A/N: I didn't have time to write a Christmas story, no inspiration either. But I still started writing, now, it's a new years story. I hope you like it. Remus/Tonks OneShot!
Disclaimer: I do NOT own any of the characters from this story. They're all property of the wonderful JK Rowling. I'm just a huge fan!
Timeline: This is the new year of book 5. Which means, Sirius is still alive, Dumbledore also. Harry, Ron and Hermione are in they're 5th year. Well, you can think up the rest I think.
"How can anyone walk on these things?!" Tonks screamed out while walking down the stairs. "Aaah!" Her cry of pain was followed by a loud Kabeng as she fell the last few steps down.
"Nymphadore darling, are you alright?" Andromeda came running down the hallway and gasped when she saw her daughter lying at the bottom of the stairs.
"Yeah, m'okay mum. I just skipped the last steps." Tonks rubbed her back as her mother helped her upright.
Andromeda stepped back and looked at her daughter in awe. "Oh sweetie, you look dazzling." She said with a broad smile on her face. "I there a special man you dress up for?" she had always wanted her daughter to find a nice guy and start a family, but Tonks had never showed any particular interest for someone.
"There's no one" Tonks answered in an annoyed tone. She always hated getting ready at her parent's house, but when her mother had taken her out shopping and bought her a new dress she couldn't refuse.
She walked up to the mirror and admired her own appearance. She looked indeed gorgeous. Her hair was a bright shade of bubblegum pink like always but she wore a long sleeveless, deep purple dress and black shoes with high heels that were killing her.
It was maybe a bit much for the order's new year's party but she would make an unforgettable impression, she was sure of that.
---
Tonks knocked on the door of Grimmauld Place number 12. She heard some noise inside and then the door creaked open and Sirius peaked trough. "Sssssh" he hissed, pointing at his mother's portrait. He let her in and walked out before her to the kitchen.
Tonks followed him carefully, trying not to trip over the seam of her dress. But then the inevitable happened. The umbrella stand stood in her way and she felt the ground disappear under her feet as she heard the unmistakable CLASH of the troll's leg hitting the ground.
The next thing she knew were two strong arms closing around her waist to keep her from falling also.
"Careful Nymphadora, mind your step." Lupin's voice whispered by her ear.
"It's Tonks, but thank you" She regained her balance and smiled back at him. She looked in his eyes and for the first time it hit her how handsome he was. He turned to walk away but not before he had said: "You look even more beautiful than ever." Her face flushed a light shade of pink but he was already walking towards the kitchen.
---
She also walked into the kitchen and everybody stumbled over each other to say how wonderful she looked. She smiled and nodded but not one of the compliments came close to how she had felt when Remus had said it.
"Yes dear, you look very pretty. But you're late again and dinner is getting cold." Ms. Weasley called and clapped in her hands. "Dinner everyone!"
A big table had been placed in the living room and candles floated overhead. Everybody sat down and Tonks found herself sitting next to Sirius and Dumbledore and that she was facing Remus.
Through the rest of dinner she couldn't help but look at him time after time. Her own feelings surprised her. Could she be in love with this man. She had never felt like this before, she had dated a lot of men, but this was… different. Why hadn't she noticed him before?
She saw Dumbledore standing up to give a speech and teared her gaze from Remus to the Hogwart's headmaster.
"Let me start by saying it's 9 o'clock. That's still 3 hours from the new year, but I'd like to give my happy new year's wishes to everybody here. I'll make this short, for I know you're all like my student's, you're not very patient."
In a far corner Madeye Moody grumbled but no one paid any attention to him.
"For the new year I wish you all the best. Let there be a little more peace, a little more equality, but most of all, a little more love! Let everyone live there life to the fullest, especially with a war coming up. To LOVE!" He finished and Tonks took her glass like the rest to toast. "To LOVE!" the whole room echoed and when Tonks looked at Remus during the last word, she noticed he had been looking at her too.
---
With a sweep of his wand Sirius cleaned up the whole table and made it disappear in midair. "Let's dance!" he called out while music started to play. "It's Muggle music," he explained quickly when he saw various confused faces, "I'm a big fan of Muggle bands like Led Zeppelin and Queen. There songs are great!"
At first nobody dared to dance but an hour later only Tonks and Remus were still sitting at the side. Dumbledore was dancing with McGonnagol, Harry was dancing with Ginny and Ron with Hermione. Even Madeye was doing an effort.
When the next song started, Lupin gathered all his courage and walked up to the woman with the bubblegum pink hair. He stretched out his hand, "Would you care to dance Nymphadora"
"Remus? I really can't… I'm so clumsy and…"
"I am perfectly aware of the risks"
He took her hand in his and pulled her up. She followed him to the dance floor and laid her arms around his neck. They slowly floated over the floor and both flushed when they heard the refrain.
Can anybody find me, somebody to love
It sounded so true, so right. He softly pulled her closer and she rested her head against his shoulder. The song ended a lot sooner than they'd want. She pulled away but he took her hand. "Let's get out of here, no one will notice"
They walked into the garden together and Tonks felt that her hand was still laying in his.
---
They just sat together on the garden bench, leaning against each other, satisfied by just sitting there. From inside they heard the rest of the Order Members counting the last seconds of the year away
"FIVE, FOUR, THREE, TWO, ONE" the whole house seemed to cheer.
"Happy New year Nymphadora" Remus whispered and softly brushed her lips with his.
Her breath seemed to stop and her heart made a flutter.
"Happy New year Remus" she whispered back and pushed her lips back against his.
"Let it be a year full of love"
A/N: We all know that it would take a while before they are really together. But let this be a start.
I wish you all a happy new year. Let it be a year full of love!