Summary: The evolution of Chocolate Lovers without Lovers Club
HOLIDAY AT HOLYHEAD
Coming Home
"You've only seen the vestibule of the house so far. It's built like a villa, so the rest of the living space is off the atrium," explained Remus Lupin as they entered the ancient home.
Nymphadora Tonks looked at the familiar long, rectangular room that served as a living room. The sea could be seen out of the windows and when she turned she saw the mantle with the wolf motif carvings. Remus stood behind her to help her doff her cloak, but she kept her book in hand.
"An atrium?" asked Tonks as Lupin led her through a narrow cloakroom and opened the next door. She found herself in the middle of what looked like a small courtyard surrounded by three walls of doors.
"The master bedroom is here to the left with its own bath." He opened the door and scanned it quickly before adding, "The furnishings are simple and old, but they are serviceable."
Tonks poked her head for a quick look. A bed, wardrobe and desk were one one side, but a nice little round fireplace was in the corner. "No floos?"
"No, the house isn't accessible by floo, nor can anyone apparate into it unless they belong to the family."
Tonks looked at him sharply. "I was able to apparate here with you after the dragon attack. Was that because I was wearing the Wolfshadow amulet?"
Lupin gave a slight nod, then explained, "That, and the fact that I had, er, brought you through the wards before."
"You didn't just bring me through, Remus. You literally swept me off my feet and carried me here," teased Tonks.
"What was I thinking?" he asked, then he continued his tour, "Two bedrooms are on the right with a connecting bath. They used to be mine and my grandfather's. The kitchen and dining room are at the end on the right. The room at the end on the left is the study. "
Tonks scanned the atrium again as they approached the study and then craned her neck to look up. She could even see the stars twinkling in the sky. "Is this like the sky spell at Hogwarts?"
"No, it's more like, like a Muggle skylight," explained Lupin as he looked around in satisfaction. He had spent most of the funds he had earned at Hogwarts repairing it a year ago. "When Sirius stayed with me for a few days in the summer, he spent his entire time out here. I even had to conjure up a cot for him so he could sleep here."
Lupin was standing behind Tonks as she looked up at the sky. Instead of feeling like an intruder of this ancient home, the heat of his body offered a welcoming warmth. She leaned back into him and sighed. "It's too bad Sirius couldn't stay here. It's a lot healthier than Grimmauld Place."
"I tried to talk Sirius out of opening number twelve, but he needed to feel that he was contributing something to the Order. You know how stubborn he is." Lupin put his hands on her shoulders and said, "Besides, he'd just be in a guilded cage here as well, like some exotic pet."
Tonks nodded, but then said anxiously. "Pet! Remus, I need a book. Your Christmas present is in trouble."
Lupin merely quirked an eyebrow, but took her at her word. He took her hand and led her to the room off the back of the atrium. "The study is full of books. Is there a particular title you want?"
"Something bright and happy," responded Tonks as they entered.
Lupin moved away from the bookshelves and turned to a chest in a corner. "Then we better look through this. The children's books are here. Ah, how about this? Pixie Tales?"
"That will be perfect," said Tonks as she saw the thick indigo covered book when she knelt by him. Then she opened her volume of Aesop's fables and waited for the bookworm to emerge.
"What do we have here?" asked Lupin as he opened the Pixie Tales to the first chapter. He looked at the bookworm then back up at Tonks. "It can't be! A Vermis bibliophilus? They're too expensive for common wizards to keep." He looked at her seriously and asked, "You didn't get this from Dung, did you?"
"No, I did not get the bookworm from Dung, so quit fretting and let me get on to the introductions. Quetzalcoatl, meet Remus Lupin," said Tonks. She quickly slipped the bookworm to the new volume. She pecked Lupin on the cheek and said, "Merry Christmas."
"Quetzalcoatl, eh? He bears little resemblance to a flying serpent, but that's quite a name to grow into. How did you manage to get him?" He used a long finger to gently touch the bookworm.
