Tonks came storming in to Grimmauld Place; she was sick to the back teeth of Remus' excuses and she wouldn't put herself through that any longer. "I'm too old" he'd said "I'm too poor" it's all just lame excuses and now she would forget about him and put her energy in to something much more productive.

As she ran up the stairs she caught her foot on a step and fell on to her hand and felt pain running through her arm. Instead of getting up and moving all she could do was sit where she'd fallen and cryied; she didn't deserve this.

"Tonks dear, what's the matter?" Molly Weasley was standing at the bottom of the stairs and staring at her.

"Oh nothing I fell over again it's nothing I'll be up in a minute." Tonks put on her best smile trying to hide the tears running down her cheeks. Which was easier said than done under the watchful eye of Molly Weasley, even in the dark.

"Absolute rubbish what is the matter?" Molly slowly lowered herself on to the step next to Tonks.

"Remus really doesn't love me." Tonks started to cry again.

"Sweetheart the man is a fool, but that doesn't mean you should give up. He will come around eventually but he's just used to his own little world. He needs a few pushes in the right direction and then he'll see the light."

"I've tried, I really have, but nothing seems to work. He keeps giving me these terrible excuses and I don't think I have the energy to giving him these little pokes."

"Honey, sleep on it a little bit and come up with a new plan because Remus does like you he just needs a few pushes." Molly pulled in Tonks for a big hug. "Now, I really need to go to bed because keeping this house clean is a very tiring job and I need some rest."

"Ok thank you Molly." Despite Molly's best intentions Tonks didn't feel any more positive about the situation with Remus. She thought she was stubborn but Remus Lupin took it to another level and it was more than she could bear.

"Right Tonks let's get up, brush yourself off and make a wonderful cup of tea." Tonks spoke to herself; nothing cheered her up more than a hot cup of tea. With a little bit of effort she got herself off the step and made her way down to the kitchen. In there she found Remus who had obviously snuck in without her noticing. She couldn't even look at him so she just headed over to the stove where there was already a pot of hot water sitting on the ring.

Tonks went to pick up the pot to pour the water in to a mug she had just gotten from the overhanging cupboard. As she did the pain in the arm she'd fallen on sprang up again and she yelped while dropping the pot on to the floor.

"Oh my God Tonks are you OK?" Remus ran over to help a wobbling Tonks on to a chair.

"Yes I'm fine you know just being clumsy." Tonks still had the argument ringing in her ears despite Remus' kindness. Leaving her propped up against the table Remus cleared the mess that now covered the kitchen floor. Tonks sat watching him clean the water off the floor and thinking how hard it was going to be getting over Remus when she had to see him every day.

"Remus, I don't think I can be friends with you anymore." She suddenly blurted out; Remus stopped what he was doing and turned to face her.

"What do you mean?"

"You clearly don't want to be with me, but I am in love with you. I can't carry on like this and the only way I can get over you is to not see you, ever." Tonks could feel the tears welling up in the corners of her eyes again.

"That's not fair you can't do this." Remus picked himself off the floor.

"Don't tell me what to do, although you might not think so, I am a grown woman and I can do what I like. It is not fair that I have to work with you and see you every day knowing that you don't feel the same way about me as I do you. I am going to ask Dumbledore if he has any missions I can go on so I can have something to focus all my efforts in to." Tonks stood up and started to walk to the door.

"What about your job in the Ministry and all your friends and family?"

"The Ministry job I will just give up and I'm sure my family will miss me, but this is something I need to do." Remus tried to follow her as she left the room. "Please leave me alone Remus; you know what's unfair? You thinking that you can reject me like that but still think that we could be friends too."

"I'm sorry." Remus looked down towards his shoes.

"I'm going to talk to Dumbledore in the morning so I'll be out of your hair soon." Tonks left up the stairs, this time staying on her feet, and going to bed. She felt, as she lay on her bed, that a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders. The following morning she went straight to Hogwarts and Dumbledore's office.

"Sherbet lemons." She smiled as she said it, she loved Dumbledore's sense of fun and humour.

"Ah, Miss Tonks please come and sit what can I do you for?"

"I was wondering if you had any missions you need someone for. I really want to get out in to the field you know I feel I am not using my full potential at the Ministry." She lied slightly.

"Are you sure about this? You know that these field jobs are very dangerous and you will be dodging enemies all the time."

"Yes I am certain, I really want to be put to more use."

"Well I have the perfect job for you; Charlie Weasley has been discussing his suspicions with me about some of him neighbours. I need you to go over and infiltrate them so we can determine if they are a threat. You can use your Metamorphosis powers to disguise yourself and Charlie will relay any information you find back to me."

"Thank you so much Dumbledore, I won't disappoint you." Tonks smiled and stood up.

"Come and meet me here at midnight in two days with your luggage, but don't bring too much. You can go then and make sure you tie up the loose ends at Ministry so there aren't any suspicions about your leaving." Tonks was happy now she had something to take her mind off Remus and she would be reunited with her best-friend Charlie.

The two days after the meeting with Dumbledore flew past as she said goodbye to her friends and family. They were all sad to see her go but they supported her and couldn't wait to see her when she'd finished the job. At 11:30 she had everything packed to apparate to Hogsmead and walk the small trek to the Castle gates. Dumbledore would meet her there and give her the information she needed before she left for Romania.

"Tonks do you really have to go?" Sirius said, "It's been nice having one of the few sane members of my family around the house."

"Don't worry I will be back as soon as I can." She hugged Sirius tightly. The only person she had left to say goodbye to was Remus who was now standing on his own after they had gone back in to the house.

"Tonks you know you don't have to go, there are plenty of things you can do here."

"I already told you I need to forget you if I want to get on with my life." Normally at this stage Tonks would be a complete mess, but knowing she would have a few months without him meant she was much calmer than normal.

"I don't want you to forget me; I don't think I will cope without you." Remus took a couple of steps towards Tonks so he was only standing inches away from her. "The thing is I've had these past couple of days to think about life without you and I do love you."

"Sorry what?" Tonks was lost for words at the declaration.

"I love you Tonks I know I gave you all these excuses but they were just because I was afraid. Now that you're going I've had to overcome that fear and I really don't want you to leave."

"I'm sorry but I can't back out of it know so I have to go and Dumbledore will be waiting for me." Tonks couldn't believe that he had chosen this time to proclaim his love.

"Can we be together when you come back?"

"Of course we can but you can't make any more excuses." Relieved that Tonks hadn't rejected him like he had rejected her Remus pulled Tonks in for a kiss. He couldn't believe how good it felt with her lips on him, how could he have ever survived life without this?

"I will see you when I get back just don't forget about me." Tonks smiled and apparated from the front garden. Remus was now left in the garden with nothing but the taste of Tonks' lips lingering on his. He almost fell over when Tonks reappeared right in front of him.

"I think I need one more of those before I go." Tonks grabbed Remus in for another before she apparated mid-kiss.