Reunion
Title: Reunion
Author: hermionesbrainy
Rating: PG
Prompts: A Christmas Party and
"Oh yes, man is a fool
And he thinks he'll be okay
Dragging on, feet of clay
Never knowing he's astray."
- Happy New Year - Abba
Word Count 1371
Summary Christmas during DH is rather depressing until an unexpected (but hoped for) visitor arrives
Author's Notes So this was originally supposed to have two other sections (that more fully integrated the Christmas party part of the prompt) until it was December 31st and no where near done. So here is the conclusion to my piece, which, thankfully, stands on its own.
Constructive crit. is welcome and appreciated, as I haven't written in years.
Reunion
It hardly felt like Christmas this year. Although not stuck with mousy brown this year, her traditional red, green, and gold hair felt wrong and out of place in the somber atmosphere she and her mum had created. The Christmas tree in the corner was half-heartedly decorated and the stockings had not been hung. Tonks hadn’t known which would be worse - to not hang her father’s stocking or to have to look at it every day as a reminder that he was Merlin-knows-where. The usual warmth that emanated from the brightly decorated sitting room was absent.
Despite the gloomy mood, Tonks woke on Christmas morning to the smell of something fantastic and was surprised to find her mother had made eggs, sausage, and toast. No one had cooked in their house for weeks.
“Morning mum, that smells delicious,” Tonks said, stumbling into the kitchen.
“Good morning Nymphadora, Happy Christmas.”
“Appy Irstmoss,” Tonks mumbled around a large bite of food.
“Honestly Nymphadora, you’re a married woman, shouldn’t you know better than to talk with your mouth full?”
Grinning, Tonks shoved a whole sausage into her mouth.
“Shall we open presents?” Andromeda asked when Tonks had finally finished her huge plate of food. (I’m eating for two, mum,” she had responded to Andromeda’s reproachful look.)
Nodding, Tonks led the way to the sitting room and flopped onto the couch. The two witches pulled out their wands and six wrapped packages appeared under the tree. They looked at each other, “Did you get something for Dad too, mum?”
Andromeda nodded, “And for Remus. I only hoped--.”
“That maybe if you acted like they would be here they would come.”
Andromeda nodded and sat next to Tonks, “I do want them here too, Nymphadora. Both of them. I know what he means to you.”
“I know I should hate him mum. I know I should. He promised he would never leave again. He said that he was in for good and then he ran. And I should hate him for it, but I can’t. I love him too much. And this is his child,” Tonks said placing her hand on her stomach “this is our child. I just want my family.”
Tonks looked down, the outburst was enough, she didn’t need to show her mother the tears that were starting to come. For Merlin’s sake, she was an auror! Andromeda put her arm around her daughter. “It’s the hormones,” she said. Tonks nodded and curled up against her mother, glad for the excuse to cry.
After a quiet dinner Andromeda headed to bed, leaving Tonks to sit and watch the fire. She was just drifting off, all curled up on the couch, when the cracking of a twig made her jump up and pull out her wand. She crept toward the door, the image of Bellatrix Lestrange on her front steps running through her mind.
Tonks could just make out a figure in the shadows; it appeared to be one person, which was some good news. Bracing herself, wand held firmly in one hand, door knob in the other, she threw open the door and yelled, “Stupefy!” A red bolt of light flew out of her wand and hit the figure in the chest. She watched as it slowly fell forward over the threshold and into the light. “Remus,” she breathed, staring at her husband lying unconscious on the ground.
A few spells later, Tonks had him tied to a chair in the kitchen and his wand in her pocket. “Rennervate,” she said, keeping her wand trained on him.
He raised his head, seeing her for the first time, “Nymphadora?” he mumbled.
“What did you say to me at the end of our first date?” she demanded.
“I, Dora…what?” He was mumbling and shaking his head, trying to rid himself of the spell.
“What did you say to me at the end of our first date?”
“I would say we should do this again sometime, but I really don’t fancy having to obliviate any more muggle policemen.”
Her wand dropped. “It’s really you.”
“Yes, it’s really me. “Now, not that I don’t admire your security setup, but would you mind getting rid of these ropes?” He at least had the decency to look sheepish, “I think we need to talk.”
Tonks was about to agree with him when all the stress of the past weeks got to be too much. “Oh no, Remus Lupin, we don’t need to talk, you need to listen. And I think I like you right where you are.” After quickly making the kitchen imperturbable, Tonks turned on Remus.
“Do you have any idea what it’s been like for me here? You told me you were sorry. You told me you understood that I don’t care, that you would trust me to love you. That you wouldn’t leave again. You asked me to marry you and said you wanted to spend the rest of your life with me. And then you leave when I’m pregnant?
