A King, A Queen, A Jack and an Ace.

“You’re making me fat, baby,” Millie muttered, drawing a hand over her middle as she tugged uselessly at the zipper of the dress at her side. She pouted at herself in the mirror and turned a little, wondering how she and Keiran had managed to make another little creature. Well, the how of it she had figured in her mind but she supposed they must have been punishment gluttons if they were determined to have three infants, two of whom were beginning to show their genetic colours and she had every reason to fear they were green and silver if the way they were now managing to con her out of anything under the sun with a petulant look was indicative of anything.

“Right, okay,” she went on, half talking to herself and half talking to the little one within her. “So, not this dress,” she wiggled her bum and rolled it down her legs before stepping out of the puddle of material. She looped her foot underneath it and kicked it up into the air, catching it with one hand before moving over to the wardrobe to pout at its contents. A hand fell gently around the base of her tummy which peeked over the hem of her underwear and she tapped her fingers gently against her skin as she thought, trying to decide whether she was going to dip into her maternity titbits. It took her a while but eventually she remembered that she was a witch and, moreover, that she could alter her clothes, hence the reason why what she’d worn when she was impersonating a beached whale was some of her stuff altered mixed in with bits and pieces thieved from Keiran, Elliot and, weirdly, Baldric also.

“You better hope you get all of your daddy’s brains because your mum is unbelievably stupid,” she laughed a bit and shook her head, nudging the wardrobe closed with her hip. “It’s probably why I teach Divination instead of something useful, eh?” She snorted and wandered back over to the mirror to wriggle back into her dress. Then, taking her wand off of the chest of drawers, she zapped a little bit of magic in different areas to loosen the material. Putting her wand between her teeth she pulled at the zipper and, sure enough, this time it went up to the top without an issue. Millie took her wand from her mouth and turned a little, trying to decide whether or not it looked alright. “There,” she murmured, drawing up her hair into a high pony tail. “That’ll do, won’t it?”

A few curls were issued to make the pony tail a little bit more interesting and after clipping what was originally a thick bangle around the band to give it a bit of flair, Millie donned a pair of silver flats to match and with one last look in the mirror she left the bedroom, jovial in emerald. She tumbled downstairs with a spring in her step that hadn’t really been there in the last, fraught few months. Tonight, though, she was very happy indeed – not least because housing the poker night meant that the Hayes’ could be out of Hogwarts for a little while and go home. During the day, she’d had the opportunity to fuss about the garden and get some fresh bulbs planted in the barren, winter-scorned beds at the front of the house. Come spring, everything would be beautiful again.

Unbeknownst to the witch, such mindless mincing about was exactly what she’d needed. It succeeded in making her feel a bit more whole if she had any doubts in the first place at all. Any of the niggling problems in herself, leftover from the train crash and werewolf attack, had been finally assuaged as, for once, things seemed to be going right. Even the scars that the dreadful werewolf had blessed her with had begun to fade with some of Cael’s hair-brained magic. She had no idea how he was doing it – and he insisted that it was all her – but whatever it was, she felt more like herself. Even professionally, which was the most astonishing bit of all, she had everything on track. Her Gryffindors weren’t in any especial trouble – well, none out of the norm, at least – and her Divination babies were doing better than ever. She had no clue what kind of divine retribution was going to get her back for all of this good fortune but for now, while the going was good, she was content.

“Hey love of my life,” she chirped, winding her arms around Keiran’s middle upon finding him in one of the downstairs rooms. “You look distractingly handsome,” she widened her eyes, unconsciously stressing the point, and a smirk licked its way across her mouth as she leaned up to kiss him. “Do we have to do poker tonight?” She mumbled against his lips. She pulled away before giving him a chaste afterthought of a kiss and smiled broadly. From the kitchen, the tempting smells of beef stew were wafting around them and Millie felt her stomach rumble a little. Another pot in a garish yellow colour was also bubbling stew but this one was to indulge the vegetarian they’d have in their midst. Millie could already see Alice’s face contorting into dismayed and embarrassed gratefulness. She’d be the colour of the tomatoes in the bowl on the kitchen island until she’d finished, most likely.

