Tonks didn't want this to happen. Wait she did. No, the rejection would be too much for her to bear. But he'd already rejected her. She had already endured rejection off him and so she could manage it again. After all, it wasn't as if she had coped well with it. She tugged on a lock of mouse brown hair that she remained unable to transform into something more lively and groaned. She might as well go.
Remus was waiting for her in the Three Broomsticks and had managed to secure a table. His expression was grim, hair lank and face looked even more weary than usual. When he saw her his lips pulled up in an obviously forced smile that Tonks instantly returned causing his face to set back into their lines of misery.
"Wotcher," she greeted with a nod of the head as she drew closer.
"Tonks," he replied. She realised that he wasn't in a rush to say anything else and so she pulled the chair back in order to sit on it but presently knocked it over. Cheeks flushing red she picked it up and sat down on it. Great, the whole pub was looking at her now which was just what she wanted for this confrontation. Instead of meeting the many curious eyes, she turned her head to face Remus who pushed a butterbeer in her direction.
"Thanks," she said as she took a swig. It was warm and she could feel it as it trickled down her throat, warming her insides but they still remained cold and she knew that only one thing would warm her again.
She saw that Remus was staring at her over his own butterbeer. He had left it full, choosing not to drink any of the hot substance and seemed to be making a hard decision about something as he watched her.
"Just say it." Oops, she didn't mean to say that out loud, it had slipped out.
"Say what?" he looked puzzled.
"Tell me that we can't be more than friends. Tell me you don't love me. That's why you brought me here so just get it over with." She was getting angry.
"Only one of those statements is true," he said softly, looking away. Tonks looked up shocked.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean that we cannot be more than friends," he told her. Tonks' mind was reeling. If what he was saying was true then he hadn't brought her here to reject her and he—no Tonks, don't think about that. "I love you," Remus whispered, his voice genuine and Tonks felt her heart stop for a moment.
"Then why?" she asked.
"Because you do not deserve me.
"Give me a chance," she pleaded.
"I'm fed up of arguing with you Tonks, it tears me up inside." So he felt like that too.
"Then give me a chance." Remus nodded the slightest of nods and leaned in towards her. Tonks leaned forwards and the next minute they were kissing. It was beautiful and perfect and Tonks dreaded the moment when they had to pull away. Everything has to end though and when it did Remus sighed.
"I've wanted to do that for a long time."
"Me too!" Then Tonks caught sight of her reflection in the knife on the table and almost fell over in shock. Her hair was pink again! She grinned at Remus who smiled back. Then he took her hand and looked into her beautiful eyes.
"I love you," he told her again and any doubts that were left in her mind vanished. He was being genuine and she loved him for it.