Fic: An Old-Fashioned Christmas
Jan. 17th, 2015 08:11 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
alisanneTitle: An Old-Fashioned Christmas
Author:alisanne
Pairing(s)/Character(s): Severus Snape/Remus Lupin, Teddy Lupin, Kingsley Shacklebolt/Nymphadora Tonks
Word count: 1950
Summary: Remus just wants to make his home a welcoming place for Christmas.
Rating: PG
HP Era: After the Second War
Genre: AR, Established relationship, Romance, Humor.
Warnings: Mild angst
Your Notes: Written for the 2014 Snupin Santa Fest.
Happy Snupin Santa everyone! Thanks to my beta-readers,sevfan and emynn.
~
An Old-Fashioned Christmas
~
“I’ve been thinking,” Remus said over breakfast.
Severus, his face buried in a potions journal, smirked. “Ah. Is that the faint burning scent I’ve been smelling?”
Remus ignored him. “We should decorate for the holidays.”
At that point Severus actually looked up at him. “Decorate?”
“Yes.” Remus smiled faintly. “You know. It’s when people put up festive items to help them celebrate the holiday season.”
Eyes narrowed, Severus set down the journal. “I know what it means.”
“I thought you might.” Remus grinned. “Anyway, with Christmas coming, and with it being our first year being together at the holidays, I thought it’d be a fun activity for us.”
“Did you indeed?” Severus sipped his tea. “Did your family decorate when you were a child?”
Remus sat back in his chair. “We did. Mother loved the holidays, so she and I would sit in the kitchen and make ornaments by hand. Father was a bit too buried in his research to help, but he always seemed to appreciate our efforts. Of course, once I was bitten we didn’t--” He cleared his throat. “What about your family?”
Severus hesitated so long Remus wasn’t sure he was going to answer. “Mother celebrated the old ways when she could. Father didn’t approve, however, so she had to be clever about it. A green bough here, a spring of mistletoe there--” He smiled, his eyes distant. “One year when Father was assigned the holiday shift at the plant, Mother and I decorated the entire house and she made mulled cider. It’s one of my best holiday memories.”
Leaning forward, Remus clasped his hand. “I don’t know anything about Yule. Maybe you could teach me.”
Severus’ fingers tightened on his. “Perhaps.” He looked Remus square in the face. “So, is there another reason you wish to decorate?”
Remus smiled. Trying to hide things from Severus never worked. “I’ve been talking to Tonks. She and Kingsley are planning a large Christmas party this year and I was thinking--”
“You want us to throw a holiday party.” Severus shook his head. “Why do I think this is going to degenerate into a competition?”
Remus flushed, looking away. Severus could be a bit too perceptive at times. “I just think it’ll be nice to have the house decorated if we decide to have friends over,” he said. “And Teddy will love it.”
“You think he’ll want to spend more time here if it’s decorated.”
Remus blushed. “Maybe.”
Severus raised an eyebrow. “You do realise that Kingsley is Minister for Magic, with rather more resources at his disposal than we have?”
“Don’t tell me you’re scared,” Remus teased. “I thought Slytherins were a cunning, crafty lot.”
“Slytherins are practical,” Severus said, voice heavy with irony. “You Gryffindors are the competitive ones.” He hummed. “Although I have no objections to, nor am I scared of, a bit of friendly competition.”
Remus grinned. “I thought you’d see it that way,” he said. “So, shall we show them how it’s done?”
“As you wish.” Severus pursed his lips. “Although you are going to owe me after this.”
Remus lifted Severus’ hand to his mouth and brushed a kiss over the knuckles before saying, “I know, lover. I know.”
~
They decided to use a combination of Christmas and Yule decorations, and, after some negotiations that included a blow job in the shower, Remus even talked Severus into making home-made decorations with him.
“This is a messy business.”
Remus bit back a grin as he looked up to see Severus, normally a staid and immaculately coifed man, covered with bits of paper and with tinsel in his hair. “Fun though, yes?”
Severus huffed, but his lips curved upwards. “It’s...tolerable.” He hummed. “So, any word on the decorations being planned at the Minister’s mansion?”
Remus sighed. “Nope. I know Harry’s been over there recently, but I haven’t had a chance to talk to him about what he saw.”