“Ooh, gosh! The bread!” Millie pulled her arms out from around Keiran and turned, hurrying into the kitchen. Just as she did so, the timer went off. She pulled the oven mittens off of the side and opened up the oven, taking out the bread. She set the tin on the side and grinned at the sight of it. It was a bit of a gamble but it had risen and it looked wonderful, in her opinion. She took off her gloves and clasped her hands up around her neck as delight sprinkled over her face. Some garlic butter was in the fridge, too, and she was really beginning to believe that dinner would come off well for them. She donned the gloves once more to tip the bread out onto the cooling rack and then she stowed the pot away in the dishwasher before having up the gloves and skipping back over to fall back into her husband’s arms. “I love you,” she murmured to him.

A knock sounded at the door. Millie pouted at Keiran playfully, her eyes jingling with mirth. “Show time.”

(I absolutely started drinking at about the third paragraph in. So some assumptions about Bendric were made, but I dunno. A bit about Alice, too. I can just ditch that bit if needed. I probably should have stopped. xD Apologies if the writing got sloppier.)

For a man who was meant to be preparing to have guests over, Keiran Hayes was not doing a brilliant job of getting ready. To be fair, he had donned a nice shirt and trousers. But that was about the extent of it. In fact, he was still marking his students' essays when Millie decided it was time to get dressed. Unlucky for the student who had written the essay he was reading over, little red marks were more obvious and covered the page more fully than their sloppy handwriting. They wouldn't be pleased to receive it on Monday, he knew. When he reached the bottom of the parchment, he sighed a genuine sigh of relief, pushing it to the middle of his desk.

Keiran stood, assuming Millie had already gone downstairs. But when he leaned around the hall that led into the kitchen, there wasn't a blonde head of hair waiting for him. Confusion made his eyebrows twitch together lightly, and he had just turned around to look for her in their room she spoke, catching him by surprise. It was her greeting that surprised him more than the suddenness of her voice reaching his ears.

He beamed at her, his hands reaching for her shoulders. "Hello, baby girl." One arm wound its way down around her waist when she lifted up to kiss him, and he gave a small chuckle at her question. "Well you didn't get all dressed up for nothing, did you? We did offer, after all. Would be rude to back out when they're nearly here. ...No matter how much I'd like to," he added on with a bit of remorse present in his tone.  

A more full, resounding laugh left him when she darted away, and Keiran shook his head before following to stand next to the kitchen island, his forearms resting on the countertop. "Everything smells wonderful, love. I would've helped, but honestly... I think we both know I would've gotten in the way. But," he added more brightly once she started towards him once more, "I did finish my paper marking. So I've got a free weekend reserved for you."

The knock came before he could reply, so Keiran caught her hand, lifting it to his lips so he could press a kiss against her wrist. "You're gorgeous," he murmured, leading her towards the door. Turning the handle, he stepped around behind her, his arm curling over the little bump that provided the first visible sign of Millie's second pregnancy.

On the front steps, framed by the picture of their front lawn - daisies not having made their full appearance just yet, but never far from mind for the Hayes patriarch - stood the first pair they were expecting. Merlin knew when Baldric and Ben would actually arrive, considering they had made plans to spend time at the orphanage that afternoon. Something about a little blond boy they wanted to add to their family. While they waited for the paperwork to be properly filled - after all, he was much older than the little girl who, without any question of possible family, required a bit less of a dig around in her background - Ben had made sure to make time to visit outside of work and around Baldric's schedule.

--

Oliver had spent the morning getting used to having Alice back to normal. And, yes, that did mean a lot of making her life harder because he couldn't seem to let go of her. If anything, he presumed that it must have been some kind of reassurance for her. Then again, after the discussion they had that first day of her... problem, Oliver wasn't sure they truly needed that moment. What he really needed to do was pull Millie aside at some point. But that could come later. Probably once Alice had become invested enough - or had consumed enough alcohol - to feel that she really had a handle on the game. Which, of course, he was surprised to find was not the case after they had been together for so long.

Wait, he thought, stopping his writing. While Alice was getting ready, Oliver - unwittingly mirroring his professor friend - had taken to researching a point in history for his most recent maybe-idea. But his pen was set down, his hand falling to hold the pages down in the biography he had open in front of him. How long had it been, actually? He paused to take in the fights, the confusion, and most of all that first party.

