A/N: More Sirius goodness. Please review.

Chapter Three-Pain

I headed to Grimmauld Place once more, feeling rather pleased with myself. Today at work, I had managed to nab one of our most pesky, elusive criminals. Everyone had smiled at me, Kingsley had said, "Well done, Tonks," and Mad-Eye had patted me on the shoulder awkwardly, saying gruffly, "That's my girl."

That was high praise from my notoriously exacting mentor, and I was still beaming when I arrived outside numbers eleven and thirteen.

I was just about to close my eyes and will the house to appear when I was stopped.

"Wait."

I whipped my wand out instantly and spun around, ready to defend myself.

Sirius stood up from the bench where he had been sitting, his haggard face illuminated by the strong moonlight.

Holding his hands up in the air, he said calmly, "Now, no need to Stun me. Once was quite enough, thank you."

I relaxed and was pointing my wand away when I remembered what Mad-Eye had drilled into my head for years. Constant Vigilance!

I pointed my wand at his heart once more.

"What color was my hair when I first met you?"

"I seem to recall it being a curious shade of blue."

Now I relaxed, putting my wand in my back pocket.

"Come. Sit and chat a bit."

"Okay," I said hesitantly.

I walked over to his bench, and sat cautiously next to him.

The moonlight bathed my face, and I tilted my chin up to soak it in. I always did like moonlight.

"Now, I know you're eager to go inside and flirt outrageously with Moony," Sirius began.

Feeling my face go red, I said, "We're not-"

"-Save it." Sirius interrupted, holding up his hand.

I shut my mouth and waited for the rest.

"But you seem to be forgetting something in your haste."

With the hand that was in the air, he pointed up at the sky.

"That glowing orb up there."

I looked where he was pointing. The moon was completely full, and shining brightly.

"Oh."

"Exactly."

We sat there in silence for a moment, and I broke it, asking-

"Does-does it hurt him?" I knew I sounded a bit too concerned for a "friend", but I didn't care.

"Used to. You've seen his scars, right? Dumbledore had him hole up in an abandoned building when he was at Hogwarts, but before he had us Marauders, and before Hogwarts, he was isolated, and would attack himself."

I winced, and turned a thought over in my head.

"The Shrieking Shack?"

"Very good. They don't just let anybody be an Auror, " he said, sounding pleased.

"Anyways, it was very painful until us Marauders were able to help calm him during his transformations. See, we became Animagi-"

"Awesome," I breathed.

"Yes. Very awesome. So us being there would calm him down a bit, but once we were…incapacitated, it became painful for him again, at least until the invention a couple years ago of-"

"Wolfsbane Potion," I finished for him.

"Right. For some reason, Snivellus has been making it for him, and so he just sleeps through the full-moon nights as a harmless wolf. But the transformation itself is still quite painful, and that's why he looks rather ill around then. To answer your question, yes, but not half as much pain as it used to be, thank God."

"So, can I go see him?"

"No. The Wolfsbane potion is still relatively new and it's not infallible. It doesn't matter how much you don't care about the risk, because Remus would never be able to forgive himself if he hurt you."

"I see."

"He really likes you, you know. I honestly don't think he's ever found someone he felt about as strongly as you."

I looked down at my orange trainers, mortified but inwardly rejoicing.

"I know you can help him. But-"

He reached over and turned my head gently so that I was looking at him.

"I want you to know what you're getting into."

"I don't care-"

"-Yes, I know. And that is why you're good for him. But first you need to know,"

"Moony is the most noble, self-sacrificing git I have ever had the dubious fortune of meeting. Ever. You're in for a long battle, despite the fact that you've already won. He'll tell you that he's too old, too poor, too dangerous, and lots of dung like that. But you can't give up on him-if you persist he will realize that his excuses are nothing. Because, let me tell you- my best friend needs this. He needs you. So don't give up. And, I'm only telling you this because, unless I'm reading this wrong, you feel the same. Is that right?"

I nodded, too shocked at Sirius' speech to speak.

"Are you sure? I need to know if you're in this for the long haul, or if it's just a passing fancy."

"I-I'm sure. I…I love him." Where did that come from? Somewhere deep inside, and I knew it was true, absolutely true.

"I thought as much," said Sirius smugly. "Now, I've got work to do. Glad we could talk."

Abruptly, he stood up and strode into the appearing house. I was frozen to the bench, my mind racing with my new-found conviction.

I, Tonks, am in love with Remus Lupin.

It would be a long fight. I'd already observed some of Remus' martyr-like tendencies.

But…Faint heart never won fair lady, right?