Here I am again with another chapter! This one took a while longer to write (I always write my chapters in a notebook before typing them), but it's at least a bit longer than the previous chapters, so yeah, I'm sorry for the wait. I need some ideas for chapter five, so if you reviewers have any, I'd be psyched to hear them!
MissMoony16: I hope I did your idea justice with this chapter. Lemme know what you thought of it!
Dragon Girl Revlis: I will definitely try to incorporate more of that into the next chapter, so thank you! There is a bit of the twins in this one, but I can see if I can work them into the next chapter as well.
And many many thanks to everyone else who took the time to review: trevor-bruttenholm, SarcasticMsEm, and bansheecall. You guys are great!
Disclaimer: Nope, still not mine. J.K. can have them back later, but they may be a bit disheveled. ;)
Tonks was on her knees in a living room of the Black House pleading with Remus for one cause or another. "C'mon Remus! Everyone would have a really good time!"
He tried to stop laughing long enough to answer her. It was too funny; she looked like a little child begging for sweets. Well, a little child with wild green hair all over the place and electric blue eyes. More like an imp, perhaps.
"Remus! Do not ignore me!"
"Fine then, plead your case," He got a hold of himself. "and please get up."
Tonks rose and sat beside him on the couch. "It's just a little party..." She took his hand and tried her best to look sweet and innocent. "Just a couple close friends, member of the Order."
Remus considered this for a moment, ignoring her sad puppy-like look. "Tonks, I know you plan invite the Weasley clan, and they alone are a full house."
"I thought it'd be okay, because you've been looking after this place since..." she trailed off, realizing what she almost said: 'since Sirius died'.
Remus looked away and didn't say anything. Tonks climbed onto his lap and hugged him. His arms wound around her back.
"I'm sorry Remus, I hadn't meant to bring that up," The thought of Sirius saddened her as well; he had been her cousin after all.
"It's alright love. But you're right, we should liven this place up a bit, make it a bit more entertaining," he released her, and they laid back on the couch together.
"So, I can throw us a party then?" She smirked up at him.
"Ah, what the hell," he grinned.
Two hours later, Ron Weasley and Harry Potter sat in the Black House kitchen blowing up balloons. Both were rather red in the face,
"I can't believe Mum is making us do this! Ruddy punishment this is," Ron complained, setting aside the balloon he had just finished blowing up. "We're blooody eighteen!"
"It's not that bad. Just think, when we finish blowing these up, all that's left to do is party all night!" Harry answered him excitedly.
"Yeah, but what I don't get is why Tonks is decorating this place when it's probably just going to be made a mess of by a rowdy crowd like us."
"Whatever. Doesn't matter. But do you really want to irk your Mum by not doing this?" Harry raised his eyebrows at him.
"Point taken," Ron replied. "So, is um... er... is Hermione coming?" He tried to hide his blush and avoided Harry's eyes.
"Yes Ron, your girlfriend is coming."
"She's not my girlfriend!"
"Then why are you getting embarrassed? Ah! You haven't asked her out!"
"I was planning on doing it tonight! So just drop it," Ron scowled and crossed his arms over his chest, as if nothing more was to be said on the subject, but Harry was still grinning.
"So what do you think about Tonks and Professor Lupin?" he asked.
"I haven't quite formed an opinion. I'm still trying to get the image of them on the couch out of my mind," Ron said, grateful to have the subject of him and Hermione replaced.
"Well, I think it's good for him. He needs a bit of fun, and if anyone can help him with that, it's Tonks."
Molly Weasley came bustling through the door, nearly bowling over her own grown twin sons who were busy lighting Dungbombs. Their fun was spoiled with just a glare. She continued on to look for Tonks. Tonks found her first, crashing into her and and sending the rolls of streamers she was carrying everywhere.
"I'm so sorry Mrs Weasley! But you're back, excellent," she exclaimed, picking up her streamers. "did you tell the rest of the Order about the party?"
"Yes dear, everything is taken care of," she answered, smiling as she brushed herself off.
