Though all the lights in the living room were off, the room was still warm and well lit.
The warm, white lights from the Christmas tree mixed in with the glowing fireplace resulted in such a warm and comforting place to be.
Perhaps it was the excitement and joy of the fact it was Christmas time or maybe it was being in the presence of the one man she loved most, Nymphadora was incredibly happy...and warm.
"You know we've got to get up right Nymphie?" He asked, gently wrapping an arm around her as she laid on his shoulder.
Nymphadora's face contorted into disgust, "Nymphie? Really? That's what you go with? Gross." She said with a scoff, shaking her head.
Remus couldn't help a slight snicker, "sorry my love, it's been a bit since I've taken your first name and turned it into something...intriguing."
She shook her head gently, "Yeah I know...contrary to popular belief, I live with you."
He looked down at her with a small smile. "Mmm, yeah, I know and I live with you...and I've loved every minute of it."
Her cheeks warmed slightly, "mmm, heh, I don't believe that...not for thirty seconds. You've put up with me through not one but two. Two pregnancies." Tonks replied, getting a small laugh from Remus.
"And contrary to your belief Nymph, I helped make those babies."
Tonks offered Remus a loving smile. "Yeah...you did...speaking of babies, I should probably go check and make sure they're asleep...don't want to Crush poor Teddy's heart at only six years old."
Remus sighed, gently retracted his arm back from around her upper body, "I don't believe I'd be able to ever recover if we destroyed him like that…"
Nymphadora snickered and threw the blanket from her lap and onto Remus's.
"I'll be back...don't miss me too much alright?"
He gently shook his head, "I can't make any promises...If you're gone for more than five minutes I very well may just forget how beautiful you look…"
"You're incredibly sappy tonight." Tonks responded with a smirk, "Any particular reason?"
Remus leaned back further into the couch, "No. Just want you to know how beautiful I think you are and how much I love you."
Nymphadora rolled her eyes, "Stop it...you're going to end up smothered in kisses if you don't." She warned, already making her way out of the living room, the warm, bright lights disappearing behind her.
"Perhaps that's what I'm trying to do-" He responded, unsure if she had heard hin or not.
She had.
Tonks rolled her eyes, shaking her head as she hurried her way up the stairs.
First, check on Teddy. Make sure he's asleep.
Her mind fixed on how she was going to arrange her children's gifts, her left foot ended up caught in her pants leg.
A typical occurrence, Tonks stumbled slightly before catching herself, sighing quietly.
"...Teddy...I'm begging you, please still be asleep."
Tonks stopped outside her son's bedroom door, taking a deep breath she grabbed hold of the knob, turning it gently as a silent prayer ran through her mind that the door wouldn't squeak.
It did and Tonks clenched her jaw, cringing somewhat as she looked into her son's room, watching him shift just slightly in his sleep as he rolled over, still holding that stuffed lion in his arms.
Her heart fluttered a bit as she looked at her son, completely in awe over how much she loved her boy.
Tonks took a step back, closing her son's door gently.
The next task at hand was checking on their daughter,
Though earlier that night, both Remus and Tonks had struggled to get the excited three year old to sleep, somehow Remus had convinced their little one to go to bed.
Tonks was a bit more cautious of her pajama pants this time as she walked down the hall, approaching their daughter's room.
But as she drew closer to her daughter's room, she heard a sound that absolutely distressed any mother.
Her daughter's cries.
Her eyes widened as she hurried down the hall, practically throwing the bedroom door open, Tonks was in a panic, afraid their little girl had been hurt.
Fortunately for the panicked mother, Celeste was alright physically, just seemed frightened is all.
Tonks frowned, "Sweetheart, what's wrong?" She asked softly, making her way into the bedroom before stretching out a hand gently turning on her daughters' lamp before sitting down beside her, arms open to embrace their sweet girl.
"Mummy bad dream!" She exclaimed, throwing herself into her mother's embrace.
Tonks was caught a bit off guard as Celeste threw herself into her embrace.
"Oh baby girl," She cooed, gently stroking her daughter's messy blonde hair, "It's okay..it was just a bad dream is all...nothing to worry about." She cooed, gently nuzzling her sweet baby.
Celeste whimpered into her neck as she clung to Tonks for dear life, "and and I think I saw a monster in the wardrobe mummy!"
Tonks looked over her shoulder at the slightly cracked doors, "And what monster do you think is brave enough to come to try and get the daughter of Nymphadora and Remus Lupin? Because the last time I checked, no monster on the planet was brave enough to come to try and mess with our princess."
Tonks leaned back slightly, smiling gently at her daughter, Celeste returning that gentle grin.
"Furthermore, if I remember correctly didn't Rosie promise to protect you from any monsters?" She inquired, motioning to the rabbit her daughter held.
Celestes' big green eyes fell onto the rabbit and then turned back to her mother. "Yeah…"
"Yeah...so there's nothing to be afraid of, but if it'll make you feel better, Mummy will check the wardrobe for you." Tonks offered, watching the three year old nod her head frantically.
Tonks gave a firm nod, gently setting her daughter back on the side of her bed and standing up, turning towards the closet, panicking slightly as she quickly came to the realization that her wand was in fact on the kitchen table.
