Christmas Collection Challenge. Prompt: (colour) Gold
The Plan
"So Andromeda, how are you doing?" Hermione asked. "You look well."
"Oh Dear, I am well," she replied. "I just needed rest and quiet and to take a potion that St. Mungo's provided for me."
Remus stared at her for a moment. "Andromeda, how sick were you?"
"Sick enough that I didn't get to see my dear Grandson for most of the month," she replied carefully, glancing at the small boy whose hair had turned as gold as the Christmas decorations as he sat by the tree, playing with one of his toys.
Remus' eyes narrowed, and he caught Sirius and Harry share a look. "What's going on?" he demanded.
Sirius shrugged, and Remus' gaze focused on Harry, who looked quite uncomfortable. He watched Harry as Harry shifted nervously in his seat.
"I just wanted her to be happy," he finally blurted out.
"Harry," Sirius hissed.
"What is going on?" Remus demanded, all traces of humour gone from his face.
Sirius sighed, glaring at Harry for spoiling things. "Well, it looked like you were never going to do anything about your feelings for Hermione, and Harry was sure that Hermione would never act on her feelings for you, so we just... gave you a little nudge."
"And by little nudge?" Hermione asked.
"It started when you were sent home from work," Sirius told Hermione. "We just had this idea... this amazing idea that if you spent more time with Remus, you'd both end up together, but we couldn't think of a way. Then suddenly you had all this free time."
Sirius looked at Andromeda. "They convinced me that the key to your happiness was to be 'ill' for a few weeks, to allow Hermione time with Teddy. Of course I trusted Hermione with my grandson, otherwise I wouldn't have pretended."
"I pretended to go away for work," Sirius said. "We knew without a doubt that Hermione would love to take Teddy off your hands. She's too maternal and too kind to even think about refusing."
"So, you lot planned all this, faking being ill and away and busy, just in the hope that me and Remus bonded?"
Harry grinned at his angry room-mate. "Yeah, pretty much. Hermione, you've had a crush on Remus since school, and Sirius knew Remus felt the same. We love you both and knew you'd be so happy. I tried telling you to make a move, and you wouldn't. We weren't left with much choice. The idea was gold! Too good of a chance to pass up."
She glared at him, her wand slipping from her sleeve.
"Love, you have to admit that their meddling wielded some fantastic results," Remus said, putting a hand on her arm. "Had Harry not mentioned you being alone for Christmas, I may not have even thought to issue an invite - I had assumed you would go to the Weasleys until Harry told me otherwise - we may not have even ended up together. Who knows how long it would have taken for us to admit our feelings, plus you said yourself how much you've enjoyed spending time with Teddy."
"I have," she admitted, putting her wand away. "You're lucky this time, Potter."
"I told him that he should just lock you both in a room together - I know a spell which would lock the door until you shagged," Draco offered.
"What's 'shagged' mean?" Teddy asked, looking around.
Andromeda turned her disapproving gaze on Draco. "Yes Draco, what does 'shagged' mean?"
Draco looked fearfully at his aunt, and at Sirius. "I... I don't know how to answer this question," he admitted.
Andromeda turned back to Remus. "We did attend the nativity, however. we stood in the back and left immediately. I trust that my absence has done it's job and I'll resume school duties when Teddy is due to return to school?"
Remus just nodded his head.
"Did you like my nativity?" Teddy asked, his attention diverted from Draco's question.
"Kid, it was brilliant. You were the star of the show," Sirius told him.
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