"Who'd you hook up with Christmas break our seventh year?" Remus asked with his wand up.

"Merlin Addy asked me that same question, what is with you guys.... Sirius." Mary replied standing in the doorway of the Burrow.

"And you all say I'm for the streets." Remus said putting his wand away.

"Excuse me?"

"I'm referring to Sirius! Not you."

"Mhm. I still think you're a whore."

"Join the club." Adeline said entering the hallway and pulling Mary in for a hug, "Thank you for coming love."

"Of course babes, it's the day after Christmas after all. National holiday."

"All thanks to me." Adeline bragged.

"And me!" Remus argued. "I'm the one who suggested it!"

"And you're the one who fucked it up."

"She says she forgives me then gives me this crap." Remus complained to Mary.

"If you're looking for sympathy boy, I'm not the right person." Mary replied.

"The whole world hates me." Remus whined.

"Yeah it does." Adeline agreed.

"Shut up." Remus gave her a small shove.

"Shut up." Adeline replied mockingly.

"Mary! Hi!" Tonks said entering the room.

"Oh- hi!" Mary said awkwardly, "Nymphadora right?"

"I go by Tonks."

"Right."

"We met at a funeral over the Summer." Tonks explained.

Adeline jaw dropped and Remus quickly lifted it back into place.

"Yes! You were so sweet." Mary replied kindly.

"No you were!"

"I tried." Mary laughed, "It was hard not to beat everyone in that place up."

"Mary-." Adeline said with warning.

"Right sorry. No Order hate. My apologies."

"You really hate the Order that much?" Tonks inquired.

Mary glanced at Adeline who was shaking her head, but elected to ignore her, "Yeah I do."

"Which is okay." Remus tried to add as Tonks' face hardened.

"Shut up Remus." Mary said with a roll of her eyes.

"Yes ma'am." Remus said stepping back as Adeline gave him a pat on his shoulder.

"Why don't we go eat! I sat dinner up outside." Adeline said trying to break up a potentially awkward conversation. Who am I kidding? It's already awkward.

"That's a great idea!" Remus agreed. I knew she shouldn't have invited Mary.

"Whatever you want Addy. It's your holiday." Mary said with a fake smile.

"Our holiday!" Remus interjected.

"Our holiday." Adeline mocked in an annoying voice as she pushed Remus to lead them outside.

"Is Harry going to come down and join us at all?" Remus asked.

"Not sure. Him and Ron are doing whatever he and Ron do."

"Oh okay."

"Why?"

"Harry's mad at me."

"Once again I ask why?"

"I told him he needs to trust Snape because Dumbledore does."

"That's a terrible reason to trust Snape."

"I agree but Harry lives and breathes Albus."

"You should've told him about Snape's obsession with Lily."

"You haven't told him about that?"

"Hell no."

"Then I say Hell no too."

"Why do I always have to be the one having the difficult conversations with Harry?"

"Because you're the godmother and I'm the janky uncle."

"You're not janky."

"Wow that's the biggest compliment you've given me in years. Besides trying to fuck me."

"You tried to fuck Remus?" Mary asked with wide eyes entering their conversation.

"Wow Moony. Thanks. Expose me like that in front of everyone why don't ya." Adeline complained.

"It's Mary, I figured she already knew!" Remus explained with his hands up.

"Well she didn't and neither did Tonks." Adeline scolded him.

"Addy when did you try to fuck Remus?" Mary asked excited.

"Don't look happy. It was an act of weakness"

"She's a sloppy drunk." Remus told Mary with a smirk.

"You were drunk? So this happened two days ago?" Mary looked to Adeline to explain.

"Nope." Adeline answered not looking her in the eye.

"You had a drink on a day other than Christmas Eve?"

"Yup. Three of em."

"Merlin Addy you're going off the deep end." Mary teased.

"Oh shush it. I'm over thirty I can drink whenever I please."

"I agree."

