Heya Guys

The town where I live has been experiencing torrential rainfall and is flooding yet again which is good for you because it gave me time to write. So I've finally finished the 6th chapter, despite having no idea how it was going to go. Sorry again that I didn't send out teasers to those who reviewed but it really would have revealed too much. So I hope you like the end result.

(BTW – Andromeda, Tonks mother, is Sirius' first cousin that makes Tonks Sirius' second cousin not his niece like an anonymous reviewer tried to tell me.)

Anywayz as always thanx heaps to all the people who took the time to read and extra thanx to the people who left reviews that made me smile. So – Flo M Nimo, katyscarlett76, Copperboombaby8, Estelle Tiniwiel, Christy, K, heyyodude, CrystalClearElphaba444, ombrerose92, RandomSelectionUma-Thurman, cutieme012, MissPadfoot1200, ivonne910, asdefZemISHly, Death's-Razor-Blade – this one's for you.

Chapter 6 - Moment of Truth

The air in the tiny pantry cupboard grew heated and tense and my breathing grew shallow as we stood, closer than ever before, and continued our fevered stare. His gaze was so intense and the look in his eyes so passionate, that I began to feel as though he could see inside to my very core, to my very soul. I steadily grew unsure and self-conscious under his unwavering gaze but I was too afraid to look away, too afraid to break the moment and end this unyielding connection we seem to have developed. My heart was beating so hard against my chest that I was sure Remus must've been able to hear it, I was vaguely aware that I could feel his own heartbeat beneath my palms, which still rested on his chest.

All these feelings, however, where dismal in comparison to the tingles I felt when his palms slid down from my waist to rest on my hips. My shirt had ridden up and left a small expanse of skin between it and the top of my low-rise jeans and when Remus' hands rested on the warm skin of my naked hips, I began to melt. I immediately felt a jolt of electricity as the rough callused skin of his palms met my own soft skin and I had to struggle to keep from letting out a strong gasp at the simple pleasure of his heated skin on mine.

I'd become so used to the light pressure of his hands on my hips, that when he removed one hand I foolishly let out a whimper of disappointment. Remus had obviously heard my strangled cry because his face broke into a sort of crooked smile as he brought his hand up to catch a ringlet just under my chin and his eyes left mine as he critically stared at my honey brown hair. When he spoke his words came out in a husky whisper.

"You know, I quite like this colour on you but I must say that I'm rather partial to the pink."

I glanced down to find him twirling my hair around his finger in a rather intimate way and for a brief moment I contemplated leaning in and whispering 'next time I'll wear pink just for you' flirtatiously in his ear but then I remembered that he currently had a date waiting for him upstairs. So I pulled back slightly and figuring that honesty was the way to go I decided to tell him the truth – that pink clashed something horrid with this outfit – but when I opened my mouth to speak, I was surprised when no words came out. I swallowed deliberately but before I had a chance to open my mouth again, Remus had dropped the lock of my hair that had previously been twined around his fingers and his face sobered as he stared at me again.

"You still haven't answered my question."

Suddenly honesty didn't seem like the best policy, especially on this subject. I couldn't tell him that I really was avoiding him, nor could I tell him that I'd come in here to have a mini-breakdown. Both responses would require me to tell Remus that I'd violated his privacy by listening into not one, but several of his private conversations. I didn't think I could stand to see the hurt look on his face, so I lied.

"I'm not avoiding you Remus."

"Really, then why were you hiding in the pantry?"

"I wasn't hiding, I simply ducked down here to grab some – erm," I looked around the cupboard desperately for something to make my story plausible, a spice jar on the shelf just beyond him caught my eye, "paprika."

One of his eyebrows rose high on his forehead and he shot me a sceptical look as I reached out to the shelf behind him to retrieve the jar in question, our bodies coming into closer contact as I leaned in further.

"Paprika?"

He gave me a smug look as I held the jar up for his inspection and I knew that he could see through my thin story. I had to come up with a credible explanation, quickly.

"Yeah, for the firewhiskey. It gives it an extra something special, you've never tried it."

Great story Tonks, really believable. Firewhiskey and paprika? That's the best I could think of, seriously?

"Uh, no I haven't. I actually don't believe I've ever heard of it, which is strange because Sirius is such a connoisseur and claims to know every firewhiskey mixer in the wizarding world. He actually made us drink all of them one night in seventh year but I don't remember paprika being used."

He gave me a wry smile and I struggled to keep my jaw from dropping open in shock as I struggled to fill the gaps in my thin story.

"Well it's a muggle whiskey mixer; I got it from my dad."

