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yes im back with another one of these. I hope this inspires someone or you just enjoy the ideas that came out of my weird brain and dreams :)

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Ed is a history professor at a university known among his colleagues for being very personable and charming but extremely private about his personal life. He never volunteers a lot of information about himself and only his closest friends in the department know that he’s married. One of the faculty members has been trying to catch his attention with very little success. Ed hasn’t been wearing his wedding ring lately which has only encouraged her. The reason being Lorraine’s pregnancy has caused her fingers to swell slightly preventing her from wearing her rings. To cheer her up and as an act of solidarity Ed strung both of their rings on to necklace chains so she’s been wearing Ed's ring on a chain around her neck while he wears hers around his. There's an upcoming faculty event and Ed decides it's the perfect opportunity to bring Lorraine along.

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Both Lorraine and Ed are professors at the same university in different departments. Wanting to maintain a clear divide between work and home life, they’re careful to keep their personal lives private. They don’t go out of their way to announce that they’re married and so to most of the campus they just look like friendly colleagues. They don’t realise though that many of their students have picked up on their amazing chemistry and are actively shipping them. The students plot ways to get their two professors together completely unaware that Ed and Lorraine are already married.

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Ed and Lorraine spent the morning playfully teasing each other before leaving the house for a church donation drive they agreed to help with. They are determined to see who will break first and drag the other back to the house. They are split into separate groups, Lorraine stacking and organizing books with a few neighbors while Ed sorts through boxes of home goods with another team. Neither of them are willing to let the other off easy with Lorraine laughing and touching the neighbors arm at his joke, and Ed leaning in just a little closer than necessary as he helps another neighbor unwrap a set of dishes. Their goal: incite enough jealousy in the other till one of them breaks.

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Various moments when Lorraine has to call for Ed to remove a spider in the house.

While Ed may be able to handle spiders, a ladybug is where he draws the line and Lorraine needs to swoop in and protect him.

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They are just pulling into the driveway after a night out but Lorraine is tired and doesn't feel like walking up the driveway only to have to walk up the stairs as well. She decides to pretend to be asleep knowing Ed will cave and carry her in. Ed is familiar with her antics after years of being married to her, but will never pass on an opportunity to carry his wife.

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- They go shopping and Lorraine tries to suggest a nice tie that'll look good on Ed but he refuses to buy it because it has a pattern that doesn't match any of her clothes

- Lorraine buys super cute matching sweaters but is nervous Ed won't like them. When they get home they share a humorous moment when they both pull out bags from he same store and they have both bought the sweaters for each other

- Two workers at a store the Warrens frequent gushing about how cute the couple is whenever they come in together

- Lorraine doesn't like having to go into the store to buy underwear or bras, but Ed loves to shop for these items for her

- Lorraine goes shopping and picks up a new perfume not thinking much of it. When she gets home Ed immediately notices but doesn't say anything thinking she'll go back to the old one but after a few days he cant take it. He doesn't like the switch, he's always associated her with the other one and the new one just doesn't smell like home (maybe it happens the opposite way?)

- Lorraine trying on new heels but they put her eye to eye with Ed

- When they are early into their relationship Ed notices his sweatshirts and socks begin to go missing, the first time going over to Lorraines he finally solves the mystery of where all his clothes have been disappearing to

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There have been a string of missing persons in a small semi rural town in Virginia which leads to the BAU team coming in to try and solve the mystery.

This is a small town where everyone knows everyone. The local police have written off the disappearances as runaways and make it clear that the BAU team are not welcome and won't be getting any assistance in any form from them.

The towns people aren't much better. The BAU have to go to three different motels before they are able to find someone willing to let them stay there. Everyone in town has closed ranks making it clear that they take care of their own and they don't appreciate outsiders poking around and making accusations.

Meanwhile, the Warrens get a visit from Father Gordon who tells them about the case. One of the women in the town had reached out as her husband had gone missing and she was sure there was something supernatural going on. After hearing about the case Ed and Lorraine decide they'll take it.

Driving into town they are nervous about the reception they will receive bracing themselves to be met with skepticism. They are pleasantly surprised at the warmth and gratefulness of the towns people. The fact that they aren't associated with the government already make people more at ease, but seeing the Warrens genuine care endears them even further. They are taken by Eds steadfastness/charm and Lorraines gentleness/kindness, both offering an understanding and sympathy the BAU team failed to provide.

