Contemplation
Disclaimer: I neither own nor profit from J.K.Rowling's Harry Potter series. All characters belong to her.
Author's Note: These are just short vignettes displaying interactions between Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks during OotP, written because I had an idea. Well, several, actually. My tribute to the genius of salt-rose, whose tiny glimpses into said characters' lives were absolutely amazing. And to LRES readers, I will have another chapter up soon, I promise.
"Happy Christmas."
She says it as she slips into the hall, away from the raucous laughter in the drawing room. Here it is dark, quiet, uncomfortable. Without the lights and fire, the words sound more like an apology than a holiday expression.
He's been holding a wad of crumpled wrapping paper-a half-hearted attempt to control chaos-and feels a bit more than absurd, glancing down at the cheery griffin print. If it were any other time, he'd be wondering who the hell would pick out this paper, but it's not, and she's standing there waiting on a response, his response, biting her lower lip with her hands behind her back. She looks very young, and he feels very old, and all he can say is "Happy Christmas, Tonks."