I split this. Too long otherwise. More fun to read though.

I've never been thrilled at Muggle things coming too much into HP stories, but I liked this one.

Reviews? I hope so. I can bribe with Remus.

Enjoy.

Chapter 25: Part 1.

Nymphadora Tonks stared up at Remus Lupin, who was lying on top of her and not kissing her like he had been five seconds ago. Tonks was annoyed, why had he stopped something so good for something she couldn't even smell? Tonks could see that his eyes were darting around the room looking worried but she had no idea why.

Hadn't he noticed how absolutely brilliant it was snogging at that moment? She'd grabbed him at the time and yanked him down on top of her. He was kissing her just as passionately as she was to him, so that had to mean something didn't it? Her body had felt like it was on fire and her hair was struggling to sit on the one colour. Then he'd stopped. He'd pulled away and looked up at the kitchen.

"Er, Tonks I think something is burning," said Remus, sounding nervous.

Yeah, you better feel nervous at what I'm going to do after what you just stopped, you giant prat.

Then she stopped thinking, and sniffed into the air again, she could smell something burning now. Her mind shuffled through her thoughts. What could be burning? Suddenly it felt like a brick had slipped down her insides.

"Mother of Merlin! It's the dinner!" Tonks yelped, sitting bolt upright..

She slid out from under him and was bounding into the kitchen in a matter of seconds. Smoke was trickling out of the oven. She'd gotten so carried away listening to Lupin's stories that she'd totally forgotten about dinner. She ran all over the kitchen looking for an her wand, which she knew had to be somewhere under all the mess.

She knocked over the pots and pans that were on the table, all different liquids flying everywhere, panic urging her on, and finally she spotted her wand sitting besides the onion skins she'd peeled off only hours wrenched open the oven door and flicked her wand at what just looked like a smouldering black mess.

It seemed to come out in slow motion and when she spotted how completely ruined it was; her heart sank lower than the floor she was slowly sinking down onto. Disappointment and frustration crashed through her like a menacing wave as she sat on the floor besides a very black Sheppards Pie.

"Oh no! No, no, no!" Tonks cried, "Dammit! Come on. Why does this always have to happen to me? Every time I try and cook, I burn things. I'm hopeless."

"You're not hopeless. I'm sure had it not been burnt it would have been the best Sheppard's pie I'd ever tasted," Tonks heard Lupin say.

She looked up at him and he grimaced down at her, making her feel worse. As she looked at him she realized just how much she'd wanted everything to go smoothly, she'd wanted to prove that she could behave normally, could cook a simple meal and be the type of girl she knew he wanted.

"But you don't understand. I wanted everything to be perfect. I even set the table and look at what happened. It's not even a hard recipe either. I'm such an idiot. I should have known I'd stuff it up. I always do. Now the nights ruined and this is just great. I just wanted tonight to be perfect," Tonks admitted, staring down at the meal and resisting the urge to hex it away.

Suddenly a pair of soft hands grabbed hers. Tonks hadn't even noticed that Lupin had dropped to the floor and was now sitting across from her. She looked up at him.

"But it is perfect," Lupin said, his eyes bleeding with sincerity.

Tonks looked at him wondering how on earth he could think something so stupid. Wasn't he supposed to be a professor?

"What?" was all she could say.

"It isperfect. I don't care about the food, I mean it looks, er, lovely, and the table is set beautifully, but that's not why I came here. I came here for you. So in that regard, it is perfect. It's been perfect since the moment I set eyes on you," Lupin explained, smiling at her warmlt

"Oh," Tonks breathed in a barely audible whisper.

She didn't know if she could look at Lupin any longer if he continued to stare at her in the way he was. It felt like he was staring deep down into her soul. Tonks smiled shyly, feeling very unlike herself and she felt her hair flush a different color and a burning in her cheeks. Lupin's eyes flicked up to her head and then back down to her. The panic she'd felt, the disappointment and the frustration all disappeared.

She had no reason to believe he was lying and it definitely didn't feel like he was. It made Tonks feel so strange that he had said the evening was perfect because of her, because they were together. Possibly because she was thinking something similar as they sat sipping mead in front of her fire moments before.

"Why don't we get back to that bottle of mead?" Lupin suggested, breaking Tonks out of her trance.

She nodded and Lupin stood. He offered out a hand, which Tonks stared at and then stood by herself. She hated when he tried to help her up. It was sweet but she was very well rehearsed at picking herself up off the floor. Tonks walked back to the couch and poured some more mead in each glass. Lupin returned to his seat. His arm placed on the top of the couch, and Tonks sat right beside him. She lay against his shoulder in the little niche between his chest, his arm and the couch.

