Falling Off

By: Amy Elizabeth

Disclaimer: All things Harry Potter are sole property of J.K. Rowling

Rating/Warning: M (Mature situations)

A/N: Well, I've never attempted an "adult" piece before, and I wanted to try. So, I figured before I go back to work on Tuesday, I should go ahead and make the attempt before I get too busy. Please enjoy!

………………………………

Returning after an evening of guard duty, Nymphadora Tonks fully intended to enjoy all the waking minutes she had left in her with the man she knew was waiting for her in her flat.

The minute she cracked the door, before a greeting could leave her lips, gentle snores warned her to be quiet.

He's asleep.

Smiling like an idiot, and with uncharacteristic stealth, she slowly closing the door behind her and tiptoed into her flat. He had fallen asleep reading, if the open book on the floor was any indication, and was currently stretched out over her couch.

It was quite charming.

After quietly removing her robes, she decided to slip in alongside his sleeping form, careful not to wake him.

Yet.

As she tucked herself against him, his hand unconsciously found its way to her back, and she nestled down next to his sleeping form. She grinned against his shoulder, reveling in this new, intimate position. She didn't dare move anymore because she knew, if he woke now, he'd give her a flustered look, start to sit up, and apologize for falling asleep on her.

None of which she wanted.

It didn't matter that she couldn't move anyways. Having not yet spent a night in his company, she was simply pleased to be allowed to enjoy his deep breaths against her and the unguarded look on his face.

At least she was for a few minutes.

Eventually, the feeling of his hand against her back and the proximity of his face to hers caused the desire to have him awake next to her began to outweigh the joys of watching him sleep.

Hesitating slightly, she closed the distance between their mouths. She knew that when it came to things about their relationship he had a tendency to talk too damn much; so as she drew her lips across his, she fully expected that within a few minutes of kissing he'd be sitting up, moving away, and offering her tea.

So when he responded to her kiss with unchecked passion, without so much as a warning that he had woken up, she had almost tumbled off the couch.

A strong hand wrapped around her back and gently pressed her closer to him as he smiled at her gasp of surprise.

"Careful." His voice was deeper than she had remembered it ever being. Taking advantage of her still open mouth, he leaned over and tugged her lower lip gently into his mouth before releasing it and capturing her whole mouth with his, "Welcome home."

She glared at him, despite the kiss, "How long were you awake?"

A far too innocent look crossed his features, "Not too long." He smirked at her as his hand cupped her face; thumb stroking lightly by her ear, "Just since you opened the door."

Pulling back from him in indignation, she slipped over the edge of the couch. Cursing, she grabbed his arm to stay on the couch. Once settled, she shook her head, "I'm afraid I'm going to fall off this thing." A pleasant shudder ran through her as his hand that was holding her on the couch automatically tightened its grip protectively.

He chuckled, "You? Never." He suddenly pulled them both to a sitting position before moving to get off the couch. He grasped her hand and helped her to her feet. A large hand found the small of her back as he pulled her in for another kiss.

"Kiss me like that again and standing won't be any better," she teased.

Expecting him to head towards the kitchen, she began to pull back. Before she could take a step, however, he bent down and his arms drifted under her bottom. Suddenly, he lifted her off the ground, and her legs and arms wrapped themselves around him to balance.

His eyes locked with hers, "We'll go somewhere a little safer then."

Her mouth fell open at his bold move. "You're not going to offer me tea?"

He stopped, looking up at her, his brow furrowed, "Would you like some?"

Laughing at the genuine consternation on his face, she placed a kiss on his forehead, "If we're going where I hope we're going, I'm perfectly fine without any."

An eyebrow quirked on his forehead under her lips, the corners of his mouth rising, "And where exactly do you think we're going?"

Pursing her lips at his impudent tone, she leaned her mouth next to his ear, voice dropping to a seductive whisper, "My bedroom."

