Lucky

The Half-Breed and the Traitor

         It was Christmas Eve, and the Fortis household was in chaos. Johnny and Scarlett were due to arrive back from the Canaries any time, Rachel was running around in a flap, and Emma was building up the courage to reveal the news about Abraxas to her parents. She wanted to ask if he could come to them for Christmas. They'd been out together several times over the last few days since he had spoken to her, to walk in parks together, to have dinner, once to go to a movie. Mostly they just talked. He sent an owl every morning, and she would send one back. They would meet up during their lunch breaks, and he would call her from phone boxes when he knew she would be home. Every morning, she woke up with him on her mind, and every night she went to sleep thinking about him still.

         The phone shrieked in the hall, and Emma dashed to it, narrowly beating her father who had just come down the stairs. "Hello," she panted breathlessly, leaning against the wall. She felt bad for being disappointed to hear Morgana's voice on the end of the line. "Oh. Hi Morgana, what's up?"

       "Don't sound so devastated, Em," her best friend's barking laughter came through the phone. "I'll not keep you long. We were just wondering whether you and a certain someone might fancy coming over on Boxing Day? It's ok if you're busy, it's just that me and Teddy are hosting at mine, and Ginny was saying she hasn't seen you in ages."

      "No, that - that sounds lovely," Emma sighed. "Of course. We'd be happy to."

      "What's wrong?" Morgana had a knack for hearing emotion better than she could see it.

      Emma lowered her voice. "I haven't told my folks yet. And I'd really like to invite him over tomorrow, to spend Christmas with us."

      "You should!" Morgana encouraged her. "And hey, you'd better do it quickly, because if you don't Ginny will probably drag him to hers. She hates the idea of anybody spending Christmas alone."

      "What about his family?"

         "Draco and his family are going to Narcissa," Morgana informed her. "Abraxas won't want to go there. He'll be more than glad of the invitation."

      Emma nodded. "Ok. Yeah. I will. Thanks Morgana."

     "See you later."

       Emma set the phone down and hurried into the kitchen, drawing in a quick breath and starting before she changed her mind. "Mum-I-Need-To-Tell-You-Something!"

      Mrs Fortis looked up from where she was cutting up carrots, an anxious expression on her face. "What? What is it? What's your brother done? Oh Merlin - what's Morgana done?"

      Emma sighed, shaking her head fondly. It was clear where she got her worrying nature. "Nothing, mum. It's good news. I hope so, anyway. Abraxas and I have been - well.. we've started seeing each other."

     The knife clattered onto the chopping board. "WHAT?" Rachel cried.

       Emma bit her lip and continued. "He told me recently that he has loved me for years, and if I'm honest with myself, I've always felt the same. We've been talking since, going out together a bit. It's very new..."

"Oh, wow," Rachel breathed, leaning against the countertop. "Well, I'm glad as long as you both are happy. It's quite soon, isn't it, after Morgana? Oh, honey - is this why they broke off their engagement?" She looked horrified.

Emma rolled her eyes. "No, mum, you know it was mutual. Morgana and Teddy are already living together, for goodness's sake. She loved him. And - and Abraxas loved me. Both of them knew a marriage of convenience would never work out. He, I think, might have gone through with it, but Morgana has never been the type to settle."