They had met more than a year earlier.

He half wanted to slap himself for not realizing, or for not saying something. But that wasn't the same as an anniversary, he supposed, so perhaps he wouldn't get in trouble for having missed it. Did he even know which day they had become something official? They were so confusing and mixed up that he actually wasn't sure it mattered. Not the anniversary of when they started dating, at least. He had a far more interesting and monumental anniversary that he was interested in marking on his calendars.

When she walked in, he glanced up, a smile naturally taking over for his bemused expression upon seeing her. "Ready?"

--

"Oliver," Keiran greeted, extending his free hand around Millie to take up the younger man's hand and shake it. Oliver had to remove his hand from around Alice's waist, but he stepped forward to accept the gesture, the first of the arriving pair to step over the threshold.

There was something in Oliver's eyes as he looked at Millie, and Keiran thought for a moment that he had imagined it, because it disappeared almost instantly, a greeting smile and one-armed hug offered to the younger of the two blondes. When Millie stepped back, though, Oliver's gaze fell to the carpeted floor of their living room, seemingly of the impression that Keiran was not watching him. When the author looked to his girlfriend, however, something registered in the professor and he had to work hard to cover up his concern. He found it odd that Oliver would be so interested in a family, given how young he was. Had there been a fight between them? Keiran couldn't tell, and he wasn't about to ask.

Instead, he extended his hand towards Millie. "Baby?" he asked, gesturing with a nod of his head towards the kitchen. Something told him that Oliver and Alice might need a second, and he wanted to know if Millie had caught something similar in the way of Alice's expression or not. Perhaps it was just Oliver himself who was acting strange about the fact that the Hayes' were expecting again.

So as Keiran started off towards the kitchen, Oliver hesitated until the other two were out of sight, grateful for whatever had caused Keiran's change of direction. Then he turned towards Alice, gravitating towards her until he could press a kiss to her temple. The discussion still felt to new to be ignored, at least for him, and he didn't want it to mark how he thought about the evening as a whole. "I love you," he murmured instinctively, unsure what else he really could say.

It was quite possible that in her married state, the blonde witch was becoming more and more antisocial, content only with her family. Though she pouted at her husband and leaned her head against his shoulder, complaining softly that she would have rather avoided the socialising and instead turn off the lights and illuminate their room of choice with candles before making a blanket fort. She wanted to curl up with him and sleep or talk or do whatever it was they wanted to do and though that could come afterwards – particularly at the weekend – she did regret agreeing that they should host the poker evening. She could have him later, she rationalised. She could have him forever, in fact. And besides, sometimes it was good to see friends.

The sight of a proper looking Ollice on the doorstep made that more realistic and, in truth, Millie was very happy to see them when she did. It was all well and good being reluctant when no one was there but, as ever, it was just the thought of it. When they finally arrived, she felt happiness burst inside of her and she grinned brightly at her friends, dipping out of Keiran’s arms to launch herself at Alice who was all legs and cleavage again. She looked beautiful, too, as though she had put every effort into dressing up that evening – not for any especial reason but for herself, because she could actually do it again. It was wonderful to see, too, given how unhappy she had been.

“You look fantastic!” Millie enthused, extricating herself from Alice’s tight hug to look at her properly.

“So do you!” Alice replied, gesturing to the little bump. Millie laughed, shaking her head, seizing imperceptibly at the faint, unreadable expression on her friend’s face.

“Thankfully we’re not going to beached whale proportions this time,” Millie smirked, dropping her hand to her belly, rolling her eyes as she glanced at Keiran. “You managed to keep it to just the one this time, didn’t you?” She poked her tongue out at him cheekily and looked back at Alice. “Everything back in one place?”

“I’m convinced some bits are better than before, actually!” Alice admitted incredulously, gripping the skirt of her dress and twirling a bit from side to side, looking down to her shoes.

