Discalimer: I don't own anything here except the plot!
"This isn't a game Nymphadora. You need to leave."
"No! I'm not leaving you alone. Not tonight!"
"I no longer am able to take the Wolf's Bane potion. It's not safe to be around me when I transform!"
"Sirius stayed with you! Why can't I?"
He sighed deeply and ran his hands through his graying hair in frustration.
"Because, Sirius was an Animagus. And before you ask, so were James and Peter."
Her eyes widened slightly.
"I don't understand… Why would that matter?"
He sighed again and sank heavily into the nearest chair.
"A werewolf is not a danger to other animals. When James and Sirius discovered what I am, they decided to become Animagi and Peter went along for the ride… They considered it great fun to sneak off with a werewolf and I was grateful for their company but the truth was that they also kept me from leaving the Shrieking Shack during my transformations when we were at school. A giant black dog and a stag could easily control a raging werewolf."
He stopped and looked up at her.
"You are a Metamorphmagus, not an Animagus. You can only change your appearance; you cannot turn into an animal."
A smirk came to her lips and her eyes twinkled down at him.
"I guess Sirius never told you…."
"Told me what?"
"He gave me a few lessons over the summers when I came to visit him once I started school… I never even thought to ask where he learned it…"
In the blink of an eye her form began to change. Her bubblegum pink hair faded and turned tawny and her features became distinctly more angular. Her hands morphed to become clawed before becoming paws. Hair began to cover her completely as her clothing seemed to dissolve into the transformation. Her nose became a snout much like the kind a wolf would have, only slightly shorter and a tawny tail was visible as well. She fell forward onto her front paws and looked up at him with turquoise green eyes.
He stared at her in shock. She had become a wolf!
She sat down and smiled up at him and all he could do was shake his head.
"Was this a requirement of becoming an Auror, by any chance?"
The wolf in front of him nodded her head.
"And why, pray tell, would you become a wolf?"
The wolf stood and walked over to him and licked his hand that rested on the arm of the chair. He looked down at her and lifted his hand and hesitantly placed it on her head and stroked her baby soft fur.
"You do realize that this conversation would be a lot easier if you could speak, don't you?" He chuckled.
The wolf yipped at him.
"That's not what I meant…"
The wolf backed up from him and transformed back into the pink haired woman she had been before.
"Better?"
"Yes, much."
"Why…?" He asked again, not meeting her eyes.
He heard her chuckle and looked up to see her smiling at him.
"For Merlin's sake Remus! You're supposed to be intelligent. Isn't it obvious?"
His teeth ground together and he shook his head.
"It isn't right Nymphadora."
"And why not?"
"I'm too old for you."
"Bullocks! You aren't that much older."
"Thirteen years!"
"So what? It doesn't matter. Age is only a number."
"I'm a God damned werewolf Nymphadora!"
He rose from his seat and was on the verge of screaming at her. Why couldn't she understand? Why couldn't she accept the facts?
She was unfazed by his out burst, though the swearing was a bit startling.
"And what is that supposed to mean?"
"You should hate me! You shouldn't want to be near me! You shouldn't want to help me! I'm an outcast in the Wizarding World! No one should have such feelings toward me."
"All the more reason I should."
He stared at her as if she'd lost her mind.
"I'm not exactly accepted by everyone, in case you haven't noticed. Pink hair and looks that I can change at will don't appeal to too many wizards and witches. Add the fact that I'm an Auror and an uncoordinated klutz…. Being an outcast is something I'm quite familiar with."
She had a point. He never knew her to have many friends and the ones that she did have were Order members, and in the case of the Weasley's, their children and of course Harry and Hermione.
And the fact that she could change her looks at will frightened a lot of people. Who was to say that she wouldn't use her powers for ill deeds? And people being so on edge only made her Metamorphmagus status worse.
As for her being a klutz…. Well she did trip on things and dropped plates often….
"Even so…."
He couldn't quite figure out what to say to her.
She sighed and for the first time that evening the smile faded from her eyes.
He wanted to ask what was the matter but his entire body tensed and pain shot through him.
"Remus? What's wrong?"
She rushed over to him and placed her hand on his and he let out a low warning growl.
"Leave…"
"Not on your life."
He bared his teeth, which were quickly turning into fangs.
"Damn it Nymphadora I don't want you to see this. I don't want to hurt you! Please leave!"
