Work Text:
… knit one, pearl two… knit one, pearl two… knit o—
“Bloody hell!” Julie dropped a loop off her needle and fumbled to capture it. She was normally an excellent knitter, but for some reason today it was proving particularly challenging, as if her every move were under scrutiny. The holiday stress must be to blame, she decided. Things were different this year, and the stakes felt higher.
There was no second chance if she screwed it up.
She fixed her knitting with a sigh of relief and promptly frowned. What row number had she been on?
“What are you doing?”
It was a question innocently asked, but spoken inches from her ear, and Julie felt her heart thud right through the ribs protecting it. She tossed her knitting and all hope of remembering her place onto the rug, shrieking in surprise as she dove off the couch after it.
Julie tossed the loose curls out of her face and closed her eyes to catch her breath before turning and glaring up at the couch. Hecate was standing behind it, tall as ever with her arms crossed over her stomach. She frowned.
“Haven’t we discussed why it’s not right to pop around and frighten people in their own apartments?”
Julie resisted the urge to rub her hip, which had landed most unflatteringly on top of one of her needles.
“I walked,” Hecate said pointedly with a very haughty sniff of displeasure. “I also called your name several times from the doorway, but you were far too busy muttering to your odd little contraption to take notice.”
Julie blushed. “Sorry, love. Didn’t realize.” She shrugged and pulled herself up by the cushion, groaning. “I must have been lost in my knitting.”
She climbed back onto the couch, standing on her knees to be closer to Hecate’s height as she faced the back. Her girlfriend leaned down to meet her halfway, visibly fighting back a smile. Julie kissed her warmly in greeting and stroked her cheek.
“You’re freezing,” she commented.
“Mildred and I decided to fly. She wanted to… talk.” Ever since they’d gotten together last spring, Hecate had taken on the responsibility of Mildred’s transport to and from Cackle’s. She claimed it was to avoid any further Hubble-related incidents, but Julie suspected she just enjoyed the excuse to visit. This time—their first Christmas as something beginning to resemble a family—she was remaining at the apartment.
“Oh? Anything I should know about?” Julie asked, more curious than suspicious.
Hecate’s eyes flashed dangerously, unable to shake her natural defenses. “Certainly not.”
Julie patted her arm. “Don’t worry, you two can keep your secrets. I know you’d tell me anything important.”
Getting used to someone else taking on a role in Mildred’s life had been one of the harder aspects to their relationship, but Julie was trying. As Hecate repeatedly had pointed out—Mildred already spent half the year living with her in a castle. The only real change was how much more openly they now spoke about it and how many boundaries they tried to find to make everyone more comfortable.
“Speaking of Millie, where is she?” Julie asked, straining to look around her witch’s tall form.
“In here,” Mildred mumbled around a mouthful of crumbs. She came in from the kitchen carrying a plate of sweets fit for a small army. Hecate hummed and snatched a piece of chocolate fudge off the side.
“Oh, I’ve missed you. Come here.” Julie hopped off the couch as quickly as her sore hip would allow and skidded in her socks to the other side, crushing Mildred in the tightest hug she could muster. Hecate saved the plate of cookies, though Julie suspected she only wanted to sneak more sweets.
“Missed you, too,” Mildred mumbled from somewhere near her armpit. Julie reluctantly loosened her grip.
“I want to hear all about everything.”
Mildred grinned. “That might take a while, Mum. Can I have another gingerbread witch first?”
“As many as you want,” Julie said, feeling far too overjoyed to have her family home to deny her anything just yet. “That is, if Miss Hardbroom leaves you any.”
Hecate squeaked, another piece of fudge already halfway to her mouth. The Hubbles laughed. “Why do you think I put so much on my plate in the first place?” Mildred asked.
“Good call.” Julie winked.
“About that,” Hecate began, blushing as she handed Mildred’s plate back. She rubbed her fudge-sticky fingers together, looking awkwardly about for a napkin. “I have given it some thought, and I believe it will be appropriate if you wish to call me something else when we are in your home, Mildred. I do not intend for you to feel as if your teacher is impeding on your holidays.”
Mildred nodded. “All right, how about HB?”
Hecate grimaced. “Must it be that?”
“Yes,” Mildred said decidedly. “Hecate would be too weird. Besides, everyone knows you secretly like the name.”
