Yoo hoo! I'm finally back with the fifth chapter! Exams are finally over… here comes two months of not having to study! cheers sorry for not updating so long… and thanks for all the wonderful reviews! (quick acknowledgements at the bottom of the page, as usual) anyway, just sit back, relax, grab a bar of chocolate and read the fifth chapter! And review!

As with most fine things, chocolate has its season. There is a simple memory aid that you can use to determine whether it is the correct time to order chocolate dishes: any month whose name contains the letter A, E, or U is the proper time for chocolate. - Sandra Boynton

About an hour had passed since the pair had gone upstage and "flaunted" their costumes. Now that they were backstage, waiting for everyone to finish and for the results to be announced, Tonks could not stop talking.

"Do you think we'll win? The next few pairs were quite lousy compared to us, weren't they? Especially that one that wore costumes made up of plastic bags… have you seen anything dumber? But I we didn't get to see all the contestants… what if there's someone really good? I really want to win, Remus!"

Lupin sighed. "We might not be first, but there's still a second, a third and three consolation prizes, Tonks," he explained patiently, "we do have a chance of winning those. Don't worry too much, what's done is done. Besides, we don't even know what the prizes are. They might not be any good."

Tonks shrugged. "It's fun to win."

Lupin just smiled. Sometimes, Tonks really acted younger than her age.

Just then, a voice blared from the speakers: "All contestants please gather onstage! The results will be announced shortly."

"Ooooooooooooh!" Tonks squealed. She looked at Lupin. "It's time!"

The Pill twins, who had been hiding in a changing room gossiping, suddenly dashed out, giggling. Lupin noticed that what they were wearing were almost as bad as their costumes. Short mini skirts that only just covered their butts, and tank tops that made them look like they were wrapped up in spellotape. Tonks frowned slightly, and the pair followed them.

The stage was crowded with all the contestants, whispering and giggling nervously. Tonks and Lupin hid at the back. "So it won't be so humiliating if we lose." Tonks whispered.

"Ok, everybody," Madam Curvy announced, walking upstage. She had changed her costume to the one she had worn in the advertisement – the one made of diamonds. People "oohed" and "ahhed" when she pranced upstage.

"The verdict is out, and we've got the winners," Madam Curvy said, waving a pink envelope about. "But first, I'm going to tell everyone here what the winners get!"

"Each consolation winner will get a nice food hamper, sponsored by Honeydukes. The second runner-up will get the food hamper, free reservations at a restaurant in Hogsmeade – Madam Puddifoot's, and besides that, fifty galleons! The runner-up will get the hamper, the reservations and eighty galleons, and best of all, the champions will win free two-way tickets to lovely Italy, where they will enjoy an enchanting exchange programme with a host family of wizards and witches there, and a hundred galleons."

"The first prize sounds wonderful," Tonks whispered. "It's so much better compared to the others… I do hope we're the champions."

"We'll see," Lupin whispered.

"Okay, for our three consolation winners, we have old Mr and Mrs Smithies, with their ingenious costumes made of buttercorks, Miss. Twain and her boyfriend Mr. Johnson, with their lovely costumes made of gum wrappers, and last but not least, newly-weds Mr and Mrs. Olivers with their costumes made of old ticket stubs! Please come forward!"

The three pairs made their way over to Madam Curvy and accepted their food hampers.

"And now… for the second runner-up…"

Lupin suddenly realised that Tonks was clutching tightly onto her hand. She was biting her lips and looked awfully nervous. This competition must mean a lot to her, he thought. He squeezed her hand slightly to make her feel better. She turned and gave him a tiny smile.

"We have best friends Janet Wakely and Miranda Brown for their wonderful costumes made of plastic bags!"

"What? They won third!" Tonks hissed in Lupin's ear as the pair went forward, beaming, to take their prizes. "Gosh, I wonder who the judge is."

"For the runner-up, we have…"

Tonks took a deep breathe.

"Good friends Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks, with their adorable chocolate costumes!"

"That's us, Tonks!" Lupin whispered. He glanced at her. She looked slightly disappointed.

"I was hoping we could be first." She whispered back.

Lupin shook his head. The two went forward and took their prizes. As Lupin took the food hamper, he noticed a huge packet of orange-flavoured Honeydukes chocolate in it and groaned inwardly.

The two went back to their original positions – the contestants were supposed to stay onstage until all the results were announced.

"And, of course, for our champions, we have the beautiful Pill twins with their most lovely ice costumes!"

"What!" Tonks shrieked, horrified as the pair danced forward, giggling and waving as the audience cheered and whistled. "How could they win? Augh, they made me so mad!"