The next morning Ed and Lorraine head to the police station to gather information from the police. The BAU watch the scene unfold from a conference room with a little irritation. Doors being held open, chairs pull out, offerings of tea, a very different attitude than the one they were welcomed with. The officers thank the Warrens for coming. They admit that they've hit a wall with what to do next but know that their citizens deserve answers. They offer complete support and backing for whatever the Warrens decide to do.

The BAU have no clue who the Warrens are and are shocked to find the local police are just handing out classified information to seemingly random citizens. They know that the presence of this couple will not be making things easier for them. Breaking for lunch the BAU team get to see first hand the difference in attitudes towards them vs the Warrens.

Little do they know if they are going to work together to bring closure to the community and solve the case they will have to work together. However, their skeptical attitude towards the couple, met with Eds protectiveness may cause some bumps in the road.

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- Lorraine drags Ed along with her to look for new make up products. By the time they exit the store Ed's hands and arms are littered with various streaks of products

- Lorraine is experimenting with different baking techniques for a community baking competition so Ed now has a new treat to try every morning

- Ed is trying to pick out a new table for his study but is having trouble finding one thats the right height. He picks up Lorraine and sits her down on the table to begin eliminating ones that will be too high or low for their extra curricular activities

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Various times/moments when they are just beginning their relationship and they are sneaking each other into/out of the house after curfew.

Ed sneaking Lorraine in/out:

- Ed lives with his grandmother and he thinks he's real sly sneaking Lorraine in but the steps always squeak. His grandmother knows what they are up to but lets them have it

- One morning Ed and Lorraine sneak down to the kitchen in the early morning to make a quick breakfast before his grandmother can wake up and discover Lorraine is there. Lorraine is wearing a pair of his boxers and one of his sweaters and he's in his boxers and a t-shirt. They have bacon and eggs going on the stove and Ed has just lifted Lorraine onto the counter for a quick make out session his hands wandering under her sweater when his grandmother turns on the kitchen light clearing her throat.

"So I'm guessing you slept well last night" she says with a teasing smirk on her face.

Ed and Lorraine immediately jump apart guiltily. Ed extends his hand to Lorraine to help her hop off the counter making sure she has both feet firmly on the ground before sheepishly facing his grandmother.

Ed stammers out a "ummm. I swear she just got here-". Before being cut off by his grandmothers chuckling

"Do you really think I'm that naive Edward. Tsk Tsk Tsk. I've known what you were up to since the very first night, this isn't my first rodeo you know"

- Ed is doing laundry and fails to notice a pair of Lorraines underwear got mixed in with his stuff. His grandmother see's it and says "and whose are these?" and Ed blushes and stammers out "ummm mine? yeah....I'm....ummm....experimenting?". His grandmother just chuckles tosses them back at him and say's "Tell Lorraine I say hi" and walks off. Ed is mortified and wishes the ground would swallow him whole right then and there

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Lorraine sneaking Ed in/out:

- Ed is just crawling back out of her window when they hear a knock at the door. Lorraine quickly shoves him the rest of the way out causing him to tumble off the ledge and fall into the bushes below. She quickly sends away the person ont he other side of the door and rushes back to open up her window and look down to check on Ed and see if he's okay.

"oh my goodness Ed! Are you okay? I'm so so so sorry"

Eds head emerges from the bushes some leaves and twigs sticking out from his head. "Tis but a scratch my dear. Didn't even hurt that bad" he says with a little wince.

Lorraine gazes down in horror distressed at the thought that she may have hurt him.

Seeing her distress Ed softens and reassures her saying "really my love, I'm okay. I would do it all over again just to be able to see you" after a brief pause he says "but maybe next time we can wait for your parents to fall asleep so I can use the door?"

- Ed has just made it through the door when they hear footsteps coming down the stairs. Reacting quickly Lorraine quickly shoves Ed into the hallway closet turning back around in time to see her mother defending the stairs with a suspicious look on her face.

"What are you doing up?" Lorraine tries to ask casually.

"I thought I heard voices. You know anything about that?" her mother says with a brow raised.

"Voices? Hmmmm. No I don't believe so. Must have been the wind" Lorraine says trying to look as innocent as possible

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Meet cute between Ed and Lorraine.

