Chapter Twenty-Six – Christmas Eve
Severus looked at her in disbelief.
"You can't be serious," he said gravely.
Tonks nodded earnestly. "I didn't think it was a bad idea," she said excitedly. "You're going to have to meet them eventually."
"Eventually being the key word, Dora," Severus said dryly.
Tonks threw her hands up in the air. "Fine. That's fine. I'm spending Christmas day with my mum and dad. We'll just have to spend it apart," she pouted.
"Dora…" Severus said. Tonks smiled to herself. She could tell he was weakening.
"I just wanted to spend Christmas with you," she said softly.
"I'm not spending two weeks with your parents," Severus said firmly.
"Just Christmas Eve through Boxing Day. That's all I ask," Tonks said happily.
Severus looked thoughtful for a moment. "Is your family's bigger meal lunch or dinner?" he asked.
"Dinner, why?" Tonks asked, curious.
"I won't be there for lunch. But I'll be there in the morning and then for dinner," Severus said softly.
Tonks took a strip of leather she had in her pocket and tied Severus' hair back with it. It was something she had meant to do for a while.
"Where will you be?" Tonks asked, sliding herself into Severus' lap.
"I need to spend a few hours with my mother on Christmas day," Severus told her.
Tonks froze. Severus had never mentioned his own parents before. If anyone had asked, she would have told them his parents were dead.
"You've never mentioned your mum before," Tonks said lightly.
Severus sighed. 'Do we need to talk about this now?" he asked.
"Yes, I think we do. In the ten months we've been together you've only mentioned your father once and never your mother. Why not?" Tonks asked.
"My father's dead," Severus said curtly. "Died years ago at the height of the Dar…Voldemort's power."
Tonks looked at Severus proudly. Occasionally he went back to calling Voldemort the Dark Lord, but ever since Narcissa's Malfoy's memorial, he said the name out loud.
"Your mother then?" Tonks asked.
Severus rubbed his eyes with his palm. "My parents were old when I was born. Tried for years as I was reminded constantly, and they just ended up with me. My mother was fifty seven when I was born. She's almost a hundred now. Father tortured her before he died. She's been in an invalid home ever since."
"That's horrible," Tonks whispered.
"I visit once a week on Thursday during my free class and every holiday," Severus told her.
"I bet she appreciates it," Tonks commented.
Severus shook his head. "I don't think she cares, truthfully," Severus said bitterly.
"But you still visit her," Tonks said.
"I stopped for a few weeks years ago. I couldn't stand the guilt trip when I went back. It's easier just to go," Severus said.
Tonks couldn't think of anything good to stay, so she stayed quiet for a few moments.
"Your family doesn't play foolish games or anything, do they?"
88888
Tonks sat on the living room couch, tapping her foot impatiently.
"It's your turn," Draco said lazily.
"Already?" Tonks asked, distracted. Severus was due to arrive any moment. Tonks' parents asked that she stay at home during Hogwarts' break. She knew that they wanted someone to watch over Draco. Especially since he wasn't assigned an Auror over break.
Tonks and Draco were playing a game of exploding snaps. Predictably, Tonks wasn't very good at the game, considering it needed to sort of grace to be effective; but she still loved playing, never the less.
They had only been home for four days. Already Tonks could see that being away from Hogwarts was doing him some good. She and Draco took longs walks on the land surrounding the home where she grew up.
She had learned some interesting things about him. She had no idea, for example, that he was thinking of working with dragons when he got out of school. Apparently he had seen one hatch his first year, and it had a profound effect on him. Of course, he never thought he would have to work a year ago. But now he knew that he had to make his own way after he graduated.
"Nervous?" Draco asked, stretching his long legs out from under him.
"Wouldn't you be?" Tonks whispered.
Draco shook his head. "At least you got to choose. Before the Parkisons broke the contract, I knew who I was going to marry since I was seven," Draco said, shrugging his shoulders.
Tonks glanced around the living room. Her mother was in the kitchen, preparing dinner. Her father was sitting on the couch, watching the telly. Her father might be an accomplished wizard now, but he grew up with television, and simply couldn't imagine life without it.
Draco tried watching the television with her father the first night he was here, but said the images gave him a headache. He stayed far away from the telly after that.
Suddenly, she heard a whoosh and Severus was getting up off of the floor. Tonks ran over to him and threw her arms around him, only to realize that he was holding a few presents and a bottle of wine. The wine went crashing to the floor.
"I'm sorry!" Tonks cried, using her wand to repair the bottle. The wine stayed in a puddle on the floor. Severus just shook his head and used a cleaning spell to clear the mess.
Tonks' father stood up, holding his thought board. He held it towards Severus.
Ted Tonks. Pleased to meet you.
Tonks realized that Severus looked slightly nervous. He held out his hand. "Thank you, sir. Severus Snape."
She had to hold back a giggle hearing Severus call her father 'sir.' It just amused her for some reason.
"Is he here?" Tonks' mum called from the kitchen.
"Yes, Mum!" Tonks cried.
Andromeda Tonks came rushing out of the kitchen, wiping her hands on her apron. "Let me take those for you," she gushed. She quickly took the packages out of a bewildered Severus' hands. Andromeda arranged the presents under the tree.
