Chapter 3

Unintended rendezvous at night

When he finally got to sleep, a loud bang awoke him after what seemed like only some minutes of calm. Mrs Blacks screaming echoed through the whole house and although his room was on the second floor, it was as loud as if he was standing next to the ugly portrait. There was just one reason for this noise he could think of: Nymphadora Tonks. Probably the troll leg again. His heart jumped once more, but first he was too tired to go down and see if he had guessed right and second he wanted this silly feeling to end. If he gave in to the need to check if she was all right and talk to her, his stupid heart would continue to beat that fast whenever she was around. If he just ignored her, he couldn't fall in love with her, right? Because he felt like he would do just that if he got to know her.

When the screams found no end, Remus started to feel uncomfortable. Why didn't Sirius help her? Was he drunk again? It definitely wouldn't be the first time and in that state he wouldn't hear anything, not even an explosion next to his head. So it was up to Remus to help Nymphadora – no, Tonks, as she insisted – no matter if he liked it or not.

Sighing, he got up and dressed. He still hoped that the screaming would end any minute and Sirius would come in to apologize for acting so late for some unknown reason. It didn't happen and so he lit his wand and got down the stairs. As expected, he found Tonks under the umbrella stand, cursing at the portrait of her relative. She was nearly as creative as Mrs Black herself, he noticed with a smile.

"Remus! Thank Merlin! I thought I would lie under this stupid thing till the next meeting. Or at least till morning."

"Yeah, you simply have to stay asleep with such a nice lullaby." He nodded to the portrait.

Tonks tried to laugh, but the weight of the troll leg upon her turned it into a cough. "Doesn't seem to distract Sirius."

"He probably had one Firewhiskey too much. At least one. This house gets him depressed. And I think thirteen years of Azkaban didn't help it, either."

"Usually I would agree with you, but right now I would ask you to get that thing of me, if you don't mind."

Remus blushed and replaced the umbrella stand stuttering an apology. Tonks giggled and tried to close the curtains herself. When she didn't succeed, Remus hurried to help her. After a hard fight – Mrs Black seemed to be very eager to insult someone tonight – silence filled the room. In the dim light of some distant candles, Remus could see Tonks smiling at him gratefully. His heart lept once more and for the first time since her spectacular arrival, he noticed that her hair now was a light purple.

"How do you do that?"

"What?"

"Your hair. It was blue when you arrived, in the hall it turned red when Sirius called you Nymphadora (she flinched at the use of her first name) and now it's purple."

"Oh, that. You better get used to it. I'm a Metamorphmagus. I can change my appearance at will."

She closed her eyes in concentration and the next second her hair was a shining lime green. "See?"

Remus laughed. This Nymphadora certainly was special. But special was exactly what the order could use right now. He searched for her eyes and tried to find fear in them. Mistrust. Anything. Something they should show in the middle of a secret war against the darkest wizard of all times. But they didn't. They were enchantingly blue and absolutely honest. Remus found himself drowning in them. Something drew him closer to her, but although he couldn't remember why it was wrong to give in to this feeling right then, he still knew, that it was wrong. So he stayed where he was, staring at her and waiting. She seemed to feel the same for she just stood there and stared back. Now and then he thought he saw a question in her eyes, as if she was asking him if it was okay for her to come closer. But she didn't and when Sirius staggered up the stairs, murmuring something about killing Kreacher and Snape in one go, the moment was over. They both jumped and ran to his side to help him get in his bed. Remus looked at her once more and this time he tried not to drown in those beautiful eyes.

"You should get your things and make yourself comfortable. Most of the rooms are empty, but don't go further than the second floor. The rest is still uninhabitable. Unless you like doxies. I'll get Sirius back to his room."

She offered him a broad smile and carefully went back to get her bag without waking Mrs Black again.

After dropping Sirius in his bed, Remus made his way back to his own room. He didn't think he would sleep much, not after he had been awoken like that. But it was worth a try and so he tiptoed down the floors for he didn't know which room Tonks slept in. He didn't want to wake her if she slept already. When he arrived at his door, he heard light breathing from the room next to his. So she chose to reside right beside him. Of course she didn't know it, but for Remus it seemed like she was on some mission to torture him. When he lay in bed and listened to her regular breath and the strange rhythm of his heart, he decided that Nymphadora Tonks definitely was a danger to his usual way of life. If this was good or bad was another question.

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