The Importance of Being Different

They checked in and then dropped off their suitcases and went through security.

“Do I actually get to know were we’re going now?” asked Anne as Irwin checked for the gate.

“Come on Annie,” chuckled Irwin as he took hold of her wrist and they headed for the gate.

“Why are you being quite so secretive?”

“Because the surprise is half the fun,” he beamed as they got to the gate.

He stopped next to a gate where the plane started boarding in fifteen minutes.

There was a half past nine flight to Athens Greece.

“We’re going to Athens?” asked Anne.

“We’re going to Greece actually, we’re going to spend a fortnight visiting all the places we’ve read about, including Ithaca.”

“We’re going to visit the home of Odysseus?” she asked her eyes wide in excitement.

“Along with the Acropolis, Delphi, Olympia, and all the rest.”

“I love you so much,” said Anne as Irwin pulled her in for a hug.

“I love you too, my beautiful wife,” he said after kissing her.

“Merlin,” he breathed, “you’re my wife.”

“And we’ve got a plane to board,” Anne pointed out as she looked over at the gate where a que was starting to form.

“Recte,” muttered Irwin as he fished in his backpack and pulled out the two passports and the boarding passes.

“Good evening,” said the lady at the desk.

“Hi,” beamed Irwin as he passed her the boarding passes and passports.

“Celebrating anything special?”

“Honeymoon,” said Irwin putting an arm around Anne.

“Congratulations!” she smiled, “hope you have a lovely time.”

“Thank you,” said Irwin as she gave them back their passports and boarding passes.

“You excited?” he asked as they boarded the plane.

“I just can’t believe we’re actually married.”

“Well Annie,” he chuckled as he gave a quick kiss, “you’d better bloody believe it.”

“Have you ever flown before?” asked Anne as they did up their seatbelts.

“Well no,” shrugged Irwin, “not a plane at least.”

“But surely,” he whispered, “it can’t be any worse that Thestrals, I can see the plane.”

When the plane engines started to whir and the plane started to move down the runway, Anne gripped onto Irwin’s hand.

“It’s ok,” he muttered as the plane took off, “I’m right here.”

Anne bit her lip lightly as Irwin squeezed her hand, she had never liked flying of any kind and no matter what Irwin was trying to tell her, this was no safer than flying on a broomstick. At least it was faster than a broomstick, they got to Athens in only four and a half hours.

“Annie,” said Irwin gently as the plane started to land, “look out the window.”

Anne had been half asleep but she looked out the plane window and saw the Acropolis lit up against the night sky.

“Wow,” she whispered staring intently out the window as the plane began to land.

“We’re going there properly tomorrow,” said Irwin.

Anne squeezed Irwin’s hand again as the plane began to land.

They picked up their bags and Irwin flagged down a taxi. Half an hour later they arrived at the hotel.

It was four o’clock in the morning, but the hotel was still open and waiting for them. It was a small hotel which was about a ten-minute walk from the Acropolis.

“You must be Mr and Mrs Scamander?” asked the receptionist.

“Yes,” said Irwin.

“I’m sorry about the late timing,” said Anne.

“That’s completely fine,” said the man behind the desk, “you must be absolutely exhausted, the flight and the wedding. You’re staying for two weeks?”

“Yes, a fortnight,” nodded Irwin.

“Well, here are your keys,” said the man behind the desk, “the honeymoon suite is all ready for you.”

“Thank you,” said Anne as she took the keys whilst Irwin carried the suitcases.

“Here we are,” said Irwin as they reached the top of the stairs, “the honeymoon suite.”

“Wow,” muttered Anne.

There was a huge double bed with white sheets. The bed was covered with rose petals and there was a bottle of champagne on ice.

The best part was though the view out the window, the Acropolis and the Parthenon, which was lit up against the night sky.

“It’s beautiful,” she said looking up at the hill.

“Not as beautiful as you,” said Irwin as he joined her by the window.

He had already unpacked both the suitcases using his wand.

“So, the plan is,” said Irwin, “we take today off to get some rest, and then tomorrow we start at dawn and conquer the Acropolis.”

