Scars {Remus Lupin} ✓

28. MISTLETOE

| CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT |

MISTLETOE.

ON CHRISTMAS DAY, DAWN COULDN'T even recognise Grimmauld Place. Sirius had worked tirelessly over the last few days to clean up the entire place (with the help of the Weasley children, Remus, Harry and Hermione).  

The usually cobwebbed chandeliers were now sparkling, and instead of cobwebs there were garlands of holly and silver streamers hanging down. In the dining room, Sirius even charmed glittery snow to fall from the ceiling, snow that wasn't cold and disappeared before it could hit the floor. A giant Christmas tree - which was decorated with far too many baubles and live fairies - was standing proudly right in front of the Black family tree tapestry, hiding it completely from view. Since he wasn't physically able to rip the tapestry down (his lovely mother had decided to put it on there with magic and nothing could ever tear it down), blocking it from view was the next best thing; even if it was only for a few days. 

Dawn finished placing her neatly wrapped presents under the tree, and when she stood back up and turned around, ready to head out of the room, she suddenly jumped in surprise.

"Sorry," Remus smiled sheepishly, "I didn't mean to scare you."

"Hmm, the grin on your face is telling me otherwise," Dawn replied, she couldn't help but grin widely at the werewolf. 

He held his hands up, "You caught me," He chuckled, taking a step closer to the redhead, towering over her much shorter frame.

Something right above Remus' head suddenly caught her attention, mistletoe. Remus' eyes followed her view, before he shook his head chuckling softly, "How much do you want to bet that this is Sirius' work?"

Dawn smirked, "Oh, please, I know it's his work," She muttered, tilting her body to the side and waving at the door. 

Sirius was standing by the threshold of the door, his eyes widening when Dawn began waving to him. It didn't take long for Remus to look over his shoulder. Holding up his thumbs, Sirius was quick to disappear from view, practically leaving a trail of dust behind him. 

"Can I confess something?" Remus' soft voice brought Dawn back into reality. She stood back up straight and nodded, prompting him to go on. He let out a shaky breath, his eyes falling upon his tattered shoes, "I'm glad we get to spend Christmas together."

Dawn couldn't help the grin that appeared on her face. She felt so giddy whenever she was around him, almost feeling like she was back at school with a silly crush on a boy. But she wasn't, and it certainly didn't feel like a silly school crush. It felt like something more.

"So am I," The redhead finally breathed out, her eyes boring into his. She could practically feel her heart hammering in her throat, her palms were clammy and her breathing was uneven. However, all that seemed to disappear when Remus dipped his head down, their lips connecting. 

Sure, her heart was still hammering violently against her chest, feeling as if it wanted to jump right out of her body. But her palms weren't so clammy anymore, instead, it felt like electricity was circulating through her body. She reached her arms up, wrapping them tightly around Remus' shoulders as his went straight to her waist, holding her so tightly in his arms, it was as if he was afraid she would just disappear. And part of him did fear that. A very big part of him. 

Nobody had expected Arthur Weasley to get hurt, especially not in the Ministry, but it certainly reminded them that the threat was very real and it was real for everyone. Nobody expected Cedric Diggory to die either, but he did. An innocent seventeen year old boy that did nothing wrong. A boy that wasn't even involved in the Order. But it just showed, how tomorrow wasn't guaranteed for anyone and that thought made Remus hold onto Dawn for that little bit longer.