Every week without fail Lorraines mother drags her along to spin thread with the other ladies in church with the hopes of one of the ladies mentioning an eligible son or grandson where she can quickly remind then of her very beautiful available daughter. Lorraine despises being dragged along and paraded like a prized show pony, but when she's with her spindle the act of spinning magically helps quiet the chaos raging in her head.

She is completely focused on her spinning and has just joined a new group of wool to her spindle flawlessly introducing it to the existing thread when her mother suddenly appears in her field of vision. Startled she drops her spindle with a gasp and watches hopelessly as it rolls away from her.

She shuffles after it dismayed as it continues to roll further and further away before coming to a halt at a pair of shiny black shoes. Both Lorraine and the new figure crouch down simultaneously to pick up her rebellious spindle hands meeting when they both reach for it at.

Theres an instant spark which grows into a flame when Ed and Lorraines gazes finally lock.

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Decades later after Ed and Lorraine have passed Judy is going through their thing figuring out what to donate and what to keep when she stumbles upon a box at the top of their closet. Curious as shes never seen it before, she opens it and inside lay the spindle and on the handle the words written 'The thing that started it all".

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Judy's daughter's daughter's daughter moving in to her college dorm and the first thing she unpacks is the spindle. Now the spindle is passed down as a good luck charm. Every Warren woman since Ed and Lorraine have found their true love when they had that spindle on them

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In high school Ed discovers an unknown talent he has. He is excellent at painting Lorraines nails for her. Perfect strokes and layers with no smudges. At first it's just something that he does because he knows it makes Lorraine happy, but over time he begins to cherish doing it for her. It's extra time and closeness they get to spend with one another and he would never pass on an opportunity to spoil her and see her gorgeous face light up when he reveals the color hes chosen for her.

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When he returns from the war it becomes a way for them to reconnect. They've both grown up in their time away from one another having to face the realities of war, but this action takes them back to easier times and allows them to relearn how to simply be with one another.

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While she is pregnant, Ed finds enjoyment in painting Lorraines nails various shades of blues and pinks.

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Like Lorraine, Judy is ecstatic with Eds gift and often asks him to paint her nails. Ed always agrees glad to spend some father daughter time together.

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Even when they're old and his hands shake Ed continues to paint Lorraines nails.

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Lorraine is 92 when she passes away peacefully in her sleep hand intertwined with Eds. One of his last acts for her while they are prepping her body for the funeral is to paint her nails. Hands shaking, tears streaming down his face he reaches into his pocked and produces an old bottle of polish. It's the same polish from the first time he ever painted her nails.

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2 years later Ed passes away peacefully in his sleep on Lorraines side of the bed. At the funeral the last thing Judy does before walking away from the casket is take that old bottle of polish and slip it into his suit pocket with a soft "Say hi to mom for me".

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Preface: Hermione POV - 1997

She didn’t mean to lose it. She really didn’t. She's usually more on top of things, actually known for being the responsible one. She knew that she should’ve put the time turner in her bag instead of her pocket, she typically does. It really wouldn't have even taken that much effort to just open up her satchel and put it inside, but Ron and Harry had gotten into some kind of kerfuffle with Malfoy when they were passing through Knockturn alley so she had to quickly shove it in her pocket and rush to try and resolve the issue.

At least she thought she had. But it must have swollen out of her pocket then because now she couldn’t find it anywhere. SHe had always frantically returned to retrace her steps at knockturn ally but had turned up empty handed.

“I’m so fucking screwed. Mcgonagall expects me to return it at the end of the semester! If she finds out I lost it she could suspend me, or worse, I could be expelled! That’s it. My life is over” she thought to herself eyes closing as a pit of dread began to sink in her stomach.

After a moment her eyes pop open with a new determination shining in them. No one else knew she had it so they wouldn’t know that it's missing. It could be her little secret. She just needed to find it before anyone else did. Yes this could work, she would find the damn time turner if it was the last thing that she did.

Here’s the thing about secrets though, they always have a way of coming out in the end, and often in ways you would never imagine.

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Unknown POV - 1940

A cold breeze ran through the dark alleyways of Knockturn alley. A comforting greeting to those who often frequented the shadier side of Diagon Alley but a warning to others. A hooded figure slipped quietly/expertly through the shadows eventually stopping in front of a dark wooden door with skull emblem on it. The skull had a snake coming out of its mouth...