“I do n---” She sighed and closed her eyes, apparently having some sort of silent conversation with herself that neither Hubble was privy to. She took a deep breath and nodded. “Perhaps you are correct,” she conceded. “But that stays between us, Mildred Hubble.”
“You got it, HB.” Mildred grinned and bit the head off another gingerbread witch. “Mum, can I go eat these in my room? I promised Maud I would mirror so we could arrange a time for Winter Wonderland.”
“That’s fine, love.”
Mildred took off, pausing only long enough for Hecate to snatch a gingerbread witch from the plate. Julie rolled her eyes. “Between the two of you, it’s amazing there’s ever any sugar left in this house.”
“I have no idea what you mean.”
“Come on, you. Have a seat. I know you haven’t paused to rest since final exams.”
Hecate groaned as she sunk awkwardly into Julie’s overly-comfy couch. Julie smushed in beside her and smiled as the tired witch rested her head on her shoulder, still nibbling at her gingerbread.
“Hecate, you’re freezing!” Julie exclaimed.
“It’s nothing,” Hecate insisted even as she shivered.
“That’s not nothing. I’m getting you a sweater. And tea.”
Hecate whimpered as Julie stood, leaving her alone on the couch. One of her favorite discoveries had been how secretly snuggly the witch could be.
“It is only a little chill from the flight. There was ice on my broom by the time we landed. It happens.”
“Mildred wasn’t freezing cold to the touch,” Julie pointed out, beginning to worry.
“Young witches always recover more quickly.”
“Hecate…”
The witch sighed. “If you must know, I sometimes experience aftershocks from the founding stone incident. It is harmless,” Hecate reassured. “Just inconvenient. My magic seems to remain intact, but if I spend too long in the cold, the best I can explain is that it somehow triggers the magic’s memory of the ice and I begin to freeze. A minor thing, really. Nothing to worry over.” Hecate sniffed.
“Nothing to worry over? You forget I’ve worked in that castle. It’s so drafty, you must be miserable.”
Hecate shrugged. “I have lived there all my life. I hardly notice it.” She was rubbing her wrist, and Julie followed the movement to her fingertips.
“You’re tinged blue!” she shrieked.
Hecate jumped in surprise and looked down at her hands with a frown. “That is new.”
“How do we make it stop? Should I call for a doctor?”
“Absolutely not!” Hecate insisted. She took another deep, calming breath, and relaxed back into the cushion. “It will go away as it always does. I just need something warm, darling,” she soothed. Julie couldn’t stop herself from blushing. Hecate used pet names sparingly, so they always had just the right effect.
“Right. Sweater and tea. Maybe a blanket, too.” Julie worried at her sleeve, feeling way too out of her depth. A fever she could handle. She’d dealt with her fair share from Mildred. A frozen girlfriend slowly turning blue was a mystery.
“Actually…”
Julie paused, turning back. Hecate looked as if she regretted speaking and continued rubbing her wrists. “Hey, whatever it is, just tell me. I want to help.”
“In that case, would it be possible to exchange that tea for a hot chocolate?” Hecate asked hopefully. Her gaze was sharp as she looked up, clearly emboldened. Even in her current state of panic, Julie found it endearing to see her love finally growing more comfortable being honest about her needs.
“One hot chocolate, coming right up.”
“No marshmallows.”
“Got it.”
Julie dipped into the kitchen to start up the kettle and swerved off towards the bedrooms. Instead of going into her own, she reconsidered and knocked on Mildred’s door.
“Come in!”
She cracked it open and crept in, hoping Hecate wouldn’t mind waiting an extra minute.
“What’s up, Mum?” Mildred was sitting at her desk in front of her mirror with Maud at the other end.
“Hi, Ms. Hubble,” she called with a wave.
“Hello, Maud. Sorry to bother you girls.”
“Do you need me to get off?” Mildred offered.
“No, that’s all right. I just wanted to ask you both if you’ve had any problems since the whole ice thing.”
“Problems like what?” Mildred asked skeptically.
“I’ve been fine,” Maud said. “I mean, there were a few weeks of night terrors, but those ended ages ago. It won’t be a problem when I spend the night,” she insisted.
Julie smiled warmly and patted Mildred on the head. “Of course not, Maud. You’re always welcome. That isn’t what I meant, though. Neither of you have noticed any freezing?” She glanced between them.
