Cloud
A/N – Written for the Favourite Character competition by a-trip-to-honeydukes, which is a really good idea for a challenge, so thanks! Also, Caroline is the name I've given to Luna's mum, since she's never named in the books and just as a side note, I know a girl who is strangely attractive in exactly the same way as Tonks.
I had always been a member of the Order, and always one that was completely trusted, both before and after Sirius was cleared by Dumbledore. I always knew everything that was going on, and all the plots of the Order and, frankly, of all the gossip from the various members, and so I knew, obviously, that there was going to be some new members being welcomed that Thursday evening.
What no one had mentioned to me, though, was that one of them was very pretty.
She wasn't, admittedly, the kind of girl that every man dreamed about from the moment he turned thirteen. She didn't have long blonde hair like Fleur Delacour or big blue eyes like Caroline Lovegood. None of this mattered, though, because even if her hair was short and blue and her eyes were brown, there was something so strangely attractive about her.
But I could immediately see that she was much younger than me, and so put it out of my head. She would have to just be a friend, and if the smile on her face was any indication, she would be a great one.
I was trying to compose myself when Mad-Eye's voice rang out over the room. "Right, listen up," he growled at us. "This is Kingsley Shacklebolt, Hestia Jones, Kevin Macmillan and Nymphadora Tonks."
He gestured to each of them in turn, and I was pleased to learn the name of the girl, even though I did worry a little about how hard she scowled upon being introduced.
As soon as Moody released his protégées into the wild of the room, I immediately headed in the opposite direction and went to sit on my own with a butterbeer, just as a precaution. I was more than a little bit worried that if I went to talk with someone like Sirius, he would mention the girl and I'd say something that would make them realise immediately that I was attracted to the girl, and I would never live it down. It was ridiculous, me fancying her.
I was staring into the depths of my butterbeer, still in my corner alone, having gotten rid of several well-meaning Weasleys and Sirius, when I heard a voice above me.
"You look lonely as a cloud over here," it said cheerfully, and it was only when I looked up that I realised it was Nymphadora.
I smiled weakly, trying not to blush. "I'm Remus," I told her, as I stood up to reach her height. I couldn't help but notice that she was just the right amount smaller than me. "Nymphadora, isn't it?"
"No," she said flatly. "Never. It's Tonks."
That explained the scowling at her being introduced, I realised, as she continued to talk.
"I'm still angry at Mad-Eye for calling me that," she continued. "I've had to tell every person in this room not to call me that, now. He could have just said Tonks."
"Right," I said awkwardly. "Well, I won't call you Nymphadora if you don't want me to."
"Thanks," she said merrily, and then, after a short pause, she seemed to be looking at me more closely. "So, what are you doing over here, all cloud-ish?"
I couldn't help but smile at this. "Er, I don't know," I admitted. "I suppose I'm quite cloudlike."
By this point, I had realised that this Tonks was going to be a valued member of the Order, not only because of the talent for magic she must have had to become an Auror and attract Mad-Eye's attention, but also because of that slightly mental, cheerful demeanour.
Yes, I said to myself. She'sgoingtobegood.
I was watching her as I could without seeming weird as she started to chuckle in a not particularly ladylike way. It was only when her chuckling, obviously slightly nervous by this point, became really quite strong that she managed to spill a whole mug of butterbeer down my front.