Millie laughed and reached forward to hug Ollie, giving Alice the opportunity to greet Keiran. When the women stepped back, returning to the sides of their respective men, they moved into an undeniable tension that no one seemed to know what to do about. Millie didn’t need to be told twice about following Keiran from the room, taking his hand, though not before gesturing to Alice about whether or not she wanted a drink. The elder blonde nodded with a grateful smile and Millie returned it before trailing after her husband, curling her arms about his middle from behind when they entered the kitchen once more.

Alice, meanwhile, leaned into her writer, one arm coming about him. She closed her eyes as his lips felt across her skin and she turned more fully towards him, lifting her hands up to slide beneath his coat and press it from his shoulders. Leaning up to kiss him properly, Alice pulled the coat away and let it drop momentarily to the floor as she folded her arms about his neck. “I love you more,” she swore, parting from the kiss for a second before planting a chaste one against his mouth after. “It’s okay,” she whispered, leaning in to rub her nose gently against his. She let her hands smooth down his arms before guiding his hands around her middle, sliding her own about his to draw closer to him. “It’s really okay, wonderful man. Listen,” she kissed him again, another soft one that was like a flutter of butterfly wings. “I love you. You. I choose you every time. We’ll talk about this, I promise. But let’s have a good night. Please? And then, I’ll take you home, how does that sound, and I’ll show you,” her voice dropped a few decibels as she tickled her index finger across his cheekbone to tap on his nose, “just how much I love you.”

Millie, meanwhile, had found the corkscrew with a triumphant “ah-hah!” Then, she stabbed it into the top of the bottle and from there was relatively stuck given the fact that Keiran was the one who was the wine bottle opener. She preferred the screw top whisky first because when she was drunk she suddenly got very good at it. There would be no drinking, though, and instead she’d developed a love of water infused with citrus fruits and other yummy berries so she was set for the evening. “Fix!” She declared, wrapping her arms around him from behind again as she guided the bottle to him. “Do you think they’re okay?” She asked softly. “Everyone needs to be happy,” she decided very seriously, although the frowny brows and little pouty lips made it seem quite funny, in truth. But that was the way Millie felt. Considering how well things were going for them lately, everyone else was due a little bit of good luck too.

But Bendric were late, so no good luck for them. Well, they could have a little bit. Maybe.

It was a miracle that Keiran didn't look utterly embarrassed at her comment. He nearly allowed it, but instead just smirked, as though he had intended it all along and was proud of having accomplished it. Still, he felt the anxiety creep through the room and right up behind him, so he was grateful when Millie joined him in his escape.

He normally would have smiled when she handed him the wine bottle, but instead he lifted his elbows enough that she could wrap around him again as he twisted the handle and kicked out the latch to press it against the rim of the neck and lift the cork out. It took a bit of wiggling at the end, but it popped free just before Keiran turned his chin to look at her over his shoulder.

"I know," he agreed, his expression just as solemn. "I think they will be. But it isn't our place to pry," he mused aloud, knowing she was probably thinking the same thing.

Keiran set the bottle down next to the glasses, then turned around to cradle her cheeks in his hands. "They're better, Missie. We both saw it when I opened the door. They'll get there. Just let them come to us, okay? In their own time," he murmured, kissing her forehead.

In the living room, Oliver found himself utterly amazed at Alice. She was spectacular, and it wasn't as though he hadn't noticed before. But sometimes she still managed to surprise him. His arms curled around her gently, though he couldn't help the fact that he stepped a bit closer and held on more tightly as she spoke. "My God, I love you. You are a wonderful, ridiculous," Oliver laughed, "and utterly perfect woman.

"Maybe we should just lose quickly so we can go to yours, then," he added, only half joking, even as he nudged at the small of her back and leaned in to kiss the spot below her ear. "You're too tempting," he informed her seriously, shaking his head as he pulled back.

"C'mon," Oliver said as he stepped back, taking up her hand. "Before I steal you away and they're left to wonder where we went off to."

Friends were ships passing in the night and no matter how impractical and how discourteous it may have been, Millie did want to board the one passing the S.S Killie and she did want to pry. It was neither her place nor her right but she did want to know what was going on aboard the S.S Ollice and she was more than willing to blame it on the wriggle bum inside of her making her restless. It was good natured interest, though. She just wanted to make sure that they were alright, mainly. The idea that something was amiss wasn’t one she wanted to reconcile herself with. Everything, in Millie’s mind at least, had its proper place and Alice’s was with Ollie just as Ollie’s was with Alice. There was no other way either of them made sense to her.

