Disclaimer- Harry potter and the characters belongs to J.k Rowling
Sweet-luscious
Tonks stared blankly out of hospital wing's window. The silence ringing in her ears after she seemingly made a fool of herself by declaring her undying-i-dont-care-you-turn-into-a-fluffy-beast-once-a-month love for a certain werewolf who was in so-near-yet-so-far-proximity within hers. He was standing so still that Tonks wondered if he's been hit by a petrificus totalus. His shoulders hunched and head bowed, eyes fixed on the floor.
She sighed softly and pressed her cheeks to the cool glass of window and closed her eyes, too tired to give a damn about the world currently. Not that she regretted her outburst a few minutes ago; the-this-is-not-the-time-Dumbledore-is-dead-man had it coming. She had been trying to convince him for past one year with all the tactics she knew. Not that this particular scene was planned. She just couldn't take it that someone even as ignorant and haughty as Fleur-bloody-Delacour would not care about having a scarred husband for life when she can have any man with her quarter veela blood. Yet the professor remained blind. For someone as wise and smart as him, the man can be strangely stupid sometimes.
With her eyes closed and silence all over she felt strangely peaceful. Not ready to handle one more rejection from Remus and surely not ready to listen another rant of too-old-too-poor-too-dangerous (POD), at least this night, she decided to make a move from the infirmary.
She turned and spoke to the room at large as only Arthur, Molly, Fleur and Remus were left in the room. She opened her mouth but no words came, voice too thick with emotions. She cleared her throat and spoke-
"I'll see you all around."
Her voice seemed to bring Remus out of whatever trance he was in and his head snapped above in her direction and their eyes locked for a brief moment.
It was amazing that how still a look from him made her breath catch in her throat or made her heart skip a beat. She was torn between slapping him hard on face or kissing his lips off. Not trusting her emotions at the present she turned her head and broke the eye contact and made a move towards the door, feeling his eyes on her retrieving back which made the hairs on back of her neck stand.
With a snap she shut the doors, the voice reverberating around the walls.
Hogwarts...
Her Hogwarts...where she spent seven years of her life…
Dumbledore's Hogwarts...the best headmaster it ever had…
Gone… dead…
It hadn't quite sunk in yet that Dumbledore was gone. For some strange reasons he seemed immortal. But now…?
If he can die… Anyone can die...anytime...can be betrayed by anyone...
Tonks closed her eyes remembering a particular incident in an Order meeting when Dedalus Diggle was giving an agonizingly boring report and everyone was shocked to hear a soft-rare-snore from Dumbledore's direction. Dumbledore's eye-twinkle-generator that seemed to fuel itself whenever in an Order meeting he caught her staring at Remus...
Remus...
In her own musings she hadn't quite noticed that she had walked up to the Black lake. And she was pretty oblivious to slow muted footsteps that were coming from behind.
Think of the devil and devil is here.
Not wanting to acknowledge the presence of so said devil she sat down on the ground, leaning against the boulder, brought her knees up and hugging them up to her chest, closing her eyes and letting her head fall back.
Remus sat down beside her, their shoulders touching. She need not turn to look who was there. Almost desperate and wanting to feel his presence for past one year she had come to recognize it heartily.
They both sat there for few minutes without any voice except their breathing.
She couldn't understand why he had followed her so far and why was he sitting next to her as if they have came on a midnight picnic, when he didn't want to talk anything.
"I am sorry, I hope I didn't embarrass you too much…" she said quietly."Though it's not new for you, I clearly keep embarrassing you." She finished in even a quieter tone.
"You can never embarrass me." he said softly, looking at her. Then added teasingly "may be humiliate but not embarrass."
They both shared a light chuckle on this which soon died and seriousness returned. The heaviness of what had happened tonight and what they together have been going through for more than a year came back.
He silently took her one hand and covered it with both of his and almost clinging to it as if to plead her to understand him without actually uttering a word. A simple touch conveyed so much to her and that it was enough to water her eyes.
