Just For Tonight

Summer hadn’t thought that she would ever take that leap again after Finn died but she knew that she had done the right thing by admitting her feelings for Micheal and seeing if he felt the same. He had been there for her through so much and she knew that she really wouldn’t have been able to get through any of this without him. Summer knew that things weren’t going to be easy for them, Micheal was the Minister for Magic and with everything that was going on with the Enlightened it was going to make him a target. Summer knew she didn’t want anything to happen to her girls and she would do everything in her power to keep them safe but she also knew that she had to be true to herself and she knew that she would regret it if she didn’t see where her relationship with Micheal would go. He had helped her see that it was possible to move on after losing someone she loved and she was beyond grateful to him for it. Micheal had wanted to tell Grace about them before anyone else found out and Summer had wanted to do the same with her girls and her family and friends. She hadn’t wanted any of them to find out by seeing it in the Daily Prophet and Summer was glad that she had done that. She knew that they supported her and she was glad that she had them in her corner. Summer wasn’t sure what was going to happen with Micheal but there was a connection there that she just couldn’t ignore and she knew that she didn’t want to either. It had scared her at first when she had realised that she had feelings for him but now she knew that she had done the right thing by accepting it. He was an incredible man, he loved his daughter more than anyone else in the world and Summer knew that he hadn’t done this for a long time either so the fact that Micheal was opening his heart to her meant the world to her. She knew that she would never try and come between him and Grace and she knew that he wouldn’t try and come between Summer and her girls either. Whatever happened their kids had to be happy and right now they were so Summer knew that they were both free to enjoy this.

The Yule Ball was an event that Summer hadn’t been to since she had graduated and it was a little crazy to think that she was going with Micheal but she couldn’t deny that she loved it. It wasn’t very often that she got the chance to dress up like this, she knew that Micheal had to do so pretty often but it wasn’t like that for Summer and she knew to make the most of it whenever she got the chance. Finding a dress that was perfect for the evening wasn’t easy but she had managed to spare some time while the girls were with Angel for the afternoon to go dress shopping and she didn’t regret it. She had wanted to find something special since they didn’t have to worry about hiding what they were to each other now and she hoped that Micheal would like it. She knew that tonight really wasn’t about them, they were going as chaperones so they could make sure that the students got to enjoy their night, but that didn’t mean that they couldn’t steal a few dances while they were there as well and that was something that she really was looking forward to. Unfortunately the girls had been too excited to sleep so she was running late and wasn’t ready when Micheal arrived like she had hoped that she would be. Thankfully he didn’t seem to mind, though, and she felt a smile touch her lips as he said she looked stunning. “Thank you. I thought I’d better make sure I did you justice tonight,” she said, her eyes meeting his as she spoke. Micheal was handsome, everyone saw that, and she had known that she hadn’t wanted to let him down. “Not at all. Thank you, they’ll love them,” she said, leaning over and kissing his cheek as she took the bag from him and set it down under the tree before using a spell to turn the bag invisible in case the girls decided to sneak down. She still had the rest of the presents to put out for them but she knew that she would do that when she got home. “I hope you don’t mind but I got Grace a couple of things as well,” she said as she pulled another bag out from under the tree. There was something in there for Micheal as well but she knew he would find that out soon enough. “Thank you,” she said, her cheeks flushing red slightly as he offered her the rose and kissed her again. “It’s beautiful,” she said, bringing her hand up and letting it rest against his cheek as she kissed him again. As he spoke again, she couldn’t help but laugh. “What do you take me for? Of course it’s going to be charmed to stay on,” she grinned, knowing that Micheal was just as bad about going in for kisses as she was. Reaching for her shoes, she pulled them on before picking up her purse and taking his hand in hers. “I think I’m ready. Shall we go?”

