Day Three: Watching a Movie. Not that edited because I'm purely exhuasted.
Thanks again for the reviews. Please continue with your wonderfulness.
Also I don't own the Harry Potter series.
Tonks blew her nose hard. She was aware of the red rims under her eyes, but she was so sick she couldn't even morph a fingernail. She was so sick all noises sounded like nails on a chalkboard. So naturally she decided to watch a film.
She cuddled up under several blankets and parked herself in front of the television in her parents' living room. She had planed to come over and let her mother spoil her silly, but as it turned out her parents were not in the house.
They must have gone out for a walk, as they frequently did in the nicer weather. She considered going over to Grimauld Place for a bit of company, but she was certain Remus was going to be there. And today was not a day to indulge her crush.
Tonks admitted that she was somewhat vain. It was hard not to be when she had been able to change her appearance since birth. Not many people knew what she truly looked like, and that always made her nervous about what they would think when they finally saw her as she really was. She could be terrified of them seeing, if she really cared about someone.
Her dad would say that if they didn't accept her for who she was then they weren't worth caring about in the first place. Tonks got the gist, but in her heart of hearts she wasn't sure she could agree.
Her mother would be more sympathetic. Andromeda had grown up spending much of her time being compared to her elder sister, Bellatrix because of the physical likeness they shared.
"I'll be the first to admit the Blacks are a cold and scary bunch as far as appearances go. Of course, everything's not as simple as dark eyes and prominent cheek bones. Some of us...them, have something worthwhile underneath. Really Ted, if you'd judged by my looks we'd never have gotten together," Andy said to her husband. Ted shook his head.
"Nonsense, you were nearly as beautiful as you are now. Though if I thought that's all you were I wouldn't have been nearly as motivated to pluck up the courage and speak to you in the first place."
Andy rolled her eyes, though there was a smile tugging at the corner of her lips. "Some days I feel like I've married some foolish Gryffindor boy."
"Hey!" Ted crossed his arms. "I'm a Puff through and through."
"Puffs for the win!" Tonks cheered just like she'd use to at house matches.
Those had been the days. There was nothing as entertaining as watching the Hogwarts houses face off in a game of Quidditch.
Though the experience of re-watching her favorite movie was just as good in terms of comfort. Tonks switched the volume up higher. Her ears were awfully sensitive at the moment, and she could probably quote every line at this point, but she still wanted to hear the soothing sounds of those actors' voices.
There was another familiar voice calling out for her attention. She could hear him calling through the front door. "Excuse me! Is Dora in?"
"Just a mo'," Tonks shouted hoarsely back, her heart jumping in her chest. She slipped on her fluffy slippers and warily padded over to the door. Her mind kept circling around the thought of how he would react to her current look. She was quite tempted to pretend she hadn't heard him and let him walk away. However, it would be rude to leave him standing on her parents' doorstep, and besides, she was curious about how he knew where she was.
She unlatched the door. Remus immediately glanced her over, his eyes full of concern. He said nothing about her appearance though. "Hello… Sorry to barge in like this, hope I didn't wake you." Tonks shook her head. "Well Sirius told us you'd gotten sick. I stopped by your building and your land lady mentioned you'd gone to visit your parents." And this was one of the many reasons Tonks got such a low score on stealth and tracking. She was dead clumsy and way too chatty. "Sirius took me to visit Andy once when I was younger, and I figured if she lived in the same place well... I guess I took a bit of a chance." He rubbed the back of his neck.
"Us?" Tonks had been wondering.
"Sirius has mostly been complaining to me and Molly. He really wanted to come and visit you himself but, well, you can imagine how well that went over. Ah, and before I forget," Remus pulled what looked like an entire cauldron out of his coat pocket. "Molly has sent soup and well wishes."
"Huh. I could never resist Molly's cooking. Come on in."
"Thank you. And no one can resist Molly's cooking...well, besides Severus maybe. " Remus knocked some slush off his boots before coming inside and taking a look around. "It's very nice in here," he commented.
"Yes, I miss it sometimes," Tonks told him. For a moment she thought she was getting a bit teary-eyed. Then she rubbed her sore throat and spluttered into a coughing throat.
"Can I help you heat up the soup and maybe put up a pot of tea? Would your parents mind?" He glanced around as if expecting them to suddenly apparate into the room.
