Disclaimer: See first chapter

Sirius stared mournfully into a steaming cup of Earl Grey whilst Tonks wondered if the sudden melancholy mood was a result of her mentioning her mother or her very presence in his house and Lupin tried to make small talk and smile. God, this was awkward.

"I'd probably better get going," she said, sliding out of her chair with as much dignity as catching her thigh on the corner of the table would allow. "I…um…I won't bother you if-"

"You're not bothering anyone," Lupin assured her. "He's just being a pain in the arse. He gets like this sometimes, don't you Sirius? He still blames himself for everything."

"So do you!" snapped Sirius. "You'd blame yourself solely for global warming if you could, Remus."

Lupin smiled and shrugged, pleased that Tonks laughed.

"I'll see you to the door," he told her, nudging Sirius on his way past.

"There's really no need," Tonks told him, indicating towards her cousin who was now frowning at his mug as though it had insulted him. "I know the way."

"It's the gentlemanly thing to do," Lupin insisted, closing the door to the basement behind him as they stood in the hallway. "Besides, I don't know much more of him I can take when he's like this. I need a break."

She reached for her coat and gave him a sympathetic smile.

"Oh and um…," he added, catching her arm and pulling her back towards him. "Please don't be offended. He's just caught of guard by the thought of explaining it all again. It knocks him back a few steps. I'll talk to him if you come round to see him in a better mood soon."

Tonks raised an eyebrow. "Does that count as emotional blackmail?"

"Well it's certainly blackmail," Lupin agreed. "But I'm not sure if it's of the emotional sort just yet. Though I will most certainly be more than willing to progress to it if you refuse."

Tonks grinned back at him. "In that case, you pair free Friday night?"

"We're always free."

"She'll be round later so try to be a little more…what's the word? Chipper! Try to be more chipper," warned Lupin, scrubbing a ten year old stain from the oak worktop. "Although, I don't know what we have to offer her. She's what? Twenty something? And spending her Friday night with us."

Sirius grinned. "You think we're old Remus?"

"I'm knocking forty, that's all I'm saying," said Lupin, shrugging and beaming in triumph at the spotless kitchen counter. "I'm knocking forty and already I'm getting obsessed with housework. Pads, I need a life."

"Just as well you're spending the evening with the Blacks then," laughed Sirius, feeling better now he knew that neither Andromeda nor her daughter begrudged him. "And incidentally thirty-four is not 'knocking forty'. Is that the door?"

"I'll get it!" cried Lupin, leaping to his feet.

"You're keen."

"I'm sure I don't know what you mean," said Lupin, his eyes wide with the horror of Sirius knowing about his flirtations with a woman thirteen years his junior, and fake confusion. "It could be the Minister of Magic for all we know."

"But it's not," said Sirius, glancing at his watch. "Tonks is coming at half seven and lo and behold, it's half seven."

Lupin rolled his eyes. "Alright, so you answer it then."

"No, it's alright," said Sirius, fighting a smile. "You're on your feet now."

As soon as Lupin had disappeared from view, Sirius allowed himself to laugh.

"You laughing at me Black?"

"Would I ever?" Sirius called up, hearing the sound of Tonks' laughter in response and beaming at her as she tripped down the last three steps, a perfect contrast to Lupin's seemingly innate grace.

"So what are we going to do then?" she asked, taking Lupin's offered hand and dusting off her knees. "As long as it's not salsa, I'll be fine."

A silence descended. Lupin was inwardly cringing, Sirius was scheming and Tonks was asking herself why she had opened her mouth and ruined the atmosphere.

"Monopoly," said Sirius eventually. "We've got Monopoly."

Lupin's jaw set. "No way! I'm not playing Monopoly with you ever again; not after last time."

"Last time was over ten years ago!" protested Sirius. "I'm like a cheese; I've matured."

Lupin raised his eyebrows. "And if you believe that then presumably you still leave a mince pie out on Christmas eve."

"Are you questioning the existence of the fat bloke?" asked Sirius, his eyes glinting.

"Monopoly it is," said Lupin, his lack of spine enabling them to avoid yet another debate in which Sirius attempted to use five year old logic to give him a mental breakdown.

"And I'm the motorcar!" Sirius reminded him. "If you give me the dog again, I'll hit you with it!"

"Would you believe it?" snapped Sirius. "'Go to jail. Go directly to jail. Do not pass Go. Do not collect two hundred pounds'."

Which left Lupin and Tonks (the hat and the wheelbarrow) to traipse around the board, practically dancing across the squares that were mostly owned by their opponent by means of cheating.

"Aha!" cried Sirius, rolling a double. "Moony, a short stay in Mayfair I see. And in my hotel! That's five hundred pounds."

"Five hundred pounds! It's four hundred on the card!"

"Yeah but I put you in the Penthouse."

"I knew it. This always happens."

"Come on, pay up!"

Lupin bitterly slammed down a pink note and advanced to Go, still seething. Noticing Tonks on Coventry, he smirked.

"My hotel in Coventry. Two hundred and eighty pounds."

"Remus, it's next to a sewage plant."

"No it's not. It's the waterworks! It's not even next to it."

Tonks smiled.

"That's it! I'm not playing anymore! The pair of you are just as bad as each other!"

It was midnight by the time Sirius felt his friend had been humiliated enough, humiliated into bankruptcy at least and declared that he was going to bed. Kissing Tonks' cheek, he warned her not to fall up the stairs and promptly left them alone, no doubt part of some cunning plan.

"He can clear this away in the morning," Lupin told her. "I am in no mood to do it now. Would you like something to drink?"

Tonks smirked. "If you're talking about tea, I'll pass."

"If you're up for it and can handle the consequences, we could always steal a bit of Sirius' Firewhiskey."

"Now you're talking," she laughed. "It's his birthday tomorrow isn't it?"

Lupin nodded. "Yeah. He'll be over thirty-five but his IQ won't be."

"So is it okay if I come round again tomorrow?"

Lupin beamed. "Of course it is! That's great! I've been really worried about it. It's his first proper birthday since the eighties and he won't say anything but it'll bother him. Perfect! Is your mother coming?"

Tonks laughed. "She'll drop by I'm sure. I'll have to get him a present and who are you inviting round?"

Lupin stared at her. "Er no-one; he's still an escaped convict."

"Oh yeah but he has friends right?"

"Well he's got me."

Tonks' jaw dropped. "That's it?"

"And Buckbeak."

"Who the hell is Buckbeak?"

"His Hippogriff."

"He has a Hippogriff?"

"Long story," said Lupin, handing her a shot glass. "You really don't want to ask."

She downed the glass without even wincing and smiled at Lupin. "I'd better get going. You should get some sleep. You have bags under your eyes. You have really nice eyes by the way. I think I'll borrow them."

She blinked and revealed eyes as black as the night.

"See you tomorrow," she called, running up the stairs. "I look forward to it."

"Well knowing Sirius, neither of us will forget it in a hurry," he said to himself, folding the board. It had been an interesting evening, he'd admit that. What he wouldn't admit is how much he genuinely enjoyed spending time with the young woman who had burst into his life accidentally and thankfully, showed no signs of disappearing.