Of Nymphs and Werewolves
Thanks for the reviews guys, really appreciate it. Here's chappie 2 for ya!
Chapter 2
Remus stared at the shut door in front of him, his head spinning. What happened? She was awake, that must be a good sign, mustn't it?
He pressed his ear against the wood, faintly making out muffled voices from behind it. There seemed to be something wrong, he could hear Fraderlick's anxious baritone shouting at someone.
It was useless trying to understand anything. All the noises had mixed up in his head, creating one big buzzing sound.
Lupin rubbed his forehead and leaned heavily against the wall.
"It's going to be alright," he told himself. "She's going to be fine… She has to be…"
The buzzing in his head gradually grew into a roar, until he had to sit down for fear of collapsing. He could remember losing control like this only one other time, when he found out Dumbledore was dead.
The thought that there was nothing he could do, that there was no way of helping her, that she was lying there, possibly on the verge of life and death, in the hands of complete strangers, was eating away at his mind. He made an impatient gesture, got up suddenly and banged his fist against the opposite wall. It hurt quite a lot, and he had to stuff it in his mouth to stop himself swearing.
"Remus?"
Molly Weasley was standing beside him, her face screwed up with worry. "Remus, what's wrong? Is it Tonks? Has something happened?"
Remus removed his hand from his mouth. He suddenly felt completely exhausted, and felt his legs buckle slightly. Molly caught him by the arm.
"Sit down, dear, sit down," she said, leading him to a chair. "There. Have some of this." She conjured up a bottle out of thin air with her wad and handed it too him. "It'll calm you down."
Lupin didn't argue and gulped down the liquid greedily. He suddenly felt his head clear, and a light warmth spread through his body.
"Thank you, Molly," he whispered, handing back the bottle, but she pressed it back into his hand.
"Keep it, just in case," she replied softly, surveying him with nervous eyes. "What happened?"
"She's awake, but something's wrong…" Lupin stared down at the floor. "I don't know, they forced me out of the room…" He trailed off, a sharp pain in his chest stopping him from completing the sentence. Molly nodded.
"There there, have another drink," she said soothingly. "Everything will be fine, just you wait…"
Remus took another draught and lay back against the chair. It was as though he was seeing everything through a light mist. Molly patted his arm. "You just have a rest there, Remus…"
The mist seemed to be getting thicker and his eyelids suddenly felt very heavy. A complete sense of calm suddenly washed over him, and then everything was lost in darkness…
All was quiet in Privet Drive, as Lupin sat on the roof of Harry's house, looking out to where the waxing moon rose slowly over the neat gardens. It was a warm, cloudless night and the stars twinkled bright and numerous above his head. The Disillusionment Charm over him made him quite invisible to passing muggles, not that there were many of them in the deserted street though.
Below him, Remus knew Harry was lying awake on his bed, waiting impatiently until tomorrow when Dumbledore would come and take him away to the Burrow. It was a shame he couldn't let him know there was a friend close by…
Remus eyed the perfect lawn below him and remembered when Tonks had sent the Dursleys a letter saying they'd been short-listed for the All-England Best Kept Suburban Lawn Competition and chuckled silently to himself. He had never met anyone quite like her…
"What are you giggling about?"
Lupin looked up. Tonks' head was bobbing about over him. Her hair was shoulder length and powder-blue tonight.
"Moody finally gave you his Cloak, then?" he asked, as she smiled down at him.
"With a lot of pushing from me, yes. Sturgis still hasn't given back his good one, you know."
He felt her sit down beside him.
"You're Disillusionment Charm's starting to ware off," she said, nodding at his midriff. Sure enough, when he looked down at his waist, he saw that he was quite visible.
"Oh, well, I'd better be going anyway, since you're here," he replied, a slight wave of disappointment passing through him.
"What's the rush?" Tonks asked and before he could reply, had thrown the cloak over him so it covered them both. "Stay a while…Look, it's such a lovely night."
Lupin hadn't the strength to argue. They were so close he could feel her breath on his face…
They stayed silent for a few moments. There was a no sound apart from the light rustle of the shrubbery.