"They're probably out on a walk," Tonks explained. "It's warmer today. And yeah, tea sounds nice. The kitchen's just through here."
"The snow's melting," Remus said conversationally, following her. "Too bad, I know you like it."
Tonks shrugged. "Winter isn't over yet." She started to busy herself with the kettle.
"I could do that for you," Remus offered quickly. Tonks paused.
"Alright then. Better you do I guess. I'm liable to spill it everywhere in this state." She sat down, gesturing at her rumpled clothes and bed hair.
"You spill everything in your normal state anyway," Remus teased. Tonks pouted and then laughed quietly. Speaking of normal state...maybe she was being too self-conscious. Maybe he hadn't even noticed. Remus shot her a searching look.
"Your hair is nice today...not that it isn't nice usually but..." He trailed off shyly. Then turned his back on her as he lit the stove. He set the pot of soup up over the flame. Tonks touched her mousy brown locks.
"You don't think it's too boring?"
"Not at all," Remus said brightly. "You look a bit worn out, but still lovely."
Tonks smiled at the tablecloth. "It's my actual hair color," she said, wondering how he'd react. "The way I look now…well if you subtract the peakiness...then this is what I'd look like if I weren't a metamorphmagous."
Remus sat down next to her, momentarily distracted by her fabulous slippers. He rubbed thoughtfully at his stubble. "The shape of your face is the same," he said slowly. Tonks looked questioningly at him. "It's the same as it always is. Sort of a heart shape."
Tonks traced the contour of her head, from her widow's peak to her chin. Remus' gaze was almost unnervingly steady. "You're right," she said. "That's the hardest thing to morph away I think. Moody was always going off on it being a weakness in my otherwise fairly good method of disguise. He knocked a few points off my final exam."
Remus nodded. "Well seeing as I'm not testing your aptitude as an auror, I'd say your face is fine just the way it is."
Tonks beamed. "You don't prefer me with my pig snout?" She joked. Remus coughed.
"Not unless that's the way you prefer yourself to look," he said diplomatically.
"I'll have to think about it." She winked.
Remus looked younger for a moment, as he met her eyes and stayed perfectly still. The tea pot chose this opportune moment to whistle it's interruption. He popped up immediately and poured them each a steaming cup. The silence itched like a rash. Tonks wanted nothing more than to smash it broken...but for once she couldn't think of anything to say. Remus pulled awkwardly on his ear. "What am I hearing?" He asked suddenly.
"I don't know, what are you hearing?" Tonks responded in confusion.
"Voices? Hang on, have you got the t.v on?"
Tonks jumped up, knocking her tea over and sending the hot liquid seeping across the table. Remus vanished it easily, giving her a pointed look. Tonks laughed sheepishly.
"Um right. I was watching a movie before you arrived. My favorite one... want to join me?" Remus hesitated a second too long. Tonks felt her self-doubt building up, ready to explode. "Never mind. Forget I asked. I wouldn't want to get you sick."
"I get sick all the time," Remus said. "My immune system is somewhat weak, especially around this time of the month."
"I see." Tonks smiled sadly.
"But well, since I get sick most of the time anyway, I might as well get sick this time, doing something I'll enjoy."
Tonks blinked . "You don't even know what movie it is. You might hate it."
"Yes, but I would still enjoy spending some time with you."
Tonks couldn't say no to that. Even with her diminished powers she was certain she felt her hair flush crimson along with her skin. She tugged on Remus' sleeve and led him into the living room.
Like the gallant Gyffindor he was, Remus let her lie down on the couch, while he sat down on the carpet, leaning up against the coffee table. Tonks held her second mug of tea in her hands as she tried again to focus on her movie.
This time though, her eyes kept straying to the figure below her. Remus was watching the screen intently, scratching one of his old scars as if he wasn't even aware he was doing it.
"What is it?" He said. He must have realized she was staring.
"Thanks," she told him. "For coming to see how I was, and bringing the soup, making tea...and for staying."
"I told you," Remus said, turning around so his eyes met hers. "It's my pleasure."
Well, I didn't make this one under the correct time perimeters, but oh what the hell, no one's perfect. Also, a challenge is a challenge.
Right, see you again tomorrow. Or rather, later today.
Next is on a date. Oh romance, why must you be so difficult to write?
