Rating, Summary, and Disclaimer: See Prologue
Chapter Notes: The Demanding Muse, I mean my sister, has commanded a date chapter. I'm stopping at 10, a nice even number. There's this chapter, Hermione's arrival (chocked full of R/T and R/H goodness), and then the Order meeting that forms the Advance Guard. Then it's back to Epic (my Year 7 fic—dubbed so by my other beta. I'm currently on hiatus due to brain freeze.) Thanks to Starsea for the chapter title and her help.
Chapter Disclaimer: Somers Crescent is an actual street located in the Paddington district of London. If you live at number 7…damn that's cool! Bayham Place is also a real street in Camden Town. I'm pretty sure the restaurant I ate at was on George Street (it was really good). It's in that general area (know as Little Venice).
LONG chapter; I think one of the longest I've written (well, that's good for you). Remus and Tonks have COMPLETELY taken over this fic. (I see that you are not complaining.)
Many thank yous to Godricgal, my favourite Londoner (well, my only Londoner), for betaing while Miss Sophia is in the UK (lucky girl). Also, for sharing her knowledge of London and its districts. And for her feeding the ducks at Hyde Park the other day, which gave me the idea for Tonks to as well.
I live for reviews. That's a none too subtle hint.
Chapter Seven- The Odd Couple
Tonks and Arthur stood on the doorstep to Grimmauld Place listening to the stampede that was racing towards them. They heard Molly's shout to stop running, followed by Mrs Black's screams, then Sirius' bellows. Tonks giggled at Arthur's exasperated sigh.
"Do you think its all four of them?" she asked.
Before Arthur could answer, the door was ripped open. There stood Ron, Ginny, and (after Tonks took a quick double take) Fred, all panting for breath, George was helping Sirius close Mrs Black's curtains as Molly stood halfway down the corridor, hands on hips and looking infuriated.
"This will be the last time I tell you not to run down this corridor," she hissed at her children. She shot the children one last stern look, and told them, "Go downstairs...now!" The children muttered their hellos and then shuffled off down the corridor.
Molly turned to the new arrivals. "Evening, Tonks, Arthur dear. How was work? Dinner will be ready in a few moments. Sirius, are you sure there is no way to get her down?"
Tonks glanced up at her cousin, who was leaning against the wall across from his mother's portrait eyeing her with disgust. "No way I'm afraid, Molly. Remus and I tried for two days. She's not coming off." He then used a word that Tonks had only learned recently while in Auror training.
"Very well then," Molly frowned at him. "Come downstairs you three." She turned and headed towards the kitchen.
"Hello, Tonks," Sirius greeted as they headed off after Arthur.
"Wotcher, Sirius. Look, I didn't trip over the umbrella stand!"
"About time you didn't!"
His knowing grin nettled Tonks, so she shot back, "How was today?"
"Today was fun and exciting." he said in a tone that meant it had been any but. "Cleaning house is so much fun. Remus and I managed to avoid most of the dirty work by hiding in Buckbeak's room."
Tonks laughed as they entered the kitchen, it was a place of barely controlled chaos. Fred and George were Summoning plates, goblets, and silverware before tossing them to Ginny and Ron who were catching them and setting the table. Arthur stood at the stove, taste testing. Molly was nowhere in sight.
In the middle of it all sat Lupin, sipping on a cup of tea and reading The Evening Prophet. He ducked his head as a knife went sailing past but didn't miss a beat.
"He's always been able to do that," Sirius told her. "When we would have…er, discussions with Snape at school, he'd pretend not to see anything by reading or something. Some bloody Prefect he was. I probably could have done a better job myself."
"I certainly never made Prefect. McGonagall said I lacked the ability to behave myself." Tonks grinned at him. "Perhaps it had something to do with my morphing into her to get Charlie out of trouble with Filch at the end of fourth year."
Sirius let out a roar of laugher as they sat down. "You didn't!"
"Didn't what?" Lupin asked, ducking as a plate went whizzing by.
