"You just can't stay away from me, huh?" Callie said weakly, with a small smirk on her face.

"I really can't," Teddy replied softly.

"I can't stay away from you either," she whispered, reaching for his hand.

"Please come back to me, Cals," he said, tracing circles on the back of her hand.

"Kiss me," Callie murmured, staring into his currently electric blue eyes.

Teddy leaned in slowly, barely brushing her lips with his own. Callie leaned forward, kissing him more passionately.

When they both pulled away, Teddy moved to sit in the bed, holding her close.

"Be my girlfriend again?" Teddy whispered into her ear, making her shiver at the feel of his breath on her neck.

"Of course," she responded, lacing her fingers with his.

Teddy visibly relaxed. All was right in the world again. Well, all was right in his world.
——
Brady ran into the cottage as soon as Elle had apparated him in the yard. Fred apparated right after them, wrapping his arms around Elle's waist from behind.

Brady found Sirius sitting in the living room with Reese, Josie, and Dylan. Ben was on the floor in front of the couch, their Cocker Spaniel, Pitter, curled up in front of him. Ben was fifteen years old, so there's grey in his muzzle and arthritis in his hips. That doesn't stop him from being their bouncing boy, though. Brady's eyes lit up when he seen the black German Sheppard. They've been best friends since Brady came home from the hospital.

"Bubby!" Reese exclaimed, shooting up to hug him. Brady hugged his eight-year-old sister back.

Josie stood up and hugged him too. It's a miracle they got the five-year-old's attention off of the TV.

Dylan's fifth birthday is tomorrow, so the cottage was spotless, ready for the party. Dylan was sitting in Sirius's lap, so he wasn't going to move.

"Grandpa!" Brady exclaimed, rushing over to hug him and his younger brother.

Fred and Elle exchanged a look. "Yesterday really scared Brady. He's actually being affectionate!" Elle exclaimed, watching him hug Sirius through the window, as they were still standing outside.

"He's only thirteen. Just witnessing a few seconds of a battle like yesterday's is enough to scar him for life," Fred responded.

Elle looked at him, a brow raised. "Hmmm. One of your smart moments, huh?"

Fred got a familiar look in his eyes. Elle shrieked and ran away from him, running towards the pond.

Sirius heard her shriek, so he got up and opened the door, only to see a blur of blonde curls pass by quickly before a red blur followed.

Sirius rolled his eyes. "You'd expect them to act like an old married couple by now, not teenagers!" He muttered to himself.

"What was that, Grandpa?" Brady asked, looking at him questionably.

"Oh, nothing," Sirius responded as he shut the door.

Elle tossed her shirt off as soon as she got within ten feet of the pond, tossing it back towards Fred. She barely stopped to tug her shorts off, tossing them backwards as well before running onto the dock and diving off before Fred had a chance to grab her.

Fred smirked and tossed his own shirt off. He didn't have time to toss his trousers off before he jumped in after her.

Elle had stayed under the water, determined to hide from him. She swam under the dock, coming up for air only when she was under it.

She tried to keep her breaths quiet, not wanting Fred to hear and turn around.

Elle furrowed her brow when he didn't come up after a few seconds.

She barely had time to take a breath after she felt a hand on each of her upper thighs. She rolled her eyes right before she was pulled under.

Her vision was blurry under the water, but she did manage to see Fred's smirk as his hands roamed her body under the water as they floated upwards.

Once they broke surface, Elle started gasping, flustered in addition to the lack of oxygen.

Fred pulled her flush against him, forcing her to wrap her legs around his waist while he stood on his tiptoes to keep them above the surface. It was at times like these that Elle loved his tallness. His 6'3 height compared to her simple 5'2 annoyed her most of the time.

He kissed her jaw.

"No, Fred. Our family is inside," Elle moaned.

"You seem to have no problem doing even more when they're across the house from us at night," he said between kisses.

Elle flushed a bright red. "Shut up."

"Besides, you're the one that started all this."

"Frederick!" Elle exclaimed when one of his hands dipped under the water, threatening to go even lower.

"You're the once that stripped down to just your panties," he replied with a smirk.

"Hey, you two! Your children are getting hungry!"

Elle flushed an even brighter red at her father's yells.

"Be right there!" She shouted back as soon as she found her voice.

Fred started laughing, dipping his head down to the crook of her neck. He bit slightly as he tried to stop laughing.

Elle broke down and laughed as well, grateful that the water hid her unclothed body from her father.

Fred let Elle go, allowing her to swim back to the dock. She swam underwater to the ladder, Fred not far behind.

Elle accioed their clothes and used wandless magic to dry them both off. Elle hurried out and put her clothes on. She pulled her waves back into a ponytail before walking towards the cottage, Fred following behind as he slipped his own shirt back on.

Elle went to the kitchen. "What do you want for lunch, loves?"

"Chicken nuggets!" Dylan yelled, still watching television.

"Mac-n-cheese!" Josie exclaimed.

"Chicken nuggets and mac-n-cheese, then?"

"Yeah!" Reese agreed, stumbling into the kitchen like normal to help her mum.

Elle moved around the kitchen, getting out everything she needed.

"Want to get me some water in that pot, love?" Elle said as she got the chicken nuggets out of the freezer.

Reese nodded as she grabbed the pan and went to the step stool in front of the sink.

Reese sat it in the sink before turning the water on. She shut the water off when there was enough in the pot. It was too heavy for her to pick up, so she just left it in there for her mum to get.
——
After lunch, Brady insisted on everyone changing into their swimsuits to go for a swim in the pond, which was warm enough to swim in year-round, thanks to magic.

Fred and Elle smirked at each other before Elle went to get Dylan, Reese, and Josie's swimsuits out for them.

Everyone rushed out after they changed, all of the kids except Brady with floaties on. Elle and Fred walked hand in hand as Sirius followed the kids. Each child jumped in, one after another. Sirius yelled, "Watch out!" before he did a cannonball into the pond.

Elle and Fred sat down on the end of the dock, dangling their feet in as Sirius chased Brady around the pond.

Elle leaned into Fred, thanking Merlin for her little perfect world.