You like me! you really like me!
usual disclaimer here.
Remus got to the Leaky Cauldron just before six. He was stunned to see Tonks at a corner table, as he'd assumed she'd be late.
When he got closer, he noticed the number of empty glasses in front of her, and surmised that she'd been here for a while.
"Tonks?"
She looked up at him. "Wotcher, Remus."
"Been here long?" He asked, taking the seat across from her. He signaled to the barmaid to bring him a mug of butterbeer.
She was swaying slightly in her seat now. "Remus?"
"Yes, Tonks?" He replied, vaguely amused.
She pointed at him, closing one eye to focus. "You're too damn attractive. You know that?"
He gave her a wry smile. "I doubt you'd find much agreement on that."
She shook her head emphatically, almost falling off her chair in the process. "No! Ish true."
"Tonks, women aren't exactly falling over themselves to get to me."
"I am." She said with the brutal honesty of the very drunk. "Literlur… literally."
"Which I am bewildered by."
"I'm clumsy." She said in a loud whisper. "S'why I fall down a lot."
"No. Not that." He said slowly. "Why me, Tonks? Why are you after me, of all people?"
She stared at him owlishly for a moment. Then she shrugged elaborately. "Dunno, really. S'not as if I chose you. Din't say, 'now here's a bloke who'll turn me down at every oppor... oopper… chance.' Just was. Jus' looked at you and thought, he could use a friend."
He wondered if she would remember this conversation in the morning. "We are friends."
Her eyes widened. "I know! Tha's why, when I figured it out, I told meself, I said, Tonks, he's your friend."
She picked up her glass, which was empty and peered into it. Then she set it back down on the table with a plunk.
"And then I answered meself, saying, yes Tonks, but he's so very shaggable, all long and lean. And the way he smiles at you, and the way his hair falls over his eyes when he's reading, and those hands, and the way his eyes go all dreamy when he's thinking important thoughts, and he's so brave and clever and sad…" She trailed off, eyeing his half-full mug of butterbeer.
"You gonna drink that?" She asked hopefully.
"I think you've had enough for tonight." He replied gently. He was astonished by her words. Was that really what she thought of him?
"But then you have to go and be so bloody noble." She continued peevishly.
"I'm only trying to keep you from getting hurt." He admitted softly.
She stood up swiftly, knocking over her chair. She came around the table, stumbling twice, and then grabbed the lapels of his robes. "I don't care!" She announced in a loud voice.
He reached up to pry her hands free. "Tonks, please sit down."
She tightened her grasp, leaning even closer. "I don't care whatcha are or whatcha have." She practically bellowed.
"Tonks, please." He said desperately. "You're drawing an audience."
She looked around at the other patrons of the pub, many of which were now watching them with interest.
"Fine." She said, releasing his robes. "I'm going home." She turned on her heel and stumbled, catching herself on the next table. She continued on, walking to the door with excruciating care.
Remus stayed where he was until she was out the door. He'd better go follow her, he decided. Make sure she didn't do herself a harm by trying to apparate or something.
He stood up and threw some coins on the table, pointedly ignoring the whispers around him.
He was, by nature, a very private man, and did not like having so many people witness that particular scene. He strode out of the pub, nodding to Tom who was wiping glasses behind the bar.
He stepped out into the cold night air and looked for Tonks. He spotted her a few yards away, holding the edges of her cloak out and flapping it like wings.
Laughing, he jogged to catch up to her. "Tonks, what are you doing?"
She glared at him. "Got to get meself home don't I?"
"You're not going to manage it like that." He grasped her elbow and pulled her toward an alley. "Come on, let me help."
She grumbled under her breath. "Don't need your help."
"Humor me." He said. "Let an old werewolf feel useful."
"Yer not old."
"I'm positively ancient." He said. Then he wrapped his arms around her slight frame. "Hold on."
There was an odd joy in feeling her arms slide around him. He steeled himself against it, and concentrated on apparating back to her flat.