Tonks' Tree
On a gloomy, foggy, Friday afternoon, two people were walking around the forest, keeping a careful eye out for Severus Snape. Snape had killed Albus Dumbledore, founder and leader of the Order of the Phoenix.
Remus Lupin thought that this was a very awkward time, for he was walking next to the dreary, sad and tired figure of Nymphadora Tonks and knew it was all his fault that she looked the way she did.
He needed to get away, away from her so he could think. "Let's split up," He suggested hopefully. "W- we'll finish faster," He suddenly turned and stalked away deeper into the seemingly endless woods, leaving Tonks behind.
He was once again walking through the forest, searching to find Tonks, who was not answering his Patronuses when he hears a small sound, almost like a whimper. He stopped for a moment, then came to the conclusion to find who the sound was coming from. Please be okay, Nymphadora, please don't be hurt! He prayed, running in the direction of the sound.
After only mere moments of sprinting, he broke through the trees and into a small clearing only to find her crouched on the ground, head in her hands, sobbing. He placed a hand on her shoulder and sat down beside her. He didn't want to do anything more because he would give in, and he couldn't let that happen. It made it very uncomfortable to be near her, so he stood up and turned around, planning to walk away now that he knew she was safe.
"Remus, don't go," She pleaded helplessly. He turned back to her and saw her stroking absent-mindedly at a small part of the tree, her fingers tracing over long ago written letter.
Tonks' Tree
1985
He couldn't help but laugh, she was so creative, it was one of the many things he loved about her. Placing himself on the ground next to her and smiled, enjoying their time together that was not spent yelling at one another. He was amazed how she still loved him, even after he had been so ignorant the past year, saying that he was "Too old, too poor and too dangerous" for her.
Her words, soft and tentative, broke into his thoughts. "This was my tree ever since second year, I used to come here and try to do homework, but it was so beautiful I couldn't concentrate," Suddenly, she gasped. "Katie, is that you?" She said quietly, standing up and walking towards the trees. Standing there was a magnificent Threstral, it's familiar black body almost invisible against the forest. Tonks slowly raised a hand and toyed with a necklace hanging around the creatures neck, her smile widening as she petted the animal, acting as though it were a child's dog instead of a deadly looking horse.
"Would you like to pet her, Remus?" She asked him, sending him a pleading look. "Come on, she won't bite, at least, I don't think she will," She pranced over and took his hand, leading towards the animal.
"What's that with it?" He asked, seeing the small figure standing beside the larger one.
"I dunno… Oh my gosh! It's a foal!" She exclaimed, walking over to see it. The foals mother nudged it forward and she crouched down to stoke it's head.
"You know, I believe one day you will see things my way, Remus. One day, you'll come back and I'll be waiting with open arms until you do," She suddenly blurted, her words coming out very fast and quiet, as if she were afraid to voice what she was thinking.
"No, I will not. I don't care how long you try, I am just as stubborn as you are and can refuse until the end of my days, if that's what it takes," He replied calmly, stepping away from her as her hair turned a violent shade of red. Wait, her hair changed, that is good sign, maybe she was finally getting better!
"I DON'T CARE, YOU CAN REFUSE AS LONG AS YOU WANT, BUT I WILL NEVER STOP LOVING YOU, NOTHING YOU CAN SAY OR DO CAN CHANGE THAT!" He was surprised at her sudden infuriation, Tonks never got angry, not truly angry, not until now, that is.
"I'm a werewolf, Nymphadora, and always will be, nothing can ever change that and I will always be too dangerous for you. I will not put you in danger for my own selfishness," He tried desperately to refrain from comforting her as she gasped, turning away from him.
"That doesn't matter to me, though, Remus. You know that," Her voice was much calmer now, and he knew the worst was over as her hair faded back to brown, the same color it had been for a year, and it was all his fault.
She slowly turned back to the horse and said "I found her when she was only 4 months old, she was injured, so I treated her and now here she is, all old and healthy, with a foal of her own," Her voice carried a deep cutting sadness as she spoke. He wanted to reach out to her, but stopped himself, she would not want to be near him now.
"It's alright, Remus, you can do it, I won't mind," She had always had a strange connection to his mind, and he had tried to get inside her head, though he had failed numerous times.
She turned to him and wrapped her arms around him. He stood unresponsively as she hugged him. After a few moments, he slowly pulled her into a hug and lifted her chin so she was looking at him.
"I love you," She said simply, her voice overflowing with emotion. He said nothing, only stared at her, smiling brightly.
The En