1Chapter 1
Remus was sitting up in bed, massaging his temples. He hadn't closed his eyes all night, despite his exhaustion, for every time his eyes closed, her face floated in front of his eyes, and she was the last thing he wanted to think about now. But his sleepless night was all in vain, for even with his eyes open, the scene from the hospital wing replayed itself over and over again in his head.
"You see!" said a strained voice. Tonks was glaring at Lupin. "She still wants to marry him, even though he's been bitten! She doesn't care!"
"It's different," said Lupin, barely moving his lips and looking suddenly tense. "Bill will not be a full werewolf The cases are completely–,"
"But I don't care either, I don't care!" said Tonks, seizing the front of Lupin's robes and shaking them. "I've told you a million times..."
"And I've told you a million times," said Lupin, refusing to meet her eyes, for he was afraid his true feelings would spill out if he saw her pleading eyes again, "that I am too old for you, too poor... too dangerous... You deserve somebody young and whole."
"But she wants you," said Mrs. Weasley with a small smile.
Her words played over and over in his head. "She wants you..." His insides were filled wit ha strange feeling, like he had just gulped a large flask of butterbeer, warm and full. But then the scene changed into his mind, and he saw himself transform, and leap at Tonks, unable to control himself. He squeezed his eyes tightly shut. A cold feeling of dread replaced the warm feeling he had seconds before. A new resolve strengthened his momentary weakness, and he ignored the pain beneath his layers of determination. He could never let that happen to Tonks.