A/N: At the end.
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Chapter 10 Tears and A Promise
---She barely made it out of St. Mungo's before the tears began to fall from her eyes.
Animal.That's what he had called her.
A Werebitch.
It wasn't just the way he said it….it was the look in his eyes when he said it.
He looked at her like she was something vile, something horrid that should be killed for simply existing and drawing breath.
No one had ever made her feel so horrible by simply looking at her.
Was this what Remus had meant? Was this what he went through everyday?
Oh Merlin!
--
The snow had started again and it was getting dark out.
She should have been back by now.
What if something had happened…..?
His head shot up when he heard a small knock at the front door.
He rushed to open it only to find his stout, gray haired neighbor looking up at him with a worried expression on her wrinkled features that were visible through the gap of her babushka and parka.
"Good evening Mr. Lupin." She said.
"G-good evening Madame. Is there something that you needed?" He asked.
He really didn't want to talk to her at the moment, not when he was so preoccupied with worrying about Nymphadora…
"No, thank you, I'm fine. But…."
"But?" He asked.
"There is a young woman sitting in the snow outside crying. She looks like the woman that was visiting you earlier today, but her hair...is very different. I asked her if everything was all right, but she only seemed to cry harder. I thought that I should come and tell you before the poor girl freezes."
His eyes widened and he blinked at he old woman in disbelief.
"Where outside?" He asked.
"By the dustbins."
"Thank you Madame." He said quickly, grabbing his cloak and he hurried past her, heading out into the storm.
The old woman shook her head and sighed as she watched him go, before following him out to return to her home.
--
She was right where his neighbor said she would be. She was curled up in a ball between two tin dustbins, her hair saturated with snow and her cloak blanketed with little white flakes. Even at a distance he could see the trails that her tears had left on her cheeks and he could see new tears making their way down her face.
Why had she changed her hair? Oh well, he could ask that later.
"Nymphadora…?" He said very quietly, kneeling beside the woman.
She sniffled, but did not acknowledge him.
"Please come inside Nymphadora. It's far too cold out here."
She drew her head out from the fold of her arms and looked up at him. Her turquoise eyes were red from crying and her cheeks were redder than he had ever seen them before, but the rest of her face was deathly pale.
"Are you sure you want an animal, a Werebitch in your home? A traitor to the Ministry and her office in your presence?" She asked him through a new wave of tears.
"What are you talking about Nymphadora? You aren't…."
"Here….." She told him and she thrust a sheet of parchment out for him to take.
He looked at the parchment wearily for an instant and then back at her. She had buried her face in her arms again.
He took the parchment, unfolded it and began to read.
It was dotted with tearstains that smeared some of the inked letters.
Miss Tonks,
I have just reviewed the results of your most recent health examination. I must say that I am quite disappointed in you. And I also must thank you for finally giving me a reason to fire you. Understaffed or not, the Ministry doesn't need a werewolf. I daresay that the Daily Prophet will be in an uproar to cover the entire story. You were trained to be an Auror, to hunt down and control Werewolves-not befriend them and take them to your bed. As you are well aware, the Ministry has never employed a Lycanthrope and that tradition shall not change now, especially not when I am pushing Anti-Werewolf legislation and hunting laws. You have disgraced the Ministry and your office, Miss Tonks. I cannot have a traitor like you in my employ. As of this moment, you are no longer under the employ of the Ministry of Magic and are here by stripped of your title as an Auror. And if I had my way, I'd snap your wand in two, you disgusting animal. Consider yourself warned, Miss Tonks, the Ministry will be passing my laws and when they do, you and your Lycanthrope will not be spared. And if I hear that you and your Lycanthrope are breeding more monsters, I'll have you both exterminated like the vile creatures that you are. I do hope that your little tryst with your Lycanthrope was worth your life Miss Tonks, because that is the price that you will now pay, Werebitch.
R. Scrimgeour
Minister of Magic
He looked up from the parchment at her with wide eyes.
