hoped you'd like these."

Clasping her hands behind her back, she watched as he opened the package. Being able to see the recognition and pleasure on his face made it twice as precious. And a bit of a relief, too. It was certainly not the first time she'd presumed to intrude unasked into the very personal territory of Wini and her safety. But he didn't seem to mind.

"I'd love for Wini to open hers, if she wants to." She laughed softly, having caught glimpses past his shoulder of Wini's absorption in her other Christmas gift. "Unless she's otherwise occupied, of course."