Chapter 4
After Tonks had left in the morning, Lucius sat alone, deep in thought. He had ordered the elves out of the house so that he wouldn't be disturbed. The flames that he was staring into kept shifting into Tonks' face. He couldn't rid her image, her voice or her sweet fragrance from his mind.
He sighed and changed the arm that he was leaning on. Last night was so special, how can I tell her? He thought miserably. She'll hate me, and. I love her. This realization, instead of making him happier, only depressed him even further. How can I tell her? How? He beat his fist on the table angrily. How could Voldemort do this to him, surely he had known that this would happen. I'll tell he, he decided. Then if I die, at least she will know the truth.
"Yes! That's what I'll do," he said resolutely.
*
Tonks woke suddenly on Wednesday morning. Something had disturbed her peaceful sleep by tapping. She sat up in bed and surveyed the room, her eyes falling on a large, beautiful Eagle Owl. Lucius! Tonks whipped off the covers and swung out of bed eagerly. She opened the window and held it wide open, motioning to the owl to come in. He stepped in proudly, and stood steadily as she took the scroll.
My dearest Tonks, would you please accompany me for dinner on Friday evening. Be here at seven, and please come because I have something extremely important to tell you.
Yours faithfully, Lucius
Two days! Tonks smiled happily. I think I love him, she thought to herself. She ran to her wardrobe and looked inside critically. What was she going to wear?
After what seemed hours of rummaging through her collection of clothes, Tonks finally pulled out a long black figure hugging dress with a plunging neckline and flared arms. She put it on, and it sparkled in the sun that shone through the bedroom window.
The doorbell rang as she stood contemplating how to have her hair. Brought out of her daydream she jumped, and then ran downstairs, forgetting about her dress.
"Hi Remus." She said brightly, stepping aside to let him pass.
"Hey Tonks, you're happy this morning. Something good happened?"
"Er, not really, I just had a good sleep for a change." She mumbled. "Anyway, what brings you here so early?" She said, quickly trying to change the subject.
"Early? Tonks, it's one in the afternoon." He said in surprise.
Three hours! She hadn't realized that she had been looking for something to wear for that long. Lupin came in and sat down, looking at her properly for the first time.
" Where in the name of Merlin are you planning to go, dressed like that?" he asked. "I didn't think that you liked me that much," he added laughing.
"Shut up! I was just going through all of my robes, seeing if they still fit or not. It's about time I cleaned this place up." Tonks improvised quickly, motioning to all of the rubbish that littered the front room. "You caught me before I could get changed."
"Oh right." Lupin said, satisfied with her response. "I'm here anyway to tell you that there's a meeting for the Order on Friday."
Tonks' face fell. "Friday? This Friday?"
"Yes. Why, is that a problem? Remus asked, noticing her expression. "You have something planned?"
Tonks nodded. "What time's the meeting?"
"Five. It should be over by about sevenish." Tonks sighed in relief. She would only be slightly late for dinner with Lucius.
"Ok. Would you like a drink?" She asked, standing up.
"Yes please. Something quite warming because I'm freezing."
"Oh, I'm so sorry. Incendio." She pointed at the fireplace which burst into cherrful flames. "I'll get you a firewhisky."
She's hiding something, Lupin thought as he watched her make her way through the messy kitchen. She had a dazed look on her face.
"Have you had good news or something?" He asked when she had returned a few minutes later.
"Me? No, why?" she looked at him enquiringly, alook of feigned innocence on her flushed face.
"You just seem distracted, that's all. You sure your not hiding anything?"
Tonks smiled. "I'm sure."
After Tonks had left in the morning, Lucius sat alone, deep in thought. He had ordered the elves out of the house so that he wouldn't be disturbed. The flames that he was staring into kept shifting into Tonks' face. He couldn't rid her image, her voice or her sweet fragrance from his mind.
He sighed and changed the arm that he was leaning on. Last night was so special, how can I tell her? He thought miserably. She'll hate me, and. I love her. This realization, instead of making him happier, only depressed him even further. How can I tell her? How? He beat his fist on the table angrily. How could Voldemort do this to him, surely he had known that this would happen. I'll tell he, he decided. Then if I die, at least she will know the truth.
"Yes! That's what I'll do," he said resolutely.
*
Tonks woke suddenly on Wednesday morning. Something had disturbed her peaceful sleep by tapping. She sat up in bed and surveyed the room, her eyes falling on a large, beautiful Eagle Owl. Lucius! Tonks whipped off the covers and swung out of bed eagerly. She opened the window and held it wide open, motioning to the owl to come in. He stepped in proudly, and stood steadily as she took the scroll.
My dearest Tonks, would you please accompany me for dinner on Friday evening. Be here at seven, and please come because I have something extremely important to tell you.
Yours faithfully, Lucius
Two days! Tonks smiled happily. I think I love him, she thought to herself. She ran to her wardrobe and looked inside critically. What was she going to wear?
After what seemed hours of rummaging through her collection of clothes, Tonks finally pulled out a long black figure hugging dress with a plunging neckline and flared arms. She put it on, and it sparkled in the sun that shone through the bedroom window.
The doorbell rang as she stood contemplating how to have her hair. Brought out of her daydream she jumped, and then ran downstairs, forgetting about her dress.
"Hi Remus." She said brightly, stepping aside to let him pass.
"Hey Tonks, you're happy this morning. Something good happened?"
"Er, not really, I just had a good sleep for a change." She mumbled. "Anyway, what brings you here so early?" She said, quickly trying to change the subject.
"Early? Tonks, it's one in the afternoon." He said in surprise.
Three hours! She hadn't realized that she had been looking for something to wear for that long. Lupin came in and sat down, looking at her properly for the first time.
" Where in the name of Merlin are you planning to go, dressed like that?" he asked. "I didn't think that you liked me that much," he added laughing.
"Shut up! I was just going through all of my robes, seeing if they still fit or not. It's about time I cleaned this place up." Tonks improvised quickly, motioning to all of the rubbish that littered the front room. "You caught me before I could get changed."
"Oh right." Lupin said, satisfied with her response. "I'm here anyway to tell you that there's a meeting for the Order on Friday."
Tonks' face fell. "Friday? This Friday?"
"Yes. Why, is that a problem? Remus asked, noticing her expression. "You have something planned?"
Tonks nodded. "What time's the meeting?"
"Five. It should be over by about sevenish." Tonks sighed in relief. She would only be slightly late for dinner with Lucius.
"Ok. Would you like a drink?" She asked, standing up.
"Yes please. Something quite warming because I'm freezing."
"Oh, I'm so sorry. Incendio." She pointed at the fireplace which burst into cherrful flames. "I'll get you a firewhisky."
She's hiding something, Lupin thought as he watched her make her way through the messy kitchen. She had a dazed look on her face.
"Have you had good news or something?" He asked when she had returned a few minutes later.
"Me? No, why?" she looked at him enquiringly, alook of feigned innocence on her flushed face.
"You just seem distracted, that's all. You sure your not hiding anything?"
Tonks smiled. "I'm sure."