"When….when did you get this?"
"About fifteen minutes after I left St. Mungo's." She murmured into her arms.
"But it would take longer than that for your results to be sent….."
"Not if they were sent by Floo." She said bitterly.
"Nymphadora……I'm so sorry…."
She sniffled again and he could hear a small sob escape her throat.
"Just…..just leave me alone Remus. Leave me out here, where an animal like me belongs."
He draped his cloak over her and she looked up at him inquiringly.
"Wh-what are you doing? I told you to leave me alone!"
"Sorry, but I can't do that Nymphadora. If you are an animal then I am also one. And I'm not leaving you out here to freeze to death by the rubbish bins." He told her and he slid his arms around and under her small form and lifted her off the cold ground.
"Damn it Remus! Put me down!"
"I will, once we're inside."
He carried her inside and was glad to see that his neighbor had departed. He doubted that he could have come up with a plausible excuse for the situation.
"Okay, we're inside. Put me down now." She told him as soon as they passed through the doorway.
He closed the door and sighed as he walked over and gently placed her on the sofa and took up his seat in the nearest lounge chair.
She turned away from him and curled up in a ball, hugging a throw pillow tightly to her body.
"Nym, please, tell me what happened." He said quietly.
"What do you think happened? You read the bloody letter from Scrimgeour!" She sobbed, her voice half muffled by the pillow.
"So they tested you for Lycanthropy and the results were positive…."
"Yeah, and I had the world's biggest prick for a Healer." She shared.
"What did he do?"
He must have been horrible, for her to use such a term…..
"He attacked my character and insulted me and then he called me…" She trailed off and sobbed again.
He knelt beside her, stroked her hair and made gentle hushing noises, causing her to lift her head and look at him.
"I'm sorry Nymphadora….I never wanted this for you…I never wanted you to be treated with such animosity and disrespect….."
He knew she wasn't simply upset because of the Healer's remarks. True, they did not help matters, but what she was really worried about was in that atrocious letter.
"I…..I didn't realize how horrible it must be for you…..and then….. Remus, I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" She sobbed and she wrapped her arms around his neck and clung to him fiercely.
"Shhh. Shhh. Don't apologize Nymphadora. You have nothing to be sorry for. It's alright now, shhhh." He soothed as he gently rubbed her back.
"No it's not! It's not all right at all! Scrimgeour wants werewolves hunted and killed, Remus and you haven't been to the Ministry in a long time….You don't know how scared people are now! They'll agree to anything he wants, if it'll help them sleep better at night!"
"I know. He's been trying to exterminate werewolves for the past twenty years. And people are very frightened. Those are things that we cannot change Nymphadora, no matter how much we might like to."
"What are you saying!"
"I'm saying that Scrimgeour has exposed his plan, played his cards. Now it is time for us to play ours."
She pulled back and looked at him. He didn't look upset or worried.
"Ours?"
He smiled and brushed a lock of damp hair out of her eyes.
"You don't think I'm going to let you go now, do you? Now that you're mine, love?"
Her eyes widened and she stared at him in shock, not knowing how to respond.
He chuckled and wiped away the tears that were still on her cheeks.
"We are safe here for the moment, and if and when the time comes the Order will help us."
"But….we can't just…."
"I'm not suggesting that we rely solely on the Order. I have a few friends that are in hiding and can be trusted. If need be, we can stay with them."
She gave him a peculiar look.
"You've been preparing for the new laws, haven't you?"
"I really didn't have a choice, Nym."
She nodded and looked away again.
He stood up and sighed.
"You were outside far too long, you're half frozen."
"N-n-no I'm not! I'm She told him, wrapping the cloaks more tightly around herself.
"I think a shower and a hot meal is in order, not to mention, some dry clothes." He told her and he ruffled her hair.
"Hey!"
"Go into the washroom and I'll get you some warm clothes to change into after you've had your shower and then we can have some dinner."
