Thicker than Water (Marauders Era) PART II

24 December, 1996 - Homecomings

Lavinia had not, for a long time now, considered herself to be anything even resembling a proud person, but, she supposed, when it came down to it, there was nothing other than simple, stupid pride that kept her from admitting that she was obsessing over the Malfoy boy for as long as she adamantly refused to even consider the possibility. Which was all of a week, so perhaps her pride, though it undeniably, existed, wasn't particularly powerful. Or perhaps, she reasoned, fully aware she was just trying to convince herself, she simply hadn't realized how much the issue had been bothering her, what with Jasmine and Remus and Harry all coming home that week.

Or rather, Jasmine and Remus came home. Harry went to the Weasleys and Lavinia visited for Christmas Eve. This was a detail she was only truly peeved about because she really would have liked to talk to her godson a whole lot sooner than that. But, on the other hand, she couldn't bring herself to pretend she was overly upset about the whole thing because if she was completely and entirely honest with herself, the homecoming Lavinia cared most about was Remus's and it was an event that overshadowed almost everything else that occurred in the leadup to the holidays.

Indeed, Lavinia wasted no time upon Remus's return in wrapping him in a hug and holding him there, trying to convince herself that he was real and he was home and for at least those next few days, she didn't need to worry about him because he would be safe. He would be here. He would be with her and she could keep him safe.

And maybe it was dramatic of her, maybe it was completely ridiculous, but Lavinia had spent one too many night awake in the living room, pacing as she tried to convince herself that Rmeus was safe when she knew full well he might not have been. And she felt slightly less foolish about the whole thing in part because she knew that it said something that Remus didn't even tease her for her admittedly slightly ridiculous response to his arrival. Indeed, he didn't comment or break away even as the minutes stretched on until Lavinia herself pulled back and tried to pretend she hadn't nearly been crying.

And Lavinia rather thought she knew why Remus said nothing. Because Remus remembered last time as much as she did. Remus had seen - and felt - how the stress had built and built until it cracked them all and Lavinia didn't suppose he was foolish enough to think that the exact same thing hadn't happened this time. Because true, this time Lavinia was more involved. She was more in the loop. She had a better idea of what he was doing and what it was for, but she supposed he knew just as well as she did that it wasn't enough. It didn't matter if she knew why he did it. It didn't matter, even, if she knew it was the right thing to do. Because at the end of the day he was her friend. And he had been gone for months. And she had missed him. More desperately than she supposed she would ever admit.

And maybe it was because of this that Lavinia didn't bring up Tonks's name for the entirety of that holiday season. Maybe it was for this that she buried her questions about the other woman deep deep down. Or maybe they never even occurred to her because she was so simply, selfishly glad to have Remus home for a few days and she didn't much want to share him. She wanted to keep him close and take care of him and remind him that that life of loneliness and squalor was not his. That he had people who loved him and life back here and it was waiting for him. It would always be waiting for him.

It was lucky, Lavinia thought, that their only true plans during his short stint at home only underscored this point. And indeed they did. On Christmas Eve the both of them went to the Burrow, where they were greeted by plenty of warmth from friends and strangers alike and spent the evening enjoying Mrs. Weasley's frankly marvelous cooking and enduring her truly terrible taste in Christmas music.

And Merlin, it was terrible, a reality Lavinia was somewhat unprepared to come face to face with. Which was why, that night as they all sat around a cozy fire by a Christmas tree whose angel topper Lavinia thought was rather odd and not very angelic at all, she found herself trying figure out how on Earth someone could have such an incredible palette when it came to food and yet still enjoy Celestine Warbeck of all things.