"Remus, put me out of my misery...put us out of our misery...please and listen to me once..." She said for once not able to decide whether to grieve for Dumbledore or grieve for Remus who was alive and safe and doesn't had to return to the wolves but still it seemed that a part of the man had died. Wasn't one year of separation, hardship and her determination enough for him to prove her love? She decided now was the time to finalize everything.
Though everything was already a done deal from his side she finally decided that she can't keep hanging in between forever. She had to decide now whether she can convince him one last time and if not then so be it. She will move on. If moving on meant never be able to morph or never be able to become the person she once was or never be able to stop loving him because that was a done deal too, from her side. She loved him and even if she couldn't convince him to stay with her forever, she would not be able to stop loving him.
"Tell me, what I should do?" he asked pleadingly.
"Come back to me, please. We can be happy together. Just see, the world is ending, anything can happen tomorrow...You may die, I may die..."
"Don't." he interjected with an authoritative quiet tone which almost sounded snappish. He turned his head towards her and said "please...don't talk about yourself...like...That...I am not in position to even imagine about you..." he trailed off, dying remain silent in his sentence.
"But I am already dying Remus." she said in very resigned tone, "without you!"
He looked like he was very ready to crumble there and cry like a small lost child.
"You think I am enjoying this?" he said suddenly in little higher tone and a bit aggressively which she didn't expect coming from him that made her jump a little.
Ignoring her he continued "You think I like seeing you like this? In pain? Knowing that the reason behind your brown hair, dull eyes, and your sadness is me? It cuts deep into my heart. Dora I have never loved anyone more than you, and yet hurting you it's killing me…"
She was shocked to his quiet yet insistence outburst, a bit relieved to see his 'calm' mask down but sad on the other side to see how much he was suffering too. She never had underestimated his feelings or sufferings but hearing it from his own mouth made it so very real. It tugged at her heart and made her fall even more love with him.
He continued "Molly keeps telling me how you are getting thinner, Mad-eye never seems to escape the opportunity to remind me how distracted you are during off duty or in meetings, don't you think it makes me worried? I kept thinking given your line of work what if one day you get hurt because you are too distracted because of me? Don't you think I don't know that that the bags under your eyes are reason because you keep awake at night worrying about me? Don't you think I don't know that you spent Christmas night all alone in front of shrieking shack kneeling in the snow all alone?"
She stared at him wide eyed.
How come he knew about Christmas..?
Surely he wasn't there..?
Was he?
She was too depressed on Christmas and was missing him badly and wanted nothing more than to lie in his arms. So she had gone for shrieking shack gazing because the day when they had escorted Harry and the party to Hogwarts, he had held her hand and had taken her to the shack and had told so many stories about it. They both had just stood there hand in hand for a long time. It was so peaceful and that was the day when she had confirmed within her heart that whatever was between them was definitely more than friendship and a hope had risen in her heart that he might just reciprocate her feelings. Because you don't take just friendsto show something that is so important to one's past on a January night ,surrounded all around with snow, shivering with cold yet warm with holding hands and wanting to stay just a little more even in the awful weather because after that they would be returning to their hectic life.
So on the Christmas day she had gone there, remembering the moment and feeling, praying that just once he would visit her and she had promised herself that she will not bug him with an argument just this one timeand will do everything within her ability to behave normally like previous year. But then she had thought that seeing Remus, who was avoiding her like plague, was as possible as sharing Christmas pudding with you-know-who. Then she had spent 10 minute in musings if The Dark Lord had celebrated Christmas.
She looked at Remus questioning him with her eyes.
He looked at her and seeing the question in her eyes and answered "Yes...I came…to see you…you know, it had been too long since I had last seen you…wanted to see how you were doing...I was just passing and saw you sitting there all alone and how guilty it made me feel...that you who always made sure that none of her friends were ever left alone especially on Christmas, have been brought to this day..." he broke off his voice cracking.