The sudden, palpable tension in the room effectively killed whatever retort he had planned. His tongue ran over his lips, "Whatever you say, darling."

While he navigated them down her hallway she indulged herself in watching him. The red flush of his cheeks, his dilated pupils, strong set of his jaw; if she hadn't been so sure she'd hurt them both she would have made him stop right where they were; the bedroom be damned.

As if feeling her impatience, his eyes flickered to hers, "We're almost there."

The desire in his eyes and the tightening of his hands on her hips made her unsure if that was a reassurance for her or him.

Using her to edge open the door, Remus carried her into the room.

He gazed around at the clutter over the floor and chairs as they made their way to the bed, a sly grin breaking across his features, "Ah, I always knew you'd have a …"

She pressed a finger against his lips before he could finish, "Continue that thought and you can put me down right now, Remus Lupin."

He smiled wider and gave a little nod as he continued to walk towards the bed. Stopping at the edge, he looked up at her, "I knew you'd have a messy room." He brushed a kiss to her lips to silence her retort, "Don't worry, I'll put you down right now."

As she was about to hit him, she abruptly dropped her arm as their eyes met.

Nymphadora Tonks had never considered herself a sexy woman. Attractive, amusing, desirable—sure, she could believe those. Sexy, however, made her think of a gracefulness and control she didn't possess.

The look in his eyes as he put her down, however, discredited all of those thoughts.

Setting her down on the side of the bed, he let his fingers linger over her thighs as he let

go. As his hand moved to stroke her cheek, she grabbed his hand, emboldened and impatient, "Come here, you." She tugged him firmly to her, his hands falling to either side of her as he steadied himself against the mattress.

Tilting forward, she barely touched his lips with hers before scooting herself away on the bed, just out of his reach. A moan of frustration escaped his lips as he followed after her.

Teasing kiss after teasing kiss, she slowly scooted herself back on the bed as he crawled onto it after her. Finally, a hand against her thigh halted her progress as long fingers trailed from her hip to her calf. The other hand came around the back of her head as he held her still to deepen the kiss.

Instantly, the hand around her calf lifted it high in the air. Knocked off balance, she fell backwards to the mattress, the hand behind her head guiding its fall to the bed.

Flat on her back, one leg now wrapped around him, her mouth opened in shock. She struggled to sit up but his hand held her leg securely against him, his weight resting gently between her legs.

It was intoxicating.

He breathed against her ear, "Its not nice to tease, Nymphadora."

Rolling her eyes, she reached up and cupped the sides of his face, "Fine, then, kiss me."

Somehow both intense desire and brazen intent shone back at her, "No." Her eyes widened as fingers trailed lightly back up from her calf, skimmed over her waist, brushed against the side of her breast, over her neck and across her pulse, and finally came to rest against her jawbone. One finger ran over her lips, tracing their swollen outline, "Not yet."

Lips lowered towards her and she automatically tried to bring hers to them. A gentle finger stopped her.

Moving past her mouth, not touching her, his lips passed over her jaw, her neck, and, as he pushed back the material of her shirt, they lingered over her collarbone. The warm air tingled against her skin and she found herself straining upwards to feel his lips against her. Yet each time she arched her back; he managed to move just out of reach.

She found it difficult to make any coherent sound as he continued back up her neck, "I've learned…" Her breath hitched as he blew warm air against her neck, right behind her ear, "lesson…"

"Hmmm." He sat back and pulled her up with him so they sat facing each other on the bed, him kneeling between her legs, "Good," he nuzzled her neck, "because I couldn't keep that up much longer." He let fingers slide over her cheek as he leaned in and finally kissed her; their tongues meeting, her hands twisting in his hair, his moving down her back to the hem of her shirt.

