Smitten: The story of Remus Lupin and Nymphodora Tonks.
"Remus, so often melancholy and lonely, was first amused, then impressed, then seriously smitten by the young witch. He had never fallen in love before. If it had happened in peacetime, Remus would have simply taken himself off to a new place and a new job, so that he did not have to endure the pain of watching Tonks fall in love with a handsome, young wizard in the Auror office, which was what he expected to happen. However, this was war; they were both needed in the Order of the Phoenix, and nobody knew what the next day would bring. Remus felt justified in remaining exactly where he was, keeping his feelings to himself but secretly rejoicing every time somebody paired him with Tonks on some overnight mission." - Remus Lupin, Pottermore.
This is a story of love. A story of denial, and hope. This is the story of how Remus Lupin fell in love with Nymphadora Tonks.
Remus POV
"Cousin?"
Remus looked up from his mug of hot chocolate. A young witch with bright pink hair and wearing a Weird Sisters t-shirt had entered the kitchen with Mad-Eye Moody and was looking curiously at Sirius.
Sirius frowned in confusion before a sudden realisation struck him.
"Nymphadora?" he asked, his eyes wide in disbelief.
"Don't call me Nymphadora, Sirius," she said. "It's Tonks."
Sirius smiled widely before standing up to hug his cousin. Remus watched curiously. He remembered that Sirius' cousin Andromeda had married a muggle-born man by the name of Tonks, and supposed that this must be their daughter.
"What are you doing here?" asked Sirius as he and Tonks sat down.
Tonks pointed at Moody, who was sitting at the other end of the kitchen with Arthur and Molly as they waited for the meeting to start.
"I'm an Auror. I work with Mad-Eye," she explained.
When Remus had heard from Kingsley Shacklebolt that Moody had recruited his protege, he had not expected someone as young and bubbly as the young woman standing before him. She looked absolutely harmless, but he knew how selective Moody, and that Tonks must be an exceptionally skilled witch.
"He told me about the Order," Tonks continued. "He said that Voldment really was back, that killed Cedric Diggory, and that the minister was in denial. Of course, I immediately said I would join too. I couldn't believe it when he told me that you were in the Order!"
"I suppose you spent the last two years looking for me, did you?" Sirius said, smirking.
"Yes, and what a waste of time that turned out to be!"
"Sirius, where are the coffee mugs?" asked Molly, who was rifling through the dusty kitchen cupboards.
"Top cupboard, on the left, - no, the next one - that's the one," replied Sirius.
"Those cups are filthy," said Tonks, wrinkling her nose in disgust at the site of the mugs. "I thought mum said you have a house-elf? The Ancient and Noble House of Black has really gone to the dogs."
"We do have a house-elf," said Sirius darkly. "Kreacher. He's bloody useless. And Senile. Anyway, how much do you know about what the Order is doing?"
"Mad-Eye hasn't told me much - yet," she admitted sheepishly. Remus had the impression that she was embarrassed to admit Moody had not prioritised filling her in on the details. "Although he did mention what an odd bunch you were. Ex-convicts," she indicated at Sirius, "and former Death Eaters. He did say something about a werewolf, though."
It was all Remus could do to stop himself from flinching.
"Really? A werewolf?" said Sirius, looking amused.
"He was pulling my leg, wasn't he?" she replied, with a sheepish laugh. "That would be pretty ridiculous."
Remus felt his breath catch in his throat. She didn't know. Of course she didn't. She wouldn't be sitting with them if she did. Sirius laughed out loud.
"A werewolf? That is ridiculous, isn't it, Remus?" he said, smirking as he looked at Remus.
"Indeed," he said as he stood up, careful to avoid eye-contact with Tonks. "Excuse me a moment, I think Molly might need some help in the kitchen."
"What's wrong with him?" he heard her ask Sirius as he walked away.
"Oh, don't mind him. It's his time of the month."
"Why so glum, Tonks?" asked Sirius after the meeting. "I thought you were excited to work for the Order?"
