Dissed-Claimer: I have not purchased these characters with original braincells but have pilfered them to feed my own cerebral needs. JKR is to mercutio-rane as pork loin is to spam.

Gash or Gold

Chapter 2: "The Mourning After"

At first light, a bleary-eyed and blue-haired Tonks shuffled her way blindly into the bathroom. This morning's disheveled day-glo hairdo startled even her as she looked in the mirror, but it immediately morphed into black, dismal locks when the discombobulated memory of last night's conversation with Lupin reared its ugly head.

Ohhhh, nice Tonks, she thought with a pensive sigh and splashed water on her face. What's wrong with you? Sirius is right, no more nightcaps. She sat on the toilet, lid down, and recalled the look on Remus' face as she waylaid into him, fueled by too much alcohol (at least for her anyway) and too little sleep. That flicker of hurt in his eyes…..

He was a complicated man with very simple hang-ups -- simple hang-ups that all stemmed from his concern about harming others. He was far from realizing that in the process of "protecting" people, he usually hurt himself. How could she explain to Remus that he didn't have to live that way -- that he could let down his guard for once and neither would happen? Not only could he make her happy but she could do the same for him.

I could kiss you and make it all better……Spontaneously, Tonks felt a deep warmth spread from the center of her body to her limbs. Her fingers and toes tingled at the thought, and for the first time, she admitted to herself that beyond Remus' charming personality, she really did possess a heavy sexual attraction to him. She always had, really, but it was only evident this morning how primal and dire the physical attraction had become. Last night's liquor just provided a voice for truths that had sat quietly for far too long. "Kiss you and make it all better," she said aloud and shut her eyes. Pinning him against the wall in the hallway, running my hands under that damned sweater, down his back, breathing him in, feeling the heat rise from his body….He's not ready…...respect his fears…you love him, respect him…

Tonks sat in thought with a dreamy, unfocused expression for a moment's time before realizing that she'd have to face the werewolf at breakfast.

"Oh, bollocks!…Breakfast should be right nice…"

Morning at Grimmauld place was a cacophony of entrances and exits. Some headed off for the Ministry of Magic, while others left quickly for guard duty. Padfoot paced the halls, restless about leaving the premises again and Lupin…..Where was Lupin? Tonks walked around the kitchen corner long enough to see Remus leaning forward slightly to talk to Arthur Weasley in hushed tones. Tonks eyed him, stunned for a moment. She swallowed heavily. What would she say to him? The thought of having to shoulder his resentment simply crushed her.

Little did she know that Remus Lupin could never hold a grudge against this woman whose smile lit a fire in his heart, as well – a fire he could not bear the thought of extinguishing. Snuffing it out would be the hardest thing he had ever forced himself to do….

Lupin looked away from Arthur and did a doubletake at the figure eyeing him from around the corner. Although he nodded along to Arthur's words, his eyes momentarily rested on her troubled face, and he sent a good-natured smile her way. Tonks briefly beamed at him and bolted back into the kitchen.

It appeared that all was forgiven. How could she not love the guy…