“You do this all while You-Know-Who is more powerful than ever so that because I inexplicably still care about you I spend my days worrying about where you are and if you’re alive. My father’s gone into hiding, my husband’s done a disappearing act and I am sitting in my mother’s house, pregnant, unable to do anything about it. I am so mad at you Remus Lupin.”
The silence that fell over the kitchen was thick. “Well?” Tonks urged.
“Your hair,” Remus managed, “I’ve never seen it quite that shade before.”
Tonks grabbed a handful of hair and held it in front of her face. It was blood red and she had no recollection of morphing. The last time she’d done that was while rowing with her mother at the age of fifteen. She took a deep breath and forced herself to relax, her hair went back to brown.
“I panicked. I was scared and I ran.”
“Don’t you think I’m scared? We’re having a baby, that we didn’t exactly plan, in the middle of a war; it’s terrifying!”
“I thought you would be better off without me. I thought our child would be better off without a father like me.”
“I don’t want to hear it anymore, Remus. We’ve had this argument. What do you want me to tell you? That our kid will have a better life if he’s abandoned by his father?”
Remus dropped his head against his chest. When he spoke his quiet tone was a startling contrast to how loud their argument had become, “I did think that. But I don’t anymore. Not after talking to Harry.” Tonks stared and waited for him to continue.
“Harry showed me-Well, we all know Harry could have used James. I don’t want to do that to my child. I don’t want to do that to you. This is where I belong.”
Tonks studied him for a moment before releasing him from the ropes. Remus looked up hopefully, “You said ‘his father,’ does that mean- are we having a boy?”
“I don’t know anything for certain,” the corners of her mouth inched up, “it’s just a feeling I have.” They looked at each other in silence. Tonks had a feeling Remus was trying very hard not to end up in chains again. She sighed. “Come to bed. It’s late, we can finish this in the morning.”
Remus slumped back in his chair before quickly rising and wrapping his arms around Tonks. “I’m so glad I’m back,” he said.
Tonks relaxed into his arms. “Don’t leave me again,” she murmured into his chest, almost too quiet to hear.
“I won’t,” Remus answered, pulling her closer, “I promise I won’t.”
When Tonks woke the next morning with her husband was at her side, his hand resting on her stomach. She rolled over so they were face to face and saw that he was awake. “You’re here,” she said, curling into him. Her anger and fear had dissipated for now, all she could think about was that Remus was back.
“I’m staying,” he replied. “Happy Christmas, Nymphadora.”
She smiled and looked up at him as her hair went pink, “Don’t call me Nymphadora, Remus.”
Author: hermionesbrainy
Rating: PG
Prompts: A Christmas Party and
"Oh yes, man is a fool
And he thinks he'll be okay
Dragging on, feet of clay
Never knowing he's astray."
- Happy New Year - Abba
Word Count 1371
Summary Christmas during DH is rather depressing until an unexpected (but hoped for) visitor arrives
Author's Notes So this was originally supposed to have two other sections (that more fully integrated the Christmas party part of the prompt) until it was December 31st and no where near done. So here is the conclusion to my piece, which, thankfully, stands on its own.
Constructive crit. is welcome and appreciated, as I haven't written in years.
Reunion
It hardly felt like Christmas this year. Although not stuck with mousy brown this year, her traditional red, green, and gold hair felt wrong and out of place in the somber atmosphere she and her mum had created. The Christmas tree in the corner was half-heartedly decorated and the stockings had not been hung. Tonks hadn’t known which would be worse - to not hang her father’s stocking or to have to look at it every day as a reminder that he was Merlin-knows-where. The usual warmth that emanated from the brightly decorated sitting room was absent.
Despite the gloomy mood, Tonks woke on Christmas morning to the smell of something fantastic and was surprised to find her mother had made eggs, sausage, and toast. No one had cooked in their house for weeks.
“Morning mum, that smells delicious,” Tonks said, stumbling into the kitchen.
“Good morning Nymphadora, Happy Christmas.”
“Appy Irstmoss,” Tonks mumbled around a large bite of food.
“Honestly Nymphadora, you’re a married woman, shouldn’t you know better than to talk with your mouth full?”
Grinning, Tonks shoved a whole sausage into her mouth.
“Shall we open presents?” Andromeda asked when Tonks had finally finished her huge plate of food. (I’m eating for two, mum,” she had responded to Andromeda’s reproachful look.)
Nodding, Tonks led the way to the sitting room and flopped onto the couch. The two witches pulled out their wands and six wrapped packages appeared under the tree. They looked at each other, “Did you get something for Dad too, mum?”
Andromeda nodded, “And for Remus. I only hoped--.”
“That maybe if you acted like they would be here they would come.”
Andromeda nodded and sat next to Tonks, “I do want them here too, Nymphadora. Both of them. I know what he means to you.”
“I know I should hate him mum. I know I should. He promised he would never leave again. He said that he was in for good and then he ran. And I should hate him for it, but I can’t. I love him too much. And this is his child,” Tonks said placing her hand on her stomach “this is our child. I just want my family.”
