A/N: Thanks for your reviews! No, I'm not Lupin Chic of Sugarquill. I realized in the first chapter I said that this was my second fan fic. Well, it's not. It's my third.
Disclaimer: Sadly I don't own the characters. I'm trying to get a hold of Remus, but they won't let me have him. Too bad.
Remus arrived just inside the door. He walked through the hallway and down into the kitchen. Since he had lived there, Remus had made many changes to 12 Grimmauld Place.
The first thing he did was get rid of the portrait of Sirius' mother. She was a pain to get down, but Remus had finally managed. He also got rid of the house elf heads that used to hang in one of the hallways. He thought he had cleaned very well on the house, considering what it used to be. It was now at least livable.
Remus entered the kitchen. His stomach rumbled a little so he went to the cupboards to find something to eat.
As he passed by, he saw something on the table. He picked it up. It was a letter from someone. Remus opened it and read:
Dear Remus,
Tomorrow is my birthday and I'm having a party here at the Burrow. It starts at 6:00pm. If you are not doing anything I would be happy if you could come. You don't need to bring anything. Mrs. Weasley's doing the cooking. Hope to see you there!
-Harry
Remus put the letter down and smiled to himself.
"At least I can have something to look forward to," he said aloud.
Before he left, he walked over to his dresser and opened one of the drawers. He pulled out a small black box. Remus opened it and inside was a gold watch. He smiled at it. It used to be James'. And before James, it was his father's. Remus closed the box and put it in his pocket.
He walked over to the mirror to get a good look at himself. Even though he was dressed nicely, his face still looked as tired as ever and his hair seemed to have more grey in it than the last time he looked at it. But the parts that weren't grey were still the same golden brown.
Remus turned away and with a pop, he Apparated to the burrow.
When he arrived, Remus found himself outside the door, so he opened it and went on in. He was surprised by how many people were there.
Of course all of the Weasleys were there, including Bill and Charlie (Percy had come back before the war). Also Hermione Granger, Neville Longbottom, and Luna Lovegood.
There was certainly a lot of dating going around: Harry and Ginny, Ron and Hermione, and Neville and Luna.
Neville and Luna had been kind of a surprise for Remus. He didn't think someone as different as Luna would end up with someone as forgetful as Neville.
Opposites attract I guess, thought Remus as he greeted everyone.
"Oh, Harry, can I see you for a moment?" he asked.
"Sure," said Harry and they walked over to a corner in the room.
"I wanted to give you this before everything started," Remus said as he pulled the watch out of his pocket and gave it to Harry. He took it and opened it.
"It was your father's," said Remus. "And his father's before him. I've had it for a while and I was saving it for your 18th birthday."
"Wow!" said Harry, amazed at the golden watch. "Thanks!"
Remus smiled and patted Harry on the back.
"So, there sure are a lot of people here," he said as he looked around.
"Yeah," said Harry. "I also invited-"
But before Harry could finish his sentence, there was a loud crash in the kitchen. Harry and Remus walked over to see what happened.
"Oh Molly, I'm so sorry!" Came a voice from behind the table. "You know how clumsy I am."
Remus knew that voice too well to not know who it was. Him and Harry stood in the doorway and watched as a young woman with short, spikey purple hair stood up holding a wet rag. She walked over to the sink, stumbling a little over her feet.
Remus chuckled a little. "Having trouble holding on to things, Nymphadora?" he said grinning.
The woman turned around and looked at him.
"Don't call me that, Remus. It's Tonks." She scowled at him, but it only made him laugh. It had been a few weeks since last saw Tonks, but she hadn't changed any.
"Do you need any help in here, Mrs. Weasley?" asked Harry.
"Oh, not now, Harry dear," said Mrs. Weasley. "Dinner is ready." She called to everyone and told them to come in.
Everyone sat themselves around the table. Remus found himself sitting between Arthur and Tonks.