"Splendid! Thank you so much!" Tonks yelled over her shoulder as she rushed off to find Remus. She found him on top of a ladder in the hallway, waiting for her to give him the streamers. She handed them to him and he bent down to kiss her cheek.
"Are you sure it was wise to invite the twins? And you know disorderly Kingsley gets when you get a few drinks into him..." Remus warned, pinning the streamers to the ceiling.
Tonks brushed away his concerns with a laugh. "Don't worry about it. Everyone is here just to have a good time. The Weasley terrors will make sure of that," she started off to see if she could help Mrs Weasley with the food preparations. "And when was the last time you saw Kingsley singing and dancing with knickers on his head"?
Remus just rolled his eyes and finished working with the streamers.
Another two hours later, with all the guests in attendance, Kingsley Shacklebolt was well on his way to drunk and disorderly. Not quite at the knickers-on-his-head point, but almost.
Even Dumbledore was there, sharing a bottle of wine with Arthur Weasley, who was currently commenting on the state of Shacklebolt.
"Look at the man, the party's barely started and he's all ready smashed!"
"Arthur, I believe that we will all be at that point by the time the night is through."
Across the room, Ron was trying desperately to stay calm enough to ask Hermione to go with him without passing out.
Hermione had figured out his intentions and was trying to kiss him right there. He just looked so cute while stammering. She took his hand and said, "Ron? How about I make this a tad easier for you... so, yes, I'd love to go with you."
Ron nearly melted into the couch with relief.
Tonks was giggling, her faced pressed into Remus neck. They were in the middle of the large, heavily decorated living room, slow dancing to a fast song. Her hands hung loosely around his neck, but he was making sure he had a good hold on her waist. She had gotten into the rum.
But Tonks wasn't the only one. Believe it or not, Percy Weasley was also very, very drunk. He and his family had patched things up since the end of the war, and the twins were celebrating this by getting their dear, responsible older brother drunk. Percy was currently weaving his way around the room, hitting on everything in his path. Including the punch bowl. Fred and George were staying sober for some suspicious reason.
Tonks was way past the point of caring right now. "Remus, you are a wonderful dancer," she slurred. They weren't dancing so much as Remus was staggering about the room under her wait.
"Why thank you, Nymphadora," he grinned, seizing the opportunity to call her by her first name. Remus happened to think it was a very nice name. He dipped her and she started giggling madly. They were interrupted by the twins.
"Ahem! Everyone look here!" They were standing on top of a coffee table, with an inebriated Percy supported between them. "We have a toast to make,"
"Several, actually," Fred added.
George nodded and contined. "First of all, to the esteemed Professor Lupin and the lovely Nymphadora Tonks for finally getting together," he paused for the hoots and cat-calls of the more... relaxed... guests to die down, "and for hosted this most brilliant party!" He raised his glass and reached across Percy with his free arm
and clinked it with Fred's, as did everyone else with each other, amidst cheers.
"To our ickle Ronniekins, for finally getting up the guff to ask after Hermione, and to her for putting up with him all these years," Fred raised his glass again to loud 'aww's. Heads began to turn looking for the couple, who were not to be seen.
George smirked. He leaned forward and said in a loud stage whisper, "I think the lovebirds are off snogging in a broom closet somewhere,"
Yet again, more hoots and hollers. This time though, Kingsley Shacklebolt got up on a chair and started swinging his trousers about above his head.
Tonks started giggling again, and reached up to tug on Remus's ear. "Remus?"
"Yes, love?"
"How 'bout we get out of here for a bit?"
"You want to leave your party?"
"I say we go find ourselves a broom closet."
"Indeed."
And there you go! Hope everybody liked it. Once again, reviews and suggestions are always welcome. I want to apologize to anyone who doesn't think that Kingsley would be such a crazy partier (lol), but I just thought it would be fun to let him loose for a while. So, think what you may, whatever. Once I get some ideas, I hope to have the next chapter out soon, in which there will be more R/T action/shipperness, w/e. ;) :D
Thanks much for reading,
Kendal Rose