Tonks Wins Her Battle

AN: I do not own any of the characters in the story, I am just borrowing them for a little while for my own pleasure, and that of any readers. There will also be some implied sexual content, but nothing outside the pg-13 level. Please review! they make my day:)

Nymphadora Tonks stood in the hospital wing with her cheeks burning with embarrassment. She had destroyed everything—she had confronted Remus in the most public place possible, and he turned her down…again! The others had stood up for her, telling Remus that he was being ridiculous, but he still rejected her. She was fighting to keep the tears controlled, and knowing that she could no longer, she muttered an apology and ran out of the room. The corridor was dark, so she could not see where she was going, but she was so drunk with emotion, she hardly cared. She hit a wall and fell hard on the ground, and stayed there, crying hysterically.

"Dumbledore's dead, Remus must hate me, all the hope in the world is gone…what's the point of even going on?"

"I'm disappointed in you Tonks, you're usually so optimistic." Lupin stood behind her and spoke, scaring Tonks as she had not heard him walk up.

"Don't look at me Remus, I am a disgrace." Tonks kept her head bent low, looking at the hard floor.

Lupin knelt down to her level and put a comforting arm around her. "Even when you're crying, you're still as beautiful as ever." He whispered in her ear.

"Then why won't you just accept that I love you Remus?"

Remus sighed. "This is too public a place, let's walk to the willow, there will be no students outdoors and with all the Death Eaters gone, it is bound to be quiet. Besides, we should probably check just in case some are sticking around…" He helped Tonks to her feet, and kept his arm around her, allowing her to hide her tear-stained and red face in his shoulder. They walked slowly and in silence until they got outside, then Remus began to speak softly.

"I have told you over and over, I am not worthy of you. I am so much older than you, I am poor…I can't even afford to care for myself, how would I care for a wife? I turn into a monster during the full moon of every month, I am capable of killing if I don't take the Wolfsbane potion. You claim to not care that I could murder you every month, and I believe you, seeing as I've known you all this time and you consistently take risks for the sake of the Order. I respect that about you Tonks. You're passionate. You could make another man very happy, why should I burden you with me? But you're not happy anymore. I've scarcely seen you smile since the department of mysteries last year, and I know it is my fault. It breaks me to see you so sad." Lupin kicked at a pebble on the ground. "So, I guess I'm saying that if you want me, I shouldn't be denying you any longer. I hope you know what you are getting into…and I love you. I always have Tonks, and I always will."

Tonks had stopped walking. She stood still, and it took Lupin a minute to realize that she was not walking with him anymore.

"What is the matter Tonks?" He turned around to see Tonks grinning. She ran and jumped towards him, and Lupin caught her in his arms. He cradled her close to his chest, and Tonks interlocked her hands behind his neck.

"My wolf-prince, where are we headed?" Tonks whispered in his ear.

"Erm, well we were heading to the willow, I suppose we could spend the night in the shrieking shack, or we could walk into town and get hotel rooms for the night…"

"I like the idea of the shrieking shack."

"Whatever you say honey, to the shrieking shack we go."

Lupin carried Tonks to the willow, used his wand to send a spark at the knot, stopping the tree and allowing them to enter the hidden passage. He put opened the door at the end, and they were inside the shack. It smelled musty, and there was a thick layer of dust on top of everything. Tonks took her wand, muttered "lumos", so they had a light. He put Tonks down on the bed, with her legs draped over the end of the bed, and leaned over in between them. He kissed her, full of passion and longing, with Tonks kissing him back with equal passion. The pain of the last year was slowly dissipating between them. Lupin looked up at her hair, and realizing it had once again turned bubblegum pink, abruptly ended the kiss.

"What is wrong Remus?" Tonks asked, concerned.

Remus reached over and ran his fingers through her hair. "It's pink again" he murmured. At that moment, he lost his balance, and fell on top of her, with his right hand flat on the bed. Tonks laughed, and threw her arms around his neck and held him. Remus looked worried.

"Tonks, I never realized how dusty it was on this bed. It must not be comfortable. It is not only filthy on the bed, but everywhere else in the room. You don't want our first time together to be in a place like this do you? Let me clean it up." Lupin reached for his wand, but Tonks stopped him.

"Remus, it may be dirty and it may not be what I imagined our first time being, but that doesn't matter. All the dust and dirt…it is as if time stopped here. Right now, the world is in such a sorry state, but we are inside here and we are happy, it is as if time has stopped in here. If you don't mind, let's keep it this way."

Remus gave an understanding nod, and returned his lips to Tonks'.

Their first night together was passionate, and everything Tonks had dreamed about. They lay underneath the sheets, Lupin holding Tonks in his arms, with Tonks resting her head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat.

"Tonks…."

"Yes Remus" Tonks replied dreamily.

"Marry me." He whispered.

Tonks smiled, and tears welled up in her eyes. She lifted her head up, nodded her head, and kissed Lupin thoroughly on the mouth. Lupin pulled her down onto him, and rolled on top of her. The night was still young, but there was not much sleep to be had by either of them. Neither thought about what lay ahead, the thought of Dumbledore's funeral, the great war, everything was too depressing for that one evening. Their night in the shrieking shack was an escape, a joining of two souls into one, both physically and mentally. They did not know it yet, but their wedding was a mere three weeks away, a quick and quiet wedding with only Mad-Eye and her parents attending. To them, all that mattered was each other, and the newly requited love they shared.