Harry Potter is owned by J K Rowling

Once again Harry saw Severus Snape working like a pro on the cursed wounds healing them to a certain extent. He remembered what Remus had said about cursed wound, them never healing fully.

The wolf had been brutal and restless last night; after being suppressed for so long, it had taken out its all frustration on Remus's body. Harry stood in the corner silently as Snape closed a gash on his chest and as Hermione applied Dittany to Remus's wrist.

Remus wasn't entirely unconscious; he would often groan in pain or would look in an unfocused manner around him. Finally when they had patched him up, Hermione covered him with a thick blanket. Ron had been right about Shrieking shack looking like a small palace, however now the room they were currently in, was destroyed- courtesy of the wolf.

Suddenly Remus woke up and caught Hermione's wrist. "Dora, tell Dora… tell her I am fine." He spoke taking a ragged breath.

"Yes Remus, don't worry. I am just going to owl her."

"She'll worry…" He was losing consciousness.

"You just sleep; I'll send her a letter." But Remus has already fallen asleep.

Harry was amazed that even amidst his pain, Remus was concerned about Tonks worrying.

Hermione gave him a small smile as Snape left the room without any other word. "It's always like this. I will never understand why they are denying themselves. Let's move to the kitchen. Let him sleep."

"Shrieking Shack has a kitchen?" Harry asked in astonishment and Hermione merely rolled her eyes.

"So George and Angelina decided on a date yet?" Hermione asked Ginny as she buttered her toast.

Ginny took a gulp of her orange juice and answered, "They say by the end of August, before school starts. Summer wedding, can't wait for it."

George had started to date Angelina few months after the battle and he had recently proposed her. They had expressed their wish to conduct the wedding on Hogwarts ground. Apparently Fred and George had decided on it. But now that Fred was…gone, George had decided to honor his wishes. Also, they wanted to honor their fallen friends by getting married on the same ground as a symbol of victory of life. Headmistress McGonagall had agreed as during summer all the students had returned home and the castle was empty. It was one of the reasons that they had decided to stay at Hogwarts for this summer.

It was like a vacation. A home away from home. Everyone was recovering from their emotional wounds still a year after the war and it sort of helped to stay together with the closest friends in such a peaceful place.

They heard clambering of footsteps coming from the stairs and soon enough, a panting Ron and disgruntled Tonks entered.

"Hey Tonks how was-" Harry's question was left hanging incomplete as Tonks didn't even glance at him and climbed up further. They heard distinctly as she barged into Remus's room.

Hermione was busy in giving a rather elaborate welcome to Ron, therefore he turned to Ginny.

"Don't worry, until she sees Remus she won't rest." She said referring to Tonks. "Would you like to visit Hogsmeade?"

"I was thinking about the Muggle London actually, there are places… I never got round to see because of… well everything. And I'd like very much to visit them with you." He gave her a shy smile. After the funerals, he had left Britain rather quickly without clearing things between them. He was glad that she had agreed to resume their relationship even after he had caused her so much hurt.

"I'd love that." She said smiling as she leaned to give him a kiss.

Tonks opened the door as she tried to catch her breath. The room was in shreds but she had eyes only for Remus. Remus who was slowly waking up.

"Hey." She whispered softly and treaded through the shards of furniture and perched herself on the side of the bed. She brushed the bangs off his forehead as he stirred awake.

"Dora…" He opened his clear blue eyes and peered at her. "How was your mission?"

"It went fine. Are you hurt?" She frowned. She had been so distracted last night in her worry for him.

"Hmmm… I am sorry I destroyed the whole room Dora, see this is what I do… no matter how much you make an effort, I end up destroying everything."

"Oh hush up." She shook her head vehemently and placed her fingers on his lips. "It will be cleared in a flick of wand. I am just worried to see this… it means the wolf was angry last night. You must have hurt yourself…" her hands itched to remove the blankets and look for the damage herself but she resisted.

"I am all right really. Hermione and Severus healed me right. I feel bad though… that I am such a liability." He mumbled in low hoarse voice.

"Do I ever say I am a liability when you catch or pick me up every time I fall?"

He gave a raspy chuckle which soon turned into coughing fit.

"Do you want water?"

He shook his head. "It will be okay… just sore throat." He sighed and settled back in the covers. "I was worried about you. I had hoped this Death Eater chase would end with war."

She sighed in exasperation and adoration for him. Only he would be worried for others when his own life was being risked. "Well where would be all the fun then if all the bad guys were locked up? My job will become awfully boring." She replied as she took off her shoes and climbed gingerly in the bed, waiting for the disapproval that would soon follow.

"Dora… What you doing?" He asked tersely.

"I am tired. You are tired." She spoke slowly. "I thought we should get a nap." She removed the blanket and entered its warmth, ignoring his reprimand.

"Please Dora, I think it is hardly appropriate. And everyone is downstairs I can hear them." He protested weakly.

"Then I think you should stop thinking." She curled around him in a sitting position, leaning against the headboard such that her face towered over his. "And if I know them at all, I'll say they are pretty busy in themselves. Please Remus don't argue. Just sleep." She replied in a soothing murmur as she scratched his head by her fingernails.

"Stubborn woman." He spoke, giving in as he leaned his temple against her chest.

She kissed his forehead and soon enough he was asleep.

It was a strange relationship they had. It wasn't physical- well not sexual kind of physical- nor was it romantic at least not in real sense. They were more than best friends but less than lovers. She had no idea what to name such a relationship.

It wasn't enough. Sometimes she longed to kiss him, touch him in ways only a lover would… but she was happy.

It was better to have something rather than nothing.