MICHEAL ALEXANDER HERONDALE

Every year staff were needed to chaperone the Yule Ball and that year Summer had volunteered. The girls were still young so she was able to spend plenty of time with them before putting them to bed and getting ready and she knew that chances were they wouldn’t even notice that she was gone. She could still remember just how magical the Yule Ball had seemed to her when she was a student and even though there had been years when she had ended up attending alone or with her friends, it had still been something that she had loved. As it was she hadn’t been since the girls were born and she knew that was to be expected considering that she wasn’t a student any longer but there was a part of her that had missed it. In a way that was why she had wanted to go that year and being able to spend the evening with Micheal would definitely make it worthwhile as far as Summer was concerned. She didn’t have to worry about keeping their relationship a secret any longer, Micheal had talked to Grace and Summer had told the girls and her family so now they were free to be together and she really was enjoying it. It helped that the girls adored Micheal and always had done, she wasn’t sure how Grace felt about her but Summer knew that she wanted to make a good impression on the girl if she could. It was clear that Grace meant the world to Micheal just like Summer’s girls did to her and she knew that she would never try and come between them. It had taken her a long time to feel ready to move on after Finn but even though it was still early days Summer still hoped that her relationship with Micheal was going to work out.

For now Summer knew that she just wanted to enjoy the evening with her boyfriend but it was just her luck that she was running late. She knew that it was to be expected with two young girls to think about but she still didn’t like it and she was determined to make sure that she didn’t keep Micheal waiting too long. “I don’t know about that, I have my work cut out keeping up with you,” Summer grinned. Micheal was handsome, that much couldn’t be denied, and she knew that the last thing she had wanted was to show him up so she had known that she’d needed to put the effort in. As he asked if she had much left to wrap after the ball, Summer shook her head. “Only a couple of last minute presents, I can never resist spoiling them at Christmas,” she admitted as she made the bag Micheal had brought for the girls invisible. “How about you?” she asked, not sure whether he had left any of it to the last minute or not. Knowing Micheal she wouldn’t be surprised if he’d had them wrapped for a while but she knew that she could be wrong. “Perfect,” Summer said, a smile touching her lips as Micheal said that he would collect the bag of presents she’d bought when he dropped her off at the end of the night. She’d already thought about her makeup and Summer couldn’t help but laugh as he spoke. “That’s good because I take you for my handsome boyfriend,” she grinned as she kissed him back. Truth be told it was still a little weird calling Micheal that considering he was over a hundred years old but that’s what he was so she knew that she would have to get used to it even if it didn’t seem to do him justice somehow. Heading outside with Micheal’s hand in hers, Summer’s breath caught in her throat at the sight of the limo waiting for them and she turned to look at Micheal. “You really didn’t need to go to all this trouble, just being able to spend this evening with you is enough,” she assured him gently. “It is amazing of you to do this though, thank you,” she said, her hand finding his cheek as she leaned forward and pressed her lips against his once more. No one had ever done anything like this for her before and the fact that Micheal had meant more than she could put into words. Sliding into the car, Summer waited until Micheal joined her before taking his hand in hers once more and letting her head rest against his shoulder. “I’d be disappointed if you didn’t, I’m not letting this dress go to waste,” she teased. It was a perfect excuse for a date as far as she was concerned and she knew that she wanted to make the most of it while it lasted. They didn’t have to hide anything now and it was a relief to say the least. Summer wasn’t interested in Micheal because of his job or anything like that like she knew that some women might be, she knew the real him and that was who she had developed feelings for and she wanted to make the most of every moment they were able to spend together. Summer’s gaze was fixed on the window as they drove, watching the scenery pass by outside. It really was perfect and she couldn’t believe that he had gone to so much trouble. Once they reached Hogsmeade Station Summer felt a smile touch her lips as Micheal helped her out of the limo and she thanked the driver and wished him a good evening before they headed up to Hogwarts together, talking the whole time. It wasn’t long before they reached the doors leading into the Great Hall and they headed inside together. “I think that’s probably a good idea, let’s grab a drink and then I’ll steal you for a dance,” she said before leading the way in the direction of the refreshments table.

