Day 25: Staring into each other's eyes.

slenderpanda597: Well, I tried.

I do not own Harry Potter. What about you?

Tonks couldn't help herself. Her eyes kept following his movements. It was more than that though. When she saw him, her senses went into overdrive. Her carefully honed auror-sight was activated. She memorized every inch of him, interpreting with a smile. Perhaps she was over-analyzing, but she could not help herself.

When he ran his hands through his hair, certainly she saw the glints of grey amongst the brown, but she also noticed the length and thinness of his fingers. She saw the three claw scratches on his left forearm as his tattered sleeve slipped down. She saw how he automatically pulled the sleeve back up, glancing around as if daring any one to comment. Then, when no one did, he sighed tiredly. She liked the rise and fall of his chest, but most of all she loved his eyes.

Average brown, normal, he would say.

Sharp, expressive, and the color of chocolate, was her opinion.

Tonks could stare into his eyes all day.

The problem with that was Mad Eye's fifteenth rule for constant vigilance. If you could see the whites of a person's eyes, then that person was probably aware you were watching.

For all the time Tonks spent studying the flicks of gold mixed in the iris, she was certain he'd knew she was staring.

Instead of being madly embarrassed however, she was somewhat encouraged.

Remus held her gaze, with a twitch of a smirk in the corner of his mouth. Tonks reckoned he would have looked away or told her off if he'd been upset.

Rather, they started to have silly little contests. First they stared without blinking. Tonks won this more often than not, thanks to her powers of being able to grow and shrink her eyes at will. Then they tried staring without giggling. Tonks absolutely failed at this. Remus would keep a serious face, but she would dissolve into laughter right in the middle of Snape's speech. After being rebuffed in front of the entire Order, Tonks got Remus back by turning her face different colors and shapes, making him slap his hands in front of his mouth and try to choke down his laughter.

He failed.

The two of them got sent outside once. Molly and Snape looked annoyed, but Dumbledore and Sirius were twinkly-eyed with amusement.

And the light punishment did not dissuade Remus and Tonks from staring.

Though next time when she went to gaze into his eyes, she found his look somewhat intimidating. The intensity with which he watched her was overwhelming. She felt hot and completely distracted. When Snape asked her to repeat what he'd said at the end of the meeting, Sirius had to jump in and save her, because she had positively no idea.

"I couldn't take in a word," she said accusingly to Remus. There was that smirk again.

"How do think I felt when it started up?" He asked earnestly. "It was damn near impossible participating in the meetings with your eyes watching me so intently. Once we had a vote and I had no idea what we were voting on. I had to side with Sirius and hope I wasn't supporting the motion of putting snakes down Snape's trousers."

Tonks laughed. Then she winced. "Sorry." Now, finally, she was going to be told off.

"…You don't have to apologize," Remus said, catching her gaze once more. They stared for the longest moment, until some behind them coughed rather pointedly.

"What's this about putting snakes down my trousers?" Snape said in a furiously cool tone.
Remus gulped. "Ah…Severus I wasn't suggesting anything. I merely said that Sirius would probably—err, but don't blame him. He didn't actually say anything of the sort so…"

Snape rolled his eyes and shook his head. "I would keep your foolish infatuation under control Lupin. It appears to be addling whatever little good sense you had to begin with," he hissed, before slinking away.

"I didn't know Snape was such a jokester," Tonks commented lightly.

"I don't think he was joking," Remus said. He smiled nervously. Tonks enjoyed the way his eyes lit up when she returned his grin.

I am sleepy and kind of sick, but I got the chapter up.

Tomorrow will be: Getting married. Do do do do, do do do do...