Unfinished Perfection

Christmas Lily

Harry was the first to speak. "I, uhh...term is ending, you know?"

Lynette stared at him, suddenly entranced by the way his lips moved as he spoke.

"I was thinking," he said, swallowing thickly, "Maybe you could visit me back home during break?"

Lynette gave him a look of slight surprise. "Meeting your family? For Christmas? Wouldn't I be intruding?"

Harry shook his head immediately , "No, you definitely wouldn't. But I meant sometime before Christmas actually, since I know you have a huge family to be coming home to for the holidays."

Lynette smiled. "I would love to meet Gemma and your parents, and maybe hear some stories-" (Harry groaned) "-but I do have one condition."

"Oh?" Harry asked raising his eyebrows playfully. "What could you possibly want? You've got the best boyfriend in the world, wouldn't you agree?" He twirled around clumsily in front of her.

Lynette laughed as he almost lost his footing, and reached out a hand to steady him, looking up into his eyes seriously. "Well, I'd like to bring 'the best boyfriend in the world' back to my parents this Christmas too."

"Really?" Harry's expression was a mixture of surprise and nervous excitement.

Lynette nodded, "Yes, really. Although you may want to brace yourself for a little bit of questioning."

Harry's expression now looked more decidedly more nervous. "Oh, ok, umm, should I prepare? Do you think they'll like me? Wait, what if they don't? Lyn, I-"

Lynette cut him off before he could stress himself out further. "Just be the Harry I know and they'll adore you. I promise."

Harry took a deep breath. "Ok, but we have to make plans for this break now if we're going to go visit two families together. How far away is your house from Cheshire?"

Lynette thought a moment. "Actually, not too far. Stafford is about an hour away, give or take."

Harry considered, "Actually, from here, I think Stafford's train stop is actually closer than Cheshire's. What if I go straight home with you, spend a couple days with your family, and then we can go to my parent's house for the next few days? I promise I'll get you back home before Christmas."

"That's a pretty good plan, actually," Lynette said, after taking a moment to mentally calculate the dates in her head. "So, in less than a week, Harry, you'll have to chance to use that charm on both my parents."

Harry smiled and leaned down to kiss her again. Then, pulling her into a hug, he whispered in her ear, his curls brushing against her cheek, "And after that, I get to bring the most beautiful girl in the world home to my mum."

•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•

In no time at all, it was the last day of classes, and Lynette was saying goodbye to her best friends at the train station. Sara was going back to Peterborough and was lamenting the loss of social activity at home.

"It's going to be so dull for so many weeks. Maybe I'll call up some old sixth form friends or-" she suddenly looked excited. "I'll come visit you! Will your parents mind?"

Lynette smiled and hugged Sara. "Definitely not. They'll probably treat you like another daughter."

As Lynette turned to Hanna, she noticed a head of blond hair making its way to her friend. Niall caught up to Hanna and pulled her aside. Lynette watched as they exchanged a few words and then hugged.

Hanna returned, looking slightly distracted.

"So...What's happening with Niall?" Lynette asked curiously.