“Oh, so you noticed that.” Mildred looked to Maud and they shook their heads at one another.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Julie narrowed her eyes.
Mildred sighed. “It’s HB right? Sometimes in potions she looks a little… blue.”
“And in pain,” Maud added. “More than usual, I mean. We’ve all noticed. Last week she made Ethel walk around to inspect our projects while she stayed behind her desk the whole time. She never does that, Ms. Hubble. But Miss Cackle said it wasn’t our business, and no one was brave enough to ask her directly.”
“So we were hoping you would do something about it,” Mildred said.
Julie shrugged helplessly. “What do I know about magic?” she asked. “It’s not happening to anyone else?”
“Not that we’ve seen. But we have a theory.”
“Oh?”
“Well, if it is connected to the school freeze, it makes sense that it would only be Miss Hardbroom,” Maud explained. “Most witches have magic, but with Miss Hardbroom it’s like… somehow she is magic.”
Julie nodded, knowing exactly what they meant. Hecate used magic as smoothly as she breathed.
“So it affected her more strongly?” she guessed.
“We think so,” Maud said very seriously.
“Great.” Julie huffed. “How do I help her then?”
“You have magic hugs.”
“Right…”
“So get back out there and hug her,” Mildred insisted.
“Okay, okay.” She shook her head, both proud and exasperated. When had Mildred gotten so wise? Sometimes she thought she’d really be lost without her.
“See you tomorrow, Maud,” she called through the mirror before disappearing to let the girls return to their chat. She had a hug to give.
Julie detoured to her room to grab the least offensive sweater she could find and quickly mixed Hecate’s hot chocolate. When she re-entered the living room, she found Hecate holding her dropped knitting and poking at it.
“What are you up to?” Julie asked. It was good to see her nosing about. She clearly wasn’t too miserably frozen.
Hecate gasped and dropped the knitting to her lap, blushing scarlet. “I apologize. I still wondered what you were doing before.”
Julie remembered the question that had startled her and laughed. “I’m knitting a scarf for Millie. Haven’t you seen knitting before?”
She sat down beside Hecate and handed over the sweater first, waiting for her to put on the black knit material before passing on the drink. Hecate sniffed the steam appreciatively and took a sip, flinching at the heat. She licked a drop of chocolate off her upper lip.
“Miss Bat does it on occasion,” she said after a minute. “But you were holding it and moving the little sticks through all these holes. She merely sets it to hover beside herself and goes to sleep.”
“Ahh, well we mere mortals have to do it by hand,” Julie teased. “I can teach you if you’d like.”
Absently, Hecate rubbed at her wrist with her free hand again and frowned.
“Or not,” Julie added, realizing it would probably cause her pain. She sighed, thinking back on Mildred’s advice. She worried it would not be welcome, but it was horrible seeing someone she loved like this. Hecate looked one breeze away from turning into Frosty. “I’ve been thinking… would you mind setting the hot chocolate down for a moment? I’d like to try something.”
Hecate eyed her carefully, shoulders clenched before she relaxed. “You’ve been speaking with Mildred,” she said knowingly.
Julie blinked. “Are you reading my mind?”
“Not right now,” Hecate quipped dryly, giving away the joke with just the slightest crook of her lip. “As it happens, one of the things she wished to discuss on the trip here was her concern over my health. So I will tell you the same thing I told her—I am fine. I do not have any need for magic hugs. It is mere muscle-memory. I appreciate the sweater and hot chocolate, but none of it is necessary.”
“Would it hurt to try?” Julie asked with a cheesy grin, knowing it always poked Hecate’s buttons. “You usually like my hugs.”
“I still do like them.” She sighed. “It might hurt if you get your hopes up and then fall into disappointment when it fails. This is not like before. I need nothing more than you here beside me and this lovely hot chocolate. See, it is already working.”
Hecate held her hand up and sure enough, the blue tinge was nearly gone from her fingertips already.
“So no hugging then?” Julie asked with a pout.
“Not until I am certain it won’t spoil your holidays when our hugs are just hugs.”
“But other touching…?”
Hecate’s cheeks flushed pink and she looked around, making sure there were no little eyes watching from the doorway. She leaned in and pressed her cool lips against Julie’s. “I have no such qualms about other ways to stay warm,” she husked.
