Worth the Wait
Ever since she was a little girl, Tonks had been a package shaker. There was no other way around it, she was just too impatient to wait and merely open her presents on Christmas Day. No, she had to spend days, even weeks in advance poking and prodding and speculating about every single gift under the tree. It was an obsession and she just couldn't wait.
This Christmas proved no exception and after the Order meeting, and dinner, and everyone going off to bed, she snuck into the large front room of Number 12 Grimmauld Place to where the Christmas tree stood in the corner, an immense pile of presents beneath it.
Tonks reached out her wand and prodded the package with the end of her wand. The box shook slightly and Tonks drew her wand away. She picked up the package and shook it a little.
"You know," a voice said behind her, causing her to jump and drop the box, "Christmas is tomorrow. Is there really any point in getting impatient about it now?" Tonks turned around and stood up, looking slightly guilty. Remus was leaned up against the doorframe, one hand in his pocket and the other holding a small book.
Tonks grinned sheepishly. "Yes, well I always like to get a head start on knowing what I'm going to get."
Remus sat down on the couch. "Now where's the fun in that?" he asked as she came and sat down next to him. He opened his book, squinted at the pages, then sighed and pulled out a pair of reading glasses. He looked up at her, "You know, I've been avoiding having to wear these for quite some time, but they've finally caught up with me," he said conversationally.
Tonks giggled, "Well I think they make you look distinguished." He nodded in thanks and she turned back to look at the large pile of presents under the Christmas tree. "But aren't you in the least bit curious about your presents? Wouldn't you like to know what's under there?" she asked, eyeing Remus with a twinkle.
"But if I opened all my presents now, there would be no surprises later," Remus replied almost matter of factly as he shut his book closed.
Tonks watched him carefully for a moment. "You know, I bet you're one of those people who sits there taking five minutes to open one bloody package while everyone else tears through all of their presents at a rapid speed. And then when everyone has all of theirs open, and things are over in a matter of seconds, you've still got a large pile in front of you. Am I right?" she asked.
Remus smiled. "Couldn't have said it better myself. Why rush things? I mean, everyone loves Christmas, so what's the point in getting it over with so soon? Aren't some things worth waiting for?"
He watched her as her gaze went from him to the packages and back. "No!" she answered, sounding almost offended by the notion. Remus laughed. He opened his book again. "Its possible you're too impatient for your own good you know," he said.
Tonks moved off the couch and back down to the presents. "That's what my dad always says. He said he never saw someone so keen on figuring out what they got for Christmas," she replied cheerfully. She scanned the boxes as if looking for something specific. After a minute, she found what she was looking for. She picked up one of the presents and bounded back to the couch. She plopped it in Remus's lap. "There, it's addressed to you. And don't tell me you're not in the slightest bit curious as to what it is!" she said, sounding triumphant.
Remus sighed good-naturedly and looked at the gift, sizing it up. "Mildly curious, tops," he said, amused, "I am mildly curious as to what book the Weasley's gave me."
Tonks's mouth fell open. "How did you know it was a book?" she asked him, picking up the package and examining it closely.
Remus laughed again. "For someone who always tries to figure out what you're getting beforehand, you don't seem to be very good at it."
"I guess I just don't get as many books as you do for Christmas," she said indignantly. Remus smiled, "Apparently not. Now will you put my present back under the tree please?"
Tonks stood up and placed the book back where she found it. She turned around and looked at Remus. "You know, Remus, not all gifts have to wait til Christmas Day. Some families, they allow people to open one present on Christmas Eve."
"Yes, and we agreed that rule was moot this year when Kingsley came by and gave everyone presents. Which, I might remind you, you opened before anyone else. Even Sirius, and he's been going on about his first proper Christmas since Azkaban," Remus said, taking off his glasses.
Tonks folded her arms. "What can I say? I like Christmas. Scrooge!" she added under her breath as she flopped back onto the couch.
