Outfit

Glancing down at his watch, Eddie frowned. Five past eight. Quincy was usually pretty good at being on time. Maybe it was the hormones that usually turned her into a monster in the second half of her pregnancy. Perhaps they were warming up and decided to leave him waiting around forever. Perhaps this was some joke and she wasn’t actually going to turn up?

No, Eddie had to get that foolish idea out of his head. And if he so much as considered mentioning her hormones he knew she’d probably try stabbing him with her stiletto heel. There was no way the woman would have conceded his advice of wearing practical shoes. Therefore after the dancing he’d get moans of sore feet so he would probably end up offering the woman a piggy back to the spot he was going to be taking them.

Quincy still wasn’t here. The auror lifted a hand to his hair and tried smoothing it down again. His hand then fell down and rubbed his cheeks and the gruff stubble on them. Maybe he should have shaved again today. The five o’clock shadow had well and truly emerged. But Quince had always liked that. Damn it, why was he getting so paranoid now!? He’d known the woman for years and she’d never made him feel this nervous before.

Well except for the time he’d finally asked her out. Everyone had told him he should and his friends, especially Jason, told him exactly how to do it. And the boy who had normally stayed pretty cool around his best friend turned into a twittering wreck and caused Quincy to burst into laughter. At least she’d gladly accepted the invitation of the date in hogsmeade and had refused to share the chocolates with him.

Eddie smirked slightly at the thought. It still didn’t make him feel any better, though. He had to prove to her that he was ready for this baby and that he truly did want to get back with her. But how did he do that when she believed that every word that came from his mouth was a lie?

But what better way to get to a woman’s heart than with a present? Eddie’s hand slipped into his jacket pocket to confirm the gift was still there before he glanced back up, eyes searching for his date.

Today had been awkward to say the least. She had faced Jason for the first time since their predicament a few days earlier. She had told her children that they were going to have a baby brother or sister. That was followed by awkward questions from Natasha about when daddy was going to come home, because he'd been away for too long. Charlie just played with his mum's hair, being too young to know or care that soon he would no longer be the youngest child. Noah was being his normal moody self - well, he had been as of late. normally he was such a nice boy, but he had been particularly problematic since Quincy had kicked Eddie out of the house.

Maybe things were going to change now. Quincy had tasted fresh blood, and she wasn't all that sure she didn't like the old blood to start with. So Quincy and Eddie were trying to start over, fresh. He had written her an amazing letter earlier that day, saying more in one page of parchment than he had in over ten years of being in a relationship. That was the Eddie she wanted to see more of.

So she got ready, wearing an outfit that could be considered as both dressy and casual, but also practical. he had specifically stated she should wear comfortable shoes. So she was wearing the most comfortable dressy shoes she could muster from her wardrobe. 'Dressy' far often translated as 'uncomfortable'.

Eddie had even arranged a babysitter which Quincy was pleasantly surprised at. Normally things like that [which required planning] were left to herself. So she was left with nothing to do after work but break the news to her kids, then get ready for a night out with daddy. Natasha was excited, Noah was indifferent, and Charlie was...well, Charlie. Too much like his dad - easily distracted by everything.

She checked the clock on the wall. Uh-oh. She was late. It was already eight o'clock. She was supposed to be meeting Eddie now. She pulled on her pink cardigan, sprayed herself lightly with vanilla perfume, grabbed her bag and said bye to the babysitter [one she'd never met before, and was a little worried about leaving her kids with]. She walked the five minute route into the village, and saw Eddie under the clock tower. She smiled and her stomach did a little flip. This was quite nerve-racking. She tucked some stray hairs into one of the pins holding her hair up, licked her lips and took a deep breath, before making her way over to him.

"Hi."

As Eddie’s eyes travelled up from his jacket pocket, they fell on a woman slowly making her way towards him. A grin tugged the corners of his lips up as he watched the slow approach, eyes travelling up and down her, taking in the beauty that was his ex-wife. Why hadn’t he appreciated that a whole lot more when they were married!? Instead Eddie had spent the final year avoiding his moody wife and probably in turn making her even more moody. He was well aware that even though he’d not cheated, he was still perhaps the reason their marriage had collapsed.

But that was going to change now.

Eddie was going to be paying a whole lot more attention to her. He wasn’t about to lose her further. He’d even arranged a babysitter for this date! One that Jason had recommended many a time before.