"I told you I was staying no matter what and I haven't changed my mind."
Before he could utter another word she stepped back from him and once again transformed into the tawny colored wolf.
He growled as his own transformation took hold of him. He fell from the chair onto his hands and knees, panting, as his body changed against his will. His patched clothing was shredded as his body became covered in fur and his features became elongated and angular.
When the transformation was done he had taken on the appearance of an overly large brown wolf with a bit of gray streaked into his fur.
It took him several minutes to stop panting and when his breathing was under control he looked up at the female wolf sitting in front of him.
Her eyes took in the sight of him. He was much larger than her and would have been frightening had it not been for his golden eyes. Remus' eyes.
The female smiled at him and walked over to him slowly. He growled at her. What was she doing here? What was this female doing?
The female whined softly at him and flattened her ears and laid down at his feet. He lowered his head and gave a warning growl in her ear and sniffed her head.
Remus had been right. He did truly give himself over to his instincts when he transformed. She never doubted that but she did not expect him to forget who she was either. Now she was playing everything by ear and hoping that she was doing the right thing. Why hadn't she paid closer attention in Care of Magical Creatures?
He growled again and she rolled onto her back submissively. He looked down at her and appraised her. A beautiful female lay at his feet who was totally submissive to him. Should he accept her? He nudged her with his snout as he walked around her taking in her form and her scent.
The female whined softly again when he came to her stomach. She was in heat. Her scent was quite strong and intoxicating to him. He came back to her head and without warning bit down on her neck. She whimpered this time. He released her neck and licked up the small amount of blood he had drawn, happy with her submission.
Slowly, she lifted her face up and licked his muzzle affectionately. He turned his eyes on her and laid down beside her. She rolled onto her stomach and nuzzled her face against his neck. It felt good to have her by his side and it was comforting to know that she didn't mind his scent on her. It was a relief to know that his mate accepted him as much as he accepted her.
He whimpered slightly when she leaned up and licked his sensitive ear. He turned to look at her and was caught by her eyes. Turquoise eyes- Nymphadora's eyes!
Something in him snapped and he came to his senses. The female beside him was Nymphadora! He quickly looked at her to see if he had hurt her. His eyes scanned her and settled on her throat. There was only a slight trace of it, but it was there- blood. Merlin! What had he done!
He whined his apology to her, hoping that she would understand. He hadn't meant to harm her. That was the last thing he wanted to do.
She looked up at him when he whined and her eyes softened. Her head tilted curiously at the sound and she waited, unsure of what was happening.
He whined again and leaned closer to her licking her nose with sorrow in his eyes.
That look was unmistakable. The sorrow was easy to see and she could somehow sense it too. When he stopped licking her nose she wasted no time in pressing against him and burying her muzzle in his fur before lifting her head and licking his nose. Then she smiled at him.
He blinked at her. What just happened? Did she just….? No!
She licked his nose again and he stared at her. He became distinctly aware of her scent and of how close they were to each other now. He looked down at her throat again and quickly stood up and went to the other side of the room and curled up in the corner, not daring to look at her.
He mentally slapped himself. How could he? He had bitten her! It was obvious why. In his transformed state the wolf had taken over and her scent…it was alluring, but still! That was no excuse! Now there was a sizable possibility that she might be contaminated with Were venom. He doubted it, but it could happen. How could he have allowed himself to lose control like that? To do that to her?
He wouldn't do it again! He wouldn't go near her. He couldn't! Not like this- in this state! Her scent was overpowering enough as it was. If he got any closer to her…. No! He couldn't do that! He couldn't allow that to happen- no matter how much his body wanted him to. He cursed to himself at the growing arousal he felt for her.
She watched as he got up and went to the corner. He was sad. Even in his wolf form he walked a certain way when he was upset. He turned away from her and would not look at her. Why? What had happened? He seemed to remember her just a few moments ago. What had changed?
She whined at him and he ignored her. He couldn't answer her. He couldn't let himself look at her.
Slowly she made her way over to him and laid down beside him. His head shot up and he looked at her as if she was insane. She ignored the look and lowered her head and closed her eyes, laying her muzzle on his front leg.
He growled at her and she opened her eyes and looked up at him but did not move.
What was she playing at? Was she trying to get herself into trouble? She needed to get away from him now before he did something they would both regret when they became human again.