"I have a friend who works at Magical Menagerie. Ket was the runt and would have been left to expire if she hadn't saved him for me."
Lupin looked at her for a moment and was struck once again by the heart of this woman. Her beauty was more than skin deep and the men in her past had all been fools not to have cherished this about her.
He leaned forward and kissed her softly, then he said, "Thank you. There hasn't been a bookworm here since my grandfather was a boy. There'll be plenty to keep Quetzalcoatl growing in our library."
He gently closed the book after he saw the bookworm submerging itself in the text and put the book into the chest.
"Madam Pince said it would take a decade for him to be a really serviceable bookworm. You know, be able to conserve your DADA textbooks." Tonks stood up and ran a finger along the titles in the nearest bookshelves. "I can't wait until we watch him make the transition."
Lupin smiled at her words and the underlying idea that they had a future together. But at the moment, his lady was yawning.
"Would you mind if I freshen up a bit?" she asked through her hand that covered her mouth. "I feel rather frumpy."
"Er, yes, you should find everything you need," said Lupin as he led her back to the master bedroom.
He was determined not to rush things with Tonks tonight. He wanted everything to be perfect. His brain told him that dragging her off to the bedroom like some neanderthal was not in the plan, much as the rest of his body would have liked to.
So he stopped himself at the door and managed to say without stuttering, "The bath is through door at the back. Your clothes are all in the closet. I'll just see about our supper while you freshen up."
"I'll be able to find the dining room, don't worry," said Tonks.
She smiled as Lupin strode away quickly. Really, virgins were so funny about their first times. She pulled a powder blue dress out of the wardrobe and walked to the bathroom for a quick rinse off. She would have to make sure Remus didn't get too nervous, she thought.
Then she glanced around and noticed the mosaic on the wall. She touched the ancient stones carefully, remembering Brina and Mallus. That's when it hit her.
No man had ever given her such free reign of his personal space like Remus had. Nor had a man ever brought her to the home of his ancestors. She had always been a momentary pleasure, easily discarded for the next fantasy. But not with this man, not with Remus Lupin.
She pressed her forehead against the cool wall and took a deep breath. Who was as nervous as a virgin now?
x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x
Remus had the sleeves of his white shirt rolled up as he finished pouring the wine. Tonks just stood for a moment watching his fluid movements, then smiled when he quickly raised his goblet and took a long gulp from it.
"Can have I bit of that, too?"
Remus turned to find a raven haired Tonks smiling gently at him. The powder blue dress was simple, but clung nicely to her body as she moved toward him. He offered her goblet to her and said, "I still need to give you your Christmas present. Sit down and let me get it."
Tonks sipped her wine and craned her neck to see what Remus was lifting from the table. She didn't expect anything fancy from him, but was hoping she'd get something more than a chocolate frog.
Remus carefully placed what she recognized as a jewelry box in front of her on the table. "It took me a few months to complete the transfiguration from the sculpture Dumbledore gave us. Then Flitwick helped instill the charms to create the amulets. Oh, and Moody had a hand in the final setting, too."
Tonks was curious, but the word amulet struck a cord. "You duplicated the Wolfshadow amulets?"
"We'll find out. Go ahead, open it," said Remus. "There's one for each of us."
Tonks opened the box, but frowned. Inside were not moonstones, but the two spheres of bleached wood that had been in the carving of the mobius strip. They were attached to a loop of blackened leather. "Are you sure they work?"
"I've been assured by Flitwick himself. Oh, wait, let me put it on you and--" Remus took one of the strands and tied it around Tonks and quickly did the same with the other around his neck. Then he held the two pendants in his hand and said, "Invito Venus."
A faint flash of light touched the spheres and their true form was revealed. Tonks found a silver chain around her neck with the pearly moonstone embedded in an intricate design. She glanced up to see the shadow of Lupin's wolf being cast against the wall.
"Wolfshadow amulets. They really work," she said. Then she noticed the symmetry of the two amulets. She exchanged a questioning glance with Remus, who merely nodded. She brought the two amulets together to discover they interlocked with each amulet holding an eye of a wolf.
