Christmas at the Dragon Reserve
Year: Seventh
House: Gryffindor
Category: Additional
Prompt: Christmas
Extra requirement: happy occasion
The Golden Snitch:
Through the universe:
Hydrostatic equilibrium: rainbows
TGS:
Ollivander's wand shop: Dragon heartstring
Words: 1343
Centaurus, Aurora
AU, evidently. I don't like Remus Lupin at the moment, and outside that Tonks is too good for him, so I therefore despise Tonks/Remus! That's my reasoning for writing this story like this.
Charlie Weasley sighed as he looked around his cabin at the Romanian Dragon Reserve; he was propped up in bed. It was just him and the reserve owners now; all the other employees had gone home for Christmas, which was the next day—making today Christmas Eve.
Unlike them, Charlie couldn't go home. Someone needed to stay to look after the dragons apart from the owners, and he was also late with applying for leave, anyway. And his parents didn't have the money to come and visit him, so he was left alone.
His thoughts turned to a pink-haired Metamorphmagus called Nymphadora Tonks, but she preferred to be called Tonks, but sometimes her friends called her Dora, too. She had been a good friend of his during school, even with her being a Hufflepuff and him a Gryffindor. Their friendship could have turned to something more if they didn't live and work in different countries, which were too far to Disapparate to and from, let alone Floo.
Charlie could try and move, but that wouldn't guarantee him a job, and he had a good one here. Currently, there was no dragon reserve in England, and Charlie wasn't sure he could get another job in a different field. With that, he turned and went to sleep, feeling depressed. This would be the worst Christmas ever.
###
"Charlie, wake up!" an echo of voices cried.
Charlie bolted upright in his bed and reached grabbed his wand, expecting it to be an emergency where a dragon had escaped and was burning the reserve down, or worse, that one had been stolen.
He looked around to see his brother Bill, his parents, the owners, and Tonks, all gathered in the little space his cabin had. Charlie was shocked, overjoyed, and surprised—all at the same time, and relieved it wasn't an emergency.
"Surprised to see us?" Bill asked, wearing a grin that could have passed off as a grin from the twins, Fred and George.
"I am, but happy too," Charlie said, rubbing his eyes.
"Your parents contacted us and asked if they could come and visit you today," one of the three owners, Jeremy said.
"We didn't want you to spend Christmas on your own, and Bill and Nymphadora wanted to come, too," his mother, Molly, explained.
"Don't call me that! Wotcha, Charlie!" Tonks exclaimed, glaring at the older witch before then talking to Charlie. Molly ignored the younger girls' glare.
"Well, thank you, everyone, I am honoured you came all this way for me. Can you all get out while I change, please?" Charlie asked.
"Sure, we'll take them to see the Russian Rainbow Dragons," Debby said. She was another owner.
"Are they rainbow coloured?" Charlie's dad, Arthur, asked.
"Sure are." Charlie nodded.
All his visitors cleared out, and Charlie bounded out of bed and started to get dressed. He had a shower, a shave, then he got dressed into some nice comfy, warm but suitable to be around dragons clothes, and ran a comb through his hair.
After that, Charlie went outside to find the others. He found the owners Debby, Jeremy and Violet showing his friends and family the Russian Rainbows: a rare breed of dragon from Russia.
After having a quick chat, Charlie and the owners went to doing their morning routine of feeding the dragons, with Arthur, Bill, Molly, and Tonks following; all very interested.
Once that was all sorted, they went to the retreat to have their Christmas celebration. Debby, Violet, and Jeremy had cleaned it up, it seemed, as this place was usually a mess, and the house-elves they had didn't clean. Charlie was also willing to bet that the house-elves would be taking care of lunch, breakfast, and dinner.
First thing was first, though: they sat down to have breakfast.
"Did you guys get my presents?" Charlie asked his family, after glancing over to the Christmas tree, seeing the base was overflowing with gifts.
"Yes, we did. They arrived late last night, and we have brought them with us," Bill explained, waving his hand at the tree in the corner.
"Ah, okay," Charlie said and nodded.
After consuming breakfast, Charlie and Debby showed the guests around the reserve. Violet and Jeremy were going to go and pick up theirs and Debby's families to join them in their Christmas celebration.
There wasn't much more to the reserve apart from what they already would have seen: there were a few more buildings and the cabins for the other workers. As they walked back to the retreat, Charlie found Tonks beside him, gripping his hand.
"How's Auror training going?" Charlie asked her, not noticing they had fallen behind the others.
"It's really fun. Mad-Eye Moody is a great teacher, but he keeps going on about constant vigilance!" Tonks said brightly.
"I suppose it is an important part of being an Auror," Charlie said.
"I wish you'd come and visit more," Tonks said, taking him by surprise.
"It's hard to get time off; a lot of the other works get their leave long before I do, so I get stuck here," Charlie said.
"Is there somewhere you could go that is closer?" Tonks asked, and Charlie shook his head. Tonks sighed sadly.
After returning to the retreat, they did the greetings and introductions with the new arrivals, then sat around and talked for a while. As they did, Charlie couldn't help but think about how much he was enjoying the day. Apart from the conversation with Tonks which got a little sad towards the end, it had been a really happy day. He hoped nothing went wrong.
As it turned out, they ended up talking until lunch time. But they didn't really stop talking, they simply moved their conversations to the table set up.
After that, they opened presents. Charlie couldn't help but be impressed with the amount everyone had brought. Violet's mother, Sarah Tongueyard, had wrapped all the ones she had brought in rainbow paper. Charlie was impressed she had enough to be able to do that. Most thought it was pretty and added nice colour, while Sarah's husband, Ginger, facepalmed, and Violet looked embarrassed. Charlie really couldn't understand it; what was wrong with rainbow wrapping paper?
When all the gifts had been given out, Debby turned on some music and everyone got up and danced. Charlie got to have a dance with Tonks, but then Debby and Jeremy dragged him off for some 'very important' business.
After dragging him outside, Debby said, "We are opening up a reserve in England, and we want you to head it."
"What's the con?" Charlie asked. It sounded too good to refuse, so it paid to ask if there was a downside or two.
"No, none whatsoever. Now you can spend more time with your family and that lovely young witch you're so fond of," Jeremy said, causing Charlie to go bright red.
After quickly discussing a few things, Charlie, Jeremy, and Debby went back inside. Debby and Jeremy then took to the dance floor, while Charlie went to find Tonks, who had just ducked into the kitchenette.
When he entered the kitchenette, he saw the three house-elves going about their business in there, with Tonks watching them while perched on a stool.
"What did your employers want?" Tonks asked.
"They're opening a reserve in England, and I'm heading it," Charlie said excitedly.
"Really? That's great!" Tonks smiled.
"When it's all up and running, you will have to come and see," Charlie said, returning her smile.
"I'd like that," Tonks responded.
"Hey, Dora," Charlie asked.
"Yes?" Tonks looked up. Charlie very rarely used that nickname.
"Since we're going to be closer together, and we will get to spend more time with each other, would you be my girlfriend?" the ex-Gryffindor asked.
"Yes, I will," Tonks said, her eyes lighting up. Sshe jumped up and gave Charlie a hug and a kiss, which he had no problem with returning.
Meanwhile, they never saw one of the house-elves cast a charm for there to be mistletoe just above them.