Remus' POV:

When I woke up on Christmas morning I noticed immediately that Katie wasn't in bed. I jumped out of bed and began searching for her. My search eventually took me to the guest bedroom and found her in there with her baby Hippogriff.

"Remus, I can hear you breathing." Katie laughed without turning round. The sound was light, soft and like tinkling rain.

I sighed and walked in. she span around and hugged me. "Morning Moony!" she smirked into my shoulder.

"Hey!" I greeted.

We pulled apart and turned an identical shade of fuchsia at our state of dress. I was in boxers and a vest and she was wearing slouch shorts and a sloppy-joe tee.

"Sorry!" we said together then went even redder at our syncronisation.

"So…. That's a baby thestral." I mumbled, pointing to the creature in the attempt to get off topic.

"Oh, Merlin! Yeah, that's my baby hippogriff." Katie muttered.

"Why do you have a hippogriff?" I asked playing along with the I-don't-know-anything-about-this scenario.

"Oh, erm, Emrys… that is Lord Danvers gave him to me. he couldn't look after him so I said I'd take him." Katie explained. "Wanna know his name?" she smiled at this point looking me square in the eyes.

I nodded.

"I named him Lyall, because he's one we lost and the hippogriff is one we've gained. Plus, you're my best friend and it just felt right to name him after your dad because he meant so much for you."

I choked a sob and my eyes teared. I hadnt cried last night. Last night I was touched but now…

I felt Katie wrap her arms around my torso and I put my head on her shoulder. And let my emotion flow. Merlin, why was it so easy to feel safe around her.

"Remus, I cant raise Lyall on my own. I need you to help me look after him." Katie pleaded. "please." She added in a small voice.

"of course I'll help you raise him." I beamed. "he can be our little secret, yeah."

"Thank you!" Katie squealed leaning up and kissing my cheek. I froze at her touch but grinned at her cheeky smile. "Ok, so, Lyall needs to be fed a steak and whole milk every 2 hours. We'll take it in turns to fed him so it doesn't look so obvious, ok?"

I nodded and she kissed Lyall's nose before grabbing my hand and pulling me into our room. She threw a pair of jeans and a t-shirt to me before grabbing some of her own clothes and heading towards the bathroom to take a shower. I dressed quickly and shook James and Sirius awake before pushing/pulling them out of bed and heading down to breakfast.

"Morning Remus, dear!"

"Morning Mum." I yawned and she sat me down at the table.

"Are you ok, sweetheart?" she asked.

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" I muttered.

"well, you just seemed a little… distant last night." Mum told me in a worrid tone.

"Honestly Mum, I'm fine." I assured her. She sighed nodded and went to make a start on breakfast.

When she was gone I lightly touched where Katie had kissed my cheek. It still felt warm and somehow…. Softer.

"Morning Mum!" James and Sirius grumbled as they stumbled into the room.

"Merry Christmas Boys!" Dad chuckled as he entered.

"Christmas? Merlin's Beard! We forgot!" Sirius and James chorused as they tore out of the room.

"Morning Mum, Dad." Katie sung as she skipped in wearing a fluffy red jumper and skinny jeans.

"Morning Darling." Mum beamed. "Say, why don't you two go after James and Sirius before they steal all your presents?"

We grinned and headed to the lounge. As predicted James and Sirius were buried in the gifts.

"Oi Prongs, this one's yours!" Sirius muttered throwing a gift at James.

"And this one has your name on it, Padfoot." James mumbled, throwing a gift at Padfoot.

"Any of them ours?" Katie snickered.

"Nice of you to join us Foxy, Moony." Sirius sniggered. He indicated to a group of presents in the corner. "We made a pile of your presents."

Katie and I sat cross legged by our presents.

"Oooh! Sirius, thanks for the records!" Katie gasped as she picked up 3 disks. "Wuthering Hights, Kate Bush; Le Freak, Chic; and Midnight Train to Georgia, Glayds Night and the Pips." She read.

"Thanks for the hair dye Padfoot!" I called and I smirked at the barking laugh of Sirius who still seemed to find it hillarious that I had to dye my hair.

"Cheers for the shirt Katie, Ralph Lauren, nice!" James thanked her.

"Oh, Katie, thanks so much for the camera! I've always wanted one!" I gaped. It really was a beautiful camera. It was traditional looking, but had a definate high-tech working.

Katie gasped out loud and her eyes softened as she smiled and held up the bracelet I'd bought her. It had a golden chain and a golden paw print.

"Thank you Remus! it's beautiful!" she squealed. Immediately putting it on. She hugged me tight and I hugged her back, though a little nervously.

"Thanks for the cologne Katie!" Sirius called and we pulled away from the hug looking sheepish.

"Your welcome!" Katie murmured. "Thank you for the earings Prongs." She put the silver heart earings in.

"Here are our presents to you!" Mum and Dad told us, throwing us each a package.

We tore off the wrapping paper and I gasped at the gift. It was a pocket watch. Pure gold that told the position of the planets as well as the time.

"Merlin! Thank you so much!" I choked.

"That is quite alright Remus, dear." Mum smiled.

"Thought you'd like something a little classy." Dad smirked.

"I love it!" I chuckled.

At lunch, I felt Katie press something into my hands. I looked at it under the table and smiled. It was a chocolate frog. Katie winked at me and I suppressed a chuckle.

All of a sudden a very familiar, very pompous looking bird flew in and dropped a letter in Katie's lap.

She opened it and glanced down before slipping it into her pocket.

"Who was the letter from Katie?" Dad asked.

"Oh, just Emrys…. That is Lord Danvers." Katie stammered blushing.

"Oh so it's Emrys to you is it missy?" Mum teased.

"Don't Mum, he's only being kind." Katie grumbled.

"Well, what did dearest darling Emrys say, Katelyn?" James snickered.

Katie stuck her tongue out at him and Dad crooked his eyebrow.

"He only wanted to wish me Merry Christmas." Katie protested.

"He did that last night, I heard him." Sirius interrupted.

"Shut up Sirius!" Katie hissed.

"So what did he really say, Katie?" Mum questioned.

"just… just… just that Cuthbert apologises for being an ass at school and that he was probably just stressed but to not take any crap." Katie lied.

"Oh yes, dearest darling Cuthbert!" James sang.

"Cuthbert Danvers?" Dad enquired.

"Katie's boyfriend!" Sirius sniggered.

"He is not!" Katie shouted.

"Is too!" Sirius snorted.

"Padfoot, quit it. Mum, Cuthbert is simply a prat at school." I informed her.

"Thank you Remus. that was all we wanted to know." Dad muttered.

Katie jabbed my foot and I quickly excused myself to go and feed Lyall. He really was a sweet little thing. I must not have realised how fast time passed just sitting there cuddling him, because Katie came up to fetch me saying I'd been gone half an hour. When we got downstairs I made up the excuse of picking up a book and loosing myself in it. This worked just fine as it happened enough anyway.

That night I was tucked up in bed, reading, when Katie came and sat beside me.

"Remus, thanks for helping me with Lyall. It really does mean a lot." She whispered.

"No problem Katie. He's really sweet actually." I murmured. "Yep, a total cutie. Look, I asked Hagrid if it'd be ok to let him live in the forest for now. I don't really want him there forever but it'll do for now."

"That's cool."

"Yeah, well, night Remus."

Katie leaned up and kissed my cheek before hopping into her own bed and snuggling down. Twice in one day! Wow, it had been a great christmas!