The Truth About Remus
Chapter Fourteen
I was awoken on Christmas morning by Remus ceremonially jumping on my bed in his mistletoe boxers and a white undershirt.
"Lookie, Thump, you are under the mistletoe," he told me as I opened my eyes.
"Yeah, well you can't kiss me unless you are under it, too."
"I can arrange that."
"No, that's alright, Moony."
Remus threw himself down beside me, "Do you mind if I get under the covers with you? Its is really cold running across the snow in only your underwear."
I nodded and laughed, "Remmie, you are a dumb ass."
"I know."
He settled under the covers and cuddled up near me. My queen-sized bed was warm from me sleeping in it all night and Remus immediately settled into the warmth.
"You are freezing," I exclaimed as his feet touched mine, "Didn't you think to wear socks?"
"Actually, yes, I did wear them, but they were so wet that I had to take them of at the door."
He wrapped one of his arms around my waist and pulled me closer to him. His gray eyes were looking into my green ones and I smiled.
"What is it," he asked softly.
"Happy Christmas."
"Happy Christmas."
I grinned, leaned forward and gave him a small kiss on the lips, "That was for when I was under your mistletoe."
"Ani, are you up yet," I heard my mum call from the kitchen.
"Yes, mum," I called.
I smiled at Remus and got out of the bed, wearing my Tornado Quidditch Team pajamas. I walked over to my stereo that sat by the window and turned on the radio. The Sex Pistols, "God Save the Queen" was blasting from the speakers. I jumped around like a maniac while Remus watched.
"How can you like this Muggle music," he asked me.
"Its awesome," I exclaimed and turned to look at my CDs, "I have missed listening to it."
"Okay, tell me one song that you think I might like."
I pulled out a CD titled, "Dizzy up the Girl" by the Goo Goo Dolls and surfed to track eleven. A moment later, a smooth acoustic guitar was being played.
And I'd give up forever to touch you
'Cause I know that you feel me somehow
You're the closest to heaven that I'll ever be
And I don't want to go home right now
And all I can taste is this moment
And all I can breathe is your life
And sooner or later it's over
I just don't want to miss you tonight
"And I don't want the world to see me," I sang, "'cause I don't think that they'd understand. When everything's made to be broken, I just want you to know who I am."
Remus smiled as I pulled him out of the bed and began dancing with him.
"Alright, I like this song," he said while we danced, "but is there another song I might like?"
I went back to my stack of CDs and pulled out "Greatest Hits" by Texas. The sound of deep strings came from the speakers and I began dancing.
I'm so in love with you
Whether it is right or it's wrong
I'm too weak to be strong
I'm so in love with you
Well you say you need something
To help you when you're down, to take your fears away
Yeh you say you'd do anything
To keep your feet off the ground
And help you on your way
"You're all I need, Yeh you are all that I need. I'm so in love with you. I'm so in love with you. Whether it is right or it's wrong. I'm too weak to be strong…"
"I'm so in love with you," Remus said, sweeping me into his arms, "Yes, I have heard this song before."
I smiled, "I know. I taught you the chords on the acoustic. Do you think you still remember?"
"I can try."
I smiled and he and I walked to the music room. I handed him the acoustic guitar and I picked up the electric and counted off.
"One, two, one two three four."
We played it and rocked on, me singing alone at times and sometimes he would join in. After the song was over, I kept playing, though, a different tune.
"I feel bad and beautiful, in all the strangest places. You feel good; you're sweetest. The weather's changing as I look at your face," I sang, "Falling, fall to the floor. Falling, you know we can. I haven't had a dream in such a long time, now. It's raining here and all the leaves are on the ground. I'm safe and warm outside its cold and grey. That's my guitar and I will play for you all day."
I stopped there, though, and laid the guitar across my legs. Remus raised his eyebrows.
"Why did you stop," he asked, "That was good. I thought you said you were going to play all day."
I grinned, "I will play later. Right now, I am starved."
He nodded in agreement and we ran downstairs and into the kitchen.
"Happy Christmas, mum," I said, embracing her and breathed in the smell of her traditional Christmas breakfast – gingerbread people shaped hot cakes, red tomato and green pepper omelets, sausage and hash browns.
"Good morning and happy Christmas to you, too, baby," she replied.
"Mrs. Willow, may I mention how very good it smells in here," Remus exclaimed.
"Thank you, Remus."
"Where's dad," I asked.
"Shoveling the path between our house and the Lupins' with Edgar," mum replied, "They should be here in about half an hour for breakfast. Are you two going to get dressed?"
"No."
"As usual."
I smiled and Remus and I helped mum set the table for breakfast. Nearly half an hour later, dad and the Lupins came in.
"Oh, Katrina, it smells so good," Mr. Lupin said, walking into the dining room.
"Ed, you are nearly as charming as your son," mum replied with a chuckle.
"Happy Christmas godmother and godfather," I said, hugging them.
"Ani, you are growing more and more beautiful every time I see you, isn't she, honey," Mrs. Lupin exclaimed.
"Yes, she is," I heard Remus say in unison with his father under his breath.