"It's at times like this that I can hardly believe there's a war raging on," she whispered, looking up at the sky.
Remus smiled. "What's this, Tonks? Is that the romantic in you seeping through?"
She nudged him lightly in the ribs. "You sounded just like Sirius when you said that."
Remus lowered his eyes. "It's a shame you never got to know him much."
"Yeah, funny how life works out, isn't it?" she replied, more to herself than to him.
"You know, this may sound weird, but I'm going to miss it when all this is over."
"What do you mean?" asked Lupin, turning to look at her. The moon was reflected in her dark eyes.
"I mean those times we all spent at Grimmauld Place together and stuff. I don't think I've ever felt myself more at home anywhere, or met such interesting people." Their eyes met for a second, before he looked away.
"You have a family…Be thankful…"
"Yeah, well… We're like one big family, aren't we? Friends are the family we chose for ourselves…"
"True."
Silence fell once more. It wasn't uncomfortable, both were engrossed in their own thoughts.
"You and your mother, you don't really get on, do you?"
Tonks frowned a little. "I've always been closer to my dad…Me and Mum, we're very different people. I never forgave her for calling me Nymphadora…"
Lupin laughed.
Tonks grinned. "You should laugh more often, Remus. You look younger…"
"I've no business looking younger," replied Lupin, still smiling. "I was born old."
It was Tonks' turn to giggle. "What a positive attitude. Really…You're only as old as you feel."
"Than I'm prehistoric …" said Lupin as they both chuckled.
"You're a wonderful man, Remus," said Tonks.
Remus felt his stomach turn over and looked at her. Her face was deadly serious.
"No, not really… he said lamely.
"Yes you are," she replied. "You're so different…"
"Yes, well maybe the fact that I'm a were…"
Her mouth closed on his in a soft kiss, cutting him off. The cloak slipped of them, as she wrapped her arms around his neck, deepening the kiss. They sank back against the roof, as his hands hugged her back.
After a few moments, they broke apart, breathless.
"Tonks…" he whispered, as her eyes bore into his. "What…"
She put a finger to his lips, silencing him and leaned forward again. Their lips met again, but this time he pushed her away.
"Stop," he said. There was worry in his voice. "Look, I can't do this…"
"What…"
But he was already on his feet, picking up the fallen cloak. He handed it to her, avoiding her gaze.
"Remus…"
"Don't argue, Tonks. That was…a mistake…"
"A what?" she spluttered. "A mistake?"
"Yes…"
"Remus, have you gone completely nuts?"
"Look, Tonks…"
Or do you want me to tell you first that I love you?"
He stared at her. Her face was set in determination.
"On the contrary," he said quietly, his voice higher than usual. "I don't want to force you into anything…"
"Really?" her eyes narrowed.
"Tonks, you're a smart woman, be realistic. What could possibly happen between you and me?"
"Er… What just happened!" she shouted. "Don't be a fool, Remus…"
"Don't speak to me like that," he said sharply. " You don't realise…You haven't got the faintest idea… You…"
"What? Don't give me that crap, Remus, emotional blackmail doesn't work with me."
"Tonks, I'm fourteen years older than you, a werewolf and haven't got two Knuts to rub together…"
"Remus. I'm a grown woman, not some stupid teenager… You really think that…"
"Tonks, I have to go…"
"Don't walk away from me, Remus…"
"I'm going away tomorrow," said Lupin. "Dumbledore's sending me away to live with others of my kind."
Tonks' mouth fell open. "No…"
"Yes," he said flatly.
"When will you come back?" she asked, and there were tears in her eyes.
"I don't know. Not for a while."
"Remus…"
"Goodbye, Tonks."
And he Disapparated.
"Mr Lupin! Mr Lupin, wake up!"
Someone was shaking his shoulders lightly. Remus groaned and opened his eyes. Healer Fraderlick was standing over him, peering into his face.
"Mr Lupin, we've finished…"
Remus sat up, his heart thudding.
"You can come in now…"
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