“Potter?” Severus snorted. “He won’t have noticed anything. When you look up the definition of oblivious in the dictionary his face is there.” He smirked. “No, we need to ask Draco.”
Remus blinked, then smiled. “You’re right,” he breathed. “He’ll have catalogued everything.”
Severus nodded. “And he’ll know what they spent down to the last Knut.”
They Floo’d Harry and Draco that very day, and Draco was happy to visit and talk about all that he’d seen in Kingsley’s home. While he and Severus caught up, Remus took Harry aside. “How was Teddy when you were there?” he asked.
“He looked great.” Harry’s eyes softened. “You know, I think Tonks would let you see him more often if you wanted.”
Remus nodded. “Maybe now that Severus and I are more...settled, we can do that.” He sighed. “But Teddy has to want to come here.”
“Is that why you’re so worried about these decorations?” Harry asked. “You know he doesn’t care about that stuff, right?”
“He’s a child, of course he cares.” Remus mustered a smile. “Now, tell me about you and Draco. Things are going well I presume?”
After Harry and Draco left, Remus said, “So, what did Draco have to say about the decorations? And do you think we can beat them?”
Severus scanned the living room. “I think we have an excellent chance,” he finally said. “The Shacklebolts are utilising a professional decorator this year, and the theme is ‘frosted wonderland’.”
Remus groaned. “A professional? How are we going to beat that?”
Severus smirked. “By taking the exact opposite approach. Where they are sophisticated and elegant, we’ll be simple and homely.”
“And how does that win us this battle?”
Severus raised an eyebrow. “Which approach do you think will be more child-friendly?”
Remus smiled. “You’re brilliant!”
Severus inclined his head. “Although we, too, could use a monochromatic approach,” he murmured.
“What do you mean?”
“If we make all our decoration black we could call it ‘winter solstice study’.”
Remus gaped at him. “No one decorates with black for Christmas!”
“Which is why it would be cutting edge and ahead of its time.” Severus managed to hold on to his serious expression for several moments before he cracked a smile.
Remus exhaled. “You were joking? You--”
“Don’t be ridiculous, I never joke,” deadpanned Severus. “But since you refuse to accede to my vision, I suppose we can go with the theme I mentioned before.”
“The homely one?” Remus nodded. “Yes, I think that would be for the best.” He raised an eyebrow. “Does that one have a name?”
“Of course.” Severus smiled. “I call it ‘welcome home, Teddy’.”
Remus drew him into his arms. “How can I ever thank you?”
“Oh, don’t worry,” said Severus, his hands settling possessively on Remus’ arse. “I’ll think of something you can do for me.”
~
To Remus’ amusement, Severus completely took over the project, even going so far as to send Remus out when it came time to put the decorations up for their holiday party. “I’ll let you see when I’m done,” he said.
Bemused, Remus did as he was told, and after a day in Diagon Alley purchasing food for the party and gifts for just about everyone, he went home.
“Is it safe to come in yet?” he asked as he let himself into their cottage.
“Yes.”
Remus’ mouth dropped open when he surveyed Severus’ handiwork. It was a child’s wonderland containing greenery dripping with ornaments wrapping the baseboards and fireplace mantel, candles and holly and ivy on just about every flat surface, and a gigantic Christmas tree in the corner of the living room, on which hung their homemade decorations. Around the base of the tree ran a train track, and as Remus watched, a tiny train circled. It reminded him of a picture post card. “Wow.”
“I take it you approve?” Severus asked.
“How could I not?” Remus breathed. “And Teddy will love it.”
Severus hummed, clearly pleased. “Yes, I believe he will, too. Now, do you have the gifts?”
After unshrinking them and placing them under the tree, Remus did his part, preparing the food, most of which was pre-prepared.
“You know, this may actually work,” said Severus when Remus was done.
Remus nodded. “The Shacklebolts’ mansion may be grander, but I think Teddy will love this.”
“Speaking of, when did you tell the guests to arrive?” asked Severus.
“In about thirty minutes. Why?”
“Because that should be just enough time for me to show you the decorations I put in our bedroom,” purred Severus, dragging Remus away.
They were still catching their breath when the Floo sounded. Summoning his clothes, Remus threw them on. “Coming!” he cried, hurrying for the living room to open the Floo.
“Funny, you just said that same thing not five minutes ago,” murmured Severus, following more sedately.