MICHEAL ALEXANDER HERONDALE

Summer hadn’t thought that she would want to be with anyone again after Finn died. She’d had her heart broken before but when she lost her husband she had felt like her heart was being ripped right out of her chest. She had never felt anything like it before and she hadn’t thought that there could possibly be any coming back from that but she had stayed strong for her girls and over time her heart had healed. Summer knew that she didn’t want to experience a loss like that again but she also knew that she couldn’t shut herself off from love altogether just because she was afraid of getting hurt again. That wasn’t what Finn would have wanted for her and it wasn’t what she wanted either. If things worked out the way they were meant to she would have a really long life ahead of her and one day all of her human friends would be gone but she hoped that she would still have Micheal by her side. The way she felt about him had taken her by surprise but she had known that it was time to embrace it. She didn’t know what the future was going to hold and his job meant that he was sure to be a target for the Enlightened but the girls loved him and Summer knew that he was the right person to give her heart to. He made her happier than she had felt in a long time and she loved spending time with him. Going to the Yule Ball was something that she hadn’t done since she was a student at Hogwarts but that evening they were going to be chaperoning and if she was honest she was looking forward to it more than she probably should. Grace was going to be there and Summer still wasn’t entirely sure how the girl felt about her but Summer thought the world of her so if nothing else she hoped that they would find their way to being friends sooner or later. Until then she knew that she wanted to make the most of nights like this with Micheal. “I think we’ll have to agree to disagree on that, the sight of you dressed up like this never fails to take my breath away,” Summer said, a smile touching her lips as she looked over at him. “They do. They saw a few more things while we were out the other day so I had Angel go back and pick them up,” she admitted. Summer knew that she was a sucker when it came to her girls, she could never resist buying them things they wanted but they didn’t let it go to their heads and she knew that she wouldn’t let it. They were her world and she constantly felt like she was trying to make up for the fact that their dad wasn’t around but she was doing her best. “I never would have thought of you as a cheesy Christmas card kind of guy,” she teased. “She’s a lucky girl, I bet she’ll appreciate it all,” she said, a fond smile forming on her face as she nodded. “Have you got any idea what she has got you?” she asked. She and Micheal had said they weren’t going to do Christmas that year since their relationship was still so new but Summer hadn’t been able to resist getting him something anyway.

The idea of getting dressed up and going to a ball for students probably should have seemed silly but the truth was that Summer had been looking forward to this night for a while. Normally she spent the evening at home with the girls but this time she had something different to do and she knew that she wanted to make the most of it. She knew that it would be sure to turn some heads when they turned up together but the truth was that Summer didn’t care about that. She was with Micheal because of who he was not the position he held and if he gave his job up tomorrow then she knew that it wouldn’t change the way she felt about him. He had been there for her during one of the most difficult times of her life and that had forged a bond between them that nothing could take away. “It isn’t silly at all, no one has ever done anything like this for me before,” she admitted. She and Finn were so young when they met and fell in love that things like this hadn’t even crossed their minds. Micheal had lived several lifetimes already and she could see the difference but that was something that she liked. It was so easy for Summer to relax in his presence and she couldn’t deny that she felt comfortable with her head resting on his shoulder and his hand in hers. It was like the outside world and everything that had happened over the last few months had melted away and she knew that that was as it should be. Soon enough they reached Hogsmeade and Summer kept Micheal’s hand in hers as they walked up to Hogwarts. She could hear Micheal’s team moving around them making sure that the area was safe and she knew that she didn’t have to worry at all. She was capable of protecting herself but they had others to do that tonight and she knew that that wasn’t a bad thing. “I like the sound of that, Mr Herondale,” Summer said, a smile touching her lips as she kissed his cheek gently. She knew that Micheal didn’t want to be seen as the Minister tonight and she was more than happy to give him that. Thanking him as he poured her a drink, Summer took a sip and thought for a moment as Micheal asked her what her favourite Christmas memory was. “I would probably say it was when I was seven or eight years old. Angel and I woke our mum up while it was still dark because we’d been downstairs and seen all of the presents. We opened them as a family and spent hours playing before the rest of the family showed up to spend the day with us,” she explained, a fond smile forming on her face at the memory. “I think this year will be even better though because the girls are really able to experience Christmas this year,” she added. Last year they were too young and it had been difficult trying to make the holiday magical after losing Finn but this year was already different. “What’s yours?”

