Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.
Lost Lovers
She was running through the corridors, not paying any attention to the people around her, not even casting a spell to protect herself when she saw flashes of light, but kept running. She ran in a Death Eater, but she didn't care. She didn't stop.
He had to be safe. He had to be around there, somewhere. Still alive.
" You know what I prefer in the morning?"
" An enormous breakfast. Tons of pancakes, eggs, a hot chocolate but never coffee.." He replied playfully.
" No. " She replied on the same tone.
" Should I do coffee next time then?" He asked, faking worry.
" No. The huge breakfast, I could easily live without it. "
" Good to know. Seeing how you eat them, some would have doubts."
" What I prefer is to wake up at your side, knowing you are there, feeling your arms around me before I'm fully awake, while my eyes are still closed. "
" I do love my morning chocolate. " He replied playfully, well deserving the cushion she sent.
He brought her her breakfast in the bed. Not looking at her he muttered:
" But knowing each day you will be in my arms in the night, it is what
keeps me alive. " He finally raised his eyes. He was always looking at her, as though she was a too bright light, it always took him time.
" I'm not sure I'm hungry. " She replied with a meaningful tone, dragging him back in the bed.
The stabbing sensation in her heart she had felt a moment ago was nothing. Her worry was stupid. Remus was a great wizard. She had no reason to worry. If her heart was torn, it was not because it was feeling he was…. It was just worry. It had to be just that.
" I certainly have no idea what you did to me Tonks. I know we shouldn't be together. I know I should only care about Harry, about the war we are going to face. But I can't. "
" What do you mean, you won't start again, will you? Because there is no way you can get ride of me."
« Really? Anyway, that's not exactly what I was thinking. I don't deserve you. Yet I'll be the happiest of men, happier than I never expected to be… " Remus knelt. "I must really be mad »"He lowered is head and nodded.
" For Merlin's sake go on! " She had said, feeling like her heart was going to explode if she breathed again…
" Marry me." Remus had said finally.
" Yes! A million times Yes! " She had said jumping at his neck.
She avoided a green light, and cast a spell at the person who had targeted her. Then she saw Neville.
" Have you seen Lupin? "
Neville became blank. He didn't speak. He pointed in a direction she followed immediately. Passing near him she heard him mutter "Dolohov. "
She ran like she had never run. She didn't want to think. She didn't want any thought to come in her mind. He would be there at the corner, smiling at her, reassuring her. He would be fine. The other thoughts were all lies she had to keep out of her mind.
He was there, in an empty room. Lying on the floor made of stone. His eyelids closed, he seemed to be sleeping. But he wasn't breathing anymore.
Tonks collapsed, unable to cry. She wanted to shout, to scream so horribly. But somehow she couldn't. No more. He was no more. No more moments together. No more future. No more of him.
The pain was real, physical and excruciating.
They had taken him from her, she would no longer hold him, he wouldn't see their child growing, and he wouldn't breathe and exist anymore.
" Dolohov." She muttered hatefully. She stood up. She ran again. She had to find him. She had to avenge her husband, her lost love.
She found the Death Eater, who had just killed a young Ravenclaw.
" It's the wife of the werewolf " said a masked Death Eater.
Dolohov smiled cruelly.
" He was so easy to kill." He said.
She felt only hatred, flaming her from inside like a dragon. She wanted Remus near her and the knowledge that it wouldn't be anymore, the emptiness it has left in her, just as if she had no more strength vanished at that moment. Instead uninvited memories came back to torture her, the thought that if she had been there a moment earlier… It was his fault. All that was Dolohov's fault. He had to feel her pain somehow.
"Crucio" She yelled. And she meant it.
Surprised by the strength of the spell, Dolohov collapsed. He tried to stand up, still with a smile, to defy her.
" Crucio!" She yelled again firmly. He had to know. He had to feel the pain that was killing her from inside.
He was smiling no more. He yelled because of the pain, and said with hatred, "Why are you avenging him? You lost nothing. He wasn't even human."