"I'm on guard duty at the Ministry?" she replied, frowning. "I don't want to be on guard duty - I thought I'd be hunting Death Eaters! I'm an Auror, for Merlin's sake."
Remus could not help but be amused by this, but, not wanting to cause offence, attempted to hide his smile behind his (second) mug of hot chocolate.
"I suppose you think that's funny?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. It was the first time she had addressed him.
"No, not at all, Nymphadora" he said innocently. "You're right - guard duty is incredibly dull work. Important, but dull."
"It's Tonks," she said. "No one calls me Nymphadora."
"Why not?"
"Because it's a ridiculous name," she replied, as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"I think it's quite nice, actually," Remus replied, against his better judgement. He knew he shouldn't be so familiar with her, especially not when she didn't know what he was. But he couldn't help it - it was so easy to bait her for a reaction.
"No, it isn't," she insisted. "And like I said, no one calls my Nymphadora, not if they know what's good for them."
"Nymphadora!" called Moody gruffly from across the room.
Tonks groaned and this time Remus did not bother to hide his amusement.
"I suppose Mad-Eye doesn't know what's good for him?" said Remus cheerily.
Tonks ignored him, choosing to reply to Moody instead.
"What is it, Moody?" she asked dully.
"I'm leaving. Remember, we have an early start tomorrow. Constant vigilance!" he grunted, and he left before she had a chance to reply.
"He's off his cracker, that one," she muttered. "Brilliant, mind you."
"Why do you have an early start tomorrow?" asked Sirius.
Tonks snorted.
"We have to investigate rouge Muggle toilets in Glasgow. Mad-Eye thinks it's Muggle-baiting. My bet is on dodgy plumbing," she said. "Not exactly the sort of work I thought I would be doing as an Auror."
"Never thought I would see the day that my baby cousin would become the protege of Mad-Eye Moody. At least some of us turned out right" said Sirius bitterly. Remus knew that being forced to stay in Grimmauld Place was difficult for him.
Remus watched as Tonks looked at Sirius with a sort of sad fondness that surprised him. She could not have been much more than a child when Sirius was sent to Azkaban.
"Hey," she said, placing a reassuring hand on his. "You're a member of the Order of the Phoenix, aren't you? You turned out okay, too, despite all this," she added, pointing at Remus.
"What, despite me?" Remus replied, confused. He couldn't help but feel hurt. Had Sirius told her about his condition?
"No, not you! I am pointing at the mug - you know, the one with Black family crest on it!" said Tonks, unable to hide her exasperation. "Why on earth would I mean you?"
"Oh, of course," replied Remus quickly, his heart still racing. Tonks continued to stare at him as he desperately tried to avoid eye contact. He had foolishly over-reacted.
"So, um, I don't think I caught your name?" she asked, her tone much gentler than it had been a moment ago. Did she feel sorry for him? It was the last thing he needed.
"Remus Lupin," he said quietly.
"What do you do for a living?" she asked.
Remus paused. It was that question he dreaded most. How could he explain his perpetual unemployment without referencing his lycanthropy?
"I, er, I taught at Hogwarts," he replied, finally looking up from his cup, silently willing Sirius to jump into the conversation at any point...
"When?" she replied, frowning, "I don't remember seeing you at Hogwarts."
"No - it was only for a year. Moody replaced me. Or, at least the fake Moody did."
"Oh, you taught Defense Against the Dark Arts?" she replied, sounding impressed. "Why did Moody replace you? Oh, wait, I remember, the Professor before Moody resigned because he was a - a -"
Her voice trailed off as she suddenly seemed to remember why the position of Defence Against the Dark Arts was available for Moody to take… Remus felt his heart sink.
"Oh, dear Merlin," she whispered, her eyes wide in shock.
Remus stood up abruptly.
"It might be best if I leave," he said softly without looking at her. What had he been thinking? What more had he really expected?
"Remus -" started Sirius, but he was too slow. Remus, so used to making a hasty exit, was gone before Sirius could stop him.