The snow was just starting to fall in big feathery clumps outside the windows of number 12 Grimmuald Place, down stairs the sound of Sirius singing Christmas carols echoed through the empty halls, Remus shook his head from where he stood by the window before he went down stairs to face his friend before the others would arrive, Sirius smiled seeing Remus and finished charming the kitchen ceiling to snow.
"Molly won't like having to walk through feet of snow you know Pads, not when there's enough outside."
Sirius thought for a moment then charmed the snow to disappear before coming in contact with anything smiling at his work before suddenly it began to change color so it was now a pale ballet shoe pink making him look confused until the source became clear in the form of a giggle from the door way, both turned to see who it was and Sirius' smile widened seeing Nymphadora leaning against the door frame her wand aimed at the ceiling, her cheeks were pink from being outside and it wasn't hard to see why given she was wearing a green tutu skirt that stopped at her mid-thigh, a red t-shirt that had Naughty or Nice sewn on it and around the Naughty was a green ring, her hair was short and spiky and the brightest shade of holiday green it'd put a Christmas tree to shame and to top it off a red Santa hat and her black combat boots.
"Merlin's beard Nymphie! You'll catch your death like that!"
She rolled her eyes walking past him to stand by the fire tucking her wand in her boot before warming her hands over the fire.
"It was just a short outdoor trip but I didn't think it'd be this cold, I think my hairs froze."
Remus shook his head as he grabbed the silver wrapped package from the tree beside her offering it to her.
"I was going to wait until Christmas morning to give it to you but it seems you need it worse now."
Dora looked first at him then the box and shook her head stubbornly.
"Nope, I'm not going to let you break the tradition of gifts on Christmas Day Lupin, I'll open it then like everyone else."
With that she smirked and turned on her heel walking back out of the kitchen and in the time it took to count to three in his head they heard her trip then call she was okay before she continued up the stairs.
"She really is stubborn, reminds me of someone else I know."
Sirius smirked at Remus who looked confused.
"No way Pads I'm not that stubborn, at least I know how to dress when it's snowing."
"I HEARD THAT LUPIN!"
Both Sirius and Remus laughed hearing Dora's call from the living room, later on in the day the rest of the order began filling in and by dinner time Remus had a suspicion about why Dora and Ginny's heads were bent so close together during dessert but it wasn't confirmed until Fred and George joined their talk and suddenly they all stood up and said at once.
"SNOWBALL FIGHT!"
Before Molly could get a word of protest in, Dora, Ginny, both Fred and George, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Sirius had all left the kitchen and were filing into the abandoned street, upon fallowing them Remus shook his head watching as they all threw snow at each other before long it ended up with the twins teaming up on Ginny to drop her in a snow bank making her shriek with laughs while Dora watched her cousin shaking her head repeatedly telling him no but she ended up slipping on ice and falling into the snow bank next to Ginny anyway both laughing breathless.
Remus carefully made his way to Dora dodging snowballs as he went until he reached where she was having trouble getting up due to a patch of ice under her feet, he offered a hand to help her which she took with a grateful smile but nature had other plans as he pulled to help her up she slipped again causing him to slip on the ice as well so they landed in the snow with him on top of her their faces inches apart, his cheeks turned red as he apologized and got to his feet careful of the ice before helping her up, she was blushing just as bad if not worse from the cold.
"Maybe we should call it a day you look about frozen."
Dora puffed out her chest shaking her head.
"No way! I'm not even the least bit cold!"
His eyebrows knitted together as the wind blew hard and cold making her shiver, he sighed and took something from his pocket and wrapped it around her neck while her eyes were closed making her open them.
"Huh?"
She looked down as he tied the pink scarf loosely around her neck before she looked up at him.
"I told you that you'd need it now as apposed to waiting until Christmas Day."
She smiled her blush spreading as he finished tiring the scarf.
"Thank you."
He nodded watching as she turned around in time to catch Ginny ready to throw a snowball at her making the red head laugh and turn away to run, the snow fight lasted about five more minutes before it began to get to cold forcing everyone inside, once inside they all stripped their winter coats, save Dora, and boots before gathering on the floor by the fire to warm up as Molly brought in hot chocolate for all of them while Arthur messed with the radio enough it finally tuned into a station that was playing muggle Christmas songs making Dora smile as she whipped whipped cream from her upper lip as she listened.
