![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
mini_fest_mod posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
mini_festTitle: The Promise of a New Day
Author:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
nimrod_9
Pairing(s): Snape/Lupin
Prompt: #134 from 2012. Early morning, holiday card collection, holiday treats
Word Count: 1,099
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: Harry Potter characters are the property of J.K. Rowling and Bloomsbury/Scholastic. No profit is being made, and no copyright infringement is intended.
Notes: Many thanks to k for the quick beta!
It was still before daybreak as Remus wandered around his small lounge. He touched a string of cards here and there as he walked, sipping his tea. The room was draped in his Christmas card collection; they hung from the mantle, the tree, over the windows and around door frames. As long as he could remember, he had cut out scenes from Christmas cards, following the shape of various cookie cutters, and strung them. There were cards strung on ribbon and yarn and even just plain string. They all glittered. In some, Muggle or Wizard snow glistened, while in others, ornaments and bells sparkled as they reflected the fairy lights on the tree. It was soothing and just a little beautiful, he thought. His time of reflection was interrupted by a banging on the front door.
Remus set down his cup and grabbed his wand. He wished he was wearing more than a dressing gown when he cautiously opened the door.
"Lupin, open up, it's cold!"
"Severus?" Remus gasped.
"Who else might I be?"
"But… where have you been?" Remus asked as he shook his head and attempted to clear the cobwebs.
"Didn't you hear? I've been playing on the national team as a beater." Severus rolled his eyes. "Where the hell do you think I've been? Chasing Death Eaters, of course, and waiting for the Ministry to make up its collective mind about me. Now, might I come in? It's bloody freezing."
Remus stepped aside. "So why me, why here?"
Severus shook off his cloak and stepped toward the fire. "Because between you and Minerva you were the least likely to hex first and ask questions later. She would have used the counter-spell immediately, but still…" He yawned. "I need sleep." Severus headed for the most obvious place for a bedroom.
Remus followed behind. Severus fairly tipped over onto Remus' bed. "Perhaps a nightshirt or pyjamas?" Remus questioned.
"No time," Severus mumbled. "Nice pillows." And with that he was asleep.
Remus eased the man's boots off and threw a blanket over him. Leave it to Severus to show up unannounced on Christmas Eve Day after being missing for seven months. Remus had dozens of questions and no answers as he went about getting dressed and making his preparations for the rest of the day. He'd planned a special tea and supper for himself to celebrate the holiday, and by lunchtime everything that could be prepared in advance was. Lunch was soup and a day-old bread roll; his mind was now occupied with Severus. What was the man up to, besides sleeping? Where had he been? When was he going to wake up so Remus could ask him some questions?
After lunch Remus settled into his favourite chair. He pulled out a copy of A Christmas Carol; Dickens was just what he needed as a distraction, and he had planned to read it anyway.
Severus' timing was exceptional; it was if he had heard the water hit the tea kettle. Remus could hear the water running in the bath and doubled the amount of everything. He put out small roast beef and horseradish sandwiches, tiny gingerbread cakes, a couple of lemon tarts and espresso cups filled with a black forest trifle. The tea was still steeping when Severus appeared in the doorway dressed in Remus' gray jumper and second best pair of jeans.
"Hungry?" Remus asked.
"Starved. If you have more…"
Remus added double the sweets, again, and made another sandwich and cut it up.
"Do you need help?" Severus asked.
"Just take those things into the lounge. I can get the rest."
The tea things were arranged on the coffee table and Severus was settled in on the sofa with elbows resting on his knees when Remus entered. Tea was rather a silent affair except for the occasional request to pass an item. They both sat on the sofa and watched the fire as they sipped and munched.
Remus spoke first. "I see you found my warmest socks."
"They weren't itchy," was the haughty reply.
"But purple, Severus, you?" Remus smiled.
"Didn't think you'd notice, or with luck werewolves were colourblind."
"No, that's just a rumour started by jealous dogs," Remus continued, smiling.
"No doubt,” Severus added dryly.