The blonde witch nodded and turned her head into his palm, pressing a kiss to his skin there before moving to pour out some of the wine, one hand coming down to tap at her belly while she thought. She rubbed her palm across it and once she finished pouring the wine she went to go and find the stopper, opening up the cutlery draw and rifling around inside for a few moments before grabbing it and corking the bottle. She then wafted over to check on the stews, really only because she was waiting for Ollice to hurry up and come inside. Impatience took her back to Keiran though and, wiggling into his arms, she smiled up at him before reaching for a kiss.

Alice’s cheeks lifted into her normal shade of rouge and leaned into Ollie, hiding her head against his chest as a shy giggle lifted through her. She peeked up at him as she felt his lips against her neck, his breath against her earlobe, and she straightened up, brushing her hands across his shoulders. “The way they all play, it won’t take long at all,” Alice smirked, a little bit of frustration appearing there as she conceded she was no good at poker. She had largely come because, well, Ollie wanted her to, she would never hear the end of it from Millie if she didn’t and, most of all, it was her first opportunity to really dress for going out again. So essentially it was that, the chance to drink good wine and to sit with her boyfriend and puzzle over the cards until they were out of any chance of winning their money back or whatever the stakes were.

“You can steal me away if you want,” Alice offered, lacing her fingers with his, her eyes shining with mirth.

When the pair re-entered the kitchen, Millie brightened to mega-watt proportions. She bounced a little, kept from really lifting off of the floor by the virtue of being snuggled into Keiran still. She reached up to steal one last kiss before unfurling herself from around him and reaching to pick up the glasses to hand over to the other pair. Alice received hers gratefully and took a sip. Setting her own glass down, Millie suggested softly that they might benefit from moving into the living room. Alice nodded and followed the younger blonde into the room in question.

Over the fireplace, on the mantle, there were dozens of photographs which Alice was drawn to, her own at home littered with pictures. She’d always felt they told a story and as she sipped at the glass she found that these were no exception but somehow seemed to mirror the creative ordered disorder the Hayes’ seemed to work best in, there being no definite logic in the way they were arranged. School friends, old friends, new friends, family. Weirdly it all seemed to fit and Alice was as in love with this one as she was with Jemma and Dan’s. It fit Keiran and Millie. She wondered what hers and Ollie’s would look like. Would theirs fit them?

“Alice?” Millie’s voice roused her from her thoughts and Alice turned, smiling distractedly at her friend who had sat herself down on the sofa near the coffee table to poke at the dip with a crisp. It was sour, if the wrinkling nose had anything to say about it, but after the registration of disgust, Millie reopened her eyes and smiled in a grimacing sort of way, making Alice laugh and shake her head. “Are you okay?”

“Yes,” Alice nodded, finding a smile for the younger woman. “It’s just funny being in heels again, I suppose.” She tottered over the carpet to Millie as though to prove her point and flopped down next to the girl.

“Spend all morning without them?” Millie asked, wiggling her brows at Alice who promptly coloured up. “Without anything?” Alice brought her hand to her face, covering her eyes as she, impossibly, reddened all the more. “Is it technically a welcome home gift? Y’know … hi boobs, hi—”

“Millie!” Alice complained, lifting her head up to glare at the other with who let her head fall back as she laughed at Alice’s exasperation. “You’re so embarrassing!” She pouted, reaching round to grab one of the cushions which she promptly used to hit Millie on the arm with. “Keiran!”

“Don’t use him for help!” Millie exclaimed, unable to quite ward off the giggles as she turned round demanding, “Ollie!” which finally sent Alice into a fit of giggles herself, pressing her face into the cushion, shaking her head.

“You’re an arse, Millie.” Her voice was muffled by the fabric.

“You love me,” the younger witch sang in response.

Keiran looked over his shoulder as the ladies wandered off, subconsciously checking to make sure that Millie had something non-alocholic in her hands. He wasn't surprised to see that she didn't, considering it obviously wasn't the first time that she had gone through the list of do's and don'ts. Oliver went for a beer instead, which wasn't surprising, so Keiran took up the last glass as the younger man uncapped his bottle.