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Lorraine POV - 1997

Brrriiiiiinnggggg!! Lorraine's footsteps echoed down the empty corridors as she ran through the cobbled halls of Hogwarts. She did her best to try and wrangle her hair into something somewhat presentable as she ran. Finally she came to a stop before the wooden door of the classroom to take a quick peek at her pocket watch praying to whatever higher power was out there that it was still 9 am or close to it. Whoever was up there was clearly taking a day off as her pleas went unanswered.

9:45 am. She was late, very very late.

Cursing to herself internally she tried to quietly slip into the classroom to a seat in the back. Professor Hawthorne still had his back turned and she hoped that he hadn’t noticed.

“Nice of you to grace us with your presence Ms. Moran” the professor said.

She felt her face grow warm at the call out, her face began steadily growing reader as the other students turned to stare at her. The professor slowly turned around and looked down at her with disapproving eyes.

“Tell me Ms. Moran, what would I get if I powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?” Professor Hawthorne asked impatiently.

A girl with brown hair a few seats in front of her who she thinks is named Hermione Granger immediately shoots her hand up eager to answer the question. Lorraine simply stares back with confusion in her eyes and shakes her head as another wave of embarrassment rushes through her. Choosing to ignore the hand waving in the air, the professor continues to stare expectantly at her before asking her another question

“You don't know. Well then, lets try again Ms. Moran. Where would you look if I asked you to find me a bezoar?”

Lorraine looks down at her hands anxiously twiddling in her lap. “I- I dont know sir”

“Pity. Perhaps if you ever actually bothered to be on time and pay attention during my lectures you would know and wouldn't be flunking my class”. With that professor Hawthorn turns back to the board and continues on with the lecture.

Lorraine wishes more than anything else that the floor will just open up and swallow her whole right there. For the remainder of the class she does her best to make herself as small and unnoticeable as possible.

Later that day she is wandering around Diagon alley trying to clear her head of the mess of the day when she hears something clink by her foot. She looks down and it's a strange looking medallion with a tiny hourglass in the center. Intrigued, she picks it up and quickly stuffs it in her pocket before anyone can notice.

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Ed POV - 1940

The shrill sound of the bell echoed through the school signaled the end of the day. Students shuffled out of classrooms quickly and excitedly ran towards their next destination and after a few moments the hallways were left empty with only a stray piece of paper as a sign that students were ever there. Ed slowly walked down the deserted hall's mind still reeling from the crappy week he’d just gotten through.

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(Okay ngl this is kinda where I lost the motivation to flush this out. As I haven't touched this in about 2 years she's not fully finished. But I'll provide y'all with where I was originally planning on taking this until I lost interest. Pls don't judge how poorly written this was, I thought someday I would go back and actually write everything out way more polished, but as you can see that never happened)

Setting will be post the prisoner of Azkaban. Hermione loses the time turner and it gets picked up by Lorraine.

One day while traveling back in time she meets Ed and they both feel a spark. She continues traveling back as often as she can to spend time with him and they slowly begin to fall for one another.

One day they are having a picnic by the lake, she's in his arms and she tells him that she isn't from his time. Ed asks how that's possible and she lies and says it's because of the time turner nervous if she reveals the truth he’ll think she’s weird.

One day they are walking along the edge of the forbidden forest and a death eater who is hiding nearby overhears Lorraine confess to Ed that she had the ability to control time. Lorraine decides to give Ed the time turner so that he has the ability to travel to her as well. They want to do the whole share my world with you thing.

The hidden death eater then rushes to tell the dark lord what he heard. The dark lord then gathers his followers and tells them that Lorraine is their key to world domination. He tells his followers that the more frequently the couple use the time turner to come back to this point in time they will be bringing their present time and the future time closer and closer together and that eventually they will collide. When that happens they can join with the death eaters in the future and take over the world. The Dark Lord tells his followers that their goal now is to protect Lorraine and Ed and make sure that they aren't hurt or killed before they can merge the two times. Then they will convince Lorraine to help them with their evil plans. A follower boldly asks why Lorraine would join them and the Dark Lord replies by saying that she is young and in love with Ed and that young people do stupid things for love.

The death eaters send a messenger to the future using their own time turner to deliver their plans to the future death eaters and they agree. Over the next couple of months a designated death eater watches over Lorraine and Ed as they slowly become closer and closer.