“Did he now?” Tonks, grinning, came through, Teddy in her arms. Immediately following was Kingsley and a couple of Aurors. She leaned close. “Did we interrupt anything?”
Remus blushed. “Not at all. Happy Christmas, Tonks. Kingsley. Hello, Teddy.”
“Daddy!” Teddy reached for Remus and, heart full, Remus took him, settling him on his hip.
“Oof,” he teased. “You’re growing so big! You’re going to have to lift me up soon!”
As Teddy giggled in his ear, Remus watched anxiously as Tonks and Kingsley took in the decorations. “You did a great job!” Tonks finally said. She smiled in approval. “And look, Teddy! There’s a train under the tree.”
“Twain?” Craning his head, Teddy gasped when he saw the train. Once he started to squirm, Remus set him down and he raced over to the tree and train to inspect it more closely.
More people arrived and Remus moved to greet them. When he returned to Tonks she was still watching Severus and Teddy together. “This is like a child’s perfect Christmas,” she said.
“I was hoping he would like it.” Remus grinned as Severus squatted down and began pointing things out to Teddy. “And I think Severus had even more fun coming up with it.”
Tonks nodded. “Would you--” She hesitated.
“What?” Remus looked at her.
“Would you like to take Teddy for the rest of Christmas?” she asked in a rush. “Kingsley and I have been talking about taking some private time, you see, and--”
“We’d love to,” interrupted Remus. “I just didn’t want to do anything to disrupt the custody agreement--”
Tonks clasped his arm. “The only reason we wanted to have him more is because we weren’t sure how much time you’d want with him. When the terms were being set you were still recovering from your war injuries and Severus...well, he was recovering, too. It just seemed a better idea for us to keep him primarily until you got back on your feet.”
Remus smiled. “Then yes, we’d love to take him over the Christmas holidays. What about the New Year?”
“Well,” she murmured, “I suspect you and Severus may need a bit of alone time by then. Trust me, Teddy is a wonderful child, but he demands a lot of attention.”
Watching Severus lift Teddy up onto his shoulders to show him an ornament high up on the Christmas tree, Remus chuckled. “Something tells me we’ll be fine.” And as he walked over to join them at the tree, he decided that this had probably been one of his best ideas yet.
~
Author:
alisannePairing(s)/Character(s): Severus Snape/Remus Lupin, Teddy Lupin, Kingsley Shacklebolt/Nymphadora Tonks
Word count: 1950
Summary: Remus just wants to make his home a welcoming place for Christmas.
Rating: PG
HP Era: After the Second War
Genre: AR, Established relationship, Romance, Humor.
Warnings: Mild angst
Your Notes: Written for the 2014 Snupin Santa Fest.
Happy Snupin Santa everyone! Thanks to my beta-readers,
sevfan and emynn. ~
An Old-Fashioned Christmas
~
“I’ve been thinking,” Remus said over breakfast.
Severus, his face buried in a potions journal, smirked. “Ah. Is that the faint burning scent I’ve been smelling?”
Remus ignored him. “We should decorate for the holidays.”
At that point Severus actually looked up at him. “Decorate?”
“Yes.” Remus smiled faintly. “You know. It’s when people put up festive items to help them celebrate the holiday season.”
Eyes narrowed, Severus set down the journal. “I know what it means.”
“I thought you might.” Remus grinned. “Anyway, with Christmas coming, and with it being our first year being together at the holidays, I thought it’d be a fun activity for us.”
“Did you indeed?” Severus sipped his tea. “Did your family decorate when you were a child?”
Remus sat back in his chair. “We did. Mother loved the holidays, so she and I would sit in the kitchen and make ornaments by hand. Father was a bit too buried in his research to help, but he always seemed to appreciate our efforts. Of course, once I was bitten we didn’t--” He cleared his throat. “What about your family?”
Severus hesitated so long Remus wasn’t sure he was going to answer. “Mother celebrated the old ways when she could. Father didn’t approve, however, so she had to be clever about it. A green bough here, a spring of mistletoe there--” He smiled, his eyes distant. “One year when Father was assigned the holiday shift at the plant, Mother and I decorated the entire house and she made mulled cider. It’s one of my best holiday memories.”
Leaning forward, Remus clasped his hand. “I don’t know anything about Yule. Maybe you could teach me.”
