Daisy Potter and the Wedding (Book 8, Harry Potter ff)

Chapter 21 - Quidditch Disaster

When the time came to hand Teddy back to his grandparents on Sunday, none of the three of us wanted to. Fred very reluctantly gave over the sleeping baby as George and I pouted.

"Bye bye, Teddy." I said sadly. "Hopefully we can look after you again sometime soon?"

"Oh, definitely." Ted said, his eyes twinkling. "Listen, we love our grandson very much, but looking after a baby at our age is very stressful. We liked having a lie-in this morning."

"Thank you." Andromeda nodded. "Have a good night, you three."

They both had a knowing look in their eyes as they glanced down at the snoozing Teddy - his mixup of mine and the twins' features still intact on his face - but said nothing more. And then they were gone, the crack sound of their Disapparation reverberating around Hogsmeade.

"Aw." I pouted again. "Well, we'd better head on up to the school again. It's getting late."

Before I could blink, the twins had both wrapped themselves around me. I beamed as their arms squeezed me, snuggling in between them. Their scent of gunpowder and marshmallows overwhelmed my senses, and I nearly purred.

"We want you to be happy so bad, princess." George murmured into my hair.

I knew instantly what he was referring to. "Georgie, Freddie, don't worry. I am happy."

"Truly?" Fred said, leaning his forehead against mine. "Even if you don't have babies yet? Even if people are still after you?"

"Yeah." I smiled up at them both. "Obviously I'd like to be out of school before I have kids, silly. And... people are always gonna be after me. I don't think it would be normal if no one was. We just have to be as safe as possible, and we'll be fine."

"Yeah and you're as safe as possible with us two on either side of you." Fred smirked. "Aren't you?"

"Oh, definitely." I said, grinning. He was referring to Friday and Sunday nights, when we either came down to Hogsmeade for the weekend or went back up to the school for the week - it was always dark by the time we'd leave and walk through the village, and the twins would act like my bodyguards, wands out and flanking me, on high alert and ready to fight at any given moment. It was kinda sexy.

"And you wouldn't believe the amount of protective spells we've placed on the cottage, princess." George said as I shrugged on my coat. "Floppy couldn't get in if he tried."

"And after Halloween we've increased the boundary so he can't get in the garden, either." Fred said, a muscle in his jaw twitching as he stared off into the distance. I remember telling them both after the party what had happened; Fred was pissed that Floppy had touched me and had informed me of all the ways he wanted to brutally maim the demon.

"It's hot how you guys are so protective of me. Like, really hot..."

"Well," George's eyes were twinkling, "that's an evolutionary instinct, Softpaw. Back in the day, the ladies were more inclined to make families with men who could protect said families from predators, 'cause then they'd have a bigger chance of survival and be more able to pass on their genes."

"Wow." I said. "Mr George, the science teacher. Talk nerdy to me more, baby boy..."

Fred laughed. George giggled, swiping at me gently. "Ahahaha, fuck off, Potter."

"One day, you won't be able to call me that anymore." I batted my eyelashes up at George as we locked the front door behind us.

"Why's that?"

"Because she'll be 'Weasley,' won't she?" Fred teased. "Not so smart now, are you, Mr George, science teacher?"

George punched Fred in the arm, and the laughter of the three of us echoed around the village as we made our way up to Hogwarts.