Julie lifted Hecate’s free hand to her lips and placed a searing kiss along each fingertip, pleased as they flushed with pink.
“Shall we take this t-”
“Mum, Maud can be here at 6 tomorrow so we can go. Is that okay?” Mildred yelled from her doorway. Both women sprang apart, Hecate clearing her throat and Julie trying to keep the frustration from her voice.
“That’s fine, Millie love.”
They waited until the door shut before both cracked with laughter, bumping shoulders on the couch in their natural rhythm.
“How many more years until witches go to college?” Julie asked teasingly. Hecate kissed her cheek and then straightened up to her usual proper self, still snuggled into the jumper and sipping her hot chocolate.
“Too many,” she quipped. “But to occupy you in the meantime, I have decided to let you show me one of these holiday moving pictures you babble on about so incessantly.”
“I don’t talk about them that much.”
“You do. So come. They had better be worth my time.”
“Oh? And if they’re not?”
Hecate shrugged. “Then I believe you will owe me more hot chocolate.”
*!*
“Are you sure you’ll be all right?” Julie asked worriedly. She was fumbling around in her closet looking for a third scarf to complete her attempt to turn Hecate into the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man. “My app says London is a bit nippy tonight.
“When I agreed to allow you to dress me so I might blend in, this was not what I had in mind,” Hecate whined. “It is not even snowing and you have me suited up for the arctic tundra.”
“Winter Wonderland is an outdoor festival and we may be there for hours, knowing Millie. I don’t want you to get so cold again.” Julie was sure there was a mustard yellow one still missing somewhere. Perhaps under her jeans…
“There is no fear of that. I feel as if you’ve rolled me to the middle of a desert, I’m so warm.”
Julie looked up at this, and sure enough, Hecate’s cheeks were almost feverishly flushed. “Sorry,” she mumbled in embarrassment. “It’s just the heat in here. I forgot you’re not used to having that. As soon as we’re outside, you’ll be glad for all the layers.”
“Seeing as Miss Spellbody has arrived, I believe we could do just that if you would only quit fretting and let us take our leave to this Winter Wonderland.”
Julie grinned. Even with her worry, she couldn’t help feeling excited. She still remembered the first time she’d gone herself. Hecate’s world might be full of yuletide magic, but this would still be a night to remember.
“You’re sure you’ll be all right to transfer us?”
“Yes,” Hecate insisted. “I adore that you care so much for me, but there is no reason to ruin your evening with the girls over a little chill. Would you be more comfortable if I remain in your apartment?” she asked hesitantly.
Julie felt her stomach drop. She’d never meant to make Hecate feel unwelcome. “You’re right. I’ll stop,” she promised. “I think I’d hate myself if I made you feel unwanted. You’re the whole reason I’m excited.”
“Me?”
“Of course, you!” Julie moved to her side and kissed her cheek, relaxing as she realized she was plenty warm. “Okay, we can go now if you’re ready.”
“Thank the Goddess,” Hecate huffed. They moved out into the hall where Mildred and Maud waited, bundled up and nearly bounding on the tips of their toes.
“No Miss Nightshade to grace us with her disastrous presence?”
“She’s in Fiji with her parents,” Mildred explained.
“I see.”
“Ready?” Julie asked.
Hecate grabbed her hand, and raised her other, gliding it through the air with practiced ease. All four disappeared from the apartment and popped out behind a bush right in London.
“I had to be certain we would appear away from any unprepared eyes,” she explained. They followed the sound of the crowd and crossed the street, entering Hyde park at the outskirts of a massive cluster.
“Oh my hat, it’s huge!” Maud exclaimed.
Mildred began chattering away to her about all the fun things inside the gate, and Julie tightened her hand around Hecate’s. She knew she didn’t care for crowds, just as she knew asking her if she was all right would be unwelcome after their earlier discussion. Instead she bit her tongue and said, “I think I’m most excited for the ice sculptures, what about you?”
“My hot chocolate.”
“Hey, you enjoyed Love Actually.”
“I will admit no such thing.” Hecate sniffed.
