I wrote this a few days before the last book came out as an ode to my favorite couple. Remus/Tonks forever!

Anyway, it takes place two days after Dumbledores death. ANy other questions you have, just ask them and I'll answer as best I can.

ENJOY!

Pink… Violet… Pink… Violet… Pink… Violet… Pink… Violet

This was like pacing for Nymphadora Tonks. Changing her hair color had the same sense of anxious emotional release as any other physical activity.

Pink… Violet… Pink… Violet… Pink… Violet… Pink… Neon Green…

But she still had to change it up a little. Being too repetitive was just plain old boring.

She continued the pattern for a few minutes more before hearing the sound of tired footsteps brushing against the first floor of 12 Grimmauld Place. That was what she had been waiting for.

Tonks jumped off of her bed in an act of utter clumsynessless that was unlike her and ran down the stairs to apprehend the individual.

Remus was lazily propped against the wall separating the living room from the kitchen with an exhausted look on his face. The morning after a full moon was always hard no matter how much potion he filled himself up with. And this one, being right after the Hogwarts disaster the night before, didn't help.

Hearing footsteps coming down the stairs, and not caring for any conversation, he quickly jumped into the kitchen to make himself some tea. At least, that was what his excuse would be if someone decided to badger him about evading them.

He set a kettle of water on the stove top and waited patiently, too drained to do anything magically. And though they say that watched pot's never boil he was willing to take the chance.

Nymphadora found her way through the unusually dark living room without too many bruises, just in time to see Remus duck through the kitchen door? Was he… avoiding her?

The thought turned her red and she angrily followed him in.

Remus sat with his shoulder's hunched, staring at his knees and picking a scab on his left hand. He looked up slowly when she shoved open the door and stood there with her arms crossed.

The silence stretched for a good minute before a word was said.

"Remus," Tonks began, coming closer, "you look horrible."

Lupin, despite the insult, chuckled lightly. "You're looking lovely yourself, my dear Tonks."

"I'd thank you, but I know your just being a smart ass." She replied and sat beside him. She inspected his face closer to find dark bags had formed under his red eyes and it looked like he hadn't shaved in a week. "Hard night?"

"Full moon." He answered evenly.

"I know. I saw that you forgot your potion."

Remus nodded weakly. "But I'm used to this by now. I've just got… a lot on my mind, you know?"

Tonks found herself nodding in agreement. "Yeah, me too. Mostly it's you…" She rested her hand on his knee and he jumped off the stool.

"Nymphadora…" He started.

"Don't call me that." She interrupted, trying not to let the hurt from his actions show.

"We've already discussed this." He continued.

"And you still haven't gotten it through your thick skull." She whispered harshly, hoping to keep the rest of the house asleep. "Why can't you just let me care about you?"

"Don't be daft, you know exactly why."

"No, I honestly don't. And if you call me daft again, so help me God, Remus…"

Remus sighed. Why couldn't she just understand what kind of complications he would bring her? Couldn't she see that life with him would just be one challenge after another? He wasn't worth her time as far as he was concerned.

"I'm tired of people telling me that my being a werewolf doesn't matter. Obviously it does because I can't figure out any other reason why I can't even get a decent job."

"Did someone obliviate you or did you just choose to forget your job as a Hogwarts professor?" She stressed the words, hoping for it to sink in.

"That's different. Dumbledore…"

"… Was an extremely wise old wizard who gave you the fair chance that you had deserved for so long." She insisted, standing up from her seat. "He saw the same good in you that I see, that everyone here sees… everyone except yourself." She moved forward, placing one hand on his upper arm. He didn't move away. "This much self-loathing and martyrdom can't be good for your health."

Remus grinned. Tonks did have a knack of making him do that.

"Oh yeah, that's what is going to kill me. Not the impending war or my monthly issues."

She smiled back genuinely. But like she ever had an in genuine smile?

"Like you said, you're used to those." She stared up at him kindly. "And I'm willing to get used to it too."

Remus's eyes grew cloudy. He had hoped she would have continued off the path away from the original jist of the conversation. But lucky was something he was not.

"Don't you understand that I can actually kill you if I get out of hand?" He asked bluntly, the only approach he hadn't tried.

"Are you saying that I can't handle myself?" Tonks asked indignantly while removing her hand from his arm.

"That's not what I meant. Werewolves are…"

"… Evil, horrid, beasts? Yeah, I got that part. But sometimes they're like you, sweet, kind-hearted, brave, all around spectacular men. And sometimes women like me fall for scary werewolves like you."

"Exactly. I'm scary."

Tonks snorted loudly. "You wish. I was clearly being sarcastic with that."

Remus narrowed his eyes.

"That wasn't an insult. It's just, once you see a guy talk about Pygmy Puffs in their sleep; it's a hard image to get out of your head."

"You said you wouldn't talk about that!" Remus said.

"I lied." She smiled. "But just be glad I didn't get angry enough with you to tell Sirius. You think I can give you hell? He would have run so fast with that information it would have made your head spin."

They both chuckled at that and Tonks settled back into her seat as Remus noticed the water had begun to boil. He quickly poured two mugs and set a couple tea bags in them before letting them sit and steep.

"So," Moony began, taking his place beside his younger counterpart, "what has brought you to wake this early? I know you don't have rounds till tonight."

"I was up all night… thinking." She answered vaguely and ran her fingers through her bright hair.

Remus opened his mouth, ready to unleash a cheeky remark but decided against it. The rest of the house was still sleeping after all. "About what?" He asked instead, truly curious.

