35. One Last Time

Tonks didn't know who had been creating the guard duty roster recently, but she had a good suspicion that whoever it was was also a part of the newly-created group trying to get her and Remus together. Sirius had mentioned that several of the Order members were now in on it, Molly Weasley being the unofficial head of it all, and Tonks didn't know whether to laugh or scream.

But, either way, it wasn't a complaint that she could take to Dumbledore. She had been assigned guard duty that night with Remus, and she was going to have to go.

It wasn't like she didn't want to see him. Merlin, she did. But they hadn't really spoken to each other properly since Molly's party. He wasn't ignoring her, though; they just hadn't had a proper conversation, which meant that he was still taking time to think things through, and Tonks was fine with that. She didn't want to rush him into making a decision that either of them could regret in the future.

She stopped by headquarters fifteen minutes before their shift began, managing to avoid the accursed troll-leg umbrella stand, and sauntering towards the kitchen. It was empty.

"Sirius?" she called, tapping her foot impatiently.

In a few moments, Remus came down the stairs. "Sorry," he said. "Your cousin thought it necessary to give me the big brother talk."

She snorted. "I'm sorry you had to endure that. Are you ready?"

He nodded, glancing around the room quickly. "Yeah. Let's go."

Tonks decided to take the casual approach, since that seemed to be what he was doing. She walked beside him to the door and down the stone steps, trying hard not to think about the fact that their shoulders were touching.

He held out his arm. She placed her hand on it, and in a moment, they had materialized in the Department of Mysteries.

Merlin knew why they were still doing guard duty. Dumbledore had insisted that they could not take chances, since only a handful of Death Eaters had been there during the Second Battle of the Department of Mysteries, and it was highly likely that many others who did not know of the events that had taken place could potentially still be after the prophecy, and that it was better to finish off Death Eaters while they had that opportunity.

It was long, twisted, and convoluted, but nobody could argue with it. So there had still been guard duty assignments, and nobody had complained.

But Tonks couldn't help but think to herself whether or not this was all just a plot by Dumbledore to get her and Remus to get together. If it was, then Dumbledore had definitely gone out of the way to pair them together on a dangerous, illegal, mission.

"Okay," he whispered, sinking to the ground. "Enchantments."

With a few quick waves of his wand, she could basically feel the protective enchantments snapping into place.

"We're good," she replied, tossing Moody's Invisibility Cloak to him. He unfolded it carefully and spread it over them so that it covered them both adequately.

She hesitated before moving closer towards him, but he didn't seem to have any qualms. Soon, they were side by side, sitting on the cold, stone-hard ground, waiting for an attack that was most probably not going to happen.

"Do you remember," she asked, after a few minutes, "the first time we came on guard duty together?"

He smiled. "Vividly."

She grinned. "So embarrassing."

He shook his head. "So embarrassing."

"And to think that this may be our last time doing it," she sighed, reminiscing.

He smirked. "Unless Dumbledore has another mad explanation for why we should continue."

She laughed, revelling at how easily he was able to make her smile with his sarcastic comments, yet his overall kind nature. He was one heck of a guy.

He glanced at her, tilting his head to the side. "What?"

"Nothing," she replied, amused.

He raised his eyebrows, a smile playing at his lips. "Okay."

"What's your favorite color, Remus?"

"What? Why do you want to know?"

She shrugged. "Just because."

His eyes darted to her hair, which was pink and barely brushing her shoulders, and then back to her eyes. "Is this some sort of…"

"Remus, just answer the question!"

He sighed. "I don't know. Not grey. Not white, definitely not silver. Not black. I don't know about brown…"

"Remus, are you actually eliminating colors one by one to find what you like?" she asked, amused.

"How else am I supposed to know?" he asked defensively.

She snorted. "Close your eyes and think of your favorite things. Of the things that come to mind, figure out if the colors play any part in your feeling of happiness."

"Is this how you figure out your favorite color? Do an in-depth analysis?"

"Well, I'm just trying to make this easier for you," she replied, grinning. "Because this is just the way you think."

"Hey!"

"Come on. If there's one word to describe you, it's analytical."

He pouted. "I much prefer logical."

Oh, Merlin, that pout was adorable. "Whatever. So have you decided on your favorite color?"

He thought for a while, then replied, "Pink."

"Liar. You're just trying to satisfy me."

"No I'm not. I see a lot of pink in my happy memories. They're not all about you, don't get egotistical," he added as she opened her mouth to protest. "I see sunrises, cherry blossoms, rose gardens, raspberry-flavored chocolate- which, by the way, is my favorite,- and pink sand beaches."

"Wow," she whispered. "Breathtaking."

He tilted his head to the side. "Hence, I think it is safe to assume that pink is my favorite color."

"That's beautiful, actually," she mused. "And I never would've imagined."

