She gave up.

Remus could be so narrow-minded sometimes, and it was often impossible to get through to him. She knew from experience. Sighing, Tonks gave Harry a small smile and stood, walking quickly past Remus. It was so hard to be in the same room with him sometimes… especially when the full moon was close. The first night of the cycle was always the worst- she couldn't sleep anymore than he would.

Rubbing her temples she grabbed her cloak, heading for the door.

"Tonks! Where are you going?" She turned, grimacing. She'd hoped to get past without Molly noticing.

"Home." She answered, hand resting on the handle.

"Is he being difficult?" Molly asked softly. She didn't have to ask who she meant.

She shrugged. "It's just… it's hard, you know? And I don't want to say something stupid in front of everyone, and embarrass both of us… I mean, I know he's just titchy because it's that time… but I just hate not being able to be there for him…I don't know… I just can't do this anymore."

Molly smiled kindly, pulling Tonks into a one armed hug. "He'll come round. He's just being stubborn."

"I don't know if he will anymore." Tonks said quietly.

"He will, even if I have to hit him over the head with my rolling pin!" Molly assured her. Tonks smiled weakly.

"If you say so." She was sure inside that he wouldn't. He really was too stubborn for his own good…

"Well, if you really must go, at least take some Christmas pies…" Molly handed her a small wrapped package. "And Happy Christmas."

"Thanks Molly. Merry Christmas." She opened the door and stepped into the chilly winter air.

"Don't." a voice called from behind her.

Tonks turned, about to yell at who ever was telling her not to go home, only to find Remus right behind her, gazing outside intently. She knew that look…

"What is it? Remus?" he ignored her, continuing to stare out at the surrounding field. "Sweetheart?" she whispered. That got his attention. He whipped his head around, his eyes wide.

"They're here."

Tonks stared at him. "Who? Remus, who's-"

A loud crack sounded through the winter night, accompanied by a high pitched cackle. Tonks drew her wand as more death eaters appeared behind her aunt. "Shit." She muttered under her breath. She heard Remus chuckle at that, before he drew his own.

There was another crack, and a line of fire sprung up from the ground, surrounding the burrow in a wall of flames. With one last laugh, Bellatrix and the other death eaters ran through the shrinking gap in the flames.

A dark blur rushed past her, towards the closing gap in the ring of fire.

"Harry!" Remus ran after him as Harry jumped through the flame.

"Remus!" She ran after him, her heart thumping as he reached the flames. It was so hot… too hot to put it out with water… pointing her wand at the flames, she fought to reopen the gap. Beside her, Remus was doing the same. As she tugged her wand skywards, the fields appeared on the other side. She grinned as the new gap widened, and the flames went down.

She heard another shout behind her, indistinctive over the roar of the fire and turned, losing concentration. Ginny ran past her, jumping through the flames as the fiery edges melted together again. Arthur appeared on her other side, his face reflecting her shock. Harry and Ginny were out there with all those death eaters…

With a grim nod to Arthur, the two of them raised their wands, flinging the flames away to the right. Remus caught on, and Tonks rushed to help him as he flung the fire to the left. Without acknowledging her, he ran into the darkness with Arthur. She followed.

"Remus!" She yelled after him, running head first into the long grass. It whipped around her face in the soft wind, and soon all she could hear was the crunch of her feet and her heavy breathing as she got further and further away from the burrow.

She stopped, panting, and looked around. Every which way looked the same. She could hear the grass rustling around her, and the sound of charms bouncing off each other in the distance. She ran towards them, hoping Remus would be there, and that he was winning…

Soon enough she ran into water.

Tonks stopped to listen again, cursing herself for letting Remus and the others out of her sight. If something happened to him or to Harry and Ginny… she shook her head. She couldn't think like that…

There was a loud crunch behind her. She froze. The night was silent, apart from the water dripping from the hem of her cloak. Her hand tightened on her wand.

"Remus?" she whispered. Let it be him, she prayed. Let him be okay…

A deep, rasping voice responded, chuckling, sending chills down her spine. "Not quite."

