Simon Evans walked through the streets of London to his home, a block of wharf-side flats somewhere near the City of London. His day hadn't been the best he'd ever had, but it wasn't the worst by a very long shot. The sky above seemed to almost echo his mood, slowly turning overcast and threatening rain.

He silently cursed when he got into the building that the lift was still out of order, he thought that the engineers had been out to look at it. He trudged his way up the stairs to the top floor. Passing one of the middle floors, he found the reason for the lift currently being out of order; an engineer's legs were sticking out of the open lift doors and he could hear some loud clanging.

Upon reaching the top floor and his front door, he heard voices inside the flat, both he recognised. He opened the door, making certain that he made more noise than usual.

"Hi honey, I'm home," he called out.

"Hi Simon," came a voice from around the corner. He walked round the corner to be knocked over by a small fast moving multicoloured thing.

"Dada!" the thing shouted.

"Hi Teddy, how are you today?"

"Fine fanks," Teddy said as he climbed up off Simon and returned to his mother.

"Hi Tonks, Hermione," Simon said as he climbed to his feet, "How're you two today?"

"We're fine thanks, what about yourself?" Tonks replied.

"I was ok, until that small multicoloured cruise missile hit me..." he replied jokingly.

Tonks turned to Hermione, "It used to be worse; Teddy used to get him as he opened the door..." earning a titter from both ladies and big smile from Teddy who had joined his mother on the couch.

"How long have you been 'Dada'?" Hermione asked, turning to Simon.

"I don't know, I think it was last week he decided that I was for keeps..."

"He's not quite as trusting as me; I'd decided that few months ago..." Tonks said.

"So are there wedding bells on the horizon?" Hermione asked innocently.

"I think it's a little premature for that, we've only been together for eight months," Simon replied, trying to be careful to not hurt Tonks' feelings.

"It's ok Simon, I know what you mean; eight months isn't long enough to truly know if the person is right for you..." Tonks said, letting the sentence hang.

Simon and Tonks were sitting on the floor, legs crossed, facing each other. They were holding each other's hands, Tonks' hands over Simon's, and were each glowing slightly. They had just started to rise upwards and start floating when the door burst open.

"Get away from my fiancé!" shouted a very angry Remus Lupin.

"Remus, it's not what you think!" Tonks tried to shout at him, before he lunged at Simon.

Remus knocked Simon out of the air and consequentially, Tonks dropped to the ground, landing with a light thud. Simon started to fight back, and the pair were rolling around on the floor.

"Nice work Remus, you've just interrupted a onetime only protection ward for this place, you, Tonks and Teddy!" Simon shouted as he tried to push Remus from him. Tonks reached out and grabbed Remus by the shoulders and heaved him from Simon. Remus turned to face Tonks.

"Stay out of this you stupid little slut!" he shouted, before knocking Tonks to the floor with the back of his hand across her face. He didn't need to turn back to Simon to realise he'd done something very stupid. He looked over his shoulder and found Simon standing there with a look of intense hatred on his face and a very visible aura surrounding him. Remus knew he was boned, or was about to be, and tried to run from the room. He didn't get far, before he could reach the door, he was thrown into the wall next to the door, impacting with his back and enough force to leave a divot his shape about an inch deep. Simon moved closer to him, his hand outstretched. His other hand moved in front of him as though it was cupping something and Remus watched with almost horror as a cloud of silvery gas appeared in Simon's hand.

"Listen up werewolf! I know this isn't the first time that you've struck Tonks, but this is the last time you will ever." He followed Remus' eyes to the cloud hovering above his hand, "Vaporised colloidal silver," he stated, "If I hear that you have come within fifty yards of either her or Teddy; you'll find out personally how this affects werewolves like you. Now get out of this house!" he said as the force holding Remus against the wall dissipated and Remus slid down the wall.

A short time later, Hermione left the flat and made her way home via Apparition. Simon knew what was going through Tonks' mind as it had just been through his; Remus. He put his arms around her and pulled her into a hug, before letting himself relax. Tonks watched him almost in shock as his near shoulder length dirty blonde hair and blue eyes slowly morphed into short and unruly black hair and deep green eyes.

"Oh, Harry..." Tonks said, before bursting into tears.

"Shhh... Don't worry; everything's going to be fine," he said trying to reassure her, pulling her into a tighter hug. They sat like that for a while, just gently rocking backwards and forwards, until Tonks' tears had turned into dry sobs and then to hiccups. Harry hated seeing her this way; he preferred her how she was when she had met him, carefree and full of life. But Remus had done quite a number on her in the eight months they were together. He'd seen it thanks to being Simon, someone who Remus didn't care about. If he'd been Harry, he'd never have seen it and he dreaded what would have happened to Tonks then.

Simon heard the front door slam as he dropped to the floor to tend to Tonks, checking the basics and performing a few diagnostic charms before trying to wake her gently. Any invasive magic in her stage of pregnancy would be dangerous for the child, so it was always used as a last resort. Tonks came to with a start and tried to scurry away from Simon, before realising who he was. The fear that was evident in her eyes slowly dissipated, but didn't truly leave.

"Where's Remus?" she asked tentatively after looking around.

"Gone, and not coming back," Simon answered.

Tonks looked crestfallen when she heard that.

"What's wrong?" Simon asked.

"He was paying for us to live here; I'm not in any condition to work and can't afford to support myself and a child..." she said, trailing off.

"Come and live with me at least until you can get back on your feet," Simon said with a finality that said he wasn't taking no for an answer. Tonks looked into his eyes and saw the sincerity of his offer and nodded her head. He gently helped her to her feet, though she tried to minimise their contact as much as possible. She went to head upstairs and pack, but Simon stopped her.

"Guide my magic, it'll be quicker," he said placing his hand on hers. She concentrated on all of her personal belongings and her trunk as she heard Simon say, "Pack!"

Thirty seconds later her trunk had everything of hers from the house in it and was shrunken and in her jacket pocket. As she stepped through the front door, she heard Simon shut the door and whisper something. She looked round and saw a cloud of silvery vapour surround the door handle and settle upon the handle. Simon saw her looking at him in an almost shocked way.

"Pay back for what he did to us today," he said before pulling down his lip so she could see the cut Remus had given him.

When Tonks had calmed down, Harry picked up Teddy and took him to his room. He put Teddy in his bed for a nap and then headed to the kitchen, to prepare something for dinner. He settled on something quick and easy, pasta bolognaise. An hour later, Harry was regretting his choice of meal, as he was cleaning the sauce from every surface within five feet of Teddy's highchair.

"How did he make such a mess?" Harry asked Tonks.

"I don't know, but I think we got him to eat more than he got on the walls for a change..."

Sometime later that evening, Harry and Tonks were watching the television when Tonks fell asleep. Harry gently scooped her up and carried her to her room. As he approached her bed the covers peeled themselves back and her clothes transfigured to a pair of pyjamas. He laid her down and made to leave, but felt her hand stop him. He looked down to her.

"Stay with me," was all she said.

"Ok," he said as his clothes transfigured to a pair of pyjamas and he climbed into her bed from the other side. She snuggled up against him and he put his arms around her.