She looked up at him for a moment, then nodded and stood up.
When she reached the door to the washroom she turned around.
"Hey, Remus?"
"Yes, love?"
"Th-thank you."
He smiled at her and she went into the washroom and closed the door.
--
He went into the kitchen and placed the letter from Scrimgeour on the table and looked down at it.
This was not simply a termination of employment; it was a crass and vulgar threatening attack on her.
His eyes scanned the parchment again and he shook his head. Scrimgeour could not be allowed to get away with such tactics, Minister or not.
He picked up the parchment again, folded it in half and put it in a drawer. He would deal with it later. Right now however, he needed to find her some dry clothes….
--
He had been right. She had been outside too long. Several locks of her hair had become soaked with snow and then proceeded to freeze.
She shrugged off the cloaks and her robes and quickly hopped into the hot shower stream. The hot water felt wonderful on her stiff limbs and was bringing feeling back to her skin.
What was wrong with her? She had actually been trying to hide from him by the dustbins. She had been afraid to tell him what happened…… And she'd probably managed to make the poor man half sick worrying about her.
She sighed heavily as she turned and the hot water hit her back. As much as she liked the feeling, she had better hurry up and wash her hair so she wouldn't use up all of the hot water.
"Oh crap! I forgot….."
She had never changed her hair back from raven locks to pink.
Oh well…. The sable hair kind of suited her mood right now anyway….
--
He scratched his head.
He really didn't have any clothes that would fit her. Even the pajamas that she had worn the other night had been extremely too large for her.
A pair of plaid drawstring pants and one of his turtlenecks would have to do…..
--
She got out of the shower and dried off, wrapping a towel firmly about herself before she dared to open the door a crack and stick her head out.
"Remus?"
He came out of his room carrying a small folded pile of clothes.
"Here, put these on. They'll be big, but they'll be dry and warm." He told her as he handed her the small stack.
"They'll be fine. Thank you."
He nodded and she closed the door and he went back into the kitchen to start preparing supper.
A few minutes later, she came out of the washroom and joined him in the kitchen.
The pants were rolled up, the hem of the turtleneck came down to just above her knees, and her feet were bare. Her black hair, which was still very damp, was pulled back into a loose knot at the base of her neck.
"Want some help?" She asked quietly.
He would have jumped if his extra sensitive hearing would not have warned him that she was in the room.
He turned around and chuckled when he saw how the clothes fit her.
"What?" She asked him.
"I should have just given you the shirt and a belt. It's long enough to be a dress."
She looked down at herself and sighed and nodded.
"But then my legs would be cold, so…"
He nodded and turned back to the cutting board.
"What are you making?"
"Chicken soup."
"Worried I'll catch a cold?" She giggled.
"I just thought it would be nice….."
She walked up beside him and took a piece of carrot from the cutting board and popped it into her mouth.
"Don't ruin your appetite." He warned.
"I won't." She smiled.
"Mind if I ask about your new hair style?" He smiled.
"Oh, yeh…." She chuckled.
"The medi-witch wanted to check my morphing abilities and had me change my hair…."
"It certainly is a new look for you. I've never seen your hair so long or so dark before. You look much more like Sirius' cousin now. "
"Does….does it look alright?"
He smiled at her.
"It looks lovely."
She narrowed her eyes at him.
"Don't try to kid me, Remus."
"I'm not." He said honestly.
"Al….alright." Even if he wasn't serious, she was in no mood to argue. It was only hair anyway. Easily changed.
"Feeling better?"
"A bit…. Mostly just warmer."
He looked down at her and she could see the sadness behind his amber eyes.
"Nym, …why don't you stay here tonight?"
"Wh-what?"
Why would he…….?
"The snow's coming down harder now and the temperature is dropping….. I really don't think it would be wise to travel tonight."
"Oh……" She murmured and she nodded absentmindedly.
"And I….I want to know that you are safe."
She looked up at him and his eyes were sincere.
"Nothing's going to happen if I go home Remus….." She sighed.
