A/N: Everything, except the stuff you don’t recognize, belongs to JK Rowling and her utter genius.
Our Future’s Tied
Medea paced in her spacious room and waited for the promised tap on her window. Doubts had been plaguing her mind all week, but she always came to the same conclusion. She loved Patrick and she wanted to spend the rest of her life with him no matter how anyone else felt about it. Her only regret was that she couldn’t share it with her parents. Even though her father had said he cared only about her happiness, she knew that he probably wouldn’t look so lightly upon this.
When the awaited sound finally came, Medea threw her cloak around her shoulders, picked up her small parcel, and mounted her broom to fly down to the grounds. She’d put a very powerful lock charm on her door so her brother Jarret wouldn’t come in and announce her absence. Not that anyone would be able to find her in time.
Pointing her wand at the window to close it as she hovered, Medea descended to the ground below her window and directly into the arms of her fiancé. “Hello,” she whispered when he relinquished her mouth. “Is everything arranged?”
“Of course,” he breathed excitedly. “Are you ready?”
Medea took his face in her hands and looked him directly in his green eyes. “I have never been more ready for anything in my entire life.”
“Then let’s go.”
* * * *
When they arrived at the establishment, Medea went straight to the facilities and changed into the simple, white dress she’d had made for her during the week. It mirrored the dress she’d seen her mother wear in the photos of her wedding.
What she hadn’t thought about was how much it would remind her of the fact that her parents weren’t there for her. She felt like she was betraying their love and everything they’d taught her. She looked at her reflection and only then did she see the tears in her eyes.
She emerged from the small room, wiping her tears with a small sniff. Patrick was by her side in an instant. “What is it?” he asked anxiously. “Are you having second thoughts?”
She shook her head. “No,” she assured him pitifully. “I’m just”I wish my parents were here.”
Patrick noticeably struggled with his next words. “Well, I guess we could wait””
“No!” Medea quickly said. “I want to do this; I just regret that we can’t share it.”
The official stepped into the small foyer. “Are you ready?” he asked.
“Um, we just need a minute, thank you.”
The man nodded and went back into the inner chamber.
“Medea,” Patrick whispered softly. “This should be the happiest day of our lives. Are you always going to regret not having them here? Because if you will we should wait until they know and cool down.”
“They may never cool down, and I can’t wait that long. I want to marry you, and I want to do it right now. They are the ones who are going to regret it.” She inhaled deeply and smiled at him. “Are you coming?”
* * * *
Patrick tightened his hold on his young wife as they rested together in his father’s lakeside cabin. They were finally together, bare skin on skin, and it had been well worth the wait. He kissed the top of her head where it lay on his chest. “I love you,” he breathed.
“I love you, too.” She kissed his chest and curled up to him. “I wish we could stay like this forever.”
“Why can’t we?” Patrick asked. “We could leave England and live”anywhere at all.”
She could see the fervor in his green eyes, but she could also see a gapping flaw in his whimsical plan. “And how would we support ourselves? We don’t have jobs, or even a trade. We’re broke on our own,” she reminded him with a heavy heart.
Medea could feel his soul droop in realization. “You’re right,” he said. “But we have to do something.”
“I know, we can’t live like this,” she agreed.
Every time they left each other’s presence they died a little inside and they were revived only when they were back together. And they’re marriage wasn’t helping that either. Now they had a right to be together, both by wizard law and British law. Something had to be done.
“Maybe we should just tell them,” he suggested quietly and without conviction. “We’re married now, they can’t keep us apart.”
“But that doesn’t mean they won’t try.” Medea jumped with a sudden idea. “Maybe if we break it to them gently they’ll take it better.”
“What are you thinking?” Patrick asked quickly, ready for any plan that would get them together quicker.
“Well, in a while we’ll tell them that we’re dating and let them get used to it. Then we’ll tell them that we are engaged and we’ll have another wedding for them.”
“What do we do until then? Sneak out every night? Can’t we just tell them we’re married and get it over with?” He couldn’t stand a single night without her.
“No,” She shook her head. “Because that could completely close them out of our lives. I love you, but I also love my family. And so do you. If they never want to see us again, we’ll secretly resent each other the rest of our lives,” she reasoned.
Patrick encircled her waist and kissed her neck. “I could never resent you,” he whispered, tickling her neck with his breath.
“I know you feel that way now, but what about when we’re thirty?” Then she suddenly thought of her parents. They’d at least had Aunt Zofia and the store. She and Patrick had nothing except each other. That just wasn’t enough.
“I still don’t think I’d ever resent you, but I see your point. I guess then in a few weeks we’ll tell our parents we’re dating.”
Medea bit her lip. “Er, to be quite honest, my dad already knows.”
Patrick’s eyes widened to three times their normal size. “What? He knows?”
“Yes, he found your note last week. But he’s fine with it. Well, with us dating anyway, I don’t know how he’ll feel about this.” She ran her hand over Patrick’s stubbled cheek. “He just wants me to be happy, and you make me happy,” she whispered.
Patrick kissed his bride, sweet, slow, and long. “I just hope my dad feels the same way.”
Medea nestled up to his warm chest and sighed in the brief contentment. “Unfortunately there’s only one way to find out.”