The night was eerily silent but Harry found that he had wished for such quiet nights for long. The Black lake was silent as well, all the creatures of water resting deep in.

"Hermione once said that we shouldn't sit under trees at nights." Ginny spoke from where she sat next to him, her arms around him.

Harry smiled at her words. He had been taught about the carbon cycle during his time at Muggle School. "I think we'll survive for one day." He stood up and brushed off his trousers. "Walk with me." He extended his hand to her.

She gazed at him and took the hand with a smile. He could never really get enough of her beauty.

His arm automatically wound around her waist as they started to walk near the edge of the lake.

"I wanted to say something Ginny."

"Mmm hmm?"

"I wanted to apologize…"

Ginny sighed. "There's no need Harry, you have done that already."

"But- but I gave you hell for so long and then… when the time came to correct everything, I left, again."

"Listen- after the battle, they wouldn't have let you live peacefully. I understood your need for distance. You needed a break after the sort of hellish life you had. And it wasn't as if you could have taken me with you. I still had my last year at Hogwarts. And I visited you as often I could along with Hermione and Ron. It wasn't that bad. Besides my family needed me, especially mom after Fred… If anything, I am just glad now that you have your life in perspective. We wouldn't have been able to commit to a serious relationship if your heart wasn't at peace." She sighed and cupped his face. "I love you Harry. I am just happy that… things are becoming alright now."

"I must have done something great to have you." He replied honestly.

"May be defeating the craziest dark lord of all times can be included into 'great' things."

He was about to reply when they both heard a twig snap behind them; immediately they had their wands out.

"It's just me." Came a hoarse voice, he recognized that of Remus Lupin's. "Sorry I startled you both." He came into their view and they both lowered their wands.

"I think it's a habit that will die hard." Harry replied, smiling grimly at his wand. Even after a year, smallest of noise hitched their guards up.

"Yes well. It's something I can relate to."

He was about to reply when he saw Remus holding the biggest pink cotton candy he had ever seen in one of his hand.

"Trying to get in touch with you feminine side Lupin?" He smirked when at the same time Ginny asked. "Where did you get that at this time?"

Remus smiled and adjusted his hold securely on the stick. He pointed to Harry and replied, "Your highness wished to consume some candy floss at-uh," He checked his watch and replied. "-one in the morning." He then looked at Ginny and answered. "Honeydukes; actually it's closed but the owner is one of my old friends so he went out of his way and provided me with this." He gestured to the candy. "The elves here don't know how to make it and one of the elves, Milli went in a right fit, crying that she failed to fulfill her master's wish. Wait until Hermione hears it, she will kill me for making her cry."

"You mean… Tonks right?" Harry asked. It seemed as if it wasn't the Honeydukes' owner who went out of his way but rather it was Remus who went out of his way to get something she wanted at the ungodly hour.

"Mmm hmm." He nodded and was already moving as he elaborated. "She's actually got an urgent report to finish. She barged into my room just as I was about to sleep and claimed that she was feeling rather sleepy and immediately needed a decent company along with a huge ball of candy floss, if she was ever to complete that report. See you two both in the morning them." He gave them a huge smile and vanished through the great doors.

"You must learn- in fact, all men must learn something from Remus. She isn't even his girlfriend and look at things he does for her." Ginny mock scowled at him.

"Are you sure they aren't dating?" He asked skeptically.

Ginny gave him a sad smile. "Difficult to believe isn't it after you have seen their chemistry? No they aren't. It is how they are… always doing something or the other to make the other happy."

"I should talk to Remus-"

"No really, it is going to make things worse now. We all have just silently accepted this. Wait for few days and you'll get used to it as well."

"Nymphadora Tonks, the things I do for you." He closed the door of his quarters and called to the figure currently buried nose deep in her paperwork on his desk placed in his bedroom.

"Ah did you get it? Oh yes you did. You are so sweet!" She exclaimed with happiness as she saw the pink confectionery.

He dragged a stool and sat beside her, still panting after running such a long distance. He unwrapped the bag as she rubbed her hands in excitement.

He looked amusedly at her excitement. "I can never gather how you can eat this whole thing at once. One or two bite is all right but all at once?"

"Do I argue when you eat giant sized chocolate bars in just span of few minutes?" She questioned back.

"I don't have giant sized chocolate bars." He sighed wistfully. He would love a Hagrid sized chocolate, for collection sake of course. "And please don't compare this with chocolate." He separated a piece of fluff and gestured her to open her mouth. She slurped the floss at once; her lips lightly grazing his finger. He ignored the shiver that passed his body. Moments such as these were frequent with her.

"'hut 'p." Came her muffled reply as he stuffed more into her mouth. He supposed she meant shut up.

He sat there as she devoured the candy from his hands with her eyes glued to the report and her quill furiously working.

"Do you want me to stay awake?" He asked after half an hour, suppressing a yawn.

"Oh no you go to sleep; the sugar rush will keep me awake and since I am not in my room I am less inclined to fall asleep."

He got up and stretched. "I am keeping the lights on or else just a single lamp will put too much stress on your eyes."

"You don't have to." She replied distractedly as he went to the bathroom to get changed into his pajamas.

He returned in his pajamas and went to her. "Wake me if you need anything." He bent and placing one hand on the side of her head, kissed her temple. "Good night."

"Good night." She whispered and turned her head to kiss on his cheek tenderly. "Though you are the one doing the sleeping." She replied with a mischievous twinkle in her eyes.

He gave her a smile as he tweaked her nose and reached for his bed.

He snuggled deep in the covers. The desk was next to him such that half of her face was visible to him. With the blankets covering everything but his eyes, he fell asleep watching her.