"Could I – on the table –" Lupin asked, raising his feet off the ground slightly and inclining his head towards the table.

Tonks realized he was asking to put his feet on the table, and instantly her inner child kicked in.

"Oh Merlin, Remus. You didn't just ask if you could put your feet on the table, did you?" She scoffed.

"Is that a yes?" Lupin asked impatiently.

"You have eyes right?" Tonks questioned, turning back around to look at him.

"Yes," replied Lupin, looking confused.

"So you've seen what a mess this place can be, right?" Tonks asked.

"Well, I wouldn't say mess – okay fine – yes." Lupin added after Tonks glared at him.

"So do you think I would mind if your shoes, that a cleaner than most peoples, were on my table?" Tonks finished, smiling at him.

Lupin sighed at her joke and then placed his feet on the table.

"Remus! What do you think you're doing?" Tonks yelled in disgust, before smiling at him.

He was far too easy to annoy.

"So, now that we've passed the deep conversations for the evening, how was work?" Lupin asked.

"My day was fine, very average. Scrimgeour is off the idea of raids again," Tonks complained.

"That sounds like it bothers you. I thought you hated raids, at least the last one you did," Lupin said, sipping his mead.

"Well that raid prevented me from having myself on top of you, so naturally I would have rathered quit my job than leave," Tonks explained.

"Ah," Lupin said, his eyes twinkling. "How did that raid go?"

"Scrimgeour dropped it, so I got drunk with kingsley in the Hogs Head instead," Tonks said happily.

Lupin arched his eyebrow

"A regular occurance for an Auror raid? Here I was of the impression you arrested people and fought Dark magic," he said, his words dripping in sarcasm.

"So was I," Tonks said, rolling her eyes. "But not normal no. I felt my disappoint at what I'd left in my bedroom deserved me a drink, and Kinglsey convinced me to drink a few more."

They whiled away an hour or so of conversation, Tonks mostly talking, as Lupin had done most of his.

"Well my dad's a muggle of course," Tonks had explained, when the topic had turned to her childhood.

"Yes I know," Lupin said.

"Oh yeah. I always forget you knew them before I was born."

"You always have to say the one thing that could make me feel older than I actually am don't you?" Lupin joked.

"Of course," Tonks laughed "Anyway. That made my upbringing really different I think. I went to a muggle school, but mum and dad pulled me out after two years, when they couldn't find a muggle explanation for my special er, gift."

"Shall I assume you greatly enjoyed changing your appearance at will for your muggle classmates?"

"How on earth did you know?"

"Is it a Black thing? Showing off?" Lupin added after Tonks frowned at him in confusion.

"I've never thought about it. Possibly I mean I – "

But she broke off mid way through speaking. Something in the window had caught her attention, something

"What?" Lupin asked, obviously confused about her sudden stop in speech.

"It's snowing!" Tonks squeaked excitedly.

She jumped up and moved straight to the balcony, watching the little white pieces of snow fall from the dark sky. She flicked her wand at the doors and moved out onto her balcony. She leant as far out over it as possible and grinned. Winter was easily her favorite season. She felt someone come up behind her. Lupin placed his hands on either side of hers, surrounding her with his arms. It made Tonks suddenly feel much warmer, like his body radiated warmth only she could share.

"I love the snow," mumbled Tonks absent-mindedly.

"Why does that not surprise me?" Lupin whispered back.

Tonks resisted the urge to hit him, and instead threw her head back, opened her mouth wide and tried to catch the snowflakes on her tongue. She pushed her hands underneath his and linked their fingers together, under the guise of something romantic, but truly doing it to keep her hands warm. She caught Lupin's eye at one point and he was watching her with a bemused expression.

She was just about to ask what he was doing, when his lips met hers. She closed her eyes and allowed the feeling to overcome her. It felt like falling backwards and landing on something soft. So terrifying t fall but so wonderful to land. It was comfortable and familiar, yet brand new all at once. Kissing Lupin was like unraveling the world's biggest contradiction.

Lupin pulled back and stepped forwards, pulling her that little bit closer and resting his head over her shoulder. Tonks had no idea how long they were standing like this, but as if something was waking her from a dreaming sleep, Lupin's voice floated to her ears.

"Nymphadora. You're freezing!"

Tonks could sense the alarm in his voice and could feel his hands touching her arms, but she did not feel the cold, he was her warmth.

"Come on, you're coming inside before you turn into an iceicle," Lupin said gruffly, taking her hand and pulling her inside.