He bared his teeth and snarled at her and tried to move away from her but she wouldn't let him. He was backed into the corner and she snarled right back at him.
Ok, so he bit her. No big deal. Why was he getting so bent out of shape over it? She wasn't.
He was taken aback by her boldness and it showed on his face. She stepped closer to him and nuzzled against his neck once more. His body stiffened for a moment and then relaxed at the contact.
He cringed. Her scent was even stronger than before and it had changed somewhat as well.
Damn it all to hell! She was aroused!
He was losing control of his body again as her smell filled his nostrils. Animal instinct was setting in again. He had to control himself. There was no to stop what would happen tonight. It was becoming increasingly inevitable but he had to stay in control or he really would hurt her.
He nuzzled her neck and whimpered softly. Why had she insisted on staying with him? And why did her animagus form have to be such a tempting wolf? He had already decided that the reason she was in heat was to torture him.
She pulled back from him and he whimpered again, but this time out of embarrassment. She looked at him and quickly realized why. He whined at her and his eyes looked pleading and sorrowful. He was apologizing again.
She licked his nose and nuzzled his neck again. He didn't really have any control over his arousal and she knew it. Some part of her had known that if she staid things might come down to this. She accepted that fact without a second thought.
When she looked at him again his eyes were questioning. She smiled at him before turning around.
His eyes widened. Not good! Not good at all! He whined loudly and she whimpered in response and backed up, moving closer to him. He couldn't believe what was happening. She was coming closer, knowing what he would do- wanting him to do it.
She laid down and turned her head to look back at him. His eyes were closed and he looked as if he were in pain. She barked at him and his eyes shot open and stared at her. Her tail swished impatiently at his hesitation.
What was the matter? Why was he so worried?
He really wished that she wouldn't have moved her tail. The movement wafted her scent toward him freeing the wolf's instincts.
He moved toward her and settled over her. She looked back at him and whined again. Now her eyes were the pleading ones.
He nuzzled her neck for a moment before lightly nipping her ear, which caused her to arch her back involuntarily into him and brush against his hard arousal.
His eyes closed again as his instincts took control…
She woke up on the floor still in her wolf form, lying beside him. His body was arched around hers protectively and he was breathing deeply. He was still in his wolf form too.
Her eyes scanned the room and a silly grin graced her features. They might need to clean up a bit…. Her eyes were drawn to the window and through the curtains she could see sunlight beginning to drip in.
She carefully got up and made her way to the window, her journey being made slightly difficult from her soreness.
It was time for the wolf to change back. She took hold of the curtain and tugged it open until the room filled with sunlight and until he was bathed in it.
Immediately his fur began to disappear and his features were returning back to that of a human.
He lay on the floor, transformation complete, naked. Her curious eyes scanned him from head to toe. She thought he was a handsome wolf, but as a man….. A delightful shiver ran through her at the sight of him.
In his sleep he looked relaxed. This was the only time she could remember seeing him look so at peace.
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. It was time for her to change back too. She stood up, human again and fully clothed, and tiptoed through to the next room and returned with a thick blanket.
He had shivered and she didn't want him to catch a cold. She draped the blanket over him and knelt beside him.
Maybe she should just leave? He was all right now. He really didn't need her hanging around. And when he woke, if she was still there, there would be awkwardness to deal with. He hated awkward situations and she wasn't a fan of them either.
She went over to his writing desk and took up a quill and parchment.
She placed the note beside him on the floor and brushed a few stands of hair away from his face before standing up and leaving, apparating as soon as the door was closed.
His eyes scrunched shut at the amount of sun in the room. Surely he had left the curtains closed? He sat up and opened his eyes. The sight of the room in a mishmash of disarray brought memories of the night before back to him. His eyes darted around him- she wasn't there. Where was she? He listened carefully for any sound in the small house but nothing. She wasn't there.
His eyes fell upon the note on the floor beside him where she had been and his stomach dropped.
'She'll have written that she hates me and never wants to see my mangy hide again. Damn it! Why? Why did I have to? I've fucked everything up. I care about her and now I've scared her away. Well I said I wanted to be alone- she gave me what I asked for, didn't she?' He thought.
He picked up the parchment and sighed before he began to read.