"Rats…" She muttered to herself, needing to think fast, shaking it off, Tonks came to the conclusion she had to just fake it till she made it.
Nymphadora approached the closet, "Alright if there is a monster in there, I hope you're ready for the smackdown of the century because no one and I mean no one comes after my baby girl." Nymphadora declared, getting a quiet laugh from Celeste.
The sound of her laughter was enough to bring a big smile to the mother's face as she flung open the wardrobe doors, looking back and forth for any sign of a monster or what could appear as a monster.
Tonks's smile grew as she took notice of the rat king stuffed toy sitting on the bottom rack of her daughter's closet.
"Celeste, Mummy has a question…" She began, grabbing the toy and turning to face her daughter, "Did you and Teddy bear happen to play nutcracker earlier?"
Celeste noticed the toy in her mother's hand and nodded her head. "Uh-huh…"
"And did you happen to use your wardrobe as the rat kings lair?" Tonks asked, walking back over and kneeling down beside her daughter's bed once more.
"Yeah…"
"And did you happen to forget about him when Mummy and Daddy called you to come help make cookies for Santa?" She asked, gently setting the toy down on her daughter's bed.
"Sorry mummy didn't mean forget," Celeste said, squeezing her rabbit even tighter.
Tonks couldn't help a quiet snicker, "Don't be sorry baby, I'm just glad it wasn't a monster...I didn't want to have to kick monster butt on Christmas eve." She said, getting another giggle from her daughter.
Celeste yawned and rubbed her eyes tiredly, "Mummy has Santa come yet?"
She gently shook her head no, "Not yet...Mummy and daddy had some cleaning up to do...and Santa only comes when everyone is asleep so Mummy and Daddy need to go to sleep before he can come."
Celeste frowned, "Mummy! Go sleep! I want Santa here!"
Tonks snickered, "I wanted to make sure you and Teddy bear were okay sweetheart, trust me, Daddy and I were gonna go to sleep and then Daddy suggested I check on you both." She responded, looking at her daughter lovingly.
She looked so much like Remus.
Celeste didn't respond just pout at her mother, "However, daddy and I will go to bed very soon, do you think you can fall back asleep, or do you need Mummy to cuddle you back to sleep?"
Celeste thought for a moment, weighing her options, "Just a big hug and a kiss Mummy! I want you and Daddy to go to sleep already!"
Tonks snickered once more, leaning over and hugging Celeste extra tight, "Mummy loves you so so so so much Celeste. She loves you more than she'll ever be able to put into words." She said softly, rubbing her daughters back gently before pulling away.
"Oh uhm, Mummy?"
"Yes, baby?"
"Will you tuck me in?" She asked, laying back with her blankets resting on her tummy.
Tonks gave a small smile and a nod, "Of course princess," Celeste reached down, pulling her rabbit under the blankets with her as Tonks gently pulled the pink and green blankets up to her daughter's shoulders, gently tucking them underneath her just the smallest bit.
"All cozy?"
Celeste nodded her head frantically, "Alright princess," Nymphadora said, leaning over and pressing a gentle kiss to her daughter's cheek.
"I love you, Celeste," Tonks said, sitting back on her heels.
"I love you too Mummy, night…" Celeste responded, pulling her rabbit extra close and closing her eyes.
Nymphadora stared for a second, completely head over heels in love with their little girl, the same love she felt for her son overcoming her.
With a deep sigh, Tonks pushed herself to her feet, gently turning off the lamp and leaving her daughter's room, shutting the door behind her.
An intense case of warm and fuzzies overcame Tonks as she made her way down the hallway and down the stairs, back into the living room,
Remus still sitting on the couch with the maroon blanket on his lap.
"Both of them asleep?" He asked, looking up at her, "they are now, Celeste I guess woke up from a bad dream while I was checking on Teddy and was in tears by the time I got in there...had to soothe her and then check the wardrobe for monsters. Did you know they use her closet as the rat kings lair?" She inquired, making her way back over to her husband.
"We've also gotta hurry this up, Celeste was not happy that Santa hadn't been able to come yet…" She added with a scoff.
Remus laughed quietly as he tossed the blanket into Tonks's abandoned seat, standing up with a sigh, "Well then…" He said, "Do you want to do the tree this year or do you want to do stockings?"
Tonks thought, "I'll take the tree after you almost took it out the year before it's probably for the best…"
Remus glared down at her playfully, "It's not my fault I'm tall…"
Tonk's stifled a laugh as she nodded, "Sure it isn't...either way, upstairs in our wardrobe...should be stuff in a green bag...I'm gonna start down here first the ones already under...if you happen to have an extra hand, grab some of their gifts from upstairs?"
Remus gave a nod and was intending on doing as his wife asked but stopped when he realized just how much power he had.
"I'll do such...if and only if my beautiful wife gives me a kiss." He said with a grin, causing Nymphadora to roll her eyes.
"Jerk…" She said, grabbing his hand and giving it a tug, a signal to bend down so she could reach.
Remus bent down slightly, enough that he'd be able to receive the kiss from his wife.
