Spicy Soap
By Dimgwrthien
Disclaimer: I do not own anything pertaining to the Harry Potter series or affiliates.
Author's Notes: This to to my great friend, Laverinth. You may all know her by her excellent Harry Potter fan art.
She looked plenty more mature than the last time he laid eyes on her.
Remus studied Tonks for a moment, tracing the line of her rounded jaw with his eyes. Her own eyes were trained on the fire, sometimes dropping to the tea cup in her hand before she took small sips from it.
Remembering the last time he had seen her - some odd fifteen years ago, possibly - Remus thought of what she had been like then. The little girl with the brown curls who played with enchanted dolls could not be the pink-haired woman in front of him then.
"You can sit down now, if you want," she said without looking at Remus. Remus jumped slightly. "I don't bite."
He circled around the couch, sitting down a foot or two away from her. She leaned back in the chair, smiling. The fire crackled invitingly in front of them.
"Happy Christmas," Remus murmured, leaning back like her, feeling the calmness of the night wash over him.
"To you, too," she responded, raising her mug slightly. "Had a shift tonight?"
Remus nodded. The shift had been longer than usual, taking up most of his day and forcing him into a state of utter exhaustion. He closed his eyes for a moment, not answering any more than needed.
"Have you seen Sirius lately?" she asked.
Remus opened his eyes and shook his head. His friend had hidden with Buckbeak most of the day. As it was still morning, he figured there was still a chance to speak to him.
"It's not good for him, moping around like that," Tonks told him, sighing. She moved closer and Remus could smell the spicy scent of her soap. It seemed unreal. He tried to wash the images from his brain, knowing that they would not help.
"It's not," he agreed, feeling dumb. He wanted to run upstairs with Sirius, to forget about the conversation.
She looked so much damn older.
Trying to hurry the conversation along, Remus ended with, "I have a shift soon. I better start going -"
"You don't," Tonks answered, furrowing her brow. Remus cursed himself quickly, knowing that the lie was too false to get out of the conversation. "Emmeline is up now, and she is for a few hours. You're free for a while."
Searching for an excuse to leave her for a moment, Remus tried a, "Full moon?" At least it was close to true - it was coming on within 48 hours, though not close enough to leave for. He had no clue why he wanted to leave. His friend's cousin, aged so many years, looking so different and grown-up. A small chill swept his spine when he stared at her.
She smiled and shook her head. "Nice try. What's up?"
Tonks' voice was so casual, as though she wanted to speak to Remus as a friend. Though, he was used to people wanting to do that. Tonks sounded sincere, as though she truly thought of him as a friend. It had been too long since he heard that tone of voice, with the softly whispered sounds and changes in her tone. Her voice didn't remain so high as the others; it sounded real.
He missed real sounds after a while.
She stood up, holding her mug steady, though she stumbled as she hit the table with her shins. Finally, she leaned down to give Remus a small kiss on the cheek. He felt his cheek go cold and numb, though warm at the same time.
"I'll talk to you later. I have some things to finish before I head back to the Ministry. They're getting annoying, on top of shifts."
And, carefully treading around Remus, she managed to leave the room without falling.
He closed his eyes once more, feeling adrenaline pounds through his veins, freezing him from the inside. A deep breath tried to calm him, though his nerves throbbed.
A pink haired auror, kissing him on the cheek. A young woman who hated her name and her heritage. A pair of cool grey eyes, watching him, smilingly.
Standing up suddenly and feeling a sudden gust of confidence, Remus called out, "Nymphadora! Wait a moment!" He hurried around the crowded table, reaching her as she neared the door. She froze, staring at him, wand ready to take down all of the locks.
"I won't wait if you keep on calling me that," she whispered, glancing over at the covered portrait of Mrs. Black while smiling at Remus. "What do you need?"
"Are you busy tonight, when you get back?" he asked awkwardly, not looking her in the eye.
"What do you mean?"
Finally, Remus looked at her. She did not look as though she wanted to mock him, but her expression was of true confusion.
"If you - if you wanted to talk with me for a while."
Remus felt the bottom of his stomach drop as Tonks smiled. He had been around woman for so long, he had spoken to them, but she was different.
She's younger than you, came the small voice in the back of his head. Damn it, you idiot. She's only a child!
"I'd love to," she answered. Remus had to smile. "Tell you what - I'll get off as early as I can, maybe buy something to eat, and get back here." She paused. "Do you think Sirius wants to join us."
Remus let himself breathe freely. She didn't think it was a real date. Good. "I think he might. I could get him out of that room soon."
Tonks grinned widely, tapping the door once and whispering back, "Make sure he washes first. I hate it when he smells like hippogriff droppings."
They spent the night sprawled out in front of a blazing fire, snacking on an odd assortment of things Tonks bought. Sirius willingly showered before.
That night, however, Remus found Tonks resting on his arm in his bed. She still smelled like spicy soap.
In four days time, his New Years resolution became, 'I will finally return that kiss to her.'