Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot and the kids.
Summary: Why is it that in moments of crisis our clearest, rawest emotions float to the surface? Percy wonders why it took him so long to realize the obvious.
Epiphany
I remember the moment I fell in love with my wife.
It was four years ago. Our oldest son, Theodore, was in his second year at Hogwarts. I was the Head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation, and Tonks was still working as an Auror.
We'd gotten married by orders of the Ministry, so we didn't bother pretending we were in love. Not that I didn't enjoy her company, mind you. She was a lovely girl, very intelligent and funny. But after Penelope broke my heart, I'd closed it off from those sorts of feelings.
After Theo was born, we went back to separate beds. I didn't feel it was practical to share a bed, since our token child had been born, and she agreed.
Tonks and I had a lovely friendship. She got along well with my family and I hers. She was an excellent mother and helped me be a good father. I had always doubted my abilities with children, but she showed me how to love our son and be patient with him.
Theo took after Tonks in his clumsiness, but he was definitely studious and well behaved, like me. He was the center of our lives, and I was so grateful to Tonks for him. But that was all she and I had, mutual respect and admiration, until that day.
I was sitting in my office going over some reports from the French Ministry when my secretary burst into my office. She was quite pale and shaking.
"Padma?" I asked. "What is it?"
"It's your wife, sir," she replied. The poor girl looked as though she was about to cry.
"Tonks? She's here?" I stood up. I had not been expecting Tonks this morning. When I'd left home earlier, we talked about meeting somewhere for dinner later that evening.
"No, sir," Padma said. "There's been an accident. She's been taken to St. Mungo's."
"What?" My heart immediately started pounding in my chest. "What happened?"
"I'm not sure, sir," she answered. "An Auror just Floo'ed and told me to get you immediately."
I grabbed my cloak from the stand and turned back to Padma. "Cancel all my appointments for the rest of today and tomorrow as well. Have Tonks' supervisor meet me at St. Mungo's. Floo her mother to tell her what happened. Floo my mother as well. And my sister, Ginny, too. We may need several potions made. I'll try and Floo you later." Without another word, I Apparated to the hospital.
The Healer and Tonks' boss met me in the hallway when I reached the ward. "My wife," I said, "Nymphadora Weasley, how is she?"
"She's had quite a scare, and she's not out of the woods yet," the Healer answered.
"What happened?" I asked again. I was getting irritated. No one would tell me how this had happened.
"She was responding to an emergency from a shop near Knockturn Alley," the Healer said. "There was a scuffle and some harsh curses were cast. She got caught in the crossfire while trying to restore order."
"Do you know who cast it?" I asked her boss.
"Yes, he's in custody now," he answered.
"I want him before the Wizengamot by the end of business today. I want charges of assaulting an Auror, assault with a hazardous hex, resisting arrest anddisturbing the peace brought against him," I demanded.
"Mr. Weasley," the Auror said, "I understand you're upset, but let's remain calm." He put a hand on my arm and before I could stop myself, I pushed him hard.
"Let's talk about remaining calm when it's your wife lying in there," I spat. I turned to the Healer. "Please take me to my wife immediately."
He took me into the room, and I walked towards her. She was lying flat on her back, and her eyes were closed. "She's just sleeping," the Healer assured me.
For a moment, I wondered if this was the right woman, but then I realized that if she had lost consciousness, her Metamorphmagus abilities ceased. This must be her, actually her. She was beautiful.
Her heart-shaped, fair-skinned face was framed by black, wavy hair. She had a small, pointed nose, which made me truly appreciate, for the first time, that she was Sirius Black's cousin. Her lips were pale pink and quite full. This was the first time I'd ever seen the real Tonks.
Oddly enough, I felt like one of those Muggle fairy-tale knights, coming to awaken the princess. That's how beautiful and perfect she was to me.
I sat down in a chair next to the bed and gently took her hand right in mine. Her left hand was bandaged, and I noticed that her wedding ring was missing. I assumed it was lost, and I made a mental note to replace it as soon as possible.
The Healer was still in the room and came to stand behind me. "She won't be able to change her appearance for a few days, and her scars should fade by tomorrow. Luckily, there wasn't much internal damage. A rib punctured her lung, but we repaired it quickly. She's lucky her partner brought her here right away. Any longer, and we might not have been able to save her. But if she feels up to it, she can go home the day after tomorrow."
"Thank you," I said.
He left, and I stayed there, holding her hand. The medi-witches, my mother and Andromeda tried to get me to go home for a while to sleep or eat something, but I refused to leave her.
Later, I would explain to Tonks that everything hit me at once- that she could be lost so easily; that I would be left to raise our son alone; that I would never hear her trip over the cloak stand in the foyer of our house again; I would never hear the quiet whimpers in her sleep again. It frightened me.