She wanted to comfort him, say something that she doesn't blame him but she was so shocked to see him so talking, to see him finally letting his guard down.
"Couldn't bring myself to look into your eyes, knowing what they would ask of me, what I could never give. It hurts and it's hurting me to see you like this..."
She tried of speaking again but it felt like an insult to interrupt him when he was finally letting go all his bottled up frustration. Seeing him like this at one side pained her and at other side made her even more sure that she was right in never doubting his love.
"But…" he said "I know, if I were to indulge you I will hurt you even more and at that time nothing would be in my hand." he completed with tone of finality and she took it as a cue to speak.
"How do you know I will hurt myself or will regret being with you if you won't even try?"
"Your life is not something I would put it at stake by simply trying Tonks, you are too precious for that."
"And you are worth every risk. Remus my life is already at stake, don't you get it? I am an Auror, an Order member moreover daughter of mudblood and blood traitor as the death eater would call it, wifeof werewolf won't put me in more danger than I already am!"
At the word wife he turned his face towards her and looked at her. She felt it impossible to look away and keep looking into his eyes at the same time. There was such longing in his eyes that seemed to bring both tears and smile to him though he succeeded in keeping a neutral expression. At some point they both have got up and were facing each other. She felt like, when he was finally opening to her now, wasting this opportunity would be shame.
"Wife of werewolf." he said, wife with such tenderness and werewolf with such hate that it seemed impossible to put two such extreme emotions into just one phrase."Do you know what it implies?"
This time she didn't let him complete, "Yes I know what it would imply, I know people who are bigoted and prejudiced, who are no better than Death Eaters in thinking would probably take me as some disgrace or will taunt me at every other opportunity but I don't care because opinion of such people does not matter to me. It won't be first time; I have been hearing such comments ever since the first war. Some people calling me freak, some believing I already belong to the family of death eaters why would I not be the same? But I have learned long time ago to shut such people, who don't matter to me. If I marry you, and I get the honor of being your wife and you get the privilege of being my husband, I would hold your hand, lift my head up and proudly declare yes I am with this man. As to opinion of those who matter to me, well you have already heard them. Molly, Arthur and all other order members..."
"What about your parents? Surely if they knew about me they won't be happy that their daughter wants to be with a half bree.."
"Don't call yourself that!" she said harshly. She would hardly pay attention if anyone said anything about her but she couldn't bear it when she heard such thing about Remus and felt like slapping them even if such wordings came from Remus's mouth itself. Apparently, from her heavy breathing and furious face and wide eyes, Remus got the hint too, that she could have this discussion with him, quarrel if one wants to call it, without even raising her voice but won't listen if such depreciating remark came from his side. He nodded and asked to continue.
"You turn into a wolf once a month, in fact for just few hours, and let's say 13 days a year. Just 13 days. Then why treat you like a wolf too for rest 352 days too? Seriously Remus I haven't seen anyone more human than you. You were the most powerful wizard I have ever known after Dumbledore; now that he is gone I don't know after who I shall look to except you. You underestimate yourself and you underestimate me too."
He looked a tad shocked at her last words and furrowed his brows and said "I have never underestimated you, Nymphadora…"
"Yes you do." she said in resigned tone, her exhaustion catching
up. She realized that she hasn't slept in last 24 hours, as she had taken last night duty and then there was the battle and now this.
She swayed on spot, and couldn't bring herself to keep in control. Remus sensing this was immediately at her side held both her elbows to keep her straight.
"Are you alright?" he asked with such concern that she felt like crying and nodded.
"Just exhausted."
"Here sit." he led her to the same spot they were sitting and sat by her side "listen, Tonks, we can continue later, I know this all must be catching up, you need to slee..."
"No! I won't continue later. I am tired to waiting Remus, I want to finish this once and for all."
She noted that he had not removed her hand from her shoulder and at her words finish his fingers had tightened their hold.
"Finished?"