His lips curved into a small smile and I felt the fingers of his hand spread out further across my hip, the tingling sensation becoming strong enough to make me let out a small gasp.

"Really?"

His husky voice brought me back to reality and I nodded slowly as I felt his splayed fingers contract, grasping my hip harder before relaxing again.

"I look forward to you making one for me then."

For a split second I thought he was serious about wanting to taste the vile concoction. That was until I saw his eyes twinkle as his thumb started to stroke lightly across my hipbone.

"What do you think?"

My eyes shot to his caressing hand and I shakily inhaled only to hear Remus let out a soft breath of laughter. He knew that he was affecting me and I wasn't going to let him get away with it. I pushed one of my hands lightly against him chest and looked up at him pointedly as I spoke in a breathy whisper.

"I don't think you could handle it."

As soon as the words left my mouth, his smile blew full wattage and he let out a bark of laughter. He looked so irresistible when he smiled and his laugh was so infectious that I soon found myself giggling lightly along with him. It was crazy how easy it was to flirt with him. I soon sobered, however, when he brought his spare hand up to cup my face.

"Is that so?"

His thumb started to lightly graze my cheek as he firmly turned my head towards his, our eyes locking once again. His eyes were filled with such intense passion that it sent chills to my very core to know that he wanted me but when his head started to slowly descend towards mine, I found myself torn.

I wanted to kiss Remus so much, really I did, it was all I'd been able to think about for weeks. All day I'd been endlessly daydreaming about kissing him but this wasn't how it was supposed to be. Sure the feelings were all there – the butterflies in my tummy, the smouldering looks, burning touches, feelings of abject desire and want – but I hadn't imagined that it would be like this. I'd imagined us kissing passionately as he bid me farewell after a night of fleeting touches, stolen glances and shameless flirting, not whilst we were standing in a cramped pantry with his date waiting for him upstairs.

Still I couldn't bring myself to stop from slowly inclining my head towards his and, far from being annoyed, I was almost relieved when we heard someone trying to open the panty door. Remus jumped back slightly and we both stared guiltily at the light shining in through the doorway, as Molly Weasley's form came into view. She looked to be in shock for a moment until she found her voice and shot us a knowing look.

"Sorry, didn't realise anybody was in here."

I dropped my head towards the floor as I tried to fight the blush that had taken over my face. Thinking quickly in stressful situations is what Auror's are trained for and yet I couldn't for the life of me think of a valid explanation for why we were both in the tiny cupboard. Remus, however, thought faster than I did and I smiled as I heard him try to use my thin story on Molly.

"It's quite alright Molly, you weren't interrupting anything. Tonks and I were simply down here looking for some paprika to put in the firewhiskey."

"Yep, see, found it."

I held the spice jar up for inspection before gently pushing past Molly and racing out of the kitchen and up the stairs. I silently berated myself as I walked back up the stairs to the party. I couldn't believe that I'd almost done that, that I'd almost kissed Remus when he already had a girlfriend. And on top of that, we'd almost been caught by Molly Weasley. Oh god, why was tonight going so horribly and why was Remus even down there in the first place? Why was he in the pantry cupboard, flirting and almost kissing me, when he'd come here tonight with another woman.

My head was a mess, my nerves shattered and my feelings were totally and utterly confused. What I really needed was to get back to the party and enjoy a stiff drink but I knew that wasn't likely to happen as I heard Remus heading up the stairs after me.

"Tonks, wait!"

I pretended not to hear him, I really couldn't deal with him right now, and fastened my pace. I'd just made it to the top of the stairs and I thought I'd gotten away until I felt Remus grab me by the elbow and spin me around to face him.

"You know for someone that says they're not avoiding me, you sure run away awfully fast."

He gave me a playful stern look as I felt his hand run lightly down my arm.

"I wasn't running away from you, I was simply walking briskly away from the situation."

"Really"

We were falling back into the flirting pattern and I knew I had to put a stop to it but before I could do anything he brought his hand up to caress my cheek again as he bent lightly down to kiss me. When his lips were mere millimetres from mine, I pushed him back. I couldn't do this, he was with someone else.

"Why are you doing this?"

He pulled away with a confused look on his face.

"I thought this was what you... I mean, I thought there was a... Sirius said...erm, I don't understand."

He looked away from me as a heated blush stole over his features.

"You have a girlfriend, Remus."

I looked at him with quiet disdain as confusion filled his eyes once again.

"A girlfriend?"

I couldn't believe he was acting so stupid. I felt all my own conflicting emotions bubble to the surface and I couldn't help but feel completely frustrated at the bumbling man before me.

