warmth - cedric diggory

after hogwarts

athena diggory had spent all day gathering supplies and handing up colorful banners around the brown house she lived in. the walls of their front door stood tall with different-shaped vines crossing the border, welcoming in anyone who would say hello.

the home cedric and athena had created always felt like home, warm and inviting. their friends usually traveled from whenever to spend weekends there, the years never seemed to tear them apart.

"hello darling," cedric came in through their front door, carrying multiple drinks and bags. "we've had quite the afternoon." he planted a tender kiss on her cheek, watching as she rubbed her hands on her apron.

he let out a loud chuckle, peeking behind him to make sure smaller familiar feet followed behind. the quiet atmosphere quickly changed as two smaller bodies ran in. their home was suddenly filled with laughter and tiny screams.

"is uncle ed here yet?" theodore diggory asked, plotting down on the barstools in the kitchen. athena shook her head softly, a grin placed on her cheeks. his light brunette curls mirrored mostly his father, but his warm brown eyes came from his mother.

"not yet, darling." she responded, taking a drink from her husband's hands. "they should be here soon." his tiny hands attempted to grab the pie athena had prepared, but she had always been quick on her feet.

an even smaller figure was heard tapping her feet on the tiled kitchen floor, carrying a small bunny in her hands, bouncing around with her pink-stained cheeks. rosie diggory crawled into the seat next to her older brother, smiling at him.

"what about auntie belly?" her voice was quiet and fragile, she couldn't pronounce belle's first name quite yet, but it was so adorable no one cared to correct her. no one loved their aunts and uncle more than these two.

"she'll be here, also." cedric responded with a chuckle, turning the oven off behind his wife. the room smelt of apple pie and light hints of lavender, pairing pleasingly with all the sunshine leaking into the space. 

nearly on cue, the front door swung open, interrupting their small giggles from the kitchen. in walked a yelling ivy, carrying some sort of cheese platter and a bag full of little girl toys. following behind her was a taller edmund holding a girl's hand and holding another one.

"i told you we were going to be late!" ivy said, setting the blue bag beside shoes laid by the front door. edmund just grinned at his beautiful wife, looking at his friends in the kitchen.

"belle and luna aren't even here yet!" he responded, letting his daughters down from his grip. the two dark-haired girls instantly ran to their friends, yelping in joy and giggles as the four of them held one another.

"i missed you, bella!" theodore squeezed the youngest of the wood children, trying his best to pick her up and throw her around. bella allowed loud squeals to erupt from her mouth, waving her arms around her body.

 rosie and aurora squeezed the life out of one another as if they haven't seen each other for the past year when in reality they saw each other once a month. aurora wood stood a little taller than rosie, being almost twelve years old. 

"looks like we've missed a lot!" belle walked in the door edmund forgot to close, hand in hand with her fiancee, luna. athena and ivy suddenly had their opportunity to let out a yell, dropping everything to run to their friend.