By the time they made it into the living room, the girls were apparently having a bit of a tiff.

Keiran's eyebrows lifted as Alice called out to him, and all Oliver seemed able to do was laugh. Neither men truly understood, but Keiran wandered to the table they had set up as their poker table and set his glass down. Just as he was about to ask after Ben and Baldric, a knock sounded at the door. Oliver moved to sit himself down next to Alice, his arm draping over the back of the couch and his ankle resting on his knee.

When Keiran pulled the door open, he immediately smiled at the blond and gave a nod to the darker-haired man. Ben looked almost disappointed to be there, but Keiran could understand why he would seem that way. After all, they had been spending the morning at the orphanage as far as he knew, and they were looking to bring the boy into their family unit. That would be stressful, Keiran imagined. He couldn't begrudge the other men their desire to be elsewhere.

Ben nudged Baldric forward towards Keiran, then followed the other men into the house, closing the door behind him. He wandered towards the kitchen at Keiran's bidding, leaving Baldric to greet the couple who had become something of a second set of parents for the ex-Gryffindor. He returned, moving to stand behind Baldric and passing him his drink.

Keiran wanted to ask after Eva, but he had seen Oliver's reaction before, so he made a note to save that until after. Instead, he waited for a lull in greetings before speaking up and gesturing towards the table. "I think we can do the catching up mid-game, don't you? What are the stakes this time?"

Freya had never particularly struck her elder brother as maternal in any way. Surprising and impressing him, she’d taken to her niece like a duck to water and was more than happy to keep an eye on her and Draco-cat over the course of the evening. Baldric had dithered before and after he’d had a shower, as though he was trying to look for a reason to stay in instead of going out. She’d forced him to find a shirt, handed over his jeans, and had rolled her eyes when he asked her if she knew how to work the cooker – pointing out that Ben had already given her enough money to order pizza.

For the second time that day, leaving was the hardest thing in the world. Thankfully, Eva was already snoozing and they could sneak out without her getting upset. It didn’t really encourage Bae to go, though. Part of him wanted to go back into their room, hang up his clothes again and get in his jammies. Then he wanted to make dinner for all of them and let Freya keep the pizza money anyway and just have an evening of watching movies. His sister’s firm glare told him that wasn’t going to be an option, though. They had to go – no arguments allowed were to suggest otherwise.

They were late by the time they finally arrived at the Hayes’ and a chill was creeping in that proved summer was still a long way off. Baldric loosed his fingers from around Ben’s and buried his hands into the pockets of his coat, smiling shyly at him before following up the path towards the house. They stepped into the yellow light of the porch and Baldric took his hands out of his pocket for a moment to grab hold of his fiancé and steal a kiss from him, one that was meant to be chaste but he found himself lingering after it, one hand tracing up over Ben’s cheek.

“I love you,” he murmured, pulling away, a lopsided smile lighting up his face.

A knock on the door late and the blessed warmth of the house staved off the night’s air from the blonde’s skin. He reached to hug Keiran and inquired after how he was doing before shedding his coat and beginning to roll up the sleeves of his shirt. Smiling at Ben again, Bae followed Keiran into the living room where his eyes immediately found Millie. She glared at him and the other Gryffindor chuckled before making his way over to her, leaning down to wrap her up in a hug and press a kiss to her temple.

“I’ve been busy,” he reasoned to her, leaning back to flash her a wink and a cheeky smirk. “You alright, gorgeous.”

“Late.” She admonished before pulling him in for another hug. “I’ll let it go this time. But I’m good and you’re too nice.” She patted him on the cheek fondly before pushing him away and Bae chuckled before turning to hug Alice whom he knew really less well but, nevertheless, felt comfortable enough to greet like that. She in turn greeted Ben and Millie hopped up to go and get them some drinks.

“How’re you Master Connolly?” Baldric asked, flopping down on the other side of Alice just before Keiran inquired after the stakes. “A bottle of old whisky will do probably, eh?” Baldric suggested, getting up again when the elder man moved towards the table. “Wait until my next payday – then I’d be happy to play with gold.” He laughed and held out his hand to Alice, helping her up before leading her over to the table. “Does that work? But then, if you think you can beat me Hayes, I’m willing to scrounge up some gold for you.”

