A/N - Hello everyone. Today I bring you, not a Marauders story, but a Lupin/Tonks story. Because they need more love, just saying. Anyway, the inspiration for this story is brought for you in part by a brief re-reading of Deathly Hallows (Remus and Tonks on the dance floor...hmm what can I do with this?) and my ballroom dancing classes at college. Yes I know, college is in fact that awesome. Alright so go, read and enjoy.
A flute seemed to start the whole production, whistling out a few notes and silencing the chatter of the crowd. The flute was quickly joined by long, polished notes from violin and a cello, and then the rest of the instruments joined as well. Within seconds, the music had swelled to life, slow and graceful and soaring beneath the tent. The golden floor remained empty for a heartbeat, then two, before Bill led Fleur out for their first dance. The newlyweds kept their eyes solely on each other, all love and excitement, oblivious to the watching crowd. Bill looked more like his old self, before the attack, and beside him Fleur looked every inch a fairy queen.
Near the edge of the floor, Remus Lupin could not help but smile at the sight. Of course, the smile was aided by the fact that a certain pink haired witch had burrowed her way beneath his arm, firmly wrapping her own arms around his waist. Fleur may have looked like a fairy queen, but tonight Dora looked positively made of magic, her pink curls and dark eyes shimmering in the golden light. Warm, happy contentment spread through him, and Remus returned the embrace, because she was his now, just his. Breaking his eyes away from the dancing newlyweds, Remus pressed a soft kiss to the top of his wife's head.
"I do love you, you know."
"I would certainly hope so," Dora murmured, eyes still on the dancing couple.
"Ideally," Remus said dryly, "The proper response to 'I love you' is 'I love you too.'"
Dora shrugged spectacularly and glanced up at him, mouth quirked up in a smile he knew she had been trying to suppress. Merlin, the way that smile made his heart skip beats.
"I rather think my feelings have been clear from the beginning."
The statement was accompanied by a pointed look that drew a brief flush to Remus' face. Dora had, in fact, been clear from the beginning. Quite uncompromisingly clear, really. Their friendship and casual flirtation had grown over time into secret moments and stolen kisses. Remus had fallen in love with her, and the fact terrified him, because Merlin she loved him too. No amount of pushing and pleading could persuade Dora Tonks to surrender, to give up and go find someone younger, someone better, though he nearly broke both their hearts in the process. And then finally, after a miserable year apart and a shouted confession in the echoing space of the Hospital Wing, Remus surrendered instead. Such surrender, had, quite possibly, been the best decision he had ever made.
"That," Remus pulled her in front of him so they stood face to face. "That is a very good point. And I'm sorry it took so long for you to wear me down."
Dora wrapped her arms tighter around him, head pressed against his chest. She sighed contentedly, and Remus thought she might have said something along the lines of "bloody prat." The muffled statement was accompanied by a half-hearted swat against his chest, but Remus just smiled softly and held Dora. His fingers threaded through her hair, pulling at the curls as his mind continued to register giddy shock at the idea that he was holding his wife. Somehow, under the soft glow of golden lights, as the music swayed and flowed in the background, life seemed nothing but happy. Somehow he could forget that his marriage to the love of his life had not cost her the job she had worked so hard for. Could forget that a war was imminent, that people would die, had died already. Just then, under the glow of light and color, there was only happiness and love and a pink haired wife who adored him just the way he was. He only hoped she knew just how much he adored her.
"You know," Dora's voice was muffled by his robes, "We never did have a first dance."
The observation was true enough, given that their wedding had been a bit rushed, to say the least. Remus had been entirely determined to marry Dora, whether the Ministry liked the matter or not. Borrowed dress robes and hurried vows, Moody and a small chunk of the Weasley family sitting with Ted and Andromeda Tonks, all of them watching the proceedings. And then the ceremony ended, Remus and Dora married and beaming and eager to exit before any more anti-werewolf laws could be passed. There had not, in retrospect, been time for a real honeymoon, apart from a weekend in the country, much less a chance for dancing. Of course, Remus did not have to feign shock at the announcement that Dora, dear clumsy Dora, actually wanted to dance. The thought brought surprise rather easily, along with a gnawing sense of worry he had come to associate with Dora engaging in vaguely dangerous activities.
"You want to dance?"
"I know how to dance, if that's what you're so concerned about," Dora leaned back enough to raise an eyebrow at him. "More or less."
