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

[subtle_simmer]

"Yes, mother," Severus replied sardonically.

In truth, he had no intention of staying long - the only reason he had asked to accompany June was that he was quite certain Wood would either slam the door in his face, or refuse to open it entirely, if Severus arrived alone. Moreover, if he sent the gift by post, it was sure to return to him, unopened, which was simply unacceptable.

Once Winifred had seen it and opened it, whether or not she would be allowed to keep it would no longer be in question. Wood was far too soft to deny his child anything she wanted. Severus just had to make sure she had the opportunity to want it!

Then, he would leave, and let them to themselves, though he was not the least bit satisfied with June's interest in the philandering prat! How many women had Wood been associated with in the last ten months, his wife scarcely cold in her grave? How quickly he abandoned Ginevra Weasley - though that was for the best - Oliver Wood wasn't good enough for anyone Severus esteemed. Why couldn't the prat toy with

[mroliverwood]

"It's amazing," he said. "I knew you'd told me, but.." He paused, swallowing. "Yeah, I suspect it'd be hard to get used to seeing again. And I don't exactly know how easy those instruments make them." It had been worth every galleon, but Oliver hoped she never knew about the money she had offered to Ginny for June

[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

[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."