Bliss

Part 2

Part 2

December 1983

She woke up, and for some reason, one she could not fathom, there was a childlike excitement thrumming in her veins. Hermione had long since exhausted the idea of Christmas, and yet she woke up early, before the sun had touched the snow-snug ground. She rolled over so her nose was touching Avery's, and he frowned slightly in his sleep.

"Freddie," she whispered.

He groaned, shifting.

"Freddie-"

"What?"

"Are you awake?" she asked.

Avery's eyes cracked open and he glared groggily at her.

"You just woke me up. What do you think?"

Hermione pressed her lips against his, and when she pulled back, she said, grinning, "Merry Christmas!"

Fairy lights hung from the alcoves of the living room, twisting round lamps and dangling down from the ceiling. They cradled the room in a soft glow, kissing the leather chairs, coaxing the fire, which crackled and leapt in the hearth, before joining to dance around the tree in the corner.

They'd made a day of decorating that tree; charming bells to tinkle and trains to whistle as they chugged past the needles, whizzing through the air.

Hermione remembered the way the toy soldiers had followed her around, marching in a line at her heel, and attacking Avery every time he got too close. He had fixed them with a nasty glare, grumbling about something or other, as she'd laughed at him.

She dragged him down the stairs, hand clutching his tightly, hair billowing out behind her. It was matted and knotted. She could barely pause to brush it.

They sat on the living room floor in front of the fire, which crackled merrily and contentedly, bathing them in a warm, soft glow. Cups of tea grew cold by their feet, as they stared at one another. Then, they eyed the presents sitting in front of them and similar smirks curled their lips.

"How shocking," remarked Avery, regarding the red present, wrapped in golden thread, with his name on.

Hermione raised an eyebrow at the green box before her, encased in silver ribbon. "Indeed."

"It appears we haven't really changed at all."

Though he said it plainly, their eyes met and they both knew that they had changed more than they could ever dare to voice.

"You go first," said Avery, casting his dark eyes on the present in question wearily. "I fear the consequences should we leave it any longer."

Hermione's perturbed glance delayed them for only a second.

With hesitant hands, she slid the box closer to her, pausing once more when she heard something hiss inside.

"Oh dear God, Avery, what have you done?" she whispered, and his deep chuckle surprised her immensely. It did nothing to quash her worry. In fact, it probably doubled it.

Chewing her bottom lip, Hermione slipped the silver ribbon off and lifted the lid. Her mouth dropped open.

The creature craned its head back to observe her, and she felt a giddy laugh bubble from her lips as it flapped its wings and chirped vivaciously. It looked like some sort of mystical hybrid between a snake and a bird, and the feathers seemed deceptively like scales, glinting in the twinkling fairy lights. Its body was both blue and green, and the colours twirled around one another, merging with the yellow tint of the firelight and the purple plumage of its feathery tail.