Lorraine and Ed continue on with their forbidden love and are so wrapped up in each other that they fail to notice that slowly things start blending together and things from the past begin popping up in the future.

One day one of the teachers catches Lorraine sneaking back into the common room after a tryst with Ed and her punishment is detention. When she gets there Harry and Ron are also there for something they got into trouble with. She sits down on the other side of the room and proceeds to ignore them. Hagrid goes in and tells them that they will be going into the Forbidden Forest to figure out what is killing the animals.

They all go into the Forest and split into two groups. Ron goes with Hagrid while Harry goes with Lorraine and Fang.

The two walk in awkward silence for a bit with Harry not knowing what to say. All of a sudden they hear a growl and Lorraine turns to look at Harry to ask what the noise is. Harry says "I don't know". They move closer to each other and then Fang starts to whimper and then all of a sudden runs off to find Hagrid.

Ron and Hagrid are surprised and rush to find Harry and Lorraine knowing Fang sensed trouble. They got close and can see Lorraine and Harry in the clearing and start to approach when a loud growl stops them in their tracks. A huge cerberus looking animal starts to approach Harry and Lorraine. Harry starts backing up but trips over a branch and gets stuck while Lorraine starts backing up. The creature starts to advance toward Lorraine and she trips over a branch, twisting her ankle and falling to the ground. Hagrid and the rest of the people are all frozen in place and watch as a death eater rushes out of nowhere and starts firing spells at the creature until it goes away.

The death eater then turns to Lorraine crouching down, heals her ankle and then helps her up. When he reached for her hand his sleeve rose slightly revealing his snake tattoo before lightly caressing her cheek and disappearing. Everyone is still for a moment before Hagrid brakes the silence and goes to help Harry up. The four people just stare for a bit at Lorraine who is still standing frozen and confused. Hagrid tells them that they are done and that they are free to go back to their dormitories. They all go silently.

When Lorraine gets back to others her heart is racing. "Who was it that saved her? Where had they come from? Why did they save her?" So many questions were racing through her head. She decided to just go to sleep and think about it more in the morning.

Harry and Ron arrive back at the Gryffindor dorms and they immediately go and wake up Hermione and tell her what happened. "Who was that man?" "He was definitely a death eater." "How was he so close to the school and why did he save them?" They decided that they would tell the headmaster what had happened in the morning.

Meanwhile, Hagrid is racing to the headmaster's office. He bursts in on Albus, Minerva, and Snape having a meeting and they stare at him and ask him why he is interrupting and he says that he has something important to tell them. They usher him in and he says that he was in the Forbidden Forest trying to figure out what was killing all the animals and he had the detention children with him when they were attacked by a cerberus type of dog. The dog tried to attack one of the students when a death eater came out of nowhere and scared it off. They all tense. Minerva says "A death eater? Are you sure? How did it get so close to the school?" They ask who the student was and he says Lorraine Moran. She and Harry had paired off. They said it's strange that the death eater didn't try and attack Harry as he had the perfect opportunity. They ask Snape what he knows about Lorraine. He says that she's a loner and that she isn't very skilled at magic. Just barely passing all of her classes. They wonder why the dark lord would be interested in her. They must know something about her that they don't. Albus tells them to keep an eye on her and to let him know if they find anything out.

The next day Harry, Ron and Hermione are walking the halls trying to rush back to the dorm before they get caught breaking curfew again when they see Lorraine rush past them. She is wearing a long dark blue silk night gown with a robe hastily pulled on overtop. They decide to discreetly follow her and watch as she stops in a secluded hallway. They silently watch as she closes her eyes in focus then she vanishes. As they don't have a time turner and can't follow, they talk about what they just discovered. They debate over whether or not they should tell someone and decide that they will keep the information to themselves for a little bit until they know more because they know that they would get into more trouble for being up and about when they are not supposed to be.

For the next couple of weeks they watch as Lorraine sneaks out and vanishes for a couple of minutes before coming back.

3 weeks later one night they are caught sneaking out by Filch and they get sent to the Headmasters office. Minerva is there as she had a meeting with Albus prior. They ask why the students were out of bed and hadn't they learned their lesson by then. The trio say that they were following another student. The professors ask who they had been following and they say Lorraine. The professors curiously ask why the trip had been following her and they reply because they were suspicious as to why she had been out of bed. The professors ask what the trio had found and they say she would disappear for a couple minutes each night before coming back. The professors thank the trio for the information and they say that they can go back to their dorm. They are surprised and ask about punishment but the professors say that they will address that later. The trio go off to bed and they wonder what will happen after that.