Ever so slowly the woman began to approach the auror and he took a few steps forward to greet her. “You look stunnin’.” He muttered softly to her as they reached each other. What did they do now? Did he greet her with a kiss? Did he hug her? Pat her on the shoulder? Shake hands?

Eddie kicked himself inside. What was he thinking? Why would he shake hands with his ex-wife? Ridiculous idea. The kind of idea a teenager had on their first date. That was what he felt like now. A teenage boy who’d finally got a date with the gorgeous popular girl and now he didn’t know how to even greet her. Finally he took a step forward and decided that a peck on the cheek couldn’t hurt anyone. They’d done a lot more than that a few months ago.

A hand touched her back and his lips brushed her cheek before he reluctantly pulled back. Take it slow, Eddie.  Slow.

“I have something for you.” He muttered as he took a step back and reached into his pocket. “Turn around.”

Eddie was trying to wrestle with a grin as she approached. It was infectious. He had a contagious smile, one that made everyone around him want to smile as well. It was a cheeky 'I-know-something-you-don't-know' smile, and one that Quincy was all too familiar with. And yet, for the first time in a long time, that smile made her heart skip a few beats in a row. She felt like she was fifteen all over again, and being asked to the school masquerade ball by him all over again. Not that he'd been particularly eloquent in that. simply stating that he was a boy, she was a girl and they should probably go together. Then he'd been the one to comfort her when her 'partner' had turned out to be the one person in the school she loathed.

He'd been the only one she wanted to comfort him back then. That was the way she felt right now. Like he was the only man in the world she could ever imagine being with. And it wasn't all because he was wearing a freshly pressed suit and shirt, and was looking particularly gorgeous. This was the man she'd married - the one who made the effort, went the extra mile.

“You look stunnin’.”

She gave a soft chuckle as she looked down at her outfit. "I think...maybe I'm a little underdressed." She looked back up at him, an apologetic smile on her lips. "But you look..." she trailed off. How could she put it? Was it ok to say he looked hot? Because he did. But he was her ex, and for some reason she felt a little uncomfortable saying things like that around him, when they didn't know where they stood. "You look delicious." She flashed a grin. What the heck, they'd known each other for around twenty-years - who said she still couldn't make light of an awkward situation, but also let him know how much of an effect he was having on her at the same time?

He moved forward and pressed his lips up against her cheek, his hand resting gently on her back. HIs lips were like hot pokers against her cheek. Even though it was nice, it didn't feel right to have him this close but acting as though they were just friends. Before she could think about it anymore, he pulled away.

“I have something for you.”

One of her eyebrows raised slightly as her lips tugged at the sides. "Like a present?" Eddie never bought presents unless he felt guilty about something. Maybe he was feeling guilty about how they'd left things. He had a lot less to feel guilty about than she did, though.

“Turn around.”

"Okay..." She said slowly, unsure of whether he was going to play some sort of prank on her. that would have been very much an 'Eddie' thing to do. Nevertheless, she turned and closed her eyes.

"I think...maybe I'm a little underdressed."

Eddie’s grin only accentuated as his green eyes once again scanned his ex-wife up and down. And once again the question of how could he have been so stupid as to lose her came to mind. She was the most beautiful woman he knew and he’d just thrown that away by avoiding problems as opposed to sorting them out. Why had the pub seemed so much more appealing than coming home to his family and wife that night? The wife in that outfit...

Realising his mouth had half opened, Eddie sealed his lips together once more before smirking. “No, it’s perfect.” He stated. Quincy could quite literally wear anything and he’d think she looked great. And with their daughter now looking so much like her mother, Eddie knew he’d have a lot of work cut out for him in a few years. He knew what boys were like. Especially when a girl had legs like his wife’s.

The auror was somewhat surprised when the compliment was repaid to him. Quincy hadn’t really been up for that kind of thing recently. Nevertheless, the grin only grew to maximum size as he looked down at her. He didn’t really know what to say in response to that (except something cheeky), so decided a smile would suffice.

"Like a present?"

“Exactly like a present.” Unfortunately Quincy could usually read Eddie like a book so there was no point lying to her. Plus it was obvious he was about to give her a present and not prank her. Did she seriously think he had the guts to right then? He wanted her back, not to scare her off! Granted, maybe the teenage Eddie Pratt would have thought that the perfect way to get Quincy to like him. But not the adult and wiser Eddie.

