#1 ~ The Dunderhead's Miracle [G] (RL/SS; HP/DM) Title:
The Dunderhead’s Miracle
Author:bonfoi Rating: G Pairing: Remus Lupin/Severus Snape; Harry Potter/Draco Malfoy Summary: Rebuilding means forging new relationships…and rediscovering old ones. During the first Voldemort-free Christmas hols, two couples—one brand new, the other separated by time and distance—discover the joys of giving and receiving. Challenge:adventdrabbles 2011: Day 1 ~ Ringing Christmas Bells Word Count: 878 Genre: Alternate Universe; EWE; Post-Second Voldemort War; Romance; Flangst Warnings: Original characters; Deathly Hallows, what Deathly Hallows? A/N: Thank you so much, alisanne for hosting this lovely, low-key fest. I so enjoyed last year that I was barely in the door from work tonight, plotting before I even saw the first prompt on the calendar.
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Disclaimer: The world of Harry Potter, its characters and settings are the copyrighted works of J.K. Rowling, Warner Bros., her publishing companies and affiliates. No profit was made from the writing of this story nor was any malice intended in any way, shape or form to the author or the actors/actresses who so brilliantly have brought them to life.
This author is not responsible for underage readers. Please observe the ratings, warnings, and age of legal consent for your country.
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The sound of bells ringing out in the Muggle street insinuated into the room.
“Bloody hell!” a rough voice grumbled from under a pile of blankets.
“C’mon, Remus! It’s the first day of December and there’s no Voldemort to ruin this one!” Harry Potter laughed as he pulled the covers off of his honorary godfather. “You need a new cloak. We’re going shopping.”
A tousled head of grey-streaked light brown hair finally emerged, blue-green hazel eyes blearily glaring at the exuberant young man. “Since when did you enjoy shopping, Harry?” He scrubbed at his face with both hands, wincing as he inhaled his own morning breath.
Harry blushed and looked away. “Hey, I like new things,” he said without looking at Remus.
Remus sat up, swung his feet over the side of the bed, and yawned. His outstretched arms almost clipped Harry, but the lad’s quick feet saved him. “Sorry,” Remus mumbled as he heaved himself up and then began his limping progress toward the loo. “Give me ten minutes, will you, Harry?” he said over his shoulder.
Harry watched Remus stumble into the door and then into the hall. He shook his head and tugged his wand out of his back pocket. Casting cleaning spells as he sent Remus’ dirty clothes to the clothing basket, Harry began humming under his breath. It beat inhaling the stale, sourish air. Finally, he sighed and stepped over to the window, opening it in the Muggle manner so he could draw in a cleaner breath of air.
“You could have asked, Harry. I’d have cleaned up my mess.” Remus stood in the doorway, a towel wrapped around his waist, his hair still dripping from his quick shower. Harry kept his eyes on Remus’.
“You’re my guest, Remus. Besides, it’s only once a week.” Harry grinned. “It’s one of the few chores I sort of miss, house-making, you know?”
“You’ll make someone a great wife someday, Harry,” Remus said with a hint of sarcasm. He limped toward the armoire, wandlessly opening it before he reached it. Harry watched him closely, waiting for Remus to realize his magic was still wild. He never did, reaching out for his trousers only have them fly off the hanger and into his hand. He hobbled to the bed, sat down, and tugged them on.
“So, we’re going shopping?” Remus asked as he tugged a t-shirt and then a sweater over his head. His wand holster rolled off the shelf and landed near his feet. He put out his hand and his wand flew into it and then he bent over and to pick up his holster. Harry watched the leather contraption unbuckle itself and then crawl under the sleeve of Remus’ wand arm.
“You’ve come a long way, Remus,” Harry said softly.
Remus looked up. “You mean for a being that had to dig his way out of a bloody mausoleum because the Wizarding World is too ignorant of what kills a werewolf?” he asked in voice pregnant with pain. He stared at Harry with narrowed eyes and then let a barking laugh burst out. “Ha! You can almost hear Severus saying that, can’t you?”
“Yeah.” Harry fiddled with his wand and took a deep breath. “If you want to talk…or anything?” He looked at Remus, his heart in his eyes.
“No, Harry, but thank you.” Remus shook himself and then stood up. He waved and flicked his wand and a gnarled walking cane flew from a shadowed corner of the bedroom and into his other hand. He clutched the handle tightly, but Harry knew it was to press the entwined SS carved on the handle into his palm and not the obvious reason.
“C’mon then. I saw a great winter cloak at Madame Malkin’s yesterday when I...” Harry’s voice trailed away.
“…when you were out with young Malfoy, hm?” Remus finished.
Harry’s blush deepened. “Yeah. Now, let’s go.” He put his hand on Remus’ arm and turned the pair of them toward the bedroom door. “It’s Christmas. Somebody told me once it’s a time of miracles.”
“Miracles are for dunderheads,” Remus whispered under his breath as they exited his room.
~o~O~o~
The Christmas bells in the small Irish village carried a long distance. At least that’s what the scowling man was grumbling about as he paid for his groceries.
“…the use of the bells, I ask you? Christmas is on the twenty-fifth, so that means I’ve got twenty-four more days to suffer through them. Why? Why, I ask you.”
The young man at the till grinned. Mr. Tobias might be a bear and a curmudgeon, but he always had a kind word for the boy’s mum. Anyone who could make his mum smile these days was a godsend.
“That’ll be ten pounds, Mr. Tobias.”
“Thank you, Sean.” Mr. Tobias nodded stiffly and pushed twelve pounds toward Sean. “The extra’s for your mother. Buy her some Scotch biscuits. I know she likes them.”
“Thank you, sir.” Sean pocketed the money with a small smile. “I’ve been meaning to ask, sir, but why are you so nice to Mum?” he asked.
The hooked-nosed man looked Sean in the eyes and answered with his own smile. “She reminds me of my old professor. Her name is Minerva, too.”