A/N: This is an AU where Tonks and Remus survive because I was in need of some Remadora fluff, so here it is. It's set only about a month after the war ended, basically all canon deaths except for Remus and Tonks. I still own nothing here, it all belongs to JK Rowling. Rate and review if you can, please...
Tonks was exhausted.
Like, really exhausted. She had been working on late-night shifts at the Auror's Office for the last month, they were all running as fast as they could to try and get the Death Eaters who had escaped, and she also had a baby at home, meaning, she barely got any rest anymore. This had been driving Remus crazy because he feared she might faint from lack of sleep.
Right now, they were in the kitchen of their house. Dora had slept for two and a half hours that night, she had so strong eyebags and was so tired, that she was losing her morphing abilities and couldn't hide de purple underneath her eyes.
"Dora, love, you really should sleep a little," Remus insisted.
"I'll sleep when these crazy shifts are over. When we have searched every corner to find these bloody running away Death Eaters," She said, drinking her third mug of coffee of the day.
"I do understand that the Ministry must be crazy at the moment, but I also know you are purposely taking a few shifts by will, aren't you?"
"Yes, I am," She sighed, "but I need to get those people to Azkaban. I need to be a part of finding them."
"But you already fought at the war, Dora, you've done more than most. You believed in Dumbledore in times where no one did. You joined the Order. You nearly died fighting for a better world. You also need to lay back and relax. Kingsley said you were calling people their wrong names and stumbling more than usual, you're tired. Sleep, Dora."
"Argh," The metamorphmagus groaned "Remus, I'm not tired…," She unsuccessfully tried to cover a very obvious yawn, "at all."
"I can see that."
"You know what, just let me be!" She yelled, throwing her hands in the air.
He laughed humorlessly at the bad mood she had been in lately, he knew it was because she was extremely tired and did need to sleep. The laugh (that resembled more of a scoff) only appeared to make her angrier.
Remus proceeded to encounter his wife napping in various places in the next weeks — normal ones, like the couch, or her desk, and weird ones as well, seated at their kitchen counter or literally on the floor of the hallway that led to their bedroom.
A month later, the newly set Minister of Magic Kingsley Shacklebolt arrived at The Lupins' House and told Remus he'd be getting an Order of Merlin, First Class for his services as a member of the Order of the Phoenix. Remus could barely breathe and Dora's jaw dropped. She grinned from ear to ear.
"Remus, honey, that's incredible," Dora cheered, wrapping her arms around his neck.
"Thank you, Kingsley, I'm truly honoured, even though I feel a few people from the Ministry and from the rest of the wizarding community may oppose a werewolf getting such a huge recognition," He said, still taken aback.
"Nonsense, most of these people wouldn't be the way they are now if it weren't for you, Remus. You're a war hero. Fought on both wars, risking your life, and that goes beyond your lycanthropy. The ceremony will be in a week, I'll owl you all the details later today," Shacklebolt said, smiling, and entering the fireplace, to return to his office.
"We have to celebrate!" Dora grinned.
"You need to sleep," Remus said, matter-of-factly, "This is not good for your health, Dora. You've been living on coffee, do you want to give yourself a heart attack before turning thirty?"
She simply rolled her eyes and went to get dressed. All of the surviving members of the Order and allies went to The Burrow to dine. Molly prepared every single one of Remus' favourite dishes and they laughed and cheered. One happy day amongst so many sad ones that the Weasley family was facing from the loss of one of the children.
It was already very late when the Lupins got home again, (Remus wanted to leave earlier so that his wife could sleep, but she pushed them into staying for a few more minutes, which eventually turned into hours) they were already in bed when Dora placed a kiss on her husband's temple and said:
"I still think we need to celebrate on our own. I'll see what I can do to take Mom to Teddy's…," She shook her head, frowning because of her own mistake, "Teddy to Mom's for a night so we can celebrate on our own way, okay? We'll have a night off of parenting duty, I assure you."
"If we can get Teddy to your Mom's house, you'll get some sleep, we can celebrate after you sleep. You can barely make up sentences anymore, Dora! You can barely stand!"
She rolled her eyes and fell asleep, only to be awoken in a couple of hours by the cry of the baby.
Remus got home from visiting Harry the day after the ceremony and saw black smoke coming from the kitchen.
When he got there, he saw Dora removing something black from the oven. He couldn't help but laugh at his wife's lack of talent in the kitchen. But when he saw she looked on the verge of tears, he frowned in worries. He ran towards her and cupped her face.
"Dora, what happened? Are you hurt? Did you get burned?" He started checking her body for injuries.
"No, I'm fine, I just… Teddy is at my Mom's so that we could have the night to ourselves and I was going to give you the dinner I promised, but… But I ruined everything…" She cried.
"No, you didn't ruin anything, Dora, what are you talking about?" He wiped a tear from her face.
"I just wanted to give you a stupid dinner, but I took a nap and the roast burned, and I ruined a night that was about you, I…"
"No, Dora, you ruined nothing. You need to sleep, that's all. You only took a nap because you are extremely tired. For the thousandth time, sleep."
"No, I…"
"Dora. Go. To. Bed." He put a lock of her hair behind her ear.
"No. At least dinner, please? We can even eat leftovers. Then I promise I'll sleep."
Remus sighed, he knew that when his wife had her mind wrapped around something, she wouldn't give up, "Fine, but you'll go sit down. I'll go heat the leftovers."
"Thank you," Dora said, in a high-pitched voice and smiled excitedly. She kissed him quickly on the mouth before leaving the kitchen.
Remus cleaned his wife's mess and heated some lasagna that was on the fridge since two days ago. When he got to the living room, he saw his wife asleep on the couch. He couldn't hold back a grin.
He slowly lifted her from the couch into his arms, bridal style, and she stirred a bit.
"Ahn," She moaned unintelligible sounds while pressing her head against the curve of his neck. He chuckled.
When he carefully placed her on the bed, she held on tight to his shirt.
"Stay with me. You're warm," She whispered, eyes closed.
He laid next to her and spooned with her, kissing the back of her neck and her shoulders.
"Your lips are warm too," She giggled lazily, "I love you. Thank you for this and I'm sorry for dinner."
"Don't be. You need to sleep, Dora. I love you."
That was the first time she realized she could sleep peacefully. So she did. She slept through the whole night in his arms and she never felt better. She never felt happier. No Voldemort. No Death Eaters attacking them every chance they got. No worrying if they would live enough to see the other day. The world was still a mess, but she knew she could close her eyes for now and just enjoy her husband and (when he was home the following day) her child. And that was all she wanted to do right now.