Author's Note: I love Law and Order: SVU. Don't you? You--you don't? Huh. Well, uh--that's okay--that's acceptable, seeing as how this is Harry Potter and not L&O. But uh--some episodes are kickass, didn't yah know? Okay, that is completely irrelevant. Actually, no it's not because this was inspired by an awesome episode. Who'd have thought? Okay, this--is--my--first time ever--writing--Remus/Tonks. This was my first HP pairing too. I was hesitant with the slash in the series (but look at my archives. All slash. Haha.). Okay, shutting up--this is…post…um…GOF? Yes, because Sirius is still alive. Yet--he's not in this story. At all. (Le sob). I must stop listening to that new Linkin Park CD (Minutes to Midnight.). O.o;;
Notes: No slash, pairing is a hesitant Remus/Tonks, mostly one-sided because Remus is a prat.
Notes 2: This had been changed into a three part story. Due to lack of interest and limited time, I am changing it back to the original plan of having it as just a one-shot.
Harry Potter © J. K. Rowling
You Little Fool
By Mint Pizza Queen
They were being chased. Instead of them being the pursuers, they were being pursued.
Tonks was being dragged forcefully; she kept tripping over her feet as she stumbled to try to keep up with his pace. Her breathe was hitching and catching; her body was burning from the sheer amount of adrenaline that was pumping through it.
For the first time in her life, she was terrified. They were being chased by a whole horde of Death Eaters, and there was only her and--
--Remus.
A green light zoomed passed them and slammed into a building. She felt herself being thrown into a dark alley, then shoved forcefully against a small opening in the darkness.
"Keep quiet," her partner hissed. He pushed her far into the darkness, then crept out slowly, checking for enemies.
Tonks shuddered and tried to steady her breathing as quietly as she could. The two stood in silence for a moment longer before he turned to her and glowered.
"We have to get out of here."
She nodded. "Far too outnumbered, if Kingsley and Moody were here, we could've finished them off in no time flat."
His expression flattened, taking her comment the wrong way. "Well, all right then." He looked out of the alley before waving his arm. "It's clear, come on."
Tonks pushed herself off the wall and stood in line with Remus. "Where are we exactly?"
"Not too far from Grimmauld, I assure you--"
A bright indistinguishable light flew out of nowhere and hit his arm, knocking him off his feet in pain. He grimaced as he clung to his arm and made his way to his feet. "Let's go!" He released his arm to grab hers and made off again.
Tonks wasn't as willing to cooperate this time around. "Them bloody villains hurt you!"
"I'm fine--"
"No you're not!" She wrenched away and pulled out her wand. "I'll teach these assholes a lesson!"
A Death Eater appeared from the corner, and dropped flat to the concrete as she released a flurry of attacks on him. "Take that! Hurt my Remus and you'll get it!"
"Tonks! Get out of there!"
She whirled to let out another attack but felt something hot hit her--
--and her world descended into black.
-----
"You little fool."
Her head was pounding. Her chest felt hot, and her body was aching with a gentle throb. There was something cold on her forehead and something warm in her hand.
Slowly, she opened her eyes to find that a washcloth had been put on her head and Remus was holding her hand. He had his eyes closed and was repeating his mantra.
"You little fool."
"I am not," she growled at him, stunning him.
He jumped back, then scowled at her as he took the cloth off her head and inspected it. She grimaced when she saw that it was red.
Blood.
"What happened?"
He dunked the cloth into a small wash basin and wrung it of excess water before placing back on her head. "While you did your little tirade out there, oh-so foolishly, one of the Death Eaters popped out and stunned you. Knocked you unconscious. You hit the concrete pretty hard, but fortunately it seems nothing was broken. You might have a concussion--I'm not sure. Molly is bringing over a friend to check up on you."
"What about the Death Eaters?"
He frowned at her. "What about them?"
She rolled her eyes at him. "What happened to them? Did you finish them off or--"
"Alastor, Kingsley, and Hestia came in just after you dropped and helped fend them off so I could get you out of there." He smirked at her. "You should've heard Alastor, he was quite angry."
Tonks flushed. "I'll never hear the end of it from him."
"I told you that you should've just left them alone." He shook his head with a shrug of the shoulders in a 'eh, didn't I tell you?' motion. "But you went and tried to be a hero."
"They hurt you!" She spat. "I would not tolerate that! Speaking of hurting you, how is your arm?"
He hesitated, then slowly pulled up the sleeve of his robe to reveal the wrappings. "Molly healed it the best that she could--she said that the wrappings would do until the medic arrived later."
"Let me look at it," she attempted to sit up but a hand on her shoulder pushed her back down.
"No, I'll be fine until then. You should rest." He rose from the chair. "Do--do you need anything?"
She pondered for a moment before speaking. "Are you mad at me?"
His expression remained unchanged, but his eyes hardened a bit. Hiding behind your wall again, eh?
"No. I--" He looked away for a moment before he spoke again. "I was scared."
She smiled assuringly. "I was too! I thought for sure they had us--"
"I was scared that I was going to lose you."
It was so softly spoken, she would've missed it had she taken a breath at that time. She froze at the tone, the mere meaning of the words that escaped from his lips. "Lose me?"
"I was so scared that I was going to lose you--" He furrowed his brow. "--if you had died--in my care--I would never be able to live with myself."
She grabbed at his hand that was at his side and pulled on it. "But you see, I'm all right! Nothing did happen to me! Sure, I got a good knock on the head, nothing worse than Moody's treatment, but I'm fine! Nothing to be worried about anymore!"
For the first time, he yanked away from her and backed up so he was pressed against the wall. "No, you don't get it. I can't let it happen again. I can't do it."
She sat up and winced a little from a sharp sting in her shoulder. "Wait--what--"
"I can't partner with you." He refused to meet her eyes. "I--can't be with you on missions. You foolishly let your emotions get in the way of the mission--I can't let you do that ever again."
"Remus--"
"Tomorrow, when Alastor arrives after work, I am going to speak to him myself." He held up a hand but still kept his eyes closed. "It's for the better, Ny--Tonks. I assure you."
Her eyes stung as his words sunk in. "No more--missions--just the two of us."
"I'm sorry." He finally looked up and gave her a small forced smile. "But it's for the better."
With that, he opened the door and walked out, leaving her to lie on the bed upset.
-----
She didn't want to do it. She really didn't want to, but she had to do it.
Before he did.
She tugged at the hem of her shirt and smoothed out several wrinkles before taking a breath. She then raised her hand and knocked.
A gruff voice replied. "Come in."
Slowly, she opened the door. "Hey."
Alastor Moody looked up and scowled. "Oh it's you. What do you want? To make up excuses for your mishap? Or to--"
"Alastor," He raised an eyebrow at this and sat up straighter in his chair. She inhaled before choking out her next few words.
"I want to have a new partner."
-end-