My entry
Title: The Christmas Lists
Author: sugarannie
Rating and Warnings: PG 13, just to be safe (allusions to naughty things in the end)
Prompts: Father Christmas
"Think of all the fun I've missed,
Think of all the fellows that I haven't kissed
Next year I could be just as good
If you check off my Christmas list"
- Santa Baby - Eartha Kitt
Word count:1371 words
Summary: One evening in front of the fire, Remus and Dora talk about wishes and Christmas list. AU after Deathly Hallows
Author’s Note: I couldn’t resist writing an AU, and I hope it’s okay that Father Christmas could not make a real appearance, but is only talked about…he says he’s too busy at this time of the year to show up in my stories
It was already dark outside the window, and the candles on the table and the warm glow coming from the fireplace made the small living room seem even more comfortable than usual. The two people sitting in front of the fire were talking to each other in low voices, so as to not wake the three-year-old boy sleeping in the next room.
“You know, I think this year, we might end up with a first wish list. Teddy keeps asking about Father Christmas and how he will know the wishes.” Dora smiled lazily. “I told him I’d help him with a letter tomorrow.”
Her husband nodded thoughtfully. “So that was how you finally got him to go to sleep?”
“No, I think it was more telling him that if he went to sleep now, he’d wake up and it would be one day less until it’s Christmas. But before that he asked me whether we are writing to Father Christmas, too.”
“And what did you say to that?”
”I said we would. It’s too complicated to explain an adult’s relationship to Father Christmas to him.”
”I wasn’t aware there was a relationship there.” Remus sounded amused.
“You know I didn’t mean that. I meant that most grown-ups don’t really believe in Father Christmas any more.”
”So you don’t?” Remus’ eyes were wide as if in surprise, but she immediately recognised his intention to joke. “Then who will you address your Christmas list to tomorrow, I wonder?”
”Of course I will address my letter to him. I may not really believe in him any more, but maybe he’ll give me what I want anyway. I have been so good all year long, after all.”
“Have you now?”
”Of course I have. Was I ever not good in your opinion.”
”You have. Not only good, as a matter of fact. I may be a bit more biased than Father Christmas, but in my eyes you have been perfect, and not only this year.”
Dora looked up at him, blushing slightly, although it was hard to see in the dim light.
There had been a lot of moments like this one in the last years, when, all of a sudden, he’d say something that made her feel like hugging him tightly and never letting go again.
“I think Father Christmas would indeed disagree with perfect…after all, I don’t believe in him at all.”
When Remus continued speaking, he still felt that no praise at all could be given to his wife than he could give at this moment. At any given moment, as a matter of fact.
“But just look at it: All year long, you have been working to support the family, and caring for us, too, as much as you could. Not to mention staying with a husband most women would not even consider marrying at all -“
”You know I am not getting into that discussion at all.” Dora said. “Even if dozens of oh-so-perfect young men would be running after me, I am perfectly happy where I am.”
Some time ago - just a few years, really, but seeming an eternity on a comfortable evening in the little home they had shared for years - this would have been a reason for a real argument, but by now, it was no more than a reminder of what had been, and was no longer important.
“I know you are happy where you are. As am I, and you know that just as well. But yet this does not change the fact that you missed all the fun you hypothetically could have had during that time. This will count for something, I’m sure.”
”You know, this reminds me of one of the songs from that tape dad’s sister gave to me when I was about ten years old. She said that she wasn’t sure whether wizards have Christmas songs at all, so she wanted to give me some.”
She started singing quietly.
"Think of all the fun I've missed,
Think of all the fellows that I haven't kissed
Next year I could be just as good
If you check off my Christmas list"
She stopped and grimaced. “This definitely goes on the “being bad” list. I keep singing along with songs on the radio, and to myself, but I am horrible at that.”
”I don’t think this is really something Father Christmas sees as being bad. He doesn’t have to hear it, after all.” Remus said with a smile.
Dora whacked him on the arm playfully. He caught her hand and held it tightly in his own, but not really to hold her and keep her from striking again.
“Hitting me does count as being bad, though. But what I’m really curious now - will you really be just as good next year?”
“Of course I will. As I said, everything is great. Why should I attempt to change something perfect? I don’t really feel tempted to do anything differently.”
“I think in that case you will have to consider carefully what you put on your list, them. Because you might just get it.”
”I think it would be hard to find as many wishes if you already had all your dreams coming true.” She pressed his hand lightly.
”No diamonds? No millions? No great mansion?”
