A/N - This year was my first participating in the Christmas Cracker Advent over at metamorfic_moon. Submissions are over now, so we'll soon find out how I did - there were some excellent stories, and if you're a R/T fan (which I'm guessing you are) you might want to go browse all the entries. Anyway, it's been quite awhile since I wrote any R/T myself, so this was a nice little challenge. Set near Christmas of OotP year, before the kids were home from school. Anything you recognize, I don't own, and feedback is always welcome =)
Remus Lupin had been perfectly content to spend his day safely tucked inside, away from the cold winter weather. A fresh blanket of snow had fallen in the middle of the night, leaving the world covered in soft and gleaming whiteness. This event prompted great excitement from one Nymphadora Tonks, who had blearily stumbled into the kitchen of Grimmauld Place half-asleep earlier this morning. As soon as she caught sight of the snow and the icicles dangling from the window panes, all traces of sleep vanished. She had chatted excitedly all through breakfast, nearly spilled her tea once, succeeded in spilling Remus' tea twice, and had made a concerted effort to persuade him to venture outside. Remus had of course roundly refused, declaring that he had never much cared for snow. This was of course not especially true, as Remus had always enjoyed the coming of winter and the crisp white snow, at least in his younger years. Now the cold tended to ache in his joints, and he could recall boyhood antics in the snow with friends long gone, and the whole thing just made him feel unpleasantly old. Tonks had pouted for awhile, threatening to drag him outside herself if he would not go willingly. Some of the effect was lost as she rose from the table, made approximately four steps in the direction of the hall, and tripped over her own feet. Remus had still been sitting at the kitchen table when she returned half an hour later, bubblegum pink hair hidden by a fluffy yellow hat that matched the Hufflepuff scarf around her neck. Close on her heels was an enormous black dog who looked quite ecstatic to be venturing outside. If Remus was not mistaken, Padfoot was also making pointed looks from Remus to the door to Tonks and back again. Remus waved a rude gesture at Padfoot under the table but otherwise made no acknowledgement. Tonks had swung the door open with great enthusiasm, a burst of frigid air tumbling into the kitchen even as Tonks and Padfoot tumbled out. Remus watched them through the window for a moment, Tonks and the huge dog racing through the snow-filled garden of Grimmauld Place. He smiled to himself, briefly entertained thoughts of joining them, then banished the thought, closed the curtains, and went to find a quiet place to read.
Success came in the form of the sitting room, a warm fire, and another cup of tea. Remus settled in to read, having just found a comfortable position in his chair and ensured that Kreacher was not around to cause trouble. Exactly a page and a half into his reading, a dull thud echoed from the direction of the kitchen. Remus ignored the noise and very determinedly turned the page. Another thud followed the first, and then another, until the noise became a repetitive beat on what Remus guessed to be the kitchen window. The noise did not appear to be stopping anytime soon either. With a long-suffering sigh, Remus abandoned his book and his chair, rather reluctantly retrieved his shoes, and departed the almost-sanctuary of the sitting room.
The curtains remained closed over the window, effectively blocking the view of the back garden. Remus simply swung the kitchen door open instead, intending to ask as politely as possible to be left alone. The first thing that struck him was a blast of cold, damp air that prickled against his skin and easily found the tears in his worn jumper. The second thing that struck him was a large, solid mass of snow that hit him directly in the face. Someone, Tonks from the sound, whooped excitedly, and Remus reached up slowly to wipe the snow away from his face. Sure enough, Sirius - who had returned to human form - and Tonks were both doubled over laughing, snow clinging to their clothes.
"What in Merlin's name are you two doing?"
"We," Tonks straightened, cheeks rosy and eyes sparkling, "Were having a snowball fight. And we decided you ought to join us."
"It's cold," Remus said, as though that were the only reason he needed to not want to be outdoors. Unfortunately, Sirius seemed to have other ideas, changing into Padfoot once more and dashing toward Remus. Before he could close the door, Padfoot had reached him, circling around and shoving Remus forward, away from the kitchen and into a pile of snow. He came up coughing, having inhaled a fair amount of snow on his way down. Tonks rushed over to help him up, smiling but to her credit otherwise silent. Sirius meanwhile was laughing once more.
"Should we teach him a lesson?" Tonks asked quietly, kicking at the snow in case Remus did not fully understand her meaning.
"I think that seems like a wonderful idea."
Remus bent down again, slipping his wand from his pocket as Tonks did the same. In seconds, the pile of snow had been charmed into a reasonably large arsenal of snowballs.
"What are you two doing over there?" Sirius shouted. "Not still pouting are you Moony?"
Tonks grinned wickedly, and Remus did the same, both of them pointing their wands at Sirius and sending a flurry of snowballs in his direction. Sirius' eyes widened, smile slipping somewhat as he sprinted for cover, sliding and tripping in the snow.
"Two against one is hardly fair!"
Sirius was forced to abandon the rest of his tirade as a snowball caught him in the side of the head and his already precarious balance was lost. He rolled away from another round of fire, ducking to safety behind a stone bench.
"I do believe that was successful," Remus murmured, conjuring another round of snowballs.
"I'd certainly say so," Tonks agreed.
"My own cousin, turned against me!" Sirius was raving from behind the bench, his fist making an occasional appearance for emphasis, "And my oldest friend. I'll get you for this! You and your bloody rabbit too!"
Remus laughed and rolled his eyes, levitating the pile of snowballs overtop of the stone bench and allowing them to fall on Sirius' head. A muffled screech echoed across the garden.
"Rabbit?" Tonks asked confusedly.
"Just an old joke," Remus explained, smiling faintly to himself, "concerning my ah...'furry little problem', as James liked to call it."
Tonks nodded in understanding, and Remus shifted his attention momentarily to Sirius, who apparently was still trying to free himself from the pile of snow. When Remus turned back towards Tonks, however, he found her with her hands full of snow and her feet tripping over the ground. Without thinking, Remus reached out and caught her, sending snow splattering over them both.
"And here I was trying to surprise you," Tonks sighed ruefully.
"By dumping snow on my head. To think, I saved you from falling," Remus said, shaking his head and doing his best to keep a straight face.
"If it makes you feel any better, I do appreciate that," Tonks offered, smiling up at him.
Remus had been meaning to offer a more sarcastic reply, but he was distracted by Tonks' smile and the fact his hand was still wrapped around hers.
"Your hands are freezing," Remus realized with a frown, covering her hand in both of his without properly thinking about what he was doing. "Why in Merlin's name haven't you got gloves on?"
"Because I didn't want any," Tonks said matter of factly. "Besides, I don't see you wearing any. And I assure you, your hands are just as freezing."
"In my defense, I didn't plan on being dragged outside," Remus lowered his arms, still holding Tonks' hand. She did not seem to mind, however. In fact, she looked a bit pleased.
"Let's go inside and warm up then," Tonks suggested, "You can even make some hot chocolate."
"I rather like the sound of that," Remus said with a smile. "Come on then, before our dear Padfoot manages to extricate himself from the snow."
They reached the door still hand-in-hand, passing from the bright whiteness of the garden into the dimly lit kitchen. Tonks abandoned her hat and loosened her scarf, some of the brightness still clinging to her as she set about searching the cabinets. Remus watched her absently, smiling as he closed the door behind him, and only halfway meaning to lock Sirius outside.