"The original amulets didn't interlock like this," she whispered.
"The original amulets passed from father to son," explained Lupin. "I wanted something to give to you and, I assure you, I don't bear fraternal feelings for you." He leaned in to kiss her. "Merry Christmas, Nymphadora."
She accepted his kiss almost shyly. How could she be so important to him? Did he really know what he was getting into?
When he pulled away, he smiled at her gently and said, "Well, let's eat before it gets cold."
Tonks could only nod her head in agreement. She picked up her spoon, but somehow the utensil ended up on the floor.
Next, she and Remus managed to knock heads when they both reached for it. She was rubbing her head as he said, "Here, let me get you a clean one."
The new spoon was immediately in his hand and he offered it to her.
"Thanks. I'm sorry for being so clumsy," she murmured. He smiled at her reassuringly as he settled back to his chair.
Tonks moved to taste the soup and noticed that her hand was trembling. In fact, it rattled lightly against the bowl before Tonks slid it into the broth and smiled, nervously, at Remus. "Mm, it smells good."
Tonks took a sip of her soup, but somehow swallowing and inhaling were competing.
"Cough, cough, cough."
"Are you all right?" asked Remus with some concern as Tonks began to slap at her chest.
"No, cough, just swallowed wrong," she managed to say. She then reached for her wine glass for a drink, but instead wound up dribbling the contents down her chin and onto her dress.
"Evanesco," called Remus quietly to prevent the stain.
In the meantime, Tonks was wiping the wine from her chin. "Sorry, I've gotten into clumsy mode."
Then as she was going to place her napkin back onto the table, it fell with a plop into her soup. She stood up suddenly in distress, but that only made matters worse as she managed to knock her chair over. Then she would have tripped on it if Remus hadn't been there to catch her when she stumbled.
"Tonks, are you nervous?" he asked with a tone of disbelief.
"Me? Of course not, I mean, I'm not the one who's, who's, it's not like it's my first time and, look, it was my idea to have the Chocolate Lovers without Lovers Club evolve in the first place, right, and it's not like I haven't been dying to jump your bones for months now, so why would I be any bit antsy and, oh, dear, now I'm babbling, aren't I?"
Remus lifted her chin and said, "Look, why don't we just relax and let nature take its course?"
"Right, that sounds like a good plan," agreed Tonks readily as he put an arm around her shoulder and led her out of the dining room.
"You've had a wild ride getting to our home in Holyhead. It's just taken its toll." Remus kept his arm around her as they walked.
"Yeah," she readily agreed. Our home, her mind echoed. Our home. She frowned as she thought about being connected to this ancient home.
"Tonks, do you have a problem with this house?" asked Remus a bit anxiously. "I know it's not large and the furnishings are a bit rustic--"
"No, no, it's a beautiful house, Remus. It's just that, well, actually, it's that everything is so powerful here. I can feel the ancient magic from the very stones," she admitted.
"Don't fight it. Just accept it and let become a part of you," advised Remus.
Tonks nodded, then realized that they had managed to walk to the bedroom while they were having their discussion.
Remus led her to the bed, but surprised her when he said, "Just lie down for a minute and let me give you a shoulder rub so you won't be so tense."
"Right, that sounds good," murmured Tonks as she lay atop the bedcovers. "I'm sorry about this, Remus. I know you wanted everything to be perfect
She folded her arms and lay her head on them as she felt Remus massaging the tension from her shoulders. As his fingers performed their magic, his voice soothed her as he talked about the house.
"My grandfather insisted on referring to each room by its Roman label. I remember when I first got to Hogwarts, Sirius was making fun because I called the kitchens the culinara..."
The pressure of his hands, the attractively hoarse voice, the power of the ancient dwelling slowly seeping into her began to have effect. He had completely opened himself to her; it was time she did the same for him. As she let herself flow with the current of ancient magic around her, Tonks felt her anxiety slipping away. She loved Remus Lupin; that was what mattered now.
