AN - Thank you so much for all the reviews! You are all lovely. Though it is the height of summer, it has been grey, rainy and cold here recently, feeling much more like Christmas than summer! I wish I was having as lovely a time as Tonks :D Hope you enjoy this chapter... :)

Chapter Ten - Friendly lulls and other more niche silences.

Tonks ran, willing her legs to carry her. Looking behind, she worried they might be gaining ground. It was slippery underfoot, but her favourite boots were doing her proud. The freezing December air burned as she gulped in another breath, her chest constricting at the cold. She couldn't let them, wouldn't let them catch her. The light was fading fast, though it was still only late afternoon. Tonks focused. Not allowing herself to be overcome by their proximity, taller by far, gaining on her with every second. Tonks had something they did not - All of her Auror training. The fitness tests she'd trained for over and over, the agility training she had barely scraped through and the speed and strength she'd developed as Mad had made her repeat training exercises repeatedly until he felt she had completed them to perfection. Imaging the look on Moody's face if she didn't make it, she dug deep and sprinted up the last of the hill. Panting wildly, she whipped around to see if the coast was clear –

"I won! I won! No washing up for me!" Tonks jumped up and down and punched the air in celebration. Admitting defeat was not in the DNA of a Weasley and so Tonks watched as mops of red hair bounded up towards her, one slipped in the snow but got up and carried on until both reached the top, panting and gasping for air.

"You must, must… have cheated! How didn't you, you, you fall in the snow? You always fall?" Fred puffed out each word in between desperately inhaling a lungful of painfully cold air.

"Fred, I'm an Auror. Was there every any doubt that I'd be the first to make it up the hill? I hope you two aren't going to be sore losers. A deal is a deal."

A cough from behind her made Tonks turn, "Your assumption that you were first is I'm afraid unequivocally incorrect."

George pointed at Remus, "Cheat! Another cheat! There is no way you beat up here! I didn't even see you running anywhere near us. I assumed you'd given up or were walking. Mum would probably never accept your offer to wash up anyway, even though you could do it with magic."

Remus chuckled, "Tonks could use magic too."

George shook his head, "Nah, Mum won't let her, not after the great china loss of 1989."

Tonks swirled around and fixed the twins with her best, most intimidating Auror stare, "which we all agreed not to discuss, ever again."

The twins looking suitably abated, Tonks turned her attention back to Remus. "I'm sorry. You're saying you were first up the hill?"

Remus smiled, a smile that almost looked a little smug, "Yes. I was."

Tonks shook her head adamantly, "No, I was here first. I would have seen you running ahead of me."

Tonks found as Remus shook his head and began to correct her, that she couldn't decide whether she currently found him incredibly attractive, or ridiculously annoying. She settled on a combination of the two. He explained that he had taken a longer way round, but one which had a much slighter incline up the hill, allowing him to gain an advantage over the others and arrive first on the top of the hill, where he had watched for a few minutes until Tonks arrived, shortly followed by the twins.

"There was never a way I was going to beat all three of you in a straight race, " Tonks noticed the smugness in his eyes and knew he was about to say something infuriating, "But, clearly I can outsmart you."

Tonks nodded, "Mmm and how amazing that in your victory, you have also been able to remain so humble."

Remus laughed, "Well I certainly couldn't have come first without the three of you holding up the losing end of the race, so really it was a team effort."

Tonks couldn't help but smile, even when being boastful, he was so incredibly handsome and charming.

"Professor Lupin! I never had you down as a poor winner. A poor loser I could have understood…"

Remus shrugged, "I blame my formative years George. My schools friends, James in particular, loved making everything into a bet or a game and I never won, not for our first six years at Hogwarts, finally in our finally year, I did win, several times in a row. Then and now, I'm man enough to admit that sometimes the thrill of my victory overshadows any sportsman like behaviour I might usually exhibit."

Fred snorted, "That was a bloody fancy, long winded way of agreeing, you're a poor winner!"

Remus' grin Tonks noted, reached from ear to ear, "Doesn't detract from the fact that I won though does it."