Lupin laughed. "Calm down, Tonks."

"I bet the judges are all men. Lecherous, fat dirty old men." She hissed venomously.

"And that's the end of our competition. If you have time, do come inside and have a look at my boutique!" Madam Curvy called.

Tonks and Lupin went off slowly, holding their prizes.

Tonks waved an envelope which contained their reservations for the restaurant. "the reservation's on next Sunday evening." She told Lupin. "You free then?"

Lupin thought for a moment. Sometimes he had to work extra for the ministry on weekends, but after a while he remember that Arthur Weasley was taking the Sunday shift next week. "Yep, I am." He replied.

"Great! So we can go then. I've never gone to Madam Puddifoot's before, I wonder how it's like."

Lupin smiled. "It's…" but he trailed off when he saw Snape. He had just stepped out of the Apothecary, holding a bagful of items. He looked up, saw the pair with their prizes and smirked. Luckily he did not stop to chat, but left right after that.

"He's weird, I think," Tonks said quietly. "I never know what's going through his mind."

"I don't bother about him." Lupin said. "He minds his business, I mind my own."

The two headed home, making two pairs of footprints in the milk-white snow.

abcd

Tonks and Lupin were in Lupin's bedroom. They had decided that the best thing to get rid of the egg was to break it into small pieces and put them into containers, and then give them as presents to their friends. But it was a long, tedious process; they had only filled about three containers, and the egg was still huge, imposing and taking up the majority of the space in Lupin's room.

"And now, besides this egg, we still have this huge honeydukes hamper to finish off," Tonks sighed. She pulled a Sugar Quill out of the hamper. "Gee, I remember Flitwick catching me use this before in class, back when I was in Hogwarts." She peeled off the wrapper and began sucking on it.

"And I wonder whose fault it is that we have all these junk?" Lupin asked. He waved his wand and chunks of chocolate broke off from the egg, and into the container he was holding.

"Oh, come on!" Tonks cried. "Where's your sense of adventure? Ok, I admit it's a bit troublesome now, but I do believe the rest of it was fun. Like making Sirius those chocolate stuff. It was great."

"Yeah, that was," Lupin agreed.

Just then, there was a knock on the door and Mrs. Weasley came into the room.

"Hello, dears," she said, smiling at them. "I've got something to tell you. It's Ron's birthday two weeks from now; he'll be back in time for it as it falls nicely at the start of the Christmas holidays; and as Arthur has gotten a little bonus in last month's pay, we've decided to throw him a birthday party!"

"That's great!" Tonks said.

"Yes, it is. We've decided to hold it here, in this house. Harry suggested it, you know; it's for Sirius's sake, we thought he'd like the company."

"That's a wonderful idea," Lupin said, "I'm sure Sirius will enjoy our company."

"Well, it's on the Friday two weeks from now. Do try to turn up, Ron will definetly want you two at the party; and I'm sure Harry and Hermione feel the same."

"Sure, we'll turn up." Lupin said. Mrs. Weasley smiled and left the room, l closing the door behind her.

"I wonder what Ron will like for his birthday." Lupin mused.

Tonks's eyes twinkled suddenly. She turned and looked at the egg, and then at Lupin. "I've just got a wonderful idea…"

TBC

Ok, end of chapter! Hope you liked it! I was planning to include a short exchange between Lupin and Snape, but decided against it in the end. Hope those that were expecting some heated argument don't mind… I might add Snape in later chapters! For some reason I don't feel like making Snape talk yet, haha! Not much LupinTonks yet, but next chapter will consist of Lupin and Tonks's dinner at Puddifoot's (big grin) and preparation for Ron's present. Sirius will join in the fun!

Anyway, do review this chapter:D

And thanks to thehpgang, Lolita Haze, hawkerstand(Can't put your whole email or it doesn't appear at all, sorry. What's tYt? Hehheh.), LyssaTucci(yes I agree, chocolate is the best!), notoriousreviewer, Carnivalgirl, SilverStar24, lupinsmoon12391(Sorry for the long lack of update… haha, but here's this chapter for you!), kessypegssy, Sweetdeath04, chaotic pink chocobo, goldpen(thanks for the correction. :) Snape didn't do much in the end, I guess!), Cassandera, Yoshimi Minamino, WildBlackWolf and Viva(very big) funkymunky1528, Ari-Griffin, Commander Zucchini, TicTacTurtle, prettypatty, Tonks moonlight, Unwanted Red Roses, mercutio-rane, lovehpmariyanaabv.bg, Evil Shall Giggle and Princesstphanie. Thanks a zillion. :D