"So you're the vigilante that keeps dropping off wanted Death Eaters?"
"Dead or alive, as it were. And as for vigilante, that was more self-preservation than anything."
"Ah." Remus didn't know what else to say.
"This morning an Auror will have found Bellatrix Lestrange neatly tied up, bow and all, as a Christmas present. My job is finally finished." Severus poured himself more tea.
"Bellatrix! But she died in the Battle of Hogwarts, Molly Weasley killed her." Remus' voice reflected his shock.
"Actually, Mrs. Weasley killed a witch that Bella had tortured and driven mad and then Polyjuiced and dropped her into battle. Our dear Bella wanted to make certain she would be at the Dark Lord's side when he triumphed."
"Damned, that's twisted," Remus breathed.
Severus nodded and took the last gingerbread cake.
"So what's your next step? Are you going to see your mum for the holiday?" Remus asked.
"No, she's off on the Juan Fernández Islands somewhere doing herbology research."
"Just a hop, skip and jump away by Portkey," Remus offered.
"The way I see it is that you've planned a nice little supper for yourself, which you'll share with me, and then we'll dig out the firewhisky, whiskey, brandy, whatever you might have around, and after a couple of drinks, I will propose a shag. Then you accept and we spend the next two days shagging and eating our way through your Christmas cookies."
"Your seduction technique could use a bit of work," Remus noted.
"I'm a little out of practice." He paused. "It's been a while, but the wolf used to look at me in a certain way. And you know how it is… options are fewer, standards are lower." Severus smirked and his dark eyes fairly danced.
"You will turn a man's head, won't you?"
"If I can," Severus stated quietly.
"Do you really need the firewhisky? Or should we start now?" Remus asked as he stood up and held out a hand.
"Now would be acceptable." Severus stood and took the proffered hand.
"In front of the fire or in bed?" Remus asked as he pulled Severus into his arms.
"Bed. I'd like to become very familiar with one of those again," Severus answered firmly.
Remus decided he would ask about that later. Right now he had an early Christmas present to unwrap.
Author:
nimrod_9Pairing(s): Snape/Lupin
Prompt: #134 from 2012. Early morning, holiday card collection, holiday treats
Word Count: 1,099
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: Harry Potter characters are the property of J.K. Rowling and Bloomsbury/Scholastic. No profit is being made, and no copyright infringement is intended.
Notes: Many thanks to k for the quick beta!
It was still before daybreak as Remus wandered around his small lounge. He touched a string of cards here and there as he walked, sipping his tea. The room was draped in his Christmas card collection; they hung from the mantle, the tree, over the windows and around door frames. As long as he could remember, he had cut out scenes from Christmas cards, following the shape of various cookie cutters, and strung them. There were cards strung on ribbon and yarn and even just plain string. They all glittered. In some, Muggle or Wizard snow glistened, while in others, ornaments and bells sparkled as they reflected the fairy lights on the tree. It was soothing and just a little beautiful, he thought. His time of reflection was interrupted by a banging on the front door.
Remus set down his cup and grabbed his wand. He wished he was wearing more than a dressing gown when he cautiously opened the door.
"Lupin, open up, it's cold!"
"Severus?" Remus gasped.
"Who else might I be?"
"But… where have you been?" Remus asked as he shook his head and attempted to clear the cobwebs.
"Didn't you hear? I've been playing on the national team as a beater." Severus rolled his eyes. "Where the hell do you think I've been? Chasing Death Eaters, of course, and waiting for the Ministry to make up its collective mind about me. Now, might I come in? It's bloody freezing."
Remus stepped aside. "So why me, why here?"
Severus shook off his cloak and stepped toward the fire. "Because between you and Minerva you were the least likely to hex first and ask questions later. She would have used the counter-spell immediately, but still…" He yawned. "I need sleep." Severus headed for the most obvious place for a bedroom.
Remus followed behind. Severus fairly tipped over onto Remus' bed. "Perhaps a nightshirt or pyjamas?" Remus questioned.