"Yeah, Adrianna, remember her. The girl you showed up here with tonight. You know I actually thought you were a decent guy but I guess you and Sirius have a few things in a common after all, I heard he was quite the womanising prat in his heyday as well."

Remus continued to stare at me with a look of hurt incomprehension on his face and my feelings of rage grew.

"Excuse me?"

"Ask yourself this Remus, what kind of guy shows up to a party with one girl only to try and kiss another? And what would even make you think I was that type of girl in the first place? You know I thought you were different but it turns out your just like the rest of them, you're a jerk."

With my final parting blow I turned on my heel and walked away but not without catching a glimpse of him turning his sad eyes towards the ground with a look of abstract pain etched on his face, his shoulder slumping in a defeated posture. He looked so small as I walked away from him and back towards the party and I hated myself for making him feel that way. I immediately regretted my cruel words and the fact that he took them to heart but what made him think that I would want to be with him when he was clearly with somebody else.

When I re-entered the party, Sirius called me over to join the conversation with Kingsley and Mad-Eye. They were standing by the fireplace drinking firewhiskey so I made my way over to them.

"Wotcher, gents."

I called my greeting to the guys as I approached them, they all nodded their heads in response but Sirius was looking at me curiously as he handed me a glass of firewhiskey.

"What's with the spice jar, Tonks?"

I didn't even realise I was still carrying it but when I looked down at the paprika in my hands I was filled with shame and a strange tingling sensation at the thought of what had almost transpired in pantry. I put the jar down on the mantle above the fire and shot Sirius an 'I'll-tell-you-later' look as I turned my attention back to the group.

"It's a long story. So what were you blokes talking about?"

They thankfully accepted my change in conversation and let the strange topic of the spice jar drop.

"We were actually discussing where the notorious mass murderer Sirius Black should be seen next. What do you think Tonks, sun-baking in the south of France or enjoying a soothing tea at Madam Puddifoots in Hogsmeade?"

Kingsley shot the question at me whilst a glimmering smirk shot across his dark features. Sirius' face took on a look of mock horror at the thought of even imaginarily being sighted at Madam Puddifoots, I meanwhile narrowed my gaze at Kingsley.

"You're enjoying this way too much Kingsley and FYI - I could honestly care less where the illusionary prat shows up next, so long as I don't have to spend another 8 hour shift looking for him. I swear to Merlin Kingsley, if you assign me another Black look-out post I'll hex you into next week. Give it to one of the eager grunts who actually think they'll find him and don't know that he's probably sleeping off a hangover at his mothers."

Sirius let out a bark of laughter which was soon joined by a long smooth chuckle emitted by Kingsley as they enjoyed my savage retort. Moody, meanwhile, muttered something about 'insolent young hot-shot aurors' but I didn't hear him properly, my attention was drawn elsewhere. Over Sirius shoulder I saw Remus re-enter the room. I caught his eye for a brief moment and I saw a fleeting glimpse of pain in his dark brown orbs before he turned his face in a deep frown and withdrew from the room, back into the hall.

I felt sick as a strong sense of guilt threatened to engulf my entire being. I hadn't meant to hurt him that much, I was just frustrated and angry that things hadn't turned out the way I wanted them to. I spoke rashly and acted like a spoilt child, and now I'd hurt the one person that I didn't want to. He'd left the party because I'd judged him too harshly and I didn't even mean it, I was just wound up. I knew I had to apologise to him so I excused myself from the conversation with the boys and headed out into the hall.

He wasn't out there so I decided to check the library, he often went there when he wanted to be alone. I took a wide berth around the evil umbrella stand, the last thing I needed tonight was to injure myself, and started up the stairs. I had intended to search the library but when I reached the first floor landing I saw light filtering out from under his door so I headed down the hall towards it. When I reached his door I heard the springs of his bed squeak in protest so I knew he had to be in there. I took a deep breath to compose myself before I knocked lightly.

"Remus"

I called his name but I didn't get a response, he must've been madder at me than I thought. I knew I had to apologise so I softly pushed the door open, only to freeze in horror at what I saw.

"Oh My GOD!"

Dun Dun DUNNNNN What exactly did Tonks see in Remus' room to freak her out? Guess you're going to have to wait for the next chapter. Sorry to leave you on a cliffie, I didn't mean to. This chapter was actually meant to go on a bit further but when I looked at it I thought it looked to long so I split it into 2 chapters.

You know reviews make me smile but they also give me an extra incentive to write faster. So drop me a review, it won't take you long, and not only will you make me happy but you might get the next chapter sooner and you won't be left wondering what Tonks saw.

HUGZ N KISSES

EllaQueenB (Please Review)