MICHEAL ALEXANDER HERONDALE

Summer had always enjoyed going to the Yule Ball when she was a student, it had been an excuse to spend time with her friends and there were a few occasions when she had gone with a date as well. It was the one night of the year she’d had an excuse to dress up and forget about everything else for a while but she hadn’t been since she had graduated. She knew that she probably could have talked Chantal and Ana into chaperoning with her but it hadn’t seemed quite the same. She had thought about asking Finn to go with her but it was one of the few nights he’d made sure he always had off work and they’d spent the night at home enjoying each other’s company. Their first Christmas after the girls were born they were still new parents trying to figure everything out and her mum had invited them over for Christmas. They’d spent the morning with the girls, Angel and the rest of Summer’s family and the girls had been showered with presents but as the afternoon rolled around she and Finn had ended up falling asleep together on the sofa while Summer’s mum and brother looked after the girls. It was the first real unbroken sleep they’d had since the girls were born and they’d needed it more than they had realised. After Finn died Summer hadn’t really felt like celebrating Christmas but she hadn’t wanted the girls to miss out so she had still decorated the house for them and bought presents and for the last two years the three of them had had a quiet day at home. That year was going to be different, the girls were older now and they knew what was going on this time so she wanted to make it special for them. Her mum had insisted they spend the day with the whole family again like they had that first year and Summer was looking forward to it. The world was falling apart but she felt more like her old self again and Micheal seemed to be determined to make the Yule Ball special as well. They were meant to be chaperoning but that didn’t mean that they couldn’t still dress up and have some fun while they were at it as well. “It does come in handy occasionally but breathing like a human is a force of habit now,” Summer admitted, a smile touching her lips as she looked over at Micheal. “You’ll always have that affect on me anyway,” she added with a grin. Micheal was handsome, that was something that she had known from the fleeting meetings they’d had even before Finn died, but back then Summer had been completely committed to her husband and she had never let herself think about it too much. Now she was ready to move on with her life and she couldn’t think of anyone better to do that with than Micheal. “He definitely is. I know he wants a family of his own one day but until then he seems happy to spoil the girls. They love their Uncle Angel.” Her brother’s love life was much like her own, relationships never seemed to work out the way they wanted them to but she honestly hoped that sooner or later he would find someone he could build a future with. She knew that he would make a great dad when the time came and if she was honest she was looking forward to becoming an Aunt again. “That doesn’t surprise me, it’s always the thought that counts,” Summer laughed. She didn’t doubt that it would be more the fact that he’d gone to the trouble of doing something like that that Grace would appreciate. “Of course she won’t. Men are always the worst to buy for, Angel is just as bad,” she teased. Finn had been as well and it had taken her a while to figure out what to get Micheal that year too. “Maybe she should make you put together a list of things you want to make her life easier,” she added. Grace had known Micheal much longer than Summer had so she didn’t doubt that the girl would have had at least a few ideas of things that her dad would want but a list might still help.

It felt a little strange to know that she wouldn’t get to see Micheal tomorrow but Summer knew that they were doing the right thing by keeping their Christmas celebrations separate that year. She had told the girls about Micheal but she wasn’t completely sure they understood and Micheal had Grace to think about. Summer knew that she wanted to get to know his daughter better but their relationship was still so new right now and Summer didn’t want things to get too messy if they could help it. Instead she was going to be spending the day with her family like she’d promised them she would and Micheal was going to be spending the day with Grace. Next year could be different, by then they would have found their feet as a couple that much more and Summer liked the idea of them spending Christmas together but right now she was sure that they were doing this the right way even if she knew that she would end up calling Micheal tomorrow to check in and see how he and Grace were doing. “You’re right about that. I really do appreciate it, thank you,” Summer said, her expression softening as she rested her head against Micheal’s shoulder. Honestly she couldn’t think of a better start to the evening and something told her that it was just going to keep on getting better. The idea of being able to spend the night dancing with Micheal really was perfect and Summer found herself smiling into the kiss as she kissed him back. She could hear his security team moving around them but in that moment it felt like it was just the two of them and Summer loved it.

