Faye (
said_scarlett) wrote2005-12-11 06:19 pm
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Christmas Ficlet for Hansbekhart
Written for
hansbekhart, who wanted Remus/Harry and offered a lovely John Donne quote as prompt.
Title: Home For Christmas
Rating: PG
Word Count: 620
Pairing: Remus/Harry, open to interpretation.
Summary: After a fruitless search for a Horcrux in Africa, Harry returns home for Christmas.
The tree looked naked. The branches were thick and full and bent under the weight of their needles, but still it looked bare. Remus sighed and stared at it, feeling weighted down and naked himself. The Burrow was empty, silent and dead. All in all, Remus found it difficult to rouse himself to any sort of holiday cheer. And even when faced with the site of the naked tree, he couldn’t rouse himself to add any decorations. He simply felt empty and tired.
He wasn’t really surprised. With all that had happened, what in Merlin’s name was there to be happy about?
He supposed it would be better were the house not empty. Company, even a small bit of it, went a rather long way in cheering the heart. But it seemed that everyone these days had something to do - elsewhere.
“I suppose I should fix myself a spot of tea.” Remus rose and wandered into the kitchen, stiff legged and feeling older than he was. The kettle was put on and a tea bag dropped into a mug and Remus stared out the window as he waited for the whistle to sound. His concentration was broken, however, by the door opening.
“Hello? Anyone home?”
Remus turned, perplexed and a bit brightened by the prospect of company.
“Harry? What are you doing here?” The young man was the last person Remus expected to see. “I thought you were in Africa.”
“I wasn’t very well going to spend Christmas in Africa, was I?” Harry hung up his coat and grinned - a weak shadow of a smile, really. “Where is everybody?”
“Out and about,” Remus said, gesturing to the kettle. “Can I fix you some tea?”
“Yeah, that’d be good.” Harry nodded and tossed himself down into a chair. “Africa was a dead end anyway, so I figured may as well start back here. And it’d be nice to see everyone…”
“Well, everyone will be pleased to see you,” Remus said, pouring the tea.
“Oh yeah, I bet.” Harry just shook his head. Remus set the tea on the table and sat as well.
“They will be, Harry,” he said softly. “It will be good to have you for Christmas.”
“Yeah.”
They were silent for a while, their tea growing cold and the shadows outside growing longer and longer.
“Remus?”
“Mmm?”
“Are you alright?” Harry’s eyes were bright behind his glasses and his face was twisted in concentration. As though he’d been trying to answer his own question by sight alone.
“I’ve been better,” Remus admitted with a weak smile. He was tired of lying and smiling and pretending. It was easier this way. Harry just nodded, and Remus took a sip of his tea. Suddenly Harry was beside him, a hand on his shoulder. Remus closed his eyes and then Harry’s arms were around him, holding him tightly.
“I think we all have,” Harry said, shakily. Remus just nodded and returned the hug, pulling Harry tightly to him. He couldn’t remember holding him like this, only pulling him back once, that time when…
“It’ll be alright,” Remus said, pressing his cheek against Harry’s. Harry just nodded, still holding on to him tightly.
“I missed you,“ Harry said, finally. The words were tight and choked.
“I missed you, too.“ Harry was all that was left now. All that was left of James or Sirius or any time that could be called happy. Suddenly there was the feel of soft lips against Remus’ skin, but he said nothing. Surprised though he was, startled though he was, he wasn’t about to push Harry away. Now wasn’t the time.
“It’ll be alright,“ he repeated instead. It would be alright. It had to be.
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Title: Home For Christmas
Rating: PG
Word Count: 620
Pairing: Remus/Harry, open to interpretation.
Summary: After a fruitless search for a Horcrux in Africa, Harry returns home for Christmas.
The tree looked naked. The branches were thick and full and bent under the weight of their needles, but still it looked bare. Remus sighed and stared at it, feeling weighted down and naked himself. The Burrow was empty, silent and dead. All in all, Remus found it difficult to rouse himself to any sort of holiday cheer. And even when faced with the site of the naked tree, he couldn’t rouse himself to add any decorations. He simply felt empty and tired.
He wasn’t really surprised. With all that had happened, what in Merlin’s name was there to be happy about?
He supposed it would be better were the house not empty. Company, even a small bit of it, went a rather long way in cheering the heart. But it seemed that everyone these days had something to do - elsewhere.
“I suppose I should fix myself a spot of tea.” Remus rose and wandered into the kitchen, stiff legged and feeling older than he was. The kettle was put on and a tea bag dropped into a mug and Remus stared out the window as he waited for the whistle to sound. His concentration was broken, however, by the door opening.
“Hello? Anyone home?”
Remus turned, perplexed and a bit brightened by the prospect of company.
“Harry? What are you doing here?” The young man was the last person Remus expected to see. “I thought you were in Africa.”
“I wasn’t very well going to spend Christmas in Africa, was I?” Harry hung up his coat and grinned - a weak shadow of a smile, really. “Where is everybody?”
“Out and about,” Remus said, gesturing to the kettle. “Can I fix you some tea?”
“Yeah, that’d be good.” Harry nodded and tossed himself down into a chair. “Africa was a dead end anyway, so I figured may as well start back here. And it’d be nice to see everyone…”
“Well, everyone will be pleased to see you,” Remus said, pouring the tea.
“Oh yeah, I bet.” Harry just shook his head. Remus set the tea on the table and sat as well.
“They will be, Harry,” he said softly. “It will be good to have you for Christmas.”
“Yeah.”
They were silent for a while, their tea growing cold and the shadows outside growing longer and longer.
“Remus?”
“Mmm?”
“Are you alright?” Harry’s eyes were bright behind his glasses and his face was twisted in concentration. As though he’d been trying to answer his own question by sight alone.
“I’ve been better,” Remus admitted with a weak smile. He was tired of lying and smiling and pretending. It was easier this way. Harry just nodded, and Remus took a sip of his tea. Suddenly Harry was beside him, a hand on his shoulder. Remus closed his eyes and then Harry’s arms were around him, holding him tightly.
“I think we all have,” Harry said, shakily. Remus just nodded and returned the hug, pulling Harry tightly to him. He couldn’t remember holding him like this, only pulling him back once, that time when…
“It’ll be alright,” Remus said, pressing his cheek against Harry’s. Harry just nodded, still holding on to him tightly.
“I missed you,“ Harry said, finally. The words were tight and choked.
“I missed you, too.“ Harry was all that was left now. All that was left of James or Sirius or any time that could be called happy. Suddenly there was the feel of soft lips against Remus’ skin, but he said nothing. Surprised though he was, startled though he was, he wasn’t about to push Harry away. Now wasn’t the time.
“It’ll be alright,“ he repeated instead. It would be alright. It had to be.