p class="p0" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 21pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; -ms-text-autospace: ideograph-numeric;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"Remus Lupin stood just inside the door of his in-laws' house./span/p
p class="p0" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 21pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; -ms-text-autospace: ideograph-numeric;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"Ted Tonks, his father in law, put his head around the door into the hall, the look of relief obvious on his face as he saw who it was. "Remus. She's upstairs. I've no idea what you rowed about, but..."/span/p
p class="p0" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 21pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; -ms-text-autospace: ideograph-numeric;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: 'yes';""I did something very, very stupid," Remus told him. "But I'm going to try to make it up."/span/p
p class="p0" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 21pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; -ms-text-autospace: ideograph-numeric;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"Ted nodded, understanding. After all that he and Andromeda had been through, he well understood the difficulties faced by his daughter and her husband. Loving in the face of such determined social opposition was never easy, especially when one's own opinions were coloured by it. "Good luck."/span/p
p class="p0" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 21pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; -ms-text-autospace: ideograph-numeric;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"Remus nodded his thanks and headed for the stairs./span/p
p class="p0" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 21pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; -ms-text-autospace: ideograph-numeric;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"His wife's bedroom was dark, the shape of her body huddled on the bed. "Tonks?"/span/p
p class="p0" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 21pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; -ms-text-autospace: ideograph-numeric;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"She sat up and turned to face him with a look of disbelief on her face. "Remus?"/span/p
p class="p0" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 21pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; -ms-text-autospace: ideograph-numeric;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"He saw with a shock of guilt that there were tear tracks on her face, and she was looking worried and drawn. He went over and sat on the edge of the bed, feeling his heart sink as she flinched slightly away from him. What would he do if she wouldn't forgive him? "Tonks. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said what I said. It was very wrong of me."/span/p
p class="p0" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 21pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; -ms-text-autospace: ideograph-numeric;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: 'yes';""You're still not happy about it though." She cupped her hands protectively over her stomach, accusation in her voice./span/p
p class="p0" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 21pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; -ms-text-autospace: ideograph-numeric;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: 'yes';""I'm not unhappy about it." He reached out to her, begging her to understand. "I just needed some time to adjust to the idea."/span/p
p class="p0" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 21pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; -ms-text-autospace: ideograph-numeric;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: 'yes';""Adjust?" She sounded faintly hysterical in her indignation./span/p
p class="p0" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 21pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; -ms-text-autospace: ideograph-numeric;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: 'yes';""Please, just let me explain." He took her hands, finding it easier to focus on them than look at her for the moment. "I was bitten when I was just a small boy. I grew up with lycanthropy. I've known the prejudice and the pain of it all my life. I can't stand the idea that our child might have to deal with that. I remember my mother's face after every full moon. I couldn't bear to see that expression on your face, Tonks. And it would be my fault..."/span/p
p class="p0" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 21pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; -ms-text-autospace: ideograph-numeric;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"She silenced him by putting her hand up to trace the scar that ran down his face. "Do you really still think I care?"/span/p
p class="p0" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 21pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; -ms-text-autospace: ideograph-numeric;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: 'yes';""You should. It will never change how much I love you, but there will always be those who say we have no right to be together. We will never be able to live in luxury, even if we win, there will always be things that..."/span/p
p class="p0" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 21pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; -ms-text-autospace: ideograph-numeric;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: 'yes';""I. Don't. Care. When will you get that into your thick skull, Remus Lupin?" She clambered onto his lap and took hold of his hand, pressing it against her belly. "I don't care if our children have lycanthropy. I don't care if there will always be things we can't afford. And I don't care," she looked him straight in the eye, "for anybody who does not agree that you have the best and bravest man they have every known. Because they'd be wrong, and I haven't the time to listen to that sort of think. I'm far to busy loving my husband."/span/p
p class="p0" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 21pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; -ms-text-autospace: ideograph-numeric;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. "Am I forgiven then? For being the biggest idiot in the world."/span/p
p class="p0" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 21pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; -ms-text-autospace: ideograph-numeric;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"Tonks snuggled against him. "Just so long as you never voice those prejudices again. I have no time for people who think we shouldn't be together Remus."/span/p
p class="p0" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 21pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; -ms-text-autospace: ideograph-numeric;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: 'yes';""Note made," he promised, squeezing her tight. It was alright. They would manage, one way or another. She had forgiven him. She still loved him, and always would./span/p