Ben wasn't expecting Baldric to stop him on the walk up to the house, but he wasn't exactly complaining. "I love you, too," he murmured into the kiss. "We're nearly there," he assured Bae, referring to their attempt to adopt the little boy. "He even likes the name Tim. Everything's coming up roses, love."

When Baldric sat himself on the couch next to Oliver, Ben caught a bit of a shrug along with, "Not half bad, really." Anything else the author might have said was cut off as Keiran spoke and they started towards the table.

The younger Slytherin nearly suggested that they could just pull from his bank account if gold was the determined to be the proper stakes for the game. But then, poker wasn't really Ben's preferred game, and there were two others besides his fiancé who were particularly skilled at cards. The thought made Ben want to leave again, quite suddenly, as he realized that Baldric was very nearly not his fiancé anymore, but instead his husband. Now that they were bringing home another child, it seemed only right. And Ben wouldn't have had it any other way.

So as Ben sank into his chair beside Baldric, he reached over and gave his love's knee a squeeze. On the other side of the table, Oliver seemed to agree with Baldric's suggestion. "Alcohol could do it. Sorry, Mills," he added with a little grin, his expression only slightly apologetic. Ben had a moment of amusement as he realized that Oliver actually sounded more posh than he did, now. His manner of speech had nearly met Baldric's halfway, and he wasn't quite sure if anyone else had noticed. "Maybe," Oliver continued across the way, "whichever pair does best gets something from the others, hmm?"

Ben reached out as he nodded, taking up the cards to shuffle. He generally preferred to deal, but considering they rotated, he figured it would be well enough if he went first that time. He looked up as the cards zippered together, directing his question at Alice. "How recently did you get sorted, love? We've been busy, of course. Sorry we weren't really much help," he added, glancing towards her boyfriend during his apology. "Honestly would have tried if I'd known or been able."

The lost Highlands boy had found a home in the south – though to him, anything further than Aberdeen, if not Inverness, was a little too uncomfortably southern. It was something of a miracle that he was able to stomach London but at the time of his first going there, a miserable Christmas Eve, for what he felt was for good in that stubborn teenager-y way actually turned out to be the best thing that had happened to him. Now the jigsaw was fitting together and he could see in his mind’s eye the picture of the family that he’d always resented he’d not had. Maybe it was unconventional, maybe it wasn’t perfect but it was entirely his and for once he was simply grateful – grateful and entirely in love.

Baldric smiled brightly at Ben and drew an arm across the back of his chair, Bae’s fingers coming up to play idly with the hair at the nape of his fiancé’s neck. Millie returned just in time for Ollie’s comment and her lips quirked up as she looked about, trying to get the gist of the conversation again as she set down two drinks for Bendric. Her eyes widened comically as understanding leapt through her and her lips came together in a pout as she looked down at herself, having forgotten, seemingly, that indeed she couldn’t enjoy her spoils – provided of course she won in the first place. She gathered herself and in response poked her tongue out at Ollie, her mouth arching into a smile that Alice mirrored as a laugh bubbled up within her.

“So, what is this?” Bae asked, his fingers curling around the cherry-red bottle to inspect the label. His brows shot up curiously. “Swedish strawberry cider,” he read aloud, his thumb brushing over the damp paper wrapped around the bottle. He shrugged a shoulder, Millie mirroring him across the table, and he took a mouthful, running it across the top of his mouth as he turned the bottle over in his hands, trying to decide if he liked it. A shot of sweetness ran over his tongue and he smiled despite himself, nodding approvingly before setting it down on the table.

“Do I know you or what?” Millie threw at him, opening up her hands triumphantly.

“You do make me drink some total crap, Mills,” he commented with an appreciative glint in his eye.

“I like that idea,” Millie declared in response to Ollie’s suggestion. “I will make you all my slaves.” She declared with a wild cackle that made Alice split into giggles and only served to make Millie grin all the more.

