Disclaimer: i don't own anything.

Author's Notes: Tonks' POV; written for a contest at Livejournal's Lumos! Community:

+ Pairing/Characters: (Only people allowed to be featured in the fic.) Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks

+ Location: One of the secret tunnels featured on the Marauders Map.

+ When/Time of Day: After the events of HBP / 'The butt-crack of dawn' ...otherwise known as 5:00am

+ Additional Items: Must include the phrase: "What's wrong with having a dingo patronus?"

+ Length: No less than 300 words and no more than 600 words.

This story won 1st Place

Warning: I kill nearly all the Weasleys in this story.

I watch him from behind as he places the stones in the corridor, building a barrier as if a rock wall can make any difference. We've been here for hours, entered the first passageway last night sometime...late but still...it must be dawn now...a whole new day.

A whole new day.

"Remus..." I try, but what is there to say?

"I'm nearly done. This is the last one." He pauses and turns to me. "You can go if you...want..."

"No, of course not." He's too tired to respond, just nods and turns back to his dusty work. I stare at my hands, pick at the dirt, I pull a stone out of my skin and it starts to bleed. Just a drop but the red mixes in with the dirt...I will it to hurt but it doesn't. I can't feel anything. But I can't stop thinking.

What's wrong with having a dingo for a Patronus? I hear Fred's inimatable voice and George' rejoinder, Nothing mate...long as your boyfriend's one too! I'd blushed when he said it, I think I threw something, I don't remember. I wish I'd put it in a pensieve but who ever thinks to keep those kinds of memories? Even though they're the ones you always want.

"Tonks." His voice interrupts my thoughts. The wall behind him is complete, time is passing so quickly. Remus puts a hand out, he tries...but what is there to do? I know he hears the voices too.

I've said all along you're taking a ridiculous line on this, Remus.

"I know it's foolish." He sinks to the ground, leaning against his wall. "I just...needed to do something."

"I know." I slide down next to him.

"We've lost so many...I...it shouldn't...should..." He stops, there aren't any words left. A family has been destroyed. Arthur, Molly, Fred, George, Bill, Fleur...the baby...Percy was first...they've sent an owl to Charlie...haven't heard back, don't know yet if he's been spared. No one has heard from Ron in months, he's with Harry and they have been cut off from everyone out of necessity. And Ginny...Ginny had followed them...we all pray she's found them...pray she is safe.

As if any of us are safe.

We sit there together by the wall that won't keep out anything, certainly not Death Eaters or the many varied nightmares they have on their side, trapped in a corridor underneath Hogwarts, unable to move, unable to speak. Time passes, I don't know how much, my body is so tired it aches but I am afraid to sleep. Remus has pulled me into a quiet embrace, I can hear his heart beating, I feel his hand on my hair.

"Don't let them win, Nymphadora." His voice is so quiet I can barely understand, but he's using his Professor voice and my first name so I know what he's saying is of utmost importance. I realize he's pulling his fingers through my hair, turned brown by the events of the last few days. I look up to meet his eyes. He smiles a weary but genuine smile down at me, indicates my hair with a nod. I pull a strand down and with effort turn it to pink.

"Better." Then, quietly, "I love you." I pause, I have no idea what to say, what to feel. He senses my hesitation. "Shhh, it's not meant to change anything. I think...I hope you know how I feel about you...but I've never told you and after last night...it was important to say it out loud. Thank you for coming with me on my fool's errand."

"Anytime."

Fin.

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