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[lilium_evansiae]

The sign on the bar this evening is written with glowing red and green letters:

Free Cracker with Your Drink

There is a large pile of gaily colored Cribbages Wizarding Crackers stacked next to the sign.

And there is a young, ginger-haired witch waiting to see if she has any customers. If the hat perched on her head is anything to go by, she has

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[gorgonfondness]

"Good evening, Lily," Mia greets.

Her hair is tied back and she's wearing a thin, grey dress that's hugging her small baby bump. Slung over her arm, however, is her gift.

"So, these are crackers. I had wondered what they looked like before when Draco suggested that Cepheus could play with them last year."

[lilium_evansiae]

"He might have been a bit young," Lily says, if she's remember Cephues' age correctly, "but yeah, these are crackers."

[gorgonfondness]

"That's what I told Draco last year. And even just under two might be a bit young, too."

She shrugs and maneuvers herself onto a barstool.

"Could I please have a big mug of tea? And some Saylan pickled cactus if you can find a jar."

[lilium_evansiae]

"I'll cheat," Lily says, just before she pulls out her wand and says, "Accio Saylan pickled cactus."

She catches the jar that comes zooming toward her and sets it in front of Mia while she turns her attention to making tea.

(Lily is a terribly cook, but she makes very, very good tea.)

[gorgonfondness]

"Thank you," she says, taking the jar and twisting the lid off.

She's gotten awfully good at opening jars within the last three-ish months.

"How have you been, Lily? And care for a pickle?"

[lilium_evansiae]

"I've been good, thanks, and no thank you for the pickle."

She's busy with teapots and tea leaves and large mug with a snowman on it.

"How about you?"

[gorgonfondness]

Suits Mia fine. More pickle for her!

"Coping with everyone coping with me expecting baby number two. Things have been going well for now and hopefully that will last."

[lilium_evansiae]

"Oh, congratulations," Lily says, setting the snowman mug in front of Mia.

"When is he or she due to arrive?"

[gorgonfondness]

"Thank you. And the baby is due around July, we think. Jessica figures I'm about three months along, give or take. I shouldn't be too far away from feeling kicks."

Which is always exciting.

"Thank you," she says again, taking the mug.

[lilium_evansiae]

"You're welcome.

"I hope everything goes well for you, Mia."

[gorgonfondness]

"Thank you," she says once again.

After a restorative sip of tea, she takes one of the crackers.

"So, I just pull this?" she asks.

[lilium_evansiae]

"You hold one end, someone else holds the other, and then, yeah, you both pull.

"Just be ready for it to be really loud."

Like cannon-blast loud.

Also, there's the smoke.

[gorgonfondness]

"I wonder if I should use some sort of muffling charm. I've forgotten exactly when it happens but I've read before that babies can hear sounds that come from the mother's surroundings."

She will, just in case, before steeling herself.

"Would you mind?" she asks, holding one end and offering the other to Lily.

[lilium_evansiae]

"Of course," Lily says, taking the other end of the cracker.

"Whenever you're ready."

[gorgonfondness]

Mia pulls.

And is surprised by the smoke. There's some coughing on her end.

But once it clears and she finds a sunhat so yellow it's almost obscene with a little bunch of bright red strawberries sitting on it, she can't help but smile.

"No wonder Draco wanted to play with these."

[lilium_evansiae]

"Oh, that's a great hat," Lily says.

"And, yeah, they're a lot of fun. And pretty traditional for us, at Christmas."