Damn.
After a blisteringly hard day of work, it had started to pour it down with rain, with lightening about to strike her at any moment. It had not been a good day; there were three raids at Death Eater homes, and all of them were unsuccessful. The three supposed Death Eaters had all escaped, but still critically injured. Tonks then realised she had no way of getting to her home, which happened to be on the other side of the country. If she apparated she would splinch all her limbs off, and that was not the way to start a biting cold evening. The only way to get home was too walk…
The Knight Bus.
How could she forget? She could book herself a nice bed on the Knight Bus, with a tasty, warming hot chocolate to keep her alive. She could almost feel it trickling down her throat…
She stuck out her wand and summoned the bus that would save her life. Just as she reached out her wand, a giant purple blur raced in the street behind her. In a flash of an eye, the mighty vehicle was right in front of her. The doors slowly slid open and a pimple-faced youth stepped out.
'Good Evening Miss, my name is Stan Shunpike and I have the pleasure of welcoming you on the Knight Bus' Stan drawled in a slow voice.
'Yes, yes I've heard it all before. Let me on!' Tonks growled menacingly. She pushed her way past him and stepped into the warmth.
'For Eleven Sickles we will-' he started again
'Yes, yes, I know! Didn't I just tell you that? I will pay thirteen Sickles for a Hot Chocolate and I would very much like it if you would drive me to West Smith Street Road, North London!' Tonks was practically shouting at him now. Things were not looking up for her. Tomorrow might be better… there was a meeting for the Order…Remus might even be there.
She sat down on a brass bedstead and thought about that one special person…Remus. He was just perfect in nearly every possible way. He was intelligent, mature, sweet, kind, funny…she could go on forever just describing him. She loved gazing into his beautiful amber eyes. She could just melt in his arms…
She drifted off into a peaceful slumber with a nice relaxing dream. She could hardly believe that only two hours ago, she was duelling with Death Eaters, but now she was curled up asleep, in such a peaceful place, dreaming about the one man she truly cared about…
The bus stopped suddenly at a corner. Tonks was then shaken out of her sleep, and she was not happy. Grumbling and cursing at the driver of the Knight Bus, Ernie Prang, she turned over and attempted to fall back into her dreams, which were sadly not her reality.
Not soon after and she was back, she was dreaming without a care in the world, and she was with Remus, holding him, caressing him. No one could take him away from her. The sensation was so wonderful. It was not real, it was just a figment of her imagination, but she never wanted to let it go, for it felt so real, so pure, and so right.
'Tonks?' A kind voice asked behind her. She turned over in her rumpled bed to see the real Remus standing behind her. He was a little wet from the rain but he still looked positively handsome. His exquisite amber eyes were staring right into hers. He looked so deeply attractive and she could not think of what to say. Therefore, she said the first thing that came to her head.
'Remus!' she exclaimed. 'I was just thinking about you!' Why did she have to tell him that she was thinking of him? Now it sounded like she was obsessed with him. Well, that was the truth but that wasn't needed right now.
'Really? Were you?' he asked. Was it her imagination or did his face just light up?
Knowing her, it was her imagination.
'So what brings you here Remus?' she asked brightly. She sat up and gave him her full attention.
'Well, I am going to spend the night at Grimmauld Place but I can't risk telling him to go there, so I asked to go to West Smith Street Road. It's the street next to it, I'm sure I will find the way; I'm a big boy now. Unlike Sirius.' He explained, even thought he didn't have to. Tonks smiled at his lame joke and he smiled back. Tonks saw that he had the most gorgeous, heart-warming smile.
'Really?' she asked. 'I was planning on staying the night at Grimmauld Place…isn't that a coincidence!'
It wasn't a coincidence.
Remus had overheard Tonks telling Sirius that she was planning on staying the night tonight, and he had decided to stay too…for tonight he was planning on telling her how he truly felt about her.
Suddenly the bus lurched around a roundabout and Remus lost his balance. He fell on the bed in front of him, right on top of Tonks.
'Oh Merlin, I am sorry, it was an accident, the bus, I just fell, I am sorry, I did not mean to, hope I did not hurt you, it was just, well, an accident' he gabbled. He managed to heave himself up and Tonks tried to suppress a giggle. Remus had gone extremely red.