"Of course you can," Remus agreed lightly, fighting to rid himself of the stunned expression he knew he currently wore.
"You'd deny your wife a first dance, Mr. Lupin?" Dora crossed her arms now, and Remus instantly missed the warmth of her embrace. Then she proceeded to pout quite dramatically, and Remus grinned crookedly as his heartbeat fluttered.
"I wouldn't deny my wife a thing," he said softly, gathering her into his arms once more.
Dora's eyes sparkled, and then her arms were around his neck as she raised up on her toes and kissed him soundly.
"Much more of that," Remus breathed as she broke away, his eyes still closed. "And we won't make it to the dance floor any time tonight."
A mischievous smile and a tumble of laughter, and then Dora had latched onto his hand, pulling him forward with all the enthusiasm of an eager child. The enthusiasm seemed to be contagious, as Remus felt far younger than he had in years.
"I should warn you, if I start falling, I plan to take you with me," Dora stopped as the reached the center of the floor, turning to face him once more.
"I expected nothing less," Remus said with a smile, pulling her closer. He could feel blood rushing to his face at the idea that aside from Bill and Fleur, the dance floor remained empty. Everyone in the crowd could see them. Then Dora's face filled his vision, glowing in the golden light. Her hand was warm and small and smooth against the rough skin of his own, and her opposite hand worked its way around his neck, fingers playing with the edge of his hair. His hand found her waist, and then she beamed up at him and all else ceased to matter entirely. The music leaped and rolled, and his feet were moving in steps he thought he had forgotten, Dora following his lead with surprising ease. And they were dancing, accompanied by the violin and the flute and cello, and they were together in love for all the world to see. Remus felt deliriously happy.
Together they spun and moved in rhythm, as natural as the music itself. The song ended far too quickly, and Remus dipped his wife towards the floor. He knew his smile matched her own as he pulled her upright once more, pulling her all the way to him and crashing his lips into hers. Breathless, urgent moments passed, each utterly lost in the other as more of the crowd joined them on the dance floor. Then they parted, faces flushed and grinning, foreheads pressed together and hands still clasped tight.
"I do love you," Dora breathed. "I really do."
"I would certainly hope so," Remus grinned even as the reply earned him another smack to the chest. They held each other close for a moment, swaying slowly to the music. Then Dora leaned back just slightly, eyes on the golden floor and chewing on her bottom lip anxiously.
"And Remus..."
"Hmm?"
"I'm pregnant."
The words hung in the air for a second, then two, utterly frozen, and Remus felt fairly confident that his heart had stopped beating entirely. He stopped moving entirely, vaguely aware of Dora's hand still clasped in his, finding breathing suddenly difficult. Everything seemed bright and faraway and fuzzy. Suddenly Remus understood why James had fainted at Lily's news of her own pregnancy. One thought continued to echo in his mind, all other function ceased. Pregnant. A child. His child. Their child. Dora, however, shook his shoulder lightly, bringing him back to the dance and the floor and her own frowning face.
"Remus?"
"We're having a baby," the words tumbled out in a rush, and Remus knew he was grinning madly and could not be bothered to care. His child.
"You're not...upset?" Dora asked gently, as if waiting for some sort of explosion. "I was afraid you would be, you know, with the war and all the -"
Remus gathered her to him and cut her off with another kiss. All the worries would strike him later, no doubt. Worry, fear, and a million reasons why he should never be a parent. But just now, here under the golden light, Remus could only be thrilled.
"I love you, and I love that you're having my child. Our child. And I apologize in advance for all the worrying I'll do later. Right now, I just want you to know how dearly, dearly I love you. I just want us to be happy."
His reply seemed to render Dora entirely speechless. Her eyes sparkled and then watered, a tear trailing down her face even as she smiled. Remus wiped away the tear with a gentle brush of his hand, and then she was kissing him again, whispering "I love you"s over and over. Then she snuggled back against his chest, arms wrapped tightly around him, and they swayed together to the music, husband and wife, safe and loved and happy. Golden lights shifted and blurred, and Remus thought he might be crying, but at the moment that did not seem to matter much. Not with his wife in his arms, achingly beautiful, their child safe between them. At that moment, all that existed were the three of them, their little family among the blur of lights and crowd and music. Everything else in the world seemed very far away, and for once, all was well.