Hello. I know it's been absolutely ages since I've updated, but to tell you the truth, this isn't exactly my favorite story, but when I was browsing someone's profile and I saw it was on their favorites list, I felt i should finish typing it up. so... here it is! read and review, please!

Chapter Two

Tonks didn't speak about the subject again for quite some time. She saw and spoke to him, but it was business, as usual.

A few months after their last little chat, a meeting for the order was held at Hogwarts. Afterwards, Remus approached Tonks.

"How are you feeling?" he asked.

"Peachy," was Tonks's reply.

"Well, to be honest, you don't look very peachy," said Remus. 'That's why I asked."

"Remus," said Tonks, "I have guard duty. I need to patrol the castle."

"Tonks," don't' get like this," said Remus, grabbing her arm.

Tonks turned.

"Is there something wrong with me, Remus?" Tonks asked quietly.

Remus stared at her. "Tonks, what could possibly be wrong with you?"

"Well," said Tonks. "If the reason you don't want to be with me is because you think I'm ugly or you just don't like me, I'll move on."

"Tonks, you're beautiful."

She looked down.

"You're perfect. I wouldn't change anything about you. I love everything about you— from the pink hair you used to have, to the smile you seemed to have lost."

"Then... why is it, Remus? Do you just not care about me that way?"

"It's because I care about you that I can't be with you. What if I hurt you?" he asked.

"What if I got bitten by another werewolf?" Tonks challenged.

"Tonks—"

"What would you do, then?"

"You are not going to get bitten, Tonks," Remus sighed.

"I'll walk right up to Greyback."

"No, you won't."

"I would if I could be with you!" she shouted as tears welled up in her eyes. When she received no response from Remus, she whispered, "I have to go."

0o0o0o0

Weeks later, Tonks was patrolling the perimeter of Hogwarts, thinking to herself, when she heard shouts erupt from the inside of the castle. "Not good," she whispered to herself, and sprinted inside. The sigh before her was terrible. There were Death Eaters— three— walking around and terrorizing. She took out her wand and sent her patronus to the first person that came to her mind— Remus.

He was at home when he received it. Remus shot up like a bullet and apparated immediately outside the gates of Hogwarts

He sprinted up the grounds and into the entrance hall. There was no one there... yet. Heart pounding, he ran up the stairs. ON the way up he bumped into someone and immediately drew his wand.

"Professor!" someone said. It was Ron, Ginny, and Neville.

Meanwhile, Tonks was putting up quite a fight. Bill Weasley was with her, along with Minerva McGonagall.

"Eek!" came a cry. Tonks looked, but only briefly, to se Flitwick.

"Filius! Get Severus! Quickly!" shouted McGonagall as she was dueling.

Remus, meanwhile, had just run in. "Tonks!" he shouted.

She turned. "You're here!"

Remus quickly joined the fight.

"Snape's on his way," said Tonks as she dodged a spell. Suddenly, Ginny, Ron, and Neville appeared from the direction Remus had just come from. Tonks felt terrible that they had to be here, mere children, when all the other students were in bed, oblivious to what was happening. But they needed as much help as they could get.

The duel passed in a blur to Tonks. She kept barely missing hexes and unforgivable curses, as if by pure luck.

Minutes later Snape came running down the stairs with a tall blonde boy who looked about the same age as Ron and Ginny. Snape was ushering him quickly out the front door. Suddenly Tonks heard a yell.

"We're going to be here for a while," she muttered to herself.

0o0o0

Hours later Tonks found herself in the hospital wing. Bill Weasley had some serious damage, Neville was asleep, but other than that everyone miraculously turned out fine.

Ginny and Ron were next to bill, Ginny holding his hand. Hermione and Luna were in the corner, silent.

Just then the doors flew open, and Remus came barging in. when he caught sight of Bill, he ran over.

"He was attacked by Greyback," said Madame Pomfrey quietly. "We don't know exactly what will become of him."

Tonks, meanwhile, was in her own little world. All of the Death Eaters had escaped— except Gibbon, and one was better than nothing, but still...

Tonks noticed that Ginny had left. "Where's she gone to?" she asked.

"To find Harry," Remus replied.

Minutes later, Ginny arrived, holding the hand of a miserable, shaken Harry. He looked terrible. Tonks put her head in her hands and bit her lip. This did not look like something good had happened. She found it hard to concentrate on anyone talking. Ron asked where Dumbledore was, something about Bill fighting Greyback—

"Ron, Dumbledore's dead."

There was a silence in the room. Tonks looked up. It was Ginny who had spoken. Harry was looking at the floor.

"What?" gasped Remus, breaking the silence. He looked around s if hoping someone would contradict her. When no one did, he found a seat and collapsed into it.

"How did he die? How did it happen?" asked Tonks in a hoarse voice. 'Snape did it. I was there. I saw it..." but Tonks had stopped listening. Snape! But she had trusted him! As much as Tonks never did like Snape, she had trusted him with all of her heart. Why? Because Dumbledore had.

Tonks let the others explain the night events to Harry, putting in her own input only every so often. They were interrupted, though, by Mrs. Weasley who came running in.