He smirked. "Well, now you know."

"Next question. Have you ever..."

"Hold on, hold on. I would think it's only fair that I get to ask you a question now."

"Fine, go ahead."

"Let's see, favorite day of the week?"

"First of all, boring question. Second of all, would you slap me if I said Monday?"

"Monday?" he asked in amusement. "Why?"

"Well, first of all, it's the start of a new week, and I happen to like what I do. And, if I remember correctly, our first guard duty was on a Monday."

He smiled at the memory. "So you like Mondays because it was our first time talking to each other?"

She slapped his arm playfully. "I'm not finished, Professor. I was born on a Monday. I got my Hogwarts acceptance letter on a Monday. I was accepted in the Auror program on a Monday. So I think it's safe to assume my favorite day of the week is Monday."

"Fair enough. Now you may ask your question."

She smiled. "Okay. Have you ever had a pet?"

"Do Sirius, James, and Peter count?" he asked, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"No."

"Well, after James and Lily died, naturally, the Order was disbanded, and I lived in a small cottage in Yorkshire. For about three years, I did have a cat. Her name was Mittens."

"So you're a cat person? Nice. Tell me, was your cat magical, or…"

"Mittens was an ordinary cat, though she was extraordinary in the sense that though most creatures tend to fear me, due to what I am, Mittens did nothing of the sort. She was loving, and affectionate, and kind as always. She was my only companion for years."

Tonks gazed at the man in sympathy. How hard it must have been to have lost everything in a matter of days, because people chose not to trust you. She placed her hand on his shoulder comfortingly.

Her voice caught. "What… what happened to her?"

"There was a young boy, maybe six, or seven, who lived nearby with his mother and father. One day, while he was playing outside, his house suddenly exploded in flames, and both of his parents were killed."

Her heart stopped. She couldn't even imagine what it would be like to lose your parents at such a young age. When you've just begun to know them, to love them, when such a sudden incident could scar you for life.

"Naturally, he came to me when he found what had happened. We called his grandparents, who lived in Scotland, at the time, and they promised to arrive as soon as they could. The boy stayed with me overnight, and when his grandparents arrived to take him to Scotland to reside with them, I offered Mittens to his grandmother. The young boy needed her more than I did."

Her eyes filled with tears. "Remus."

"Yeah?"

She tried her hardest to blink the tears out of her eyes, but to no avail, as one started streaming down her face. "You're the best person in the world. You really are. That is the kindest, most noblest thing I've ever heard of in my life."

"Don't cry, Tonks, it's okay," he whispered, gently wiping the tears out of her face. "But I..."

"Don't deny it," she whispered. "Just accept it from me."

He pulled her towards him so that her head was leaning against his chest. "Thank you. Do I get to ask you a question now?"

She laughed, brushing the last of the tears out of her eyes. "Yeah."

"Okay. Would you have a garden when you grow up?"

"Remus, you know me. There's no way I could successfully manage a garden."

"But would you want to? Like, clumsiness put aside?"

"I would want a garden, but I don't think I'd have one," she replied honestly.

He seemed satisfied with her answer. "Okay. Your turn."

"Favorite food?"

"Chocolate, obviously," he answered immediately. "Surely you knew that. Favorite letter of the alphabet?"

"What? What kind of question is that?"

"It's a question. Come on. Answer it."

"Er, I don't know. H."

"Why H?"

"Process of elimination," she responded cheekily. "Favorite prank you did at Hogwarts?"

"I can't choose a favorite. We did create our own Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, though."

"Oh, really? What flavors?"

"Well, nobody knew that we had created our own. But we created despicable flavors and snuck them into an unsuspecting student's packet. They were designed to look like the nice-tasting ones. Gross, though. The Marauders would use them to place bets, dares, practical jokes, anything. I've had an awful lot more than I'd have liked."

"Which is why you prefer chocolate?"

"I've always liked chocolate. It's soothing and relieving. And, as I previously mentioned, my favorite flavor is raspberry."

"I've never tried it. Do they have it at Honeydukes?"

"Tons of it."

"I'm going to collect an entire truckful and have it delivered to you on your next birthday."

He chuckled. "Please don't. One can only eat so much chocolate. All right, next question. Coffee or tea?"

"Coffee. Though I don't mind tea. What about you?"

"Tea is my overall preference, but I tend to drink coffee a lot closer to the full moon."

"What a precise, thought-through answer. Ten points to Gryffindor."

He laughed.

"Were you ever biased as a Professor?" she asked. "Like, when you taught at Hogwarts?"

"It depends," he answered, amused. "I never gave the Gryffindors more points, or picked on the Slytherins, or any of that. In class, I was as fair as possible. But I always tried to spend time with Harry. It pained me, the thought that I knew him so well, and he had no idea who I was. And there was no way I could tell him."

