Chapter Text
The war was over. They were finally, finally safe from Voldemort’s reign. Pettigrew was dead. Severus, the Tonks, Lestrange. All gone. Moody, Hedwig, Dobby. Died for the best cause.
But, oh.
Oh.
So many had survived.
After months of grueling pain and mourning; a few—only the strongest of heart, truely—were able to celebrate Christmas together. It was beautifully done. With the help of Molly Weasley, and Harry lending Grimmauld Place (Sirius had refused to take it back—”You deserve it, really, Harry.”—insistant.) The decorations and celebration played on wonderfully.
The young, finally contented couples were marvellously at peace, too. Ron and Hermoine were bickering ‘quietly’ over the last Pumpkin Pasty—”Honestly, Ronald. You’ve had three!”. Ginny and Harry had split off mutually—though hesitant over hurting each other—right after the war, so Ginny sat on the old leather couch with Luna Lovegood babbling about ‘Hooded Woodlumps’ and ‘Beetle-backed Jerrywaggers’ while sitting in her lap. Carefully, the red head ever discreetly levitated the glorified Pumpkin Pasty from the table between Granger and Weasley right into her girlfriend’s hands. Harry, however, participated in his own love affair with none other than Draco Malfoy. Which apparently consisted of many insults, usually originating from the blonde.
“Put me down, you Jerrywagger!”
“Jerrywagger?” Harry snorted, setting the boy down.
Draco smoothed his pajama pants fervently. “I– I spend too much time with Luna, okay?”
While Remus almost always expected these relationships to unfold (One year of teaching can reveal a lot.), the extended group’s relations came as a surprise.
Everyone was welcome to Christmas, of course. Many refused the invite, but all were welcome. Which included Malfoy’s Slytherin group—voiding the very obviously absent, Ehem, Vincent Crabbe, and Gregory Goyal who now denied companionship with any of his former Slytherins–-Pansy Parkinson and Blaise Zabini. Blaise was… blatantly flirting with Fred Weasley. He seemed to fit right in, and Fred seemed to hang on his every word. George, on the other hand, was frowning at them from across the room. Pansy took a liking to Molly and respectfully followed her everywhere. Additionally, Bill and Fleur were there. Percy brought Oliver Wood. Charlie, Neville Longbottom, Dean Thomas, Seamus Finnigan, hell, Harry had even invited the little Colin Creevy boy to fawn and take pictures for a while. The house was full of so much love it’d never seen before.
“What’cha thinkin’ of?” Sirius slinked up to Remus, standing on his toes to kiss the man’s jaw.
Lupin smiled softly. “All the kids’ve finally got their peace…”
Just then, a loud crash was heard from upstairs, followed by a double: “Sorry!” Dean and Seamus stood peering over the railing timidly, looking down at a frightened Draco being held by Harry.
“What was that?” Mrs. Weasley stormed out of the kitchen, trailed immediately by Parkinson. A side table laid knocked over on the floor with a now-slightly cracked flower pot in front of it.
“We accidentally dropped the mistletoe on Malfoy’s head…” Dean murmured. This stunt two years ago would’ve had them upside down hanging from the ceiling in a hex, but now Draco only clenched his jaw and knelt down to clean up the flower pot. Harry—as if he wasn’t present for the event—would be hearing about this later in the night.
“Oh, dear.” Molly tutted, and swept over to help Draco set the table back and fix the pot (Harry, on the other hand, stormed upstairs to reprimand the two culprits.). “Are you alright?” She cupped his face, afterwards, checking his head.
Malfoy flushed. “Quiet alright, thank you Ma’am.”
“You know you can call me Molly, Draco.” She smiled and patted his cheek, then turned and strolled back into the kitchen; Pansy back on her heels.
This feat had broken Fred out of his flirty stupor, and in turn; George. Where with they both moused up to Draco.
“Wow, Mum really likes you, huh?” George nudged him.
“Harry—” Draco attempted for his saviour out of this obvious trap.
“Oi, C’mmon mate!” Fred tried as Harry hauled the blonde away.
“‘Least put in a good word with mum for us!”
“Could get her off our arses all the time!”
“I heard that!” The twins flinched as their mother sent sparks at the backs of their heads.
“Ow!” They yelped. “Mum!”
Sirius and Remus had stood at the other side of the room, their laughs had been getting progressively louder as the scene progressed. Though, at that moment, Molly scolded them too with a “Don’t think I can’t hear you two either!” and hit them with well aimed sparks also. Which resulted in a whined: “Molly!” from the both of them.
Eventually, Sirius (with some help from Remus) assured Molly and Arthur that—
“Yes, yes,” they can go home, and “We’ll make sure the kids get set straight.” Though, as soon as they left, the alcohol came out (Most’ve everyone was gone by then, anyway). And by the end of the night, Luna and Ginny were passed out in their rightful place on the couch. Blaise and Fred ended up in some room or another—”As long as it isn’t my room. I swear.”—quite to Harry’s dismay. Draco was barrating Harry over the mess—”It’ll be fine—” “How in the world will it ‘be fine’? There’re stains on the carpet!” “We’ll clean them…”—consisting of spilled drinks and red solo cups. Hermione had long since dragged Ron home. Charlie—Charlie Weasley!—leaned against a counter where Neville—Neville Longbottom!—sat upon it. Charlie’s eyes were sparkling with what you couldn’t call anything but admiration as Longbottom talked on about his greenhouse, and how he hoped to expand it one day. Dean and Seamus had previously been making out on an armchair, but had recently passed out on top of each other. Pansy had convinced (without much convincing) Mrs. Weasley to take her home with her. And George sat glumly on the opposite end of the couch from his sister and said sister’s girlfriend.
Remus looked over the visible space with an alcohol-hazy appreciation. Eventually, he realized he hadn’t given Sirius his present yet. So he nudged the man who was dozing on his shoulder until he startled and sat up properly.
“Yes, Love?” He yawned.
Remus shuffled his hand in his pocket. “I have a present for you.”
“Thought we weren’t doing any…” Sirius’ eyebrows furrowed as he took the brown-paper wrapped rectangle.
“It’s special.”
“Mm…” Sirius hummed as he unwrapped it. “It’s…”
“My journal. From when I was fifteen.”
He flipped to a random page. “Whoa, you were in love with me…”
Remus chuckled. “Still am.” Sirius stared at the small book in his hands until his shoulders started shaking. “Oh, oh. Hey, don’t cry…” He wrapped his arms around the man, sliding his hand into those beautiful black locks.
“Merlin… I love you…” Sirius sighed.
~Sirius Black, every time I look into your beautiful, starry eyes; I fall in love all over again. I love you. Forever yours, Remus Lupin~