Disclaimer: Everything belongs to JKR and her various publishing companies. I have no claim on any of it nor am I trying to make a profit from it.
A/N: The Pixie Faerie Diaries is a sequel to Fifteen Years and a companion piece to Amici ed Amanti. I am unable to publish AeA here because it deals mostly with Liam Malfoy, Draco and Ginny's adult son, and his best friend Lucy Ann from The Cabbage Capers and Fifteen Years. If you wish to read Amici ed Amanti, you can find it here: http://www.dracoandginny.com/viewstory.php?sid=443
For updates and snippets see my live journal: http://www.livejournal.com/users/rainpuddle13/
The Faerie Princess Diaries - What Princesses Wear
Rauri closed her large pink leather covered planning book with a sigh.
They'd been at Gareth's large Soho flat for hours now. After a dinner of homemade lasagna by some witch she didn't know (but thought she and her brother were awful cozy considering she knew him to already have a girlfriend), they settled into a quiet evening of newspaper reading and gaming.
She had naturally changed into her current favorite princess nightgown - a little cream number covered in tiny pink sprig roses embroidered on the gauzy overly - as soon as she was allowed to leave the dinner table. The finishing touch was the tiara her Da had given her when she turned a year old. It was still her favorite one after all this time, although it wasn't quite fancy enough for her older, more sophisticated tastes.
She'd been admiring pictures of two dresses that she'd been coveting for quite some time now - the Angela and the Isabella styles - the absolute latest in fashionable princess wear. Each dress (in pink silk of course or maybe one in mauve and the other in dusty pink) had its own page devoted to it in her book. She had neatly written the pros and cons of each dress in an effort to make a decision as to which one she desperately needed the most. A new tiara and veil had been decided upon ages ago.
There was no way that Mum would buy her either of the dresses because she felt "you have enough princess outfits to last five little witches a lifetime." Da was absolutely no good in this type of situation. He truly hated going into Madam Malkins, at least with females in tow. It wasn't that she couldn't goad him into it - both dresses if she really put in the extra effort - but was it really worth that much work?
There just had to an easier solution to her dilemma.
That was when her eyes lit upon Liam sitting on the sofa completely unawares, reading the Evening Prophet. Gareth had Ava tied up with trying to teach her the finer points of playing Mahjongg while laying in the floor in front of the fireplace with Grendel watching over them.
He was the perfect victim of opportunity.
He had the means by which she could justify the would-be dress or dresses to Mum. There was no way she could say no then if things went as planned. Yes, it was perfect - practically foolproof - with one minor exception.
Well, major exception - Liam wasn't anywhere close to getting married, which was silly really, in her opinion, it was a foregone conclusion that he'd marry Lucy Ann eventually. She had no idea what the holdup was with them, but it was standing between her and two pretty dresses.
She was just going to have to take matters into her own hands if she wanted to have those dresses in her paws before she outgrew them.
"Li Li," she said softly, taking a seat right next to him on the sofa, arranging her nightgown daintily. "Can I ask you something?"
"Of course you can, Rug Rat," he said, smiling at her as he made a show of folding the paper so he could give her his undivided attention. "What's up?"
It was now or never, so she decided to go for it -- there was no need to beat about the bush here. She wanted to know when she could make a pitch for the dresses. "When are you going to marry Lucy Ann?"
His brows furrowed deeply. "Whatever gave you the idea that Lucy Ann and I would get married?"
"You love her don't you?" Rauri asked. She wanted to know why he hadn't made Goosey her big sister already.
"Why do you think I'm going to marry her?"
"Because everyone knows it and just wishes you'd get it over with already."
"Who's everyone?"
"Mummy, Da, Fi Fi, Gareth, Stephie-"
"All right, all right, I get the picture."
"So when are you getting married?" she asked again.
Liam frowned down at her. "I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I don't think we'll be getting married."
"But you love her! When you love someone you marry them!"
"It's not that simple," he said flatly. "This isn't like your faerie tales where the princess marries the knight in shining armor."
"Yes, it is," she insisted. "Mum and Da love each other so they got married and so should you and Lucy Ann."
"She doesn't want to marry me. I'm sorry."
She closed her eyes and counted to ten before looking at him again. "She does so want to marry you because she loves you!"
"Rauri," he warned. "Goose and I are nothing but friends."
"Then why did you buy her chocolate roses?" she demanded.
"I think it's past a little witch's bed time."
"You didn't answer me!"
"You do know you sound a lot like Mum."
"Why?"
"Why the sudden interest in my love life?"
"Because I love you and I want you to be happy," she said softly, looking away from him as she willed tears to form in the corner of her eyes.
"Nuh huh," Ava chimed in. Neither of them had noticed that their siblings had stopped playing their game to watch the escalating augment with avid interest. She had her sister's book laid open to the pages dedicated to the dresses. Ava pointed. "She just wants these and Mummy won't buy them for her."
"Is this true, Rauri?" Liam asked sternly. "You want me to marry Lucy Ann so Mum would buy you a couple of new dresses?"
She found she was having a hard time looking her oldest brother in the eyes. She was embarrassed at being caught. She really should have tried her luck with Da. He was the sure thing. Liam was a wildcard at best after this afternoon's disaster in the candy store, but she just had to the press the issue. She got greedy and that was her big mistake. Now she was never going to enjoy playing tea while wearing one the fancy new dresses. "Well yes, partly."
Liam laughed, a deep hearty laugh. By the time he'd recovered enough to catch his breath he had to wipe tears from his eyes. "This is bloody fantastic. Priceless really."
"It is?" Ruari asked tentatively, too scared to hope for anything at this point.
"Yes Rug Rat, it is. This just proves you've got a bit of Slytherin in you after all."
"I do?"
"Yes, Gareth was positive you were Gryffindor all the way and now he owes me a hundred Gaellons because he was wrong!"
"All right," Gareth said, "now that I'm a few Galleons lighter thank you very much Ruari, I think it's time for little rug rats to go to bed!"
"Awwah!" Ava whined. "Do we have to?"
"Yes, now upstairs with the both of you."
Gareth herded both girls up the stairs to his loft bedroom to put them to bed with Liam and the dog in tow. He would be spending the duration of their stay on the sofa since his flat was not designed with guests in mind. He tucked the girls in with help from his brother while Grendel made himself at home on the foot of the bed. The brothers retreated after good night kisses and dimming the lights.
"Liam, you never did answer Ruari's question," Ava shouted when her brothers were half way down the steps. "When are you going to marry Lucy Ann?"
"Go to sleep," was his reply.
Rauri turned over to face her sister, whispering, "He's not going to tell you now."
"Why not? I want to know if I have to wear another stupid dress anytime soon!" she harshly whispered back.
"I don't know, but since he won't tell us, I'll just ask Lucy Ann tomorrow."
~*~
A/N: Here are the links to the items that Rauri was coveting.
Veil http://www.theperfectpear.com/hpBMWM3563W.jpg
Angela http://www.theperfectpear.com/angela.asp
Isabella http://www.theperfectpear.com/isabella.asp
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