The Art of New Beginnings

Chapter Two: A Pleasant Surprise

"I can't believe you Flooed back from Egypt just for me," Erica breathed as she took a sip out of her mug, savouring the warmth of the chocolate mixed with something else. Cinnamon and nutmeg she realised, mixed in with the whipped cream and marshmallows, the flavour rich on her tongue. As soon as she set her mug down, she pulled the wrapped box towards herself, looking up at Fred expectantly. "I can open it, right?"

"Of course you can," he picked up his own mug, drinking deeply, and she laughed, reaching over to wipe the whipped cream off of his upper lip as he set it back down. "It's your birthday present, Erica."

"Right," she nodded, looking down at the gift as she tugged on the ribbon. It was the same silver as her bag and sandals, and she couldn't help but think that Pansy had coordinated that some way as the wrapping paper even matched, smattered with darker silver stars.

She unfolded it carefully, setting aside the paper and tape before moving onto the box itself, lifting the lid slowly before peeking inside. Sat nestled in between rose coloured tissue paper was perhaps the most beautiful pendant that she had ever seen.

As she lifted it out, careful of the delicate silver chain, she marvelled at the gemstone, its deep purple colour slightly smoky, as though shot through with grey the same tint as the colour of her eyes, somehow. The stone itself was rather simply cut in the shape of a teardrop, a small knot studded with some form of crystal attaching it to the chain itself, but still she marvelled at the colour of the stone.

"Clasp it for me?" She finally lifted her head up, moving around to Fred's side of the booth as she swept her hair to one side and held up the necklace to her throat. He did so, though it took a couple of tries his hands were shaking so much, and his cheeks were dusted a light shade of red by the time she made it back to her side of the booth, fingers playing with the necklace thoughtfully as she tilted her head at him, watching the way he shifted under her gaze.

"What sort of gemstone is this?" She finally asked as the silence dragged on, neither of them touching their drinks. "I've never seen anything like this before. It really is beautiful."

"Alexandrite," he smiled, just a little, seeming to calm down slightly as he scratched at his cheek, taking a quick sip before continuing. "It changes to a soft sort of bluish green colour in natural light, like the sea."

"Beautiful," she repeated, her own smile mirroring his as she placed the lid back on the box and set it to the side where she'd placed the wrapping paper. "Fred, why did you do all of this?"

"I know what happened with your old pendant, and you needed a new one," he traced the grains of wood on the table, "Alexandrite seemed to suit you better than emerald anyway, and when I saw the colours I thought of you."

"That's not what I asked, Fred," she sighed, draining the last of her hot chocolate just for something to do with her mouth, feeling entirely out of place. Remus had been right though, they did have very nice hot chocolate. Perhaps the best that she'd ever tasted. "Why did you go out of your way to set all of this up?"

"You're sure not going to make me easy on me, are you?" He tilted his head, grinning just ever so slightly, "Fine. Are you ready for the whole story?"

"The truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth," she nodded, mentally preparing herself for what was to come. She really had no idea what to expect, but at least now she was finally going to get some answers.

"I was going to ask you to be in a relationship with me today," he laughed a little when her eyes widened in shock, her hands stilling where they had been tracing the rim of her mug, dropping to the table with a dull thump before she could really stop herself. "But I chickened out. I told myself that if I saw you and I worked up enough nerve and I thought you would say yes, then I would do it and ask you, but then you walked in and you looked so beautiful, and so confused, and I couldn't do it, so I gave you your present instead and hoped that would be enough."