Color
By Mallow and Inky
Tonks collapsed onto the soft, cushioned chair, disbelieving what she had just heard.
Her father was dead.
Tears sprang into her eyes as it dawned on her that he was lost, forever lost. All those times of resentment when she was a child flooded her memories and she wished she could change those horrible events. She had taken her father for granted at times that losing him now hurt so much, and it felt so... unbelievable.
A tear escaped her eye as her bubblegum pink hair fade into a glum, mousy brown. She wanted to crawl into a hole and stay there until her father came to bring her out of her stupor. A few more tears started trickling down her face and grief started to envelop her senses. She curled up on the spot and sobbed into her hands, uncaring that she was loud, or childlike.
She never felt this alone in all her life.
He probably didn't even know that he was about to die.
Her father had been murdered. Murdered for his birth. He didn't choose to be a muggle-born. But Lord Voldemort (she winced, even though Dumbledore had taught her not to fear the name) was in charge now, and her father had to suffer the consequences, like many others.
This was unfair. Life was unfair. Tonks's sobs grew louder and louder, echoing throughout the small room in which she had confined herself in.
"Remus dear, it's best not to disturb her," said Andromeda, fiddling with her apron. "She's still in shock about her father." Her voice quivered, but she tried her best to keep steady.
"I'll be careful," he said in assurance and laid a hand on her shoulder. He went past her and ignored the calls of Andromeda telling him not to disturb her.
As soon as he had heard Ted Tonks had died, he immediately thought of Tonks, how she would be faring and if she was okay. He reached a small door where he heard muffled sobs and slowly pushed the door open.
"Tonks?" he said quietly, bending down on one knee.
She sniffled and looked up at Lupin. She threw herself at him and sobbed into his frayed jacket. It absorbed her tears, and he gave her a gentle hug, patting her on the back.
"Tonks," he said quietly as her muffled sobs left vibrations going up his neck, "I know it's been hard for you-"
"Of course it's been hard for me!" she cried, still buried into his shoulder, "I was afraid you were going to die when you went off to go and help Harry... and we have a child, Remus, how would he be if you d-died before he reached one...?" She looked up at him, her face tear-stained and her eyes a deep, mellow blue.
Remus brushed a stray strand of hair from her face, sighing. "I won't die," he promised softly. "Okay?"
Tonks nodded slowly, looking a little relieved, but there was a trace of worry present in her features. She flung herself onto him again and started to sob. She was in pain, grief-stricken, yet at the same time relieved and comforted by his presence. Remus tightened his hold around her, whispering softly, "It'll be okay."
"But Remus, what if this whole thing never clears up?" Tonks said, looking into his eyes, "What about Teddy? I don't want him to live in a world like this, especially if he's alone. We don't know where Harry is, and he's the godfather."
She sighed and looked at the ground, the two kneeling together, "This was stupid. You told me that it was. I've put all of us in danger. Including Teddy. I'm sorry."
Remus looked at her; exactly how was it possible for her to be so beautiful even in tears? He caught himself, because he knew he was getting distracted.
"It's not stupid," he said firmly, putting a finger under her chin so he could look into her eyes. "You told me it wasn't stupid before. And I only see that now. Don't apologize," he said as he saw that tears were threatening to fall again. "It's not your fault. Don't cry," he said as he pulled her in for another hug.
"Y-yes it is!" She gulped. "I should've st-stopped when you said n-n-no, Remus! Now you're more of an outcast than you were before and our baby boy is o-one too. Look at me. I can't even change my appearance properly anymore because I'm too worried about what's going to happen." Her lips trembled.
She didn't want to argue with him. She loved him. But she hated that she had caused all of this mess. She had made her husband unwanted; even her mother and father disapproved of her marrying a werewolf! Why couldn't he see that it was unhealthy for him and Teddy?
"Nymphadora." As expected, Tonks looked up in annoyance. "I told you, don't call me—"
"I'll call you Nymphadora until you listen to me without contradicting," Remus said, looking stern. "Okay?" he said, gently grasping her hand. Slowly, Tonks nodded.
"You didn't cause this mess. I was bitten—"
"But—"
"No Tonks, just listen!" he said, his grip tightening, and Tonks fell silent.
"I was bitten. It's no one's fault. No one that we know and love caused this mess."
Tonks looked him with glossy eyes and mouth slightly ajar, but she did not speak.
"Tonks, even if this thing, this whole thing about marriage and children is a mess, it's our mess, and that makes it okay."
He kissed her on the forehead and ran his hand slowly through her hair. Tonks's breaths became deep and calming, leaving Remus satisfied with what he had done. Opening his eyes, he found his fingers entangled in her hair; her familiar, vibrant, bubblegum pink hair.
"Feeling better?" he said with a smile. Tonks gave a shaky laugh and nodded. "That's good," he said, voice tinged with relief. He pulled her into another hug and whispered into her hair, "I love you, and nothing can change that."
She listened to his heartbeat. It echoed throughout her and her heart beat in unison. Tonks wrapped her fragile arms around him and at last, after what seemed like centuries, she felt happy.
This was the best mess she had gotten herself into, and she didn't want to get herself out.
"I love you too."