Thinking about past Christmases was enough to make Summer feel a little nostalgic but the story she told Micheal was one that came back to her with ease. As he went on to explain about his favourite Christmas memories, Summer listened intently. “I can just see you dressing up as Santa,” she admitted, a gentle smile forming on her face as she looked over at him. “I’m so sorry about what your dad did but your sister and niece were lucky to have you.” She knew that things were different back then but she knew she would still never understand someone turning their back on their child like that. She wasn’t at all surprised that Micheal had stepped up and helped them after that, it was just the kind of thing that he would do and the role that he had with his niece honestly reminded her of how Angel was with the girls. As he explained about his first Christmas with Grace, Summer’s heart fluttered in her chest. “That sounds like a magical Christmas,” she said, lifting her gaze to meet Micheal’s. “I don’t remember much about my first Christmas with the girls, we went over to my mum’s but whenever one of the girls would settle the other would wake up so Finn and I weren’t getting much sleep at the time. We spent the morning with them opening presents and watching them play with the paper more than anything else but after we ate we fell asleep on the sofa and Angel and my mum spent the afternoon looking after the girls,” she explained, a fond smile forming on her face at the memory. “For the last two years the three of us have had Christmas at home. I’d put presents under the tree for the girls and we’d spend the day playing with everything they were given but it just didn’t quite feel the same,” she continued, knowing that she didn’t have to explain why. It was only a few months after that first Christmas that Finn had died and everything had changed after that. “This year we’re going to be spending the day with my family again and the girls don’t know it yet but we’re going to freeze the pond outside my mum’s house and I’m going to teach them to ice skate. They’ve walked across it before and I’ve skated around with them in my arms but they were always too little to try it themselves.” She knew their faces were going to light up as soon as they realised what was happening and she couldn’t wait to see it.

MICHEAL ALEXANDER HERONDALE

Summer had never thought that she would end up becoming a single parent to twin girls but the truth was that she was far from alone. Angel and her family had rallied around her after Finn died and so had her friends and Micheal. Summer knew that she wouldn’t have been able to make it through those first few awful months without them, they had supported her more than she had ever thought possible and she knew that she was never going to be able to thank them enough for that. Somehow she had made it through the other side but she still had the support system in place. It meant that she could have nights like these with Micheal and she could still have some time with her friends as well. Summer knew that she was a mother first but she was also still young and having that balance meant the world to her. The first Christmas after losing Finn, Summer really hadn’t felt like celebrating but she hadn’t wanted the girls to miss out either so she had made sure that they had plenty of presents and the three of them spent the day playing with everything they’d received. Summer had seen that it was different for them without their dad around but she had still done her best and she had done the same thing the following year. This was the first year that they were going to be spending the day with her family since Finn died and the truth was that Summer was looking forward to it. So much had changed that year and not just with the Enlightened revealing magic to the world, Summer had finally felt ready to move on and being with Micheal made her happy so for the first time since Finn died, things were really looking up. As Micheal said that Angel was smart waiting until she had kids so he could get the hang of it first. “That would have been smart of him had he thought of it that way,” she grinned. “Honestly, I thought Angel was the one who would have kids first out of the two of us but he has been so unlucky in love. It was hard for me putting myself back out there again but my brother has been betrayed by someone he loved and had more than his fair share of heartbreaks as well.” Summer honestly felt bad for her brother, he deserved so much better but every time he let someone into his heart, it ended up getting broken. That wasn’t what she wanted for him and she really hoped that the next time he opened himself up to someone it would work out for him. “We were so young when our dad left and Angel really tried to step up. He always put our happiness ahead of his own,” she added. That was something that Summer had tried to get him to see that he didn’t need to keep doing now but he was stubborn and so far he didn’t seem to have listened. As Micheal said he had everything he wanted having Grace as his daughter, a smile formed on Summer’s face. “That’s really sweet but it definitely doesn’t help her get you anything for Christmas. I hope you won’t be so difficult next year when I get you something,” Summer teased, not letting on to the fact that there were already a couple of things for Micheal in the bag she’d said was for Grace. They had said that they weren’t going to do Christmas presents for each other that year but next year Summer knew she was going to change that and make it official.

