Author's Note: I was in the shower, washing my hair, when the thought came to me: why not make a story that spans from the end of "A dog, a nymph and a werewolf" to the beginning of "After he left"? Of course, with shampoo in my eyes, my grin faded quickly, but I recovered in time to write this story down. I hope you enjoy it. And, as always, I hope you flame or review!
Disclaimer: Lost Harry Potter to J.K. in a bet. Sorry.
Marrying
If Remus could have apparated inside the house, he would have, but he was forced to arrive a few feet away from his destination and walk the remaining distance. On a normal day it wouldn't have mattered, but today he was feeling impatient. As he entered the house, he understood the reason for his uneasiness: Tonks was nowhere to be seen.
Sure, they had been living together for little over a month, but he already knew her schedule by heart. Why wasn't she home? Where was she off to? What was she thinking, being out at this hour, knowing all the dangers this war presented? He didn't remember Tonks mentioning anything special–
An odd sound from the bathroom interrupted his thoughts. Why hadn't he noticed the suspiciously closed door? Stealthily, he moved towards it, extracting his wand from his clothes. He heard the sound again...
Upon slightly opening it, he saw Tonks sitting on the ground, hugging the toilet as another dry heave overpowered her. At once, Remus was by her side, rubbing circles on her back and touching her forehead. Then, his eyes registered the color of the water.
"Red." – Tonks said dazedly. – "That can't be good…"
And she fainted.
Remus caught her body in his arms and, after a couple of agitated seconds and tricky movements, he managed to lift her off the floor. Running to the fire with his thoughts in disarray, it took him another couple of seconds to figure out how to use the Floo Network while carrying her. What had happened?
"Well, she might be pregnant." – Cesia offered.
Remus proceeded to make choking noises.
"Pregnant?!"
"Well, most people regard it as better news than being poisoned or cursed… And don't tell me you don't know who the father is."
Remus paled, but remained silent. She smirked.
"But, if her illness is related to something darker, I'll need to move her to St. Mungo's." – The way the man stared at her made the Healer unsure he had heard her at all. – "So I advise you to go out, walk around, get your thoughts in order, and come back. I'll have the results ready by then."
"I trust you with her life… Please…"
"She'll live. I promise."
He nodded curtly and left the room.
Tonks was aware of movement in the room, but her curiosity was assuaged by her stupor…
She felt whatever it was moving again, but she couldn't place the sound and didn't feel like opening her eyes…
When it moved for a third time, Tonks' brain screamed "Constant vigilance!" and she relented.
A tall person wearing brown was nervously pacing towards the opposite wall. Tonks cocked her head to the side, and her eyes widened when she saw Healer Onderdonk turn around.
"Tonks! Good, I have been wanting to talk to you!"
If it weren't for the fact that Tonks was shivering in an unknown bed, in an unknown place, feeling as if her life hated her, she would probably have been as enthusiastic as Cesia. Instead, she felt her eyebrows contracting into a frown.
"Is it the bloody shock-induced thing again?"
"No, no. Um… This is… If I might… Personal, you know?"
"Absolutely clear, now that you put it that way."
"What I meant," – Cesia replied, rolling her eyes good-heartedly. – "Is that I have a couple of personal questions to ask you."
"Why can't you diagnose me the usual way?"
"Well, I didn't want to intrude…"
"What do you mean?"
"You'll know soon enough. Is it my turn to ask questions already?"
Tonks raised an eyebrow, but nodded all the same. This prompted the Healer to sit at the foot of the bed and start taking notes with an odd-looking quill.
"How long have you felt unwell?"
"I don't know… For a week? Maybe more? I just started feeling out of sorts and tired. Then the nausea started–"
"What about your bathroom breaks?"
"I generally go a lot." – Tonks said, clearly confused.
"Right… And when did you start vomiting? Earlier today?"