Slowly, warm hands slid under the shirt and over her bare waist, pushing her shirt farther up. Thumbs brushed across her ribcage as he kissed her, higher against her…

She impulsively reached down to help pull off her shirt, struggling with suddenly inept fingers, "Bugger it!" She twisted around in her sleeve, trying to untangle it from her withdrawing arm, "I can't get it off…" She jerked her arm, trying to get it loose, and barely missed connecting with Remus' face.

Ducking out of the way of her errant arm, he grabbed her struggling hands, "Here." With a firm pull, the shirt released her.

Taking the shirt from him and throwing it towards the floor she gave a small grimace, "I almost hit you, sorry about that."

He caught her face in his hands, "Don't apologize to me." One hand trailed down and wrapped around her waist as he placed a kiss against her bared shoulder, "I wouldn't have you any other way."

She gave a little giggle and wrapped her hands around his neck, "Smooth line, you."

He leaned in to kiss her again, hands moving behind her to undo the clasp of her bra.

"Not so fast, Lupin." She twisted herself out of his grip, swiftly backing away, "Its my turn to take something off you." She backed up another scoot, grinning, "Its only fair."

As she moved even further back, his eyes suddenly widened, "Dora…" He moved towards her, arms reaching to grab her legs.

She yanked them closer to her, "Nope." Laughing, she reached behind her to scoot herself back.

And disappeared over the edge.

Her back hit the floor, legs flying up and resting against the bed at a right angle to the rest of her body, arms flung out on either side in a vain attempt to break her fall.

The rustle of sheets broke the silence after her fall as Remus climbed off the other side of the bed, quickly moving around to her.

Tenderly, he raised her off the floor and sat her up. Crouching in front of her, he felt the back of her head for a bump, "Are you alright?"

She pursed her lips. Avoiding his eyes, she glanced at the corner of the room, "Physically, yes."

His brow furrowed, "And otherwise?"

She rolled her eyes, "Fine, I suppose." She clutched at the bedpost and drew herself up alongside him.

His hands caught hers, "I believe it was your turn." He brought her hands to the edge of his sweater.

Her fingers didn't move, "You sure? The way things are going I'll knock you off the bed next." Irritated, she tried to move away.

He moved close to her, not letting of her hands, and ducking his head down to look into her eyes, "If it would make you feel better, we can make love on the floor."

Her eyes snapped up to his. After a long moment of searching, her mouth split into a grin.

Her fingers closed firmly over the material of his sweater and she pulled it swiftly over his head. His button down quickly followed, joining her shirt amongst the clothes already around them. His arms wrapped around her, skin pressing against skin, as she let his fingers unclasp and pull away her bra.

He held her close as he walked her backwards towards the bed; dropping light kisses along her shoulder and collarbone. His hand reached down between them to unbutton her jeans. One hand still on her back, he pushed them down, drawing her underwear with them, and helped her step out of them. Releasing her, he removed his own before settling them back on the bed.

Moving them deliberately to the middle of the bed, he positioned himself over her. One hand reached down between her legs, gently pushing them to either side, and slowly brushing against her.

She moaned, "I believe we've waited long enough." Her hips rose upwards against his hand.

Wordlessly, fingers trailed back up her body, brushing her breast, before grabbing her chin to tilt her face to his.

His eyes catching hers, he moved inside her, one hand beside her head bracing him against the bed.

As he began to move he lowered his face to her neck, fervently kissing the tender skin. Moving against him, she turned her head to kiss the arm beside it, fingers scratching down his back, feet pressing into the back of his hips.

His hand released her chin and pushed the hair out of her face as it moved to press into the mattress. Gradually, he lowered himself to his elbows as he slowed his pace, "Dora, look at me." His voice echoed in her ear as she turned and locked eyes with him. As he moved slowly in her he whispered, "Can you see how breathtaking you are to me?"

………

A few minutes later when he slid off of her, settling down against her, she drew the sheets around them. She sighed as she buried her face against his chest.

Pressing a kiss to her temple, he leaned to murmur in her ear, "You aren't going to fall off in your sleep, are you?"