"Yes finished. I am fed up of running. I am done running, I couldn't do this anymore. Every time looking at you and thinking 'may be this time he willgive in' and then reminding myself that 'no don't get your hopes up'...I want you to hear out to me one last time and take a final decision, that's it."
"And what if my decision remains same?"
Her hopes soared up because it had been the first time since he had acknowledged that his decision could change rather than downright accepting it that he won't come back to her.
But what to answer him? How to answer it? What she is going to do in case he says no for once and for all?
"I'll go." she said lamely, without looking at him.
"You'll go? Where? " He asked, confused.
"From your life, probably because, seeing you every time hurts…don't think I will be able to live normally ever though, especially after knowing how it feels to be with you, how happy you can make me. I will try to not bugger you...Because you obviously don't want me…" her voice cracked at the last sentence.
She hated sounding so small, so vulnerable. She became an
Auror so that she would never have to be vulnerable in front of Death Eaters, because she and her family was always a special target for tainting the Black line, and yet here she was, vulnerable in front of her own love.
"Don't want you? Dora are you out of your mind? Haven't you seen what you mean to me? I don't care for my happiness and I am willing to sacrifice 'us' so that you can be happy..."
"Exactly!" she nodded vehemently, all her pain coming back. What right does he had to sacrifice us, so that she can be happy, was he blind or what, couldn't he see just how happy she was now in front of him, she thought sarcastically.
"Do you know what it does to the confidence of a girl or a woman when she is rejected again and again by the man she loves? Even though he gives her various reasons, somewhere deep down she knows or at least feels so that fault lies within her. Cross your heart Remus and tell me, how long would you have pursued a girl after she would have told directly or indirectly that she doesn't want you? May be one time, two or three? But no one is as foolish as me! You kept pushing me for an entire year and 'coz m a hufflepuff and hufflepuff are loyal to the core, I am loyal to you. I could have gone easily to another man during your stay at pack for one night stands-",
At this a pained look crossed his face and her suspicions were confirmed that even though he said that she deserved someone better, deep down in his heart it made him miserable to imagine her with someone else…
"-And" she continued "you would never even have known, but I didn't because I don't need anyone else but you. Don't you see that how pathetic I seem to my own eyes? I was always the confident and independent one but can't you see that ever since I met you, I have been relying on you for my existence. Yet here you are, making me feel so utterly undesirable."
She had removed his hand from her shoulder, during her little speech and was standing near lake and he obviously followed her. She felt like jumping into the lake, even giant squid can be convinced more easily than him, and even giant squid was a better match for her than him!
He placed his hands on her shoulder and pulled her so that she faced him.
Her face towards the earth, he delicately put a forefinger beneath his chin and lifted her head so that she could look into his eyes. His eyes held admiration and sadness and very small smile and something very akin to pity.
Pity for whom? her?
Or for him?
"You little idiot." he chided lovingly and taped her cheek with his palm very lightly, like the way one does when showing affection to a kid.
Kid.
Can't for once in his life he can actually see as a woman? She was twenty four for Merlin's sake! Granted in wizarding world people lived for hundreds of years that literally twenty four looked like a kid but by that standard he was considerably very young at thirty seven!
"Have I know you were having such thoughts, I don't know, I may have obliviated you or modified your memory or something." he teased, palm cupping her cheek. It was at these times, she felt as if gravity was acting against her as she tried, very hard not to lean against his palm, but gravity forced her to do so.
And for once when she opened her heart in front of him, laid her insecurities, he has to go and joke and tease?
She furrowed her brows at him and said "Then I should have probably imperioused you." and he had a laugh at her expense.
"You are very desirable, Tonks."
To prove his point he leaned and placed a lingering kiss on corner of her mouth. She closed her eyes and her whole body tingled, it had been more than six months or so that he had touched her let alone kissed her, even if it was corner of her mouth and not actually her mouth. He pulled away slightly and looked into her eyes and maintaining the eye contact he again kissed the same spot. She could see all his long lashes and all flecks and colors in his blue eyes. His other arm encircled her waist
She had not been so close to him in a long time and it was making her dizzy. His stubble was burning her skin and he had yet to remove his lips. He once again applied a little pressure and pulled slightly. She gave tiniest of whimpers on the sensation as well on the loss.