Julie showed her purse to security and they were guided through. The crowd dispersed in all directions as the park was transformed. It was impossible to imagine how such a spectacular event could pop up right in the middle of a park. Even the ground was covered, transporting all in attendance to another world. All around them were lights, amusement rides, food stands, vendors, and games. Julie unfolded a map and tried to see it without getting too jostled around by children running past. “There’s a circus back that way, ride tickets over there, a beer garden to the left—that’s for us adults—and the Christmas Carol Ice Sculptures are…” she squinted around, trying to find the right path. “Through there and around the corner I think.”
“Mum, can we go on rides? I heard there’s one shaped like tree ornaments!” Mildred said.
“What’s a ride?” Maud asked, looking just as puzzled by it all as Hecate.
“That settles it. We’re all getting on a ride immediately. Just don’t run ahead too far, girls,” she called, seeing them already scrambling in the direction she’d pointed before. Julie chuckled and followed, pulling Hecate along beside her.
“What is a ride?” she asked tentatively.
“You’ll love it. This one takes you up in the air and circles around a bit. Nothing too wild compared to the flying you lot do.”
Hecate snuggled closer to her side and they walked through the crowds, smiling as they smelled delicious foods and passed a hot chocolate stand. “After,” Julie promised. “You won’t be able to take it on with you.” She bought the tickets and the girls rushed ahead to get in line. Hecate frowned.
“This cannot be safe.”
“Probably not,” Julie snorted. “But it will be fine. Thousands of people have been on it and lived to tell the tale.”
Hecate gasped as they were lifted up into the air, the cold night breeze stinging their faces, and Julie began to regret her choice to bring them here first. Down in the crowd, the temperature had been almost pleasant, but up here the air stung. She shivered and snuggled closer into Hecate’s side, hoping to pass a little heat her way. She watched her in the light of the ride as they swirled around, Hecate clenching the bar in her fists.
“I may fear for my life from your ride,” Hecate said shakily as it bumped them around through the air on squealing metal beams, “but I am plenty warm,” she promised.
“I said nothing.”
“Your thoughts were loud enough,” Hecate teased.
They left the ride with Hecate looking mildly frazzled, Mildred leaping with excitement and pleading for another, and Maud looking a little green and quiet.
“Let’s do something different for a while,” Julie said, trying to guide Mildred’s attention elsewhere before Maud had a night of regret. “There’s ice skating, I think.” She pulled the map back from her pocket to find the right way.
“Now that is an activity I enjoy,” Hecate said.
“Really? I wouldn’t have guessed that.” Julie smiled, pleased that no one looked concerned by this plan. She handed the map to Mildred. “Lead the way to the ice.”
Hecate absolutely refused to allow them to rent skates that had been on the feet of total strangers, so they hid behind a trash bin as she transformed their shoes with a little spell. One young man leered at them and fell flat on his ass in surprise, but Hecate only winked. Given his state, he would probably assume he’d imagined the entire thing in the morning.
The ice was much more pleasant than the ride. Hecate had not been exaggerating. She was easily the most graceful skater Julie had ever seen, gliding effortlessly through the crowd and spinning with precision. “I spent most of my life confined to Cackle’s during winter breaks,” she explained, slightly out of breath after racing Mildred on a few rounds of the rink. “Ice skating was one of the few activities I could enjoy.”
“You skate beautifully, but I hope this year you’ll enjoy a lot more.”
“I already am,” Hecate promised.
“Another round HB?” Mildred asked, skating up to their side with Maud fast on her tail.
Hecate took off before Mildred could even realize it was happening, and she squealed and huffed to catch up. Julie laughed, falling off to the side so she could watch her family. It was turning out to be a surprisingly enjoyable time. She felt a little badly for having worried so much. Hecate was an adult woman. She knew what she could handle. It had been silly to worry herself for nothing.
They finished their race and joined Julie off the rink, all laughing as Hecate turned their skates back to shoes. “What next?” she asked, looking brighter and cheerier than Julie could ever remember.
“Food?” she suggested.
“Yes, please,” Maud said eagerly.
They walked towards lights that looked to be advertising street vendors and smiled, each quietly gawking around at all the festive fun, but Julie couldn’t stop staring at Hecate. Her hair was still up in its usual tight bun, but she looked looser tonight beneath the fluffy knitted hat. She looked happy. The lights bounced off her face, twinkling in her eyes like her own personal form of magic.
“So what do you think?”
