The Guessing Game

Remus sat on his bed in his room at Grimmauld Place and moped. He was pathetic. All week he had had only one thing on his mind- Nymphadora Tonks. She was all that he could think about, but he couldn't quite pin down the reason why. He smiled wistfully as his imaginings drifted into more sensual regions.

So caught up was he in his increasingly erotic daydreams that he didn't even notice Sirius as he slid silently into the room. He greeted Sirius vaguely as he crossed the room, but didn't really emerge from his reverie until Sirius leapt suddenly onto the bed, jerking Remus back to real life.

"What's up Moony?" Asked Sirius. "You were miles away there."

He studied Remus' face intently for a moment. Remus tried his best to look neutral, but before he could fully school his features Sirius' own face brightened and he let out a bark of laughter.

"You've got the hots for someone!" He yelled at the top of his voice.

"Shut up Sirius, no I don't." Said Remus, a little too quickly.

"Do so- who is it?" Sirius asked, not remotely put off by Remus glaring at him.

"If I guess will you tell me?"

"No." Growled Remus. There was no point denying it now, Sirius was notoriously good at reading people- him in particular.

"Is it someone in the Order?"

"I'm saying nothing."

"That's a yes then…. Is iiiiittt… Emmeline? I mean, she's not my type, but I reckon she'd be bendy in all the right places."

Sirius winked at Remus, who who rolled his eyes in return.

"No."

"Hestia?"

"No."

"Fleur? She's a bit young, but she's got that veela charm going on…"

"No."

"McGonagall?"

"NO!"

"Figgy?"

"NO!"

"Ooh, ooh, I know, ME? I'm flattered Moony, really I am, but I'm afraid I just don't see you that way."

Remus shoved Sirius off the bed in response, but he just sat himself up on the floor and grinned roguishly at up at him.

"Kingsley?"

"Nooo."

"Hmm… who else is there… oh wait, I know- is it Tonks?"

"… No."

Even as he denied it Remus knew he had given the game away. He sighed resignedly and shot an anti-eavesdropping charm at the door as Sirius opened his mouth.

"YOU LIKE TONKS!" Sirius yelled at the top of his voice, bouncing back onto the bed.

"Sod off Padfoot." Said Remus grumpily. Sirius was never going to leave him alone now.

Sirius just laughed.

"Sooooo, how much do you like her? Do you like her in an 'ooh she's just so sexy I want her right here right now' kinda way, or do you loooooove her?"

"No." Snarled Remus defensively. He immediately regretted it as Sirius' eyes narrowed slyly.

"Are you sure?" He asked.

"Yes."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Really?"

"No." Remus sighed.

"Well, do you think she's sexy?"

Remus thought back to his earlier imaginings- there was no denying that he would love to see what Tonks' body looked like under those baggy aurors' robes.

"Yes."

"Do you think she's pretty?"

"Yeah…"

"Beautiful?"

"Yes."

"All the time?"

"Pretty much…"

"Even with her pig nose?"

"Well… it's kinda cute…"

"You DO love her!"

"Do not."

"Do so."

"Do not."

"OK then, what colour was her hair on Thursday?"

"…Blonde."

"And the day before?"

"Pink."

"And the day after?"

"Purple. She said it made her look peaky." Remus sighed.

"And did it?"

"Well, to be honest I still thought she looked lovely…."

"Dude, you are so lovesick it's not even funny."

Remus opened his mouth to disagree, but couldn't think of anything to say, so he closed it again.

Sirius burst into gales laughter.

"OK, maybe it is funny." He gasped, before subsiding back into laughter.

"It doesn't matter anyway, it's not like she's gonna be interested in me. I'm more than ten years older than her, unemployed, penniless, and just to top it all off, I'm a bloody werewolf."

"Quit the self-pity freakshow, it doesn't suit you. Yeah she might not like you, but she might- she's never really seemed to care about your furry little problem… and hey, maybe she likes an older man. It's not like you would be a creep about it."

"Well not on purpose, but she might think I was anyway- I'm nearly old enough to be her Father."

"Don't be an idiot Moony, if you were her Father you would have been about 15 when you had her- and you're not really the type for teenage parenthood."

"Well, other people might think-"

"Who gives a shit what other people think? I'm her older cousin, so as her cousin, I give you my blessing. And so long as she then gives you hers, why should you bother about other people? Lets face it Moony, the kinds of people who would be weirded out by you and Tonks getting together probably already hate you 'cos you're a werewolf."

"Oh great that makes me feel so much better." Snapped Remus.

"Calm down love, I'm only trying to help!"

"Yeah yeah, well done you've done a great job."

"Well I have." Said Sirus smugly. "At least you're not just sat here angsting anymore. Come on just say it- you love her."

"I don't love her."

"Well then you like her?"

"I guess…"

"Really like her?"

"… Yeah, I do."

"Say it."

"Why?"

"Cos I wanna hear you admit it properly."

"No."

"Go ooon… please? Pretty please? Pretty please with a cherry on top?"

"Oh fine, but only if you promise to leave me alone afterwards."

"Deal. Now, go on."

"I really like Tonks."

"Because…"

"She's beautiful and funny and smart and… everything. Happy now?"

"HAHA! I knew it! Remus and Tonks sitting in a tree-"

"Oh piss off Snuffles."

A/N:

Sooo, I was bored and felt like writing something mushy and this is what came out- hopefully I'll be adding a couple more chapters to this of similar lengths which will be more snapshots of the development of Remus and Tonks' relationship.

This one is set somewhere near the beginning of Harry's 5th year- before the battle at the ministry (pretty obviously I guess, since Sirius is still alive and kicking).

Please review and let me know what you think!