Dear Remus,
I'm sorry! I probably should have staid and sorted things out but I didn't want there to be awkwardness between us. You know? I woke up early and then I saw you and I guess I panicked. Merlin, how I got into Gryffindor I don't know!
I'm starting to change my mind about leaving, which means I'd better hurry up and go before I lose my nerve.
But the bottom line is that I have no regrets about last night and I don't want you to have any either.
Tonks
His eyes widened as he read. She had no regrets? And she didn't want him to regret either? Impossible! He had many regrets. The first one being that she was gone when he woke. Second being that she had been scared by what she thought would happen when he woke up.
This wasn't right! He had to fix it. He couldn't just let her go away and not explain.
He went to stand up and realized that a blanket was covering him. She must have covered him before she left. His heart panged painfully at the thought.
He got up and quickly dressed and pocketed her note.
Where would she go? Not to Grimmauld Place. And he knew she wasn't at the Ministry, not on her day off. Then it came to him. She would go where she could be alone and think without having to worry about someone disturbing her. The Shrieking Shack.
He apparated inside the tunnel. It was easier than going onto the school grounds and not as obvious as walking up to the front door.
He made his way through the tunnel and up into the building. Her scent lingered by the stairs and he noted a change in it but brushed it aside. He would think about it later. All he cared about at the moment was finding her.
He went upstairs and followed her scent to one of the bedrooms. Cautiously he peeked into the room and saw her lying on the bed fast asleep.
He entered the room and moved closer to her. Her pink hair had changed to a faded tawny brown that now reached her shoulders and her clothes were the same that ones she had worn last night. As he moved closer he could smell salt. Tears. She had been crying and the evidence was on her cheeks, the wet trails drying.
He sat down beside her and gently placed his palm against her cheek to wipe away the remaining tears. A small sound escaped her throat and her eyes opened and looked up at him with surprise.
"Good morning." He whispered.
"H- hi…" Was all that she could manage.
His free hand slipped inside his pocket and removed her note.
"Care to explain?"
His voice was soft, much softer than she thought it would be.
"I… I thought you might be angry with me…."
"Why?"
She gave a frustrated sigh and quickly sat up. When she looked back at him he noticed a peculiar mark on her neck. Oh Merlin!
"Because… I thought you might blame yourself and then be upset with me for not listening to you."
His former train of thought vanished. His face paled and suddenly everything was beginning to piece itself together and make sense.
"Re-Remus? Are you alright?"
He looked her in the eyes. Was that regret or pain?
"Are you?" She could barely hear his whisper.
"Me? Yeah, of course. I'm fine. Why?"
He sighed very heavily and looked away from her at his hands in his lap.
"I need t tell you something… And I hope that you will forgive me."
"Forgive you? But…"
He looked back at her and she quieted.
"Please Nymphadora, just let me say what I need to say and then if you wish I will never bother you again."
She opened her mouth to protest but his eyes pleaded with her. She closed her mouth and nodded.
"Last night… I'm sorry Nymphadora… I wasn't in control but that isn't an excuse…"
She staid silent waiting for his explanation to continue.
"You must understand, when I transformed all of my instincts were purely animal. When I saw you as a wolf… I…" He faltered and took a deep breath to steady himself.
"I marked you last night. And that mark remains." He told her and he brought his hand to the side of her neck and traced the crescent shaped scar that marred her skin.
She shivered at his touch, but not in a bad way.
"I don't understand Remus. Does that mean that I will become a werewolf?"
She didn't sound frightened, maybe a slight bit hopeful, but mostly curious.
He shook his head.
"You were in your animagus form. My venom would not affect you in that respect."
"In that respect?" Why did he sound so foreboding just now?
"Werewolves are not much different from wolves when we are transformed. The only real difference is our size and the fact that the werewolf will turn back into a human. All other aspects apply to both species."
"I already know that Remus." Why was he telling her this?
"Males mark their mates Nymphadora."
Her turquoise eyes became fixed on his golden ones.
"So the mark on my neck….?" She absentmindedly placed her hand on the scar and he nodded.
She was silent for a few moments. He thought she would start screaming at him.
"Well, it's not such a big deal. No harm done really." She smiled at him.
Oh Merlin! How could she still be smiling! And he hadn't told her everything yet.
"Nym…" She cut him off.
"Hey, it's not like you hurt me so don't look so sad."
"I still have to tell you something."
He sounded worried.
"Al…all right."