They sat together in silence for a moment. Everyone else had gone to bed except for the two of them and Sirius, who was up in his mother's room feeding Buckbeack. But Tonks's curiosity got the better of her. "What did you get me for Christmas, Remus?" she asked, her face lighting up like a small child.
"Oh, I can't possibly tell you. Watching you in suspense is much more enjoyable," he said wickedly. Remus had expected protest to this, but she just nodded.
"Ok. Can-can I give you a gift, then?" she asked, her voice suddenly not much higher than a whisper.
"Tonks, you told me what you bought me for Christmas weeks ago," he reasoned, his voice hinting at amusement. But she didn't seem to be listening. She seemed to be concentrating on something.
"Can you think of something you want for Christmas that, perhaps you're not sure you're going to get?" she asked, finally turning to look at him.
Remus considered for a moment. "Well, I suppose a cure for lycanthropy is a bit of a longshot," he said thoughtfully.
"Well I can," she said quickly, not laughing at his joke, not really listening to his answers at all anymore. She twisted her hands nervously. Remus watched her and put a hand over hers.
"Are you all right? Really, you can't be that worried about your presents. You'll get to open them in a few hours," he said soothingly.
She looked up at him. "Well that's just it isn't it? If there's a certain gift you really really want, and uh you aren't sure if you're going to get it, those few hours make all the difference! You end up tossing and turning all night, wondering if its there for you. You know, waiting under the tree. I um, I used to have this dream, where I would count all the presents for me under the tree and then, when I went to open them the next day, they had all disappeared. Aren't you ever afraid that if you wait too long, the gifts will all be gone? That they'll have disappeared because you waited so long?"
"I think you lost me," Remus said, looking confused. "Are we still talking about you being a giddy little girl at Christmastime?"
"No! I mean, yes! I mean, I just-ugh I don't know!" she said, resting her head on the arm of the sofa.
Remus was a little taken aback. But somehow, he figured this problem was larger than the Christmas presents. "Look, Tonks if it will make you feel better, you can open your present from me," he said, trying to comfort her. She lifted her head slightly. He smiled at her and she laughed, in spite of herself.
Tonks smiled at the memory. She hugged her knees to her chest and looked over at Remus. She giggled as she noticed he had fallen asleep with his reading glasses on again. She leaned over him carefully and pulled them off, placing them on the coffee table in front of the sofa.
She eyed the small pile of presents under the tree, then let her gaze slide back to Remus. 'He would never know I've been snooping,' she thought to herself.
As if he had read her mind, he shifted slightly and without even opening his eyes, he spoke. "Don't even think about going after those presents, Nymphadora," he said warningly. He half opened his eyes and looked at her. The completely destroyed look on her face made him take pity on her. He leaned over and kissed her. After they broke apart, he pulled her close to him and she snuggled into his chest. "I thought we decided that good presents are worth the wait," he whispered in her ear.
"Yes, but how will I know they're good presents if I don't go over there and see?" she asked, trying to reason with him.
Remus shook his head. "Sorry, won't do any good. I'm not letting you go until tomorrow. I guess you're just stuck," he said, wrapping his arms tightly around her. She didn't really bother struggling, she knew it was no use now that he'd made up his mind. She pulled the blanket up around them and she closed her eyes, concentrating on the rise and fall of his chest as he slipped into sleep.
When she thought about it, Christmas morning was only a few hours away. And as she had discovered, a few hours would not make all the difference. She would not wake up in the morning to find all her gifts had disappeared in the night, or that they had somehow diminished in size or greatness, and like Remus said, some things were just worth the wait.
A/N: Ah Xmas, the most wonderful time of the year. Supposedly. Yeah, I don't know where I thought of this. Perhaps in that strange place between being asleep and conscious, so please forgive its complete fluffiness and irrelevance. And holy crow, that title is cliché! Eh, no matter, most things having to do with Christmas end up that way. I just felt like writing something with a Christmas theme. Oh yeah, And hopefully the next chapter of Volatile will be up soon. It will! Thanks for reading and Happy Holidays!