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 love shopping in Muggle London. All the stores are so interesting and the new Muggle fashions are so much fun to look at; I do get a thrill out of buying an occasional pair of Muggle jeans. It's a small luxury. I enjoy wearing my everyday and workday robes, but once in a while I need an out-of-the-ordinary treat. My most recent pair has been patched and re-patched and re-re-patched to the point of nearly falling apart at the seams. I'm hoping the patching spells will hold until the autumn.

I spent the better part of the morning and early afternoon shopping and getting ready for my date. I've always found it amazing that when a big event comes along, all decent, wearable options in a closet suddenly disappear. I have tons of skirts and dresses, all of which are currently strewn around my bedroom. Same with my footwear choices: shoes and boots are everywhere. When I finally left my flat this morning, I had some idea of what I wanted to buy: something simple, yet elegant. Something to show Remus that I am serious about him, yet I'm the same person I've always been, so when I finally stumbled upon a simple little black dress with a semi-daring neckline, I knew it was absolutely perfect. It was right in my price-range as well.

Dress: Check.

Shoes: I have the perfect pair to match at home. Check.

Accessories: ditto. Check.

Nerves: Even worse than when Molly left my flat this morning.

Yes, I am out-of-my mind nervous about tonight. Remus loves me and I love him. Simple enough right? Yeah, I wish. If only this was a normal, regular first date. Boy asks girl out…I must remember we are both adults! Man asks woman out on a date, woman accepts, man and woman enjoy a night of dinner, dancing, stargazing, midnight swims in the ocean, whatever it is normal people do on dates. The date ends with a kiss goodnight, or more depending on the couple in question. First dates rarely involve a secret knowledge of proclamations of love and mating rituals. But no one ever said we were normal. I've always felt it was important to be unique; everyone who's ever seen me can attest to this fact. But now I don't know what to think. My mind is moving a million miles a minute!

I eventually make my way to Diagon Alley to peruse a bookstore that might have some information to set me straight, or at the very least, calm me down. As I open the door, the sounds of chirping birds alert the clerk to my presence.

"Can I help you with something, my dear?" the clerk asks. She looks to be in her seventies and is wearing a beautiful green and blue paisley robe. Her hair is white and done up in a bun. Something about her seems very inviting, almost grandmotherly. I can't just ask her where I could find a book on such a risqué topic as werewolf mating habits.

"Er, um, yes. Actually, I'm, uh, looking for a book," yeah, I'm bloody brilliant. My mind is searching for the right thing to say. "A book on…magical creatures? Where would that section be located?" I wonder if I'm starting to blush.

"Which magical creatures are you looking for, dear? Anything in particular? Unicorns? Merpeople?" she asks, her face searching mine. I decide to bite the bullet.

"I'm not looking for a general book on all creatures, I'm looking for a book on werewolves," I say with a sigh. I hate using the word 'creature.' Remus is not a creature, he is a man and the love of my life, but things are so difficult to explain to the general, close-minded wizarding population. "I'm looking for a book about the life of werewolves as people. Their family life. Does that make any sense?" I ask.

"I see. Follow me, I think I know exactly what you're looking for," she said with a sly smile and I followed her to a dimly lit area at the back of the store. She climbed up a ladder to the very top shelf and reached for several medium sized volumes. As she climbed down, I noticed the odd smile on her face again. "Would these titles be of any interest to you dear?" she asked.

I looked at the titles in my hand. "Loving a Lycanthrope." "Werewolves and the Women Who Love Them." "Competing with the Moonlight: One Woman's Story." Wow. I was amazed there were so many books on this topic. I looked at the clerk's kindly wrinkled face and smiled.

"Am I that obvious?" I asked.

"Of course not dear. Would you like to talk about it? I may be able to give you some advice," she said.

"That would be wonderful, if you could spare a minute or two," I said.

"Come sit down in the back room with me, it's time for a tea break," she said as she locked up the front door with a flick of her wand. I followed her to a cozy room with two overstuffed wing chairs and sat down opposite her. A cup of tea materialized on the table next to me.

"Let me introduce myself. I am Hortensia Smythe," she said.

"Nymphadora Tonks. Nice to meet you," I said.

"So, dear. Tell me all about this man in your life," she asked. I must have appeared a bit hesitant to talk about something so private, as she warmly added "Don't worry my dear. You remind me of myself fifty years ago when I first met my Albert."

I proceeded to tell her the basics about my relationship with Remus, leaving out sensitive information about the Order, Sirius, battling Death Eaters, Dumbledore's death, and other non-vital information; I still had much to tell her about even without all the other details.

"And you just now learned about his impulse to mate?" she asked after I told her about this morning's meeting with Molly.

"Not really. I'm trained as an auror and a few years ago, I took an elective class that covered werewolves. Horribly enough, it was titled 'Dangerous Creatures and their Threats to the Wizarding World.' Centaurs, Giants, and other similar individuals were part of the curriculum as well. I took this class before I met Remus, but I remember being extremely interested in the werewolf portion. The mating habits of wolves who live in packs were discussed primarily, but we were taught that the instincts are the same in wizarding werewolves. Something about having one mate for life, I always found this really romantic."

"Yes, the mating instincts are very strong, but you will never find a more dedicated, loving man anywhere in the world. My Albert and I will be married for fifty years next month and he loves me even more than the night he marked me," she said.

"Wow! Congratulations!" I said, then I could help myself "if you don't mind my asking, did the marking hurt?"

"Oh no, it didn't hurt at all. Although I did had other sensations on my mind at the time," she said with a glorious laugh. I blushed and dropped my head to my lap. The marking of a werewolf mate takes place during the first lovemaking session and the bite is usually on the neck or shoulder.

This conversation, informative as it had been, was almost as awkward as having one's grandmother deliver "The birds and the bees" talk. I asked a few more less-invasive questions, finished my cup of tea, thanked her profusely, paid for my books and started to take my leave when she stopped me and held my hands in hers.

"Nymphadora dear, I wish you two the best of luck in your lives. Please stop in again; let me know how everything worked out," she said.

"I'll definitely be back soon. Thanks for everything, Mrs. Smythe," I said and left. I definitely felt much better but still felt nervous. Mostly first date nervous. As it was only 2:00, I decided to Apparate back to my flat for a much-deserved bath and afternoon nap.