Title: Friends and Family
Rating: PG
Word count: 1255
Summary: AU. Annual trip to the Burrow for some holiday fun.
Pairing: Remus/Tonks
Nymphadora Tonks settled into the over stuffed chair in the Burrow living. The house, it seemed, was alive with movement. There were children scurrying every which way and the rapidly falling snow flakes seemed to take their cue, covering the yard beyond the windows with a white blanket.
Ever since the war had ended six years ago the annual tradition was to gather all Weasley family members and extended family from various friendships and spend Christmas Eve at the Burrow for a huge dinner. Following the dinner, the children would scurry off to bed to wait until morning and the adults would sit up late by the fire for catching up and a bit of drinking.
But this year she wouldn’t be drinking. She had her own burning secret she’d been meaning to tell Remus, as well as the rest of the family but it could wait a bit longer because she was full and warm. The seat sagged a bit as Remus snuggled in next to her with a squirming four year old in his arms. This girl had a mass of untidy black hair, a ridiculous amount of freckles and a pair of twinkling chocolate eyes.
“Uncle Moony, I’m grumpy.” Tonks just sat back and watched sympathetically as Remus looked down at the little girl who was snuggling into his arms. He looked perfect.
“And why is that Tuesday?” Remus requested and the girl looked up and pouted.
“Everett and Warrick gave me a candy that turned my ears into a bunny’s and then everybody laughed. Luca even laughed.”
Oh the joy of being a Potter. Tonks turned her eyes back to the scene before her as Remus quietly comforted Tuesday beside her. The culprits of the offending bunny ears were crouched next to the fire place with Fred and George, Everett and Warrick were Harry and Ginny’s second oldest set of twins. Alta was talking quietly with Bill, most likely about curse breaking because being the oldest of the Potter clan was enough to make anyone run to Egypt. Harry had not only his own child, Memphis, clinging to his leg but one of Ron and Hermione’s- Oliver and Luca (Tuesday’s twin) was running away from a teasing Uncle Ron who insisted he was a Weasel Monster.
Ron and Hermione were expecting one more any moment now, which was alright since they only had Oliver but Ginny was also expecting their seventh child as well. Tonks shook her head, it was great. Her heart fluttered at the thought of having a clan of their own because although Charlie had yet to settle down, Tonks had a firm suspicion the dragons weren’t the only thing flaming about Charlie’s life; she and Remus were the last to have kids. Bill and Fleur had three part veela, charming Weasley’s’ running around and even Percy had left a piece of himself with Penelope before dying in the war.
Tonks subconsciously patted her tummy, trying to imagine actual life inside of her. She had morphed her belly once or twice to see what it would look life, but it wasn’t the same. She often wondered if it felt a bit like being a werewolf, having some separate life burning inside of you waiting to be let free.
“Still full, love?” Remus had apparently given Tuesday away to Ginny and turned his attention to burying his face into her neck. She smiled, watching the darkness settle outside the window.
“Oh Remus, you have no idea how full I am.”
They settled together into the couch, occasionally being bombarded with children or talking sweetly to one another but most of the time was spent sitting in companionable silence, taking in the wonderful family they had.
Eight thirty slowly came about and respective parents rounded up their children to say goodnight and by nine o’clock Tonks had heard her last “Nighty-Night Aunt Dora.” A nervous pit in her stomach gathered, soon Molly would disappear in the kitchen to serve everyone who could enjoy liquor a hot toddy. This was usually Tonks’ favorite part of Christmas Eve, sipping her drink and laughing at her friends and family before going upstairs to make slightly drunken love to her husband.
But as Molly disappeared into the kitchen, Tonks began to twitch and she was sure if she didn’t get things under control her eyes were going to start changing color soon because her nervousness was mingled greatly with excitement and joy. Not a moment too soon, Molly reappeared into the living room with a tray of drinks floating in front of her.
Tonks smiled brightly at Remus. She loved him more than she knew how to express and as Molly neared her with the tray she kissed him soundly on the lips before turning back towards Molly.
“Hot toddy?” Remus smiled and took one from the tray. Tonks glanced at him before mentally steadying her voice.
“Not for me, but thanks.” Tonks could swear her heart stopped as she turned back towards Remus; she’d wondered he’d remember or her plan would fall through. It had been three years ago since she’d made the statement. But as she saw his brow furrow, Tonks squelched her need to grin.
I’d only deny a hot toddy if I were dying or pregnant, Remus. Now give me that.
Remus opened his mouth once, and then closed it before opening it again.
“Nymphadora, are you dying?” He was looking at her so intensely she thought she might burst with the love she felt for this man. Tonks could only shake her head. He had remembered.
Two moments passed between the two of them, eyes locked, while the rest of the Burrow’s living room occupants were staring concernedly at them. All of this went unnoticed because all Tonks could think about was how Remus would react. His amber eyes flashed in surprise before turning quickly to excitement and lastly to undeniable love.
And then he kissed her. His hands cradled her head and he pressed his lips so softly onto hers that she thought he wasn’t even kissing her before he slipped off the couch to kneel in front of her. Tonks could feel the sting of tears and knew that her eyes were probably changing a million different colors in excitement but she didn’t care because Remus was lifting up her jumper and placing tiny little kisses all over her stomach. His murmured ‘I love yous’ were muffled by her skin but she could still hear him.
With tears streaming down her face and her body rumbling with laughter Tonks finally noticed what was happening around her; Molly had dropped the tray, letting full glasses shatter all over the floor and Ginny and Hermione were clinging to each other and sobbing wildly. Harry and Ron looked clueless and a bit scared to see their former professor kissing his wife’s stomach out of nowhere.
Remus looked up from her stomach with the widest grin she had ever seen.
“I thought we’d name them Sirius and James… if it’s alright with you.”
The last thing Tonks could truly remember was Remus kissing her frantically after her revealing statement before Molly screamed and the two of them were swallowed up into a flurry of people. Although Tonks knew she probably wouldn’t see Remus for the rest of the night due to Molly coddling her, Ginny and Hermione’s crying, Fleur’s rapid French and Penelope’s squeals of joy, but she had no doubt the sex tonight would be drunken… with joy and love.