“I think I’ve died and gone to heaven,” she whispered.

“But as for now,” he said as he put his hands around her waist.

Anne turned away from the window and looked intently into Irwin’s eyes.

Anne had decided that she wanted to wait until she and Irwin had got married until they had sex. They had messed around a lot and seen each other without their clothes off but they had never actually done it.

“You ok Annie?” asked Irwin as she looked slightly nervous.

“Yeah, I’m just a bit….”

“Scared,” he offered pulling at a lock of her hair.

“I’m sorry,” she muttered turning away from him as a tear started running down her cheek.

“Hey,” he said, pulling her in close, “it’s alright, I can wait.”

“No,” said Anne firmly, “I want to do this.”

“You sure?”

Anne nodded firmly.

They sat down on the bed, still wearing their jeans and jumpers from the plane.

“You are so beautiful,” he muttered stroking her face.

“I love you Irwin,” she whispered as he pulled her in for a kiss.

There was nobody else in the world. Just her and Irwin.

Anne ran her fingers through Irwin’s dark red locks of hair as they kissed. He smelt citrussy and tasted of champagne and chocolate.

They both took off their jumpers and lay back on the bed as they continued to kiss.

Anne started to take off her jeans.

“You sure Annie,” asked Irwin gently.

“I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life.”

Their magic had already been bonded during the wedding ceremony that afternoon. So, they had already been joined in the spiritual sense, now all that was left was the physical side.

Irwin stroked her long hair gently as it lay out on the pillow. He entered into her.

She waited for the pain to come, but it didn’t come. It felt right, being with him, being a part of each other.

“I love you more than anyone in the world,” said Irwin as he lay back down.

He was holding her close as they looked into each other’s faces.

“I love you too,” she whispered as she ran her fingers through his dark red curly locks.

“You’d better,” he said laughing slightly, “because I’m never letting you go ever again.”

Anne fell asleep in Irwin’s arms. She had had such a long day, she was married to Irwin, they were going to spend the rest of their lives together, and tomorrow they were going to start visiting the land of myths and legends together.

Anne and Irwin spent the first day of their honeymoon not leaving their room, half of this was because they were sleeping, the other half of the time they definitely weren’t sleeping.

On the second day Anne woke up at six o’clock.

“Irwin,” she said softly nudging him gently.

“Hmmm?” he muttered.

“The sun will be rising soon,” she pointed out.

They got out of bed and Anne pulled on a pair of shorts and a lilac t-shirt. She brushed her hair into one long plait so that it was out of the way.

“Sunburn protection potion,” said Irwin as he passed her a bottle.

Anne started to apply the potion. Both Anne and Irwin had very fair skin and Irwin had already put the potion on.

“The last thing we want is sunburn, that’d be an easy way to ruin the holiday.”

Irwin packed his backpack as Anne applied the potion.

“Euros, map, sunglasses two pairs, guidebooks,” he muttered as he packed his bag.

“You ready my beautiful goddess?” he asked as he passed her her sunglasses.

Anne nodded excitedly and they headed out of the hotel.

It was still slightly dark as they climbed the Acropolis. The lights on the Parthenon were being turned off as they climbed the hill.

The sun began to rise over the Parthenon as they reached the top of the hill.

“It’s so beautiful,” she said as she looked at the white marble temple.

“You think that’s beautiful?” asked Irwin.

“Wait until you see this,” he said as he turned her around.

They sat down on the edge of the hill and watched the city.

The sun had just risen over the ancient city, she could see all the temples and the cobbled streets.

“I think heaven must look something like this,” she sighed as she city began to wake up.

“I think I’m already there,” he beamed as he put an arm around her waist.

They had a wonderful fortnight. They would wake up in the morning and apparate to a different place to look around the sites. One day they would go to Delphi, another day they would look around Ithaca. In the evening they would apparate back to the hotel.

Anne had never been happier. There was nothing to worry about, no Tom trying to kill her, no random wizards she had never met before trying to thank her. It was just her and her wonderful Irwin.