“Would you really exchange our lovely little house for any mansion? I never would.” Dora faked a shocked expression.
“Of course I wouldn’t. But maybe we could sell the mansion, or rent it out to someone who needs it. But honestly, you could have it all, Dora, so do satisfy my curiosity. What will be on your list?”
Thoughtfully, Dora looked into the fire. ”Maybe I should send Father Christmas a thank-you-note instead of a wish list.”
”I’d sign that one…but it doesn’t give me any indications as to what I should get for Christmas.”
”So that’s what it was about? You don’t need to get me any presents, Remus.”
He nodded. “But I want to know - what would you wish for if you could have anything you wanted?”
Dora tore her eyes away from the fire and let them wander through the room.
”How can I still find so many wishes, all of a sudden? There are small things I want. New curtains for this room for example. But I also think a little holiday for the three of us would be nice.”
”We could try and transfigure the curtains into something prettier. I am sure we could make it better.”
”Well, we sure cannot make it worse.”
The curtains hanging on either side of the windows, were still the same ones that had hung there when they had bought the house. And they were still not pretty, just waiting to be exchanged.
“You know.” Dora said, interrupting Remus’ chuckles. “I’ll think it over, and I’m sure there will be even more ideas tomorrow.”
“Are you tired, then?” he asked, sounding completely serious again.
“Yes, as a matter of fact, I am.” Dora bent forward to blow out the candles on the table.
”It wasn’t that hard to guess. Again, you have been working all day long, and it’s getting late. Allow me?” And with these words, Remus scooped his wife up from the couch, causing her to giggle.
“Will you carry me all the way to the bedroom?”
”Only if you stop moving so much, otherwise I might drop you somewhere on the way.”
As they had reached the bedroom and were both sat down on the bed safely, Dora looked at Remus with a gleam in her eyes, and asked: “Do you know what will be the top of Teddy’s letter tomorrow? At least according to the oral draft he made earlier, when I tried to get him to sleep?”
Remus, already starting to get into his pyjamas, shook his head.
“No idea. A racing broom? A pygmy puff?”
Dora laughed. “He said he wants to have a sister because Ron says he has one, and so he now wants one, too.”
”Well, I think in this case,” her husband said, looking lost in thought for a moment, “I think we might not let Father Christmas handle that one.”
And he turned off the light.
Author: sugarannie
Rating and Warnings: PG 13, just to be safe (allusions to naughty things in the end)
Prompts: Father Christmas
"Think of all the fun I've missed,
Think of all the fellows that I haven't kissed
Next year I could be just as good
If you check off my Christmas list"
- Santa Baby - Eartha Kitt
Word count:1371 words
Summary: One evening in front of the fire, Remus and Dora talk about wishes and Christmas list. AU after Deathly Hallows
Author’s Note: I couldn’t resist writing an AU, and I hope it’s okay that Father Christmas could not make a real appearance, but is only talked about…he says he’s too busy at this time of the year to show up in my stories
It was already dark outside the window, and the candles on the table and the warm glow coming from the fireplace made the small living room seem even more comfortable than usual. The two people sitting in front of the fire were talking to each other in low voices, so as to not wake the three-year-old boy sleeping in the next room.
“You know, I think this year, we might end up with a first wish list. Teddy keeps asking about Father Christmas and how he will know the wishes.” Dora smiled lazily. “I told him I’d help him with a letter tomorrow.”
Her husband nodded thoughtfully. “So that was how you finally got him to go to sleep?”
“No, I think it was more telling him that if he went to sleep now, he’d wake up and it would be one day less until it’s Christmas. But before that he asked me whether we are writing to Father Christmas, too.”
“And what did you say to that?”
”I said we would. It’s too complicated to explain an adult’s relationship to Father Christmas to him.”
”I wasn’t aware there was a relationship there.” Remus sounded amused.
“You know I didn’t mean that. I meant that most grown-ups don’t really believe in Father Christmas any more.”
”So you don’t?” Remus’ eyes were wide as if in surprise, but she immediately recognised his intention to joke. “Then who will you address your Christmas list to tomorrow, I wonder?”
”Of course I will address my letter to him. I may not really believe in him any more, but maybe he’ll give me what I want anyway. I have been so good all year long, after all.”
“Have you now?”
”Of course I have. Was I ever not good in your opinion.”
”You have. Not only good, as a matter of fact. I may be a bit more biased than Father Christmas, but in my eyes you have been perfect, and not only this year.”
Dora looked up at him, blushing slightly, although it was hard to see in the dim light.
