Chapter 3: Reconsiderations
Summary: Lance Proudfoot has been in love with Tonks since they met in Auror training and finally takes his shot. Remus is secretly jealous, but still denies his love for Tonks. She's sick of his stubborn nature...will Tonks choose Proudfoot?
Author's Note: Sorry it's been forever, exams finally over...
Thank you to my 3 lovely reviewers:
- thefirstduckie
- Purgurl
- j-mercuryuk
I'm glad you're enjoying my work. Plus, a concept in this chapter is based on something from Ugly Betty, see if you can find it.
Disclaimer: I own nothing, and probably never will!
Nymphadora Tonks didn't get any sleep that night. She lay forlornly on her bed, her mind revisiting the same memory, her tears streaming for the same reason, her heart racing for the same fearful realisation.
'Tonks...WHY do you let him do this to you?!'
'It's SO obvious he's playing with you...and I don't know why you let him!'
'Why do you stick up for him?!'
The man who denies you because he's too old for you, too poor, too dangerous...
...the bloke finds a new bloody excuse every day!
How can you love a man who treats you like that?'
Tonks bit her lip and winced to allow more burning tears trickle out of her eyes and drip onto the surface of her pillow. She shivered under the sheets and felt for the first time in her life completely alone. She felt no warmth within her, a Dementor's kiss would probably feel the same. But it's true, Remus has never told me that he loves me. Mum always told me to find someone who loves me and never let them go. And Lance loves me... he really does. And Remus avoids me.
Remus Lupin anxiously paced the narrow corridor of the Noble House of Black. He checked his watch again. 9:57.
'I swear I sent the owl three hours ago!' he repeated frustratedly to himself. 'Lionel didn't have to travel far, just to the Tonks' right here in London! He couldn't have lost it. And he came back...'
Lupin pondered to himself for a few more minutes when a black and brown owl glided into the haunted house via the chimney. Dropping the folded piece of parchment on the wooden floorboards, the bird left 5 Grimmauld Place within seconds. Lupin hurried to the letter and unfolded it. He looked confused as he struggled to read the note.
'This is Andromeda's writing!' he cried in astonishment.
Dear Remus,
I am so sorry that Nymphadora could not come to the Headquarters after you sent the letter. She had just left for dinner with Lance and she didn't get back till late. I guess she must of enjoyed herself! But then again she hurried to her room and I didn't get a chance to let her know of your intended meeting. Many apologies,
Andromeda Phineasia Tonks
Remus' POV
Lance? Lance? Who the hell is Lance? I thought she said that she...I thought I was the one that...
And then the stark reality hit me. She's moving on. Even though she loves me. I chuckled bitterly to myself before realising exactly what Sirius would have said.
'Well, it's your bloody fault mate! You kept telling her to find someone else!'
Out of Remus' POV
Lupin bit his lip in disappointment before concluding painfully,
'She can only move on so quickly if...she never...really loved me after all...B-but she d-deserves to have s-someone better than me...Been saying that s-since day one...'
In response to his mental and emotional anguish, Remus exerted his frustrations by picking up the two wine glasses carefully placed on the set dining table for his final submission to Nymphadora and hurling them across the room. Without a final look at the shattered glass or chanting the Reparo charm, Remus stormed out of the dining room and headed to bed. As he lay on the unsupportive mattress, he tried to force himself to sleep. His eyes began to water as he imagined Tonks in the arms of a faceless man, another man, a man who would never be him...
'What I advised her to do is my greatest resentment...' His tears burned and his head pained from this accruing dislike for Lance.
'Who is he?!' He demanded. 'Is he from the Ministry?'
Remus suddenly felt a sudden gush of anger swelling in his soul as he grasped the bedsheets in fury. His bestial self became more exposed as he vented out the frustrations inside.
'I will find out who this Lance fellow is.'
It was a new week and Tonks was dreading to leave for work that Monday. She would definately come into contact with Lance. They worked together and were partners after all!
'Nymphadora Medea Tonks! You'll be late for work! Get a move on!' Andromeda screeched from the hallway.
Damn, Tonks thought. It's times like these when you wish you had one of the Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes.
Tonks quickly rubbed her tear swelling eyes before assembling her shoulder length brown hair into a tight bun. She took a deep breath and straightened her posture and within seconds, apparated into thin air.
'K-kingsley...' Tonks started nervously as she peeked into his office. Kingsley simply raised his hand to signal her to come in but didn't look at her. Tonks glanced around her and tiptoed into Kingsley's office almost surreptitiously. The dark skinned Auror slowly and hesitantly looked up from his filing cabinet to stare into Tonks' especially red eyes.
Oh no, he thought.
'What's up Tonks?' he asked almost too casually. Tonks bit her fingernail before mumbling,
'IsLancehereIhaven'tseenhimtodayhaveyou?'
Kingsley was taken aback and stared at her with a perplexed expression on his face. 'What did you say?'
'H-have you ...uh..seen Lance? I can't...uh find him anywhere..' Kingsley closed his eyes and took a deep breath as he contemplated how he would break it to her.
'Nymphadora, Lance...has...taken a few weeks off work...uh...stress related issues...' Tonks' eyes widened synergistically with her intensified breathing. She relaxed though, trying to appear unknowing.
'Oh! Really? I-I...had no idea!'
Later that day
'Well you know what you have to do right?' asked Licentia Barthley at the Ministry Cafeteria during lunch. Tonks' eyes darted from left to right in confusion until she stared at her workmate in defeat. Licentia looked up from eating her noodles without utensils but with the help of the Leviosa charm with an annoyed expression.
'You have to talk to him Tonks! Face to face!'
Nymphadora's face fell and looked almost sickly as she glared at her friend in disbelief. Her eyes were still blemished with sorey redness and the lifelessness of the dark shadows beneath them.
'Tia...I can't face him...after...after...all of THAT!' She paused before arguing, 'And besides! What good would it do?!'
'Tonks!' Licentia retorted. 'If Lance loved you as much as he says he did, then he's probably really unstable right now...maybe even suicidal! Three weeks out for "stress"...please! You have to work this out with him...'
'Hmm...' Licentia smirked.
'And besides...he's a hottie, that's one less piece of eye candy around here!'
Tonks rolled her eyes at the last comment before thinking of the horrific vision of Lance killing himself for her. It was actually kind of alluring.
Author's Note: Yay, Chapter 3!! Sorry if it was really abrupt but I needed to get those parts out. Please r&r! Chapter 4 coming soon and here's a sneak peek: it will feature something requested. hehehe take care!
