Bedtime Stories (Open)

Hamish needed new books. Not for himself, of course. He didn't have enough time to properly enjoy a good book. No, he needed new books for his daughter, Lyla. She was approaching that age where she was learning to read by herself. So now he needed books that were simple enough for her, but still challenging enough that she could learn as she went. There wasn't much in the way of children's books in the wizarding world, but Hamish wanted to at least see what they had before turning to the muggles. He was trying to acclimate back into this life as a wizard after all.

So, he meandered through the shelves at Flourish and Blotts with his daughter clinging tightly to his right hand and hugging her old teddy to her chest with her free arm. That teddy was a battered thing that had seen better days some years ago. Hamish was loathe to take it, though, when it held so much sentimental value to his daughter. The bear's previous owner had been Lyla's own mother, after all, and Hamish didn't want to make his daughter feel like she couldn't know her mother. Besides, if the thing got too ratty, then he'd see about getting it repaired as best he could on his limited budget. He was a fairly good stitch himself, even if he was used to using a needle on actual flesh and not a stuffed animal, and he was certain he could patch it up well enough himself if the need arose.

Aimee had two months left, two and she'd be a mother and skinny again. For now, she was a two legged walrus, a fat penguin. At least that's what she felt like. In order to get places, she had to waddle and god forbid she drop anything, she was just better leaving it on the ground as opposed to trying to pick it up, however, she wouldn't trade being pregnant for anything in the world. She loved feeling the kicks from her daughter and she loved getting to watch and feel her grow.

Today's trip, was not for her students, her classroom library had been a huge hit but there were plenty of books left still. Today was a trip for her daughters library. She wasn't sure what kind of books to get, but she figured a trip through the children's section wouldn't hurt. When she entered the children's section, she saw an older guy with a young girl, grandpa maybe, browsing the books. She smiled, it was an adorable site, the young girl clingy onto his arm while her other arm clung onto the bear. The young girl had beautiful blonde hair, like herself, but even more beautiful

"She's beautiful," Aimee stated while looking at the guy. Now that she saw him better, she realised the gray hair did him wrong and he wasn't as old as he looked. It was quite possible he was her father and not her grandpa like Aimee originally thought.

Hamish looked up from his perusal of a book when a woman spoke. He looked over to find a heavily pregnant woman, likely six or seven months along, with blonde hair. A soft smile graced his features, bringing out the laugh lines around his eyes--he refused to call them crows-feet, thank you very much. "She is. Takes after her mother," he replied as he gazed fondly at his daughter. How grateful he was for that. Every time he looked at her he saw more of Moira in her face and couldn't help loving her more for it. It reminded him that she was always with him and always would be.

He turned back to the woman, "Out looking for books for the little one?" he asked. He hoped he wasn't being too presumptuous, some pregnant woman didn't like people pointing out their pregnancy until it was announced. Lyla gazed curiously at the woman but remained silent, content to be by her father's side.

She watched as he looked up and smiled.Her mother. Then she must have a highly beautiful mother. She returned the smile to the man, he must be very lucky if that woman was his wife. The thought of the girl looking like her mother made Aimee wonder what Mackenzie would look like. Would she look like her or Dylan or an equal mix of both? She imagined a little girl with blonde hair and blue eyes, a little girl with brown hair and brown eyes, a little girl with brown hair and blue eyes and then finally a little girl with blonde hair and brown eyes. No matter what the girl looked like, she'd love her to the ends of time.

Out looking for books for the little one?

The question snapped her back to the here and now and she nodded. "Trying to start her a library," but she knew it'd prove harder than that. She saw the young girl, standing content by the man's side, gazing at her and she couldn't wait for the day Mackenzie was born. For now, however, it was her preparation time. They were working hard on her nursery and even harder on her library and supplies needed to care for her. It was beginning to become overwhelming, but she was lucky to have Dylan by her side calming her down every step of the way.

Hamish counted himself both lucky and immensely despaired that he'd missed out on the preparation for his daughter, having been overseas fighting a war that wasn't really his. The stress Moira must have been under, even with the help of her parents and his own grandparents it must not have been easy. Occasional phone calls and letters only do so much and Hamish wondered how different his life might have been had he not fled. He wouldn't have met Moira, certainly, which he counted among the best things to have happened in his life.

He shook himself out of his reverie, "Well, I've got a few I no longer need if you would like them," he stated. "They're muggle, but I hope that isn't a problem." Having spent a majority of the past twenty years in the muggle world, most of the things they possessed were muggle. Hamish was slowly acclimating back into the wizarding community, and it was taking longer than he originally thought.