"Ed, Christina, would you like some coffee? Eggnog? Hot chocolate," my mum asked.
"Eggnog for me, please – extra rum, if you will," Ed said with a wink.
"Just some coffee please, sweetie," Christina replied.
When we were finally all settled down to breakfast, talking merrily to one another, I thought back to what happened in the last week. It was full of happiness from the moment Remus and I stepped off the train. Mr. and Mrs. Lupin weren't at the train station because they weren't expecting Remus home, and neither were my parents. Once we were home, the four of us went over to the Lupins' and explained our discovery to them. Ed and Christina were extremely happy and were even happier when they saw it right before their eyes. The first night, we all went outside and watched the full moon shine above us with no worries at all.
Here we were, celebrating Christmas together like we always did, but embracing it even tighter and being more thankful for one another than ever before. While we ate, I noticed Remus shooting nervous glances at me that I could not ignore. Doing this the morning of a ball was one thing, but at the breakfast table on Christmas day?
It was tradition that the two children eat quickly and the adults take their sweet old time, sipping their drinks and talking so the kids would grow impatient and beg them to open presents. This year was no exception.
"Ah, Joe, I think that they are more impatient than ever," Ed said to my dad as we made our way to the den.
Remus and I sorted the presents in record time and passed them out. In no time, we were ripping open gifts, exclaiming in surprise and thanking the giver for their gift. I saw Remus watching me as I picked up his gift and unwrapped it.
I took in a sharp breath as I unwrapped beautiful, sparkling glass roses. Tied around them with string, I noticed a small roll of parchment. I opened it and read:
Twelve roses for the months of the year,
The blessed months that I spend with you.
Twelve glass roses, fragile, but strong,
Like our friendship, they will never die.
Twelve twinkling roses with their tiny little pedals,
Red like the love that we share.
Twelve beautiful roses,
Though more beautiful is your smile.
Twelve sparkling roses,
Reminding me of your green eyes.
Twelve roses,
Symbolizing the perfect flower for the perfect woman.
~R.J. Lupin
"Ani, who gave you the roses," my mum asked.
I looked up and smiled, "Thank you, Remus."
He nodded and he opened my present – a snow globe, which held an exact replica of Hogsmeade inside.
"Look," I showed him, "There is the Shack and right there – you see that white house? Remember when we saw that in our third year?"
He nodded and smiled, "How could I forget? There are so many memories that you, the Marauders and I have shared in this town."
"And surely many more."
After we finished opening presents, we ate cookies while the adults had adult talks that Remus and I listened to.
"Is everything holding up well at the ministry," godfather asked dad who works in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement as an Auror with my mum.
"As well as we all can expect," he replied, "He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named has let up on the attacks recently. I think he has a soft spot for the holidays."
The two of them let our deep laughs and mum opened her mouth to speak.
"Ed, how are the trials doing," she asked.
Godfather is the Junior Undersecretary to the Minister of Magic and has recently been busy with the trials of the several accused Death Eaters.
"We have just completed the trial of Bellatrix and Rodolphus Lestrange. They had the Mark on their arms, bad alibis, so off they went to Azkaban."
"Good job on the bag," dad said, "Two more down, but countless more to go."
"We'll get 'em all," Ed assured them, "You Aurors are doing a bloody amazing job. Dear old Cornelius is too happy about your work."
"Thank you," mum replied.
Remus gave me a look of 'Get out of this happy circle or bust'. I nodded in agreement.
"Mum, may Ani and I go play in the snow," Remus asked.
"Yes," godmother replied, "but wrap up nice and warm before you do."
"Same goes for you, Ani. I want you well bundled up. I don't need either of you to catch a cold before going back to school," my mum said.
Remus and I met each other outside in the front lawn. The moment I walked out of my house, a snowball hit me.
"Hey," I exclaimed, wiping the snow off of my cloak, "This bitch is brand new!"
"Awl, little Ani is mad because a little snow got on her cloak," Remus taunted.
I scooped up some snow into my gloved hands and chased Remus into the back yard and into the woods. When I finally caught up with him, I tackled him and shoved the snow that I was holding into his face.
"Watch the hair! Watch the hair," he screamed.
I laughed and got off of him, "You are such a baby! 'Watch the hair!' As if."
He and I called a truce and walked together along the countryside in silence. Every time I would say something, Remus would shush me until I was silent again.
"Close your eyes," he said suddenly.
"Why?"
"I want to show you something."
"If you shove snow in my face I will murder you," I warned.
"I wouldn't do that. We agreed to a truce, remember?"
I sighed and closed my eyes. I allowed Remus to lead me. We walked for ten minutes until he suddenly came to a stop.
"May I open my eyes yet," I asked him a moment after we had stopped.
"Yes," he replied, his voice coming from below me.
I opened my eyes and looked around at the clearing. Everything was white and sparkled with angelic dew. Clear, ice-cold drops of water fell from ice sickles on the branches of the snow-covered trees. I looked down at Remus. He was on one knee in front of me, holding an open box to me, which exposed to me a diamond ring.
"I don't know how else to ask this," he said quietly, his voice wavering slightly, "but – will you marry me?"