Disclaimer: World of HP property of JK Rowling. For the "Snakes and Ladders Challenge".
"The If You Dare Challenge" Prompt: Reality Bites (#4)
Memories With Teeth
Shock.
Andromeda stood frozen for a moment, under the threshold into the sitting room as Ted sat opposite of Nymphadora and her new boyfriend.
Her usually unflappable composure, complete with the Black family crest of approval, faltered for a second as her mind quickly took inventory of the scene before her and connected the dots as fast as the synapses of her brain could light up and spark.
As if sensing her presence, amber eyes lifted and even from where she stood, her sharp dark eyes could see the tinge of pink that touched wearied features.
Her mind momentarily flashed through memories, she'd thought long-forgotten; a spasm of arousal shocked her core as she recalled the sensation of teeth sinking sharply into the base of her neck, where it connected to her shoulder and a lean body pressed tightly against her and pressing her into a wall.
It was a mere second, but at least her cool indifference she carried since the time she was a young child, allowed her to override the body's impulse to flush in embarrassment.
Arching a brow at the flustered man who was apparently dating her daughter, she glided into the room. Her expression became suitably cool as she regarded her husband and daughter and sat smoothly into the armchair to greet her daughter with a loving smile.
It was, she supposed, easy for her to pretend that everything was normal (or as normal as possible considering the age gap between her daughter and the man who was apparently going to wed her).
It had occurred so long ago now, that she could hardly remember the exact year it had occurred. It was shortly after Sirius had been carted off to Azkaban, she recalled. Nymphadora was only about eight years old back then, a slightly disturbing thought when considering Dora's husband-to-be was something around twenty-one or twenty-two at the time.
Mentally, she tried not to calculate the age difference. She wasn't sure she had a right to, considering that at the time, she'd been married with a child, and five years older than Remus.
The numbers were distracting her more... more than the memories of the night she'd apparently shared with her future son-in-law.
At least she could comfort herself with the thought that, even while exceedingly drunk, she'd come to her senses before they'd actually gotten nude and had sex. And the fact that she had come clean with her husband with what she had done, though she'd never mentioned the who.
Looking towards her husband, she wondered if even he would be able to stand it. Ted was exceedingly good-natured, so that he wasn't too troubled by the age difference between his daughter and Remus; he was making a genuine attempt to like Remus. However, even she doubted that he'd remain so kind if he knew that it was Remus whom she'd almost slept with.
Andromeda still wondered at the fact that her husband had forgiven her, and couldn't help smiling lovingly at the man she'd broken all the rules for. Were the circumstances reversed, she couldn't say she'd have been as unconditional. There wouldn't have been a way for her heart to have forgiven such a trespass.
She supposed that was what made Ted so much more special than she could ever hope to be.
Turning to look at Remus, she narrowed her gaze at the man. She wasn't fond about the fact that he was so much older than Tonks. It was... difficult for her to think of the man she'd considered- once upon a time- a close acquaintance... almost a friend, being with her daughter. She couldn't make sense of it. And though she'd known enough of Remus' character to know he was a good person, she couldn't help thinking he was preying on her daughter.
It wasn't jealousy. It wasn't wounded, female pride. It was genuine concern for her daughter that had her staring at the man with such iciness that he squirmed beneath her gaze.
She almost believed that perhaps, it was simply something about them that Lupin was drawn to, but then that was impossible. She and Nymphadora were simply far too different.
Well, she thought dryly with a slight inner-shiver of distaste, At least I'm not entirely certain the kind of lover he'll be to my daughter.
XxX
"I don't think my mother likes you very much," Tonks said with a slight furrow of her brow, when she and Remus finally left her parent's house.
Remus made a non-committal sound as they walked, still feeling as uncomfortable as he had been under Andy's hard stare of disdain and mistrust. He supposed he deserved it, after all.
Bollocks, that was more brutal than I'd thought it was going to be, Remus thought.
In reality, he'd never really thought that he and Tonks would get to the point where meeting her parents would be necessary. And since they'd started to become acquainted, he'd pointedly tried not to think about just who Tonk's mother was.
An easy enough task, when considering how very different the two women were, in spite of their blood relation.
Andromeda had been sex on very shapely legs. Still is, Remus thought as a flash of Andromeda's image cross his mind as the woman had aged rather beautifully, so that she still looked like the very sexy, twenty-six year old woman he'd pinned against a wall once.
She was tall, with an hour-glass figure. Long, luxurious, dark auburn hair. And dark, heavy-lidded eyes. She had all the grace, elegance and dark beauty the Black's had been renown for. A trait that Tonks had certainly never inherited.
However, as he turned to look at the woman babbling beside him, he couldn't help feeling relieved. Tonks had none of their iciness. None of the haughtiness and arrogance, none of the self-entitlement that even Sirius had carried. And more than that, she was open and warm, and sweet. And he loved her, not merely lusted after her.
He merely hoped that that particular night in his past didn't come back to bite him on the ass in the future.
~FIN~
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