After a few more rounds of discussions as to whether the route was implicit in the original bet, therefore disqualifying Remus, the group slowly began to make their way back to the Burrow.

The twins ran down the hill ahead, though Tonks' sturdy Auror boots had carried her steadily up the hill, she didn't trust any pair of footwork to carry her down a snow-covered hill without her falling flat on her arse.

It wasn't until the twins were far enough away not to be able to hear anything said between Remus and herself that Tonks realised, they'd been walking in silence for quite some time.

Was it a comfortable silence, the kind that can lull unobtrusively between two friends or was it the kind that came from completely bungling up when someone you only just met, but had already nearly kissed twice, tells you they are a werewolf? It was hard to tell if it was the latter, as it was a particularly niche situation to be in and therefore, not one Tonks had found herself in before.

Though she'd been able to say to Remus later, what she had wished to say in the moment, she knew that though he'd been kind enough to allow her a do-over, that first reaction, would always be imprinted on his brain. She had been on the other side of that discussion, sharing something about yourself, never knowing, no matter how well or little you are acquainted with the person, how they will react.

Since Molly had interrupted them and basically sent them to bed, there had been no opportunities to reinforce to him that his admission changed nothing. She hoped he believed that, and they could continue… or start whatever it was that was developing between them.

Tonks had met a few werewolves in her time at the ministry, some had been lovely, ordinary people who had been the unluckiest victims and were now cursed to live a life of scorn from the wizarding world. Some had been fowl, barbaric creatures – whether in human or wolf form.

That was the greatest strength being a metamorphmagus had given Tonks, not the ability to change her appearance immediately and at will, but empathy, the understanding that someone's outer shell bared no information as to their character. Tonks had frustratingly had the same conversations with many of her colleagues over the past few years – the werewolves they arrested who were undoubtedly bad, weren't bad because they were werewolves, had they never been bitten, they would likely still have been dark wizards – the many peaceful, kind werewolves they also met surely proved that? Some of her team agreed, others still held deep rooted prejudices that once bitten, any wizard who become a werewolf was a monster all month round and no longer to be trusted.

"Are you mad at me too? Look, I really didn't think it was cheating…"

Tonks had been so lost in thought she jumped a little at the sound of Remus' voice. "Huh? Oh, no I'm not mad at you. Are you really going to make them wash up without magic?"

Remus smiled and nudged her shoulder, "You could always help them with a spell – oh the 1989 china disaster… sorry, I forgot."

Tonks stuck her tongue out at Remus, "Must be your advanced age." Remus imitated her gesture.

"I'm good at lots of things ok, even cleaning spells! I just don't have much finesse with them, which it turns out, with delicate china, you really need."

Tonks wasn't sure whether it was wishful thinking or whether Remus had moved, and the pair were now walking much closer together.

The pair could see Fred and George just up ahead, calmly walking back to the Burrow until one of them, from this distance it was impossible to tell who was who, threw a snowball at the other, thus starting a war.

Tonks and Remus continued to walk in silence. This time Tonks decided that for her at least, it was not a comfortable silence. There was so much she wanted to say to him, to clarify, to ask, to answer; but more than anything she wanted to kiss him. They had almost had the perfect moment so many times already for such a short acquaintance, but with so many Weasley's around, Tonks worried they'd never find any time alone.

Still she wanted to let Remus know that she had meant what she'd said the night before. That him telling her he was a werewolf had changed nothing for her, except if things went well between them, she'd definitely pay more attention to the phases of the moon. Usually a woman of many words, Tonks felt an overwhelming surety that what Remus needed to convince him of her acceptance was action.

Avoiding a particularly nasty looking iced over puddle on the path leading back to the Burrow, Tonks was glad to see Fred and George had begun the decline towards the house, and so even if they turned around now, they wouldn't be able to see Remus or herself. As she moved deftly around the puddle, desperate to make it through an entire outing with Remus without falling over, she moved purposely much closer to him, the material of their winter coats swishing as they brushed against each other. Tonks focused hard. Trying to keep her gaze on the road in front of her, to fall now would be miserable. She allowed her little finger to brush his, once, twice, before she saw in her peripheral vision that he was looking at her. Taking a deep breath, she interlocked her fingers with his own.