"If you agree then you can take care of her next time." Remus said to Mary with a laugh, "She gets handsy."

"Oh fuck off I didn't touch you." Adeline replied.

"You sure as Hell tried."

"I was drunk!"

"Drunk thoughts are sober words."

"That's not how that goes." Mary said confused.

"Isn't it?" Remus cocked his head while not breaking eye contact with Adeline.

"Hey Remus guess what?" Adeline said with fake enthusiasm.

"What?" Remus said through narrowed eyes.

"Shut the fuck up."

"Ha!" Mary laughed obnoxiously.

"Fucking bitch." Remus said shaking his head at Adeline.

"You guys are so cute." Tonks said with a smile looking between the pair.

"No we aren't." Adeline and Remus said at the same time.

"Oh. Sorry." Tonks said awkwardly.

"You get used to them." Mary said kindly in her ear, "Eventually."

"I've been around them for two years, they used to fight a lot more aggressively."

"Yeah Addy hated his guts."

"What changed?"

"Sirius." Mary said sadly, "They managed to heal together rather than on their own."

"How are you healing? Between Sirius and Emmeline."

"I'm getting there. Thank you for asking."

"Of course. Sorry I came off wrong at the beginning. I just thought you were really pretty and cool and it made me a little nervous."

"Mary!" Harry said walking outside and giving her a hug before she had a chance to answer Tonks. "Happy late Christmas!"

"No Harry it's Happy Day After Christmas." Mary corrected him.

"We honestly need to condense that name, it's a little much." Remus said to Adeline.

"You don't get to change it- it's my holiday."

"Oh shove off it's ours and you know it."

"Stopped being ours when you-,"

"-when I left I get it. Get over it or get out bitch."

"Whore."

"Do you fucking want Christmas gift bitch? Because I'm about to return it."

"You're a day late for Christmas."

"That's because you pissed me off yesterday so I kept it."

"What the fuck did I do yesterday?"

"That's not important."

"Oh isn't it? You didn't get me anything ya liar."

"Yes I did."

"Prove it."

"Fine. I will." Remus stood up from the table and stuck out his hand, "Come on."

Adeline narrowed her eyes as she took his hand and followed him back into the Burrow.

"I think I liked it better when they hated each other." Harry said with a laugh.

"Sexual tension too much for you Harold?" Mary asked.

"Ew Mary. That's my mother figure and my professor you're talking about."

"I call it like I see it."

"Still gross." Harry said fake gagging.

Back inside the Burrow Adeline and Remus arrived at his room.

"So what is this mysterious gift Remus?" Adeline said as she sat down on his bed.

"Why would I tell you when I can just give it to you?"

"Because I don't believe it's real."

"I don't believe it's real." Remus mocked her in a high pitched voice.

"Whore I'm the one who mocks you not the other way around."

Remus reached into his closet and pulled out a box and handed it to her. "Open bitch."

Adeline obeyed and pulled the lid off. Inside sat an orange cat. "You're fucking me."

"I'm not."

"Yes you are." Adeline said as she picked up the cat and her eyes began to tear up.

"I know you sometimes feel alone and I hoped that this might help."

"Thank you." Adeline said softly staring at the cat in her hands. "I can't believe you actually got me something. And it's a good something."

"Of course Addy. I told you I was going to work on making everything up to you."

"I know. Thank you for putting in the effort. And for not giving up on me this time."

"I won't make that mistake again."

"I hope not.... So. How'd I piss you off yesterday?"

"Oh shush."

"You seem embarrassed by it Remus."

"Oh do I?"

"Yeah you do."

Remus clicked his tongue then looked back to her, "You didn't really piss me off per say."

"I didn't?"

"No you just... Do I really have to tell you?" Remus groaned as he put his head in his hands.

"Yes. It's part of you making it up to me."

"Fine." Remus took a deep breath then turned to make direct eye contact, "You just looked so fucking hot yesterday that I couldn't stand to be in a room alone with you to give you the gift."

