Seeing ghosts from Sirius' past became almost a routine thing. Everyone in the house had seen visions, and Harry had even stumbled onto an apparition of his godfather sitting at the kitchen table. That particular happening pushed him further into himself.
He blamed himself for Sirius' death. Remus shared that guilt as well, blaming himself for not saving Sirius.
But Remus' guilt had no place in a heart filled with hopeless love for Tonks. In the days after the full moon, while he regained his strength, she was a constant in his life. When she wasn't performing her duties as an auror, she was by his side, filling his once dark days with chatter.
On this particular evening, they were alone in the house. The kids were back at school, and everyone else was out on some errand or other. Tonks was curled up on one end of the sofa, while he sat on the other, reading. At least he had said he was reading, but in actuality, he was staring at the pages of the book unseeing, brooding over the strange problem in the house.
It was hurting Harry, and that had to stop. Remus had promised Sirius that he would look after Harry if anything happened to him, and he was going to keep that promise.
So why, all of a sudden, was the house manifesting these memories?
Tonks watched Remus as he pretended to read. He was in one of his moods again, and no amount of inane conversation would draw him out. She wondered if he even knew she was there.
Only one way to find out. She stretched out her leg and poked him in the thigh with her bare toes.
He barely even glanced at her before looking back at the book.
She tried again, poking harder and saying his name.
"Remus."
"Mm-hmm." He responded vaguely.
"I'm bored." She said petulantly.
"That's nice."
Okay. That wasn't good. He wasn't even listening to her. She poked him again. "Remus."
"Mm-hmm."
"Your head's on fire."
"Okay." He replied.
This called for drastic measures. She crawled across the sofa, kneeling next to him.
"Remus?" She whispered.
"Yes?"
"Voldemort just walked through the front door wearing a tutu."
He blinked. Then looked up from the book. "What?"
She grinned at him. At least that had gotten his attention.
He sighed. "Tonks, I'm reading."
"No you're not. You're just sitting there pretending to read." She countered.
"I've got a lot on my mind." He said, looking away.
There was only one thing she could think of to do about that. She reached out and took the book from his hands, tossing it over her shoulder. Then she climbed onto his lap, straddling him.
His eyes widened, his hands dropping onto her denim-clad hips. "What are you doing?"
Leaning in, she swiped her tongue lazily over his lips. "I thought I'd make your mind go away for a while."
His lips curved up, his eyes darkening. "And how were you going to manage that?"
Tunneling her fingers through his thick hair, Tonks bent and kissed him with the hunger that had been inside her forever.
He returned the kiss with equal fervor, his fingers digging into her flesh.
It was like coming home after a long absence. Remus had felt nothing quite like it. The warmth of her embrace chased away the shadows, destroyed the doubts.
Sliding his hands up her slender back, he pulled her close, burying his face against her neck. "Nymphadora…" He breathed.
So much was unsaid between them. So much he knew he would regret not saying.
He leaned back to look at her, gazing into her wonderful, changeable eyes. And he could see in her eyes that she knew.
He kissed her again, pouring all his love and tenderness into it. He could still feel the wolf in him clamoring to rush, to take, but he subdued it. This wasn't the time for that.
She melted against him, snuggling close, her arms around his neck. Their lips met in a slow drugging kiss, their breath mingling.
Deeper and deeper, Remus drowned in the taste of her. His hand slipped up over her shoulder and the moved down to cup her t-shirt clad breast.
When she hummed with pleasure, he groaned. "Tonks, I want you so much."
She rocked against him, pressing against his arousal. "Yes." She sighed.
He kissed her again, hands roaming over her slowly, purposefully. With an impatient sound, she pulled away from him long enough to tug her t-shirt over her head, tossing it behind her. Then she unclasped the flimsy black lace bra that molded her breasts, letting the lingerie fall away before attaching her lips to his again.
She was utterly uninhibited, but Remus tempered her heat with gentleness.