"Tonks, I…"

Tonks felt Remus' grip on her hand loosen just slightly.

"Tonks, I like you I do but…"

Tonks risked a quick glance. Had she been too presumptuous? Perhaps his caution around kissing her had nothing to do with him being a werewolf and everything to do with her being an incredibly young, completely clumsy, garish woman.

"Remus it's okay, really. I get it, you're looking for someone older, more refined, less 'loud' in all sense of the word." Tonks concentrated back on the road in front of her and tried to sound cheery. She still had a few days left in the same house as Remus, the last thing she wanted was to make him feel awkward. Remus' squeeze of her hand made her look back up at him.

"Are you joking?"

Remus stopped walking, their hands breaking apart, he placed his on the small of Tonks' back and turned her to face him.

"I couldn't hope to find anyone more refined, funny, charming and" Tonks smiled as a blush flushed up from under his scarf up to his cheeks, "absolutely beautiful. Which is why this makes no sense…"

Tonks thought she knew exactly what Remus was getting at, but she wanted to hear him say it, so she could tell him how ridiculous it was. "What?"

Remus scoffed, "You, wanting to hold my hand. Being happy to spend him with me. Not running screaming when I keep trying and failing to kiss you."

Tonks laughed, "To be fair, the Weasley's have been exceptionally good at foiling our plans to kiss thus far, so I wouldn't take that failure on yourself."

Tonks stepped into Remus slighted, whose hand settled on her waist. "Tonks be serious. I… I don't do flings or casual or whatever you people are calling it these days."

Tonks gawked at the ridiculous but wonderful man stood in front of her, looking so bloody handsome, with his sandy brown flop of hair falling over his eyes and the fleckles of grey highlighting his beautifully green eyes.

Remus squeezed her hip and continued, "Doesn't it bother you?"

Tonks shrugged, "What?" She knew she was being particularly obtuse, but she felt if they were going to get anywhere, Remus needed to say it.

"The age difference? Wouldn't you rather be with someone who wants to go to the discotheque with you?"

That hadn't been what Tonks was expecting. "The discotheque? Remus – you're 33 not 50! You know it's a nightclub, besides, I've never been into clubs, too loud. I prefer to chat. Pubs with or without a nice live band are more my speed." She could see Remus already had another reason ready to go.

"But people will talk. Won't that bother you? What will your parents think about you dating someone more than a decade older than you?"

Tonks snorted, "You've met my Mother. I think a – she'd jump for joy at the notion of me dating anyone and 2 - if that someone happened to be a kind, caring, intellectual who could not only string a few sentences together but actually hold his own in conversing about pretty much anything; she might actually cartwheel through the garden."

Tonks saw Remus readying his next concern, "You mixed your listing references."

Tonks brow furrowed and the right side of her lip curled up as she said, "Aye?"

"You started with a – then on your second point you used 2…" Tonks assumed the amused but unapologetic look on her face was what convinced Remus to moved on quickly, "What about other people, your friends, your colleagues, when people see us together…"

Tonks interrupted him, taking the hand that wasn't still squeezing her hip, giving her the knowledge that his lists of reasons weren't excuses to hide the fact that he didn't want to be with her, but just a list of concerns to bury the lead… "Does the array of hair colours and outfits I've sported in the short time we've known each other suggest that I care what other people may think of the decisions I make?"

Remus faltered, "Well no but…"

Tonks interrupted him again, "And if I care that little about what they think of trivial things such as hair and clothes, I'm sure you can imagine just how much of a rats arse, I don't give about their thoughts relating to bigger life decisions, like who I spend my time with, or date."

Remus smiled just a little, "Yeah, I can see that being the case actually. I like that about you."

Tonks could see Remus' resolve fading away, the list of reasons he had expected to push her away without having to get to the one he truly thought was insurmountable.

"But none of those things are really why you think it weird I'd want to date you are they?"

Remus looked over Tonk's shoulder. She wanted to blurt it out, that she didn't care! She wanted to end the torture he was clearly putting himself through, but she knew he needed to be the one to bring it up.

