#barnabylee-arc

Things the past couple of weeks had been mad. The Ministry was on high alert after the meeting between the Order and the Redeemers and the chaos that had ensued. Her pregnancy was making everything seem worse than it actually was. Her emotions were out of whack and the morning sickness didn’t help in the slightest. Fleur promised Barnaby that she’d owl him and that they could get together soon, but that had been almost a month ago. When she finally got around to it, she asked if he’d get ice cream with her and Victoire. She’d been promising Vic ice cream for weeks and her daughter was quite keen on reminding her.

 Arriving at Fortescue’s, Fleur waved to Barnaby when she saw him. Victoire looked at him curiously, but hid behind Fleur’s leg. “Hello. Thank you for meeting us, I’m sorry we couldn’t meet sooner. Things have been mad. How are you?” 

During the war, Fleur had grown used to the visitors who would drop in without notice. It was what she signed up for when she volunteered the cottage as a safe house. Those who would stumble in looking for food after being on the run. The ones who would stumble in injured and in need of healing. After the war, things had quieted down. Now - there weren’t many people who showed up without sending an owl first. Sometimes a Weasley popped in without warning or her sister, but she never minded. 

She had the day off while Bill was at the Ministry doing some work, so she spent the day with Victoire. Tidying up the house as her toddler destroyed it. When there was a knock at the door, she wasn’t expecting it. Fleur swung her daughter onto her hip and cautiously opened the door slightly so that she could face the man standing on the other side. “Can I help you?” She asked, a brow raised in question. 

While some might argue, Harriet was really trying to make an effort in every aspect of her life. She was trying her best to be a good mother when the babies arrived. She’d read books on the matter. She listened to the advice that Molly gave her. Some tidbits from her own mother. Harriet tried with the Weasley’s. She went to the family dinners. She tried to make conversation. Charlie’s friends, it turned out, had been easier to relate to. Barnaby had welcomed her from the moment that they’d met and for that she was thankful. 

The brunette invited Barnaby to get lunch during her break at the Ministry. She met him outside of the building, smiling when she saw him. “Thank you for meeting me. I’m starving,” she laughed softly. The babies were always hungry. “How are you?” 

A sarcastic text || @barnabylee-arc