“Hmm?” Hecate turned away from a fun house she was eyeing suspiciously.
“About all of this.”
“Oh, I… I…” Hecate spun sharply to the side and muffled a sneeze into her elbow. “Excuse me.”
Julie narrowed her eyes.
“You’d tell me if something was wrong, right?”
Hecate sighed and rolled her eyes. “It was a sneeze. They happen.”
“Hmm,” Julie hummed. They arrived at the food and everyone was torn apart by the vast array of choices. Veggie burgers, mac n’ cheese full of hot stringy mozzarella, boxes of overflowing tacos, ice cream, chocolate fountains coating skewers of strawberries and bananas… anything a carnival fiend could dream up. Even Hecate seemed to be enjoying herself.
“Can we go see the ice sculpture display next?” Mildred asked around a big bite of ice cream.
“That sounds excellent,” Hecate said sharply. “I’ve been reading about it in your mother’s brochure.” She had her promised hot chocolate clenched tightly in one hand above the table. Julie studied it, trying to make herself believe it was only a trick of the lights making it look as though she trembled.
They stood to go towards the ice sculpture display, bellies full and ready for a nice slow activity to enjoy with the eyes. Maud wouldn’t be going near any rides for the next hour if Julie could help it. Hecate let out a low whine as she stood, barely covered by the sounds of the crowd, but Julie had been unable to focus on anything else. She jumped to her side and rubbed her back through the thick puffer jacket. “Do you need an ibuprofen?” she whispered, making sure the girls were far enough ahead.
“Pardon?”
“It’s a pill that we use to help with pain,” Julie explained, unsurprised when Hecate glared in response. “Oh, come on. You’re walking like someone set a lock on your joints. If you don’t want a magic hug, at least accept this? I don’t want you feeling poorly all night just for us.”
Hecate sighed. “Very well.” She held up her gloved palm, an instant sign of defeat that set Julie’s teeth on edge. It was unlike Hecate Hardbroom to be so willing to try a nonmagical medication. She rummaged through her purse and drew out two, passing them over and instructing the witch to swallow them with some of her hot chocolate.
“That was horrid,” Hecate said with a grimace.
“You weren’t supposed to taste it.”
“You tell me now.” She glared. “And your pills have done nothing. It still hurts,” she admitted.
“They’re not magic. It takes time,” Julie explained. “But if you’re in that much pain, we should go,” she insisted. “The girls will understand.”
Hecate opened her mouth, then shut it, eyes scanning around the crowd. Julie waited patiently, knowing she sometimes needed time to think things through. Finally, she said, “Let us see these ice sculptures and give your little pills time to work. Then we may reassess.”
Julie smiled and kissed her cheek. “I’m proud of you for being honest,” she whispered. “If that’s what you want, that’s what we’ll do.”
They bought their tickets and walked up to the door, waiting for only a short line to pass before they were allowed inside. As soon as they entered, it hit like a blast, and Julie would have kicked herself if she thought she could manage it.
The room of ice sculptures was absolutely freezing.
“Woah,” Mildred said with a shiver.
It should have been obvious that ice couldn’t maintain a perfect form at anything below freezing, but she somehow hadn’t expected it. Even Mildred looked hesitantly back at Hecate before following Maud to see a tiny sculpted mouse beside a girl building a snowman. Julie grabbed her elbow to stop the woman from trying to follow.
“We should go,” she insisted. “We can wait by the exit and the girls will be fine.”
Hecate shook her head. “I am perfectly content to stay right here and see the ice.”
Julie looked her up and down. She had been rather thorough in her dressing of Hecate. Only her face stood out exposed to the harsh frigid air. Beneath the scarves, gloves, hat, and massive puffer jacket over Julie’s borrowed sweater, it was unlikely Hecate would really get that cold even in here.
“Just tell me if that changes, hmm?” And on they went. Hecate shivered as they looked at the tall imposing figure of Ebenezer Scrooge, carved with an intricate expression of disgust on his face. The ice shined, intermixed with parts in white that looked like frozen snow.
They moved on to a large ice door, tinted blue in the room’s low lights. “Girls, stand by Scrooge’s door. I want a picture.”
Mildred moaned teasingly but pulled Maud along, and they posed goofily while she snapped a picture on her phone.