"Oh," she replied, "I'd love them, thank you sir." She smiled, realising she didn't know his name and he didn't know hers. "Muggle is fine," she smiled, "the only difference between Muggle and Wizard books is most of the things they think is fantasy is actually real only they'll never know." She chuckled at the thought. Mermaids and werewolves and ghosts. Muggles thought it was fantasy and fiction, however, it was very much real, as were dragons, faeries, centaurs and griffins. She was excited about the amount of things Mackenzie would be exposed to her, unlike Dylan who never had the chance until he turned eleven, however, she was born into it, sometimes wishing she hadn't been.

"I'm Aimee," she said softly to the man, and the young girl. She felt bad about not having introduced herself before, but she never found the time to. "I'll probably see this one at Hogwarts in a couple years, won't I?" She smiled looking down at the young girl. She guesstimated her to be about five meaning she'd see her before her 30th birthday, unless she went to another school. Aimee guessed her Hogwarts years to be long and adventure filled, never quitting and only retiring when she was too old to walk over the roots in the Forbidden Forest.

Hamish chuckled, "Quite true, that. I'll have my owl send them your way then, shall I?" Of course, he'd have to get her address but he didn't think that would be a problem. "Hamish," he replied when she introduced herself. "And this," he gestured to his daughter, "is Lyla."

"I'll probably see this one at Hogwarts in a couple years, won't I?"

His brows rose, "You're a professor? How lovely! And yes, you will, I suppose. She's five for now, but time flies. And I suppose I'll see your little one soon as well," he stated with a wide smile. Time certainly did fly, especially when you weren't there to see it happen. A regretful sigh escaped as he gazed at his daughter. Growing up so fast and he hadn't been able to truly watch it happen. Well, those days were done, and he'd be damned if he missed a thing now.

She nodded at his statement. "Just send them to Hogwarts." Chances were she would get them a lot faster if he sent them to Hogwarts, as it wasn't as hard to find as her house may be and she certainly didn't want an owl delivering anything and having a Muggle see it. "It's night to meet you Hamish and Layla," she gave them both another warm smile. Layla was a beautiful name and Hamish was equally as great and she hoped that one day, someone would think Mackenzie was a beautiful name.

She watched his brows raise and wondered if it was shock or amusement or maybe both. "I am," she began, her career was something she loved to talk about, "I teach Care of Magical Creatures. I actually just introduced my students to a Hippogriff." She smiled at the thought. They were so eager and equally as excited to learn as she was to teach. Most of them had aced their first test too and it made her feel great, like she was actually born to teach. "I'll see her in six years then, and time does fly, very quickly." She didn't want to think about how fast time flies, it would only make her think about how little time she had with her own daughter. "She should be here in December," Aimee replied as he mentioned her little one.

At one time, December seemed so far away, but now, it was a matter of a couple weeks.

Ah, yes. The ever magnificent hippogriff. Hamish remembered when he was learning about them, fascinated by their size and regal appearance. He vowed to make the most of the next six years, doing all he can to spend time with Lyla. Time lost can never be made up, but he would do his best to use the time he had to his advantage.

He grinned, "A Christmas baby, how wonderful. I'll be sure to get myself stationed near the Maternity ward around then, shall I?" he added with a chuckle. Hamish wasn't any kind of important doctor, being closer to the magical equivalent of a GP that anything truly serious, but he had a sort of respect from being a soldier that most of the other Healers gave him. Of course, there were a few who thought he was mad as a hatter for fighting the muggle war, but they wisely kept their mouths shut.

(OOC: I wasn't sure if you thought I'd made a typo, but his daughter's name really is Lyla. In other news: I was recently informed I'm going to be an aunt. In December. So I'm kind of excited)

She nodded, a Christmas baby would be spectacular, but she was welcome to come before or after as well, preferably after. She wanted Mackenzie to stay in as long as she needed to in order to be healthy. Her eyebrow raised when he mentioned being stationed around the maternity ward. "You're a healer?" she asked, slightly intrigued. Healers were fairly common, as they were the wizarding worlds form of doctor, but it still shocked her to run into one.

As she glanced down to the young girl, Mackenzie kicked her, almost as if she were jealous. When she laid in bed at night, she could actually see the child moving under her skin and it was weird but awesome all at the same time. Her favourite memory of her pregnancy so far had been the first time Dylan had been able to feel her move. He had been so excited and it was adorable. It was a Tuesday night in her 24th week, however, she'd been feeling the little one since about 15 weeks, possibly even sooner. It was amazing to see how big she had grown, it made her happy to think about the fact that she could grow life but it also terrified her.

As her time to go into labour closed in, she grew more and more nervous. She was worried about pain and not being ready as well as her classes. She was afraid the baby would take away from her class time. She was even more afraid of not being a good mother for this baby.