She snuggled more closely against him, familiarising herself with the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," he assured her. "It was one of the best years of my life. Your favorite place?"

"My parents' place, honestly. It's warm and cozy, and always welcoming."

"Touching."

She smiled. "Your favorite of my appearances?"

He looked confused. "What?"

"Your favorite of my appearances. Out of the many ways that I choose to look, which is your favorite?"

"I don't have a favorite. I like whatever's you."

"Very sweet, but I want an answer. It doesn't have to be specific."

"No. I can't choose. I like anything you choose to be."

"Come on, Remus, you have to have a favorite."

"I don't. I'm accustomed to seeing you with something new every day. I haven't chosen a favorite of your appearances, and I have no intention of doing so."

"Please?"

He sighed. "Fine. I like when you wear bright colors. Because it reflects your personality."

"Who would've known?" she mused. "Boring, beige, Remus Lupin likes bright colors."

"I am not boring, and I am not beige. I told you my favorite color was pink!"

She snorted. "Yeah, right. You really like bright colors, though?"

He gave her a sideways smile, his eyes gleaming. "I'd say it's a combination of the colors and the person who wears them."

She smiled up at him in gratitude at his compliment.

"Do you like wearing dresses?" he asked.

"Yes and no. I hate those fancy, black dresses that I'm supposed to wear to the Ministry parties, but I don't mind the casual summer dresses. The really fancy ones are a downright pain in the rear, but the casual ones are pretty nice."

"Like the one you wore to Molly's party," he supplied.

"Yeah, I like those. Do you sing in the shower?"

"No, of course not. I can't even sing."

"Sirius thinks otherwise."

"Sirius can go to…"

"Calm down, Remus," she laughed, patting his thigh. "It was just a question."

"Fine. When was the last time you wore heels?"

"Oh, those accursed things. I think it was at Scrimgeour's induction. I hate those things, they're literally terrifying. And trip-inducing. Terrible." She shuddered demonstratively to prove her point.

He smirked. "How terrible."

"Yes, they are. Have you met me before?"

"Before?"

"Before the Order. Like, when I was younger or something."

"Yeah. A few weeks after you were born. You really were an adorable baby. Sirius, James, Peter, and I all came over to visit your mother."

"Well, you're not allowed to judge based on anything I did back then," she replied defensively. "I don't even remember you from before."

He smiled. "I know."

Tonks knew he still hadn't made up his mind about their tentative relationship, but the way they so easily talked, so easily laughed, and shared stories, and memories, and moments to be cherished forever, it really was like they were a couple.

"Are you scared of insects?" he queried.

"No," she responded. "I just squish them. Let me guess, you set them free."

"Yeah. You shouldn't kill insects, Tonks, they're harmless."

"Harmless? Some insects are poisonous, you know!"

"Even the poisonous ones deserve to live, that's just their self-defense mechanism."

"That's ridiculous."

"It's true."

"So, can you sing?"

"Aside from the shower?" he teased. "It depends on who you ask."

"Well, then, sing for me."

"No way!"

"Please?"

"No."

She adjusted her sitting position so that she was facing him, lowering her face so that it was inches away from his.

"Please?" she whispered huskily.

He sighed, then quietly began to sing, to her dismay, in Latin.

"I hate you," she mumbled when he had finished. "Latin? Seriously? What was that, anyway?"

"A verse from a piece called Gaudete."

"How do you know that?"

"I normally learn the name of the piece I learn, Tonks."

"No, not that. How do you know the song? Can you sing the whole thing for me?"

"No."

She lowered her nose to meet his. "Please please please?"

"Yeah," he whispered breathlessly, and he sang the entire piece for her.

"You're so good," she breathed.

He snorted. "No, I'm not. You're just biased."

"But you are good!" she protested. "Really! Didn't Sirius or James ever tell you?"

"I wouldn't sing in front of them, you know."

"Oh? Then why did you sing in front of me?"

"Because you're different."

Different. She liked it.

The questions came to a halt after that, but their general conversation continued, leaving a light feeling in Tonks's heart as they sat there together on the cold floor of the Department of Mysteries, waiting for the morning to relieve them.


A/N: I really thought it would be nice to write their last guard duty, reflecting how far they've come. And I think it was high time they got to know each other better. Coming up... last chapter! In which Remus finally makes a decision and shares it with Tonks. A really happy ending :)

Hopefully you're just as sad as me that it's going to end, but not to worry! Because right after this journey ends, a new one begins! Head over to our profile to read the description of the Jily/Remadora AU, titled The Clock Starts Now! We'll be starting to post this week!

You guys, you guys, you guys. Like, I cannot thank you enough for your support. I've truly made some special friends through this story, and this has deepened my appreciation for all of you writers out there. Amazing job, you guys. Thank you so much for your support.