St. Mungo's

"Really, Mr. Lupin, I do have to ask that you step outside while we see to her. I assure you, we will give you a full assessment of her condition as soon as possible. Have a seat out in the waiting room, please. Please." The medi-witch guided him out the door and closed it behind her, leaving Remus standing in the sterile corridor, caught between a desire to scream his anguish at the world and to sink to the floor and sob. Molly Weasley had appeared at the front desk and was briskly trying to assess the situation when she saw him standing there.

"If you'll excuse me. . ." she trailed off as she glared at the witch on duty, who was obviously relieved to have a respite. She swooped down on Remus, clutching him by the shoulders and steering him to a vacant seat in the waiting room. As he sank into the chair, he placed his face in his hands and started to tremble softly.

"I'm listening, Remus, and whatever it is, It'll do you good to get it off your chest. So talk away." Molly composed herself, momentarily putting aside her creeping feeling of hysteria and helplessness at the evening's events and resuming her well-rehearsed maternal role.

"I have to tell you something, Molly, but you have to promise never to repeat it, please?" Remus begged her. The weight of it had been unbearable, but in her maternal arms, Remus felt he needed to free his secret. If he didn't say it aloud now, he might never again get the chance.

She considered his request for a moment and nodded, thoughtfully. She had a feeling she knew what he was going to say, and she knew that there would be a time when he would be strong enough to share it with the world. Remus didn't often allow others into his private miseries. His reserve was a very well tended cushion that he felt prevented him from harming others. It fooled most people, but not her.

"I've just lost my best friend in the world, but he's beyond helping now. I couldn't bear it if I lost her too," he quietly sobbed. "But she can't know that. She can't know that I love her, have loved her as long as I've known her. Molly, Nymphadora's the only beautiful thing left in my world. Even though I know we can't be together, I need her here. I need to know she's safe."

Molly listened, holding Remus tightly in her arms, as if he were one of her children. "Shhh, Remus, it's going to be fine. She's the strongest girl I know. And I happen to know for a fact that she wouldn't want to leave you, either. Whether or not you want to accept it, Tonks fancies you, Remus. Now is not the time to write her off. As soon as you can, you go in there and take her hand. You tell her how you feel about her. It might just be the thing that gets her through this."

"I can't tell her, Molly!" he said in an anguished whisper. "We could never be together. I can't be trusted. What if I hurt her? I'm worn out with the years, and she still has so much ahead of her. She could never be happy with me. She could only waste her life pitying and fearing me."

"It's not my place to tell her, and I keep my promises, but Remus, look at me." She turned her eyes sternly to his and said evenly, "Don't throw away the best thing in your life. She needs you to be strong for her. Think of all the times she's watched over you, Remus. She took that duty voluntarily. She even asked us to exchange watches to be with you. Perhaps you hadn't noticed, but the look in her eyes is hardly pity and self-sacrifice. She's not a child, Remus. She's a very strong woman who knows what she wants. And right now, she's in need of your support and your love. Just think about it." She handed him a handkerchief and grasped one of his hands firmly, just as a healer walked up to them.

"You're with Nymphadora Tonks, correct? We've done all we could. It may be a long recovery for her, but it looks as if the healing was successful. That kind of injury is usually fatal; she's a lucky one. I think she could use a little company, though. She's awake and asking for you, Mr. Lupin. Room 32." She curtly nodded and made her way back through the doors.

"Molly. . ."

"You heard what I said, Remus. I've got to be with my son right now, and you know where you need to be," Molly said with a final squeeze of his hand. "Take care of her for us. We need her, and you, if we're going to win this thing." She stood and made her way out of the ward without looking back.

Remus considered his hand for a moment. Few people were willing to touch a werewolf, much less fall in love with one. The white scars, crossing the blue veins on the back of his hands were constant reminders of his affliction. They were nothing compared to the angry red welts that covered his arms and chest, old evidence of monthly transformations before the blessed relief of the wolfsbane potion had been discovered. He grew angry at himself for this moment's hesitation. Dora needed him, was asking for him! It wasn't she who pitied him, it was himself. He quickly scrubbed his face, attempting to look strong and composed, and crossed the room. Down the hallway, he found her room and quietly pushed the door open.

"Wotcher, Moony" she said weakly, with a wry smile. Her normally vivid, spiky pink hair had relapsed into the mousy brown waves he remembered from her childhood. Her eyes were cool pools of grey, revealing her more intimately than the many hues of sapphire or amber she often affected. "Sorry I didn't make more of an effort to make myself presentable. Those potions they gave me took a bit of energy to swallow."

"I know all about nasty potions. Do just about as much harm as good, some of them. I'm glad to see you're still with us, Nymphadora."

"You may not be for long, if you keep referring to me by that name!" she shot with more humour than he though she'd be capable of, after the events of the last several hours.

"I'd like to see you try!" he laughed. "Besides, I thought you were all grown up now. Would you prefer I still call you Dora?"

"Well, I would have insisted on Tonks, but since you just saved my life, I might allow an exception for you. Thanks, Remy. Go on and pull up a chair, I won't bite," she suggested, wincing at her choice of words as he raised an eyebrow.

"I just might, though." He slid an armchair toward the bed and eased his sore muscles slowly into the seat. "I'm feeling my age tonight, Dora. Amazing how the years catch up with you."

"Oh, I wouldn't know anything about that, being just a child and all," she sighed petulantly. "Do you remember when you used to visit us sometimes in the summer? I used to think that you were the most handsome boy I had ever seen. The kindest, as well. The others would push me down and call me names, but you would always help me up and brush me off and tell them to leave me be." He smiled at the memory.

"You know, I can still vividly recall the day you were born. It was the summer before my third year at Hogwarts, and Sirius, James, Peter and I had met up in Diagon Alley to gather up our supplies for the term." His face darkened for a moment, as he thought of Sirius, but he continued on, "We were outside at Florians for a quick bite when your dad rushed by and told Sirius the good news, that he had a new baby cousin on the way. He was on the way to St. Mungo's to meet your mum. I was thirteen, Dora."

"I have a feeling I know what you're getting at, Remus, but hear me out." She winced and moaned uncomfortably, and Remus unconsciously took her hand as she bit her lip in pain.

"Shhhh, Dora. We have plenty of time to have this conversation. Right now, you need to rest up and recover. As soon as we get the OK, you'll go back to Grimmauld Place where we can keep an eye on you. Say, can I bring you anything to make you more comfortable? The healer says you'll be out of commission for a while. I have no idea what that means, but I'd gather at least a week." He could see her relax a bit and was relieved that she had allowed him to turn the conversation so easily.

"Maybe the wireless, the one from my flat. A little music couldn't hurt."

"Soothes the savage beast, or so I'm told," he quipped with a wink. "Anything else?"

"And a few pairs of pyjamas and knickers and such. Take Ginny over there with you, if she's up to it. She'll find what I need in no time."

"Will you be okay by yourself for a bit, then?"

"I'm a big girl, Remy."

"Okay, then, I'll be back as soon as I can." He realized that he was still holding her hand. He quickly raised it to his lips and gave it a tentative kiss. "Get some sleep, Dora, right?

"Right."

As he quietly closed the door, he felt the last strand of resistance in his heart strain painfully. She did love him, Molly was right. What he would do about it, he had no idea.