Adeline face immediately went red and she looked to her cat instead of his face. "Oh."

"Don't 'oh' me like that."

"I was not expecting that!"

"You fucking asked!"

"And? Sorry I didn't realize a Christmas sweater and pajama pants was that much of a turn on."

"It is when it's my pajama pants."

"What are you talking about?"

"You were wearing my pants."

"No I wasn't."

"Yea you were. You stole them when we were together."

"That was a different pair."

"No it wasn't. I'd recognize them anywhere, they were my favorites."

"Oh. Well do you want them back?"

"I think we already established you look better in them."

"Mmkay...." Adeline drew out awkwardly.

"Still can't accept a compliment?"

"Not from you!"

"Oh I'm the exception finally?"

"Well no. I suppose it's still most people."

"Uhuh." Remus said smiling at her, "You know, Molly's sweaters are nice and all but I miss Adeline originals. They were always so creative."

"I can have one made for you by tomorrow."

"It's no fun if I have to ask for it!"

"I don't care what's fun for you!"

"You should!"

"And why is that?"

"Because you know what else is fun?"

"What?"

Remus moved a piece of hair to behind her ear and placed his hand on her jaw as their atmosphere shifted. "This was always pretty fun."

"Remus." Adeline said shaking her head. "He hasn't even been dead a year."

"Addy I fucking need this. And I think you do too."

"I can't. It's too messy."

"I'm not trying to pressure you. But your therapist told you to be more selfish."

"I know. But I gotta look out for future Addy. Not just the present."

"I get that." Remus nodded while removing his hand from her face leaving her cold without his touch. He stood up from the bed. "We should head back down then."

"Remus." Adeline said standing up, "I can't just hook up with you for fun. A random dude at the pub sure no biggie. But it's different with you."

"Addy you don't have to explain yourself. I'm not going to be mad at you for not wanting to hook up."

Adeline nodded, "I can't lose you too Remus. Not after I just got you back."

"You're not going to lose me again." Remus squeezed her arm reassuringly.

"You say that but you never know."

"I won't let it happen."

"But some things are out of your control. I can't love you again Remus, I'll only get hurt. I can't and I won't."

Remus gave a cocky smirk, "You think you'll fall in love with me again?"

"Oh fuck off you're the one who tried to fuck me sober."

"Yeah and you're the one who'd fall in love if we did hook up."

"And you wouldn't?"

"This isn't about me!"

"It is now!"

"What are you going to name the cat?"

"Oh don't go deflecting you whore."

"I'm just making better conversation!"

"Oh fuck off." Adeline laughed as she felt them for back to normal, "We need to get back down there. Mary is definitely going to make a comment about us hooking up."

"I mean it could've been true."

"But it wasn't."

"But it could've been."

"Maybe in a different lifetime Lupin." Adeline said as she began to head down the stairs with her new cat in her arms.

"Don't demote me back to last name!"

"Don't be a little bitch and I won't."

"Fine. Wilson."

"Awwe you're copying me? Do you look up to me Lupin?"

"I'm nearly a foot taller than you Wilson- you look up to me."

"You're like three inches taller than me."

"Adeline I can see the top of your head!"

"You're literally on the step above me." Adeline argued since they're were walking down the stairs.

"Oh whatever, we can pull out a tape measure later." Remus looked at the cat in her arms, "It's a girl by the way."

"I know. Meadowes." Adeline answered, "That's her name."

Remus smiled sadly, "Perfect choice."

"I know, everything I do is perfect."

"Can you stop being a bitch for once in your life!"

"Never!"

//an

cute fun chapter
very banter heavy

and if you thought it wouldn't be a slowburn this time around you were mistaken
they both have trauma and can't just jump back into a relationship - it would end the same

we've been losing readership on the last two chapters which means i should probably start wrapping this story up :( but i still see at least like ten more chapters happening so i don't really care if i only have ten readers left

title description: adeline and remus are still connected despite all that's happened

buh bye now love ya <3