He was really cruel.
After once again giving her a taste of what she could have, he was going to snatch it.
"Fault doesn't lay with you, sweetheart." he whispered. Her heart thudded at the endearment as it was a rare occurrence. "It's with me, I am not worthy of you. I never once questioned your loyalty; you are one of the most loyal people I know. I also know that you love me enough that once we are together, say we...er get married, even if world would not treat you fairly, even if I would never be able to support you financially, you would still put up with me, no matter how unhappy it makes you." he finished sadly.
He really was thick headed, he won't relent, she thought, she was going to lose him and he will go. He will be gone just like others. The thought again filled her eyes and she placed her hands on his wrists and separated her from him, taking two steps back.
He looked disappointed at the loss.
"You really don't know me...You really don't." she shook her head and looked at him incredulously.
" Do you think I am so shallow that I will see if a man can provide me financially, if a man is rich or not?"
"That's not what i meant…"
"No let me finish. I have heard enough of times that you are too poor for me, as if I am the type of girl to actually go after money. Remus, you can look after yourself with whatever meager income you have and I can look after myself with my auror income. I don't need your money and I know you don't need mine. If it still stings you pride so much that you won't accept contribution from me to our household, which is if we have one, alright then don't. You take care of your expenses and I will take care of mine."
He actually looked as if he was considering it, dare she hope?
No, he was stubborn he was going to fault it somehow again, but before he could she said again.
"When you were away with the werewolves I had everything that you think are necessary for my survival, I had friends, family, money and what not that you consider so important, BUT it was not enough, it was never enough, there was a void, a gap. You say you don't want to hurt me but what it is you are doing now? When I say I don't care doesn't mean that I don't care for your problems, it just means that I am willing to look beyond it."
She remembered all too well how she had spent this year, worrying over him, everyday waking up in morning knowing that he might not have lived to see the sun, not that she slept much. When it became all too much she started taking dreamless potion but then again she couldn't get addicted to it. In other people view she was a lovesick fool who would get over her love, but it was difficult to explain. She might seem pathetic but his love cut her deep down soul, it was part of her.
She also very well understood the agony of being a
werewolf. She used to spent full moon nights at Grimmauld Place with Sirius in the kitchen drinking and talking until the sun came up, when Remus was off transforming some place. Sirius had somehow guessed her feelings for Remus and used to talk about him, his transformation, and the prejudiced he face. Never once she pitied Remus, she only pitied the society for their ignorance. She had a fair idea of living like a werewolf, it had been a special project during her auror training and she had done research. There wasn't risk except on full moon and that too could be nullified with Wolfsbane potion, which she had been learning to brew for him.
She looked at him, searching for an answer looking guilty and ashamed, that was the last thing she wanted.
He however looked at her and said "I know I have hurt you, but believe me it was the last thing I wanted."
Silence.
What could she say? She knew it all. They both were miserable with added worries of war. Wouldn't it be easier for them both to face it together?
"What about your job?"
"What about my job?"
"Do you have any idea that you may lose your for consorting with me?"
This conversation was stretching longer than she intended.
She was so exhausted that she could sleep the year, but god knew it was one of those rare opportunities where Remus was actually listening and considering instead of running off.
"Yeah I have inkling, but with Dumbledore gone, I think even if I do not consort with you, I still may lose my job as well for being an Order member. Kingsley mentioned it to me once that if situation got worse then ministry might be taken over and in that case we would the targets, though at that time I didn't pay heed 'coz it didn't seem likely but without Dumbledore...there's a possibility."
He nodded, didn't seem very satisfactory though, but didn't found anything to object to.
