Time Challenge - January
Late, but here is my story for the aibhinn 's Time Challenge . Be kind. It's not my favorite:
Title: January
Author: ohginnyfan
Rating: G
Pairing: Remus/Tonks
Summary: Tonks reflects on the new life unfolding in front of her. Inspired by my icon picture. Full size picture can be found here.
January
As far as Januarys went, this one was a good one. When the first month of the year came, it usually meant cold, overcast days, with little to look forward to. January was always a bit of a let-down - the Christmas holiday rush was over, so the buzz of the merry, festive spirit had past. January always provided a time for quiet - no celebrations after the first littered its days and it was the perfect time for reflecting on the previous year. Or hibernating until the first warm, sunny days of spring.
But this year was different. This year was the year of a new beginning. A year of a new life, despite the bleak, grey, cold weather that hung in the air and contradicted the thought of something being so fresh, so new, so wonderful that it could blossom forth full of fresh, spring colour.
It was the official start of their life together.
Oh, they’d been together for a while - dating and actually living together. They had forged together a life that was comfortable, like a pair of broken-in shoes, yet exciting in its own crazy way. They complimented each other, oddly enough - she, the wild, younger woman who brought liveliness and colour to his life, and he, the older, wiser man who, despite everything he had gone through, was a stabilizing force for her. They hadn’t been concerned about making their relationship official, yet they decided once the war was over, that they would go ahead and formalize their relationship by marrying.
The ceremony had been simple, in the magically-heated garden at the Weasleys’ home, surrounded by close friends and her parents. She looked lovely in the simple ivory dress robes she had chosen, her hair a subdued brown (well, subdued for her) and long, pulled back at the nape of her neck in a simple, yet elegant knot. He was ruggedly handsome in his black dress robes, his hair speckled with the grey she loved so much - the grey that came with all the life experiences he had gone through before her and with her. He had been a nervous wreck before the ceremony: pacing and wondering what the hell she was thinking marrying someone like him. His friends were there, chuckling and reassuring him that she knew exactly what she was doing and to quit being such a git about it. She walked through the garden to her groom, on the arm of her father, smiling behind her nervousness. The wizard magistrate had performed the short ceremony, with their own simple vows added in, and soon they were husband and wife. Forever together. In sickness and in health. Until death do they part.
That had been two weeks prior on New Year’s Eve of the previous year. The party that ensued after their ceremony was loud and fun and … celebratory. Just like a wedding reception should be. And how could it not be that way when the Weasley twins were involved? They made sure the party was in full swing, complete with music, lights, fireworks and, of course, a few tricks, and that everyone had a good time. Fred and George were certainly the perfect party planners.
They had been married for two weeks now - officially husband and wife - and they had already been through a full moon and were now working on strengthening Remus for the next cycle. The Wolfsbane that he took was a blessing, but the transformation each month was still difficult at best. She hoped that at some point someone would come up with a complete cure for Lycanthropy, or at the very least a potion to ease the disease even further, but she was well aware it might not happen during Remus’s lifetime.
Other than the full moon, though, this January had been wonderful. Just when things didn’t seem to be able to get any better, they always did. Remus would always surprise her with little things - this or that or the other. Nothing big, just little gestures. It always took her breath away, even though she had always known what a kind, generous man he was. It took him a while to consider himself worthy of her love, but once he did, he was determined to show her exactly how much he loved her, too.
They walked every night he was able in the grey, cold moonlight of January, holding hands, stopping occasionally to just be together in the stillness of the air. They laughed and talked and just enjoyed each other’s presence in that moment of time. They had a favourite spot - a spot to kiss and be intimate in a way that only the two of them could be. He always looked deeply into her eyes as if to search her soul, as if to make certain she wasn’t too good to be true. She would gaze deeply back into his, opening her soul to reassure him that she was indeed his forever. Their love wasn’t perfect - they were two entirely different people, after all - but their love was perfect for them, wrapped in all the craziness and wildness she provided and stabilized with his sense of calm.
As Januarys go, this one had been magical. It was already full of wonderful memories with the promise of more to come as the winter coated in grey thawed into the bright, vibrant colours of spring. But this January would be theirs forever, wrapped not in the overcast skies of Januarys past, but filled with the promise of the colourful days to come as their lives and love continue to grow.
ETA: In my haste to get this posted this morning (while trying to get the boys up and out the door), I forgot to mention the ever-wonderful aggiebell90 who did a super-fast, quickie beta on this to get it looking at least decent to post. My humble thanks to her for her talents. *smooches*