August 4, 1995

Nymphadora had been living at Grimmauld Place for around two and a half weeks when, one night, she heard a knock on her bedroom door. She had just gotten home from work and was already changed into comfortable clothes, ready to settle down and relax in front of the television she had taken from her parent's house the previous week. Pushing herself off the bed, huffing, she walks over to answer the door wearing a silk robe and pajama pants.

"Wotcher?"

"Cous!" Sirius exclaims, looking pleased that she had answered. "Come down to the kitchen, I have a surprise for you."

"Sirius, I was getting ready for bed."

"Do you think I care? It's Friday night, come on."

She watches him saunter down the hall and knock on Remus's door. They have a conversation similar to the one he had had with her before Remus steps out into the hallway. He was wearing glasses and an oversized sweater, a half-read book in hand. He had obviously been preparing for bed as well. Nymphadora catches his eye and they exchange confused looks. Begrudgingly, the pair follow Sirius all the way down to the kitchen. Upon arrival, he turns around, gives them a winning smile, and waves his arm to reveal three full shot glasses.

"Oh Sirius, I don't know-"

"Ah ah ah," he cuts her off. "No excuses." He hands one to each of them. "I haven't been able to black out for the past fourteen years. You two are the only other people of age living here…besides Arthur and Molly but, yanno…"

She and Remus exchange glances again.

"Together now. One, two, three!"

Against her better judgement, Nymphadora raises the shot glass to meet the other two and throws it back. She coughs, using her free hand to wipe her mouth. Assuming that was all he wanted, she turns around and makes for the stairs.

"Where do you think you're going?"

"Wasn't that it?"

"No, of course not," he replies. "I said black out, not take one shot and go to bed."

She sighs heavily but agrees to have a couple more drinks for Sirius's sake. Unknowingly, she had just made one of the most important decisions of her life.

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Time seemed to melt by faster with every drink the trio threw back. They had lost track of not only time, but how much they had all consumed. Before they all knew it, they were happily as drunk as they had been a couple weeks ago. Thankfully, this time, Nymphadora did not have such a heavy topic on her mind.

"No, no," she points at Sirius, slurring her words. "I don't believe for one-" She hiccups. "-fucking minute you're actually an animagus."

"Swear on my life!" Sirius replies. "Ever since I was fifteen…all for this git over here." He motions toward Remus.

"For the record, I never asked them to do it," Remus chuckles. "I was as shocked as anyone else."

"Watch, watch," Sirius stands, setting his glass down on the table. Suddenly, there is a large, shaggy, black dog panting where Sirius had been standing. It barks, chasing its tail before rolling over onto its belly. Remus laughs, bending down to pet it. Sirius reappears moments later, giving Nymphadora a look of I told you so.

"Alright, you proved your point," she laughs.

"It was all James, really," he starts, suddenly looking quite sad. "I'm not usually one to get emotional when I'm drunk but…damn I miss him so much."

"We all do," Remus replies, patting him comfortingly on the shoulder.

"He sounds great," Nymphadora replies. "I wish I could've known him."

Sirius sighs heavily, looking more emotional with each passing moment. "I'm heading up to bed, guys. Thanks for entertaining me."

As he shuffles away, Remus throws back the last bit of whiskey he had in his glass. They hear the door close at the top of the steps, and Nymphadora lays her head down on the table, closing her eyes.

"You ready for bed then, too?"

"Probably should."

The pair warily stand, put the empty glasses in the kitchen sink, and begin the long journey up four flights of stairs to their bedrooms. It's a slow process, interrupted by stumbling and grasping the handrails. Nymphadora may be clumsy sober, but she's even more clumsy drunk. At last, they reach the third floor. Nymphadora continues down the hall to her bedroom door, jumping when she hears a voice behind her.

"Tonks."

She turns around, grasping the door handle to steady herself. "Yeah?"

"I just wanted to tell you that you're incredibly beautiful. I've wanted to tell you that for a while now."

A laugh escapes her. She wasn't used to being called beautiful.

"Are you just trying to get a lay?"

It's his turn to laugh. "Maybe." He begins walking down the hall, meeting her right in front of her bedroom door. "What do you think?"

She takes a moment to consider before answering. "Why not?"

Almost immediately, he leans down, grabs her face with both hands, and kisses her passionately. She is taken aback by this, giggling.

"Fred and George are right there," she comments, nodding down the hall. He quickly opens the door behind her, picks her up, and carries her inside.

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The next morning, Remus is woken up by sunlight streaming in through the front windows. He wasn't used to seeing the sun in the morning – his bedroom had no windows. He rolls over to his right and suddenly remembers why he's in a room with windows. Tonks lays next to him, facing the opposite wall, her bare back and messy pink hair out in the open. He swallows, hard, remembering what had happened.

Quickly, he gets out of bed and begins to pick up his various articles of clothing that had been shed the night before. Once he was mostly dressed, save his shoes, which he carried, he quietly crept to the door. Turning around to take one last look at her sleeping figure, he cracks the door open and slips out. Thinking he could relax and was in the clear, he lets out a huge sigh and begins to walk toward his room. Suddenly, he hears someone thundering up the stairs.

"Remus!" Sirius calls. He jumps up onto the landing. He is slightly taken aback for a moment, realizing where he had been coming from. "Why were you…never mind. Don't have the time."

"What's wrong?"

"Something happened to Harry."

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