p class="p0" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 21pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; -ms-text-autospace: ideograph-numeric;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"Ted Tonks, his father in law, put his head around the door into the hall, the look of relief obvious on his face as he saw who it was. "Remus. She's upstairs. I've no idea what you rowed about, but..."/span/p
p class="p0" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 21pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; -ms-text-autospace: ideograph-numeric;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: 'yes';""I did something very, very stupid," Remus told him. "But I'm going to try to make it up."/span/p
p class="p0" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 21pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; -ms-text-autospace: ideograph-numeric;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"Ted nodded, understanding. After all that he and Andromeda had been through, he well understood the difficulties faced by his daughter and her husband. Loving in the face of such determined social opposition was never easy, especially when one's own opinions were coloured by it. "Good luck."/span/p
p class="p0" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 21pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; -ms-text-autospace: ideograph-numeric;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"Remus nodded his thanks and headed for the stairs./span/p
p class="p0" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 21pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; -ms-text-autospace: ideograph-numeric;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"His wife's bedroom was dark, the shape of her body huddled on the bed. "Tonks?"/span/p
p class="p0" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 21pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; -ms-text-autospace: ideograph-numeric;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"She sat up and turned to face him with a look of disbelief on her face. "Remus?"/span/p
p class="p0" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 21pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; -ms-text-autospace: ideograph-numeric;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"He saw with a shock of guilt that there were tear tracks on her face, and she was looking worried and drawn. He went over and sat on the edge of the bed, feeling his heart sink as she flinched slightly away from him. What would he do if she wouldn't forgive him? "Tonks. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said what I said. It was very wrong of me."/span/p
p class="p0" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 21pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; -ms-text-autospace: ideograph-numeric;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: 'yes';""You're still not happy about it though." She cupped her hands protectively over her stomach, accusation in her voice./span/p
p class="p0" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 21pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; -ms-text-autospace: ideograph-numeric;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: 'yes';""I'm not unhappy about it." He reached out to her, begging her to understand. "I just needed some time to adjust to the idea."/span/p
p class="p0" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 21pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; -ms-text-autospace: ideograph-numeric;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: 'yes';""Adjust?" She sounded faintly hysterical in her indignation./span/p
p class="p0" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 21pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; -ms-text-autospace: ideograph-numeric;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: 'yes';""Please, just let me explain." He took her hands, finding it easier to focus on them than look at her for the moment. "I was bitten when I was just a small boy. I grew up with lycanthropy. I've known the prejudice and the pain of it all my life. I can't stand the idea that our child might have to deal with that. I remember my mother's face after every full moon. I couldn't bear to see that expression on your face, Tonks. And it would be my fault..."/span/p
p class="p0" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 21pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; -ms-text-autospace: ideograph-numeric;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"She silenced him by putting her hand up to trace the scar that ran down his face. "Do you really still think I care?"/span/p
p class="p0" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 21pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; -ms-text-autospace: ideograph-numeric;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: 'yes';""You should. It will never change how much I love you, but there will always be those who say we have no right to be together. We will never be able to live in luxury, even if we win, there will always be things that..."/span/p
p class="p0" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 21pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; -ms-text-autospace: ideograph-numeric;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: 'yes';""I. Don't. Care. When will you get that into your thick skull, Remus Lupin?" She clambered onto his lap and took hold of his hand, pressing it against her belly. "I don't care if our children have lycanthropy. I don't care if there will always be things we can't afford. And I don't care," she looked him straight in the eye, "for anybody who does not agree that you have the best and bravest man they have every known. Because they'd be wrong, and I haven't the time to listen to that sort of think. I'm far to busy loving my husband."/span/p
p class="p0" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 21pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; -ms-text-autospace: ideograph-numeric;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. "Am I forgiven then? For being the biggest idiot in the world."/span/p
p class="p0" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 21pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; -ms-text-autospace: ideograph-numeric;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"Tonks snuggled against him. "Just so long as you never voice those prejudices again. I have no time for people who think we shouldn't be together Remus."/span/p
p class="p0" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 21pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; -ms-text-autospace: ideograph-numeric;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: 'yes';""Note made," he promised, squeezing her tight. It was alright. They would manage, one way or another. She had forgiven him. She still loved him, and always would./span/p