Title: Stolen Kiss

Author: prettypatty. Credits also go to M.R. Potter for her help.

Summary: Someone steals a kiss...

Pairing: Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks

Genre: Romance

Spoilers: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Seriously, you haven't read these two yet?

A/N: 'bout time I place my own Remus-Tonks story on the web! There are just so many good ones out there which inpired me to write one myself. And can I just say that I'm absolutely in love with the Remus-Tonks thing in Harry Potter VI? And oh, please do take time to review. It will be greatly appreciated. Thank you and enjoy the story!

STOLEN KISS

By prettypatty

It was nearing midnight in 12 Grimmauld Place, yet someone in the house wasn't even close to sleep. Nymphadora Tonks had been tossing and turning in her bed in a futile attempt to get to sleep. After a couple of hours though, she figured out that she couldn't tire herself to sleep, so she hauled herself out of her bed to go down to the kitchen and make some hot chocolate, a warm Muggle drink she rather liked. It worked a lot better than a spell, and the comfortable silence in the kitchen always seemed welcoming and friendly while she made it.

While she was waiting for the water to boil, she found herself thinking about what had happened in the last two days. Dumbledore had died. Harry was now hopelessly abandoned, and Remus Lupin had once again rejected her. It was all too much for her to handle, and it was one of the reasons she had difficulty sleeping at night. There was no one else to comfort her and to tell her that things were going to be okay, not since Sirius died anyway. The kids were wonderful company, but none of them were going to keep her warm on a rainy evening and to share hot chocolate on the window seat. Arthur and Molly had each other, and Bill and Fleur were more in love than ever. Everyone seemed to have his or her significant other, and Tonks was feeling awfully left out.

Her thoughts seemed to dominate her mind, but not so much as to keep her from wondering what the sudden sound in the living room was. The usual spells have been put on the front door for security, and only an occupant of the house (or a frequent visitor) would know how to undo them. Although this assurance would have been enough for her to feel safe, she was still quite wary of whoever it was. She dimmed the lights a little in the kitchen and drew her want out of her pajama pocket. She inched her way slowly to the door, and after taking a deep breath, she jumped out and pointed her wand in front of her. "Stop right there and don't you dare move! I've got my wand with me!" she shouted in a rather faint and squeaky voice.

"Whoa, Tonks. Calm down, it's just me, Remus," an achingly familiar voice said. Feeling a blush creep up from her chest, she lowered her wand and put the light on. "What are you doing still up and out?" she asked, feeling her heartbeat come back to normal. "I should ask the same of you. It's past midnight, Tonks; you should be asleep." He gently chided, before sinking down on an overstuffed chair and massaging his temples with his fingers. "I was making hot chocolate… do you want some?"

"No thanks. I've got a minging headache." He replied in a strained voice. "Well, since I've got my wand with me, I think I can charm it off you. You'll need to be lying down though; it puts you straight to sleep." She offered, fingering her wand anxiously, half expecting him to decline. "Oh, can you Tonks? It really hurts." He said, standing up.

Once Remus had changed into his shabby pajamas and settled in beneath the sheets, Tonks came in with her wand in her hand. "Okay, I'll need you to close your eyes and focus on your headache." She instructed. Remus' eyes closed and then she intoned the spell that would take his headache away. Almost immediately, the lines on his forehead and between his eyebrows smoothed out as he went to sleep. A few seconds later, his light snoring filled the room.

By the moonlight coming in from his window, Tonks could see a whole new side to Remus. Despite his years, he looked younger and more in tune with himself. He did not look like the world-weary, sad-eyed man she had grown to pity and eventually fall in love with. He was more handsome in his sleep, and nothing could have stopped her heart from stirring as she pushed back some strands of hair away from his face. Her fingers roamed over his features, taking in the clean line of his nose, his eyelids, and finally his smooth and shapely lips. Smooth as they were, they sent a tingle through her body.

Will one kiss hurt? She asked herself. Her conscience did not seem to disagree, so she leaned forward and planted her lips firmly on his. They felt exactly like she had imagined: soft and warm while being firm and masculine. She explored the contours, reveling in the sensations that were overriding her senses. It felt so right, so right.

Remus snorted in his sleep, and the sound brought Tonks to her sense.s her mind screamed dire retribution at her daring, and she drew back right away. Her feet told her to get out of the room before everything turned into a disaster.

In the oblivion Remus was floating around in, he was vaguely aware of Tonks kissing him. He did not know if it was a real or a dream, but his headache had seemed to dissipate entirely. He could also feel her lips against his, and smell her scent right beneath his nostrils. Whether she had kissed him or not, her aura lingered around him throughout the night, not daring to leave him until morning broke through the clouds.

It was fairly early in the morning when Tonks woke up. She drank her hot chocolate right after she had been in Remus' room and the drink warmed her stomach and her mind right away. She slept a dreamless sleep, but she had woken up early when her subconscious urged her awake to think about what she had done the night before. There was nothing really wrong in it actually, so why was her conscience giving her hell about it?

"Morning Tonks!" Remus cheerily greeted, striding into the dining room. Suddenly turning pink, she grabbed The Daily Prophet and pretended to read. "Morning." She mumbled from beneath the paper. Remus slyly smiled as he lowered the newspaper that covered her face. "Good day, isn't it?" he asked. The blush escalated from pink to light red as she looked into his smiling face. "You don't seem to have a headache anymore do you?" she said, trying to keep her tone casual. "Definitely not. Thanks, by the way. I appreciate it." He answered.

"Uh, no problem. Do you want eggs for breakfast?" she asked, jumping out of her seat and opening the kitchen drawer where the eggs were kept. "Sunny side up please." He answered. He waved his wand and a table setting for two appeared on the table. She glanced at the table and then at Remus. He had a smile on his face that she had never seen before. Was he still awake when she kissed him? She did not want to think about the answer, so she busied herself with the eggs before she said something stupid.

"Hey Tonks?" Remus asked. Tonks froze, but answered as casually as she knew how. "Yes?"

"You look really nice today." He complimented.

Tonks' blush was now a vivid scarlet, but she murmured, "Thanks." So he didn't know. Was she relieved?

Hearing her reaction, Remus Lupin smiled to himself. So last night hadn't been a dream then.

FIN!