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61- Peanuts and Tattoos

"We didn't even get a chance to go to Cornwall."

"We'll have plenty of summers to go to Cornwall."

"I'm going to be all pale now. Summer suits me. Winter doesn't."

"Winter is the best season, it's not up for debate and aren't you excited for tomorrow?"

I had never had Christmas without the Averys, so it would be weird to wake up and not have a house elf pester me to be down and presentable at the crack of dawn. No grand parties, no formal dresses or suits or family dinners that would end in tears. In all honesty I didn't know how to feel about it, so I didn't know the answer to his question.

The routine had changed now.

Would it just be me and him?
Me him and Sirius?
What about Draco and Blaise?

They wouldn't come, not with them there.

Was I supposed to comfort Draco?
This would be his first Christmas alone too.
He'd have Blaise surely?
Would Blaise even call me?

It had been a while since the three of us hung out together, maybe they felt like I had sort of ditched them both for Remus. It wasn't intentional that I spent so much time with him. It wasn't like I had planned to stop seeing the two of them as much, and besides it wasn't like they had really bothered to put that much effort into seeing me either.

We didn't need to see each other 24/7, our friendship wasn't like that at all anymore.
After Hogwarts, we all knew that things would change, it was only natural. But me and Remus, really needed that time with each other to heal. It was just unfortunate that I had become distant with the two in the process of it.

It wasn't like we ever did Christmas together anyway. But all my Christmases had been in Manchester before, things had changed now that I was in London. He would call Draco, Mrs Zabini would make sure he did. I convinced myself that Draco wouldn't be alone.

I contemplated calling them both around but they didn't enjoy Remus nor Sirius' company and I didn't want them to feel forced to come and I also didn't want to spend Christmas being the mediator and trying to make things less awkward.

"Hey." He called my attention quietly, turning his back to the box of ornaments on the floor.

I told him the tree would be decorated in less than a second if he had just let me cast a spell but he insisted we did it like muggles. Apparently it was more fun that way.

"What's wrong?"

"I dunno what to do about Draco and Blaise. Do I call them? Do I go to theirs? Am I supposed to wait for an invite? But why would they give me an invite? Is it a given that I'm supposed to pop down? I've got their presents I just dun.."

"Woah woah woah.. slow down."

"I just.. I feel like a shit friend."

He sighed and walked towards me, taking the box out of my hands to set it down on the counter.

"Call them around if you want. Me and Pads are grown.. we know how to behave." He said kindly but I knew in his heart he did not want them to come.

It wasn't like they hated each other or anything. Remus and Blaise.. sort of got on?
Not really, I mean they didn't really speak, but they said a quick 'alright?' whenever they saw each other so that was something.