The Perfect Solution
Disclaimer: JK owns it all.
Remus slowly approached his home. Seeing Nymphadora at the Order meeting had really taken a toll on him emotionally. As much as he hated to admit it, he still loved her. He also held hope in the deepest corner of his heart that she would continue to love him, and eventually he would allow himself to be with her. But seeing her tonight had dashed all his secret hopes and dreams. At the meeting she had looked almost cheerful, happy once again, and he loathed himself for wishing she was still moping around, depressed just as he was. He knew only one thing would bring back her cheerful disposition… she had found someone else.
What now, he had not created a contingency plan for this particular event. Judging by her adamant admission of her love for him he had not considered it necessary and this unexpected blow hit his heart. The more he thought about it the more upset he got and the more ashamed he felt. His feelings were completely irrational, what had he expected her to do? Wait for him to change his mind? Even he didn't know whether he would let them have a future together. She was completely free, unattached, she has the right to find love, he should be happy that she is happy.
Remus was nearly to his gate before he realized that there was a beautiful white husky with warm chocolate eyes sitting next to the gate. He stopped suddenly, surprised.
"Hello there." He said "What is your name?" he asked as he looked around her neck for a collar. There was nothing there, no tags of any kind.
The dog just sat there calmly letting Remus touch her and pet her. He looked into her eyes and saw something familiar, but couldn't put his finger on it.
"Well, I could use some company tonight, let's go in."
The dog followed Remus through the gate and into his house, cautiously, as if on her best behavior, almost like she was afraid of breaking something…
"Let's see, you're probably hungry right?" Remus didn't know what was compelling him to talk to this dog like a human, but he couldn't stop himself, "I don't have much. What do dogs like anyway? How about some scrambled egg and cheese?" He glanced over to the husky who was sitting perfectly still in the corner of the kitchen. At the mention of eggs and cheese she stuck out her tongue and wagged her tail. "I'll take that as a yes." He started humming gently to himself as he found a skillet and cracked four eggs. "Might as well have some toast too," he said putting some bread in the toaster. Again, he glanced over at the dog. This time she was swaying to the tune he hummed. When she saw him look her way she padded across the floor and sat right next to him.
"Eggs are done, let's eat." He walked over to the table and pulled a chair out, about to sit down. The husky leapt gracefully into the chair and sat down. Remus laughed out loud, "You know, I think you are more human than I am." The dog looked at him sheepishly, as if she suddenly realized this wasn't normal dog behavior. This made Remus laugh even more. He sat next to her and placed the plate of toast and eggs in front of her, watching her curiously as she ate, very daintily for a dog.
He continued to talk to her, "You know I am extremely glad of your company. Tomorrow is the full moon." He looked around suspiciously "Can you keep a secret? Promise not to judge me?" She nodded her head. "Ok, I am a werewolf."
She looked at him with an expression that clearly said, No Shit Sherlock. She was clearly unimpressed.
"Well," he continued, "If you don't mind, I would greatly appreciate your company. You see, I am not a danger to animals when I transform. That is, I can still harm them, but if I were to bite an animal they would not become a werewolf. Would you like to join me on the full moon?"
Maybe he was just imagining things but for a second he thought he saw the husky's fur flash to a bright bubblegum pink and back to white. She jumped off the chair, pounced on him and gave him a great big sloppy wet kiss on the cheek.
"Well that's a definite yes," he laughed. There was something about this dog that took all his cares away. He hadn't felt this young and whole since his days as a student at Hogwarts, getting into all sorts of shenanigans with James, Sirius and Peter. The only greater joy he had experienced was when he was in the presence of Nymphadora.
Remembering his friends and Nymphadora brought him crashing back to reality. He felt tired and old again. He sighed, releasing the constant ache from within his heart. The dog softly whined and nuzzled her head under his hand, like she was saying It's going to be alright.
Remus bent over and petted the top of her head. She sat on the floor and started sliding down as if his touch melted her into butter. He laughed and knelt on the floor beside her, giving her a belly-rub. With lightening reflexes she lunged up and licked his face again. He laughed "Alright time for bed."
He contemplated where he should let her sleep. "Hmm, ok, you can sleep at the foot of my bed… You know this will be the first time I have slept in bed with a woman for… longer than I care to remember."
He walked to his bedroom, the dog following right on his heels. As soon as he opened the door she jumped on his bed and stretched out like she owned the place. He stepped into the bathroom and got ready for bed. He came out, saw her and marched to the bed. "Oh no you don't," he patted the foot of the bed, "you sleep right here. No hogging my bed" He laughed as the dog gave him an exasperated look and curled up at the foot of the bed where he indicated. Remus slipped under the covers, "Goodnight," he said. He was out like a light, faster than you can say expecto patronum.
Remus woke up the next day around four in the afternoon. He always let himself sleep in to prepare for the full moon. He looked around for the husky, but she was nowhere to be found. Hmm, he thought, disappointed She must have just been part of my dream. Yes, that makes much more sense. Real dogs don't behave that way. Still, he was disappointed. It seemed so real. Well, that was a lovely dream.
Remus fully woke up, got a shower, and got dressed. Made some toast and he was off. He had a couple errands to run to get ready for tonight. He was fresh out of healing herbs and bandages. Also he was running low on food.
He got back around 7:30, a grocery bag in each arm. Lost in his thoughts he got almost all the way to the gate before realizing the white husky was back. He jumped in surprise. "There you are! You know, I thought you were just a dream when you were gone this morning. Well, come on in."