Minerva and Albus call for Snape and he asks what they want and they say they think they figured out why the death eaters may be so interested in Lorraine despite her lack of magical ability. They say that she seems to have found a time turner. But Snape says that that wouldn't be enough for death eaters to be interested in her. The death eaters could easily get a time turner if they wanted to and if it was that they were interested in they would have had the perfect opportunity to grab it in the Forbidden Forest but they didn't and they had healed Lorraine then. So they were interested in her.

The professors wonder where she is going and what she is doing that is so important and has her traveling in time so often. They know that the death eaters only answer to the dark lord. What are they planning? What do they want? Is the school safe? What about the students? Should we be sending them home? No. No need to cause mass panic. They don't even know if it's a thing. Is there any possibility of Lorraine being in league with the death eaters? Snape says no. Lorraine, while being somewhat of an outsider, is too good to join the dark side. They all decide that they will just keep an eye on Lorraine for a bit and will bump up security and protective charms around the school. Albus says that he will call her to his office the next day and see if he can find anything.

The next day Lorraine gets the weird feeling that she is being watched. Feeling creeped out and anxious she decides to go and seek comfort from the only place she knows. Eds embrace.

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When Ed begged Lorraine to let him come over and study he truly had innocent intentions.

He didn't intend to engage in any "scandalous" actions, but honestly how could he resist when she was sat so prettily in her blue dress that made her eyes just absolutely sparkle. They were sat on her bedroom floor, textbooks sprawled out all around them, the glow from her desk lamp casting a warm light over the room. One moment Lorraine is teasing Ed about his sloppy notes and the next Ed has pulled her into his lap and is trailing hot kisses down the expanse of her throat and across her collarbones. Lorraine is letting out quiet moans tugging on the back of Eds hair driving him crazy.

He is just about to suggest they move somewhere more comfortable when she breaks the trance with a giggle saying they need to get back to their work before one of her parents catches them. Ed reluctantly lets her slid back out of his lap with a groan. After smoothing out her dress and fixing her hair Lorraine dutifully returns to her work.

Ed knows he should get back to being productive as he has a lot of homework for the next day, but it seems like a herculean task to drag his eyes away from his stunning girlfriend. Eventually he manages and begins writing a paper for one of his classes, but his mind is never far away from thoughts of her. He isn't even aware of what he's writing at that point, eager to get it done so he can continue to make out with his girlfriend and maybe get a few cuddles in on her bed.

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The next day:

Ed's teacher is reviewing his essay but is quite perplexed as instead of receiving an essay on the fall of the Roman Empire, they have received 8 pages of Ed waxing poetic about his love for Lorraine.

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For the Warrens, matching their clothes wasn't just a style choice even though it did help them present a more united front. The colors Lorraine chose to drape herself in often reflected how she was feeling that day. Ed, practically without fail, would always match her as a way of saying “I’m here, you are not alone. Never alone”. It allowed them to feel connected to one another throughout the day even if they weren't physically together.

Monday: Dark Grey

Rain was coming down in sheets against the window. Ed had slipped from the covers a little while ago and was now setting up the tea kettle on the stove while he prepared his morning coffee. Lorraine had barely stirred when the alarm went off and he knew that the weather would only bring down her mood further. The screeching of the tea kettle broke Ed out of his thoughts and a few moments later he was carrying the tea cup up the stairs to where he hoped Lorraine would just be waking up.

The door to the bedroom creaks open as he quietly slips back into the room, surprised to find the bed empty but rustles from the closet guide him back to Lorraine. When she steps out of the closet, she is in a dark grey wool skirt, light grey blouse, and is just pulling on a light grey sweater to match.

Lorraine gratefully accepts the cup of tea with a quiet thank you before turning to make the bed. Ed watches her for a few moments hoping the warmth from the tea will be able to turn her mood around enough for her to go back into the closet and put on a more cheerful color. But by the time the bed is made and tea gone, Lorraine has made no move to return to the closet, content to remain wrapped up in her sullen colors.

