FIC: Build My House (Frank/Alice)
To: mosaic
From: Your Secret Santa


Title: Build My House
Author: emiime (fic journal)
Pairing: Frank/Alice
Summary: November, 1979: Frank and Alice Longbottom build their house and their family.
Rating: R
Warnings: None.



Build my house of wood,
Build my house of stone,
Build my house of brick and mortar.
Make the ceiling strong,
Strong against the storm,
Shelter when the days grow shorter.
But build my house of love,
And paint my house with trusting,
And warm it with the warmth of your heart.
Make the floor of faith,
Make the walls of truth,
Put a roof of peace above.
Only build my house of love. (Leonard Bernstein)


"Frank?" Alice clutched at the newel post at the first landing of the staircase, a basket in her other hand. The house smelled of sawdust and winter air, and Alice drew her cloak tighter around her shoulders.

"I'm upstairs!" came her husband's voice, and Alice smiled.

"I know you are!" She ascended a few steps. "Come down and we'll have some lunch!"

There was no answer, and, after a moment, Alice set down her basket and climbed the stairs. Frank was probably absorbed in perfecting the jointing of the baseboard moulding in their bedroom; he'd talked for a good twenty minutes about it at breakfast that morning.

Alice turned the corner into the room where they would soon be spending all their nights together. It was empty, but the baseboard moulding was finished, and the floor had been swept, the only remaining indication that Frank had been there a pile of sawdust in the corner and a pair of discarded work gloves nearby.

A pair of arms went around Alice's waist from behind, and she jumped, then smiled, putting a hand over her husband's.

"Come and see what I've done," he coaxed, and he put a hand over her eyes and marched her across the hallway.

"Ready?"

Alice laughed. "Yes!"

Frank took his hand from her eyes and Alice blinked in wonder at the little room that had been only bare walls and sawdust the last time she had seen it.

"Frank…"

"Do you like it? I thought the yellow paint was nice and would work for a boy or a girl."

The nursery was bright and cheery, the noontime sun filtering through the sheer white curtains Alice had chosen. The walls were indeed the colour of daffodils, the trim pure white, and Alice couldn't help but grin.

"I love it," she replied, putting her arms around her husband, "I do."

Frank smiled down at her, running a hand through her short, dark hair. "Good. I just thought—I mean, it's been a while since—" His gaze dropped, and Alice put a hand instinctively over her belly.

"It's been a while since the last time, yes," she replied.

"We always try again," Frank said, and he drew Alice to him, kissing the top of her head. They stood together for a long moment, each lost in thought, until Frank's stomach growled and Alice laughed.

"There are sandwiches downstairs," she said, and she drew away from her husband, "And biscuits, and tea, too."

They descended the stairs together, Frank with a solicitous hand on the small of Alice's back, and as Alice took off her woollen winter cloak and set out lunch on the scrubbed wood floor, Frank lit a fire in the newly-built brick fireplace.

"Have you arranged for the Floo Network Authority to come for the hook-up?" Frank asked around a mouthful of corned beef sandwich.

Alice nodded. "They'll come on Thursday, in the morning, if you can be here." She finished the last of her sandwich and sat back. "I have to work, or else I'd—"

"No worries," Frank interrupted, reaching for the container of ginger biscuits, "I'll be here all day. Should have most of our things moved in by the afternoon if things go well."

Alice grinned at this, picturing their paintings and photographs on the bare walls, their bed against the sky-blue paint of their bedroom, the baby's things—

Alice frowned a little. "Frank?"

"Hmm?" Frank was devouring the ginger biscuits that Alice's mum had sent along—Alice freely admitted she was a right failure at baking—and chasing them with a mug full of tea.

Alice smiled and sighed. "The nursery. I love it." She paused, and Frank smiled and lifted an eyebrow.

"But?"

Alice shook her head. "No but. I just—I'm nervous about trying again. If we lost a fourth baby I don't know what I'd do…" She trailed off, tracing a pattern on the wood floor.

Frank didn't speak for a moment, then he moved closer, pushing the lunch things out of the way, and enveloped his wife in his arms and spoke against the smooth black swoop of her hair.

"We'll try again, and we'll try again, and if we're not meant to have children, we can adopt one." He paused and kissed the top of her head. "Surely Molly and Arthur would be willing to give up one or two of theirs. Five boys is probably more than plenty, eh?"

Alice giggled, then lifted her face to kiss her husband, and spoke against his lips.

"Did you know Molly's pregnant again?"

Frank's eyes went comically wide, and he whipped out his wand and pointed it at the floor.

"We'd better get moving, then! We've got some catching up to do!" He cast a cushioning spell on the floor in front of the fire, and Alice shrieked with laughter as he pressed her to the floor and laid a pattern of kisses all over her face and neck.

Frank swiftly unbuttoned Alice's robes as she undid his plaid Muggle work shirt and raked her fingers through the patch of light brown hair on his chest. He shivered a little and smiled down at her, pressing himself to her, and she spread her legs a little wider.

They finished undressing each other, and Alice laughed and slapped Frank's hands away when he ("accidentally, I promise!") found her ticklish spots over and over again, and she tugged at his chest hair in retaliation, and they rolled over and over until they were practically in the fire, their naked bodies glowing with pleasure and with exertion.

Alice closed her eyes as Frank entered her, humming a little at the sensation of being so completely filled, and when he had sheathed himself in her completely, she sighed and smiled and opened her eyes as Frank began to move, kissing the rosy nipples of her small breasts. She ran her hands over his bum, squeezing as he thrust a little too roughly, arching up and gasping and snaking a hand between their bodies to touch herself.

"Mmm," Frank moaned, "Alice, yes." He loved it when she touched herself—he always said there was no use in making love if they weren't both enjoying it. Alice smiled and rubbed herself faster as Frank thrust harder, and her orgasm hit only moments before his, emanating out in waves as he still thrust into her, gasping, groaning, and he filled her with his seed as she relaxed, sated, onto the cushioned floor below her.

"Stay," Alice murmured, and Frank did for a long moment, his prick softening inside her. He rolled off, then, flopping onto the floor beside his wife, and she took his hand in hers as their breathing slowed. Alice's heart was still beating in her ears, but she inhaled and exhaled, squeezing Frank's hand, until her blood stopped rushing and the waves of orgasm had completely dissipated.

"So good," she murmured, rolling over to face her husband and plant a kiss on his cheek. Frank smiled, his eyes closed.

"That's going to be a happy baby," he murmured, "Strong and smart and a great wizard besides."

Alice put her chin on Frank's chest and put her arms around him. "A son," she decided.

"How can you tell?" Frank said, laughing and sitting up, reaching for his shirt.

Alice smiled and put a hand on her belly as she searched for her own clothes. "I don't know. I just can." She pulled her dress over her head and shrugged on her robes and picked up her knickers.

"Something feels different this time, Frank. You're right. He's going to do great things."