"Yes mother," Tonks replied cheekily and Lupin responded with a straight-faced stare.

He led her inside and closed the door.

"Okay, now you need to get under some warm blankets," Lupin told her.

"My bed?" she suggested.

"Yes, your bed," Lupin replied.

Tonks started to walk toward her bedroom but stopped and turned back to face him, a grin on her face.

"Aren't you coming with me?" she asked brazenly.

A muscle in Lupin's jaw seemed to twitch slightly and he followed after her. Tonks walked slowly and she could feel Lupin's eyes on her the whole way.

"Now, into bed," Remus told her, in a very professor like tone as they entered her bedroom, which for the record she'd forgotten to clean. "Where are your extra blankets?"

"One of the cupboards," Tonks said shrugging as she got into her bed.

He returned a moment later with two blankets.

"You have to keep warm," he said, fussing over her and placing the blanket on top of her.

"You can't help me?" Tonks asked, playing with him slightly.

"I have to get back to Sirius. I told him I was on duty and it's nearly three in the – fine. I'll stay but only until you fall asleep," Lupin added after Tonks felt her face drop a little.

Tonks grinned at him. She watched him move around to the end of the bed. He reached under the covers, and she felt his hands on her ankles.

"You really are an old woman aren't you?" Tonks asked, laughing. "First you hide your age, then you get angry because I'm standing out in the cold, and now you refuse to let me sleep with my shoes on."

"Someone has to be sensible with you," Lupin admitted, untying the first shoe.

"I've survived this far haven't I?" Tonks asked.

"I would argue with you, perhaps discuss the state of your bones from your numerous falls, but I feel there would be no merit in it," Lupin said, sounding very professor like again.

Tonks waited until he'd taken off both shoes before she spoke again.

"Would it be impolite to ask you to get the hell into bed?" Tonks asked, feigning seriousness.

"It would be. Naturally, being polite and well behaved, I will do as I'm told." Lupin replied, hiding a smile.

He walked around the bed and got into the other side, slipping his own shoes off beforehand. He moved himself to the very edge of the pillow closest to her and Tonks did the same to him. Their noses were almost touching. Tonks grinned at him before slipping her feet down to his.

"Your feet are freezing," grumbled Lupin, yet he did not move his away from hers.

"Deal with it," Tonks shot back, still grinning.

Lupin replied with a stern look followed by a smile .He closed the gap between their lips. Their arms wrapped around each other. Knees legs and feet reached out for the opposite persons to touch, never stopping until they did. The same contradiction of feelings hit Tonks.

Tonks could be sure of one thing; if kissing were a sport, they would easily be the gold medal winners. Out of all the boys she'd kissed (and yes their had been quite a few) Lupin was the best. They matched in that one tiny thing, which was even more of a contradiction considering how much they differed in every other aspect of life. What felt like centuries later, Lupin pulled back from Tonkss lips and looked at his watch.

"Five in the morning, how maddeningly annoying that is," Lupin said to his watch, before turning back to Tonks. "You have to get some sleep."

"No I don't," Tonks protested.

"Yes you do," Lupin answered firmly.

Tonks rolled her eyes and rolled over, facing away from him. She felt his body move behind hers, one arm wrapped around her stomach and the other slipped underneath her head. Tonks grabbed his hands with hers and linked their fingers together. Their breathing began to sync and she could feel his heart beat through her back.

"Remus, Can I ask you a question?" Tonks said, turning her head towards him.

"Is there any merit in me saying anything. Given that you will say it anyway,' Lupin sighed and Tonks smiled.

"Are you sure you can't stay?"

"Your cousin would not let it rest if I did," Lupin sighed, sounding as if he truly did want to stay.

His nose ran through her hair and then she felt tiredness overtaking her. She struggled to stay present as her body fought to pull her into sleep. She wanted more than anything to stay wrapped in Lupin's arms, but her mind and her body had other ideas. She drifted off to sleep.

Tonks awoke the next morning with a smile on her face. She couldn't feel Lupin's arms around her and when she rolled over, he was gone. She smiled again as parts of the prior evening came into her memory. Lupin kissing on her couch, him holding her on the balcony, telling her the stories of his life, holding her legs on his lap and finally, the real killer, telling her she had made his evening perfect.

If Tonks was a girly girl, that last one may have melted her heart, but Tonks was above such things, or so she liked to believe. What she'd loved the most about the previous night, well almost the most, was discovering this entirely new side to Lupin. Could it be that the very serious, quiet and intelligent man that was Lupin, was actually just as mischievous and disobedient as she was? Perhaps not, but he was close enough. He was a Marauder and that had to mean he dabbled in trouble fairly often as a teenager.