His face darkened and looked far too solemn. Something was wrong.
He had figured out why her scent had changed. Normally in her human form she smelled strongly of roses and coconut. An odd combination that was unique to her. Now her scent was altered. He could still smell the roses and coconut but now another smell was there as well. Hazelnut mixed with rain- his scent.
"In your wolf form you were… very enticing to me, to put it mildly. Your scent was quite literally overpowering. And I don't say that to insult you. You have a very pleasant scent." He didn't want her to think that she stunk because she didn't.
She nodded dumbly, not knowing how else to respond.
"It wasn't until after I marked you and saw your blood that I regained some of my senses. I don't know why that was, but I am grateful. I don't even want to fathom the harm I could have caused you had some of my sense not returned. I noticed your scent anew and that was when I moved away from you to the corner. I needed to distance myself from you. I didn't want to give into my wolf instincts."
He was beating around the bush. He needed to tell her but he didn't want to. He didn't want to face her afterwards.
She sensed that he was hesitant and placed her hands on his.
He looked up at her and she smiled at him.
"You can tell me Remus. I promise I won't hate you." She smiled.
He sincerely doubted that she would keep that promise.
"Your scent's changed since last night… Last night you were in heat and now…"
"And now what? I'm pregnant?" She laughed.
His eyes locked with hers.
Oh shit! Wrong joke.
"I-I'm p-pr-pregnant?" She whispered.
"I'm so sorry Nymphadora. I didn't mean for any of this to happen."
She looked at his face and could see tears forming in his eyes.
She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him to her.
His eyes widened and he stared down at her. Why was she hugging him?
"Don't. Don't be sorry." Her hold on him increased as though she were trying to hold onto him for dear life.
"But Nym…"
"No regrets, remember? I don't have any regrets."
She pulled back a little and smiled up at him, a smile that reached her turquoise eyes.
He shook his head at her.
"You should be furious. Essentially, I raped you and you conceived a child because of it."
"You did no such thing Remus. I could have left any time, if I had wanted to. No one forced me to stay and you didn't force me to do anything I didn't want to do."
"You wanted….?"
She nodded.
"Are you out of your mind?" It was harsh but he couldn't help it. What the hell had she been thinking?
She gave him a small grin.
"Would you ask me that if I said that I loved you?"
His eyes locked with hers at her words.
"Is that why you staid last night?"
She shook her head.
"I staid because you are my friend. Everything after was because I love you."
His heart panged again. She loved him. Honestly loved him.
Before he realized what he was doing, he had pulled her into another hug, this time enveloping her in his arms.
"Why?" He whispered.
"Love knows no rhyme or reason. And I'm glad it doesn't." She whispered back.
When they pulled away from each other she frowned.
"Nymphadora?"
"I don't understand it. I mean I know how conception is supposed to work, but…."
"Wondering how you're pregnant in human form when you conceived in animagus form?"
She nodded.
"I believe the answer to that lies in the fact that you are a metamorphmagus."
She nodded. It made sense and was enough of an answer. She really didn't want to try to wrap her brain around a complicated theory.
She laughed and ran her fingers through her hair.
"Quiet a morning, huh?" She grinned.
"Nymphadora, we still need to talk."
"About what?"
"The pregnancy."
"What about it?"
"You don't have to... You're still young and…"
"Finish that sentence and I'll hex you."
She wasn't joking.
"Surely you don't want…"
"Surely I do! And nothing you say will make me change my mind."
He shook his head and grinned despite himself.
Her mind was made up and it was a bit of a relief. She wouldn't give the child away and she definitely wouldn't find a way to abort the pregnancy.
"I won't try then. But I would like to ask you one more question, if I may?"
"Shoot."
His golden eyes looked at her and he brushed a lock of hair behind her ear.
"Did you know that werewolves mate for life?"
"Really?" She sounded hopeful again. Could he be asking what she thought he was asking?
"Really." He smiled.
She leaned up and kissed him, taking him by surprise. He returned the kiss before pulling back to look at her.
"I love you."
Her heart fluttered and tears welled in her eyes.
"Nym, what's the matter?"
"Now I definitely have no regrets." She smiled before pulling him into another, deeper kiss.
A/N: Just something I had to get out of my system that popped into my twisted little brain a few nights ago. I like the end result and the fact that this is a one-shot it makes things so much easier!
