Chapter 2: Too poor

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"Get out!" Sirius yelled at us. I grabbed Tonks elbow, I could see the angry look on her face.

"Let's go, come on..." I tugged gently, but she didn't budge.

"You need to calm down Sirius!" Tonks told him, she kept her voice low and I could hear anger as strong as Sirius' in the tone.

"Come on Tonks," I tugged again, a little harder. She looked at me scowling, but followed me. "It's his house, if he wants us to leave, we have to leave." He told her as they walked down the street and away from Grimmauld Place.

"He's so... So foul to be around." She said angrily. I let go of her arm, and we stopped walking.

"He's having a hard time."

"He told me to get out!" Tonks exclaimed, and I saw a flash of hurt in her face, and suddenly I understood where her anger was coming from. "Let's go get a drink." My insides froze. I couldn't afford a drink! I didn't want her to know that.

"I... can't."

"Oh?" She rounded on him angrily. "What kind of plans do you have? I thought you were just going to sit with angry Sirius all night!" He looked at her in surprise, she'd turned her anger onto him and he felt guilty.

"How about we go to my house and have a drink?" I suggested, and she deflated before his eyes looking sad.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have shouted at you." She took my hand, and squeezed it gently. I tried my best to ignore the way my heart skipped a few beats. I couldn't let my feelings for her get in the way. "Yeah lets get a drink at your house then." She agreed, and let go of my hand. "Lead the way?" She asked after a moment, looking at me curiously. I realised I'd been standing there stupidly looking at her.

"How about we side-along apparate there?" I walked into the nearest alley and she followed. "One – two – three" I apparated us to my parents old house, I was embarrassed as I walked ahead of her up the over-grown path. "I – um – don't come here very often." I admitted. She was still distracted with thoughts of Sirius by the looks of things, so I opened the front door and let her walk in first.

"It's not that bad," she answered eventually. I led her into the kitchen, there was a lot of dust but at least the house didn't smell as musty as I had expected. I rummaged through the cupboards looking for some wine, and finally found a bottle. I used my wand to send it over to his kitchen table. Tonks was wandering around the room peering at things, sometimes picking them up and turning them over. I carried over two wine glasses, and sat down at the kitchen table. She followed suit, smiling somewhat shyly across at me. "I am really sorry for losing my temper earlier... It's just Sirius..." She trailed off.

"He really cares about you Nymph-Tonks." I nearly called her Nymphadora, again. I was always trying to use it in serious situations, it was a lovely name. But she hated it with a vengeance so I tried to keep her happy by calling her Tonks. "He's just struggling with being trapped in that house. You have to avoid fighting with him, he will cool down." She nodded, and her eyes raised from her glass to my eyes.

"Thanks Remus, you're good at calming me down. Guess I may have the Black temper my mom always told me about." She told him sourly.

"You're nothing like the Black's, nor is Sirius. Not really anyway, the odd trait is understandable but you're as far from the likes of Bellatrix as the Weasley's are." She cocked her head to the side, and look rather adorable.

"That's nice of you to say, but you know Sirius and I do take after the blacks more than the Weasley's." She sighed. "It can't be helped." She smiled at me, head tilted again her eyes roved over my face, and I felt a blush rise to my cheeks. She licked her lips, and I turned from her. I couldn't handle it, I liked her so damn much. She had to stop doing such alluring things! I realised my hand was squeezing my glass and I let go a little. "Remus..." I knew what was coming, and I shook my head.

"Don't... Tonks."

"But... you like me, I know you do. You've never denied it." I'm not good at lying. But I considered it at this moment. She was so persistent. I was finding it harder and harder to resist her.

"I..." I trailed off, trying to think of a kind way to get her to stop talking about my feelings for her. "Tonks you know that it won't work between us. Look at us..." He gestured between them. "Do you know why I brought you here tonight, instead of The Three Broomsticks?" She shook her head, looking perplexed. "It's because I don't have a job Tonks, who would hire a werewolf? I've got no money, I can't buy you things, I can't give you what you need!" He tried to keep his voice down, but frustration tinged his voice and he got up abruptly making her jump in surprise.

"Remus... You know that I don't care. I know you don't have money." She came around the table and grabbed my sleeve. I shook her off and she took a step away. "What do I need to do?"

"You don't need to do anything!" He turned to her, and knew his eyes were hard. "You've done too much already. Always bringing up my feelings for you."

"Ha! So you do like me." She said, but not happily she looked as frustrated as he felt, but for a different reason.

"How could I not?" He stepped forward intruding on her space, she didn't step away. "You're beautiful," without thinking his hand brushed down the side of her face. He turned from her, stepping away. "So damned beautiful." He muttered. "Just... Tonks. I can't do this, I'm so much older than you. I'm poor, how am I supposed to look after you?" I kept my eyes on the wall, and I heard her leave through the front door. I didn't follow, I just collapsed into a sitting position where I was standing, and hung my head. Oh Tonks.