It was like meeting Lupin again; like she would be seeing something else behind his soft smiles and lingering blue eyes now. Something new that intrigued her, explained other things and left new questions seemingly unanswerable. The enigma of Remus Lupin was not yet explained, never-ending and never dull. She got out of bed slowly, noticing her shoes placed neatly side-by-side at the bottom of her bed, her socks folded neatly next to that. She laughed to herself and then moved into the bathroom to shower and start her day.

The next few days passed without incident. She had some hushed conversations with Kinglsey; both agreeing the Auror Department seemed delibretly quiet. It seemed to Tonks to be only the calm before the storm. Guard duties were just as dull as ever. Nothing seemed to be happening. She'd thought of Lupin almost every night when she walked into her flat, she wondered what he was doing at that exact moment. Given that she was so exhausted, she was never able to act on her thoughts.

Sirius had, according to Kingsley, become far moodier than ever before, so no doubt Lupin was attending to him. She had no idea where she stood with Lupin anymore. What were they now? There was no one to discuss it with either. Her school friends were all gone, either traveling the world or at home with husbands and children. She didn't have any friends in the Auror department she could talk about Lupin to.

Where she felt the most at home these days, was within The Order. It felt like being adopted into a family. Moody the surly uncle, Kingsley the cool cousin, Molly her surrogate mother, Sirius her brother, Mundungus the black sheep, Hestia and Diggle the weird Uncle and Aunt, Emmeline the distant grandmother, the Weasley children were all her brothers and sisters, Dumbledore the wise old grandfather and then there was Lupin. He did not feel quite like family as the rest of them did.

He was starting to feel like home, like she could crawl up with him any night of the week and feel happier and more comfortable than she ever had before. The following Tuesday after her evening with Lupin, Tonks sat excitedly in front of her fire listening to weird sisters records, after all, tomorrow was her birthday.

She awoke with a grin and after breakfast a few presents had arrived by owl, mostly from school friends and one from her parents. Her mother had asked her for dinner the following evening, as she knew Tonks had a meeting that night. Tonks replied with yes almost immediately. She ripped open all the presents to find a stack of chocolate frogs and two tickets to a Weird Sisters concert from her best friend Endora 'Eddy' Unwin, who informed Tonks that she was currently in Istanbul.

Her parents gave the usual knitted scarf in all of Tonks' favorite colors, and well as tickets to a Harpies Quidditch game. Her other presents were nowhere near as good as those two, but she was very happy to receive them. She flooed to work with a big grin her face. All her colleagues stopped her at certain times of the day to wish her a happy birthday.

Kingsley promised her that the party tonight would be just to her taste before saying something loudly about a suspected Sirius sighting. Tonks suppressed a laugh and went on with her dull paperwork. By seven 'o' clock Tonks walked out of the Ministry of Magic and straight to Grimmauld Place for the meeting.

It wasn't until Tonks got there and Snape passed her in the hallway, that she realized it must be a full meeting tonight. Molly greeted her outside the door with a huge grin followed by a hug and a whispered happy birthday. As she walked inside the dining room, most members of the Order smiled at her but as Dumbledore had also just arrived, none of them said anything.

Tonks took a seat between Molly and Bill, who also whispered happy birthday to her. She sat herself down and immediately her eyes did their usual flicker up the table for Lupin. He was sitting beside Sirius but he wasn't looking at her. Tonks didn't find this strange or upsetting, as Dumbledore was speaking, truthfully she'd have been worried if he was ignoring Dumbledore for her. The meeting was about the bringing of reports.

Kingsley reported on the Auror department and any other members of the Ministry who believed Dumbledore. Bill told everyone about unsuccessful attempts with Goblins, they were not joining in on either side it seemed. Snape told the group about Voldemort's activity which was still about stealing the prophecy although he had begun recruiting some more of his fellow death eaters, including getting Dementors back on his side which hinted at a breakout from Azkaban. It wasn't until Snape brought up the Prophecy watch that things seemed to get a little pear shaped.

"…With that in mind perhaps it is best to leave some of the more experienced members in charge of that duty," Snape said, his eyes only stopping on a few people.

"Everyone is perfectly capable at handling their duty Snivellus," Sirius growled at him.

"Sirius," Lupin warned.

Tonks was surprised to see Sirius glare across at Lupin but then speak no more. Sirius looked like he was preparing himself for a fight and one word from Lupin had settled him, when in the past it wouldn't have made the slightest difference. Tonks knew the only reason Snape had not retorted was the presence of Dumbledore. Over the last six months whenever Snape arrived without Dumbledore he would take a sick pleasure in baiting Sirius, but he always managed civility with Dumbledore present.