"There now," she said happily, turning to Severus. "We met once before, I believe."
Severus cleared his throat. "Yes, of course. When I…"
"When you wanted to expel my daughter for changing her hair color in your class," her mother said far too sweetly.
Tonks groaned as she heard Draco laughing behind her. "Of course, that was years and years ago and is all forgotten, Mum," Tonks hissed. Grabbing Severus' arm, she said, "I'll give you the tour."
Severus nodded, picking up his overnight bog. Tonks led him to her bedroom. "This is where I grew up," Tonks said simply. Without thinking, her spikes changed from emerald green to Christmas Red.
The room was simple. A twin sized bed in one corner and a dresser and a desk next to the wall. "I imagined that it would be more colorful," Severus said, putting his arms around Tonks.
"I provide plenty of color," Tonks laughed, bringing him in for a kiss. They kissed for just a few minutes. "We better get on with the tour."
"Shame," Severus whispered.
A sly smile formed on Tonks' lips. "Feel free to visit me tonight."
Severus raised his eyebrows. "Really?" he said slowly.
"Really," Tonks said seductively as she walked out of the room. She quickly finished the rest of the tour, showing him the kitchen and the basement where he would be sleeping for the next two nights.
"Dinner!" Andromeda called from the kitchen.
"We're never going to get any privacy," Tonks complained.
Severus took her hand. "I'm not keeping your mother waiting," he said briskly. "She already dislikes me."
"It's just loyalty to me," Tonks said, following Severus on the stairs. "It'll get better."
"Right," Severus muttered.
Dinner was not quite a disaster. Tonks tried to keep the conversation cheerful. She told her parents that Severus was Draco's god father. But that just got a stony look from her father. Her mother placed her hand on her heart and said, "And he couldn't get you released from Azkaban!"
Tonks quickly changed the conversation to quidditch. It didn't help that Severus spent almost the entire meal staring at his food, only mumbling the occasional 'yes' or 'no.'
Her mother kept glaring at Severus throughout dinner. By the time dessert was served, Tonks had given up trying to keep the conversation going, and the pudding was eaten in silence.
Luckily since they save the biggest meal for Christmas day, the meal was brief. Her father made a beeline for the television. Tonks went into the kitchen to help her mother clean. She saw Severus and Draco go outside the kitchen door for some fresh air.
"Thanks for dinner, Mum," Tonks said meekly.
Andromeda threw the kitchen towel she was holding on the counter. "You're in love with that man?" she asked.
Tonks realized her mother expected her to be skirmish and avoid the subject. Instead, Tonks placed her hands on her hips and faced her mother. "I am in love with him. And as soon as this war is over he's going to be your son-in-law, so I would appreciate you making an effort!"
Andromeda looked taken back. "You want to marry him?" she asked quietly.
"Yes," Tonks said stubbornly.
"He could be your father!"
"Mum, he's only fifteen years older than me," Tonks said. "Fifteen years is nothing, you know that."
Andromeda crossed her arms over her chest. "He was always mean to you."
Tonks sighed. She didn't know how to explain her feelings. "Mum, Severus got me through the darkest time of my life last year. I'm sure I would have died if it wasn't for him. And now I see him for who he is, and I love him. If you don't like it, fine. Just know that I am very, very happy with him."
"Okay, then," Andromeda said, her lips pursed. Tonks knew that this subject would be visited again.
Suddenly, Tonks' father appeared at the doorway for the kitchen. He showed his thought board to them.
Whose Line? is on.
"Thanks, Daddy," Tonks said quietly.
"Should we watch?" Tonks' mum said. Every year after dinner on Christmas Eve they watched repeats of Whose Line is it Anyways? Tonks and her father understood the humor. But half the fun was trying to explain the jokes to her mother.
"Of course. I'm not missing Clive for the world," Tonks said, trying to smile.
"See if Draco and…Severus would like to join us."
Tonks nodded and headed outside, wishing at once that she grabbed a sweater.
"Your parents hate him," Draco said, his eyes twinkling.
"Thank you for that observation, Malfoy," Severus said.
"Go inside, Draco. We're about to watch some telly as a family," Tonks said.
"It gives me a headache," Draco complained.
"Go inside," Severus asked.
Draco rolled his eyes and went inside. Severus wrapped his cloak around her. "You must be cold," he said softly.
"Better now," she told him, resting her head on his chest. "Let's just stay out here for the rest of the night."
"And have your parents have me arrested for kidnapping? No, thank you," Severus said, standing up.
"All right," Tonks whined. "As long as you promise me a nighttime visit."
"And if I'm caught sneaking into your room?" Severus asked.
"It'll be worth it," Tonks grinned mischievously. "My parents are almost asleep by midnight. Just come upstairs after that. We'll put a silencing charm on the room. No one ever needs to know."
"I haven't made a good impression, Dora. I really shouldn't…"
Tonks brought his face in for a kiss, not letting him finish his sentence. They kissed passionately. She shivered as his cold hand went up the back of her shirt.
"You're so warm," Severus muttered between kisses.
A rapping on the window made them jump apart. Tonks looked guilty as her mother shook her head at them.
"We'll have to save that for later," Tonks grumbled. "Let's go watch some telly."