Sit down, it would be easier' she said.
It was too late. The bus had swung round another corner, Remus had fell onto the bed again, but thankfully with better aim, and he fell on the edge of the bed, and not on top of Tonks.
There was unexpectedly an awkward silence between the two of them. Tonks was racking her brains to try to think of something funny to say, or something to impress him, or just anything to make an easy conversation. Little did she know that Remus was doing the exact same thing.
'So how was your day?' Tonks blurted out abruptly.
'I stayed at home, read a book then went shopping for food. I live a very exciting life. How was your day?' he replied.
'Well let's see…I participated in three raids at supposed Death Eater houses, but every time we raided, the Death Eaters escaped, nearly killing us all in the process!'
'Merlin's pants! That sounds…like you had an exciting day!'
Tonks smiled. 'Merlin's pants?' she asked, amused
He looked at bit embarrassed. 'It's just that Ron and Hermione seem to have been saying that a lot recently, and I've just got into the habit of saying it'. Tonks could see that he was blushing.
There was another awkward silence. Tonks was the person who broke it when the bus came to an abrupt halt.
'Look Remus' she said. 'This is our stop'
Remus heaved himself up, but to Tonks' embarrassment, she found that she was stuck, and unable to get up.
'Here, take this' Remus said. He held out his hand. Tonks slowly and deliberately held out hers and gently took his. He pulled her up, and much to Tonks' surprise, she crashed into him as she came up.
'Sorry, sorry' she mumbled. She looked up at him and she then realised that they were still holding hands. She could feel her fingers tingle as they touched his. As she gazed into his eyes, she really knew that she loved him. Suddenly, he pulled away. She wondered why he could spoil such a special moment, but then she realised why.
Stan Shunpike was standing next to them.
'What 'choo fink your doing?' he asked irksomely. 'Me 'an Ern have been waiting 'fer ages. Get off now!'
They quickly got off the bus, and as soon as they were outside, they burst out laughing simultaneously.
'We must have been there for ages! That look on Stan's face!' Tonks laughed.
'Oh dear' Remus replied with a smile. 'I don't think we will be welcomed warmly next time we step on the Knight Bus!'
They started to walk together to Grimmauld Place. She felt something brush against her hand.
It was Remus.
She impulsively decided to hold his hand. They turned to face each other and they smiled at each other. By the light of the moon (which was a half-moon, and Remus appreciated that) they strolled together to Grimmauld Place. They did not say anything; they just enjoyed being together. Tonks pondered about what would happen when they got to Grimmauld Place. Would she kiss him? Would he kiss her?
Alternatively, would he just say goodbye and just go inside, ignoring the fact they walked there hand in hand?
Her question was soon answered. When they got to the step of Grimmauld Place, they stopped for a second. They turned to face each other, and they stared deeply in each other's eyes. Tonks was about to reach over and perform the charm required to open the door, when Remus' lips met hers. She breathed in his sweet scent and she kissed him back. His arms were around his waist, and they were entwined forever, neither of them wanted this moment to end. She wanted to stay this way forever. Tonks truly felt like she was in heaven.
Remus was the one who broke away. He seemed radiant. Tonks realised this was the happiest she had seen him in quite a long time. Then he spoke the sentence Tonks knew she would hear at least once tonight.
'You realise, even though we just kissed, I still can't get involved with you. I am just simply-'
'Too old, too poor and too dangerous' Tonks interrupted. 'But Remus, you know you this is what you want. I know and you do too, inside that loving heart of yours. I love you Remus. You can't take that away from me'
'I love you too Nymphadora' Remus whispered.
She didn't even bother correcting him when he called her by her real name. It didn't seem to sound as annoying when he said it. They then kissed again, but this time with more passion. She was kissing the man she loved by the moonlight and Tonks could not be more content. She let Remus fill her up; she was in pure, blissful happiness. They broke apart, and ran in Grimmauld Place, still holding hands. They ran upstairs and disappeared behind a bedroom door.
Tonks knew what was coming next.
This would be the best night of her life.