Thanks to all the people who reviewed the last chapter! You guys inspire me!
That One Mistress Marauder wonderfully suggested writing some of the story from Remus' point of view, to I gave it a try later on in this chapter. Hope you guys like...
Disclaimer: J.K Rowling owns everthing!
"I brought cake!" Tonks yelled as she burst into Grimauld Place's kitchen. A figure at the sink jumped and dropped their cup. Tea splattered the floor and broken pieces of china shot in every direction. Heat rose in Tonks' face when she realized the person was not her cousin but none other than Remus Lupin himself. When he looked at her, his face was quite emotionless but it looked like he was working very hard to keep it that way.
"I-err." Tonks stammered at he watched her warily. "Reparo." She muttered and the shards of china flew together, leaving a newly fixed cup lying on the ground. "I didn't know that you would be here."
"I'm staying here with Sirius." He said, still calm.
An awkward silence descended on the pair as Tonks searched frantically for something to say. She had not bargained on seeing him so soon but rather on having a few hours to compose the best apology that she could think of, with her cousins help of course, and then finding Remus to apologise. Making a split-second decision, she put the cake down on the table, walked up to Remus and wrapped her arms around him.
When in doubt...hug. She thought to herself. She wanted to show Remus that she wasn't afraid of him and when he relaxed into her hug, she knew that he had realized it.
She pulled away from him gently. "I'm so sorry." She said sincerely, looking straight into his clear blue eyes. "I reacted like a git, a prejudiced idiotic git." When he didn't say anything and continued to simply stare at her, Tonks' voice grew higher and she started to speak faster. "I gave Snape exactly the reaction he wanted. He just caught me off guard. I don't normally act like such a complete cow, it's just I was never one for surprises-"
"Nymphadora stop. It's alright." He interrupted, an amused smile playing around his lips.
"I'm so sorry!" She said quickly before he could stop her. "And don't call me Nymphadora." She added, stamping her foot. Suddenly Tonks was falling, having accidentally stepped on the tea cup that she had repaired earlier. Remus darted forward to help but only succeeded in being pulled down after her.
"Sorry."
Remus started to laugh. "You seem to be saying that to me a lot lately."
"Yeah well." Tonks grumbled, letting Remus help her to her feet. "Just put this on my tab of things that I have to make up to you."
"Actually." Remus started casually. "I have thought of something that I want..."
Tonks raised her eyebrows in interest, trying to understand why Remus' words made her heartbeat quicken. "Really?"
"Is that chocolate cake by any chance?"
Remus watched Tonks intently, trying to understand how this witch could make him feel so awkward and self-conscious yet so comfortable and secure at the same time. And he still felt slightly warm from when he had flushed with pleasure at her hug. You're too old to be feeling this giddy. He told himself sternly. You're not a hormonal teenager anymore! You're grown man in control of his emotions. Yet he couldn't help remembering the feel of Tonks' body against his when they had accidentally fallen to the kitchen floor. He snapped out of his revie when he noticed Tonks looking at him with an amused smile.
"You're staring." She stated with amusement.
"Sorry." He quickly took another bite of cake to hide his embarrassment.
"It's alright." She said cheerfully. "I know I'm a freak."
"Don't say that!" Remus winced as the words came out more harshly than he had intended.
"Relax Remus, I was joking!" Tonks said with a small giggle. "Besides, I'm proud of what I am. Having something that most other people don't is not always a bad thing you know."
Remus got the distinct impression that she wasn't just referring to her morphing abilities. "Easy for you to say. You don't turn into a monster once a month." He said quietly. Instantly he regretted his words, cursing how easy it was to talk to Tonks.
"Actually, I do." She leaned forward and whispered, "I get terrible PMS. My mother always says that there is no living with me during those days."
Remus couldn't help it, he started to laugh.
"Now when I'm serious, you laugh." Tonks said, trying to look offended and failing miserably.
"Well, when I think about it, the two afflictions do have many things in common..." Remus mused, still chuckling.
"If that's true, then I got the short end of the stick." Tonks complained. "I don't get a tail."
"That can easily be fixed." Remus said smoothly, pulling out his wand. "What kind would you like?"
"Such a gentlemen." She replied just as calmly. "But I'm afraid I'll have to take you up on your kind offer another time. You see, a tail wouldn't match my outfit today."
Remus took in her violet hair, matching t-shirt, tight jeans and heavy boots (at the same time ignoring the tiny voice that was telling him that he was looking at more than just her clothes) and shrugged casually. "Another time then." He pretended to return is wand to his pocket, but instead did a complicated little non-verbal charm under the table. Fighting a smile, he watched as a long purple striped tail appeared behind Tonks, drifting slowly from side to side as she finished the rest of her cake.
"Moony, where are you? You left to get the hangover potion and never came back you complete git!" Sirius' voice drifted down to them as he made his way to the kitchen. "When I get rid of this headache, I'm going to find you and chop off your- Tonks?" Sirius looked from his best friend to is cousin. "When did you get here?"
"About half an hour ago. Cake?"
"Just now, thanks." He ambled over to the other side of the kitchen, yanked open a drawer and pulled out a small bottle. He shot Remus a glare and downed the whole bottle. He returned to the table, plonking himself down next to Remus and pulling the rest of the cake (of which more than half was still left) and started to shovel it into his mouth. Remus shook his head and rolled his eyes at Tonks, who hastily turned her laugh into a not-too-convincing cough.
Sirius saw their exchange. "He wasn't acting so cocky last night, after drinking more than two bottles of firewiskey all by himself." Sirius told Tonks.
She turned to Remus with her eyebrows raised. "Two bottles? Impressive!"
Sirius snorted. "It would be more impressive if he drank them for fun and not to drown out his sorrows."
Tonks looked confused. "Sorrows?"
Remus shot Sirius a warning look, but Sirius either didn't see it or ignored it. "Yeah, thats the only time Moony here really drinks. He's really no fun. So Moony, I guessed something upset you at the meeting yesterday, eh?"
Remus avoided looking at Tonks' slightly horrified expression, he knew that she had realized why he had done it."
"Remus-" she started, but he cut her off.
"Don't even think of apologising for something you didn't do." He sighed and forced a light tone. "Sirius makes everything sound worse than it is. " He glanced sideways at his friend. "He just can't see that I have a friend who is a terrible influence."
"Haha," Sirius said in a dry voice. Suddenly his eyes started to move from side to side as he tracked the movement of Tonks' tail that he seemed to just have noticed.
Remus stood suddenly. "Well, I'm just going send an owl to Mad-Eye, I need to confirm the amount of people coming to pick up Harry tonight..." He trailed off, leaving the room just in time."
"WHAT TAIL?"
Remus dived into the library
" REMUS!"
