My Love Is Like A Red, Red Rose

Fleur stormed into Bill's flat, slamming the door closed.

"What-Fleur, no!" he shouted, grabbing her arm before it reached its target, a vase that he'd gotten from his Great-Aunt Muriel.

"Your muzzer! I cannot stand thees, Bill, I cannot! She makes comments at me and about me as if I cannot hear zem!" Fleur stomped angrily. "And your soeur ees even worse! She laughs at me outright, when I say somezing wrong, or when I do not 'ave ze exact same taste as your family! Oooh!" She pounded a weak fist against Bill's chest.

Bewildered, Bill held onto her wrist and gathered her close. "I guess... Christmas didn't go so well?"

"Non."

"But when I was there, everyone-"

"Oui, when you were there. When it was just me, I... Mon Dieu, Bill, ees thees 'ow it will be always?" Fleur's eyes welled up. "I 'ate crying, Bill, vraiment, yet I feel like I 'ave done nuzzing else ever since we announced our engagement!"

Bill kissed the top of her head. "I'm so sorry."

Fleur sniffled. "So am I."

"But I still want to marry you." Bill pulled her back a little and looked her straight in the eyes. "I love you, Fleur, I truly, truly do. And if my family needs a little convincing, I'll talk to them, I'll... I won't make you see them if all they do is hurt you."

Fleur closed her eyes. "I want to be part of your family, Bill. I do. I don't understand why they don't like me."

Bill twisted his mouth, unsure of how to tell her. "Don't get mad at me."

Fleur opened one eye suspiciously. "Okay."

"You haven't... Sometimes... I don't think you try very hard to get along with them. It's not just you, though, Fleur, really, I don't think they try very hard either, and they don't... they don't trust you, I don't think."

"Trust me? Because of being a veela?"

"Um. Maybe."

"'Ow can I 'elp what I am?" she demanded. "Eet's not as though I decided to be part veela."

"I know, I know," Bill said hurriedly. "And I don't think they really think that."

There was silence for a few minutes. Fleur broke away and walked over to his sink. Bill watched her as she stared out the window and blinked back tears.

"Fleur-"

"You are right," she said quietly.

"What?"

"I haven't been trying very hard to get along with your family," she clarified, using her hard 'h' sound. "Maybe if I tried, they would too."

Bill regarded her silently. "I think that's a good point," he said diplomatically. "Tell you what. I'll Floo over to Mum's house tomorrow and talk to her. Then, on Sunday, when we go over for dinner, you make your best effort to get along. Okay?"

"Okay." Fleur sniffed hard, sounding like most of the nose drainage shot straight up to her brain.

"Gross, Fleur."

"Shut up." She stuck her tongue out, but not without a small smile playing around her lips. "You don't have any tissues."

"Hello, paper towels are perfectly usable for that purpose."

"In France, gentlemen carry handkerchiefs."

"Who said I'm a gentleman?" Bill leered playfully. "I'm not sure violating your virtue counts as gentlemanly behaviour."

Fleur tossed her hair back primly. "It was not unwelcome."

Bill grinned at her and pulled her back into his arms. "Your English is much improved."

"Yes, I know."

"So is your humility."

Fleur swatted his head while he laughed at her.

"I do love you, you know. A lot."

"Well, I love you too, Bill. And zat is the only reason why I am graciously... eh... putting up with all this..." She waved her hand in the air, searching for the right word.

"Crap?"

"Yes."

Bill leaned down and kissed her softly on the mouth. They continued for a few minutes and then Bill pulled away. He kissed her eyebrow. "You're wonderful."

"Am I?"

"Yes." He kissed her neck. "You're willing to try to get along with my mother." He moved to her shoulder. "You want to part of my family." He nipped her ear. "And you are learning how to make 'h' sounds." He kissed her fully on the mouth again.

Fleur wrapped her arms around his neck and drew her fingers across the back of his neck. "You are the best thing that has ever happened to me."

"I know."

Fleur smiled against his mouth.