"And are you ready that people may very well taunt you not
just behind your back but on your face as well. Not just taunting but you may be declined your various rights say visit a shop or restaurant because of you being associated with me?"
She had also thought about that. And that never have been a major problem for her. The only problem was that she feared that people treating her that way would make him upset and he would blame himselffor that.
"I am ready" she said confidently " I have never let that sort of things come in between the way I want to live my life." she added for good measure.
"But I may not be ready." he added very quietly "you don't deserve that." he added looking away.
"Merlin Remus!" she said exhaustedly "I don't deserve this too, of what I have been going through the past year and neither do you. I know you don't say or show but I can very well guess how you have been feeling since past one year. What's the need, us both being miserable when we can be happy together? I would happily take every jibe from public if that means you would be at my side...Always. The reason you are doing it so as I don't get hurt, but you are doing it anyway. And if I would have been able to move on, don't you think I would have done that during this year, when you were away and rejecting me at every chance you got?"
That got a reacting from him. She knew it pained him to see her like this but she didn't want him to relent because she was persuasive but rather because he was willing to look past the problems to be with her. He looked at her eyes, full of regret and sorrow and said affectionately, extending a hand "Come here, you."
She went oh very willingly towards him, took his hand and his large hands enveloped her smaller ones. He pulled her toward him and she rested her forehead on the side of his neck whereas he rested his cheek on her head, holding each other very tight.
Her heart was probably thudding in her throat and there was pounding in her ears, she was very afraid to ask, but had to confirm before her hopes climb any further.
"So...have you changed your mind then? About us?"
Her voice was shaky and she gripped him even tighter, Merlin knew what answer would he come up with and if she will ever get another chance to hold him or not.
Silence.
He took a deep breath and said very slowly "I ... Don't… know "
Her grip on him loosened and she hung her head in defeat and tears that she was trying to hold at bay broke through her barrier and came cascading down her cheeks. She stifled sob.
Remus sensing this tightened his hold on her and cradled her head in hand against his chest
"Hey Dora listen, that's not what I meant...Please don't cry."he whispered pleadingly. She stuffed his jumper in her mouth to stifle the sob, not caring that she was probably ruining his jumper but she wanted to stop so that she can hear what he wanted to say.
"I can't promise I have overcome my doubts, they are routed within me for more than thirty years, it would be difficult to vanish them all at once, but Merlin knows, that I can't put you, put us through this anymore now. I am very uncertain about future, as to what it would bring for you being with me as well as for our relationship. But I promise something between us will change. I will not deny, Or will refuse to acknowledge our feelings for each other anymore now. But things will change to what degree, I can't be sure of that, please understand, and give me some time, some days to adjust. Do you think you could do that?"
"I think I could wait, yeah. If I could wait for a year I don't think few days would be much bother." she said and smiled, really smiled, a watery smile and looked up at him.
He too locked his eyes with her and smiled.
Smile is so under rated, she thought. Something people take it for granted, but god knew sharing their first real smile after such a long period, felt heaven.
She giggled.
"What Nymphadora?" he teased
"I don't know." she giggled further "I am just happy to have you, you know, or is it wrong to be happy when Dumledor..."
She had hardly completed the sentence that she began sobbing hysterically in his jumper. She was turning mad. One minute laughing and other minute crying like a lunatic.
Perhaps she shouldn't have denied her mother when she was trying to force feed her Horlicks for her brain development.
"It's not wrong love. Dumbledore would never have wanted anyone to be upset over him. And you have had your share of sadness this year so no more." You have had your share of misery too Remus, She thought.
"It's just that I was so angry at him this year for sending you to the werewolves though I never actually said anything to him but I was very rude to him...I feel no closure...at least if he would have gone only at better terms with me, I would feel less guilty."
"He knows. He will always know. He knows pretty much everything. He would have been very happy to see you smile."
"And he will be even more happy to see you smile." she concluded.