"Yes, we do need everyone on their full attention. It can only be a matter of time before Voldemort moves out into the open and we can expect complete chaos whenever he chooses his moment. We will need full attention," Dumbledore said, smiling politely as his eyes shifted over to a sleeping Mundungus.

"Exactly. Everyone within this room is capable," Sirius spat at Snape again.

When the meeting was adjourned, Dumbledore hurried towards the door, except for one stop along the way. He placed a hand on Tonks' shoulder and looked down at her.

"Happy Birthday Nymphadora," he said sincerely, making her feel completely self-conscious.

When he and Snape had disappeared, everyone got up and filed downstairs. Sirius caught her attention.

"How come he can get away with calling you Nymphadora?" Sirius asked.

"Because he's Dumbledore," Tonks replied giving him an incredulous look.

Sirius laughed.

"Fair point. Happy birthday cousin," he said, pulling her into a hug as she stood.

Although he seemed very happy, Tonks couldn't help but feel like maybe it was a forced happiness. The two of them walked downstairs together. Sirius pushed open the door and Tonks stared around at the room. For the first time it felt warm and very inviting. There a few balloons tied in odd places, a big feast had been placed on the table, a few presents on the table by the fire, and everyone turned to her smiling the moment the door opened. Molly rushed over and gave her a big motherly hug.

"Happy birthday dear," she cried.

Bill was next, followed by Arthur, Hestia and Mundungus, who oddly, smelt strongly of mothballs. Tonks finally managed to get herself a Butterbeer, after which Sirius called loudly for a toast.

"To Tonks, the perfect addition to the Order, entertainment and ability all in one. Happy Birthday," Sirius boomed, grinning at everyone.

"To Tonks," they all repeated in unison. "Happy Birthday"

The group raised their glasses and turned to her and she grinned with embarrassment. Tonks finally spotted Lupin standing beside Kingsley. He raised his glass and smiled directly at her, which made her feel nearly as nervous as it had when Dumbledore had spoken to her.

Everyone started at the food and Tonks took a handful of mince meat pies before noticing the huge cake and choosing to put a few back. Tonks could hear her favorite Weird Sister's record being played in the background over the sound of everyone chatting. Tonks walked up to Sirius, Kingsley and Moody.

"Happy Birthday Nymphadora," Moody growled, smiling with his horrific yet warm smile and hugging her.

"Thanks Mad-Eye. How many times do I have to ask you not to call me Nymphadora? Or will I have to start injuring you now?" Tonks asked, which made Sirius laugh.

"You put a good temper in this one Mad-Eye," Kingsley remarked, with a sly smile.

"I take no credit, or blame, for that. Been that way since I met her," growled Mad-Eye.

"You were like this as a child you know?" Sirius told her. "A little handful for your mother and father. Poor sods."

They all laughed.

"Like you can talk," Tonks said to Sirius.

The party carried on, Tonks spending most of the next hour chatting with Sirius, when it came time for Mad-Eye to leave, Tonks happily walked him out. Mundungus followed Moody asking for the millionth time if Mad-Eye could overlook a crate of what he thought was a lost shipment to Flourish and Blotts. Mad-Eye had refused all night and when Tonks closed the front door on them, he was still refusing.

Tonks made her way back down, but instead of going downstairs she managed to go down to the floor, tripping over a wrinkle in the rug. Mrs. Black's portrait flew open, drowning out Tonks's string of curse words with her screaming. She awoke all the rest of the portraits and Tonks jumped up wiping the dust from her clothes, just as Molly and Lupin appeared in the hallway.

"Sorry," Tonks yelled over the noise.

An ear ringing silence followed when Molly and Lupin had closed the curtains.

"It's fine dear," Molly said with a patient smile, before walking back to the party.

Tonks turned to Lupin who was looking tired, yet his eyes were twinkling again.

"What did you trip over this time?" Lupin asked, amusement leaking from his words.

"The sodding rug."

"Don't feel embarrassed Tonks. As I told you last night, it's just another on a long list." Lupin said, not smiling.

"You know," said Tonks, turning to face him, "I think you should leave being funny up to Sirius, you're far too dull."

Lupin looked like he was about to smile but instead he spoke proudly.

"Touché"

Tonks smiled at him. She began to walk away when his voice called out softly.

"Don't I get to say Happy Birthday?"

"Maybe," Tonks called back at him, grinning wildly and not stopping as she walked downstairs. "If you're good."

To be continued…