She cried (as if she wasn't already wet enough) as they walked into the house, and pulled herself away from him brutally, if not childish, at the door, falling head over heels when she avoided the umbrella stand and got the edge of the carpet rug instead. Her head hit the base of the stairs.
Remus ran to her side in panic when she just sat there. And she laughed again.
"It's like it only happens when you're around," she smiled, but then stopped herself, "I'm sorry, I forgot, you still hate me," her smile turned cold.
His brow furrowed. What? He didn't hate her. Not at all, on the contrary… "Nymphadora," he allowed himself to grin as he crouched in front of her, "How would I ever hate you?"
"I dunno, since I was clumsy enough to get myself stalked and confined. It's worse than Azkaban here," she said, sighing harshly and hiccupped a bit, as a few more tears were wiped off her face.
"You don't know what you're talking about," he said, shaking his head.
Wrong thing to say. "Oh don't I? Well, once you start talking to me again maybe I'll tell you how completely and utterly awful you've been!"
"Awful?" he asked, remembering how hard it had been the last few weeks not to talk to her, "How have I been awful?"
"You used to talk to me, and laugh, and now," she bit her lip, "It's like I've got the Black Death or something."
"I don't avoid you, Nympha- Tonks-."
"See!" she said victorious, pointing an accusing finger at him, "You called me Tonks!"
"I thought that's what you wanted me to call you," he said calmly.
"But- But- it was always an argument, you know? No side ever won- it was the point-."
"What do you mean no side ever won?" he demanded with an amused smile, "I always called you Nymphadora at the end. Doesn't that mean I won?"
She gave him a look, "As if, Remus Lupin."
He shook his head with a chuckle, "You have no idea what you're talking about."
"I do. It was a moot point in the end, always," she told him.
"No, Nymphadora, it never was. I always won," he grinned.
"You wish. Men- always think they're the best."
"I never said that," he declared.
"But you meant it," she teased.
He gaped at her, "I meant nothing of the sort."
She was laughing, her eyes sparkled like they hadn't for weeks and a happiness that he hadn't realized he'd missed flowed back to him with a warmth that could melt the South Pole.
"See," she smiled, cocking her head, "I miss this."
He gazed at her wonderful happy eyes, and understood.
His smile was gone, and he hung his head.
"What?" she asked, her smile faltering, "Did I botch things again?"
"You never botch anything, Nymphadora," he said, and then added, "I'm sorry… I've been worried about the werewolf community lately… Their recent attempts to get a hold of me have become desperate… I'm just afraid they will attack those I'm with. I shouldn't have been with you so openly-."
"Well, Sirius is your friend and you still talk to him-."
"He's confined like you," Remus smiled. "I'm trying to get everyone in here permanently, but…"
"So, what, are you saying it's a compliment I'm confined? Because I'm such good friends with you?" she asked, "Because if that's true, you have the weirdest way of showing friendship, Remus."
He laughed, "Maybe I do."
"But," she said sharply, "That does NOT mean you have to be rude to me."
"I've never been rude to you," he said, a little frustrated.
"So ignoring me was curtsey," she told him, raising an eyebrow.
He just shook his head, and opened his mouth, but was interrupted.
"Oi, you two," Sirius called, "Are you lot made up yet, because we have a mission for Tonksie."
Remus had about been to comment on the fact that there had been no making up to do because there had never been a fight in the first place, but when he heard about the mission, he whirled.
Nymphadora bounded to her feet, excited.
"What?" she asked excitedly.
"Don't look at me like I'm her death sentence, she's only going to retrieve Amy for us. They want Amy on the Order's payroll now," he teased, "Amy, right? Amy as in your friend Amy?"
Nymphadora's eyes widened, "They're inviting her! Excellent, this day gets better and better by the second," she beamed, skipping to the kitchen door, but stopped at the door, spinning to face a mirror.
In a single moment her hair was hot pink with yellow shock waves running through it. She grinned at Remus. He couldn't help but smile back.
"Pink is your color," he told her.
She beamed- if that were possible- wider.
"So it is your friend Amy," Sirius told more himself then Nymphadora as she glided past Sirius and down to the kitchen, "Good, she was highly attractive," Sirius grinned mischievously.
Remus rolled his eyes, "You always were a womanizer."
"Give your mate a break," Sirius said exasperatedly, "James was two times worse when it came to Lily. And," he smiled, "You're worse when it comes to my cousin."
"What?" Remus said, gaping.
"Admit it, you like ickle Tonksie," Sirius smirked.
"I thought we had a mission to go on," Remus said evasively, trying hard to think about what Sirius was saying. He knew what he felt. He just didn't want to feel it. It was the wrong time, the wrong place, and if she felt the same, then she had the wrong person. Unlucky Remus Lupin did not get people like Happy-Go-Lucky Nymphadora. But here Sirius was again, pressing it into his face.
"You, my friend, aren't going anywhere until you tell me."
Remus was annoyed now, and trying to hide it, "Tell you what?"
Sirius rolled his eyes, "That you like Tonks."
"Of course I like Nymphadora," Remus told him, and pushed past his friend, "She's a wonderful friend."
As Remus hurried down the stairs he heard Sirius growl in frustration and try to attack him further but he had already opened the door to the kitchen by then, and Molly Weasley was clucking over Nymphadora.
"-what did Remus do, chuck you in a lock along the way?"
"Something like that," smiled Nymphadora as she caught Remus' eye. He smiled back and shook his head.
"I assure you, Molly, I did nothing of the sort. Here, I'll cure it," he said, and waved his wand. He felt the blast of heat that warmed Nymphadora, and then let the spell go. She grinned, and hugged Molly.
"All dry."
Molly smiled, "Well I'm glad you two made up."
"We were never angry, Molly," Remus said.
Nymphadora rolled her eyes, but let it go. She took a seat as Molly passed her some tea. Remus stood by Kingsley, and smiled a bit. Sirius had sat down- one good reason to stand.
"You know I'm glad," Kingsley told him.
Remus let his face turn towards Kingsley, but his eyes never left Nymphadora. "Why?"
"She was really beating herself up over you."
That got Remus' attention as Dumbledore started the briefing.
"She's mad because she's stuck in this house."
Kingsley eyed him, "Na, mate. It's you she was mad about. Now they'll induct her best friend and then her life'll be good. You'll see."
Remus shook his head, "No, she's ecstatic about her friend. They were quarrelling earlier. Anyways," he smiled ruefully, "she knows I'm a werewolf."
"What has that got to do with anything?" Kingsley asked in a whispered sharpness. His black eyebrows knotted on his forehead.
"They were after her because of me, Kingsley. She knows better than to be friends with a werewolf," Remus chuckled a bit as though to shake the idea off in whispered titters.
"I think she wants more than friendship," Kingsley told him.
Remus gritted his teeth behind his lips. No, no she can't he wanted to say, but McGonagall told Kingsley to hush it. "Honestly, it's like you both were back in Hogwarts."