"Remus, what's the real thing you think would bother me?"

Remus closed his eyes for a second. Tonks watched as he took in a steadying breath. His hand falling from her waist, back to his side.

"That you'd be cavorting with a dark creature. Spending your time with a monster. Dating a werewolf."

Tonks nodded. "I thought so. Remus, I need you to look at me and hear me when I say this." Tonks paused until Remus was looking at her. "That doesn't matter to me. It doesn't change the ruddy butterflies I get in my stomach when you look at me across the room, or how funny and charming I find you. It doesn't stop me from feeling guilty that I'm secretly always waiting for a moment that we can slip away and sit on the wall and talk, just the two of us. It doesn't change how cute you are when you use words like discotheque… I like you Remus. As you are. Exactly as you are."

Tonks took his left hand in her right. Remus looked down at their entwined fingers. "You'll change your mind." He looked at her suddenly, almost imploringly, "In a few days, once all of this has sunk in, when you've had time to think, you'll realise that you're too wonderful, have too much ahead of you to risk wasting your time on an old werewolf."

The realisation dropped in Tonks' stomach like an anchor being thrown into the depths of the sea. "Someone changed their mind, didn't they?" Remus looked down again, "Someone you cared for, they said they were fine with it, then they changed their mind?" Remus nodded and spoke very quietly.

"She said it hadn't changed how she felt about me, but she couldn't take the risk. Didn't want to…"

Tonks took a moment. No wonder he was so cautious. How could someone ever decide that dating this kind, gentle man was a risk. Tonks stepped into Remus' space. The front of her jacket pressed against his, she looked up at him, "Remus, I can't do anything to take away the hurt from that experience or say anything that will convince you that I'm not going to do the same. All I can do is be here now and tell you how I feel… or show you.

Leaning up, Tonks placed a kiss on Remus' lips. After a few seconds of hesitation, his hand took up its earlier place on her hips and he pulled her body closer, deepening the kiss just slightly. His other hand sat flat on her cheek, before sliding into her hair. Tonks slide her own hands around his neck, her fingers brushing the hair at the nape of his neck.

It was a spectacular kiss. Way better than any first kiss she'd had before…way better than any kiss she'd experienced before. Pulling away, then planting a very chaste, soft kiss on her lips, Remus lent his forehead against her own. "That was some kiss!" Tonks mouth said before it had checked with her brain. Thankfully Remus chuckled.

"You can say that again. It was so mind boggling I might need to try it again, just to really process how incredible it was."

Tonks smiled, "Well, of course, we wouldn't want to ruin your reputation as a conscientious and through Professor. But in that vein, do you think just once more will be enough to deliver conclusive results?"

Remus pulled her even closer, "You make a good point, once more will definitely not deliver enough raw data…"

Tonks arms slid down and settled on his biceps, "I assumed as much. How many data sets are we talking?"

Remus grinned, "Lots…" his head moved slowly towards Tonks', "at least a 100 I'd say."

Tonks bit her lip as she smiled, "100! That's going to take a while, probably best not to waste anymore tim…" He words were swallowed by their second kiss, which if asked, they would have both described as just as insanely good as their first.

After a few more experiments Remus pulled back and placed his forehead once more on Tonks. "I'm not sure if it's too early to be talking in this manner, so forgive me if it is, but I have to say, hearing you talk data sets and experiments and all that – was incredibly sexy."

Tonks laughed, "It isn't too early. I'll remember that Professor." She leaned up and kissed him quickly on the mouth, before stepping back and taking his hand so they could finish their walk back to the Burrow.

"Sadly, for now, I think we'll have to put the experiment on hold, if we don't get back soon, I'm pretty sure Molly will send out a search party."

As a silence descended between the pair, Tonks smiled at the certainty that this time, it was definitely a 'two people who have acknowledge they both like each other and just made out like a couple of school kids and are both processing just how good of a Christmas day it had turned out be' kind of silence. That was a silence she was happy to dwell in.

AN - I'm so grateful to those of you that take the time to comment on each chapter :) Favs, follows and reviews are always appreciated!