I'm so sorry I haven't posted a chapter in ages! I've been super busy- but here it is, better late than never!
Need a Lift?
Nearly a week after their introduction, Remus still couldn't shake the feeling that came over him every time he thought of Tonks. It was strange and pleasant and all too distracting while he was at work. On a particularly 'difficult' day, Remus decided to take a walk hoping to clear his head in order to get his work done. He hadn't seen the young woman since the day he met her, but even then walking through the halls of the Ministry trying to rid his mind of her, there she was, smack in the middle of his thoughts. He groaned under his breath in frustration as he rounded the corner to the lifts. Maybe if he just road them for awhile, it would be a small distraction to the other preposterous thoughts going through his head.
He reached the lifts and signaled for the fourth floor. When it arrived, a few people exited, leaving it empty for him as he stepped inside. He let the doors close on their own, not bothering to pick a certain floor or section of the Ministry. Remus moved to the back of the lift and leaned against the back wall, preparing to people watch for awhile before heading back to his office.
The lift jerked to life and whisked backwards, up, and backwards again. He grinned slightly as he remembered the first time he had ridden in one of these contraptions. His first day at the Ministry was a nightmare trying the navigate them. Not to mention, he felt sick for the first three weeks anytime he had to ride in one, dreading it more than anything. He even opted to taking the stairs on occasion. Now, the bumps and twitches of the lift were nothing out of the ordinary, merely a part of the day, a means to an end.
There was a ding overhead as the lift ground to a halt. The doors opened and a swarm of Ministry workers entered. The doors closed as the lift whirled back to life, lurching in all directions. The compartment was packed almost to capacity, people almost standing on top of each other. Remus recognized a few faces, but knew none of them too personally. He scanned the crowd of workers casually until he caught a glimpse of something familiar: a slivered view of vibrantly red hair.
His heart jumped into his throat at the sight of her hair. If this is what happens when I just see her I don't even want to know what happens… Remus let his thoughts trail off as he let out an almost inaudible groan. Hoping he wouldn't be spotted, he leaned into the corner and closed his eyes, waiting for a floor to get off on. The lift ground to a halt once again. Remus half opened his eyes, and to his delight everyone seemed to be exiting. He closed his eyes again, admiring his luck, content with just riding in the lift for a while longer.
"Remus?"
Remus' eyes flew open to see Tonks standing in front of him, the doors just closing behind her, giving him no way of escape. Before he had even a moment to think, the lift jerked backwards, causing Tonks to fly forward into him. The force of her took him by surprise, and he instinctively grabbed her to prevent her from falling to the floor. The lift stabilized on a consistent track and Tonks regained her balance. She straightened up and glanced down at Remus' hands that were still around her waist.
Remus knew he could let her go, but for some reason couldn't bring himself to. He could feel the muscles of her back through her robes, lean and strong. He looked down at her into her slate grey eyes, and before he could stop himself, he leaned his head down to hers. Tonks closed her eyes and began to lean into him, her hair turning the slightest shade of pink. When their lips were only inches apart, a ding came from above to signal the lift coming to a stop. Remus, in an instant, remembered where he was and what he was about to do with someone he definitely shouldn't be doing it with. He suddenly straightened up and removed his hands from Tonks' waist and noticed that the pink of her hair had instantly returned to its normal red color.
Remus felt embarrassed that he had let his feelings take control of himself like that. He knew he couldn't get close to any one because of his condition, for fear of their safety. Not to mention, Tonks was much to young for him, at least 10 years his junior, and a coworker nonetheless. He saw disappointment in Tonks' eyes. She reached for him and placed her hand on his arm. Shame grew inside him and he pulled his arm from her touch just as the lift doors opened. He exited the lift quickly without looking back, many emotions racking his body at once.
