Wakefulness.
Disclaimer: No, I don't own it,. It all belongs to J.K Rowling. Savvy?


"Would you stop moving! I'm trying to sleep!" Tonks cried exasperatedly. For the umpteenth time that night she rolled over, adjusted her pillows and tried to get to sleep. Grumbling she looked at Remus who was blissfully asleep, sprawled out and snoring quietly.

Of course he's sleeping, he doesn't have to deal with a little devil kicking him in the bladder every five seconds! Tonks thought bitterly to herself. She briefly considered pinching him just so he could be awake and suffer with her but decided against it. He'd been looking tired and drawn, more so than usual and with the full moon only a week away he'd need his strength. Without the Wolfsbane potion Moony had grown restless and more aggressive.
Every full moon he worried that he'd somehow escape from the heavily warded shed on the edge of their property. Every full moon she'd tell him things would be fine. It was only when she could hear the howling and the thudding as Moony threw himself against the shed's walls that she worried.
They're just wooden walls.

Shaking her head to dispel the thoughts Tonks turned to the problem at hand.
Sleep. Well, the lack of it rather.

Groaning she heaved herself up and off the bed. She pushed her feet into the tattered tartan slippers beside the bed and grabbed her wand from the bedside table before waddling down the hallway to the kitchen.
Even walking was getting difficult now, with the baby due in a number of days every step was heavy and uncomfortable. Her ankles, now swollen to twice their original size protested against the weight of her body.
Pity I can't just levitate myself to the kitchen and back she thought to herself.

Once in the kitchen she plonked herself down into one of the rickety chairs, sighing with relief. With a quick flourish of her wand the kettle was boiling, the milk flew out of the fridge, a cup and saucer clumsily clattered onto the bench and a tin of biscuits made its way over to the table. Yum, choc chip.

It was only when the kettle let out a pierce whistle that she remember Remus was still asleep.
Oh bollocks.
Red faced she waited for him to make his way to the kitchen. She felt guilty, not only had she woken him from what looked like an extremely blissful slumber, she'd also made him worry. With Voldemort and his followers gaining strength and power as every second ticked by they were constantly on edge. Wondering if today would be the day that they were found and killed. Tonks' hand instinctively flew to her stomach at the thought.

"Who's there?" he demanded, suddenly appearing in the doorway. His voice still sounded like he was half asleep but his eyes were alert and his wand was pointed at her chest.
"It's me Remus, I couldn't sleep. The little bruiser was playing Quidditch, apparently my bladder makes a pretty good Bludger."
"Oh." He replied lowering his wand and walking into the kitchen. He looked around the room, confused. "Why on on earth are you sitting in the dark?"

The questioned stumped her. She hadn't actually realised that she hadn't turned on any of the lights, she hadn't even lit up her wand.

"...I don't know. I didn't think to turn on the light." she sighed rubbing her head.
With a sigh and the gentle flick of his wand the room was bathed in soft light. Looking up, Tonks realised he'd lit all of the candles that sat scattered on the various surfaces of the room. He sunk down into the chair beside her and let his head drop onto her shoulder.
"I'm exhausted." he sighed.

"So am I. I didn't realise pregnancy would be so tiring."

"It would be different... if we weren't in the middle of a war."

"I suppose so."

And with that they fell into a comfortable silence, bathed in the flickering glow of the candles.

"Do you want a cup of tea?" Tonks asked meekly, still feeling guilty about waking Remus up.
"That'd be nice, I'll boil the kettle in a moment I just need to..."

"Oh no no no! It's already boiled I just have to fill the tea cups." Eagerly Tonks jabbed her want at the kettle which leapt off the bench, slopping water in every direction.

"Oops."

"Let me do it."

Slowly hauling himself to his feet Remus went about making the tea, leaving Tonks to sit sheepishly at the table and twist her plain wedding ring round her finger as she wished that things were simpler.
That there was no war, no reason for the man she loved to be so tired and drawn, no reason for her to think that the little baby growing in her womb might grow up not knowing who their parents are or what they looked like.

It was with difficulty she cast these thoughts aside and accepted the cup from Remus.

Things will work out... They have to.