Hello again! It seems I'm simply destined to come back to this story every holiday season. I hope you all have had a lovely year. :)

One note: In the first two chapters I had said this story takes place at Number 12 Grimmauld Place; However, in my head in the succeeding chapters, I was picturing the Burrow, which is accurate to canon. After Dumbledore died, the Order of the Phoenix couldn't use Number 12 anymore since too many individuals knew the location. The Burrow did need to be abandoned later, but not until the spring after the Christmas holiday I've set this in. So, going forward, it's at the Burrow! I've edited chapters 1 and 2 to reflect this.

Upstairs, somewhere inside the burrow, the next morning, Tonks lies awake in the dark. Remus, apparently sensing her stirring, wakes as well.

"Good morning, darling," Tonks greets Remus, turning toward him.

"Mmm. Morning, Dora, dear," he replies sleepily. "What are you doing awake?"

She chuckles, "I know you're new to this, but Teddy often wakes me up early. I can't fall back asleep when he does."

"Ah…" He looks guilty, yet again, and tries to think of something helpful to say. Seeing this, Tonks changes the subject instead. "Let's decorate," she says.

"But we already have a tree…" replies Remus, perplexed.

"In Muggle households, they decorate the whole house and sometimes the outdoors, too!" Seeing the concerned flicker on Remus' face, she quickly adds, "I know we can't decorate the outside, but we could spruce it up even more in here!"

"Hmm. Alright, then, what more do you have in mind?" Remus asks.

"Well, we could wrap ribbon and evergreen boughs around the stair banisters, hang a wreath on the inside of the front door, and cut out snowflakes to put on the windows, for starters," Tonks says.

"For starters! I'm intrigued, but that seems like a lot." He thinks for a moment before adding, "Oh, darling, I think I know what's happening here. You're nesting!"

"What am I, a bird?" Tonks asks with an edge, hair flaring orange for a moment.

"No… I've been reading a book about pregnancy. Sometimes, pregnant people will feel a biological need to nest, likely leftover from when we were still animals. You might be feeling a need to spiffy up your home environment to prepare for dear Teddy's arrival."

"I can always trust you for a scientific explanation," Tonks replies with a smile, "I never was good at those subjects at Hogwarts."

"Not to worry; I'll do enough research for the both of us now. We'll be the most prepared parents." Remus says proudly. "In any case, of course, whatever you wish to do, I'll do with you. What would you like to start with?"

"Hang on, can we come back to the fact that Mr. Remus Lupin is researching pregnancy, despite all of the gross womanly things therein?"

"... I supposed that those things will be happening to you whether I research them or not, so I might as well be prepared for them when they do. Pregnancy is rather terrifying, actually - even moreso after researching!"

"A logical explanation from my logical man. I appreciate you, Remus. I don't say that enough. Lord knows you hear enough in the other direction from Molly." Tonks replies.

"Molly means well, though. Being a mother herself, she knows what you're going through in a way that I never can. And she did it all with Arthur by her side, while I've been absent. She's angry on your behalf." He smiles wryly, then adds, "Those darned redheads."

"Regardless. She's been harder on you than I would have been otherwise. You were afraid, that's all. But you're a brave man to come back in spite of your fears about Teddy, and for that I applaud you.

"I've been a coward, Dora" he starts, before she cuts him off.

"No, Remus. You are a brave man. I want you to hear that and know it to be true. No coward. No buts. You are brave. And I love you for it."

More to come soon!