Hi everyone! Sorry, this isn't a Walking Dead story but one of those is coming! I promise. Actually, this Remus/Tonks Harry Potter story was written several years ago and I never knew how to post it back then. I recently found it when cleaning out my computer and debated about posting it. However, today I saw a leopard gecko named "Crook Shanks" (after Hermione's cat) so I took it as a sign to post. Enjoy!

The First Move

Rays of sunshine permeated through the grimy window and the sweet song of birds could be heard outside. Remus Lupin could feel himself slowing drifting toward consciousness. The fading dream was slipping through the fingers of his consciousness and he knew that he would not remember it later. By the clammy sweat on his palms and the slight shaking of his limbs, he felt that was probably not a bad occurrence. Even though he'd been up late doing reconnaissance for the Order of the Phoenix, he decided to get up for the morning. Better than slipping back into the hell of his dreams.

Figuring that no one else in the house would be awake this early, he forwent putting on his robe and headed for the kitchen in his pajamas alone. A nice breakfast of eggs and toast would help him feel more awake.

Just before pushing through the door to the kitchen, he thought he heard a noise coming from the other side. He stopped and listened. A soft giggle announced the presence of another awake person.

"Stop bothering me; I'm trying to get breakfast ready!" The tone of the voice was mainly playful with only a hint of annoyance to correspond with the spoken words.

"Come on, Molly. Nobody's up yet and I've missed you so much."

Even though he already knew who the participants of the conversation were, curiosity overcame him. He cracked the door slightly, just enough to see Molly and Arthur Weasley. She was standing at the stove, readying egg-soaked bread for the frying pan. On the other side of the counter, oranges were swishing themselves in a juicer and eggs were being scrambled by a determined wisk. Arthur stood behind her, his arms around her waist and his lips on her neck. She seemed to be ignoring him except for her girlish smile and her head tipped slightly to allow him better access.

"Arthur, I am TRYING to make breakfast!" Molly said as she turned in his arms. Her hands came up, cupped his cheeks and kissed his passionately. Then, as soon as he began sinking into the kiss, she pulled away. "I love you, darling, and I promise tonight is for you." With that she turned back to the stove and continued making the french toast.

Surprisingly, Arthur did not seem disappointed by this rejection. He grabbed a cup of the fresh-squeezed juice and, with a silly smile on his face, sat at the large kitchen table.

A wave of sadness swept through Remus. He let the door close gently so as not to alert the Weasley's to his eavesdropping and turned back to his room. The thought of food now made his stomach turn. Old degrading feelings that he had suppressed welled up inside him.

He was alone. How could any woman possibly fall in love with him? He was 37 years old and not exactly stylish. Forgetting all that, he was a monster. A foul werewolf. No woman would stay with him after learning that secret.

Depression covered him like a blanket as he crawled back into bed. The sunshine held no joy for him any longer.

Nymphadora Tonks opened her eyes and stretched her body under the covers. She remembered a sweet dream of love and sighed that it was just a dream. Then she laughed at herself for being such a romantic and got out of bed. Judging from the sounds of activity she heard around her, it was probably pretty late in the morning. No matter, she deserved a long sleep after her late mission with Remus.

Remus. The thought of him brought the smile back to her lips. She knew it was just a childish crush but she enjoyed the occasional fantasy. Her crushes never went anywhere, mainly because she didn't have the guts to ever make the first move. Besides, wasn't it better to dream about the possibilities rather than have the painfulness of reality? She knew he only saw her as child anyway, even though she was 26 years old and a full member of the Order.

Slipping into a pair of old slippers, she rolled out of bed and glanced in the mirror across the room. The mirror had a large crack running longitudinally in the upper corner but she was so short that it didn't cut through her head as it did to many people. She giggled and her hair changed to short, straight and dark purple. Nice.

On the way to the stairs, she saw Remus's door open and he stepped out. What she didn't know was that he had intended to stay there wallowing in his depression all day. Unfortunately, Molly had assumed he was up and thrown her voice straight into his room, asking if he wanted something to eat. Not wanting to her think anything was wrong, he told her he would come downstairs.

"Good morning Remus," Tonks said politely as they traveled down the stairs together.

"Tonks," he said plainly, his attention obviously not focused on her. She frowned, watching his finely-muscled back. Usually he was much more expressive, smiling and asking if she'd slept well. Something was wrong this morning. Unable to think of anything to say, she let the silence fill the air.

The darkness closed in, the sun having departed the sky hours earlier. Remus sat alone in the living room, the soft light of the fire gently caressing his features. The high-backed armchair he rested in was filthy. Not that he cared much about the clothes he wore; he felt dirty all over. He had a mug of coffee spiked with brandy in his hand. He felt lonelier than ever. The house was basically deserted with the Weasleys and most of the other Order members having gone home. Only he and Tonks remained. He didn't know why she was still there but for him, his flat seemed empty and unwelcoming.

The noise of footsteps caught his attention. A tiny smile even touched his lips when he heard her trip and curse in a whispered voice. Her klutziness was her bane. She was a sweet girl though. He decided to make sure everything was all right.

Tonks eyed the contents of the refrigerator, knowing that Molly usually left something appetizing for her nightly snacks. Her hair had returned to its normal brown coloring and she wore a light blue nightshirt. While she did have her own flat, she stayed when she saw that Remus had intended to remain another night. He had seemed so distant and unhappy, even though he tried to hide it. She just didn't want to leave him alone.