But what frightened me more than losing Tonks was how I would feel about losing her. In the clearest of moments, I knew that if I lost her, I would not be able to go on living.
It was no secret when we married that I wasn't very popular with my family. They loved me, but I wasn't the first one they called when something happened. But Tonks brought out my light-hearted side, one that I didn't even know I had. She made me feel alive and happy, happier than I'd ever been.
Finally, after twelve hours, Andromeda convinced me to at least have a cup of tea. Remus and Ginny sat with me in the teashop and tried to make me feel better, but I didn't. I just wanted to go back to Tonks' side.
We went back up to her ward, and Mum met me in the hallway. "She's awake," she said, wiping tears from her eyes. "And she's asking for you."
I hurried into the room, and Andromeda discreetly excused herself. I returned to my chair by her bed, and Tonks smiled weakly up at me.
"Tonks…" I tried to say more, but seeing her look at me was too much. I couldn't stop the tears from falling.
"Percy, don't cry," she said softly, taking my hand in hers. "In a day or two, I'll be as good as new."
"I was so scared," I said. "I was so scared I would lose you."
"Lose me?" she said with a forced laugh. "You can't even darn your own socks, Perce. You think I'm leaving you? Not a chance, love."
I managed to smile at her. "I love you," I blurted.
Her eyes widened and she blushed. "Percy…wow…I don't know what to say." She was stammering for words, and I didn't know what to do.
"It's okay," I said finally. "I just wanted you to know." I stood to leave, but she pulled me onto the bed next to her.
"Percy, I'm just surprised is all," she said. "I do love you, too."
That did it. The tears started again, and we held each other for a long time until I stopped crying. When I did, I kissed her. Unlike our few other kisses that were devoid of anything but friendship, this kiss was filled with love and understanding and passion. To be honest, I didn't know I had all that in me.
I pulled back and looked at her face and realized something. "Tonks," I said, "I never knew how beautiful you were. Why don't you ever let anyone see you?"
She shrugged. "I didn't think anyone would like how I really looked."
"Well, I do," I insisted to her. "I wouldn't mind seeing you like this more often." I intertwined our hands and remembered something. "Your ring… Don't worry. We'll get another one as soon as you're released."
"A new ring?" she asked. She looked puzzled. "Why? My ring is right here." She reached under the neckline of her gown and pulled out a chain with her ring on it. "I always wear it under my Auror robes. That way, it doesn't get lost, and it's closer to my heart," she said reaching up to kiss me again quickly.
"I love you," I said again.
She giggled. "Wotcher, Percy. You're getting all sappy on me."
"I can't help it," I said, stroking her hair. "Do you know how long it's been since I've felt like this?"
She shook her head, and I shifted slightly to get more comfortable. "You know about Penny, right?" At her nod, I continued, "She cheated on me with someone we knew from school, someone I knew quite well. I was crushed. That was before I reconciled with my family, so I was completely alone."
"Oh, Perce," Tonks said, squeezing my hand.
"Finally, I ran into Bill one day in Diagon Alley, and I told him everything; how I was sorry for hurting the family; how I was heartbroken over Penny. He helped me find myself again, but I swore I'd never fall in love again. My career and my family were all that mattered to me.
"Then that stupid law got passed, and we had to get married. I was so glad that I at least knew you and liked you. And I'm so grateful to you for Theo. I never thought I'd be a father, much less a good one, but you've helped me."
"But you're a wonderful father," she said. "Theo adores you."
"It's you he adores," I replied, caressing her cheek. "You're a natural mother. At times, I wish we had more children."
"We can change that, you know," she said, teasing me.
"Tonks, I never thought I would fall in love with you, and to know that you feel the same way makes me feel complete as a man," I told her. She nuzzled her face into my chest, and I held her close for a while.
"When you're feeling better, I want to make love to you, just you, looking like this," I murmured.
"Percy!" she squealed.
"What?" I asked. I didn't understand why she was so upset.
"Sorry, I've just never heard you say anything like that before," she replied.
I smiled at her. "I daresay you'll be hearing a lot more things like that from now on." I leaned down to kiss her again, this time deeply and slowly.
"Oh, and when you come home, I want to discuss your job," I said, trying not to sound too stern.
"That reminds me," she said with a small smirk. "I need to talk to Remus, see if I can change to training new Aurors instead of being in the field."
"Good plan," I said.
I held her in my arms until she fell asleep again.
Three days later, I brought Tonks home from the hospital. Theo was allowed to come home that weekend to see his Mum. That weekend, I fell in love all over again with my family.
A year later, Samuel was born, and I realized that there was nothing more beautiful than watching a mother with her new baby. I made Tonks promise to have more children, but she reckons we ought to practice a bit more. If there's one thing I've learned about marriage, it's that it's best to not argue with your wife.