Dead. Dumbledore. Dead.

The words scream in my mind like a banshee. I stare at a tile on the floor of the hospital wing not seeing as Tonks' footsteps slowly fade in the distance.

Dead. Dumbledore. Dead.

A gentle hand on my shoulder snaps my mind back to the gentle murmur of conversations around me.

"Your false sense of nobility is going to cost you that girl, Remus. If you think you'll ever find someone to love you like she does then you're a fool."

"She doesn't know what she's getting into. She can't know or else she wouldn't care for me. I would be nothing but a burden on her. Financially, emotionally, physically. I'm a werewolf, Molly. A dark creature."

"You're no more a dark creature than Bill lying on that bed. She doesn't see you as just a werewolf, Remus. She sees you for who you truly are. A smart, strong, kind man who would rather die than hurt a single person. You're no monster, Remus, or Dumbledore wouldn't have put so much trust and faith in you all these years.", says McGonagall.

I finally look up to see McGonagall staring at me with pursed lips.

"I'm sorry Professor, but you're being an idiot." Harry. Leave it to him to get straight to the root of the problem.

"You don't understand, Harry. You're just a child.", I reply, moving my eyes back to the floor.

"Just a child? I just watched Dumbledore die at the hands of a man he trusted. I've fought Voldemort single handedly. I lost my parents, your friends, when I was a baby. I'm only here because of love, Professor. I'd be long dead if it wasn't for love, so don't tell me I don't understand."

I look at Harry and I know he's right. He's lost more than anyone in this room and yet he's not afraid of loving someone. Flashes of Nymphadora run through my mind. Stolen glances, the brushing of our bodies in the hallways of Grimmauld Place, nights on Order watch. Sirius told me not to be such a git.

Sirius. Dead.

The memory of the day after Sirius' death replays in my mind. I woke up on the sofa in Grimmauld place and walked up to Sirius' room. Tonks was lying on the bed crying silently for the cousin that was stolen from her. She looked at me and sobbed harder. I walked over to the bed and laid down beside her, letting her cry on my chest. We both slept for hours. Hard, deep, grieving sleep. I looked over at her lying beside me and watched her as she slowly opened her eyes. God she was beautiful. I wanted nothing but to be with her. Never let her go. She smiled faintly and looked at me. I kissed her lips softly and immediately pulled away. I was shocked at what I'd just done. My best friend, our best friend, had just died hours before and here I was kissing her in his bed. What was wrong with me? She touched my cheek and kissed me full force, a single tear rolling down her face.

"We shouldn't.", I said.

"Please, Remus. You're all I have.", she said.

I kissed her back without thinking. All the love and grief that was on my heart was poured into her. I knew I was going to take it too far but loving her was all I could think about. This was going to make it harder to leave. It was going to be hard enough without complicating it with sex, but I didn't care at that moment. I wanted her forever. Always.

"Go after her, Remus. You're wasting precious time denying yourself. You're worthy of her, Remus. Go.", says Arthur, shaking me from my reverie.

I get up without thinking. The next thing I know I'm standing outside her door. I hesitate to knock but Sirius' voice echoes in my mind, "stop being a git, Remus, and love that woman." I knock softly and hear her walk towards the door.

"Who is it?"

"It's me. I want to talk to you."

"Why? Have you come to tell me I'm being stupid? How you're not worthy of me? I'm sick of hearing it, Remus. Just go."

"That's not what I've come to say. Open the door, Nymphadora."

I hear clicks as she unlocks the door and quiet murmurs of charms. Her face is streaked with tears and my heart aches because I know I've caused them. I never wanted to make her cry. Her happiness is everything and I've done nothing but make her miserable.

She sees the panic and concern on my face and looks me directly in the eye.

"Don't chicken out now, Remus. Come in and say what you will."

I walk inside the door and she closes it behind me. She walks around me and sits on the couch.

"Come. Sit.", she says.

I walk over and sit on the chair opposite her and stare at my hands.

"Spill it. I haven't got all day. There's a war going on, you know."

I look up at her and I know right then that this will be the first day of the rest of my life.

"I love you, Nymphadora."

"So you've said."

"No. No I haven't. I've been a complete arse about this. Sirius told me not to be so stupid. I should've listened. I've been wasting my time and yours by trying to protect you from me. I realize now how ridiculous that was, thanks to Harry."

"Harry? It took a 16 year old to make you see sense?"

I chuckled softly. "I guess you could say that. I want to be with you, Dora. I've wanted to be with you since the moment I met you."

"Remus."

"Yes?"

"Are you going to say all this and then get cold feet tomorrow and leave again?"

"No. I want to stay right here, with you, from now until the day I die."

"Okay then. Tea?"

"What?"

"Tea. Would you like some?"

"Um, sure. Tea would be great."

I watch her walk to the kitchen to make the tea unsure of what just happened. She returns a few moments later carefully carrying the tray of tea.

"So, what exactly just happened?", I say, confused by her nonchalant manner.

"What do you mean?", she replies.

"What happens now?"

"Well, Remus, right now we're going to drink our tea."

"I mean between us. Where do we go from here?"

She looks at me with a smirk behind her cup and says, "I was thinking the bedroom, but if you're not up for it I understand."

I look at her in shock and amusement, color rushing to my cheeks.

"Are you okay?", she says, voice tinged with laughter.

"I'm up for it.", was all I could think to say.