She especially loved how his long fingers felt on her bare back.
Her bare back?
Her eyes fluttered open as she realized the he had slipped the blue dress right off her body. She murmured, "Professor, are you trying to seduce me?"
"Absolutely," he whispered into the nape of her neck.
She felt the shiver run through her as he kissed her neck and felt his hands gently roaming her body. Pleasure filled her and when she turned to kiss him, she found his bare torso leaning over her. He reached one hand to clasp hers where it lay near her head and she threaded her fingers through his.
And that's when she knew it was time to dissolve their private club.
"If I'm going to fall into bed with any man tonight, tomorrow and until the hereafter, it will be with you, Remus Lupin." She whispered the words that echoed her earlier note, then added, "I love you."
Remus bent his head to kiss her as he settled against her. "I love you, too."
He captured her mouth with gentle pressure and she responded fully. When he pulled back, she put a finger on his lips and said, "Sorry for spoiling things. I know you wanted this to be perfect."
He lightly kissed her finger and asked, "What could be more perfect than this?"
But instead of just taking their pleasure from each other, they each offered a gift. The gift was a covenant, an unbreakable promise, a bond that would strengthen, not weaken with time.
Remus and Nymphadora understood the true nature of this act. Yes, there was the lust that was driven by their bodies' physical yearning. But the need to belong to each other was driven by their hearts. And ultimately, the union allowed two souls to find their way home.
What could be more perfect than that?
x-x-x-x-x-x-x
"It's going to fall off," he said.
"If you hadn't poked so hard--"
"You insisted on it."
"Hush. You make me sound like a glutton." The woman sounded affronted.
"But you do have a ravenous appetite. What is it? Ten now?"
"Mm, and I enjoyed every single one."
"Oh, would you look at it? I told you it was going to fall off."
"I bet I can still lick some off."
"Oh, no, we've had enough for now," said Lupin as he kissed her cheek.
Tonks was easily distracted by this maneuver, so Remus took away the stick she was using to toast marshmallows in the fireplace in their bedroom.
They were sitting on the rug in front of the fireplace in the master bedroom. The rumbling of Tonks' stomach had woken them up, but Tonks had refused to budge out of the nice, warm bed for anything but marshmallows.
"I guess there are some reasons for getting out of bed," she said. "Oh, did I tell you that Molly gave me tickets to the holiday quidditch match? Oliver Wood sent them as a thanks for help with his honey note problem."
"That sounds fun. It's been a while since I've seen the Holyhead Harpies play," said Remus as he leaned back on his arms.
"I'm rooting for Puddlemere," said Tonks as she leaned in to kiss him quickly. "Wood's been moved up to be Keeper."
"Traitor," said Remus as he put his hand on the back of her head to prolong the kiss.
When he released her, Tonks changed the subject and asked, "Remus, are you ever going to write a Honey Note to me?"
Remus just laughed. "Nymphadora, I have a tendency for impure thoughts about you, so it wouldn't come out right."
"How about a bet? If Puddlemere wins, you write me a Honey Note," said Tonks.
"And if Holyhead wins?" asked Remus as he slipped a hand through the wide sleeve or her robe to caress her arm.
"I'll, uh, I'll--would you stop that? I can't think when you do that," said Tonks, although she was doing nothing to move away. He stopped long enough for her to say, "If Holyhead wins, I won't ask you to write a Honey Note again--until the next quidditch match we attend."
"Agreed," said Remus. He kissed the back of her hand to seal the agreement. Then he moved to adjust the remaining logs on the fire.
Tonks stretched her arms languidly above her while he did this and Remus enjoyed the way the robe she wore fell open at the maneuver.
"Intend to release the quaffles?" he asked.
"Quaffles! Why you--" Tonks lunged at him and soon had him pinned, but Remus didn't seem to mind. What could be more delightful than being seduced by a nymph?
The EndAuthor Note:
I guess there's nothing more to say except that, yes, there will be one last chapter to Seducing a Nymph. Thanks for reading and hope you enjoyed the fluff.