"No time," Severus mumbled. "Nice pillows." And with that he was asleep.
Remus eased the man's boots off and threw a blanket over him. Leave it to Severus to show up unannounced on Christmas Eve Day after being missing for seven months. Remus had dozens of questions and no answers as he went about getting dressed and making his preparations for the rest of the day. He'd planned a special tea and supper for himself to celebrate the holiday, and by lunchtime everything that could be prepared in advance was. Lunch was soup and a day-old bread roll; his mind was now occupied with Severus. What was the man up to, besides sleeping? Where had he been? When was he going to wake up so Remus could ask him some questions?
After lunch Remus settled into his favourite chair. He pulled out a copy of A Christmas Carol; Dickens was just what he needed as a distraction, and he had planned to read it anyway.
Severus' timing was exceptional; it was if he had heard the water hit the tea kettle. Remus could hear the water running in the bath and doubled the amount of everything. He put out small roast beef and horseradish sandwiches, tiny gingerbread cakes, a couple of lemon tarts and espresso cups filled with a black forest trifle. The tea was still steeping when Severus appeared in the doorway dressed in Remus' gray jumper and second best pair of jeans.
"Hungry?" Remus asked.
"Starved. If you have more…"
Remus added double the sweets, again, and made another sandwich and cut it up.
"Do you need help?" Severus asked.
"Just take those things into the lounge. I can get the rest."
The tea things were arranged on the coffee table and Severus was settled in on the sofa with elbows resting on his knees when Remus entered. Tea was rather a silent affair except for the occasional request to pass an item. They both sat on the sofa and watched the fire as they sipped and munched.
Remus spoke first. "I see you found my warmest socks."
"They weren't itchy," was the haughty reply.
"But purple, Severus, you?" Remus smiled.
"Didn't think you'd notice, or with luck werewolves were colourblind."
"No, that's just a rumour started by jealous dogs," Remus continued, smiling.
"No doubt,” Severus added dryly.
"So you're the vigilante that keeps dropping off wanted Death Eaters?"
"Dead or alive, as it were. And as for vigilante, that was more self-preservation than anything."
"Ah." Remus didn't know what else to say.
"This morning an Auror will have found Bellatrix Lestrange neatly tied up, bow and all, as a Christmas present. My job is finally finished." Severus poured himself more tea.
"Bellatrix! But she died in the Battle of Hogwarts, Molly Weasley killed her." Remus' voice reflected his shock.
"Actually, Mrs. Weasley killed a witch that Bella had tortured and driven mad and then Polyjuiced and dropped her into battle. Our dear Bella wanted to make certain she would be at the Dark Lord's side when he triumphed."
"Damned, that's twisted," Remus breathed.
Severus nodded and took the last gingerbread cake.
"So what's your next step? Are you going to see your mum for the holiday?" Remus asked.
"No, she's off on the Juan Fernández Islands somewhere doing herbology research."
"Just a hop, skip and jump away by Portkey," Remus offered.
"The way I see it is that you've planned a nice little supper for yourself, which you'll share with me, and then we'll dig out the firewhisky, whiskey, brandy, whatever you might have around, and after a couple of drinks, I will propose a shag. Then you accept and we spend the next two days shagging and eating our way through your Christmas cookies."
"Your seduction technique could use a bit of work," Remus noted.
"I'm a little out of practice." He paused. "It's been a while, but the wolf used to look at me in a certain way. And you know how it is… options are fewer, standards are lower." Severus smirked and his dark eyes fairly danced.
"You will turn a man's head, won't you?"
"If I can," Severus stated quietly.
"Do you really need the firewhisky? Or should we start now?" Remus asked as he stood up and held out a hand.
"Now would be acceptable." Severus stood and took the proffered hand.
"In front of the fire or in bed?" Remus asked as he pulled Severus into his arms.
"Bed. I'd like to become very familiar with one of those again," Severus answered firmly.
Remus decided he would ask about that later. Right now he had an early Christmas present to unwrap.
