Characters: Nymphadora Tonks and Remus Lupin centered, but pretty much the whole OotP gang will get mentioned from time to time.

Summary: Based on the song by the same name by Nickelback. It's the early days at 12 Grimmauld Place, and an unlikely pair begins to form an even more unlikely attraction. Of course, they'll have the weight of the world to contend with, along with their own misgivings. Will the support and help of their friends get them to see where they belong?

Disclaimer: They're not mine. Oh, but how I wish they were!

Merlin, he was tired. And it was always the way, wasn't it? One would think after thirty years of transformations he'd grow use to the side effects and the pain and the fatigue that followed. But who could ever really adjust to that?

Instead, he lay curled on the small twin bed he used most often when staying at 12 Grimmauld Place. It was beneficial for him to fill one of the many rooms of the house, as not only was he already at Headquarters that way, but he was able to help keep Sirius from going stir crazy. Besides, having assistance before a transformation fully insured the safety of others.

The door to the room wasn't locked, but it was closed, and the knock made him jump. Shakily, Remus pulled himself into a sitting position. "Come in," he called, his voice hoarse. Sirius, more than likely, checking up on him. His friend was good for that.

But it wasn't a sleek, black sheet of hair that popped inside the door. Instead, it was a tiny, heart-shaped face beneath a wave of mahogany curls. Despite himself, Remus smiled. He couldn't understand what the young girl's draw to him was, especially at that time, but he appreciated her company just the same.

Tonks' head peered hesitantly through the door. At her first glance at him, he noticed her wince. He knew what she was seeing. Skin so pale it could literally be called white. A cold sweat broken out on his forehead. And he was considerably thinner in the pajamas he wore than he would be hidden beneath his usual robes, threadbare though they were. "It's all right, love," he said softly, his voice weak. "You can come in."

"I just wasn't sure," she began, in what he'd come to identify as her trademark ramble. "See, I was asking where you were and Sirius said you hadn't been feeling well and so I thought I should say something and then I realized what day it was and--"

She stopped as he lifted a hand, an amused smile on his face. "It's only the first day," he said quietly. "I'll be feeling considerably better by tomorrow."

And yet she still stood in the doorway, looking nervous. He started to say something, but was cut off by yet another appearance at the door. This one really was that familiar black head-black, being the literal term. "My little cousin bothering you, Moony?" Sirius asked, ruffling the mop of curls on Tonks' head. At his words, the young woman blushed furiously.

"No, not at all," Remus reassured, grinning at the exchange between the two. To have only regained her second-cousin recently, Tonks got along with Sirius brilliantly. Except, of course, when he was playing the teasing older cousin role.

Still somewhat pink in her cheeks, Tonks shrugged. "I can go, I don't mind."

Sirius flashed a mischievous smile. "I don't mind either, actually, what are you doing up here?"

Her blush returned full force. "I was just...seeing if...you know, I thought I'd see if Remus needed anything. I imagine you're a lousy nurse maid when he's under the weather." Tilting her chin with a hint of defiance, Tonks met her cousin's dark eyes, as if ready to issue a challenge-despite the fact that she was still a bright red.

Chuckling, the elder of the two of them shook his head. "I'll have you know I'm quite-"

"Lousy, at it, really," Remus interjected, shooting his friend another small smile. Turning his attention back to Tonks, his smile widened further. "Sirius tries, don't get me wrong, but I'm afraid thirteen years in Azkaban took its toll on his housekeeping skills. And that includes nursing."

Tonks all but beamed at his words, then quickly turned to give Sirius a smug look. "Is that so?" she said simply. "I have the feeling Sirius wasn't much of a housekeeper before Azkaban entered the picture."

Before Sirius could defend himself, Remus began nodding his agreement. "Our dorm always was a disaster," he admitted, a shy smile in place. "He insisted on blaming James, but I think you and I both know who caused the mess."

"Is this rib on Sirius day?" the man in question asked, though he was smiling widely. Despite the fact that he was the brunt of the joking, Sirius always did enjoy being the center of attention.

"It is, Padfoot," Remus agreed good-naturedly. "Is there a problem with that?"

Rolling his eyes, Sirius stepped further into the room, throwing himself rather undelicately at the foot of Remus' bed. "Not a one. Now Tonks, you were...?"

The girl's eyes widened, and she took a step back, further into the hallway as she'd never entirely entered the room. "Oh...well, I was just...you know, seeing if Remus needed anything..."

Touched by even the offer, Remus leaned against the wall, nodding toward her. "I could use some tea, if you were willing," he suggested.

His words had an almost instantaneous effect. Virtually glowing, she nodded. "Of course!" Eagerness filled her tone, and Remus felt something stir in his stomach-something he hadn't felt in a very long time. "Milk and two sugars, right?"