One that second she wanted to kill him. To end the life of the creep She raised her wand.
" Where have you been, I was worried, you left without a word. " She asked.
" I was with Harry, I offered him my help. He refused. " Lupin replied, setting on a chair, his elbows on the table, he took his head in his hand.
"Where you thinking to leave me here? For how many times?" She said, feeling tears coming.
" No it was not…" He muttered.
" Are you not happy with me?" She asked softly, worried.
" Of course I'm, it's not my happiness that matters. Tonks, the baby will have a werewolf father, the other children… and then all his life he will have to live with that…. And it is the same for you." He said.
" I don't care what the other can say. He won't care. You'll be a great father, and that's all that will matter to our child. » She said, passing her hand through his hair softly.
His head laid on her, as he was caressing her outstretched belly slowly, just as if a too rapid movement would disturb the little being inside her. He knew it was his place. He would do his best to protect this tiny part of him and of her, that had asked nothing, but who would be there anyway.
But instead, she stunned the Death Eater. He lay on the floor, unconscious.
What was she doing there, torturing a man? It was pointless. It wouldn't bring Remus back. It would do her no good. Tears started streaming from her eyes.
The baby, she had to think to her baby. He had no more father. She should fight for him. To bring him a mother alive at least, but also because he couldn't grow up in a world ruled by the people who killed his father. She chased her tears away.
She fought bravely, protected the students as well as she could. She tried to think not. To feel not. All the thoughts, all the memories rushing back, she chased them away.
But on the second Voldemort asked for a cease the fire, everything rushed back. All she had had, during what had seemed a second, all that was promised to her, all that she had lost in a second.
She let the tears flow on her cheeks, as she was returning to the place where he was, she knelt near him, watching for the last time his peaceful but pale face, she had to be with him, one last time.
Tears blinding her, she took his cold hand, caressed his cold cheek.
"I'll be strong, I'll protect our son." She said. "I know what you thought, but it is me who never deserved a man like you. And I was right to love you. I regret nothing; you made me the happiest woman."
She didn't hear the pace in the corridor nearby. She simply didn't care anymore, curled up near him, sobbing softly.
She smiled weakly to him.
"Our life together, it would have been beautiful. I've no doubt about it. We would have been happy."
As she said those last words, a silent spell reached her. A green light touched her back. Her body fell near the one of her husband, their hands still touching, her weak last smile still on her face, she looked peaceful.
A horrible smile twisted the face of Bellatrix Lestrange and she laughed. It had been far too easy. Those people with feeling, it was always far too easy, and soon her family would be pure again. She went away.
"Moody should contact us any moment soon now." He had said, embarrassed.
" Not before he has checked the perimeter five time at least, you can be sure of it." She had replied with a smile. He turned his look down; he just couldn't look at her when she smiled. She was far too radiant.
" Us, it won't happen Tonks." He left those word go out as if it had tortured him during days.
" It is happening, it is too late. I already admire you and like you more than anyone else I've ever met. And being far from you is already a pain." She said, taking his face in her hand, he finally looked at her.
He kissed her, that kiss he had longed to give her for weeks, since he had met her.
**********
" No, you shouldn't be here." He said desperately.
" I know. I'm sorry, I tried… Ted." She said, and looked back thinking of her son.
He took her in his arms. She couldn't feel them anymore of course, but there was still a warm feeling emanating from him.
" He will be fine, he will be loved." He reassured her.
"I told you… I told you you couldn't get rid of me. I'm always lost without you. I…"
"I know. We will stay together. In death like in life." He took her hand, and they walked toward the light.
"Nymphadora is an auror, she also was my pupil. I trust her. She wants to be part of the order." Said Moody introducing her.
"Call me Tonks." She said to him, forgetting to glare at Moody for once.
"Remus Lupin." He said, shaking her hand, meeting her eyes for the first time. Trembling already at the touch of her hand.
The end.