It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas...

[safinnigan]

Date: Wednesday, 5 December 2001
Time: Evening
Location: Finnigan’s of Diagon Alley - Second Floor Apartment
Characters Involved: Seamus Finnigan, Charlotte Aurelius Finnigan
Rating: G unless Char gets peeved…

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[safinnigan]

Seamus responded warmly to his wife’s kiss, cupping her chin and cheeks with his hands. He was relieved that she had agreed to stop working and was staying close to home now so he could keep both eyes an eye on her. He was able to run upstairs now and again to make sure she was resting or see if she needed anything - like help getting up out of a chair. At this point in her pregnancy she was huge and tired and he often wondered if they were really having twins; but the ultrasound picture they kept in their bedroom was proof enough that it was just one lovely daughter waiting to be born.

One hand slid down to her rounded belly, giving both of the ladies in his life all of his attention.

“Home is where my heart is, Char love, and that babe o’ yours, too, then!” He winked at her and gave her another quick kiss as he placed both arms around her, trying to take some of the weight he knew was making her more tired each day. “Your Seamus is here at your beck and call then, luv. So be after taking this load off your feet, lass,” he laughed as he playfully patted the large evidence of their baby between them. “’Twill be your wish, my command for this night then my love. In honour of Chirstmas,” he laughed again, “So don’t be wasting my generous talents with delay now.” He led her over to the chair nearest the tree, intending to wait on her hand and foot for the rest of the evening.

[beautesolitaire]

She chuckled as she moved to sit down in the chair by the tree. Her feet were happy for the reprieve from her pregnant self. The baby was swimming around like her belly as an Olympic pool, just doing lazy laps. Socrates greeted Seamus with his usual nudge and demand for affection too. "I 'ave been unwrapping all of zese decorations for us to put on ze tree." she said, motioning to the boxes of decorations and lights and such things, "First t'ing zat should go on is ze fairy lights." she said with a nod.

The most important thing about the holidays was decorating the tree. She had bought him a special ornament too. But that was for a little later. She absently played with the crystal Christmas tree star that had been on the tree since she was a child. It had been her mother's. Most of the ornaments had been with a few shipped to her from Beven were there as well.

[safinnigan]

As soon as he saw Char comfortably settled, he gave Socrates a welcome home scratch and ordered the pup to look after Char whilst he worked on the tree. Seamus took up the string of “fairy lights” and starting placing them on the tree. Finnigan’s in Kenmare was often decorated with lights, so he was used to decorating with lights, these were just smaller than most. He finished with the first string and started on the second, singing along with the Christmas music she had playing in the background.

“Now then Char, are these ‘fairy lights’ supposed to be after bringing the fairies to us, or keeping them away? Mab save us from mischievious fairies - if they’re at all like pixies, we’re doomed.” Then he laughed and continued placing the lights, standing back for a moment to be sure they were spread out evenly through the branches. Satisfied, he turned back to his wife. “There luv, the tree's alight for the fairies. What’s your will for me next then?”

He smiled and came over to tuck a stray tendril of her hair back from her cheek. She looked so sweet in the firelight - and the fairy light. He knew she loved Christmas decorations, but she looked so peaceful and happy he was glad he had given in to her desire to spend an evening together decorating their tree and the apartment. These moments were to be shared, savoured and treasured.

Family meant nearly everything to Seamus, and there could be no better representation of family than being here with his beloved, who was great with his child.

[beautesolitaire]

"Ze fairy lights attract ze Christmas fairies, you silly man." she chuckled as she watched him, she continued to unwrap little ornaments and decorations for the house. She unwrapped a house that was very special. It had been a present to her mother from her father. It was a magiced Christmas house. It looked just like her childhood home and was magiced to have lights that worked and Conall and Charlotte were building a snowman in the front yard under the glass globe. Her finger traced the globe softly, smiling softly. Now she had her own home and her own child on the way. Her parents would be proud of her for finding such a good man in Seamus, even if he wasn't a pureblood.

She looked up at him and smiled at him. There was nothing more she could ask for in him. He was so sweet and he worked so hard to take care of them. Socrates curled up by the side of her chair. She reached down to scratch his ear lightly and watched him. "Ze ornament are next." she chuckled, "Ze fairies will come to a tree so lovely."

Fairies were good luck at Christmas and with their baby on the way, a bit of good luck was the best to be had. Christmas to her was all about family and friends. As she knew that it was with him. With his wonderful family. She felt kind of torn that they wouldn't be able to go to Kenmare for Christmas, but she had invited his family to come, enclosing a small explaination that she was too far along to travel by floo or apparation. She had not told him that she had invited them and had sworn them to secrecy.

[safinnigan]

Seamus laughed heartily when she fetchingly told him the fairies were Christmas fairies and called him a silly man. She was smiling and happy and he was delighted to be her silly man if that made her happy. He leaned over to kiss her on the cheek as he scooped up several of the unwrapped ornaments for the tree. He knew she was bound to be riled by his sweeping up her precious ornaments, but he did it anyway, teasing her in small ways that were totally harmless and at least mildly entertaining. Anything that kept her mind off how tired and large she was feeling these days was a blessing, and this evening he wanted to make sure she was a very happy exhausted, not a worried exhausted as she had been when she’d insisted on working too long at Trésor Littéraire.

He quickly turned around, hiding his smirk and carefully but quickly hanging the ornaments haphazardly on the tree. The he mimed some rather awkward arm movements as if he’d almost dropped an ornament and muttered a few “Bloody hell’s” under his breath before he turned and displayed his work for her approval.

“There love, aught to be fine places for these trinkets, don’t you think?” He grinned like a cheshire cat caught in the cream and hoped she didn’t start throwing things at him. She’d realize he was kidding her sooner or later. His Irish eyes watched the play of emotions on her face and he was reminded of long Christmases past when his Da would help his Mum set up the Christmas decorations at Finnigans in Kenmare. He’d not thought of it before, but his own Da was like as not to vex his Mum with the same kind of mild teasing. Just enough to get her hackles up until she realized he was having one over on her. Then he’d just laugh at her while she blistered the air with her pretended recriminations - until he’d shut her up with a kiss under some mistletoe he’d just hung behind her back when she wasn’t looking.

It was a fond family memory and it pleased Seamus no end to believe he in some ways took after his good Irish father. Magic or no, Cian Finnigan was the best of men and Seamus would do well to follow in his footsteps.

[beautesolitaire]

She just laughed at his efforts, "Seamus, mon amour, you are so silly." she chuckled, moving to get herself up, "You can not just t'row zem on zere. Zey are not confetti." she added.

What a silly man. She saw the smile in his eyes. He was laughing at her. He got swatted with a ribbon. "You scamp." she laughed softly and settled back into her chair, "Be nice, mon amour, or you can sleep under the fairy lights." she chuckled, oh she could tease him just as much. She rubbed her belly where the baby was kicking. She smiled softly as she tapped back, murmering to the baby in french.

The Christmas music played in the background before she moved to hand him the next ornament. He looked so wonderful in the fairy lights. She crooked her finger at him to get him down to her level and gave him a kiss once he was down there.