As she finally turned around, Eddie pulled out a small black box and opened it. From the box he took a diamond necklace and undid it. He slowly reached his arms forward, moving the necklace around her neck carefully before he tied it up. “The sapphires symbolise our children. The diamonds are our future family. Noah, Natasha, Charlie, our unborn child and...” He paused, snapping the jewellery box shut. “and hopefully you and I.”

She heard him fumbling with something, then felt the unmistakable cold of metal around her neck. She gasped at the coldness against her skin. Eddie spoke from behind her, as he fastened the clasp on the necklace. His voice was low and soft, like what he was saying was meant only for the two of them. Like he was sharing the most precious of secrets.

“The sapphires symbolise our children. The diamonds are our future family. Noah, Natasha, Charlie, our unborn child and...”

Her hand lifted slowly up to run her fingers gently over the precious stones, her mouth open slightly. She was completely speechless. What on earth had she done to deserve this? What had she done to deserve him? All that time she had accused him of being unfaithful, but all along she'd know deep down that he would never have done that to her and their children. He would never have wanted to hurt them like that. Still, she had tortured him for so long, and yet here he was saying things she had wanted him to say for so long.

The guilt stabbed her from the inside. She had been so eager to jump into bed with his best friend. How could she have done something like that to someone who loved her so much? To someone who, clearly, would do anything for her. The box the necklace came in snapped shut.

“and hopefully you and I.”

She smiled as she turned round to face Eddie. Words just didn't seem good enough for this moment, so she sufficed with throwing her arms around his neck and burying her face in his shoulder. How had it taken so long for them to get to the stage in their relationship where they could freely tell each other how they actually felt? She didn't know, but what she did know that there was an overwhelming sense of love for this man that took over her whole body in those few seconds.

"I love you, Edward Pratt." She mumbled into his jacket.

Well Eddie hadn’t expected this. Maybe Quincy would shout at him for thinking he could buy his way into her affections? Maybe she’d kick him for thinking a few simply words and a letter would get her back and maybe she’d give him a kiss and tell him they could give it another go. He hadn’t expected to be practically bowled over by his ex-wife as she threw her arms around him and buried her head into his shoulder.

But that wasn’t saying that he wasn’t happy about it. Edward was very happy about it. It simply took a few moments for it to register in his brain before he wrapped his arms around the smaller woman. Did this mean she was happy with him? That things could get better between them? He glanced down at the top of her head, biting his lip.

"I love you, Edward Pratt."

Well that rather nicely confirmed things. Eddie grinned before he kissed the top of her head. Perhaps he had finally succeeded. Maybe actually talking about feelings helped. Not that anyone would find out. That would be bad.

“I love you, Quincy Pratt.” He said holding her closely. Saying that felt good. Why didn’t he say that more often. Eddie let out a small laugh. “I love ye so much.” It really did feel great. Like getting something important off his chest.  And knowing she did actually feel the same about him...

“I don’t want mascara on me jacket, Quince.” Eddie grinned before he kissed her head again. Well things couldn’t be totally serious could they? He wanted to joke at least a little. “All that blubbering you women do an’ all.”

Eddie reciprocated with words Quincy was sure she would never actually hear him speak. And yet, he spoke them. Loud and clear. It just made her tighten her grip around him, hugging him closer and closer. Then he laughed slightly. It was the kind of laugh one emits when something has finally been said that takes a load off one's chest. It was the kind of laugh that preempted that very person to want to say it again louder and clearer.

“I love ye so much.”

The baby kicked. She pulled away, a surprised look on her face. “I don’t want mascara on me jacket, Quince.” He kissed her head, apparently unaware of what had just happened. Perhaps the kick hadn't been strong enough to go through her skin and his jacket as well. “All that blubbering you women do an’ all.”

She waved her hand. "Ssshh!" A huge grin spread across her face as the baby kicked again. "Here." She grabbed hold of his hand and pressed it up against her protruding belly, letting her own fingers entwine with his. "He know's who his daddy is."

Before Eddie knew it, Quincy had pulled away and this left the man frowning slightly. Had he done something wrong again? He kicked himself mentally before his eyes travelled down to Quincy’s. She looked surprised. Surely she wasn’t that shocked by Eddie’s statement? He’d said it before. But granted; Eddie probably didn’t quite realise that him telling her he loved her was about as regular as a flobberworm shedding skin. It never happened. Just in Eddie’s head.

"Ssshh!"