Precisely.
"What if I don't want you to leave?"
She quirked her eyebrow at him.
Did he mean what she thought he meant….?
"You…want me to stay?"
"Yes."
"But….I'll just be in your way…."
He quickly leaned down and captured her lips in a sensuous, albeit short, kiss.
"No, you won't." He whispered.
She blinked up at him.
Did he just…..?
Oh Merlin!
"Stay with me." It wasn't a question or an order.
Her eyes darted around nervously and she looked out of the window.
"Dora…."
Why did he have to use that name? And why did it have to sound so utterly sexy when he said it?
She could already feel her cheeks coloring.
His hand came up and brushed a lock of hair behind her ear that had fallen out of its knot and then it rested on her cheek.
"Look at me, sweetheart." He whispered.
Her turquoise eyes traveled up to his amber ones.
"Are you frightened of me?"
"No! Of course not."
"Then why are you so afraid to stay here?"
The tears were welling in her eyes again; she could feel them.
"I…..it's not that I don't want to stay….."
"Then what is it?"
"I don't want anything to happen to you because of me…."
His brows knit together as he absorbed what she had said.
"And what do you think is going to happen to me if you stay?"
"You read that letter from Scrimgeour. He said he'd come after you too."
Ah, now it made sense.
"Is that all that you are worried about? About him finding us?"
"No." She told him, the tears that had been welling up beginning to fall from her eyes.
"Dora, please tell me."
She looked away from him for a moment and then bit her lip before returning her gaze to his.
"He…he said that if we….if he found out that we….. I….."
He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close, rubbing her back comfortingly.
"Shhh. Shhh. Calm down. Shhhh. Lets go into the sitting room…." He whispered to her.
Her small form was quaking in his arms and he doubted if her legs would continue to support her for much longer.
He led her to the sofa and helped her to sit down, before taking a seat beside her.
Immediately, she wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her face in his shoulder.
Poor girl…..
"Dora take a deep breath now and tell me what's worrying you."
She drew in several deep breaths, half of them punctuated by half strangled sobs.
"Scrimgeour…he said that if we….if he finds out…. if I become pregnant…."
He didn't need her to finish to know what she was so upset about now, which was fortunate because she began to sob again.
"Shhh….." He cooed, trying to calm her as he rubbed her back again.
"It's not fair! How…how can he tell me that I'm not allowed!…..I just…I wanted to give you a family….." She cried.
Merlin……his heart was raging in his chest.
That was why she was so upset……because she wanted to give him a family?
Now he wanted to cry.
His arms tightened around her, pulling her closer and he kissed the top of her head.
She was still crying, but that seemed to soothe her some.
"Re…Remus….?" She whispered, pulling away just enough to look up at him.
She had to stifle a gasp in her throat.
There were tears in his amber eyes.
"Shhh. It's going to be alright, Dora. I promise,…."
He didn't want to even hope it could happen those weeks ago, that night when she had come to speak with him or even after she had told him her fantasy. But now…..
Now he knew….
He looked down at her and smiled, cupping her face in his hands and wiping away her tears.
He would do everything in his power to make her fantasy come true.
"We'll have our family."
---
A/N: Fluffiness! Oh, how I love it, lol. And I especially like the last line. Gods, that made me cry when I wrote it. (I'm a bonafide sap!). As you can see, I got the next chapter written. It would have been done and posted sooner, but vacation got in the way. And it was the crapiest vacation I have ever been on! So I was glad to come home and get wrapped up in my fanfictions again. I was very happy to see so many good reviews for the last chapter. Thanks to those of you who reviewed it and read. That was one of the few good things that happened last week. (it rained, I was in a car for a minimum of 3 maximum of 12 hours each day, the food was horrible, there was a problem with the hotel room, and when we came back and went to pick my dog up from the kennel-he ran away-not a good week at all). But writing this chapter did make me feel much better :) I hope you like it. Thanks for reading!