Changing Forms

Chapter 4-

Boggarted Fears

Wand in her left hand, Nymphadora quickly grabbed a jacket with her right hand. It was unusually chilly for a summer evening. It had been a constantly pleasant week so far, but this evening was an exception. It was sort of befitting, seeing as Nymphadora was about to witness something Remus was trying so hard for her not to see. Something he wished to protect her from. He would have given anything to make sure she was safe, unharmed. Remus wondered whether these feelings were from friendship, or other. He had to admit, she was strikingly beautiful. The 'striking' part often coming from her selection in hair color. But he loved it when she would appear with a cute button nose, short brown hair and that usual twinkle in her eye. But he noticed that twinkle had been missing of late. He wondered whether Sirius was the cause. Or perhaps she was troubled by something else?

The sun was getting closer to the horizon. Nymphadora knew she would have to Apparate quickly, before the moon came out. Being polite, she Apparated just outside Remus' door and knocked in a perfectly un-rushed manor. Remus answered the door looking tired, but reluctant to see her.

"Nymphadora, you need not knock." Remus said, welcoming her in. Nymphadora took off her robes and set them on the coat rack next the door. She stood, waiting for Remus to give her instruction. "By jove, Tonks, take a seat, make yourself at home. I'd hate for you to stand around as my own personal statue all night whilst I turn." Nymphadora smiled, pulling out a chair casually, and making herself comfortable.

Remus went to the small, open kitchen by the table at which Nymphadora sat. He looked at his clock on the wall. It read 8:30. He then took a deep breath and reached for the vial of Wolfsbane he had handy. Remus turned and walked over to the dining table and sat next to Nymphadora, their knees a foot from each other.

"Cheers," Remus said as he pinched his nose and desperately drained the vial. He made a face that told Nymphadora he knew it was foul tasting, but having done it so much, he knew it would pass. Nymphadora too knew how foul Wolfsbane tasted. She'd made several chauldrons of it and was foolish enough to take Slughorn's advice to taste it. She'd always been a gullible girl. Gullible enough to not pick up Slughorn's sarcasm.

"Egh," Nymphadora uttered, closing her eyes and shuddering at the memory, "did I tell you that Slughorn once convinced me to try that stuff?" Remus put the vial down and made a relieved gasp for air.

"You don't say?" He rolled his eyes and wiped his mouth with a handkerchief. "I'm not surprised." Nymphadora nodded. "…Not surprised you took him seriously," he added shortly after, accepting a punch in the arm from Nymphadora. She laughed in disbelief.

"You!" She said, smiling. "I can't believe you.."

The two sat in silence for some time, nervously looking at random objects in Remus' house. Nymphadora tried to stifle a yawn and a stretch. "Tired already?" Remus asked. "The moon's not even out yet!"

Nymphadora opened her eyes and looked at Remus. She stopped mid-stretch and said, "oh… well, I had a long night. Auror business."

"Oh?" Remus said, politely asking for more conversation material.

"Mungdungus again," she said, monotonously, "He's been causing an aweful ruckus in Manchester. We thought it was Dark Magic." She rolled her eyes and rested her head on her hand. "Turns out he just accidentally set off a crate of stolen Chinese fireworks."

Remus nodded. "I'd expect as much." He then grabbed his wand and conjured two mugs of butterbeer. "Care for one?" he offered her the mug, and she graciously accepted. "Well, no doubt you're tired from last night's attempts at capturing another raging Death Eater." Nymphadora made a slight 'hmf' sound. "If you fall asleep tonight, I won't blame you. You may take my bed, seeing as I'll have no use for it—if you have need of it, that is." He indicated a stairwell.

"Thank you Remus." She said, smiling. "I might take you up on that offer. But not immediately. I rather enjoy talking with you, while I can get more than a howl out of you."

Remus nodded and looked at his mug. "You're sure you want to be here?"

Nymphadora rested her hand on his knee for a brief moment. "More than anywhere else tonight." She blushed slightly as Remus looked surprisingly at her. She couldn't help but blush when he turned those blue eyes on her. "You're my friend, Remus," she added, for fear of awkwardness.

Oh, you daft cow, you shouldn't have saved yourself like that! She thought. Let him find out… But what good is it when he'll be turning into a Warewolf any minute now?

Remus smiled halfheartedly. He secretly hoped she wouldn't have said 'friends'. But he knew she was fighting something.

They spent the next 10 minutes chatting, as they usually did, though not as lightly. Remus knew Nymphadora was shouldering a great sorrow. He wished to lift it for her, for a short while even. If he could just hold her even. He finished his mug of butterbeer, as did she. They sat in silence once again. Nymphadora breathed lightly and opened her mouth to speak, but stopped when she heard something that shocked her. A great thunderbolt erupted from the then looming clouds. She could hear the slow patter of rain on the ground and roof outside. She smiled at Remus, that twinkle again in her dark eyes.

"Looks like you might not have to change any time soon," she said, lightning up. She stood and made to grab Remus' mug to take it to the kitchen for cleaning but Remus grabbed her wrist before she could. He stood, piercing into her dark eyes with his. Nymphadora's heart raced as he reached his hand up to her face and brushed back her mousy brown hair. Their breathing picked up as the two grew nearer to each other. Remus didn't waste any more time and shyly pressed his lips against hers.

Her lips were so soft against his. His stomach filled with ice at the excitement. He was glad she was returning the soft kiss. He rested his hand at the nape of her neck, lightly brushing her ear with his thumb. Remus' heartbeat picked up as he lightly parted her lips. Their tongues worked by themselves as they explored something the two of them had secretly dreamed about. He then let her wrist go and rested his arm around her waist. Nymphadora's eyelids fluttered as Remus broke their kiss. She opened her eyes to see Remus's blue eyes staring straight back down at her with a look of relief. He'd been waiting so long to do that. Their breathing matched each others as he held her, the rain beating against the window.