Chapter Four: Christmas with the Lupins
Since the night that he walked out of Hermione's rooms abruptly, he had been brooding in his rooms doing absolutely nothing. Christmas was getting really close. He could almost hear the sounds of Remus and Nymphadora's children prancing around the tree and he couldn't believe he agreed to go to their Christmas celebrations.
But that wasn't what plagued his mind. He couldn't help but worry that he might have done something to make Hermione's depression worse. He knew that he had told her the most awful story he could in the hopes that she would drop it, but he was now regretting his actions terribly. He wondered how she was feeling, but knew he would only make it worse by going and seeing her again. Knowing as persistent the Gryffindor was, she would more than likely ask again.
Instead, he floo-ed to Diagon Alley to do some last minute Christmas shopping. As much as he was annoyed by the six little Lupin children running around, he couldn't help but love them like nieces and nephews.
Hermione quickly tried to forget all about what Severus had told her by downing an entire bottle of Firewhiskey. She woke the next morning with a splitting headache, but didn't care as she had already finished doing Christmas shopping and had nothing else to do but sleep for the next day.
At around seven that night, she decided that she was tired of lying around in bed, and finally went to take a shower. She packed her bags for the week at the Lupin's and although she didn't want to go, wrapped the presents.
The next morning, she floo-ed directly there and was greeted instantly by Sirius, her third year student.
"Merry Christmas, Professor Granger." He smiled and she gave him a hug.
"Psst. It's Hermione at home." She said quietly in his ear. He blushed slightly.
"Sorry. Uhm, Hermione. Could I possibly call you Aunt Hermione? I don't have any aunts or uncles." She smiled big.
"Of course. Where are you mom and dad?" He pointed his finger at a door.
"In the kitchen. Mom is trying to feed Fred and George," (Hermione flinched at hearing their names) "It's really funny."
Hermione let Sirius take her bags up the stairs to the guest room. Remus and Tonks starting living at Grimmauld Place when it was willed to him by Harry. It was humorous to think that they were nearly using all of the space. With six children, Remus and Tonks had a lot to handle.
Sirius James Lupin, the oldest at only eight, was an extremely intelligent child, and a third year at Hogwarts. After Sirius was Harry Arthur Lupin, age five and a metamorphagus like Tonks, who often made his hair six feet longer than he was tall, and Charlie Ronald Lupin, at age four and a very shy and quiet boy, very much like his father. Next was Molly-Ginevra Lilly Lupin, or Lil, at two and a half, the only girl and also a metamorphagus with an obsession with the color pink, and the twins, Fred William and George Percy, at nine months old. Luckily they haven't shown metamorphic abilities.
Hermione had so much fun just watching Remus and Tonks take care of them all. Worst of all, she knew that there would be more kids coming, knowing Tonks.
Hermione walked into the room quietly enough and found Fred and George magically, and accidentally, making their food fly in all directions. Remus was simply scrubbing dishes manually; Tonks was smiling as she watched her boys and everyone turned to Hermione when she entered.
"Hermione! How are you?" Tonks flew from her chair to give her a great hug. Her hair was a bright red color and her eyes were bright green. Hermione hugged her tightly and smiled.
"The usual, but it's great to be here!" She smiled the best she could and Tonks and Remus grabbed a twin each and led everyone into the living room where the brightly decorated tree was. Lil was playing a game of wizarding chess with Harry, and even though Lil was two years old, Hermione was sure that she could easily defeat her any day. Charlie was reading a potions book, surprisingly enough and Sirius was just looking around.
Hermione sat down on the couch next to the smiling Sirius.
"How have your holidays been?" She smiled.
"They've been great Prof- I mean Aunt Hermione." He smiled and then had a questioning look on his face. "How did I do on my exam? I have been so worried about it all week." He looked at her anxiously.
"Sirius, you did great. Don't worry about it. It's Christmas!" She looked around at the smiling faces and a green flash erupted from the floo. Out stepped a tall and thin man carrying a leather satchel.
"Severus!" Remus said as he stood with baby Fred and shook his hand.
"Good to see you all. Merry Christmas." Hermione noticed that he looked remotely festive. He didn't have the usual scowl on his face.
"Uncle Severus, Uncle Severus!" Charlie screamed from his spot on the couch and set the potions book aside. He ran up and hugged Severus' legs. "Guess what? Guess what?"
"Whatever could it be, Charlie?" Severus said as cheerily as he could and Hermione could not help but let her mouth hang to the floor.
"I have read the potion book you got me seven times!" He smiled hugely and Snape looked surprised.
"And did you learn anything?"
"Yeah!" Charlie smile and started to list the different things. Severus looked at him, impressed, as he continued on and on.
Hermione watched, smiling inwardly, and a half an hour later Remus and Tonks announced it was time to open presents. All the kids cheered and jumped around. They passed out gifts and wrapping paper spread like wild fire around the room.
Sirius got himself a brand new broom, Harry got a new wizarding chess set, and Charlie was thrilled when he got his first elementary potions kit. Lil was playing with her new dolls when Severus walked up to Hermione and placed a small gift in her lap. She looked at it strangely.
"What is it, Severus?" She looked at him strangely.
"A gift." She smiled and reached around her for a small envelope to give him.
"I have a gift for you too, but I don't want you to open it until you are back at Hogwarts." He nodded and she looked at the gift him her hands. She shook it playfully and then opened it. Inside it was a beautiful bracelet. She looked up at him and demanded an explanation with her eyes alone.
"It's actually an heirloom. When I was younger, my grandmother gave me it to give to the damsel I saved. I know it's really not necessary, but I had it lying around. She used to tell me fairy tales all the time. She told me one day I would be brave like the warriors in the stories. Even today I don't consider myself heroic, but I would love it ifyou kept it." She looked up at him confused and blinked rapidly, trying to clear her eyes of the tears that were more than willing to fall.
"Thank you." She whispered weakly and he slipped it around her wrist without her noticing. He walked back over to play with Charlie and his potions kit. Remus and Tonks watched the entire display affectionately as the kids played with their toys and the adults sipped hot cocoa until late that night.
AN: Lucky me, the college student. I have been doing pretty well, but, sadly, I am not going to be able to post new chapters all the time. Thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed. I appreciate it greatly. I should have the next chapter soon and believe me, I am excited about it.