Tonks spun; raising her wand, preparing to curse- a large hand grasped her wrist- her stunner flew into the dark sky as her wand fell into the shallow water. Another hand wrapped around her waist, pulling her closer to a tall, hulking man. Struggling, she took in his dark eyes and his fang like teeth. Her heart dropped as she realised who it was. This wasn't just a death eater…

Fenrir Greyback leered at her. "Well well, what have we here? You do smell lovely…"

Tonks panicked, screaming and kicking him, trying to pull herself out of his grasp. He simply twirled her round, pulling her back flat against his chest, one arm wrapped around her arms and body, the other brushing her hair back from her neck. She could hardly move…She stopped breathing, hoping it would stop…

She shuddered as his nose ran the length of her throat. Any sound she had been about to make was lost.

"Mmm… delicious… so you're the bird Remus has been pining after… well I can see why, a lovely piece like you…" she could feel his hot, laboured breath in her ear, as his teeth scraped against her skin…

"Let her go."

Greyback's head rose from her neck, and Tonks looked up. Remus was splashing through the muddy water towards them, his wand raised, jaw set. She couldn't help but smile. Remus. He was okay…

"How nice of you to join us, Remus," Greyback sneered. His hand left her shoulder, and she gave a small sigh. Until she felt the tip of his wand pressed into the side of her head. "Now, if you come any closer, I'm going to blow her sweet little brains out."

Remus froze, a muscle in his jaw twitching. His eyes darkened as Greyback's head lowered to nuzzle Tonks' neck.

"Remus…" she whispered. Greyback chucked.

"Cute thing, aint she Remus? I can see why you want her… although I am rather confused as to why you don't take her… I don't think she'd mind." Greyback looked up, grinning at Remus.

"Let her go. We both know you're using her to get to me… well, here I am. So let her go!"

"I don't think I will. I've grown rather attached, you see… such lovely, soft skin… I can feel the blood pulsing beneath it… so delectable."

Tonks shuddered, and struggled again. It was useless against his thick arms- along with the added strength the upcoming full moon was giving him, it was impossible to break free.

A snarl broke from Remus' lips, which curled over his teeth. Greyback laughed. "Giving into the wolf are we? There's a first for you…"

"Let her go." Remus growled. His hand tightened around his wand.

"Careful there Lupin… wouldn't want to hit your girl my mistake, would you?"

Remus lowered his wand slightly, biting his lip. "Please… just leave her out of this."

"Begging now are we? See what these people have reduced you to Lupin! You're like a cowering puppy. You need to let it take over- become who I made you to be!"

Tonks' breath caught in her throat. She'd always suspected Greyback had been the one who had bitten Remus… and she was right…

"You didn't make me." Remus spat, taking a step forward. Greyback pressed his wand harder into her head.

"Oh yes I did. I gave you a purpose in life, and you've denied yourself, you've denied her-" he pressed his wand to her head even harder as Remus advanced again- " and you denied me. I made you- I can unmake you too."

"I'm nothing like you." Remus snarled.

Greyback smirked. "You will be soon. Avada-"

Growling, Remus leapt forward, knocking Greyback and Tonks to the ground. Greyback released her, and Tonks rolled out of the fray, searching the muddy water for her wand as the werewolves wrestled behind her.

"Wand… wand… accio!"

Something hit her in the head.

Grinning, she picked her wand out of the water in front of her, standing and pointing it at the werewolves.

"Remus!"

The two men jumped apart, Remus jumping backwards to stand next to Tonks. She couldn't help but smile at his wet, bloodied appearance- he seemed so much younger when he was fighting…

"Go." He told her.

Tonks shook her head, keeping her wand on Greyback. "I'm not going anywhere without you Remus." He rolled his eyes, smirking slightly.

"Ava-"

"Stupefy!" Tonks interrupted Greyback's unforgivable, and he had to stop to shield himself. Remus and Tonks cursed him again- this time he didn't have time to raise a shield- and he fell backwards, splashing them with water.