During the meal, there were many conversations going around the table. Remus listened to most of them and even joined in a few. He was silent for a moment when a clatter of silverware directed his attention to the person on his right.
Tonks had dropped her spoon on her plate and sighed as she pick it up. Remus smiled.
"So what have you been up to since the war, Nymphadora?" he asked her. In the beginning he thought when someone would mention the war, people would start feeling sad and depressed because of the death of their friends. But people were so happy about the downfall of Voldemort that it didn't really effect them much.
She scowled at him again. "Remus, how many times must I tell you to stop calling me that?"
"Oh Nymph," Remus chuckled, "it's your first name, and people usually call other people by their first name."
Tonks looked at him and shook her head.
"You are simply impossible, Remus Lupin." She grinned and gave him a playful slap on his arm. That's when it happened.
As soon as she touched him, he felt a shock go up his arm. His stomach felt funny and his heart pounded against his rib cage. He could feel heat rising up to his cheeks. He gasped suddenly and pulled his arm back.
"Remus, what's the matter?" Tonks asked, looking concerned.
"Nothing," he said, putting a hand up to his face. "It's nothing. Will you excuse me please? I'll be right back."
He jumped up out of his seat and hurried to the bathroom. Once inside, he closed the door and looked at himself in the mirror. His cheeks were still flushed from where he had blushed and his heart rate seemed to had slowed down.
He splashed some cool water on his face and dried off with a towel. Remus sat down on the floor up against the wall.
"What's the matter with you, Moony?" he said aloud. "Why did you blush when Tonks touched you? She's just your friend."
She could be more, said a voice inside his head. You know you want her.
"That's absurd," said Remus.
Then why did you blush when she touched you? said the voice. Why did your heart start to race?
Remus sighed. "I-I don't know why."
Did he like Tonks? She was so much younger than him. He was pushing 40 and she must have been in her mid 20's.
"She's too young," Remus whispered.
Does age really matter? his mind told him.
Remus thought he had gone mad. Here he was, sitting on a bathroom floor, arguing with himself about woman who he only considered a friend and nothing more.
But had he always thought of Tonks as friend? When Remus first met her he thought she was beautiful. Clumsy and outgoing, yes, but still beautiful. But she was always a friend to him.
Come to think of it, though, he had thought about her a lot since the war ended. But did that mean he loved her?
"No, Remus," he said, "you do not love Tonks."
When he thought again on this, he had always called her by her first name, which she hated. But he loved to see her get upset about it.
"She looks so darn cute when she gets upset," he found himself saying.
"Who does?" came a voice from the doorway.
Remus nearly jumped out of his skin. He looked up to see who it was.
Tonks was standing in the doorway looking down at him with her ocean blue eyes.
The strands in her eyes color them wonderful, he thought.
"Are you ok, Remus?" Tonks asked. She walked over to him.
"I'm fine, Nymphadora." He saw her flinch a little, but she kept quiet. "I'm feeling a bit ill. The full moon is in a few days, you know."
"Right," Tonks said softly. She bent down and put a hand on his face. She brushed away some of his hair. Remus closed his eyes. Her touch felt so smooth against his skin. His heart started knocking on his rib cage again. He was sure Tonks could hear it.
Is she trying to torture me? Remus thought. He opened his eyes.
"Is dinner over?" he asked quietly.
"Yeah," Tonks answered. "Harry's getting ready to open gifts. Come on." She took her hand off his face and held it out for him to take. When he took it, he could feel the burning between their hands.
As soon as he stood up, he let go of it quickly. He took a few steps and stumbled a little, but caught himself.
"Are you sure you're alright, Remus?" Tonks asked with her brow furrowed.
"Yes, I'm sure," he whispered.
"Ok. For a minute there I thought you had turned into me, what with the stumbling and all." She smiled, which made Remus' knees weak. He felt like he was going to fall.
They walked out of the bathroom together, Tonks stumbling as she walked.
A/N: What else can I say but review!