The auror couldn’t help but look slightly confused as his ex-wife grabbed his hand with a large grin playing oh so beautifully on her lips. Her grin, like his apparently, was infectious. As soon as Eddie realised where his hand was being guided, the edges of his lips twitched up and a smile graced his previously confused features.

This bit had always amazed Eddie. In fact, the whole idea of a woman being able to carry a child (his child) inside them was really quite remarkable. The fact that he could feel them kicking his hand and...Eddie let out a small laugh as he did in fact feel the baby making itself known. Why did women get all that excitement?

“He or she.” The auror corrected the healer before crouching down slowly so that he was level with the belly, his fingers still entwined with Quincy’s resting on her abdomen. He rested one knee on the ground so as to remain steady. “You’re gonna’ make a great beater, ‘ent ye, mate?” He muttered to the stomach. The baby had gusto so early and Eddie knew he/she was going to make a strong little tyke.

“Must know where we’re goin’ and want to join in.” Grinning, Eddie’s eyes once again found Quincy’s as he looked up. “No kids allowed I’m afraid. Even the perfect ones.”

Eddie was quick to correct her on the fact that she was being sexist towrads their child. She raised an eyebrow at him, smirking slightly. "Hark at you, Mr 'all-I-wanted-out-of-life-was-a-son-that-looked-like-me'." She grinned at him and nudged him slightly.

He crouched down, letting one knee fall to the ground for stability. To a stranger, this would have looked like a very odd scene unfolding. Luckily for them, however, there was nobody else around. Just them and the clock tower.

He really was possibly the most doting dad she had ever known. He started talking to the baby like it was already there - even though it was only about the size of an oversized flobberworm. She watched with fascination as he talked about the baby being a beater. Normally she would roll her eyes and complain that he was trying to make a quidditch team out of their family, but something else had took hold of her attention. Maybe things were getting better for the couple? Maybe this baby was exactly what the healer ordered.

“Must know where we’re goin’ and want to join in.”

He looked up at her and she smiled. "And where are we going?" She asked curiously. "Because unfortunately, this little one is going wherever we are." She grinned and patted Eddie's hand which was still plastered to her abdomen. The baby had stopped kicking, content with hearing its dad's voice. Maybe it was getting bored of mum?

"Hark at you, Mr 'all-I-wanted-out-of-life-was-a-son-that-looked-like-me'."

So she didn’t like him trying to be all non-sexist now? She’d told Eddie off last time for referring to the child as a boy and finally, after 20 years he was learning to listen to and heed her. A playful grin was flashed up at Mrs Pratt. “That lifetime wish was accomplished with Charlie, if you’ve noticed.” A pause followed. “I hope.” Noah had given all signs of looking like Eddie until he grew older. Quincy must have been feeding him something off to make him change.

A few moments later and after Edward’s one way conversation with his unborn and probably very handsome child, Quincy asked the burning question. Where were they going? Did he tell her? Well she’d guess when they started walking in that direction anyway.

“A little place you used to complain I didn’t take you to enough. A little place where you need to take out a third mortgage.” He winked before lifting himself back up to his feet, taking his hand away from her belly. “I’ve booked a table for eight thirty. Thought I’d give ye time to faff, change three times and then be late.” Perhaps he should now be on his guard to duck from a hand headed his way?

“That lifetime wish was accomplished with Charlie, if you’ve noticed.”

That was fair enough. Charlie did have his dad's full head of blonde hair. But he had his mum's eyes. Unmistakable. Quincy caught the 'I hope' afterthought, and knew immediately that he was referring to the fact that for the first couple of years of his life, Noah also had that same blonde hair. However, his hair had darkened overtime until it was a dark shade of brown. Natasha had been the same. She had white blonde hair from birth, and then at around the age of three or four, her hair started to get darker. It was odd, but apparently quite common. Now, she was a dark-haired beauty.

Edie stood up from his crouching position and started to explain where they were going. It didn't take long before a huge grin settled on Quincy's face. Food... Being pregnant meant she had a radar that detected when food was near - like a niffler trying to find gold, she had an unparalelled pull towards anythign edible. It was even better when someone else was paying, cooking or cleaning. The best if they were doing all three.

“I’ve booked a table for eight thirty. Thought I’d give ye time to faff, change three times and then be late.”

She hit his shoulder playfully and rolled her eyes. "You know I'm not that bad." She looked up at the clock tower. 8.17. "Shall we go then? be early rather than just on time?" Eddie was never early for anything, and it would make a fine change to not be in a hurry.

