Chapter Six- January
Dear Journal: Christmas was fantastic. We had it at headquarters. I arrived in the afternoon to help Molly cook. I did very well. I only broke one plate and burnt one tray of cookies. The crowning achievement was; I was left alone with the turkey for 15 minutes, and basted it properly with no disasters. Molly was so proud. I'm thinking of writing Mum to tell her.
Sirius, that git, he was so please to have everyone over that he hung up mistletoe everywhere! It wasn't just me that had trouble avoiding it, Ron and Hermione got caught underneath it. It was so cute. They just stood there, frozen, kind of like they wanted to kiss but were terrified of what the other's reaction would be. Bill was there, and he finally prompted them. He said it would be very bad luck if they didn't, and why not show a Christmastime spirit of goodwill. Succumbing to fate, they leaned in real slow, closed their eyes, and kissed ever so chastely on the lips. It was so sweet, both of their faces were beet red! Even Harry was smiling. I think it was their first kiss. I told you there was something going on there.
Well, mistletoe was virtually everywhere, like I said, Sirius got carried away, so there was a lot of pecking going on in general. Molly and Arthur stopped each other at least a dozen times, and even Mad-Eye grinned and forgot to be suspicious of poisoned-lipstick when he let Hestia Jones smooch him on the cheek. In one hilarious moment, the twins trapped Harry under a knot of mistletoe. Fred and George pretended to be fawned and flustered, then simultaneously gave a struggling Harry a big wet kiss on either side of his face. I think he was annoyed, but it didn't stop the humor of the situation from reaching him, and he laughed, wiping his face with his sleeve.
It was one of the happiest Christmases in recent memory. It felt like having a real family. After dinner the kids, who had already exchanged presents, went upstairs to play gobstones and us 'grownups' sat around the tree. I did end up getting Remus a bottle of Muttleberry wine, and thankfully, he seemed very please with it. He gave me a book of poems…
You can imagine my surprise. First off, I didn't expect him to get me anything at all. And, if I thought he would have gotten me something, I never would have guessed to have to do with my best kept secret. I love poetry. I don't tell anyone because it must seem so out of character; a big goof like me, getting all swept away with words. Sirius must have told him, that big oaf. Oh, and it's so handsome and it has some of my favorite ones. I wonder where he found it? Ohhh and how he smiled when he saw how euphoric I was over the book, his eyes were twinkling! Must have been the champagne. Well, I was also glad he didn't give me chocolate, which he gave to almost everybody else. That must be some kind of a running joke that I missed.
Later, when most had wandered off to bed, and the house was quiet, I went into the dinning room. I thought I'd take a load off Molly and gather plates to wash. On my way back, I bumped into Remus in the doorway. Where the bloody mistletoe was.
Oh, God. He was saying something and I don't remember what he said, then he must have noticed the expression on my face, because he looked up and saw what we were standing under. He appeared surprised for a second, then just absorbed it and the corners of his mouth turned up so slightly, and he said something else and I don't remember what he said and then he kissed me. Remus leaned in and kissed me. It was quick, and friendly and light, but still, he kissed me. I thought it would qualify for a miracle that I didn't drop the pile of plates I was holding until I realized he'd foreseeingly put his hands underneath the load to prevent such an inevitable accident.
I keep replaying it over and over in my head. I think maybe my cousin was deliberate in his decoration rampage. Who knows.
New Years was smashing. I went to see the Weird Sisters with some of my mates. I was still thinking about Remus and I got kind of drunk, so I was hung over when I showed up for duty the next morning. Moody was there, he told me off while he made me breakfast and handed me some aspirin. Our own version of a den mother, he is. Sure, he's gnarled and ornery, but underneath it all he's as caring as Molly. Just not quite as cuddly.
Scrimgeour is even more suspicious now that I'm taking time off for next month's adventure. I wish I could be more like Kingsley, who somehow manages to keep his nose clean. But it's hard leading this double life. Still, if it comes down to it, my loyalties are with Dumbledore.
I can't wait to go. I'll get to spend time with Remus and do work for the Order. Business and pleasure at the same time. I am a bit nervous… maybe more than a bit, maybe a ton. Wish us luck, we may need it.
N. Tonks