"If I told you, you would just go off on another of your self-depleting rants. I've already heard about three in the last half hour so I'm just not in the mood for another." She reached forward and grabbed her warm mug, dipping her pinky in the liquid to judge the temperature. "I really hate that you hate yourself, Remus." She stuck her pinky in her mouth and made a sucking noise with her lips. She blushed slightly. It wasn't supposed to be that loud.

"I don't hate myself." He insisted.

"If I had the means to, I would give you one of those Muggle acting awards. You certainly fooled me…"

He fake laughed and glared at her. "Very funny."

"I was thinking more of an award for dramatic acting. You're not that humorous." She set the tea on the island behind her and leaned against the edge.

"Well, sorry. I'll try to add a few jokes next time. I'm sure the Weasley twins can help me with that one."

Tonks snorted. "Those two are a riot." She agreed. "I don't think I've had as much fun with anybody else as I do with them… Well… almost anybody else."

Remus raised a questioning eyebrow. "Who?"

"Haven't I made it bloody obvious?" She asked. His expression didn't change. "You're about as thick as a dragon's egg, you know that?" She huffed in annoyance.

Then it clicked in his head. "Me?"

"Duh."

"I'm not that fun." He insisted. "What have I done lately for you to think I'm more fun than a couple of teenagers? Especially those two?"

"Once again, the answer is obvious." She reached forward and hooked her fingers around the collar of his robes, pulling him so that they were face to face. After the initial shock of her actions he relaxed and looked her square in the eye. "Remus, I don't sorta, kinda, maybe, like you. I love you, all right? There isn't another person in the universe that could make me happier than you. Even when you mope and whine, as long as you're in the same room as me everything is okay." He noticed her bottom lip quiver slightly as she spoke, but she controlled it well. Her hair had also begun to change back and forth between red and blue. "And with this war I can't be sure how long we have left. Every day is going to be a battle of life and death and we can't be sure what moment will be our last. We've just seen this to be true with Dumbledore's death."

"Dora…" Remus said, placing his hands on her shoulders. "We will not lose, you got that? The Order will rise up and we will win this war, together."

Tonks looked down at his chest. "That was what Sirius always used to say." She remembered quietly. "And we all know what happened to him."

Without another thought he slid his arms around her and pulled her into a comforting hug. He remembered just as well as she did. He also remembered walking into Tonks's bedroom to find her staring at her own reflection transformed into a complete Sirius look alike. She explained that she had just wanted to see him again. That was the first time he had ever seen the strong willed woman cry.

"He's still here." He said, believing his own words. "He's in our hearts, giving us one more reason to kill those bastards. If nothing else it's a sweet revenge. We both know he would have been all for that." She laughed into his chest and clung to him even tighter.

"Did I mention you always say the right thing?" Her muffled voice came.

"I don't think you have. But if I try to argue this will you hex me?" She laughed again. That's what he had been going for. "Now, no more crying. Sirius would never let you live this down if he saw you like this." He pushed her away softly to look her in the eyes with a reassuring smile.

She looked back up at him and found herself moving closer to him. And then she did something even she didn't expect.

She kissed him.

And he kissed her back.

His lips were just as warm and comforting as his arms and she found his tenderness to help just as much. Until he pulled away sharply.

Tonks looked up at him with confusion when she saw the fearful look in his eyes.

"I… I'm sorry."

"I kissed you." She cleared up.

"I encouraged it."

"Everyone needs a little encouraging every once in a while." She reasoned but he just shook his head and got up from his stool. He reached for his mug of tea but his hand was shaking so bad that he ended up just knocking the hot liquid all over the counter.

"Bugger." He whispered harshly and cleaned it up with a flick of his wand. "I was looking forward to that."

"Here." Tonks offered, holding out her cup to him. "You're far fonder of this than I am. I'll make myself some coffee."

"Thank you." He said but thought it best to not grab the cup. He shoved his hands into the pockets of his trousers to stop the shaking and it worked… slightly.

Tonks understood and set the cup back down. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah… yeah, I'm fine. Why did you do that?" He asked, ridiculously flustered.

"Kiss you?" He nodded. "Maybe because I'm completely useless in love with you." She conjured a coffee cup and used a filling charm to get her quick caffeine fix. "Just a thought."

"Stop saying that. You can't love me." He urged.

"Too late, Remus. You're damn irresistible, really." She sipped her brew and sighed. "Fine. I'll humor you since apparently nothing else is going to work. Why can't I love you?" She sing-songed angrily.

"I'm too old, too poor, too…"

"You already used that line and it still doesn't work. You know why? Because I couldn't give a damn if you were 38, 50, or 110. And the whole 'poor' thing? Do you really think I'm that materialistic? If you do then I'm seriously offended."

"I don't think you're…"

"And I'm surprised that you don't know me that well yet." She cut him off. "I enjoy a little danger more than I healthily should. The way I see it we're damn near perfect for each other." She drained her mug and it disappeared from her hands. She stepped forward and set her hands on his face, pulling him closer till he could taste the coffee on her breath. "So, unless you can think of a good reason for me not to, I'm going to kiss you in thirty seconds." But she didn't kiss him.

He kissed her.

And she kissed him back.

"I love you Nymphadora." He whispered after their lips parted.

"I love you too. Don't call me that."

They smiled and set their foreheads together; stuck in the small honest moment they had to themselves. He rested his hands on her hips and kissed her again. It felt good to be loved.

"If you two are quite done," they heard a gruff voice say from the other side of the door, causing them to jump apart. "I'd like to make my morning rounds through the refrigerator."

"Moody, don't spy." Tonks called back and returned to hugging Remus.

"Like I can help it." He grumbled and strode through the door. "Do you two plan on moving anytime soon? I'd like to use on of those chairs."

She grinned happily and pecked Remus's lips again. "Go around us."

Yay! My very first HP FF. Review please!