Title: A Quiet Moment
Author: CosmicalMadison
Summary: After an exhausting mission for the Order of the Phoenix, Lupin spends a quiet moment with Tonks.
Setting: During Order of the Phoenix
Rating: K
Genre: Romance, angst
Pairing: Lupin/Tonks
Author's Note: I'm a relatively new Harry Potter fan and this is my first fanfic in the genre, so please be kind in reviewing.

Remus Lupin was exhausted, but the thing he wanted most at the moment wasn't sleep. No, the one thing that could refresh him now more than that was finally getting back to headquarters and seeing the love of his life.

He reached the now-familiar square and moved across it to the space between Numbers Ten and Fourteen, Grimmauld Place. Concentrating on the note Albus Dumbledore had given him months before, he waited until Number Twelve slowly faded into view, then walked up and rapped on the door.

Footsteps sounded in the entryway, and a moment later the door was cracked open. Molly Weasley's anxious brown eyes peered out. "Oh, Remus!" she exclaimed upon recognizing him and flung open the door.

He entered, giving her a tired smile and polite nod. "Evening, Molly."

"Were you successful?" she asked urgently. "Did it work?"

"Yes," he answered distractedly, gazing toward the stairs. "Everything is in place."

Molly's grin widened. "Excellent. I'll call those members we can for a meeting of the Order tomorrow to discuss it." Seeing where his gaze was resting, she added, "Now that you're here, I'm off to bed. Tonks is in her room."

"Thanks, Molly," Remus said to her retreating back. He headed for the stairs. Three floors up, having successfully passed Sirius's mother without disturbing her, he stopped outside the third door on the right. For a moment, he considered knocking, but decided against it. Though Tonks would have known he was arriving tonight, she wouldn't have been aware of the exact time, and he wanted to surprise her. He pushed the door open and stopped short.

The room was totally dark, and at first he thought Molly must have been mistaken, that it was empty. As his eyes adjusted, however, he spotted a figure standing silhouetted in front of the room's only window and facing away from him. It was Tonks.

Remus stepped forward, closing the door soundlessly behind him, and began to cross the room. A few moments later he had arrived behind the young witch's back. He reached out and wrapped his arms around her.

Tonks started and gave a little "oh!" of surprise.

"Settle," scolded Remus gently. "It's only me."

"Remus," Tonks breathed. She turned and threw her arms around him. He leaned down to kiss her softly. "I was so worried…"

Remus pulled back slightly and looked down at her. "About me?" he asked jauntily. "You shouldn't have been."

Tonks gazed up at him, a frightened look in her bright blue eyes. "You shouldn't be so cocky!" she cried. "With Voldemort on the loose, you're in danger any time you set foot outside this house. What if…" her voice trembled, and she trailed off, then took a shuddering breath and forced herself to continue. "What if one time you don't come back?" she whispered, looking away.

"Nymph," he said gently as he took her into his arms again, pressing his face into her hair, "you don't need to worry about me. I'm fine. I know the risks, and I'm not being reckless. You forget that I've done this all before."

He felt her nod against his chest before whispering tearfully, "I know, but it still scares me."

"I understand," Remus answered honestly. He reached down and tipped her chin up, forcing her to look at him. "Do you think I don't feel the same way every time you're off on one of your missions?"

Though her eyes were still filled with tears, Tonks smiled softly. "Oh, Remus…" She clung to him for another moment or two before pulling away and going to lean on the windowsill. She stood there for a few seconds before lifting the edge of her robes to dab at her eyes. Finally, she turned back to him and forced a laugh. "I'm sorry," she said quietly. "I don't what came over me."

Remus strode over to her and put a hand on her arm. "It's all right, love. These are desperate times, and everyone's at the end of their emotional rope. But," he added, smiling now, "we'll be fine as long as we have each other."

Tonks smiled too as she rose to her tiptoes and kissed him tenderly. "You're right," she agreed when she had finished. "I knew there was a reason I loved you."

Remus didn't answer. For a moment he just watched her. For the longest time, he had feared he would never have a woman say those words to him. All of the witches he had gotten close to had run off the minute they found out about his condition. Then Tonks came along. To her, that didn't matter; he was just the man she loved.

As these warm thoughts washed over him, Remus couldn't help but let out a yawn.

Tonks jerked slightly as if coming out of her own reverie and immediately began to scold him. "Look at you; you're exhausted! You need to get to bed at once."

Remus grinned and mock-saluted her. "Yes, ma'am."

He leaned down to kiss her one last time before telling her goodnight and heading for the door and his own room.

Author's Note: Please review even if you didn't like it. The only way I'll get better is if you tell what went wrong (or what I did well!).