There had been a lot of moments like this one in the last years, when, all of a sudden, he’d say something that made her feel like hugging him tightly and never letting go again.
“I think Father Christmas would indeed disagree with perfect…after all, I don’t believe in him at all.”
When Remus continued speaking, he still felt that no praise at all could be given to his wife than he could give at this moment. At any given moment, as a matter of fact.
“But just look at it: All year long, you have been working to support the family, and caring for us, too, as much as you could. Not to mention staying with a husband most women would not even consider marrying at all -“
”You know I am not getting into that discussion at all.” Dora said. “Even if dozens of oh-so-perfect young men would be running after me, I am perfectly happy where I am.”
Some time ago - just a few years, really, but seeming an eternity on a comfortable evening in the little home they had shared for years - this would have been a reason for a real argument, but by now, it was no more than a reminder of what had been, and was no longer important.
“I know you are happy where you are. As am I, and you know that just as well. But yet this does not change the fact that you missed all the fun you hypothetically could have had during that time. This will count for something, I’m sure.”
”You know, this reminds me of one of the songs from that tape dad’s sister gave to me when I was about ten years old. She said that she wasn’t sure whether wizards have Christmas songs at all, so she wanted to give me some.”
She started singing quietly.
"Think of all the fun I've missed,
Think of all the fellows that I haven't kissed
Next year I could be just as good
If you check off my Christmas list"
She stopped and grimaced. “This definitely goes on the “being bad” list. I keep singing along with songs on the radio, and to myself, but I am horrible at that.”
”I don’t think this is really something Father Christmas sees as being bad. He doesn’t have to hear it, after all.” Remus said with a smile.
Dora whacked him on the arm playfully. He caught her hand and held it tightly in his own, but not really to hold her and keep her from striking again.
“Hitting me does count as being bad, though. But what I’m really curious now - will you really be just as good next year?”
“Of course I will. As I said, everything is great. Why should I attempt to change something perfect? I don’t really feel tempted to do anything differently.”
“I think in that case you will have to consider carefully what you put on your list, them. Because you might just get it.”
”I think it would be hard to find as many wishes if you already had all your dreams coming true.” She pressed his hand lightly.
”No diamonds? No millions? No great mansion?”
“Would you really exchange our lovely little house for any mansion? I never would.” Dora faked a shocked expression.
“Of course I wouldn’t. But maybe we could sell the mansion, or rent it out to someone who needs it. But honestly, you could have it all, Dora, so do satisfy my curiosity. What will be on your list?”
Thoughtfully, Dora looked into the fire. ”Maybe I should send Father Christmas a thank-you-note instead of a wish list.”
”I’d sign that one…but it doesn’t give me any indications as to what I should get for Christmas.”
”So that’s what it was about? You don’t need to get me any presents, Remus.”
He nodded. “But I want to know - what would you wish for if you could have anything you wanted?”
Dora tore her eyes away from the fire and let them wander through the room.
”How can I still find so many wishes, all of a sudden? There are small things I want. New curtains for this room for example. But I also think a little holiday for the three of us would be nice.”
”We could try and transfigure the curtains into something prettier. I am sure we could make it better.”
”Well, we sure cannot make it worse.”
The curtains hanging on either side of the windows, were still the same ones that had hung there when they had bought the house. And they were still not pretty, just waiting to be exchanged.
“You know.” Dora said, interrupting Remus’ chuckles. “I’ll think it over, and I’m sure there will be even more ideas tomorrow.”
“Are you tired, then?” he asked, sounding completely serious again.
“Yes, as a matter of fact, I am.” Dora bent forward to blow out the candles on the table.
”It wasn’t that hard to guess. Again, you have been working all day long, and it’s getting late. Allow me?” And with these words, Remus scooped his wife up from the couch, causing her to giggle.
“Will you carry me all the way to the bedroom?”
”Only if you stop moving so much, otherwise I might drop you somewhere on the way.”
As they had reached the bedroom and were both sat down on the bed safely, Dora looked at Remus with a gleam in her eyes, and asked: “Do you know what will be the top of Teddy’s letter tomorrow? At least according to the oral draft he made earlier, when I tried to get him to sleep?”
Remus, already starting to get into his pyjamas, shook his head.
“No idea. A racing broom? A pygmy puff?”
Dora laughed. “He said he wants to have a sister because Ron says he has one, and so he now wants one, too.”
”Well, I think in this case,” her husband said, looking lost in thought for a moment, “I think we might not let Father Christmas handle that one.”
And he turned off the light.