"You know I'm not that bad."

Agreeing that Quincy was not in fact that bad would be very similar to saying that a hag was in fact the sexiest creature on earth and any man would be lucky to even catch a glimpse of her. Not that Quincy was a hag. The image of one of these hags popped into the auror’s head and made him shudder. However, once the image had been wiped, a grin appeared on his lips once more. Apparently it was a whole lot easier to smile when the prospects between one and one’s ex looked a lot better. It looked like they were going to get back on track.

“Need I remind you of our wed-” Was that not inappropriate? Eddie frowned and cleared his throat. “In fact I’d rather not comment.” He didn’t want her to hit him for reminding her of the countless times he’d sat waiting for what seemed like days until she’d finally found an outfit she was happy to go out in. He wouldn’t have minded but sometimes she seemed to have started getting ready the day before! Perhaps that was all women, though.

To Eddie’s relief Quincy suggested that they head on their way and he nodded before offering his arm for her to take. Once her slim one had slipped into his, Eddie started to walk forward, his hands now comfortably resting in his jacket pockets. The auror really did feel quite silly trussed up this much, but needs must.

“You ‘ent too cold are ye?” The wind was started to pick up a cold chill now as they went later into the year and Eddie glanced around with a concerned expression to Quincy as they cleared the courtyard. It was only a very short walk anyway.

“Have you told anyone else about the baby?” Eddie asked casually as they mounted the steps to the restaurant entrance. “Do the kids know? I thought we could tell them together.”

He started to say something about their wedding day, but abruptly stopped when Quincy cocked an eyebrow at him as though willing him to cary on so she had an excuse for hurting him in some way. Instead, he offered her his arm, and she slipped hers comfortably through his as they began to walk the very short distance to the restaurant she loved so much. They had been there a few times, but not as often as she would have liked. Money didn't permit such luxuries.

“You ‘ent too cold are ye?”

"No, I'm fine thank you." She smiled, but subconsciously wrapped her free arm over her chest and cupped her hand around his arm as though trying to keep her body heat as close as possible.

“Have you told anyone else about the baby?”

He caught her short and she almost stopped. Was it ironic that she had actually told the first people she had told that day? She managed to carry on walking, though her feet suddenly felt like lead. Should she tell him she told Jason? What would she say when he wondered why she hadn't let him tell his own best friend, or why they hadn't told him together?

“Do the kids know? I thought we could tell them together.”

"Ah..." She started, a sheepish look on her face. "You see, they knew we were going out tonight, and...ah...Natasha started asking questions. And I don't like lying to them, so...uh...I told them tonight before we came out." She winced slightly as she realised she really should have waited to tell the kids with Eddie. He wasn't going to be happy about this.

As soon as Quincy let out a barely audible ‘Ah...’, Eddie realised that the kids were in fact in the know and he wouldn’t get to tell them himself. He’d planned on explaining to Natasha that things weren’t going to change like she’d worried about last time. She still didn’t seem to like her younger brother all that much and Eddie was hoping that would change. The little girl seemed to be of the opinion that more siblings meant less attention. How like her mother she was.

"You see, they knew we were going out tonight, and...ah...Natasha started asking questions. And I don't like lying to them, so...uh...I told them tonight before we came out."

‘Don’t get mad, Ed. It’s just a little thing’ Eddie took in a slow breath before nodding. He stepped in front of Quincy and pulled the restaurant door open, holding it for her, his expression remaining plain. That expression he seemed to have perfected at work. With one person seeing past it. The one person he didn’t want to.

“And how did they take it?” Eddie had visions of Natasha then expecting him to be home straight away. A new baby was coming so Daddy had to come back home from his little ‘holiday’.  No more extended visits to Grandma and Grandpa’s house. Whereas Noah would just try to act ‘cool’. If Eddie wasn’t as disappointed, he may have smirked at the image of Noah stood there, arms crossed over his chest in that manner he seemed to have recently picked up, trying to be a moody teenage boy.

Before the couple had much time to adjust to the new surroundings, a man in a tuxedo practically glided over to them and smiled. “Has Monsieur got a reservation?” He asked in a snooty French accent as he scanned down the list in front of him.

The host seemed a struggle against a smirk at being told the name before ticking it off. “Ah yes. May I take your...” He glanced towards Quincy and gave her ‘the look’. “cardigan, Madam?”

Eddie knew there was a reason he didn’t much appreciate coming here.