Finding a healthy slice of cheesecake, she grabbed a fork and dug in. The rich, creaminess covered her tongue and she moaned with satisfaction. Molly really did know how to bake. This cake was sinful.

Suddenly, the door swung open and she yelped with surprise, the plate of cheesecake slipping out of her hand. It crashed to the floor making a horrible shattering sound. Remus stood in the doorway, looking at the devastated plate on the ground.

"Oh, I am so sorry! I didn't mean to startle you. I just wanted to make sure everything was okay," he stammered.

"No problem. You know me, queen klutz of the world," she said as she grabbed a dishtowel. He couldn't help but notice just how much he could see down her baggy nightshirt as she leaned over to clean up the mess. He averted his eyes after a moment, a slight blush reddening his cheeks.

"Let me," he said, pulling out his wand as he approached her. With a quick wave, the disaster disappeared. Tonks straightened and realized just how close she was to him. His unique scent touched her nostrils and desire rushed throughout her body. For once in her life, she decided to go for it.

Before he could turn away and ruin the moment, she wrapped her arms around his neck and touched her lips to his. At first he tried to back-up but she held firm. There was a second of hesitation and then Remus actually began to return the kiss. Her spirits soared. His calloused hands moved up her back to her shoulder blades. His tongue tentatively touched her lips and she granted him entrance. The kiss deepened, their tongues dancing. Tonks felt his fingers move forward, brushing her smallish breasts. Encouragingly, she shifted forward so each breast was cupped. His thumbs caressed her nipples and they hardened. The stimulation provoked a low moan from Tonks.

Remus broke the kiss, his lips moving to her neck. "Oh, Nymphadora," he breathed into her flesh.

Tonks could feel him harden, knowing he was ready for her. With a slight amount of force, she used her body to press his back into the wall next to the door. She fingered his belt with one hand, the other rubbing just below.

Abruptly, Remus stiffened and gently pushed her back. "Wait. Tonks, are you sure you want to do this? You know me. You know what I am." He waited for the inevitable, rejection. She would swiftly realize who she was kissing and draw back with revulsion. It had happened once before, years earlier right after he'd been bitten by his fate.

"Oh, Remus. I want you. All of you."

A part of him still couldn't understand why a vivacious, giving woman like Nymphadora Tonks would want him, but the rest of his soul screamed with joy. A sly smile stirred on his lips and his eyes focused just over her shoulder.

Not sure if she was being rejected herself, she frowned and turned her head a little to see what he was looking at. The large, sturdy kitchen table stood a few feet behind them. Her smile widened as she realized what he was thinking. In a tornado of motion, they headed toward the table as she pulled her nightshirt over her head and he kicked off his trousers and boxers. Gazing in each other's eyes as if they had never seen each other before, he removed his shirt and she pushed her panties down her legs.

Tonks slid her body onto the smooth wooden surface and Remus followed by climbing up on his hands and knees. Holding himself above her, he kissed her tenderly on mouth. Her legs hung over the side of the table and she parted her knees for him.

"Take me," she whispered.

He shifted his weight, one hand traveling to her core. Using his roughened fingertips to his advantage, he rubbed her center where he knew her most powerful nerves connected. Her breath caught in her throat then became ragged. Knowing she was moving faster than he was, he positioned himself at her entrance and pushed inside while still stimulating her nerves. Her breath once again caught and her eyes opened wide. Her back arched. Remus did not know much about her love life before the Order, but he did have an idea of the lack of it after joining two years earlier.

Indeed Tonk's love life had been amazingly empty. She'd indulged once during her last year at Hogwarts with a fellow student who knew very little about how to please a woman. Now, she was feeling such incredible sensations mixed with a trivial amount of pain as unused muscles stretched to accommodate him. He began to move, the delicious friction creating more sensations. The pressure in her abdomen started to build and she whimpered with the intensity.

Remus revealed in her tightness, his own body feeling her heat. He moved with the ancient rhythm of lust that drove survival, slowly at first and then faster as instinct overwhelmed reason. Tonks's moans became higher pitched. She was beyond words. The pressure maximized and shifted into an enchanting tinkling that began in her center and spread to envelop her entire body.

Knowing they were both near to climax, Remus put all his energy in his thrusts. The muscles throughout Tonks's legs clenched and she screamed with release. She was riding on waves of pleasure with stars bursting in front of her eyes. Remus too felt release and moaned deeply at the clenching in his groin.

Collapsing to the side of her, Remus laid reveling in the afterglow of the best sex he'd ever had. Panting, Tonks pulled herself on top of his chest, kissing him softly. "You were amazing."

Remus smiled, his hand gently caressing her back. "I was just going to say the same thing." Then his smile faded and a serious look came into his eyes. "Can I ask why you chose me? Was I just conveniently here or has there been something between us that I've been oblivious of?"

Tonks's laughed. "I've had a crush on you since I've know you. I didn't think you'd ever feel the same way about me so I kept my feeling hidden. I stayed tonight because you seemed so sad today and I wanted to make sure you'd be okay. I don't know what gave me the courage to kiss you but I am glad I finally made a first move."

He joined in her laughter and squeezed her firmly in his arms. "I'm glad too."

The End