"I morphed into McGonagall at school to get Charlie out of trouble," Tonks told him. She smirked at the emotions that ran across his face knowing that while the teacher and Prefect in him were horrified, the troublemaking student that was friends with her cousin was impressed. She guessed he compromised by not commenting.
"Smart move, Moony," she heard Sirius mutter and she knew she had come the correct conclusion.
Tonks flattened herself on the table as a silver goblet went flying by where her head had been seconds before. Of course, she flung her hands out to steady herself so that she didn't fall out of her chair, but instead knocked over Lupin's mug. Tea spilled all over the table as the mug rolled off and shattered on the floor.
The breaking glass got Molly's attention. She came out of the pantry, proceded to reprimand her children, reminded her husband that they were his children as well, and then began to serve. Lupin meanwhile cast the Repair Spell on the mug and it was as good as new.
"None for me, Molly," Tonks told her as Molly went to set a plate in front of her. "I just stopped by to say hello. I'm headed out to my parents." Her eyes narrowed as she thought she heard Sirius snicker. When she looked at him, he just looked back wide-eyed (and innocent).
"Remus is heading out tonight as well. Oh well, if you come back there will be leftovers if you're hungry. Remus, tell Tonks about your mission before you leave. "
"Mission?" Tonks' dark eyes sparkled with excitement as she waited for an explication.
"Nothing fun, Tonks." Sirius said before Lupin could open his mouth. "You're going to pick up Hermione Granger tomorrow at the Leaky Cauldron. Remus will accompany you. You will be morphed as Molly since Hermoine's parents know her."
"We're only going to pick up Hermione?" She tried to keep the disappointment out of her voice but failed.
"What you expecting…a date?" Sirius whispered in her ear. Tonks let out a small gasp. A quick affirmative nod from Lupin confirmed that Sirius did know what was going on later tonight.
"No that's tonight," she hissed back at him.
"Cheeky!" he laughed. "Just like me when I was your age."
"God save me," Lupin muttered a little too loud.
Tonks shot him a wounded look. "I'll deal with you later, Lupin." She nearly laughed at the look on his face but refocused her attention on Sirius. "Like you? I'm younger and prettier than you ever were. And, I'm a woman, if you hadn't noticed." She poked him in the chest. "So don't piss me off."
"Ooh... you're right. Dementors are nothing compared to the wrath of Miss Nymphadora Tonks." He poked her back. "Moony noticed you're a woman."
"Don't call me Nymphadora!" she said through clenched teeth. "Remus, are you leaving now as well?" Not waiting for his response, she stood and said, "Good. You can escort me home." She smiled as Sirius choked on his Butterbeer, and then nodded at her. She knew that he was impressed how she had managed to get both herself and Lupin out of the house together.
"Remus is going to escort you home?" Molly asked as she set a heaping plate in front of Sirius. "That's wonderful. I know that you are a fully trained Auror, Tonks dear, but one cannot be too careful nowadays." She beamed at them and then bustled off towards the stove again.
"Good night," Tonks called, waving at the Weasley children and Arthur. "Sorry, Ginny," she said as the girl began to protest. "Mum wants me to visit tonight. We'll chat tomorrow after I been to get Hermione."
Tossing Sirius another dark look at the bark of laughter he had let out, she turned and left the kitchen, Lupin following in her wake.
They both turned around at the front door as they head heavy footsteps running up the kitchen stairs. Sirius was running down the corridor, he grabbed Lupin by the arm when he reached them and whispered something into his ear. Tonks' eyes sparkled with amusement as a faint blush spread across Lupin's cheeks. She could only imagine what her cousin was telling him. Wishing them both goodbye again, Sirius sauntered back down the corridor towards the basement, whistling. Neither said anything as they exited the house. They walked in silence as they crossed the street and entered the square. Reaching the Apparition Point, Tonks smirked as Lupin sighed.
"Where are we going?" he asked.
"Right now? We're actually headed to my parents' so that I can change. Then it's up to you."
"I'm meeting your parents on our first date?" he asked seriously.
"No, no, nothing like…" she trailed off as she saw the grin on his face. " Nice one, Lupin. You just look sweet and innocent, huh. I owe you two now. 7 Somers Crescent, London, see you there." With a wink, she Disapparated.