With a quiet sigh, Ed heads into the closet to grab his dark grey tie before heading over to Lorraine's vanity to try and tie it. Lorraine, noticing he's struggling gracefully makes her way over to him gently brushing his fumbling hands out of the way to quickly maneuver the fabric into a perfect straight knot. Before she can pull her hands back his grasp hers bringing them up to his lips for a soft kiss with a soft “Thank you my love”.

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Tuesday: Daffodil Yellow

Considering how tired and melancholy Lorraine felt the other day, Ed was prepared for another day of drab colors. However, when he woke he was surprised to find that the sheets beside him were cold. Slowly getting up he can hear slight clanking from the kitchen drawing him in.

The scene he's met with when he steps into the kitchen is Lorraine in a daffodil yellow sundress with a light cream shawl resting delicately over her shoulders. She is just taking a tray of muffins out of the oven when Ed sneaks up behind her winding his arms tightly around her waist placing a gently kiss behind her ear.

Lorraine lets out a girlish giggle “mmmm what was that for hon?”

Ed smiles into her hair, his embrace tightening slightly pulling her closer into him. “You are absolutely radiant today my love”

“Am I not every other morning” Lorraine says teasingly.

Ed quickly moves to spin her around in his arms before bringing her in close to him once more. Her arms moving to rest against his chest as his arms fell back down to rest against her lower back. “Now don’t go putting words into my mouth darlin, you take my breath away every morning, you just look absolutely irresistible this morning” Ed says before placing a sweet kiss upon her lips.

Lorraine quickly spins out of his arms leaving him reaching towards her longing to pull her back into his embrace. She grabs something off of the dining table before turning to face him. Her hands work with a quick familiarity draping the daffodil yellow tie around Ed's neck and into a neat knot. Satisfied with her work she twirls out of Eds arms once more to go over and fiddle with their record player, the sounds of Steve Lawrences song Pretty Blue Eyes filling the room before Lorraine is turning back to Ed with a hand extended to him in an unspoken request for a dance.

The couple spend a few minutes dancing around the living room before reluctantly parting knowing if Ed delays his departure any longer he'll be late.

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Wednesday: Brown

Still riding the high from yesterday's yellow, but knowing what to expect from a day following such an emotional high, Ed wasn't too surprised when Lorraine descended the stairs in shades of brown, a color that often grounded Lorraine after swinging too far into either joy or melancholy. She smiles sweetly and places a gentle kiss on his cheek when he passes her her customary cup of morning tea before moving to sit down at the table and glance over the paper.

The couple sit quietly for a few moments just enjoying their breakfast and the calm quiet of the morning. Their feet intertwined under the table and their pinkies crossed over the paper. When Ed eventually stands and begins to gather his things for the day, before he can make it to the door Lorraine stops him quickly looping a dark brown tie around his neck. She presses a quick kiss to his lips with a “Have a good day hon” before she's ushering him out of the house knowing if they linger any longer he will be very very late.

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Eds students POV

Monday: Dark grey

Professor Warren came in today wearing a dark grey tie and has an air of heaviness around him. But I suppose that's fitting for a stormy Monday morning as it perfectly matches my mood. But for some reason the heaviness seems deeper than simple irritation from the weather. I am too tired though to read to deep into it.

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Tuesday: Daffodil yellow

I had heard from a friend of a friend who took a class with Warren last year to keep an eye out for what color tie he is wearing because that will dictate the mood for the day. No one really knows how the tie color system works, we just know that it exists. Today i was surprised when the professor came in with a stunning yellow tie, a stark contrast to the darkness from the other day. This switch up just feeds my curiosity over what causes these vast color swings but I don’t linger long on my musings when the Professor reveals he brought homemade muffins for the class to enjoy.

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Wednesday: Brown

The Professor that steps through the door today is a far cry from the energetic jubilant man that was present yesterday. Today the brown tie emphasizes the calm grounded man that stands before us with a steady presence that makes you feel seen and heard.

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Bonus day: Light pink

I’ve always considered Mr. Warren to be the pinnacle of masculinity and a true gentleman (not that I would ever admit that to anyone else) so I don’t know why it momentarily stunned me when he came in today with a light pink tie hanging around his neck. Most boys I know wouldn't be caught dead wearing a color that's so closely tied with femininity (which is stupid because colors are colors and you shouldn't get judged for liking one), but I guess therein lies the difference between boys and men, and Professor Warren isn’t most men, of course he would be secure enough in his masculinity to wear it.

