𝙒𝙤𝙡𝙛𝙨𝙗𝙖𝙣𝙚 || 𝙍. 𝙇𝙪𝙥𝙞𝙣

A Troubled Christmas

"You're finally here," Lily said when Sirius and Ast arrived at her house. "I was beginning to worry."

"Sorry, someone decided to take a full hour in the bathroom," Ast said, glaring at Sirius.

"Come inside, it's freezing. Everyone's in the kitchen," Lily ushered them in, closing the door behind them as they stepped inside.

They headed to the kitchen and greeted everyone. James, Dorcas, Marlene, Peter, Frank, Alice and Remus were already there. Peter and Alice were bustling about, cooking their dinner while James and Frank were standing nearby and talking. Dorcas, Marlene and Remus were sitting at the dining table playing a card game. Today, Ast was planning on talking to Remus. She needed to know what was going on between the two of them.

"Nice house, Lils," Ast commented, gazing around her house.

"Thanks, James pitched in with the funds," Lily smiled, staring lovingly at James.

"Would you like a tour?" James asked.

"Sure."

He took Ast's hand and dragged her out of the kitchen. He showed her around the house, talking nonstop about everything, not letting her get a word in edgeways. He talked a great deal about his photo wall; where pictures of him and his friends and family were hung on the living room wall. Ast spotted a few pictures of herself on there, causing her to smile. As they finished the tour, Lily called for James. So he rushed off to the kitchen, leaving Ast behind. She walked back into the living to have another look at the photo wall.

"Whatcha doing?" A voice asked.

She jumped, almost knocking a vase over beside her. Someone caught the vase just in time. She turned to find Sirius behind her.

"Stop doing that," she said.

"Stop doing what?"

"Scaring me,"

He smirked. He stood next to her and gazed at the photo wall. He pointed to a picture and she took a closer look at it. Sirius and Ast were in the Three Broomsticks. They both had butterbeer froth all over their mouths and were doing a funny pose.

"You look pretty in that," Sirius said.

"I do, don't I?" she said, turning towards him.

"You still look pretty."

Ast didn't know if she had heard Sirius correctly.

"So what's going on with you and Moony?" He asked, his tone suddenly more firm.

"I really don't know, I want to talk to him but he seems to be avoiding me," she said, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Are you planning on getting back together?"

"I really don't know what I want. It's just... I've been back here for almost six months and only now I'm finding out that you're all here? It's crazy and I still feel like I'm in a dream."

"Me too. We all thought that you were never coming back. Things haven't been the same without you, Vix."

He stepped closer to her, his heart was practically jumping out of his chest right now. It was beating so fast that it felt like it had been replaced with drums. Her green eyes stared into his grey ones. He looked up at something on the ceiling, she followed his gaze.

Mistletoe.

"Just my luck," she nervously laughed.

He smiled and locked their eyes again. Whether they had been staring for seconds or hours, they couldn't tell. His eyes darted down to her lips and then back up. Ast knew that look. He moved closer, slowly closing the distance between them.