A/N: This story is slightly AU as Tonks survived, however other than that it mostly follows cannon if we disregard the epilogue, of course.
Two shards of a broken heart
The scorching beams of the glorious Sun streamed through the unwilling darkness of her soul. Today was the day she would be acknowledging the loss of all: her mind, body and soul. Yet, there was this desire to maintain control over her overwhelming emotions; perhaps, it was for the sake of her tiny child, whose innocent existence lay in the safety of her arms, unaware of the tragedy that had befallen his already incomplete family.
There was a humble sweetness in the way her broken heart ached for the one person who had remained forever unattainable to her. She had loved him with all her heart and he had rejected her; she had vowed to cherish him and he had distanced her from his heart if not his shell; but most of all she had dreamed to live with him forever and he had ruthlessly abandoned her by mating with the ever horrible emptiness of the inevitable.
"Tonks," she tried to blink away the treacherous tears, which threatened to leave the caged haven of her eyes. Someone coughed uncomfortably and tried to clear his throat. "Tonks?" there was a strange uncertainty evident in his voice and the pain that gripped his tone tore through her heart, but she refused to look up, she refused to acknowledge his presence.
He took a deep breath and gently placed himself in the empty seat next to her, as if any rapid or aggressive movement may provide the spark for the fire of her wrath to break loose.
"I..." his voice faltered and he cleared his throat again. "I know that whatever I may have to say to you, Tonks, it is probably going to sound like a bunch of empty words. I realise that I cannot possibly understand what you are feeling right now, but still there is this desperate voice at the back of my head, which keeps on nagging me that I absolutely need to say something, to offer comfort." Blatancy and honesty readily mixed with confusion and the result was a perhaps a most unpleasant ointment for her wounded heart.
"I don't need anyone to console me!" she bit out nastily. Every fibre of her being was aware that he was only trying to be kind, but alas, she didn't want anyone's kindness, because the very thought of their motives branded upon her heart the sign of her loss, screaming that she should admit it, believe it, accept it; but... but he was somehow different, and this recognition was almost deplorable.
"I know," he hesitated and then added ruefully. "I am not doing this to console you, Tonks. I... I..." he seemed to be at a loss for words as his eyes mirrored the hurt which lay within his own shattered heart. "I need to do this for myself, to... to... console myself. I..." A small sob left his averse mouth and so he turned his gaze away adopting the silence of the sky and the earth.
They sat in silence as a number of people came and went, some saying things they didn't mean and others meaning things that they didn't say. No one accept a humble few could truly grieve the death of a vicious werewolf and even less could say good things about him. She was glad that she was one of those privileged few, but what filled her bleeding heart with extraordinary warmth and comfort was that the person sitting next to her was another. Tears flooded her cheeks and she furiously hid her face away in the blankets enveloping her dear son.
A chilly breeze blew defying the heat of the blazing sun that only she seemed to burn under and slowly almost painfully she turned her gaze towards the tombstone that lay erected on that precious piece of soil.
RIP
Remus John Lupin
Beloved husband and father
(18th June 1960 – 20th March 1998)
