Title: Mistletoe
(rather loosely) Based off: Chapter Forty Eight of Marauders, Mischief and Mayhem
Rating: T
Word Count: 893
Beta: ChronicxxInsanity
Authors Note: Requested by DeadBattery88. I was going to write these in the order of their drabble number, but its Christmas and I completely ran out of time to write a proper Christmas fic, so now's as good a time as any. Also, if anyone still wants to request drabbles for me to turn into ficlets, it's not too late. Just message me any time up until I mark this story as 'Complete'. Merry Christmas everyone!
Even after the war was over, after Remus had lost everything he held most dear, he still loved Christmas. It was the one holiday where he could forget everything that had happened and remember his happiest years without pain. He smiled as he twirled the sprig of mistletoe between his fingers, huddled up with a thin blanket in a muggle bus shelter. Mistletoe had fast become his favourite plant since he started Hogwarts.
Year One had gone something like this:
"Lily, you have to kiss me."
"I think you'll find I don't," the girl answered coldly.
"Yes you do," James wheedled. "We're under the mistletoe. And besides, it's Christmas. Would you really break my heart on Christmas?"
"Yes."
"Lily! Please!"
"If I kiss you, will you promise to never mention kissing to me again?"
"Cross my heart."
From behind him, Sirius snorted and Remus grinned. Somehow he doubted that one kiss would break James' persistence. Lily seemed to question this too, as she eyed him suspiciously.
"Fine. One kiss," she said. And then she did something Remus had to see with his own eyes to believe – she leaned over and pecked him lightly on the cheek. Sirius choked on his pumpkin juice, and Remus watched in amazement as Lily turned around and walked back to where her friends were sitting.
As James returned to where the rest of the Marauders were, he seemed to float.
"Sirius," James said, in trancelike tones.
"Yeah, mate?"
"I'm in love. I'm going to marry that girl."
"James, you're eleven," Remus pointed out. "And I don't think she feels the same way."
"Plenty of time to win her over, then."
Remus smiled with fondness at the memory. He hadn't believed James when he first said it, but he never should have doubted him.
The Marauder's second Christmas had been overshadowed by the newfound information that Remus was a werewolf. While the other three hadn't been particularly concerned, Remus couldn't enjoy the season when he was too busy wondering when his friends were going to return to sanity and realise that their best friend was a monster.
The next five Christmases weren't all that memorable, but Remus did remember being unbelievably happy. It was such a contrast to how he'd felt ever since. Sometimes he wondered if he'd imagined it all.
It was Christmas in their seventh year that was Remus' favourite memory, however.
"Remus?"
The werewolf looked up from his book in surprise. He hadn't expected anyone to come and find him. It was the end-of-term party in the Gryffindor Common Room, organised by James and Sirius of course, and Remus had found the noise and exuberance a bit too much. He was glad that everyone was happy, of course, but he wished they didn't have to be quite so loud about it.
He'd retreated to the empty charms classroom rather than go up to the dormitory where the noise could still be heard. He'd told no one he was leaving, so therefore he was extremely surprised to see nought point five of the party's organisational team leaning casually against the desk in front of him.
"Hullo, Padfoot," Remus said, with surprise. "Why aren't you at the party?"
"Came looking for you, didn't I? You never said you were leaving."
"It got a little loud, you know, with the full moon next week. My head was beginning to complain." He tried for a small smile. "I didn't want to pull down the mood, so I just left."
"You should have said something," Sirius said, pulling a chair over and sitting next to Remus. "Someone could have come with you."
"Believe it or not, Sirius, I don't actually need a keeper."
"I didn't mean it like that, Moony. Just… we don't want you to feel left out."
"I don't, honestly. And everyone was having so much fun."
"Not after you left."
"Really? So James has stopped snogging Lily long enough to notice I'm missing?"
A smile pulled at Sirius' mouth. "Well, no," he admitted. "But I wasn't having so much fun."
"Really? You'd prefer my company to butterbeer, good food, Christmas cheer and the soon-to-be-let-off fireworks?"
Remus was expecting a joking reply, but instead he got a small smile. "Of course."
Remus had nothing to say to that.
"You know," Sirius said after a while, "the ceiling is covered with mistletoe."
"Looks like some sixth-years let their spells get away from them," Remus said, after looking up to confirm that the ceiling was indeed covered with a thick layer of the spikey plant.
"We're sitting underneath it."
"We can't really not, Sirius. It covers the entire classroom."
"You know what you're supposed to do under mistletoe, right?"
Remus suddenly became aware how close Sirius was. "Yeah," he said carefully. "But we're both blokes. And you're straight."
"That's what you think."
"What?" Remus asked, surprised. But instead of answering, Sirius leaned forwards and pressed his lips to the werewolf's.
Remus smiled at his mistletoe sprig, lost in memories of times long gone. After Hogwarts, his Christmases hadn't been the same. The war made them adults too soon, and distrust brewed distance between them. Then James and Lily had been killed, and Remus had been on the streets, alone, for eleven Christmases ever since.
Little did he know that, after this year, he'd never spend another Christmas on his own again.