Severus’ fingers tightened on his. “Perhaps.” He looked Remus square in the face. “So, is there another reason you wish to decorate?”
Remus smiled. Trying to hide things from Severus never worked. “I’ve been talking to Tonks. She and Kingsley are planning a large Christmas party this year and I was thinking--”
“You want us to throw a holiday party.” Severus shook his head. “Why do I think this is going to degenerate into a competition?”
Remus flushed, looking away. Severus could be a bit too perceptive at times. “I just think it’ll be nice to have the house decorated if we decide to have friends over,” he said. “And Teddy will love it.”
“You think he’ll want to spend more time here if it’s decorated.”
Remus blushed. “Maybe.”
Severus raised an eyebrow. “You do realise that Kingsley is Minister for Magic, with rather more resources at his disposal than we have?”
“Don’t tell me you’re scared,” Remus teased. “I thought Slytherins were a cunning, crafty lot.”
“Slytherins are practical,” Severus said, voice heavy with irony. “You Gryffindors are the competitive ones.” He hummed. “Although I have no objections to, nor am I scared of, a bit of friendly competition.”
Remus grinned. “I thought you’d see it that way,” he said. “So, shall we show them how it’s done?”
“As you wish.” Severus pursed his lips. “Although you are going to owe me after this.”
Remus lifted Severus’ hand to his mouth and brushed a kiss over the knuckles before saying, “I know, lover. I know.”
~
They decided to use a combination of Christmas and Yule decorations, and, after some negotiations that included a blow job in the shower, Remus even talked Severus into making home-made decorations with him.
“This is a messy business.”
Remus bit back a grin as he looked up to see Severus, normally a staid and immaculately coifed man, covered with bits of paper and with tinsel in his hair. “Fun though, yes?”
Severus huffed, but his lips curved upwards. “It’s...tolerable.” He hummed. “So, any word on the decorations being planned at the Minister’s mansion?”
Remus sighed. “Nope. I know Harry’s been over there recently, but I haven’t had a chance to talk to him about what he saw.”
“Potter?” Severus snorted. “He won’t have noticed anything. When you look up the definition of oblivious in the dictionary his face is there.” He smirked. “No, we need to ask Draco.”
Remus blinked, then smiled. “You’re right,” he breathed. “He’ll have catalogued everything.”
Severus nodded. “And he’ll know what they spent down to the last Knut.”
They Floo’d Harry and Draco that very day, and Draco was happy to visit and talk about all that he’d seen in Kingsley’s home. While he and Severus caught up, Remus took Harry aside. “How was Teddy when you were there?” he asked.
“He looked great.” Harry’s eyes softened. “You know, I think Tonks would let you see him more often if you wanted.”
Remus nodded. “Maybe now that Severus and I are more...settled, we can do that.” He sighed. “But Teddy has to want to come here.”
“Is that why you’re so worried about these decorations?” Harry asked. “You know he doesn’t care about that stuff, right?”
“He’s a child, of course he cares.” Remus mustered a smile. “Now, tell me about you and Draco. Things are going well I presume?”
After Harry and Draco left, Remus said, “So, what did Draco have to say about the decorations? And do you think we can beat them?”
Severus scanned the living room. “I think we have an excellent chance,” he finally said. “The Shacklebolts are utilising a professional decorator this year, and the theme is ‘frosted wonderland’.”
Remus groaned. “A professional? How are we going to beat that?”
Severus smirked. “By taking the exact opposite approach. Where they are sophisticated and elegant, we’ll be simple and homely.”
“And how does that win us this battle?”
Severus raised an eyebrow. “Which approach do you think will be more child-friendly?”
Remus smiled. “You’re brilliant!”
Severus inclined his head. “Although we, too, could use a monochromatic approach,” he murmured.
“What do you mean?”
“If we make all our decoration black we could call it ‘winter solstice study’.”
Remus gaped at him. “No one decorates with black for Christmas!”
“Which is why it would be cutting edge and ahead of its time.” Severus managed to hold on to his serious expression for several moments before he cracked a smile.
Remus exhaled. “You were joking? You--”
“Don’t be ridiculous, I never joke,” deadpanned Severus. “But since you refuse to accede to my vision, I suppose we can go with the theme I mentioned before.”
“The homely one?” Remus nodded. “Yes, I think that would be for the best.” He raised an eyebrow. “Does that one have a name?”