Tonks looked down, the outburst was enough, she didn’t need to show her mother the tears that were starting to come. For Merlin’s sake, she was an auror! Andromeda put her arm around her daughter. “It’s the hormones,” she said. Tonks nodded and curled up against her mother, glad for the excuse to cry.
After a quiet dinner Andromeda headed to bed, leaving Tonks to sit and watch the fire. She was just drifting off, all curled up on the couch, when the cracking of a twig made her jump up and pull out her wand. She crept toward the door, the image of Bellatrix Lestrange on her front steps running through her mind.
Tonks could just make out a figure in the shadows; it appeared to be one person, which was some good news. Bracing herself, wand held firmly in one hand, door knob in the other, she threw open the door and yelled, “Stupefy!” A red bolt of light flew out of her wand and hit the figure in the chest. She watched as it slowly fell forward over the threshold and into the light. “Remus,” she breathed, staring at her husband lying unconscious on the ground.
A few spells later, Tonks had him tied to a chair in the kitchen and his wand in her pocket. “Rennervate,” she said, keeping her wand trained on him.
He raised his head, seeing her for the first time, “Nymphadora?” he mumbled.
“What did you say to me at the end of our first date?” she demanded.
“I, Dora…what?” He was mumbling and shaking his head, trying to rid himself of the spell.
“What did you say to me at the end of our first date?”
“I would say we should do this again sometime, but I really don’t fancy having to obliviate any more muggle policemen.”
Her wand dropped. “It’s really you.”
“Yes, it’s really me. “Now, not that I don’t admire your security setup, but would you mind getting rid of these ropes?” He at least had the decency to look sheepish, “I think we need to talk.”
Tonks was about to agree with him when all the stress of the past weeks got to be too much. “Oh no, Remus Lupin, we don’t need to talk, you need to listen. And I think I like you right where you are.” After quickly making the kitchen imperturbable, Tonks turned on Remus.
“Do you have any idea what it’s been like for me here? You told me you were sorry. You told me you understood that I don’t care, that you would trust me to love you. That you wouldn’t leave again. You asked me to marry you and said you wanted to spend the rest of your life with me. And then you leave when I’m pregnant?
“You do this all while You-Know-Who is more powerful than ever so that because I inexplicably still care about you I spend my days worrying about where you are and if you’re alive. My father’s gone into hiding, my husband’s done a disappearing act and I am sitting in my mother’s house, pregnant, unable to do anything about it. I am so mad at you Remus Lupin.”
The silence that fell over the kitchen was thick. “Well?” Tonks urged.
“Your hair,” Remus managed, “I’ve never seen it quite that shade before.”
Tonks grabbed a handful of hair and held it in front of her face. It was blood red and she had no recollection of morphing. The last time she’d done that was while rowing with her mother at the age of fifteen. She took a deep breath and forced herself to relax, her hair went back to brown.
“I panicked. I was scared and I ran.”
“Don’t you think I’m scared? We’re having a baby, that we didn’t exactly plan, in the middle of a war; it’s terrifying!”
“I thought you would be better off without me. I thought our child would be better off without a father like me.”
“I don’t want to hear it anymore, Remus. We’ve had this argument. What do you want me to tell you? That our kid will have a better life if he’s abandoned by his father?”
Remus dropped his head against his chest. When he spoke his quiet tone was a startling contrast to how loud their argument had become, “I did think that. But I don’t anymore. Not after talking to Harry.” Tonks stared and waited for him to continue.
“Harry showed me-Well, we all know Harry could have used James. I don’t want to do that to my child. I don’t want to do that to you. This is where I belong.”
Tonks studied him for a moment before releasing him from the ropes. Remus looked up hopefully, “You said ‘his father,’ does that mean- are we having a boy?”
“I don’t know anything for certain,” the corners of her mouth inched up, “it’s just a feeling I have.” They looked at each other in silence. Tonks had a feeling Remus was trying very hard not to end up in chains again. She sighed. “Come to bed. It’s late, we can finish this in the morning.”
Remus slumped back in his chair before quickly rising and wrapping his arms around Tonks. “I’m so glad I’m back,” he said.
Tonks relaxed into his arms. “Don’t leave me again,” she murmured into his chest, almost too quiet to hear.
“I won’t,” Remus answered, pulling her closer, “I promise I won’t.”
When Tonks woke the next morning with her husband was at her side, his hand resting on her stomach. She rolled over so they were face to face and saw that he was awake. “You’re here,” she said, curling into him. Her anger and fear had dissipated for now, all she could think about was that Remus was back.
“I’m staying,” he replied. “Happy Christmas, Nymphadora.”
She smiled and looked up at him as her hair went pink, “Don’t call me Nymphadora, Remus.”