They could have spent Christmas together that year but they had only been together for a couple of months and as much as Summer would have loved to spend the day with him, she knew that she needed to put the girls first and Micheal needed to do the same with Grace. Summer knew that she had a long way to go when it came to Micheal’s daughter but she was ready to put the work in and build a relationship with her, she just knew that throwing them all together at Christmas wasn’t the way to do it. Micheal and Grace had only had each other for such a long time, they weren’t used to being around a big family like the one that Summer had. Her siblings didn’t have kids of their own yet but there were still going to be quite a few of them at her mum’s place and she knew that the last thing she wanted was to make things awkward with Grace. It had been easy to say that she and Micheal would each stick to their own plans for Christmas that year but that didn’t mean that they wouldn’t still get to talk and next year they could come up with something together that worked for all of them. That was something to look forward to as far as Summer was concerned and she didn’t doubt that Micheal felt the same. As Micheal said his sister and niece used to ground him when he first became a vampire, Summer’s expression softened and she let her hand rest lightly against his cheek. “I’m so glad you had them, I would have hated for you to have gone through that alone,” she said gently. Summer had never been through it herself, she was born a vampire so she had never known any different but she had heard how difficult it could be for new vampires at first from people who were human first and she had seen how difficult it was for her adopted sister when she first became a vampire. She hadn’t known the girl too well back then and she was already a vampire when they met but Summer’s mum had taken the girl in, made her a part of the family and adopted her and they had all helped her adjust as much as they could.

“Oh, we did. It was the first uninterrupted sleep we’d had for months,” Summer laughed. When they were babies it had always been a case of one of the girls waking up just as the other went to sleep or if they did finally decide to sleep at the same time, it never lasted too long. Summer could still remember the exhaustion she had felt back then but she knew that she wouldn’t change a thing. “Exactly. I have plenty of photos of him and stories I can tell them when they’re old enough, I’ll make sure they know him,” she nodded. She tried not to think about all the milestones Finn had missed and the ones in their future that he wasn’t going to be a part of because the truth was that it just hurt too much. Summer knew what it was like to grow up without a dad in her life but fortunately her mum’s friends had stepped in to help her out and Summer considered many of them to be her family. The twins were lucky as they had Angel they could look up to along with Seth and they had Micheal as well. He had been a part of their lives since they were young, ever since Finn died, and she knew that the girls adored him so they definitely weren’t lacking father figures in their lives. “That’s what I’m hoping for,” Summer nodded as Micheal said that if anything the girls would remember playing and having all of her attention for those first two Christmases after Finn died. “I know my family wouldn’t have had any expectations of me those two years but I really didn’t feel like celebrating and I didn’t want to bring the mood down for them all. At least with it being just the three of us I didn’t have to worry about that and I could almost pretend like it was any other day,” she explained, pretty sure that Micheal would understand. She hadn’t wanted to ruin the day for everyone else by being sad or being constantly reminded of that first Christmas with the girls where Finn was there so she knew that it was the right decision even if it meant that the girls had missed out on two Christmases with the rest of the family. “Oh, Angel will be all over taking photos. You don’t need to worry about that,” Summer laughed as they continued to dance. As he said that if they enjoyed skating then he might surprise them with the outfits, a smile formed on Summer’s face. “I’m sure they would love you forever for that,” she grinned, knowing that the girls would look adorable. She had already bought some skates for them which were wrapped up ready for them to open in the morning along with the rest of their presents and she was already pretty sure that they were going to love ice skating. “I do. I used to spend hours skating on the pond outside our house and sometimes I’d even be able to talk Angel into joining me. It was always one of my favourite ways to clear my mind, especially my first year at Hogwarts when everyone found out I was a vampire and decided to give me a hard time.” Some of the students had kept their distance from her, even ones she had shared a dorm with that she had already told she was a vampire, while others had ignored her completely. The worst ones by far were the ones who used to gossip about her and make up lies just to get a reaction out of their friends but thankfully Angel had managed to put an end to that for her. “I still love skating now but I haven’t been for a while. How about you, do you like it?” she asked, curious as to Micheal’s take on it.

MICHEAL ALEXANDER HERONDALE