She expected another snarly question about human technology, but Hecate was strangely silent at her side. Julie turned, surprised to see she had already shuffled on ahead to stare at a woman by a fountain. She dodged a couple rounding the corner and jogged to catch up.
“They really do this without any magic?” Hecate asked skeptically.
“So they claim. Then again, if your lot can go around so stealthily, there’s no reason they couldn’t just as easily be a part of it.”
“No, I think I would like to believe they were truly carved by skilled hands alone. They look a bit too real otherwise, and I would hate to think of witches trapped inside.”
Julie winced. “Is that why you three wanted to come to this so much?” she asked, looking between Hecate and the girls, who all stared mesmerized by the carvings. “Honestly, you’re a morbid bunch.”
“Not why exactly, but it’s good to check things out,” Mildred explained, trying to sound casual.
Julie rolled her eyes. “Let’s keep moving,” she urged, guiding her flock of witches around a few bends and towards a bridge of ice. If Mildred and Maud had any sort of scheme up their sleeves, it was better to keep them distracted. “Oh, this is a better picture. Go stand on the bridge and pose. You too, Hecate,” she insisted.
“Oh, I… I would not wish to impose.”
“Please.”
“Fine,” Hecate conceded, a small smile crossing between her cheeks. She got to the top and clutched the side, standing awkwardly beside Maud and Mildred while Julie snapped a picture.
“Excuse me,” a man said, trying to get Julie’s attention. She turned, spotting two little girls behind his legs and smiled. “Would you mind taking a picture of us on this ice throne?”
“Of course.” Julie held up a finger towards her family, warning them to wait. She snapped a few on his point and click camera and smiled as she handed it over.
“Thank you.”
“Actually, would you mind returning the favor? I’ve been taking pictures of mine all night. It’d be nice to be in one.”
“Sure,” he said, smiling as he accepted her phone.
Julie rushed over to the ice bridge, carefully climbing the thankfully padded ground and popping in between Hecate and Mildred from behind. “Say ice sculptures!”
They smiled and the camera flashed. Julie got her phone back from the kind stranger and wished them a happy holidays.
“Mum, there’s an ice slide over there. We’re going to go on it,” Mildred said, already rushing off with Maud before Julie had even processed her words. She laughed. They were still well within sight.
Julie moved to the side of the bridge beside Hecate and leaned against the ice with a smile. Down below was a pair of massive sculpted figure skaters. They’d entered their own frozen wonderland.
“It really is beautiful in here,” she admitted. “Even if I have to see it all behind a cloud of my breath.” She shivered. “I don’t know how you’re holding up when even I’m starting to get uncomfortable.”
At Hecate’s silence, Julie looked away from the room of ice and over to see what had distracted her. She was staring ahead with a pained expression.
“Hecate?” Julie leaned closer, thinking maybe she hadn’t heard.
Slowly, Hecate turned her head an inch closer, facing the overhead light, and it reflected off a frozen tear halfway down her cheek.
“H-hug,” she croaked. Her knees began to give out, and she sunk to the ground, pulling her legs to her chest.
“Shit.” Julie dove to the ground, smacking her knee against the ice on the way down, but she didn’t care how much it was smarting just now. She had thought the blue of her cheeks was the lighting of the room, but Hecate was ice cold to the touch. She checked her pulse. It was normal, but she shook too hard to speak.
Hug she had said, and Julie felt as if she might be sick. She hadn’t believed a hug would work before. Had adamantly forbidden it. Julie should have fought her on it, should have insisted they stay out of a room full of ice at the very least. What if it was too late? What if Hecate was right, and it truly didn’t work? She had nothing else to try. No other magic to save her.
Hands shaking, Julie gathered Hecate off the floor into her lap, hugging her as close as she could. She tried to remember how it had worked with Mildred. How she had poured every bit of love she had right through the layer of ice. Hecate was different. She wasn’t encased. She was still soft and flesh with nothing to melt.
“Come on, Hecate. I need you back,” she pled anxiously.
“Mmm,” Hecate moaned, snuggling closer.
Slowly, the woman began to warm, but it wasn’t enough. She shivered violently, beginning to draw the attention of a few onlookers approaching the bridge. Julie scooped her up in her arms, struggling to keep her hold with so many layers of added fluff, but she managed to get as far as the slide where Maud and Mildred stood waiting.
