A/N-*jaw drops* 39 REVIEWS!?! 39...that's like...almost twice as many hours as there are in a day!!! *huggles all around* Well I just have to say THANK YOU ALL SOOOOO MUCH, because really, what's a story without reviews? Not good, that's what.

Oh, and sorry for the delay *again* :-P. I don't anticipate such a horribly long break between chapters next time. I'm setting a strict date for my self: next chapter up October 26th, and not a day later! And if that doesn't happen, someone strangle me. Please.

Special thanks to Susanna for the reference to looks ^_^

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Chapter 3-Miss Play It Smart

 Tonks returned to her room and dressed herself in her favorite pair of robes, a black pair with stitching that periodically changed color, and decided on a shade of teal for her hair, which was hanging around her waist. She couldn't help it; something about today made her want to look radiant. The sun was shining, it was the middle of summer, and best of all, Remus loved her. She couldn't remember ever feeling happier. After one last check that her hair was exactly the right hue, she spun out of the room and nearly tripped over Sirius, who was, to her amusement, still crawling around on all fours.

"Doesn't that work better when you're covered in fur and you find chasing cats your favorite pastime?" Tonks asked him sarcastically.

"Well, see the problem is I've lent all my good fur coats to Ron. He's not great at returning things, that one. And I've never much appreciated chasing cats. Squirrels are much faster. I think it has something to do with-"


"Wait. Are the Weasleys here? I thought they weren't coming until-"

Until Saturday.

Which was yesterday.

Which meant that, assuming they had indeed arrived on time, they were at Grimmauld Place last night...

Tonks felt pale. Suppose Ron or Ginny had gotten up for a midnight snack and found her with Remus? That'd be a pretty picture. Remus was more than their former teacher. He was like a friend to each of his students. She didn't want to think about the looks on their faces if they'd seen him looking at her like that. He had looked at her like that...it was almost as if he had a special look, just for her. A look. He had a look. She smiled briefly before she noticed that Sirius was staring up at her with an absolutely perplexed expression on his face.

"Tonks? Is there something you'd like to share with the rest of the class?"

Immediately she snapped to attention, forsaking her girlish grin in exchange for a businesslike stare. "So, the Weasleys. Did they arrive alright?" She knew her voice had shifted about an octave, but there wasn't much she could do. Sirius narrowed his eyes.

"They're fine; they got in at a bit before supper. It's only Molly and Arthur, and then the twins, Ron, and Ginny. Oh, and they brought Hermione. But I don't think we're finished. I'm sure there's something you were going to say just a moment ago."

"I'm sure all the coffee you've had this morning is not only impairing your judgment; it's impairing your sanity. Don't you have something to be doing? Because it was you who just suggested that we get Harry down here as soon as possible, which should be pretty soon, as he can't be very happy without his friends." She inwardly patted herself on the back for such quick thinking. Sirius scratched his head.

"Right. I'm putting Remus in charge of that. Let him know for me, won't you?" Sirius said briefly before scampering off down the hall again. Tonks meandered off in the opposite direction. She was going to have to tell Remus to be more careful, that's what she needed to let him know. Honestly, he had half a brain; shouldn't he have remembered that the Weasleys were coming? Or maybe he was just too busy giving her the look...she sighed. He had a look. Something about that thought made her feel like she was flying. A look. For her. She continued in her dreamlike state until she distinctly heard a loud crash from behind her.

"Sirius! Just what do you think you're doing on four legs when we haven't gotten this place into a livable state yet? There could be Doxies squirming around in the carpet!"

Turing around, Tonks recognized from the distance a short bob of slightly faded red hair glowering down at Sirius. That voice could belong to none other than...

"But Molly, the Doxies only live in the curtains. How long have you been a witch? Honestly, it's just a bit of fun."

"Wouldn't surprise me a bit if a few of them had moved to the carpets, it's so full of them in the drawing room. Now perhaps you can explain to me what you're doing right now?"

Tonks turned to leave, but what she heard next caught her attention. Sirius' voice dropped to a low whisper.

"If you must know, I'm trying to get some information out of Tonks. She's hiding something. I know it." Tonks crept a few feet closer and hid behind a doorway that was under a yard from Sirius' hind legs.

