Hi All,

This story just happened. I was thinking about a review I got on my last story When You Least Exect It that pled with me to have Tonks make Remus beg her forgiveness and not just fall into his arms. I don't think she would make it hard for him, nor do I necessarily feel she would just pretend nothing had happened. I think she loves hime enough to accept him for who he is and understand the inner demons he had to fight to allow himself to be with her. But I do think Remus would be so grateful to have her in his life that he would do anything he could to prove that to her and I think he would be creative about it since he doesn't have a lot of money to shower her with things. And so, just for fun, this story happened.

The rating may change at a later date and I am warning you now, this will all be fluff and fun...

Enjoy!
Failte

"Mum?"

"Hm?"

"What was the most romantic thing Daddy ever did for you?"

Nymphadora Tonks Lupin lifted her head from The Daily Prophet and looked across the kitchen table to where her fourteen year old daughter sat, her chin propped on her fist. "Your father is always doing romantic things for me," she replied, her eyes drifting to the vase of deep pink Gerber daisies Remus had brought her the day before. He was always finding ways to surprise her and considering the fact that it was a week before Christmas, the flowers had definitely surprised her.

"I know that," Andi sighed, flipping her sandy colored hair over her shoulder. "But what was the most romantic thing he ever did?"

Tonks sat back in her chair and contemplated her daughter's question. She thought back over the past twenty years, how she had had to be patient and persistent, convincing Remus they could be together, finding out she was pregnant with Sirius, getting married, and the seventeen years and second child since then. There had been countless moments of romance as well as moments of frustration, excitement, anger, happiness, nervousness, and contentment. She wouldn't change one second of it.

"Did I ever tell you how he had proposed to me?" She asked, almost dreamily.

"No, I don't think you ever have."

"If it doesn't show you just how romantic you're father is, I don't know what will," Tonks said as she sat back and began her story.

Just Over Eighteen Years Earlier...

It had been a cold day in mid November, Tonks had taken the morning off from work for a doctor's appointment. It was their first official appointment with a Healer about her pregnancy and they heard their baby's heartbeat for the first time. She remembered looking up at him and seeing the tears in his eyes, feeling her own run down her cheeks.

"Take the rest of the day off," Remus pleaded as they left St. Mungo's together.

Tonks squeezed his hand and grinned up at him. "I wish I could, love, but we're still so busy with all the paperwork, they need all the help they can get. We're trying to get everything done so we can take some time off for Christmas and the New Year."

He nodded. "All right then, I'll make dinner and, when you get home tonight, we'll celebrate."

They stopped in front of the phone booth that served as the entrance to the Ministry of Magic.

Tonks rose on her toes and pressed her lips to his in a familiar, comfortable gesture that she practiced as often as she could with him. "I can't wait."

Remus took her hand before she could leave and pulled her back to him. "Don't work too hard."

"I won't," she promised as he dropped a kiss to her forehead.

The afternoon had moved at a snail's pace as Tonks worked on reports and filing. The downfall of Voldemort and the gathering of the Death Eaters all had to be handled properly and every little detail documented.

The sound of raindrops hitting the roof greeted her as she apparated in front of the door to her flat that evening. She was exhausted, hungry, and anxious when she opened the door to call out a greeting, but she stopped, her mouth open and her hand still on the doorknob. All the lights in the flat were off, but a fire glowed brightly in the fireplace and about fifty white candles were lit and floating six and a half feet in the air. A light scent of roses filled the air and she saw pink, red, and yellow petals sprinkled across the floor. The table was set with a crisp white cloth, two tall pink candles, and two wine glasses.

"Oh, good, you're home," Remus said, walking out of the kitchen carrying two plates. "I was starting to worry."

Tears instantly filled Tonks' eyes as she stood, unmoving.

"Are you okay?" He asked, worried.

She nodded. "Wh-what is all this?"

Remus grinned, setting the plates down. "I wanted to properly romance you. You deserve it."

"Oh. Wow." She snapped out of her stupor and slowly closed the door behind her. "I…no one has ever done anything like this for me."

