No copyright infringement is intended
This story will be an alternating POV between Tonks and Lupin, starting after the hospital ward scene in HBP. Spoilers for HBP.
A Chance at Happiness by Fairygirlie
I groan loudly as I stretch out in bed, arms reaching for the ceiling, toes pointing toward the wall, back arching. Also breaking the silence are the various pops and creaks that now serenade me each morning. Wow, everything on me feels tight and completely out of whack; I'm only twenty-four but feel fifty. Something feels wrong about the morning. Should I be at work? What time is it? What day is it? All these thoughts are soon dispelled by the realization that it is still early Saturday morning, my day off. Why do I feel so strange? Then the thoughts of Dumbledore and Remus and all the horrors of last night surface in my mind. I moan, roll over and pull the afghan over my head. That's strange; I never take that afghan off the sofa. I must've gotten up during the night. Wouldn't I remember doing that?
Also, why do I smell bacon and coffee?
At the exact moment I realize that something extremely unusual is going on, I notice Remus standing in the doorway of my bedroom carrying a tray.
"Good morning. I hope you slept well," he said.
"Wha…what…what are you doing in my flat, Remus," I manage to stutter out, at the same time as I drag the afghan up to my chin. "How long have you been here? Why are you here? What are you doing here?"
He looks at me with a calm expression on his face. "I was hoping you'd be happier to see me," he says with a smile. "I made you breakfast. Well, it's not much of a breakfast since you had very little to work with, but I managed to find bacon, bread and coffee. Honestly, what kind of kitchen is without a single egg?"
I can tell I'm still wearing an expression of utter shock and surprise by the look on his face. Please Tonks, try to act like an adult. Yeah, like that's gonna happen…Remus is serving me breakfast in bed! "So, what's going on? Why are you serving me breakfast?" I ask him.
He bends over, places the tray on my lap, and sits down on the chair next to my bed, coffee cup in hand. "Nymphadora, I felt extremely uncomfortable with the way we left things yesterday," he said with a sigh, "So after much thought and consideration, I decided to come over last night, or this morning, I guess…" he trails off.
"Yeah, and…" I prompted him with a mouthful of bacon.
"And, I need to talk to you," he said.
"So please talk. You've got a captive audience," I tell him while motioning toward the tray on my lap. "Besides, I did most of the talking last night, if memory serves correctly" I said a bit severely.
"Is the bacon to your liking?" he lamely asks. I can tell he's stalling. "I prefer mine less crisp, but not everyone…"
"Damn it, Remus" I shout, "Did you stop by to talk exclusively about breakfast meat!"
"Ah, no," he said and cleared his throat. "I guess I should start by apologizing for Aparating into your flat without permission. I checked in on you. You looked cold, so I covered you up."
"So mystery number one is solved." I muttered under my breath.
"And I'm sorry for the way I've been treating you these several months. It was cruel of me." He said.
"You're forgiven." I said.
"I want you to know that these past months have been torture for me. Living in the wild, hunting and gathering all my own food, never knowing if I'll live to see another day. After a few weeks, I was existing solely on my own instincts, but I never became completely part of their community. There was a part of me left behind. With you."
I looked up into his eyes, shocked.
"On the rare occasion that we saw each other during this past year, it seemed like we always gravitated toward each other, although I fought it. I know you were sick of hearing the reasons I gave to shoot down the possibility of a lasting relationship between us, but all I could think of was your well being. I kept telling myself that you don't need to be saddled with an old, unemployed, creature of the night. I kept telling you that as well."
"But I kept telling you that you're not…" I started to say but he cut me off.
"Shh. Eat your breakfast and listen," he said in a mock stern tone. "Up until last night, I thought I had convinced myself that what I was doing was for the best. I was serving the Order on a dangerous mission and couldn't have you become somehow involved. Then all hell broke lose and sense was finally knocked into me at the hospital ward. After you left last night, I had a short talk with the Weaselys," he said.
"You did?" I asked. I could feel my eyes growing wider and wider with each sentence.
"Yes, I did. Somehow, everything started falling into place. So far we don't know what condition Bill will be in when he finally recovers, but he's got his Fleur to support him. She isn't afraid of what he is, she doesn't fear for their future, and after hours of walking and thinking last night, I decided not to run away from the only woman who has ever cared for me." I gasp as he moved to take the coffee cup out of my hand, remove the tray from my lap, take hold of both of my hands and look deeply into my eyes. "So, if you're not worried about having the burden of an old, poor, dangerous werewolf in your life, I'm willing to try this out."
"Come here," I say while pulling him toward me as I shift to make room for him on the bed. We are still holding hands as he sits down next to me. "Are you sure about this decision? You've been repeating your 'too old, too poor, too dangerous' mantra for months. Are you really ready to let it go? I have to know for sure," I ask.
In a tone just barely louder than a whisper, I heard his response. "Yes. I'm ready to let it go." Then he took my face in his hands for the sweetest, most perfect kiss I've ever experienced. Slow and leisurely yet hinting of a stored up passion. When we finally break from the embrace, I move to whisper in his ear.
"Remus, I need to ask you something very important," I breathe.
"Yes?" he responds with a deep breath.
"Is there any coffee left?" I giggle, letting my face break into a grin. It's been so long since I've been happy. I honestly can't remember being this overjoyed in all my life. Remus responds by pouncing onto me, nuzzling and growling into my ear, and delivering a soft kiss onto my neck before flashing me a grin and walking to the kitchen with the coffee cups.
Oh my. I'm feeling delirious. I can even feel the ability to change my appearance return. I think it's time for pink hair again. I've missed it.