“Of course.” Severus smiled. “I call it ‘welcome home, Teddy’.”
Remus drew him into his arms. “How can I ever thank you?”
“Oh, don’t worry,” said Severus, his hands settling possessively on Remus’ arse. “I’ll think of something you can do for me.”
~
To Remus’ amusement, Severus completely took over the project, even going so far as to send Remus out when it came time to put the decorations up for their holiday party. “I’ll let you see when I’m done,” he said.
Bemused, Remus did as he was told, and after a day in Diagon Alley purchasing food for the party and gifts for just about everyone, he went home.
“Is it safe to come in yet?” he asked as he let himself into their cottage.
“Yes.”
Remus’ mouth dropped open when he surveyed Severus’ handiwork. It was a child’s wonderland containing greenery dripping with ornaments wrapping the baseboards and fireplace mantel, candles and holly and ivy on just about every flat surface, and a gigantic Christmas tree in the corner of the living room, on which hung their homemade decorations. Around the base of the tree ran a train track, and as Remus watched, a tiny train circled. It reminded him of a picture post card. “Wow.”
“I take it you approve?” Severus asked.
“How could I not?” Remus breathed. “And Teddy will love it.”
Severus hummed, clearly pleased. “Yes, I believe he will, too. Now, do you have the gifts?”
After unshrinking them and placing them under the tree, Remus did his part, preparing the food, most of which was pre-prepared.
“You know, this may actually work,” said Severus when Remus was done.
Remus nodded. “The Shacklebolts’ mansion may be grander, but I think Teddy will love this.”
“Speaking of, when did you tell the guests to arrive?” asked Severus.
“In about thirty minutes. Why?”
“Because that should be just enough time for me to show you the decorations I put in our bedroom,” purred Severus, dragging Remus away.
They were still catching their breath when the Floo sounded. Summoning his clothes, Remus threw them on. “Coming!” he cried, hurrying for the living room to open the Floo.
“Funny, you just said that same thing not five minutes ago,” murmured Severus, following more sedately.
“Did he now?” Tonks, grinning, came through, Teddy in her arms. Immediately following was Kingsley and a couple of Aurors. She leaned close. “Did we interrupt anything?”
Remus blushed. “Not at all. Happy Christmas, Tonks. Kingsley. Hello, Teddy.”
“Daddy!” Teddy reached for Remus and, heart full, Remus took him, settling him on his hip.
“Oof,” he teased. “You’re growing so big! You’re going to have to lift me up soon!”
As Teddy giggled in his ear, Remus watched anxiously as Tonks and Kingsley took in the decorations. “You did a great job!” Tonks finally said. She smiled in approval. “And look, Teddy! There’s a train under the tree.”
“Twain?” Craning his head, Teddy gasped when he saw the train. Once he started to squirm, Remus set him down and he raced over to the tree and train to inspect it more closely.
More people arrived and Remus moved to greet them. When he returned to Tonks she was still watching Severus and Teddy together. “This is like a child’s perfect Christmas,” she said.
“I was hoping he would like it.” Remus grinned as Severus squatted down and began pointing things out to Teddy. “And I think Severus had even more fun coming up with it.”
Tonks nodded. “Would you--” She hesitated.
“What?” Remus looked at her.
“Would you like to take Teddy for the rest of Christmas?” she asked in a rush. “Kingsley and I have been talking about taking some private time, you see, and--”
“We’d love to,” interrupted Remus. “I just didn’t want to do anything to disrupt the custody agreement--”
Tonks clasped his arm. “The only reason we wanted to have him more is because we weren’t sure how much time you’d want with him. When the terms were being set you were still recovering from your war injuries and Severus...well, he was recovering, too. It just seemed a better idea for us to keep him primarily until you got back on your feet.”
Remus smiled. “Then yes, we’d love to take him over the Christmas holidays. What about the New Year?”
“Well,” she murmured, “I suspect you and Severus may need a bit of alone time by then. Trust me, Teddy is a wonderful child, but he demands a lot of attention.”
Watching Severus lift Teddy up onto his shoulders to show him an ornament high up on the Christmas tree, Remus chuckled. “Something tells me we’ll be fine.” And as he walked over to join them at the tree, he decided that this had probably been one of his best ideas yet.
~