"Good. I want to be the only one."

"Remus, I think-" Her statement went unfinished as she took a step forward and slipped on the rose petals.

Moving quickly, Remus reached her before she hit the floor, catching her by the arms. "Are you all right?"

Blushing., Tonks nodded. "Other than the fact that I'm embarrassed I just ruined the moment, I'm fine."

Kissing her gently, he pulled back and grinned at her. "You didn't ruin any moment. I should have known better than to put something slippery on the floor you're going to walk on."

"Oh no, it's lovely, I just…I love it all. I love you." She kissed him. "And I'm hungry."

"Glad to hear that." Taking her arm, he led her over to the table. "Have a seat, I'll get the rest from the kitchen."

The plate in front of her was heaped with spaghetti and the sauce she knew he made from scratch, her favorite. To the right of that plate was a salad in a small bowl. When he returned carrying the basket with warm bread and bottle of sparkling grape juice, she was already working her way through the salad.

"I guess you were hungry," he teased lightly.

"Sorry, but I was too hungry to think about manners."

"How is that different from any other day?"

"Hey, be nice, I'm eating for two now."

He poured the juice into her glass. "I know. Junior cause any problems today?"

"A little nausea but not too bad."

"Did you tell anyone at the Ministry?"

"Only Gavin knows right now, that's why I'm behind a desk, but I haven't told anyone else. Molly thinks I should wait until after my first trimester."

"That's probably a good idea." He raised his glass in the air. "Here's to us, our family, and our future."

Tonks tipped her glass and lightly clinked it against his.

She couldn't help but notice that he seemed a bit fidgety as they ate. She kept up a stream of conversation, telling him about the detailed reports they were working on and the Death Eaters who were still on the loose. She cleaned her plate while Remus barely made a dent in his pasta.

"What's on your mind?" She asked as she used a slice of bread to soak up the last of her sauce.

"Hm?"

"You've barely touched your dinner."

"I guess I wasn't as hungry as I thought I was."

"What's for dessert?"

Remus chuckled and pushed back from the table. "Why don't you go have a seat on the sofa, I'll clean up here and then we'll have dessert."

"I can help," she said, jumping to her feet and grabbing her plate and glass.

"No, love, I'll do it, go put your feet up."

"I'm not helpless, Remus, just because I'm expecting…damnit!"

"I know you're not helpless," he said with a smile. "Just let me do it quickly. It'll be easier that way."

Glaring down at the glass shards on the floor, Tonks sighed. "All right."

Remus quickly waved his wand and repaired the glass she had dropped while Tonks curled up on the sofa in front of the fire. It wasn't long before he joined her, setting a white bakery box on the coffee table and sitting beside her, sliding his arm around her shoulders.

"I want you to know how incredible this morning was," he whispered.

She smiled and turned to him. "I know."

Remus laid his other hand on her stomach. "We're going to have a baby."

"I was thinking that if…if it's a boy we could call him Sirius." Tonks said quietly.

He rested his forehead against hers and closed his eyes. "I think that would be perfect."

She kissed him. "I love you."

"I love you too." Sliding his hand across her stomach and around her waist, he pulled her closer, deepening the kiss. "So much."

Tonks laid her head on his shoulder, resting her forehead against his neck. Closing her eyes, she cuddled closer.

"I've been thinking about James," he whispered thickly.

"What about him?" She asked, lifting her head to look at him.

"I was thinking about the time he found out Lily was pregnant with Harry. He was over the moon with excitement and nerves. Sirius, Peter, and I went to visit them in the hospital when Harry was born. I didn't have much money, so Sirius let me go in with him on a gift, we got Harry a big stuffed teddy bear. When we got to the room, there were at least two dozen balloons and twice as many flowers, all from James, he was so excited, so proud of Lily. And then there was the giant tiger, it was at least four feet tall, bright green with orange stripes."

"Sounds hideous," she whispered.

