Remus was sitting on his bed reading a book, but he found it hard to concentrate. It was just a few days ago that Harry had called him a coward, something he surely had deserved at that point. His mind tended to wonder to either that evening or to his wife and unborn child. He still feared that the child would inherit his condition. But he knew that if he or she did, he had to be there. "I might be the only one who truly understands how it is," he thought.
He could hear Tonks and her mother talking in the hall.
"I won't be gone for long, take care of yourself."
"Of course, mom, don't worry about me." He heard how the front door closing and Tonks climbing the stairs. She stopped in front of the doorway, staring at him but saying nothing. Remus closed his book, without putting a bookmark in it and simply asked:
"Is there something I can do for you?"
"No, there is just something I want to ask." Remus suddenly felt cold.
"Of course, you may ask whatever you want", he tried to keep his voice neutral.
"It just keeps circling around in my head and it doesn't want to go away. I just have to know." Remus didn't know what to say. "After Dumbledore's death you were really lost and we finally got together then. I can't help wondering though…" she paused, searching for words, "it's just… would you still have married me if you hadn't felt so lonely after his death?" Remus couldn't believe what he had just heard. "And would you have come back if it wasn't for the baby? What if it was only me?"
Remus jumped out of bed, not less horrified than he would have been if she would have told him someone had died. He took her hands in his, and looking into her eyes said:
"Please, don't even think such things. I love you. I love you more than I thought possible. You are the one that made me happy at a moment I was convinced I would never feel happiness again. There is nothing I regret more than fleeing from you. It was cowardly and wrong, but even then I didn't stop loving you. I love you and the day you agreed to marry me, was the most beautiful day in my life. You are the most amazing woman that has ever existed." Tears were rolling down her cheeks and Remus kissed them away. "And when our child is born of course I will love it. No. I already do, but it will not make me love you any less. You are the one who turned on the light in my life, when I thought it was meant to be dark forever."