He had been wanting to ask her for months. He had tried, several times too. But the velvet box holding the ring he had intended to give her remained in his pocket, weighing him down. He should have given it away, so long ago. But he had always found a reason not to, an excuse. He had always been interrupted.
He had made a special dinner for her the first time, on a quiet night at Grimauld Place, in the upstairs sitting room in front of a roaring fire.
"Remus, you really didn't have to go to this much trouble. This is amazing. You're amazing."
He smiled, blushing. "I wanted to." She blushed back.
Remus watched the reflection of the flames dance on her face, fiddling with the box under the table. They had finished eating, and she was just finishing her drink. Gripping the box tightly, he slid his chair back, ready to do it just like they did in the films.
"Dora…" and he was just about to fall down onto one knee when the door opened, and Sirius slipped in, a letter in his hand. Quickly, he slipped the box into his pocket before anyone noticed it, and picked up the wine bottle from the bucket beside the table. "More wine?" he asked dryly, as Sirius gave her the letter and left, winking.
"Thanks." She smiled, shoving the letter in her purse.
"What is it?"
"Nothing. I just need to go into work earlier tomorrow." She sighed.
Sitting down, he silently cursed. If Sirius hadn't come in…
They were sitting in a comfortable silence, and he thought about trying again. He could still try again, couldn't he?
But she stood just as he was about to, walking around the table, and putting her arms around her shoulders, kissing his cheek.
"You coming?" she smiled, taking his hand.
"you go, I'll be there in a second." He watched her leave, and ran to his room, putting the velvet box safely in his draw.
Not tonight.
He had left it for a month or so, not wanting to do something stupid, or embarrass himself. In the end, he really couldn't think of anything, so he just asked if she wanted to get out for a bit. It was late, but the nights were getting lighter now. They walked through the nearby streets and Park, just chatting. Holding hands. Remus' other hand stayed in his jacket pocket, curled around the small box. His palms were so sweaty, he was surprised she hadn't noticed. But she found a swing set, and let go to sit down, grasping the chains and rocking herself gently back and forwards with her feet. He stood behind her, wrapping his arm around the chain too. Leaning down, he kissed her neck gently.
"I love you." He murmured.
She turned so her lips met his. "I love you too."
He smiled. Now was the perfect time…
There was a loud hoot, and an owl dropped an envelope on Tonks' head. Frowning, she opened it.
Back to HQ, now. Urgent. Will explain there. ~Kingsley.
"Better go," she sighed, standing. "Come on."
She started walking off, leaving him frozen, with one arm still wrapped around the chain, the box open in another. Was he ever going to get a chance?
And that night Sirius had died. Tonks ended up in St Mungos, unconscious. It wasn't safe to use Grimauld Place anymore, and he hadn't had time to go back and retrieve the ring from its safe place on his bed side table. He didn't want to leave her. He wanted to be there when she woke up.
Remus was sitting beside her bed while she slept, when Dumbledore swept into the ward, carrying an old, battered suitcase held together with neatly tied string, which Remus recognised as his own. "Molly asked if I'd be able to drop this off for you." Dumbledore placed it next to Remus' chair, pulling another for himself out of thin air with his wand. "How is she?"
"She woke up this morning," Remus said, rubbing a hand over his unshaven face. "She's resting now. Merlin, I felt horrible when I told her."
"Will she be alright, though?"
Remus nodded. "She'll get through. I'll help her."
"Of course you will. Speaking of which…" Dumbledore pulled a small, red velvet box out of his robes. "You might want this."
"Oh. Right. Yeah…" Remus took the box and opened it, starring at the small, woven gold band. Sighing, he snapped the lid shut, looking up. "I can never find the right time."
Dumbledore smiled, peering at him over the top of his half moon glasses. "It'll come. When you're both ready."
Maybe Dumbledore was right. But it didn't happen anytime after that. And then, and then he had to do the stupidest thing he could have- he had gotten angry, and he had let her go. And what was even worse was that it was really the best thing for her. He saw that now. He was much too dangerous… and he had been planning on marrying her? That was the craziest, stupidest idea he'd ever had. Right?
But then, he had to watch her waste away. And seeing that, seeing what he had done to her… well, it made him change his mind. It wasn't what she wanted… and he hated seeing her like that. He hated it. So he was going to fix it.
And this time, he was determined to do it properly, even if it wasn't sappy and romantic.
She had been quieter than he'd ever known her to be since Dumbledore's funeral. She'd grown up fast, he couldn't help but notice. Being alone did that to a person, and he knew from experience. But he hoped, he really hoped, this would take her back to her old self.
She was still in bed when he came through, the familiar velvet box in hand. She opened her eyes, yawning when she heard him. Nervously, he sat on the edge of the bed.
"Dora… I want to ask you something. Something I've been meaning to ask for a while."
She sat up, making a face. "Is it bad?"
He shook his head, laughing quietly. "No. At least, I hope not. It's just…" he opened his hand, revealing the box. Her eyes widened. "I just… you know." He opened the box, and the glittering gold ring gleamed in the early morning light streaming in the room.
"Oh Remus…" she had a hand over her mouth, and looked like she might cry.
His stomach dropped. "You don't want-"
"No! it's not that, its just…" she looked up at him, smiling. "It's beautiful."
"Well, Nymphadora… will you marry-"
He never got to finish his sentence. She had already grabbed his arm and pulled him to her, practically crushing her lips against his.
"YES!"