"It was. Lily hated it, but James had wanted to get his son the biggest toy he could find, no matter what it was. That thing sat in the corner of Harry's nursery until, well, until there wasn't a nursery any more. I remember, just as we were leaving the hospital room, I looked over my shoulder, Lily was still lying on the bed. She was so beautiful, pale and tired, but peaceful and just…happy. James was stretched out beside her, holding Harry. There was this, just…aura of happiness surrounding them. I remember thinking how lucky he was and I was jealous. I never told anyone that before."

Tonks pressed a kiss to his cheek before nuzzling his throat.

"I was painfully jealous of him. He had it all, the beautiful wife, the family, he was happy, they both were. I never thought I could have what they had, I never thought I could have a beautiful, incredible woman in love with me. I never thought I could have a family." His voice cracked.

"You have it all now," she whispered.

"I do have it all," he admitted. "It's a bit overwhelming actually."

"Yeah, it is."

"I also know that you're still waiting for me to leave."

Tonks sat up and glared at him. "What?"

"I know we had a rocky start, I know I had a lot to prove to you, I still do."

"Remus…"

He shook his head. "I do, Dora, and I plan on spending the rest of my life proving myself to you. I love you. I love you more than I ever thought was possible."

"I love you too. And I know how you feel, darling, you have nothing to prove to me. Even when you left, you always came back, and deep inside, I knew you would. You can't resist me."

"No," he chuckled. "I can't resist you. Ever."

"Are you happy, Remus?"

"Deliriously so. You?"

"More than you could ever know," she murmured, hugging him closely.

"I used to be afraid of this," he admitted quietly.

"Afraid to be happy?"

"I never thought I could be, I thought it was all beyond my reach. It scared me."

"And now?"

"And now…I'm too thankful to be scared."

Tonks lifted her mouth to his, her hands sliding under the jumper he wore, the one Molly Weasley had made for him the previous Christmas.

Remus took her hands before they could go much further. "Don't you want dessert?"

"I'm thinking of a different kind of dessert right now," she murmured, moving her lips down his throat.

"But I got this especially for you. From Empire."

At the mention of the expensive bakery, she lifted her head. "That's an Empire Bakery box?"

He lifted it so she could see the emblem printed on the top. "This is a special celebration, only the best for my family."

She grinned at the emphasis he put on the last two words. "Well, I've come to expect only the best from you."

With his fingers trembling a bit, Remus slid his forefingers under the lid and flipped it up.

"Oh…Oh, Remus, it's lovely!" Tonks clasped her hands and stared hungrily at the elaborate round cake covered with white icing and fondant flowers in orange, yellow, red, green, and blue. "I almost hate to cut into it, but if I know you and you know me, then I know that cake is chocolate and I can't not eat a chocolate cake…" Her voice trailed off as she realized what it meant. "Is…is that what I think it is?"

"I know a diamond is more traditional," he spoke quietly. "But there really isn't all that much that's traditional about you."

She gently lifted the ring that rested in the middle of the largest flower. The stone was small, round and a brilliant shade of red. Tonks looked up at him, her moist eyes meeting his.

Wordlessly, he slid to the floor in front of her, down on one knee. Setting the cake aside, he took her hand in his. "Dora, I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want us to be a family, in every sense of the word. I want you to know that no matter what happens, no matter where I go, I will always come back to you. Will you marry me?"

Tears raced down her cheeks as she leaned forward and took his face in her hands, kissing him hard.

"Is that a yes?" He asked when she lifted her head.

"Of course it is." She swiped at her cheeks with the back of her hands.

"I—I know it's small," Remus said, a little ashamed. "But I promise you, when I can, I will get you something you really deserve."

"No!" Tonks fisted her hand over the ring and clutched it to her chest. "It's perfect, I love it. It's the only ring I want!"

"Dora…"

"No, I mean it. It's perfect, you saw it and thought of me, that's all that matters."

Remus took her fisted hand and opened it. Taking the hint, Tonks gave him the ring and held out her left hand. He slipped the ring onto her third finger, thrilled that it fit. Lifting her hand, he pressed a kiss to her palm.