She only had to wait a split second for him to appear. "Wotcher, wolfie," she grinned. "Welcome to my home. Well, my parents' home"
She grinned at the dark look Lupin shot her, but didn't say anything. Taking his hand, she crossed the street to where number seven was located and mounted the steps that led to the front door. Tonks took out her wand and tapped the door three times. It opened. Lupin followed her inside and down the corridor, which opened into the kitchen.
"Hi, Mum," Tonks said. "Where's Dad?"
Andromeda Tonks pulled her head out a cabinet and turned around. "Nymphadora," she smiled, rushing over to hug her daughter. "How are you, darling? You haven't been home in days." She started to continue but Tonks stepped aside so that her mother could see Lupin.
"Hello," Andromeda said, running her hand through her black hair. Tonks was forcibly reminded of Sirius. For the first time ever she could see the family resemblance between her mother and her cousin. "Andromeda Tonks."
"Remus Lupin," he said, introducing himself. "Nymphadora and I are…colleagues."
Tonks blushed. She had forgotten to introduce them. She noted her mother's eyes widening, either at his use of her given name or her recognition of his.
"You are…colleagues," Andromeda said, raising and eyebrow at Tonks for confirmation, who nodded her head affirmatively. While Tonks had not explained in detail about her Order work, she had told her mother a bits and pieces of it in broad detail. She had left it for Andromeda to piece together, which Tonks knew she had. "Remus…I know that name."
"He taught at Hogwarts for a year. Resigned because he's a…"
"Dad!" Tonks yelped.
"Werewolf," Lupin finished for Ted Tonks, who stood in the doorway. Ted raised an eyebrow at him, but didn't comment. "It's all right, Nymphadora. I can't deny what I am."
Tonks watched her mother look Lupin up and down, reassessing him. "Well, I was going to say "friend of Sirius'", but I suppose…" she paused, at a loss for words. "Tea?"
"'Friend of Sirius''," Ted asked, also reassessing Lupin.
"Yes, dear, he was the friend that Sirius dragged along to one of Nymphadora's birthday parties. Seventh or eighth…maybe?."
"Eighth Mum," Tonks confirmed. "I'm off to change. Be nice to Remus."
"Nymphadora! Of course I'll be nice," Andromeda told her. "Go change. Where are you going tonight?"
"I don't know, ask Remus," Tonks said over her shoulder as she exited the kitchen. She changed quickly and then ran back downstairs. She was surprised to see Remus sitting at the kitchen table, looking as if he were casually chatting to her parents. However, Tonks could tell by the way he was holding himself that he was tense and uncomfortable. Her mother beamed at her as she approached. "Look at you! You look lovely. The skirt is such a wonderful change from those Muggle trousers you wear all the time."
"They're called jeans, Mum," Tonks said, gathering a fistful of her ankle length skirt so that she wouldn't trip. "Ready, Remus?" She almost laughed at the relief that spread over his face. "I'll be by later, Mum. I don't know when, it's really busy just now. Bye, Dad."
Both Andromeda and Ted walked them to the door. Tonks kissed her parents goodbye while Lupin bowed politely to them. As they headed back towards the Apparition Point, Tonks looked over her shoulder and saw Andromeda still standing in the doorway. She nodded approvingly at her daughter, who smiled back.
"Well, you survived the parents; looks like we're ready to get married." She laughed at the look that crossed his face. "Relax, I'm joking! But I got you back," she giggled at his smile. "Seriously though, did they behave while I was gone?"
"They both seemed to accept my lycanthropy; however your father did the maths with my age."
"So," Tonks asked. "What about it? You're…35, correct."
"I'm thirteen years older than you," he pointed out.
"So what? I know that already." She was genuinely confused.
"Nymphadora, I was a third year when you were born," Lupin tried to explain.
"I know that, Remus. What's your point? I don't care about our age gap."
Lupin regarded her for a long moment and then said, "Thank you."
"For what?" Tonks asked. "Now, I'm hungry. Where are we eating?"