“Uhhhhh,” Alice attempted, glancing at Ollie. Millie wriggled her brows at Baldric and the elder blonde paused to glare at her friend before hedging, her eyes flicking to Ben, “not long … I mean … no, you were brilliant. I’m so grateful that you even wanted to help. So, y’know … if you ever need a favour and I can help don’t hesitate to ask. But, um. A couple of days?”

“You’ve probably been busy since, right?” Baldric quipped cheekily.

Alice flushed and ducked her head, picking up her wine. “What’s the matter with Gryffindors?” She asked softly.

“Ah!” Millie exclaimed, plopping a paper umbrella into her drink. “Now there’s a question.”

“Clinical insanity, probably,” Baldric offered. “With a dash of too much curiosity, utter recklessness and a total-“

“-uncompromising obsession with other people’s love lives,” Millie finished tartly.

Baldric leaned over the table and the pair high-fived with satisfied looks on their faces as Alice shook her head, smiling despite herself.

“Come on, come on – let’s play!” Millie chanted enthusiastically.

“Leave my husband-to-be alone, you wretch,” Baldric admonished playfully. “He’s shuffling.”

“I’ll shuffle you,” Millie retorted before she could help herself and both she and Bae laughed.

“When’s dinner?” Bae asked as his stomach chorused its first rumbles.

Millie shook her head and got to her feet, though it was more of a funny sort of wriggle into standing. She brushed her hands absentmindedly across her middle and drew her eyes across the table, inquiring softly if everyone was hungry. Then, as an afterthought, she asked for a bit of help with the bowls and Alice prodded at Ollie as it was easiest for him to get to the kitchen and he, at least, had flat shoes on. She kissed him on the cheek and smiled before turning back to her glass of wine, sharing a small smile with Baldric when he offered it.

“Right, Keiran – while I remember to ask,” Baldric turned his attention to the Slytherin. “What do you want for your birthday? Ben and I have had a few ideas but it’ll be a surprise unless you want something specific – speak now or forever hold your peace,” he added with a chuckle.

Oliver wanted to be annoyed at the continued jabs at Alice, but there was something oddly amusing about it, too. At least they didn't think he would be useless when it came to such things. A couple of days of distraction? Well, they were basically right, weren't they? Otherwise his girl wouldn't have been worked up over it. So, yes. Oliver did smirk. But only for a moment. He didn't want Alice catching it and giving him a slap or annoyed look.

Ben looked up at the comment that was a mix of chiding and teasing, his actions only slowing. At first it was on accident, but then he did it on purpose just to irk her, a lazy smile curving his lips. It didn't last long, though, because Millie was up and moving again. The second she stood, he passed the deck to his left so Keiran could cut it and give it back to him.

Nobody noticed much when Oliver stood, and he caught the slightly irritated tone of Keiran's voice as he left the room. "Nothing. Millie's is coming up, too, remember. She would be much easier to find things for, surely. Don't worry about me."

Once in the kitchen, Oliver realized how lucky this turn of events was. Alice had sent him in herself! Brilliant. So he approached the counter, waiting for instructions to be given. But he couldn't keep quiet for long.

"Millie," he began, glad for Ben's loud admonishment of Keiran in the other room. "I need to ask your advice on something." Oliver hesitated, crossing his arms to keep from fidgeting. "See, Alice and I have been talking about starting a family, be that one of dogs or children we adopt or-"

He halted his words, realizing that he had never explained it to anyone else. He had no idea what she would assume from that, so all he could think to do was tell her right then. "I- .. See, Mills, I found out recently that... Well, I can't have kids. Alice could, but for some crazy reason she says she doesn't mind it. So we just.. never really mentioned it. Most of the time we were in a fight, anyway," he sighed, shaking his head.

"Just- I mean, that wasn't my point in talking to you. I wanted to ask what you thought about something. I want to.. well, I want to propose. We've talked family and the future and it's not like we don't basically live together. We made it for months, living together. Surely we could manage it, right? So I just... I want to know if you think it's too soon," he admitted finally. "I know I should talk to her father, but he despises me. So I also have to consider whether or not he'll kill me for asking, or if, after he turns me down, she might say yes anyway.

"I'm not entirely sure what I'm asking anymore," Oliver ran a hand through his hair. "But you know her. I just thought-... I don't know."