As the night went on everyone was having fun, Hermione and Dora had got up and started dancing and singing to JingleBell Rock making the others laugh and clap as they did, finally when things settled down Molly came up with the idea to open one present each before Christmas morning and without fail most of the kids, and Dora, agreed making Remus smile and shake his head as he watched them each take one wrapped gift from under the tree but his smile faded as he seen Dora had grabbed the second of his gifts for her that was wrapped in silver paper, he tried to smile again as Dora moved to a new spot on the floor by his feet though he said nothing nor did he move away.
In turn each of them opened the presents, Ron had opened a gift from Hermione that contained about a dozen chocolate frogs and a box of every flavor beans, Harry had opened one from Molly and he smiled at the hand knitted jumper pulling it on over his pajama top, Hermione opened one from Sirius and her eyes lit up at the old book she held and at once she went to reading it, Ginny opened a gift from Dora and she smiled widely at the next few issues of Witch Weekly and a folded Weird Sisters shirt that was signed across the back, finally Dora opened the silver wrapped package and smiled finding a hat and gloves that matched the pink scarf still around her neck, she looked up at him and smiled softly.
"Thank you Remus."
He nodded once with a smile.
"Well someone needs to look out for you."
She laughed making him smile and shake his head, the night went on until Ginny, Hermione and Ron had fallen asleep and Harry, Fred and George were fallowing quickly behind Molly told them all to go up to bed and the adults either left for their own homes of the few that were staying went to their rooms, all but one, Remus stayed up after the others had went to bed and was watching out the window as the snow fell in white puffs.
"You should get some sleep, you look tired as it is Remus."
He looked in the reflected room to find Dora was standing behind him in a pair of pink pajama bottoms and a Weird Sisters shirt making him smile slightly seeing she still had the scarf on.
"I'll go to bed before long don't worry about me."
She closed the space between them as he turned around to face her a soft smile on his lips as he gently started to untie the scarf.
"Well someone needs to worry about you."
He looked at her surprised for a moment before he smiled again finally untying the scarf making her look surprised for a second before she slipped it off and looped it around his neck pulling him close their lips inches apart before swallowing her fear she softly pressed her lips to his, Remus was frozen for a moment before he relaxed and kissed back smiling as she broke the kiss but didn't move away from him.
"What was that for?"
She smiled pointing at the ceiling making him look up to find mistletoe hanging above them making him laugh but in the back of his mind he made a note to thank Sirius for placing it there.
"But it's also to thank you."
He looked down into her eyes.
"Thank me for what?"
"For looking out for me, I know I'm pig headed and stubborn as a mule but even I need someone looking after me."
He smiled softly and kissed her again making her smile and kiss back before pulling away enough to look in his eyes.
"What was that one for?"
He gently brushed her bangs out of her eyes before returning the scarf to around her neck.
"For being the person worrying about me when I'm to stubborn to worry about myself."
She smiled looking over her shoulder at the clock making him fallow her gaze before he took her hand.
"Come on little Christmas pixie lets get you to bed."
She laughed but fallowed him upstairs to her room where once she was in bed he smiled from the doorway getting ready to leave.
"Wait Remus."
He paused looking over his shoulder at her to find she was sitting up now looking at him, he turned around and went to her side sitting on the edge of the bed as she blushed and looked down.
"U-um I was wondering if...if you would stay in here until I fell asleep."
He smiled and took her hand making her smile as she moved over making room for him, he blushed faintly but laid beside her their hands intertwined between them making her smile soften.
"Thank you."
He kissed her forehead with a kind smile.
"Don't thank me just sleep please, I don't want you sleepy for Christmas tomorrow."
She chuckled but let her eyes close and was asleep with in minutes making him smile, he found he didn't want to leave the bed he just wanted to stay by her side, he looked at their intertwined fingers and let himself drift to sleep beside her but not before he kissed her hand.
"Thank you Nymphadora for the best Christmas, and the pinkest one, I have had in a very long time."
Before he let his eyes close he could swear he seen her smile as she nuzzled closer to him while the wind opened the window enough to let a single snowflake into the room where it landed on the desk in the corner of the room where on a pink sheet of paper Dora had written her Christmas wish, for Remus to be happy for at least one day.