"Oh, Bill, my Bill!" she wailed, and ran up to him, giving him a kiss on the forehead. Mr. Weasley was behind her, along with Fleur Delacour, who had a frozen expression on her face. After a few minutes of catching the Weasleys and Fleur up, Molly said, "of course, it doesn't matter how he looks... It's not really important...but he was always such a handsome little b-boy...and he was g-going to be married!"

"And what do you mean by zat?" said Fleur suddenly and loudly.

Mrs. Weasley looked up.

Tonks was suddenly paying attention to her surroundings.

"What do you mean, 'e was going to be married? You theenk Bill will not wish to marry me anymore? You theenk, because of these bites, he will not love me?"

"No, that's not what I—"

Tonks soaked in every detail of this rather loud conversation between Fleur and Molly. The 'conversation' ended startlingly with Fleur and Molly hugging and crying.

"You see?" said Tonks in a strained voice, facing Remus. 'She still wants to marry him, even though he's bitten! She doesn't care!"

Remus tensed up, feeling awkward at Tonks's sudden outbreak in front of everyone. "This is different," said Remus wearily and quietly. "Bill will not be a full werewolf. The cases are completely—"

"But I don't care, either! I don't care!" she said, grabbing the scruff of his neck. "I've told you a million times..."

"And I've told you a million times... I'm too old for you, too poor... too dangerous..."

She let go of him and fell into her chair again. It was no use. She zoned out again, and for a few minutes, she stared at the floor, oblivious to her surroundings...

"Nymphadora. Nymphadora."

Tonks looked up. "Wha—? Oh, sorry, Professor McGonagall. I just..."

"It's quite understandable," she said. "Listen, I want you to go home, Tonks."

"What? I don't understand."

"You've been patrolling Hogwarts more than any other auror, and it seems you've also bee having personal issues. You need a break."

Tonks managed a smile. 'Oh. Thank-you, Professor."

"It's nothing. But please allow Remus to escort you," McGonagall said.

Remus looked up.

"What? Why?"

"It's not safe to go alone," she replied. "Remus, I trust this is alright with you?" she asked, turning to Remus, who was seated on a nearby stool.

He nodded.

"Good. Do take care," she said to the two of them, and turned swiftly and left. Tonks heard her say, "Follow me, Harry," in the corridor, and the sounds of feet walking away.

Remus turned to her. "Ready?" he asked.

She nodded.

Remus took her by the hand and led her out of the Hospital Wing, down the stairs, out the entrance hall, and onto the grounds.

All this time, Remus had had Tonks by the hand. It was big and warm, and made Tonks feel good— like she had something to hold onto.

She looked around the grounds— up at the castle, the lake, the forest... "It's so beautiful," she said.

"I know," Remus replied, concentrating on Tonks. He didn't appear to be looking at the grounds at all.

"Who would ever suspect such bad things could happen here?" she sighed as they walked through the gates.

Remus put out his arm. "I'll guide you. No effort needed on your part."

Tonks nodded and took his arm. Moments later they were in a small little house she had never seen before.

"Remus— this isn't my house."

"I know. It's mine."

She gave him a funny look.

"I'm not letting you stay alone to night," he explained. "You're staying here. It's a small little place, but there's a spare room.'

Tonks looked him in the eye and smiled. At least he was thinking of her. "Thanks, Remus," she said. She looked around. It appeared they were in a cottage style house. It was very neat, with old family photos and pictures of friends. There was a kitchen, a sitting room, a bathroom, and a little hallway that Tonks assumed lead to the two rooms.

"What a cozy little place," she smiled.

"It's small, but it's where I grew up."

"Well, size doesn't matter to me," Tonks said, looking at a picture of James and Lily. "Grimmauld Place was huge, and I hated it." She sat down on the little sofa. 'I'm so tired. I haven't slept in a year."

"I know the feeling," said Remus.

"This has been the hardest year of my life," Tonks went on. "First Sirius, and Susan bones, then Emmeline Vance, and having to guard the castle every day and…"

"Me?" said Remus helpfully.

Tonks looked down.

"I know I've been a pain," he said. "I was just trying to protect you, I guess I though you deserved better than me."

Tonks looked up. He was using past tense. "It's ok. I guess you can't force someone to fall in love with you."

"Force?" he asked incredulously. "Oh, no, Tonks. I've always loved you."

Her head shot up again. "What?" she asked sternly. "What?" she stood up. "You gave me a year of Hell when you—"

Remus smiled.

"No smiling! You have no right to smile. No laughing, either. If in wasn't madly in love with you, I'd storm out of this house right now! Ooh, Remus, if you've taught me one thing, it's that if a girl can love a man right down to her fingertips, she can hate him just as much!"

Remus chuckled.

Tonks stared at him. "How is this fun—?"

But she was silenced as Remus pressed his lips against hers.

After several moments (or maybe several years), Remus pulled away. His arms were wrapped round her waist and his forehead against hers.

"I'm beginning to like this house," Tonks said breathlessly.

"You haven't seen the bedrooms yet," he said slyly.

Tonks stared at him for a moment. "Oh!" she said slowly. "I get it."

She grinned.

Fin! Sorry it took so long… however, I didn't have many reviews last time, anyway…. I know the whole hospital scene was different for the book, but it's hard to type fast when you're looking down at a book every few seconds, so…

Please r an r! And I don't mean rest and relaxation, OR rock n roll… read and review!