"Unless it's something about the Order, I'm afraid that's her business and not yours, dear. Now get up and stop acting like a child. The boys certainly don't need any more ideas. And neither does Ginny, for that matter," she added quickly, perhaps sensing a half formed idea of Sirius'.

"Yes, well, whatever it is, Remus knows about it too. He was never good at keeping secrets."

"Sirius, would you please mind your own business? If they mean for you to know, you will find out. Stop being such a gossip and find something useful to do. And speaking of useful, what exactly where you doing last night?"

Tonks, relived, snuck out from the doorway and started down the stairs. She was almost at the bottom when-

"OUTSIDE? OUTSIDE? SIRIUS BLACK, DO YOU REALIZE THAT ANY SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY COULD FURTHER JEOPORDIZE THE STATUS OF THE ORDER? IF YOU FEEL LIKE YOU NEED A WALK, GET REMUS TO PUT YOU ON A LEASH, BECAUSE THERE'S NO WAY THAT-"

So Sirius was getting what he deserved for snooping into her private life. Good, she thought, maybe Mrs. Weasley would keep him occupied long enough to have a quick chat with Remus. Or, maybe she could talk with him privately in her bedroom for a moment. Or several moments. Whatever time allotted, she thought, grinning. She wondered how many looks he might be able to fit into a moment. Still smiling, her feet mindlessly steered her to the library, where she had known Remus would be without consciously thinking about it. She wondered if this was related, in any way, to the look. Indeed, Remus was sitting at one of the desks, absorbed in something he was scrawling out in his small, loopy handwriting on a short piece of parchment.

"You should know," Tonks said by way of introducing her presence, "that Sirius expects you to be in charge of getting Harry here."

"Of course he does," said Remus, without looking up from his writing. "I'm putting together an advance guard right now. How many do you think we'll need; does eighteen sound good?"

"Eighteen what?"

"People, of course. We'll need some to fly in front of him, and if we bring Alastor, he'll want about five more for the back, and then some spare fliers just in case one of us spontaneously combusts halfway there, and-"

"Do you really think Harry needs that many people? How about half that. I don't think those muggle houses are big enough for eighteen extra people, anyway."

"Fine," Lupin finally looked up from the parchment with a golden glint in his eye. "Nine it is."

Against her will she smiled, then remembered that the house now had seven additional people who might be wandering about anywhere in the house.

"Remus, we need to talk," she started slowly, pulling up a chair from the desk that sat opposite to the one Remus had crowded with notes. She couldn't help but notice he looked slightly nervous, but he remained enough composure to respond, "Certainly. What would you like to talk about?"

"It's just..." as much as they needed to be more careful, careful was never something Tonks enjoyed being, or even thinking about being. She took a breath. "We really need to start being...cautious. I just heard Sirius talking to Mrs. Weasley, who, by the way, was here last night, and he knows something's up between us. He just doesn't know what yet. Now, Sirius isn't the smartest wizard I know, but if he finds out, he'll be parading around here like he is. And I'm positive that the Weasleys wouldn't have needed to witness the..." she cleared her throat, "display last night."

Remus looked as if he'd just been released from a very tight grip. She watched his body relax against the chair, and as he ran his fingers through his hair, he let out a quiet sigh that sent a chill down her spine.

"Yes. You're absolutely right. That was my fault, I knew the Weaselys were coming, I just-"

"Why are you so nervous?" She asked, letting her hand slide from her lap to his hand. He looked at his watch briefly.

"I thought that you were going to go on record as having the shortest relationship ever. We've been...whatever you want to call it, for only about ten hours."
"You thought I was breaking up with you?"
"'Breaking up'...that's such a teenage term..."

"Well I'm most certainly not 'breaking up'."

"Then you're the first person ever to start a conversation with 'we need to talk' and not have it end in immeasurable grief."

Her hand slid up his arm to meet his cheek. "Never. I'll never hurt you. I promise you."

"I know."

"No you don't."

"No, I don't," he agreed, "but I will."

"Ok," she said softly. And turning to leave, she noticed something come over her face, something that came straight from the bottom of her heart and projected itself through her eyes-

A look. She had a look, too.

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