They were silent as they stared at him lying in the dirty water- there was something not quite right.

"What did you use?" Remus asked.

"cruciatus." She replied vaguely. "You?"

"Leg locker. Looks like those two shouldn't be mixed…" he kicked the misshapen, green tinged form of Fenrir Greyback. " He'll be up soon though… we should go find the others." He held out his hand. "Come on."

Smiling, Tonks took it, and he led her through the grass, his strengthened senses guiding him.

"Sorry you had to see me like that." He said quietly.

"Don't worry about it. I was bound to see it sometime." She gave his hand a small squeeze. "Thanks for saving me."

He turned to look at her. "Weren't you afraid?"

She shook her head quickly. "Not of you." He gave her a swift smile, before turning his head sharply to the right, where they could hear raised voices- Bellatrix's crazed laugh stood out- and loud bangs as spells were deflected.

"Ready?" he asked.

She nodded. "Lets kick ass." Grinning, he raised his wand, and she followed suit. They ran through the grass, emerging into a watery clearing.

"Stupefy!" they yelled together, knocking a fat, blonde wizard backwards.

"Well if it isn't wee Dorrie, joined the battle at last!"

Tonks glared at her aunt, remembering the last time they had duelled… she didn't plan on being knocked out this time.
pointing her wand at Bellatrix, she began shooting all the curses she knew, ducking and swerving as her aunt sent killing curse after killing curse at her. Out of the corner of her eye she could See Remus duelling both the Carrows with Ginny, while Harry and Arthur duelled a pair of hooded death eaters.

"Avada Kedavra!"

Bellatrix's killing curse narrowly missed her, and she could feel the heat radiating from the green jet as it whizzed past her, slamming into the hooded figure that had been advancing on Harry.

"Crucio!" Amycus yelled, wand pointed directly at Remus, who was distracted by Amycus' sister.

"NO!" Tonks yelled, deflecting it with a conjured shield, smiling savagely as it struck its caster in the face.

"Remus grinned at her. "Thanks!" she was about to reply when he paled. "Dora, look out!"

Bellatrix's cruciatus curse hit her square in the back.

Screaming, Tonks fell to the ground, withering in pain. She hadn't felt one of these in a while… it was like someone was stabbing millions of white hot knives into her body. She couldn't think of anything but the pain… Bellatrix's laughter mingled with her screams in her ears.

A bright green light shone overhead, piercing her closed eyelids. The curse lifted.

Panting, Tonks rolled over, to see the other death eaters aparating out of the clearing. They had been called away… Bellatrix was standing still, wand pointed at her niece as Tonks struggled to her feet, raising her wand.

"Bella! We are called! Now!" Greyback had come round. He snarled at Tonks, before Turning back to Bellatrix. "I'm not taking his wrath for you! Now!"

"just one minute…" Bellatrix murmured.

A jet of red light flew over her shoulder, as Remus appeared next to Tonks. Bellatrix's eyes narrowed. "Saved by the dark lord… how ironic." She whispered.

"Now Bella!"

Bellatrix turned on the spot and vanished, along with Greyback.

Tonks stared at the spot where her aunt had been, swaying. Remus quickly put his arms around her shoulders. "Are you okay?" he asked softly. She nodded.

"Hurts, still…"

"Come on…" Swiftly Remus picked her up, making his way other to the others. "Arthur, get Dumbledore. Your house…" They all turned and stared in horror at the burrow. It was covered with smoke.

"Molly…" Arthur ran, Harry and Ginny on his heels.

"I can run… its getting better…" Tonks insisted. Gingerly, almost reluctantly, Remus put her down. Together they ran back through the grass towards the smoking house. Tonks smiled all the way back. Maybe this wasn't the end after all. Maybe he was coming round… she bloody hoped so.

A/N: my version of the attack on the burrow from the HBP film, with much more RemusxTonks then Yates put in, and ever so slightly more canon. Review, please!