Chapter 10

Tonks' head fell as she dozed off for the third time that hour.

"Nymphadora." Lupin whispered next to her. "Why don't you go home?"

The two were sitting on the ground of the Hall of Prophecies , their backs resting against the wall.

She stirred at the sound of his voice then suddenly jerked up. "What? What?" she looked around quickly and turned to Remus. "I-I wasn't asleep."

He smiled.

It had been five hours filled with alternating silence and conversation. They'd talked of everything from chocolate frogs to Christmas trees to Hogwarts.

"You know," Lupin had said, feeling a bit nostalgic. "I was quite the troublemaker in my day, too."

"Shut up, Remus." Tonks said. "I don't believe you. Once a prefect always a prefect."

"I was friends with Sirius and James." A smug look crossed over his tired features. "I was just clever enough not to get caught. You know, an innocent reputation is the best defense to all sorts of crimes."

Tonks' eyes widened. "That's shocking! I should send an owl to Dumbledore this instant!"

"Let's just say that Snape doesn't only hate me for taking the job he was after."

Tonks grinned. She found the more she knew about Lupin the more she liked him. Normally with her, it had always been the opposite. She'd liked someone from the start and befriended them, but then somewhere along the line they disappointed her. She was happy to be proven wrong in this instance.

Lupin was now surveying the room. He had to admitt, it was an erry but beautiful place. The glass from the different balls danced on the bluish ceiling and made the whole place seem like the room of an indoor swimming pool. He sighed, longing for a bed and trying not to think about any Christmas festivities he was missing out on.

He felt something thud softly on his shoulder. Tonks had fallen asleep again. He didn't wake her this time, though. He looked at the face that was now resting so close to his. Her eyes were shut. Though he knew Tonks was a severe and blunt type of person, he saw that in sleep the features on her heart-shaped face were delicate and soft, all framed with holiday appropriate bright red hair. She moved her head a bit to fit perfectly in the nook of his neck as she slept.

Instead of moving or waking her up, he decided to let her rest. He could feel her breath touching his skin and he felt warmed by it. For some reason, though he felt strangely happy in this position, he also felt uncomfortable-like he shouldn't be doing what he was. But what was he doing exactly? He sighed. As his chest rose, Tonks woke up again and shook her head.

"Bullocks! Did I fall asleep again? Merlin, what's wrong with me?' she asked.

"No matter." Remus said. "Shift's up."

They stopped in at Grimmauld place to see Sirius, Harry and Weasleys enjoying Christmas Day. Lupin was pleased to see a smile on Harry's face as he chatted jovially with Sirius.

Tonks went to bed straight away, opting to bunk with Hermione and Ginny for the night rather than travel back to her flat. Not feeling so tired, Remus stuck around for a bit.

"Well, I'm off." Molly said as she left the room full of men to go upstairs. "Goodnight boys."

When she left, Bill smiled broadly to Sirius and brought in a large bottle of firewhiskey for the men of the house. Charlie, Bill, Sirius and Remus chatted happily, leaving all usual topics concerning the Order in the back of their minds.

"Will you call your children names like Pierre or Michel?" Charlie teased his brother about Fleur.

The men laughed and Bill turned a strange color of pink. "Come on!" he said. "We've only just begun to date. "Marriage isn't even..." he drank a hefty gulp of firewhiskey.

"Well, you've always had interesting taste in women, Bill." Charlie let out a hoarse sort of fake cough which sounded remarkably like "Tonks!"

Lupin sat up a little straighter.

"Really?" Sirius asked. "How come you never told me, eh Bill?" He sounded amused.

"Because she dropped him like a Chinese fireball during their seventh year!" Charlie roared.

"Ouch, mate." Sirius said.

"Merlin, she was attractive..." Charlie said daydreaming a bit. "Bill let the best body in our year get away."

Lupin cleared his throat much louder than he intended to.

"What?" Charlie asked him, smiling.

"Oh," Sirius said, throwing one arm around his friend. "Moony here was always the honorable one."

"What? So you don't think Tonks is hot?" Charlie asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I don't like to think of her in that way." Lupin said stiffly.

"Oh come on! Haven't you noticed that thing with her hips..."

"Oh, don't mind my brother, Remus." Bill said slightly agitated. "The alcohol makes him antsy."

"Can we stop talking about my cousin, please." Sirius pleaded.

"I agree." Lupin said. "So how did you all celebrate Christmas earlier?"