Right, this fic is written by both myself and Alexia S. Luclwit, good friend and goddess writer extraordinaire. This fic was her brainchild, and I got drawn into the web of ideas she was weaving together. I feel honoured to be writing alongside her, as always, and I hope that everyone enjoys the fic.

A Smile in the Dark
by Lexi and Claire

Prologue-

Each chink of knives against plates made Remus wince inwardly. Chatter hummed all around him, along with smoke from Mundungus' pipe. What Mundungus was smoking Remus didn't particularly care to know; it reeked and made his vision blur. That, in itself, was enough to make Remus want to abandon the dinner table at Grimmauld place, and only the fact that leaving would attract attention kept him in place. All at once several people jumped away from the table and Fred and George burst into howling laughter, quickly followed with the reprimands of an irate Mrs. Weasley. Remus had enough time to move down the bench and press his back to the wall when several vampiric rabbits bounded from the table in hot pursuit of Crookshanks. Raucous hissing sounded in the hall and Ron snorted into his dessert.

This was his chance. Excusing himself softly he returned a near-untouched dinner to the kitchen before heading for the stairs. Something clattered to the floor behind him, not something he had upset, and while he normally would have stopped to help, this time he didn't. If he was to be off to Arbatskaya Moscow in the morning, he had to shake how he felt before he left. The door to his room opened silently and he didn't close it on entering, thoughts tied up in escaping his shoes and burying himself in blankets and sleep.

Tonks frowned in the direction of Remus's exit, and then scowled as she paused to pick up the fork she had knocked off a plate. She noted the almost full one placed next to it and chewed her lip absently as she fought an inward battle. Remus hadn't been anything like his usual self for the past couple of days; he was pale, looked drained almost. Concern twined within her and caused her to make up her mind. She walked to the foot of the stairs, cursed softly as she almost tripped over the hem of her robes, and began to ascend.

When she finally reached the top, narrowly avoiding knocking over a fragile looking vase situated on a table on the landing, she hesitated. Was it really her place to intrude on Remus's business, to interrupt the solitude he might be seeking willingly? A thought over all of the times she had spoken with him once again made her mind up for her. He had never been anything but soft spoken and kind around her; had never been less than courteous. She saw that the door was left open a crack, walked to it and paused again momentarily before calling in a whisper, "Remus?" and walking through seconds later.

Shadows shifted across the floor and Remus looked up to find Tonks standing in the door. All at once he realised that his weariness and pain must be near to written on his face. A soft sigh and he let it fade away; not wishing for her to see anything besides the calm he showed them all. When he was sure such emotions no longer ran rampant on his features he looked up. "Hullo, Tonks. Is there something you need?" he questioned, sitting up, thinking perhaps she needed one of the various files that the Ministry had owled in earlier.

Tonks walked further into the room, the awkwardness she felt dissipating somewhat as the worry rushed in. "No, not really. It's just..." here she paused, approached closer, putting the pained expression that had glazed his features away in her memory, simply to remind herself not to give up even if he didn't tell her what was wrong. "I was worried about you. You don't seem like your usual self. Is...is there something bothering you?"

This wasn't what Remus had expected, though in a sense he had been avoiding it. Of all the things he knew how to deal with, the worry of others wasn't on the list. A small smile found him and he glanced to the floor. "I'm just tired, it's nothing. The racket at the table was just not agreeing. Somehow I think there's something more to your following me, did Molly send you?" he questioned, quirking an eyebrow at her. She responded by coming closer to the bed and cautiously seating herself on the edge. A quiet smile of her own returned his. "No, Molly didn't send me. I came on my own," she said and crossed her legs, sitting straighter before catching Remus's hand out of impulse, beginning to toy with his fingers in the familiar way that only friends can achieve. She noted the still bare finger, the lines upon the palm, the scars, and the dent from where finger and pen had met to inscribe thoughts to parchment. Her gaze lingered over that one finger though; the one that she believed should be filled. Remus didn't deserve all that he went through; what he deserved was love, compassion and understanding. Tonks could only hope that one day he'd find the right person to give such gifts to him. "I came of my own accord."

A long pause ensued after this, but it wasn't exactly uncomfortable. More... open. As if the very air was waiting for the words to be said next. Tonks eventually gave in, her voice a gentle lilt upon the air, "I don't believe for a moment that this is only tiredness. I'm not daft, Remus." Her tone softened after this and she continued. "If you ever wish to unburden some of the weight you carry, I'll always listen. I just want you to know that."

Letting her keep his hand hostage, Remus drew his knees up and closed his eyes against the backboard. The many things on his mind had no words, and none he could try and give them right now. "I'm all right, Tonks, thinking on things, nothing more. Sometimes thoughts carry more weight than anything else, and I have yet to hunt up a pensieve," at this he looked to her and smiled. "Thanks for stopping in though, and not on Molly's insistence. It means a lot, but in any case, I'd best sleep to be up early, and you have the Ministry in the morning." Tonks rolled her eyes at the mention of the Ministry and exclaimed "don't remind me! I often wonder if I hadn't better have chosen something else. Don't get me wrong, I love being an Auror, but some of the idiocy the Ministry promotes..." here she stopped, let out a sigh. "Sorry, I don't mean to rant. I daresay you know my feelings regarding the Ministry anyhow," she let slip of his fingers, placing his hand down quietly. After a second she leaned forward and touched his face briefly, before drawing back. "I'll let you sleep. I hope you'll feel better, thoughts can cause more strain than we realise at times." She shifted herself from the covers, walked to the door. A single smile, and she was gone, lavender whispering upon the air in her wake.

Notes: Warning. Romance junkie and Woe lover are joining forces to write this one. O.O