She wagged her tail and skillfully opened the gate for him.
"It's almost time," he said as he put away the groceries and placed all the healing herbs and bandages on his nightstand, "You hungry?" He looked at her and she shook her head no. "Me either."
"Let's go," he said. She looked at him curiously and followed him as he walked outside. Remus lived in the middle of nowhere and took every precaution to make sure there was no way he could escape his expansive backyard and hurt people while he was in his wolf form. The husky followed him as he made a perimeter around the edge of his property casting spells to repel muggles, concealment charms, and an array of spells to keep himself inside.
He felt the headaches starting and knew he only had a couple more minutes. He finished putting up the perimeter and ran to his back door. There he quickly took off all his clothes and stashed them inside the house along with his wand. The dog looked at him in a daze with her head cocked sideways as if stunned by his naked form. "What," he laughed. "I can't afford to buy an outfit to destroy every full moon."
Suddenly the pain hit him as his transformation started. He curled up on the grass and the husky whined, as if it pained her to see him in pain. She walked over and licked his cheek. Remus Lupin was gone, he was in his wolf form and mind now, and there was a very attractive husky nose to nose with him.
The wolf looked deep into her eyes and felt an immediate connection. This was his mate for life. He howled in joy and she howled back at him. They raced around the backyard teasing each other. They took turns jumping over each other and play wrestling. As they ran around the yard the wolf felt young again. He was happy to have a companion. They took a break and lay down in the cool summer grass. They lay next to each other with, the wolf laying his head on the husky's back. This was the happiest he had been in a long while.
Remus slowly started to wake up. The more he awoke, the more confused he became. He was expecting to be lying naked in the grass, covered in claw marks. He slowly started moving first his feet, then his arms. Yep, he was definitely in his bed. Also he was wearing pajama bottoms and there seemed to be bandages on his right forearm. How did this happen? No one could have gotten past his spells. There was nothing for it, as much as he didn't want to, he opened his eyes.
Remus jumped about a foot and felt exactly how sore he was and where. There was a pair of chocolate eyes mere inches from his own hazel ones.
NYMPHADORA? HOW THE HELL DID YOU GET IN HERE?
She smiled and giggled, "Well, good morning to you too, crabby-pants. Or should I say good afternoon?"
He growled, "I'm serious Nymphadora, how did you manage to get past all my spells?"
"I didn't get past them, you let me in, and STOP CALLING ME NYMPHADORA!" She growled back.
"I most certainly did not let you in!" Remus exclaimed.
"Honestly, professor I am amazed you haven't made the connection yet. I guess your brain needs time to recuperate like your body." And with that she changed into the pure white husky and back again.
She could see it in his eyes as he made the connection and understood. "I should have known," he chuckled.
"Now that's one less excuse you have for us to not be together, you are no longer 'too dangerous' for me. Not that you ever were before mind you, I am an auror after all."
Remus shook his head, "I am still too poor, too old and even if I'm not dangerous anymore, I still am a werewolf and you will be stigmatized for being with me…"
"I DON'T CARE! How many times must I say it! Remus, even a poor, old werewolf is entitled to some happiness! I love you and I – DON'T – CARE!" Her eyes started to brim with tears. "Stop giving me these lame excuses, I'm starting to think that you don't care for me at all and that you're just bringing up these lame-ass excuses so you don't have to hurt my feelings and tell me the truth; that you just don't love me."
Remus looked deep into her eyes and saw the pain there, the pain he was causing her. He knew he loved her, he remembered the pain he had felt just two days ago, when he thought she had found someone else, more deserving of her love. Well, you may not deserve it, but you have her love, and she has yours. Just give it up Remus. It's time to make a change. "You're right," he sighed, "My excuses are lame…"
Tonk's eyes grew wide with shock.
Remus reached under the covers and grabbed her hand. "I love you, Nymphadora Tonks, and I always will. Nothing will change that, I pushed you away, thinking I was doing the right thing, that you would be better off without me. I just could not accept your love, I felt I didn't deserve it, I still don't think I deserve it. You are the most amazing woman I have ever met and it is clear to me now that I simply cannot live without you."
He took a moment, judging by his countenance, the battle of good and evil was raging in his very soul. He took a breath and squeezed her hand. "Nymphadora, will you marry me?" He looked up at her hopefully.
She looked into his eyes and saw her future. She saw them fighting death eaters together, side-by-side, moving in together, maybe having a couple children, growing old together… and she wanted it more than she could stand.
"Yes," she whispered as tears poured from her eyes, "I thought you would never ask!"
She leant forward and kissed him passionately, she noticed he had a couple tears in his eyes as well. They kissed with all the pent-up desire of the past several months. When they came up for air, Remus noticed for the first time that Nymphadora wasn't wearing any clothes. Even with all the passion and desire he had for her, he was still Remus and was prompted to inquire, "Um, love… where are your clothes?"
"Well what did you expect me to do? I wasn't going to carry a set of clothes with me…" She looked at him wryly. "Why are you wearing clothes?"
"Because you put me in them?" He asked puzzled.
She answered, "True, but only because I knew you wouldn't freak out as much if you were somewhat covered when you woke up and saw me here." She reached over to the nightstand for her wand and gave it a wave. Remus felt his pajama bottoms fly off and watched as they folded themselves and landed on the chair in the corner.
"That's much better," noticing Remus blushing she asked, "Remus, are you a virgin?"
"Well, yes," he answered looking affronted.
Tonks laughed mischievously, "Not for long, Mr. Lupin."