“It wasn’t that fun. My pants are wet,” Maud said grumpily. She looked up at the sight of her teacher in Julie’s arms and gasped.
“Can either of you girls transfer us home?” Julie asked desperately.
“I…c-can…” Hecate said through clenched, chattering teeth.
“Oh thank the stars,” Julie kissed the top of her head and hugged her even closer.
“G-get s-s-somew-where p-p-p-p-rivate.”
Julie ducked behind an ice wall, hoping it was good enough, and the girls followed.
“Okay, now’s good,” she said.
Stiffly, Hecate managed to wave an arm, and they soon materialized back in Julie’s heated apartment.
“Maud, start the kettle for hot chocolate. Mildred, get the hot water bottle and some blankets,” Julie ordered. She set her bundled girlfriend on the couch and frowned. “What do I do?” she asked, but Hecate only groaned.
“I’m taking off your gloves,” she warned, hoping the witch could still hear. Julie almost wished she hadn’t, and she gasped. Hecate’s hands were blue, her finger resembling the ice sculptures they’d just been admiring. Next she removed the coat and scarves, leaving her sweater and hat for added warmth.
“Okay, you, I think your coat was in the way. Magic hug number two coming right up.”
Julie leapt down beside her and wrapped Hecate warmly in her arms, rubbing her back and shoulders until the shivering began to slow. Hecate tucked her face into the crook of Julie’s neck and sighed. “Warm.”
Julie laughed and kissed her hair, beyond herself with relief. “I told you it would work.”
The girls returned with their required goods, and Julie stood to take it from them.
“She’s going to be fine,” she promised before they could even ask. “Frosty is melting already.”
Mildred handed the hot water bottle to Hecate, who thanked her sleepily and hugged it close. “Feel better,” she said quietly.
“I’ll be fine,” Hecate insisted with a sniffle. “I promise this time.”
“You got a magic hug?” Mildred asked, looking between them very seriously as if it was the only adequate treatment she would accept.
“Yes, Nurse Mildred,” Julie huffed. “Now come on, you two have a sleepover to get on with and I know it will involve some scheme I don’t want to know about. Get on with your night.”
It took several more minutes of convincing, but the girls finally went to Mildred’s room after Hecate was beneath no fewer than three blankets and sipping happily at her hot chocolate. Julie flopped down beside her with a sigh.
“You’re really okay?” she asked when the girls could no longer listen.
She rubbed sleepily at her nose. “I apologize now for the fact that I fear I’ll be under the weather for the remainder of our holidays, but otherwise I am…”
“You seem hesitant.”
Hecate sighed. “It is confusing.”
Julie opened her arms and turned, waiting until Hecate had smiled and sunk into them. Even her cheek was warm now, matching her red little nose.
“Care to share?”
“Your hug worked.”
“Yes? I told you it would. Why did you doubt it so much, anyways?”
“You thawed Mildred because you loved her,” Hecate said slowly.
“And?”
“Does that mean…” Hecate broke off and blushed down towards her empty mug. “I would hate to presume, but…”
“Oh. Oh.” Julie laughed, unable to help herself. Hecate started to sit up, but she tightened her hold and pulled her back into place. “I’m not laughing at you,” she insisted. “I just thought you knew, and now I feel like a big screw-up for not noticing before.”
Hecate turned to stare up at her, blinking with wide owlish eyes.
“I love you,” Julie whispered, inches away from her face. “That’s why I knew it would work.”
“I had hoped but… well, you never said, so I tried to avoid placing any pressure upon you until I had no choice…”
Julie kissed her forehead. “I’m so sorry. Being a single mum, well, it’s gotten me a little nervous over the years when it comes to such strong words to someone who could potentially hurt Millie if she left. Not that you would,” she insisted. “But I guess it never occurred to me that you might want to hear it.”
Hecate smirked. “It does sound nice.”
“Well then,” Julie beamed. “I love you, Hecate Hardbroom. And if you ever freeze again, I hope you know my hugs will always work.”
“I love you, too.”
“Enough to watch another cheesy Christmas movie?”
Hecate sighed dramatically, but her smile could not be hidden from view. “On with it, Hubble. Just remember…”
“I think more hot chocolate can be arranged, even if you do like it this time.”