Tonk's leaned in, pressing her lips firmly against his. Their kiss was romantic and passionate.
Gently, Tonks pulled away. "Now go, and be quiet...if we get caught it's over."
"Dora...I've been doing this for three years now...I think I know what I'm doing." He insisted, leaving the room to get started.
This gave Tonks the perfect opportunity to get the gift she wanted to give Remus alone.
Quickly she ran into the kitchen, over into the corner, and reached behind the fake plant they had named Greg, grabbing a Christmas bag with a snowman on it.
With a smile plastered on her face, she made her way back into the living room, setting the bag down on the table, practically shaking with excitement.
Nymphadora contemplated standing and waiting for him to return but was quickly and easily for that matter distracted by the sugar cookies she had baked with her kids earlier that evening.
Tonks gently pulled one of the cookies from the plate and took a bite out of it, savoring the sweet taste.
As Tonks went to take another bite, Remus returned with said green bag flung over his shoulder and his arms full of gifts, stacked so high in his arms he could hardly see.
Carefully, he set the mountain down on the couch, turning to Tonks, "are the cookies good?"
"Delicious." She replied with a cheeky grin. "So, before you get too into stockings and stuff, I've got a gift for you...one that I wanted to give you alone...no parents. No other kiddos...just us." She said, gently picking up the snowman bag and taking the few steps necessary to close the space between them.
Remus frowned, "Is this a real gift or is this one of your jokes?" He asked, cautiously taking the bag.
"It's real."
Nymphadora had the biggest smile plastered on her face as she watched Remus cautiously undo the small bow she had tied om the bag, opening it, his facial expression displaying his deep confusion.
Gently Remus reached his hand into the bag, pulling out something small and rolled up, tied up with a little red bow.
"Nymphie I swear if this is a joke you're not going to like the merciless tickling-"
Nymphadora groaned, "Remus, just look at it already!"
Remus snickered, undoing the red ribbon and unrolling the fabric to reveal it was in fact a newborn onesie.
His eyes scanned the words before his face lit up, "Nymphadora...is-" He seemed at a loss for words.
"What's it say, Remus?"
"Uhm...i-It says my gift is back-ordered and due to arrive in July of next year…" He said, unable to hide the smile on his face.
Nymphadora nodded, "Yeah...sorry about that...factory takes nine months to ship and stuff…"
"Nymphadora are you pregnant?'
"Finally, you caught on! Yes. I'm pregnant and I'm due in July." She said warmly, "Drank that potion Molly makes...bitter as all can be so...it's a boy."
Remus stood shocked and in awe. "You...and you waited this long to tell me?"
Nymphadora snickered, "I've only known a few weeks…" She responded, laughing quietly as Remus wrapped her up in a warm hug, "You...you are incredible."
"I was thinking maybe if it was okay with you if he is actually a little boy that we name him Remus Lyall...after his father and his grandfather." She said softly, still wrapped up in his embrace.
Remus's cheeks were a soft pink and he had a smile on his face, "You know what Nymphadora? I'd...I'd absolutely love that but how do you intend to-"
"I guess I'll just have to refer to you as my amazing husband from now on…" She teased softly, getting a warm chuckle from Remus, "That's fair but. I do have to ask...you don't intend on making this an every three-year event, do you? I mean we waited three years before trying for Celeste and now it's been three years and you're pregnant again and…"
Tonks laughed, shaking her head no, "I think after this one I'm shutting down the factory...but it depends...let's see where we are once little one is here...that'll really be a determining factor."
Remus gave a nod, "I agree with that idea." He said with a warm smile, leaning down and kissing her forehead. "So, as much as I am enjoying holding my incredible wife and as much as I want to stand here and kiss you, we do need to get a move on with gifts and such…"
Nymphadora gave a nod, "you've got a point…" Gently, Nymphadora stepped back and started grabbing gifts from the couch, and beginning the arranging process, intending for it to look perfect.
"...that means another little stocking to fill in a few years," Remus said as he shoved some Candy Canes into Tonk's purple stocking that happened to have a reindeer on it.
Nymphadora grinned, "it doesn't it? Perhaps maybe his can be green." She said softly, continuing to arrange and stack and move gifts around to assure perfection.
"It also means another little baby picture ornament." He added, glancing at the tree with a soft grin.
Nymphadora nodded, "Yes it does...it also probably means it's time for us to move downstairs into the office...that room is bigger and all…"
Remus nodded his head, "I do like that plan...we'll go with that one."
The two continued to talk about the new addition as they worked, Remus stuffing stockings and Nymphadora organizing gifts under the tree before the two shared the cookies their children had left out.
Once things had been finished, Remus turned to Nymphadora, "It's not even officially Christmas yet and you've already made this the best Christmas ever my love...thank you for that."
Tonks smiled as she sat back down on the couch, Remus joining her, throwing the blanket over her lap.
"I firmly believe any Christmas we spend together is a good Christmas."
Remus nodded, "I agree…"
The two continued exchanging such sweet and loving words for what seemed like hours before Remus called it and insisted they try and get some sleep before one of the littles was in their room insisting Santa had come.
And Next year there would be three.