"Oh, then it's still today? Yes. I passed by a candle shop and the fake vanilla made me–"
"Enough information, then!" – Cesia interrupted, with a cringe. – "Sorry, I just have never liked the nasty bits."
"Neither have I. I mean, the way they scratch your throat when–"
"The shivering might be due to the extensive vomiting…" – Cesia said, pretending to ignore her. – "And now it's time for one last question: when was your last period?"
"It was…" – Tonks eyes widened. – "I'm pregnant?"
"Are you sexually active?" – The Healer countered. – "It is extremely possible. However, I would like your permission for further testing."
"You have it." – Tonks answered quietly.
Remus heard the women's voices as he reentered the room. In a heartbeat, he kneeled next to Tonks and took both her hands in his. Surprised by his actions, Tonks burst into tears.
"Re – Remus–"
"It's okay, there's no need to cry. I've thought it all over and–"
"Remus, don't be rash. I just told her–"
"Please, Cesia, I know this is the right thing to do! Tonks, do you love me?" – Tonks brought him close to her, unable to speak. Remus swallowed hard and continued. – "I'll take that as a yes… Look, I love you, too. I've always said I don't deserve you, but being with you makes me feel like the happiest man in the world… I'm poor, I'm old, I can't give you much, yet I ask the biggest thing of all."
Deftly, Remus took something out of his robes and placed it in her hand.
"Marry me."
Cesia took that as her cue to leave the room. Tonks closed her fingers around the object and cried harder, as she pushed him away. Remus was at a loss.
"Tonks?"
Didn't she want him in her life? What had he done wrong? …Besides the obvious, of course…
"I – I'm – net – ant!"
"What?" – Remus was suddenly worried about how much time Cesia and Tonks were spending together.
"I'm – I'm not – pre – eh – eh – gnant…"
And she buried her face in her hands.
"She is very sick, of that I can assure you, but it'll take less than nine months to cure her." – Cesia said in a matter-of-fact tone.
Remus sighed: it had taken a calming draught to pacify Tonks, so the Healer took advantage of the momentary silence to inform him of the test results.
"Then it is ague?"
"Yes. You need to get some ashwinder eggs for her to eat, but she'll be fine."
"And you're absolutely sure she isn't–"
"She isn't."
Remus sat down and ran his hands through his hair. Cesia looked at him sadly: for once, it had seemed that he would have something to call his own; now, that hope was gone.
"I can obliviate her for you, if you like."
"No!" – He looked horrified at the idea. – "That's a choice for her to make…"
A soft whimper came from the room and Remus rushed inside. Maybe Remus had enough to call his own after all.
Tonks couldn't bring herself to look into his eyes as he entered. The potion made her feel more tranquil, but it didn't completely ease her pain: the way he had proposed might have been the least romantic in the world, but now it didn't matter, because he had taken the ring back when Cesia had forced the draught down Tonks' throat…
Remus sat gingerly on the edge of the bed. He was unsure of how to act, so he stared at the ground, until the right words found their way out of his lips.
"I still love you."
She was silent.
"But not enough." – Tonks mind replied. – "Not without a baby."
As if reading her thoughts, he sighed sadly and repositioned himself to look at her.
"I don't need a child to stay with you. Do you need one to marry me?"
It was private. It was quiet. Not even Harry knew. But, as they retired for the night, Remus and Tonks couldn't be happier. All the running-around-in-circles-part was over, because their exchange today was a promise that nothing would separate them ever again.
Sure, Tonks didn't receive an engagement ring, and of course their new possessions were a little shabby, and obviously, only a week since Remus had rushed with her to Cesia's had passed, but none of it mattered. They were childless, yes, but now, they were also husband and wife.
Author's note: So, what did you think? Sorry I gave Tonks malaria, but I did cure her before the end of the chapter. It's just that with all that shampoo stinging my eyes, I couldn't think of anything else. Wait, does that make any sense? Well, it doesn't matter: I already did my part. Now you do yours: flame or review! Cheers!