No doubt the world was in even more in danger than before but she was positively giddy to have him in her arms. He seemed to be of same opinion as he couldn't stop gazing at her, and she suddenly wished she was a better sight. One year of depression and stress showed on her face, thanks to her loss of morphing ability as well as she wondered she probably was covered in smoke and soot from battle.
"You are beautiful, you know?" he said smiling affectionately, as if sensing her thoughts and stroked her brown hair."I miss the pink though." He added sadly, no doubt blaming himself again."I am sorry for it."
"Don't flatter yourself, Lupin." she added lightly, trying to make light of situation, to lessen his guilt "it was not because of you, you know, there were thousands other stresses as well." she said though it was a lie of course. She had many stresses in her life but never once encountered this problem, though she knew metamorphic abilities were connected with emotions, but not light emotions, emotions that are attached to your very existence and soul, just like your patronus, though he doesn't needs to know that, she thought.
He seemed to have looked past her lie because he said "I was once a teacher you know, I probably don't know much about metamorphmagi but I have my fair share of knowledge about it. Just like you took it up to yourself to learn everything about werewolves, I too took it as my responsibility to know you. And even if it is just stressdare I ask why am I seeing little flecks of pink in your brown hair right now?" he raised his eyebrows in challenge and added teasingly "It clashes horribly with pink hair, I am sure it is unintentional." he looked smug and of course it was unintentional.
Mornings, she had spent in front of mirror trying to morph and now they were changing colors without her knowledge. Traitorous hairs! But she was too happy to care.
"Thank you." she said smiling lovingly at him "Though with everything going on, my hairs and metamorphosing were last of my worries but I did feel incomplete without it, it's a part of me, ever since I was born, so thank you for bringing it back." and flashed him a full-on-toothpaste-advertisement-smile
"No need to thank me, it happened because of me, it's only fair now."
She scrunched up her face in concentration and thought Pink… Pink …Pink …brightest Pink
She opened her eyes in and looked at him he was staring at her hairs. He was smiling though his brows were furrowed. She pulled a strand of hair, it was pink though a light one but there were still small flecks of brown visible
"Why it didn't…"
"Changed fully?" she completed for him. He nodded.
"I think it still has not fully sunk in yet, this, finallybeing together. Fearing for almost a year if I will be ever will be able to achieve this… it might take time for me too to get used to this." she said gesturing between them, though there was no space to gesture because they were still rather attached to each like a sticking charm.
"I understand and I can't tell you how sorry I am.."
She rolled her eyes "Stop apologizing Remus, move past it, just promise me one thing."
"Anything for you." he said smiling, and her heart skipped a beat at his words.
"Even if you have second thoughts, even if you think of ever leaving me for my own good-" she swallowed "-promise me you will always return to me, and if possible in a very short time."
"I promise." he said and she could see sincerity and truthfulness in his eyes. He pulled her even closer and kissed her temple and then side of her face and then her forehead, as if couldn't quite believe that he finally can do this without thinking about consequences. She huffed in frustration.
"What, Dora?" nuzzling her nose with his.
"Can I finally get my looooong awaited kiss?" She mock glare at him, though she was all ready to pounce on him but she wanted him to initiate it.
He chuckled, gladly leaned forward and captured her lips with his own. They both gave the most content sigh of the millennium. She tangled her own hands in his hairs and his own one hand was on her waist pulling her even closer and his other hand was in her hair which she was sure must have turned brighter. They finally pulled to breathe and she breathed him, his scent.
He opened his eyes and his eyes flicked to her hairs and he smiled broadly "I have the coolest girlfriend in the world." and chuckled.
She laughed, feeling giddy to hear girlfriendas well as hearing word like cool.
"Of all the people, I ever expect to use the word cool, you are the last one…"
"Despite what you think NymphadoraI was once a marauder."he said showing mock defiance.
She said only thing she thought was appropriate.
"Prove it."
And with a twinkle in eyes worthy of a Dumbledore he gave her the hottest kiss of the world.
It was sweet-luscious.
Fin