So she'd been paying attention. Nodding, he smiled. "That sounds splendid, actually."

"You're going to drink her weak, bitter, sorry excuse for tea?" Sirius asked skeptically, then grunted as he felt something hit him in the back of the head. Turning, he glanced down at the lumpy pillow at his side. "How'd you...?"

"Some of us are better at transfiguration than you," Tonks replied with a breathy giggle. "You spent all your time learning to turn into a big ugly dog. I, on the other hand, can draw objects out of thin air. Like so..." She flicked her wand again, drawing up a chair. "Now sit in that, you're crushing the poor man's feet. I'll be back." Flashing her brightest smile in Remus' direction, she turned on her heel and flounced towards the staircase.

Remus flushed slightly under her smile, the first hint of color to his drawn face in days. Sirius at least had the sense to let Tonks get out of hearing distance before he commented on it. Standing, he did actually grab the chair she'd conjured, only he sat in it extremely carefully, as if afraid it would break at any moment. Whether due to her magic, or completely on purpose. "She's got it bad," he said casually, propping his feet on the edge of Remus' bed and pushing backward so the chair balanced on two legs. When he stayed upright, he figured it was safe enough.

Watching in amusement, sure his friend was going to topple over at any moment, Remus raised an eyebrow. "Got what?"

With a roll of his eyes, Sirius bent down, gingerly retrieving the pillow and making sure he stayed righted. "Oh, you know," he said, as non-chalantly as he had with his first comment, handing the pillow over to Remus.

"Humour me, Padfoot, pretend I've no idea what you're talking about." His pale cheeks flushed even darker, and he avoided Sirius' eyes. "What do you mean?"

"Oh, just that little Nymphadora fancies you." His stress on her full first name was said jokingly, as he'd often called her that just to be irritating. Which, she'd told him continuously, he was.

Sputtering, Remus propped the pillow-odd, that it should smell as she did-under his head and lay back. "No clue what you're talking about."

Sirius only smirked good-naturedly. "Right, old friend, I'm sure. You see, if I'm not mistaken, you fancy her as well. Much as you fancied Rita Skeeter back in school, only Miss Tonks is considerably prettier, smarter, and less annoying."

It did him no good to deny it of course. Sirius, even after all those years apart, could still read him like a book. But Remus avoided those dark eyes and shrugged cautiously. "Apparently the dementors did drive you mad; we're just now noticing it."

"Being locked up in this bloody house is what's driving me mad," Sirius replied, his tone bitter. "But that's not the point. Does she know how you feel? Because I'm relatively sure she'd just float right out the door with glee if she were to hear it."

"Sirius, think what you've just said," Remus attempted to reason. "She's twenty-three years old. I'm almost old enough to have fathered her. I haven't two knuts to rub together, I'm stuck up your sorry arse most of the time, and..." With a small sigh, he motioned to his position, reclined in the bed, his face and the viewable parts of his arms still showing the damage he'd done to himself during the previous night's transformation.

In a rather annoying sing-song, Sirius replied, "I don't think she caaares..."

Not at all surprised by his more reckless friend's reaction, Remus bristled. "She should. If she knew what was good for her, that is."

With a smile that would've been described as a smirk on anyone else, Sirius only lifted his eyebrows. "So you do fancy her."

"I didn't say that," Remus replied quickly. Too quickly. So what if all it took was a look from Tonks to make him smile? So what if she made him laugh, heartily, when she was around? Who cared that she was one of the most beautiful things he'd ever seen, not only with one hair colour or a certain style nose, but with any at all? It couldn't be. Surely Sirius could understand that.

But apparently, he couldn't, as the dark-haired man only smiled wider. "You do. I know you do. Who knows you better than me, Moony, really? Are you going to tell her?"

"Of course not!" Remus protested. He was ready to go off on a tangent about the hundreds of reasons why he wasn't going to tell her, but a crash sounded from the kitchen, along with Tonks' cry of, "Aww, fudge fly!" Despite himself-and the Sirius Inquisition-Remus had to grin.

Sighing, Sirius got to his feet, but a wicked little smile played on his features. "What do you suppose she's done now? Burnt down my kitchen? Oh, Mother would love to hear about that. If you hear screaming, it's because I decided to tell her."

Giving a half-hearted laugh, Remus lay back against the pillows, the one Tonks had conjured-the one with her scent-closest to his head. Maybe he was imagining it. After all, he had a dog's sense of smell, and it was particularly strong those days immediately before or after a transformation. Maybe...just maybe...he was hoping to have a piece of her around him. Which he really shouldn't.