For the boys in the class, some of them snickered, making comments under their breath, but the girls in the room recognized the choice for what it was, confidence and self assurance.

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Revelations:

For the students who had taken multiple classes with Ed, they knew that the person behind his tie choices was his wife.

Occasionally if Ed was running late and had to rush out of the house before he could figure out what color palate Lorraine had chosen for the day, Lorraine would stop by the University with the corresponding tie. Ed has been spotted in front of his office or lingering outside his classroom door before the start of class eagerly waiting for his wife to bring the color for the day. She’ll hastily help him put it on before sending him off with a quick kiss.

Chapter Text

Ed and Lorraine are on their way back from a case in Texas, but have to make a stop in Medford before continuing on with the long drive home.

Their stop is perfect timing to catch the Sunday service which is just what they need. With the hecticness that comes with cases, they are looking for a moment of peace. Centering themselves in their religion always helps after dealing with days of chaos and nefarious spirits.

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Medford is a small town, and in small towns newcomers immediately draw attention with their presence, no matter how brief. The second that the Warrens walk through the church doors, heads are turning. People are curious about the two strangers, one with an easy but steady presence, and the other a calm grace.

Mary Cooper also notices them, but more than that, she watches the way that they move together. There is an effortless balance between them, gentle touches and smiles that can convey entire conversations with a single look.

Seeing this pokes at something in her. She loves George, but things at home and between them have been rocky as of late and seeing this new couple and how effortlessly connected they are to one another makes her somewhat envious.

After the service, Mary introduces herself, partially out of politeness, but mostly out of curiosity. Lorraine's warmth and Ed's charm quickly win her over and she invites the couple to dinner before they leave town the next night. If she was being completely honest with herself Mary was eager, bordering on desperate, to recreate some of that loving energy into her own home, and if dragging this random couple into her home would achieve that, then that's what she would do.

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That night, the Warrens arrive right on time.

Lorraine quickly offers a small bouquet she had picked up from the market to Mary. After taking off Lorraine's coat and hanging it on the coatrack by the door, Ed removes his shoes, then kneels to do Lorraine's heels, actions that immediately win over Meemaw who mutters under her breath to Mary, “Now that right there is a man, you should go grab George so he can finally meet one face to face.”

Right from their entrance, the Coopers can clearly see how in sync Ed and Lorraine are. Ed pulling out a chair for Lorraine, Lorraine plating up both of their plates with each of their preferred dishes, and Ed refilling Lorraine's water whenever it got low. But it went deeper than that, it was also in the small glances, brief touches, and the way they would occasionally finish each other's sentences. This kind of love wasn’t performative, it’s the kind of love born out of years of knowing someone where two souls are intrinsically intertwined.

Before the Warrens had arrived Mary had pleaded with her family to “Please behave like actual normal functioning people for one night of your life!”, but the facade begins to crumble almost immediately to Mary's dismay.

The Warrens however only meet the family's quirks with smiles and openness.

Lorraine listens to Sheldon's monologue about physics with genuine interest, occasionally asking him questions that make him pause to actually think of an answer, delighted that someone understands what he is so passionate about.

Ed and George, while not able to find common ground over drinking, share various football stories back and forth talking about games and plays from the past.

After dinner, Ed and Georgie get into a discussion about cars and Ed offers to show him a few simple maintenance things which brings Georgie much excitement.

Missy immediately takes a shine to Lorraine who offers her the motherly attention and support Missy often doesn't get from Mary. Missy had complimented Lorraine on her updo (im picturing the one from Conjuring 2 the Amityville one. It was just so cutie) and to her delight Lorraine offered to do it for her. They sat on the couch as Lorraine worked on Missy's hair while the girl chatted about everything from her own interests to the school gossip. Lorraine occasionally offering a comment or some advice, but mostly just listens to the girl's words as if they were the most important thing in the world, knowing that she just wants to be seen.

Despite Meemaw already having decided she liked the Warrens, Ed’s insistence to help with the dishes and old-fashioned charm continued to delight Meemaw to no end endearing them more to her.

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When the couple finally leaves, Mary stands in the doorway watching them walk to the car hand in hand. She can’t stop looking at how naturally the Warrens fit together and how it seems so simple for them. As she watches the tail lights go off in the distance she finally heads inside, closing the door behind her wondering what it would take to create that kind of partnership within her own marriage.