"Well, we can't be seen in the wizarding world together, it'll raise too many questions that we don't want asked. So, I'm taking you to a small Italian restaurant that I've found in Little Venice."
"Yummy!" said Tonks, then she giggled as her stomach rumbled. "Sorry, I skipped lunch."
"I remembered you saying that you liked Italian when we got take-away," Lupin told her.
She was amused to see the faint blush creep over his cheeks again. Placing her hand on his arm, she commanded him, "Side-along Apparate me."
An instant later, they were standing in an alleyway. Lupin took her hand and crossed Baker Street. Turning onto George Street, he abruptly came to a stop. Tonks saw the smallest restaurant imaginable, but the smells that were drifting out were incredible.
She watched Lupin smirk as her stomach rumbled again. Raising an eyebrow at him she said, "Well take me inside then!"
He grinned. Opening the door, he stepped aside, gesturing that she should enter first. "Such a gentleman," she told him. As she passed, she placed a quick kiss on his cheek.
Tonks took no time in ordering appetizers. She could tell Lupin was trying to hold back his laughter, so she said, "Well, there's no use in me trying to act all ladylike in front of you. You'd wonder who you were on a date with." She paused, and then realised something. "Remus!" she hissed. "We have no Muggle money!"
"Relax," he told her. "Bill got some for me. We'll need it tomorrow as well to get the Underground to Charing Cross."
"I should have known," she smiled. The server set a plate in front of each of them. Muttering her apologies Tonks began to eat. Lupin smiled at her enthusiasm.
An hour and a half later, Lupin paid the bill while Tonks sipped the last of her coffee. Finishing, she said to him as the waiter left, "I have an idea. Let's walk back to my flat so we can work off that meal. I can feed the ducks at the Boating Lake in Regent's Park. Do you think they'd give us some bread?"
"I'm sure they will, if we ask." He signalled the waiter, who was all too happy to give them the day's remaining bread. "All set, lead the way."
They exited the restaurant after collecting the bag of bread. They turned back onto Baker Street heading Marylebone Road. Lupin refused to let her walk the Outer Circle of Regent's Park, opting for Park Road instead. Tonks grumbled a bit, but he promised that she could still feed the ducks. At Hanover Gate, they entered the Park and Lupin watched with amusment as Tonks fed the ducks, in an over excited manner. Once she had run out of bread, they resumed their trek home heading onto Prince Albert Road and into Camden Town. After negotiating the roads a while longer, they finally arrived at Bayham Place.
Once again, Tonks tapped the front door three times with her wand. Lupin raised an eyebrow at her and she said, "It's a magical building. All the Muggles see is a building that they think that is part of the Royal Veterinary College which is nearby. Of course, its not. "
"Fascinating," he said as they entered the lift. "Magical ingenuity at work again."
"My flat's on the top floor. I can see the Park from it, it's wonderful," she told him as the lift shuttered to a halt. They exited and Tonks lead them to Flat 65.
"Would you like to come in?" she asked. A second later, she was puzzled by the closed look that quickly passed over his face.
He paused for a few moments, and then finally told her, "Yes, I'd like to come in."
She smiled to herself and tapped her door open. He followed her inside.
Once the door had closed behind them, she turned to him. "I had a wonderful night tonight, Remus, thank you. I'm so glad we got to spend time alone, finally."
"The pleasure was all mine, Nymphadora," he responded lifting a hand to gently cup her cheek. She leaned into his caress, as invisible forces seemed to move them closer for a kiss.
Tonks smiled up at him after he released her lips. "Do you feel it?" she asked.
"Yes," he whispered.
Before either knew what was happening, their lips had moulded together. They both seemed to realise that they did not need to be so guarded with each other now that they were away from the prying eyes that lurked at Grimmauld Place. It wasn't long before each has forgotten about the existence of anything but the other as hands wondered and clothing fell away.
Author's Note: I must really stop writing all these 'extra' fics. I must be getting back to the Epic. That fic, by the way, is posted here on (just follow the link in my profile). Shameless self-promotion is fun!