Disclaimer: I own no rights for Harry Potter…and yes, it is sad for all of us out there who want it. I also don't own the magic healing power to rid myself of a cold. And that disappoints me immensely.
About the Story: You've probably read the first chapter…and now here's a second one! Typed and finished in September…and only now posted. Sorry!! (I wasn't sure if I wanted to continue, and have just now come to my senses and give our lovely pairing a happy ending.)
Please Enjoy!!
Mrs. Weasley tiptoed to the sitting room where the sorrowful scene took place just hours earlier, not seeing either Tonks or Remus since then. It was now three hours past the incident and Mrs. Weasley, after talking quietly to the curiously depressed teenagers that needed to know what was going on, wanted to check up on the poor witch obviously in pieces.
The door pushed open with a small creak and the older woman found the scene exactly as she left it – the shattered cup, the upturned chair, papers everywhere, and the small woman still crumpled helplessly on the floor. The tears had stopped flowing, yet the tracks of salty tears were still apparent on the beautiful face.
Timidly, quietly, Molly entered the room and after a few short paces pressed her knees to the cold wooden floor beside Nymphadora and just looked at her. Minutes soared by without any indication from Nymphadora that Molly was there, beside her, trying to think of ways to comfort her that would inevitably fail. Molly placed a warm and slightly calloused hand on the younger girl's clothed shoulder and picked up a slight flinching in her face, made very evident by the soft glow from the fainting fire.
"…Tonks…" She started quietly, and went on after nothing. "Tonks, dear, I think it's time to get up from the floor – it's been hours now and there is tea brewing."
Still nothing.
"Dear…Tonks?"
"…he left me…"
It was said in a very quiet voice that Molly could not have heard it if she had been breathing louder or the fire actually roaring.
"He left me…and he hasn't come back…he isn't coming back…" With a dry sob she talked a little louder. "He's not coming back…Remus isn't coming back…"
To her own surprise tears leaked from her eyes and down her pale face, making fresh tracks of tears to make her sorrows known to the world. Molly gently wrapped her arms around the quaking shoulders and tenderly pulled Nymphadora to her feet, feeling the young witch lean heavily on her for much needed support.
Together they made their way to the kitchen where, like Molly promised, tea was brewing and a comfortable fire was stirring in the hearth, and the elder of the two sat the emotionally drained woman in a chair, where she stared into nothingness until a cup of steaming tea was placed in front of her.
Nymphadora looked up when Molly sat across from her and gauged her reaction sadly when the other looked at the gash on her cheek with bewilderment.
"Tonks…w-what happened to your face?"
No noise was heard besides the crackling fire as minute after minute passed in silence, a tense Molly waiting for a response and a reluctant to be there Tonks. Tears welled up as the answer slipped out of Nymphadora's mouth as water would from a pitcher.
"Remus."
A split second later her delicate hands were waving in front of her, urging an outraged Mrs. Weasley to sit down, who had leapt up in surprise and mild anger when the answer was provided. Wearily she plopped into her chair and crossed her arms, waiting for an explanation as to why she shouldn't murder Remus in plain sight of muggles and leave him for the other werewolves.
"Molly – I promise, I swear – that he didn't mean to do it. It was my fault that he blames himself for. Please, let me explain."
Though she was actually talking, her small voice was hollow…void of all emotion and want to talk about anything that pertained to her and her beloved. By now both untouched teas were tepid in touch and unwelcome on the cold surface of the wooden table which held more than forgotten paper and dirty glasses.
Heaving a rather large sigh Nymphadora licked her parched lips and began to tell her story.
"It's nothing glamorous, Molly. Nothing terribly horrendous or exciting – actually, it's stupidity on my part because I entered his room on the full moon night and he wasn't himself and I did come in rather noisily so in his animal state he couldn't control himself and he…"
For the second time that night the poor witch sobbed uncontrollably and helplessly into her small hands, finding no solace in them. Molly nodded her head, trying to decipher what all the girl had said when she spoken quite quickly and not all to clearly.
"So Tonks dear, stop me if I get this wrong."
Molly's face was one of impassive judgment as she summed up what had happened in a much clearer and confident, compassionate tone. In conclusion to the tale the older woman looked to the girl across from her at the worn table and awaited for a confirming nod, sighing when she was given the tired head inclination.
Taking a deep breath Molly persisted in her wondering interpretations of tonight's sorrowful events.
"But what transpired earlier in the sitting room? I'm sure Remus knew it was a mistake – he knows it was an honest mistake, doesn't he?"
Her pertinacious questions eased the bruised Nymphadora to remove her hands and peer directly into her concerned face.
"I…I tried telling him that it was my fault…but he didn't listen. All he could do was stare at the cut on my face and ask me again and again why I hadn't told him earlier – "
"And why didn't you tell him earlier? Tonks, how did you manage to hide this mark for two weeks now without anyone noticing?"
Nymphadora let out a dry, empty laugh.
"I was never good at household spells, but I'm a master at concealing charms. And so that's what I've done, every day since that night, wake up and renew a charm that made it look as Remus had never struck me. Except tonight, I grew weary and apparently forgot that I hadn't renewed it…so when Remus found me in the sitting room reading, and saw my face, of course his first reaction was to question me and demand to know what had happened."
Her voice was becoming stronger yet softer by the minutes as her account continued to spin.
"So I told him. At the start of our relationship I told him I would never lie to him, and I held strong to that promise as his face took on a look of surprise and regret, hate and sorrow – so many emotions all at one time. And all for himself. He cut me off and started frantically yelling…scared out of his mind…saying things like how foolish he was for not leaving the house on the full moon and why he had let himself fall in love…"
Molly didn't know what to say. All she could do was relay to her empty reassurances that may not ever come true to someone who knew that they never would.
"Molly - "
Nymphadora's eyes locked onto the sympathetic ones across from her.
"I don't think he'll forgive himself. I don't think he's coming back."
Sorry (like, really) for the basically 6 month of nothing…but Senioritis and papers and spur of the moment friend outings have left me high and dry in the fan fiction posting and updating ring. I wish to remedy this, and will be adding one, maybe two (probably just one though) chapter/s after this one to make this a happy ending story.
Tid Bit Information Time!
Pixie Stix and pop keep you going for a LLLOOONNNNNNG time.
Love to All,
Kat³
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