Hyde Park was bursting at the seams with countless families and friend groups and couples all pouring into the green space in London for a day out in the sun or a small picnic.

It wasn't exactly the most discrete location for a walk, but over time Esme had become less cautious in where she wandered throughout London. This was the first time she had strayed even remotely in the direction of Grimmauld Place, which was further eastwards.

For the first time in a long time, the sun had come out in full force and it was really starting to feel like the beginning of summer.

Most of the guys in the park were playing games of catch or football, whilst the women were generally sunbathing or chatting in the shade.

It was nice to get a glimpse into normal life. Into what could have been.

It had been a little over three months since Piper's funeral and life, horrifyingly, had found a new normal.

Time seemed to be slipping through Esme's fingertips, as they days were over before she even knew what had happened. Weeks passed in the blink of an eye, and she was starting to feel more helpless than ever.

Everyone in the Order was out fighting and protecting people, but she couldn't do anything. She was still a Death Eater, after all. Even only a very few members of the Order knew the truth about her - that she wasn't completely evil.

"Have you heard from Dirk or Levi lately?"

She turned to Regulus beside her, who'd asked the question.

Of course he knew the answer already. He'd have known if she'd received a letter.

"No." She shook her head.

It was too dangerous to be writing to each other at the moment. The threat of their letters being intercepted by either the Death Eaters or the Ministry was too great to risk it. Hence, Esme and Regulus hadn't seen either of them since Piper's funeral and had only received a couple of letters in the following months.

"I suppose it's for the best, really." He replied quietly, tucking his hand into hers as they continued to walk along the stony path around the park.

Esme looked up at him and nodded, "Yeah. Besides, I don't want them to be involved if we get tangled up in something dangerous again."

For Regulus, it had taken him a while to come to terms with what his father had done. Orion has sold out his youngest son, the one he vowed to protect after Sirius left home, to the Death Eaters. And without a second thought.

Not that Esme would say it, but she wasn't awfully surprised.

She had always been much more sceptical of everyone, for that matter, whereas Regulus liked to see the best in people and always viewed his parents through rose-tinted glasses. Of course that meant that he never saw the red flags that everyone else had.

He hummed in response to her and Esme gave his fingers a squeeze. "It's okay, whatever you're feeling. Parents mess you up, don't they?"

"That's putting it lightly." He mumbled.

"You're strong and brave and, quite frankly, too good for them. You'll be alright; you've got Sirius and I." She smiled, and then the two of them stepped to the edge of the path to allow a young boy on his bike to cycle past them.

Regulus disagreed, "I'm not so sure about being strong and brave."

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"I'm not brave like you. I'm hesitant and scared and don't barrel into danger like you do." He explained.

Esme scoffed, "Thats not true. Being scared, that makes you braver. Having a fear of something, and then doing it anyway because you know it's the right thing to do, that's what being brave is. That's what you do, every time. I barrel into think because I don't think. If I stopped to think about things, like you do, I wouldn't have the guts to do half the things I've done. You've got the guts for it, though."

"As nice as that is to hear," A small smile began emerging across his face, "It's not particularly comforting to hear that most of the danger you've put yourself in is because you don't think."

She raised her eyebrows, "Did that never occur to you? This girl, here, who speaks before considering the consequences. You didn't think that applied to all other aspects of my life?" She then pointed at herself.

"I suppose you make a fair point. And it is very nice to hear that you think I'm brave." He admitted.

"I don't think, I know."

"Alright, Seer." Regulus retorted with a cheeky grin.

And so they continued to walk around the park. Revelling in the fresh air. Basking in the summer sun. Talking about nothing in particular.

Those were their favourite times. When, for just a moment, they would forget about what was going out in the wizarding world. They'd be laughing at a shockingly bad joke the other had told and then it would hit them - they were still in the middle of a war.

And just like that, their favourite moments were over. In a snap.

"It's quite satisfying just watching the birds swim around." Esme said as she stared out at the swans and ducks floating on the water.

Regulus frowned, "I don't think I'm particularly a bird person."

"Bird person?"

"Someone who likes birds." He explained, "I don't really like birds; they're weird."

Esme laughed, "Birds are weird?"

"Yes." He nodded confidently.

"Says the not weird guy." She muttered.

He rolled his eyes, "I heard that."

"You were meant to."

This brought out a laugh, "Charming." Regulus responded.

"Oh, come on, being weird makes people interesting. Worth getting to know." She shrugged slightly, her eyes trained out a swan that seemed to be swimming in repetitive circles.

"I'm so glad I'm worth getting to know." He shook his head with a smile and reached into his pocket to pull out to partially-melted chocolate bars before handing one to Esme.

She took it, unwrapped in, and held it as she said, "Thanks. And I'm right. If you weren't interesting to me, I wouldn't care to know you. Same vice versa. You just don't like it when I'm upfront like this."

"That's not the case." Regulus decided against the melted chocolate bar and tossed his into the bin, "Your upfrontness is one of my favourite things about you, but it still always catches me off-guard how honest you can be."

"Really?"

"You'd think I'd be used to it by now, but it always surprises me. In a good way, of course. I'm amazed by it. Interested." He explained.

She shook her head and took a small bite of the chocolate before she clarified, "It's one of your favourite things about me?"

"What?" He paused then added, "Oh, yes."

"Wow." Esme said.

"Wow what?" Regulus asked.

She shrugged again, "Nobody else seems to like it. I always thought it was a bad part of me that I couldn't change and you just kind of... Put up with it."

"I'm a very patient person but no, I don't put up with it. I think it's brilliant." He stated, "I wish I could do that - just be bold."

Esme smiled and let out a chuckle, "Yeah, well, I was never taught to be respectful, so it's probably due to that."

"Whatever it is, it's brilliant. Never stop speaking your mind." Regulus slung his arm around her shoulders.

Esme took ahold of his hand around her and pressed a kiss to his fingers and replied, "Trust me, I've got no problem doing that."

He smiled at her and suggested, "Shall we head back now? It's getting very warm."

"I told you not to wear a jumper. This is your own fault." She pointed out as they turned away from the water and began walking along the pebbled pathway again.

"It's a nice jumper." Regulus looked down at it and smiled.

Esme laughed, "It is a very nice jumper. This is also very much summer weather."

"I knit this. As far as I'm concerned, I'm never taking this off." He replied smugly.

She retorted, "And that'll be why Sirius and I call you grandma."

Regulus stopped in his tracks. "You call me grandma?"

"Don't tell Sirius I told you." She said.

"I'm sorry." He shook his head, "You call me grandma?"

"You knitted us socks for Christmas." Esme explained, "That was when we changed from calling you grandpa to grandma."

Regulus held a hand to his heart and feigned being wounded. "I took up a hobby. What do you want me to do? Start playing an instrument?"

"Christ, no." She replied, "And those socks are the best pair of socks I own, by the way. But if you start playing an instrument, I will curse you."

He laughed and settled his arm around her shoulders again, "Noted."

So they began wandering back to the safe house. Of course, they took the long way back. Distracting themselves with anything they could think of.

Because they both knew that when they got home, they'd have to jump back into the real world. The world where they were fugitives hiding from the Ministry and Death Eaters. The world where they were in hiding in the midst of a war.

They stop and look at things in every shop window they passed, in the hopes that they could get just a few minutes more of escapism with each other.

What they would give for everyday to be like that.