When Remus first heard the noise on the stairs he thought it was Sirius.
"How was the pub," he said not looking up from his book.
"I don't know, but the Yule Ball is great. The Weird Sisters are live!"
Remus looked up to see Liv taking off a long coat, wearing an elegant gown under it. Suddenly he felt butterflies in his stomach.
"What are you doing here?"
She smiled. "I'm here to deliver a little Christmas cheer, courtesy of Albus Dumbledore."
As she said it, 6 house elves came into the room behind her, carrying trays of food and boxes of decorations. Within minutes the shack had been transformed from dark and dreary into a magical Christmas cottage.
"I didn't think he knew where we were," he said watching the elves work their magic.
"I didn't tell him, but he knew somehow. He approached me at the ball and asked if I could help him with a surprise."
"Doesn't miss a trick, that man. Speaking of missing, won't your date be wondering where you are," Remus said, a hint of his old jealousy returning.
"Don't worry," Liv said. "I don't have a date to the ball. I was asked, by Malfoy believe it or not, but the whole point in going with someone was to avoid being gossiped about, and going with Malfoy seemed like it would cause more gossip than going alone."
"That makes sense," Remus said, feeling cheerful. "Would you like a drink," he said, as the house elves set out some excellent wine, with a note attached from Dumbledore. "A proper one. I know from personal experience they put spells on the drinks so they can't be spiked at the balls."
Liv smiled and accepted, and as he went to pour some wine, she thanked and dismissed the house elves.
"Speaking of dates, where's yours," Liv asked as he handed her a glass of wine.
"Sirius is out enjoying his Christmas present," he said. "I gave him some polyjuice potion so he could have a night out in the pub, but I didn't have time to get hairs, so he's out as me, hence the reason I'm here alone." And as they drank he told Liv about how he stole the potion a few days before from a man who refused to pay him for some work after finding out he was a werewolf. And she told him the gossip about Harry, Ron, and Hermione at the ball. What had started as a boring Christmas was turning into the opposite. The music he had been listening to no longer felt gloomy in this atmosphere.
There was a lull in their conversation and he debated complimenting her on her outfit. She looked stunning. But he decided against it, not wanting to hint at the feelings that were beginning to resurface.
"I should probably go," Liv said, interrupting his thoughts.
"Alright," he said, but he didn't want her to go. As the music changed, he had an idea. "How about after this dance?"
"What," Liv said, surprised but smiling.
"It's the night of the Yule Ball! You don't have a date, and mine left," he said, making her laugh. He put out a hand and she took it. Just one dance between friends, he told himself. But he wasn't prepared for what happened as they began to dance. Having only seen her from the front, he didn't know until he put his hand on her skin that the dress was backless.
"What is it," Liv said in a tone that said she knew exactly why he had suddenly become uncomfortable.
"Nothing," he said, not wanting to make it situation even more awkward by moving his hand to try to find some fabric.
"I know, it's maybe a little too much for a school dance," Liv said. "But it's long, and high in the front to hide my tattoo, so I thought I could get away with it. Besides, I'm supposed to be 18, I think I could get away with it being a bit sexy."
"I think it looks very nice," he said, which was as much as he was willing to say.
"Thanks."
Maybe it was the atmosphere that caused it, but 1 dance turned into 2, and then 3, and with each dance they got a little closer together. He wasn't sure how it happened, who made the first move, maybe it was the atmosphere or maybe it was the wine that led the 3rd unplanned dance naturally into an unplanned kiss. The spell of that kiss held them for a long time.
If Sirius hadn't come thumping up the stairs singing carols, who knew how long it would have continued. It broke the spell and when they parted they realized what just happened.
"Liv! Happy Christmas," he said, not realizing what had just interrupted. "Don't you look stunning. Is all this from you?"
"Dumbledore, actually," Liv said, her cheeks red. "I just came to make sure the house elves got everything set up. I should be getting back to the ball."
"Thank him for us," Sirius said, kissing Liv on both cheeks, swaying a little as he wished her a happy Christmas.
"Happy Christmas," Remus said too, also kissing her on both cheeks, which he noticed were redder.
"Happy Christmas," she replied.