"You're officially mine now, Nymphadora Tonks."

"I always was."

Tonks ended the story there, not wanting to share with her young daughter how she and Remus had celebrated their engagement. How they started on the couch and moved into the bedroom, the cake going untouched until the following morning when Tonks had decided she wanted it for breakfast.

"I can't believe Daddy can be that romantic," Andi sighed.

"Oh he is, and then some," her mother assured her, holding out her left hand that still wore the small ruby ring.

"That's the most romantic thing he ever did for you?"

"I'll have to give it some thought, he has spoiled me rotten over the past eighteen years. Why all the questions?"

Andi smiled. She loved the way her parents behaved like kids sometimes, still so much in love, flirting and teasing each other. "I was just wondering."

"Andi! Are you ready to go or not?" Sirius Lupin stood in the doorway to the kitchen, a gleam in his dark eyes.

"And where are you going?" Tonks asked.

"Sirius is taking me over to Lily's," Andi said, pushing back from the table.

"Then I'm going to work." Sirius added.

When their son had announced the year before that he had gotten a part-time job at Weasley's Wizard Wheezes for the summer and winter holidays, Tonks and Remus hadn't been sure if it was a good idea or not. But, so far, it had proven to be a terrific growing experience for him and he was learning quite a bit about business.

"All right, have fun and listen to Harry and Ginny," Tonks said, rising to give her daughter a hug.

"I will."

"I mean it, Andromeda, if I hear about the two of you causing trouble or terrorizing the twins, you'll be in trouble."

"I know, Mum."

Tonks kissed her son's cheek, ignoring the way he tried to lean out of her reach. "Have a good day at work, Sirius, and don't let Fred and George corrupt you too much."

"No more than usual, Mum," he promised.

When the two of them disappeared into the fire, Tonks looked around the empty kitchen. A shuffling noise had her turning to the backdoor where the dog flap flipped up and Snuffles, their little brown and white terrier, bounded in. He pranced around her feet on his hind legs.

"Looks like it's just you and me, pal," Tonks said, scratching the top of his head. He had been another surprise from Remus almost eight years earlier. She had always wanted a dog and as soon as the kids had been old enough to help, he brought this little bundle of fur home.

Snuffles froze and whipped his head to the right. Scrabbling on the wood floor, he took off to the front door, barking.

"Dora?"

She went to the hallway and smiled as Remus entered the house, stopping the rub Snuffles' belly. Her heart still skipped a beat whenever she saw him. He had aged over the past two decades. His hair was a dignified silver and his face a bit more lined, but he was still handsome with his kind eyes, behind the glasses he now wore, and his lean build.

"What are you doing home?" She asked, leaning against the wall.

He set a tote of books down beside the door. "I thought I would bring this home and do my research here."

"Well, Sirius is at work, Andi is over at the Potter's…looks like we have the whole house to ourselves."

Remus raised an eyebrow. "Does that mean it will be quiet enough for me to actually get some work done?"

"I was thinking that you wouldn't get any work done."

He laughed. "It's not even noon yet."

"You know, our daughter asked me a question earlier," she said, walking slowly toward him.

"What was that?"

"She asked me what the most romantic thing you ever did for me was."

"And what did you tell her?"

"I told her it was the way you knocked me up before we were married."

The flirtatious smile fell from his face. "You did not."

"Of course I didn't, I told the story of how you proposed to me."

"That was rather romantic, wasn't it?"

"Yes, but I wonder if it was the most romantic thing you ever did for me."

He ran his hand over the short blue spikes she wore. "And what was?"

"I don't know, I've been thinking about it."

"What about the romantic stuff you've done for me?" Remus asked, sliding his arms around her waist.

Tonks smiled, winding her arms around his neck. "Like what?"

"Like our first anniversary."

She threw her head back and laughed. For several years, she had been too embarrassed to even discuss what had happened, let alone laugh about it. "Hey, at least I tried."

"Yes, you did, and I always appreciated it."