Mothers…

Nymphadora Tonks sighed and looked herself over in the mirror, mentally bracing herself. She didn't look half bad actually. As usual, her mother wouldn't be crazy about the tattoo around her thumb, or the one on her wrist, or the red streak going through the underside of the hair on the left side of her head. "Well", Tonks thought to herself, "she's just going to have to deal with it." Tonks was currently standing in her and Remus' bedroom in their apartment in the city. They were invited to Tonks' parents tonight for dinner and to, of course, discuss the wedding. Tonks didn't think her mother would ever stop finding something to fuss about regarding her eldest daughter's upcoming nuptials. Tonks heard the bathroom door open and sneaked a peak at Remus emerging from the room with a towel wrapped around his waist and rubbing his hair with another towel in an attempt to dry it. He wandered into the spacious closet and Tonks looked back at her reflection. She was wearing comfortable jeans with a white flowing tank top with thick straps. Her dark brown hair was slightly wavy today and was in a loose ponytail. It was only May and already the temperatures were creeping up, making it sure to be a hot summer. Tonks just hoped it wouldn't be too unbearable for the wedding next month.

"You ready to go?" Remus appeared from behind her and put his hands on her shoulders. He was wearing worn in jeans and a light, cotton, blue and white pinstripe button down shirt.

Tonks turned to face him and looked up at him with her green eyes, shaking her head.

"Oh come on, it won't be that bad. It's only your parents," Remus said to her.

"I know…let's just go," Tonks said. A smile tugged at the corner of Remus' mouth and together they apparated to the Tonkses.

"Dora! Remus!" Ted Tonks greeted his daughter with a hug.

"Hey Dad," Tonks said hugging him.

"Mr. Tonks," Remus said shaking Ted's hand.

"Please Remus, call me Ted," Ted replied. "Well come on in you two! Dinner's almost ready."

Remus laced his fingers with Tonks' and gave her hand a small squeeze before leading her into the large house.

"Nymphadora!" Andromeda said embracing her daughter.

"Hi, Mom," Tonks said returning the hug.

"And Remus, how are you?" Andromeda said, giving her soon-to-be son-in-law a hug and peck on the cheek.

"I'm good, Mrs. Tonks, how are you?" Remus said.

"Oh, you know, getting the house cleaned up for the big day next month!" she replied.

Tonks knew where this was headed and wanted to steer very clear. "Why don't I help you with dinner Mom," Tonks said to her mother and they headed off toward the kitchen.

"Remus, care for a drink? A butterbeer?" Ted said, clapping Remus on the shoulder.

"Sure, sounds great," he replied and followed Ted into the living room.

In the open, window-lit kitchen, Tonks was tearing up lettuce for the salad when Andromeda came over and stirred a pan with chicken sautéing in it next to her on the island of the kitchen. Andromeda looked over at her daughter and reached over to touch the red streak barely visible in her dark hair.

"Nymphadora, I really hope you're not keeping that in for the wedding," Andromeda said.

"God Mom, of course I'm not," Tonks said, pulling away.

Andromeda raised her eye brows and struggled to hold in a retort for her daughter. After a moment she said, "When are the chairs being delivered?"

"I've told you, the chairs and tables are coming a week from Tuesday, and there will be people coming the morning of the rehearsal dinner to set them up," Tonks said without missing a beat.

"And the dresses?" her mother inquired.

Tonks sighed and looked toward the ceiling, "I'm picking mine up this week, and Lyra and Lily have theirs."

"And the flow-" Andromeda started.

"Yes, the flowers, the food, the band, the chairs, the tables, the bridesmaid dresses, my dress, yes, everything's all set. Fine. Done," Tonks said cutting her mom off.

Andromeda silently continued stirring the cooking chicken, and then turned toward the counter in back of her and got down some plates from the cabinet.

Tonks sighed, "Where is Lyra anyway?" she said after a minute. She could really use her younger sister at a time like this when their Mom was in one of her moods.

"Feeding the horses, she should be done soon," Andromeda said, still focused on the plates.

Mother and daughter worked in silence for a while before Tonks finally said, "Okay, somehow I've managed to make you mad. I'm sorry."

"No, sweetie, I'm not mad," Andromeda said with a strained smile on her face.

Tonks raised an eyebrow, "Mom, I know when you're mad."

Andromeda paused before quietly saying, "I just don't want to watch you make a mistake. The same mistake I did."

"What? But Mom, you and Dad love each other!" Tonks started.

"I know! I love him so much, but by marrying him, my family shunned me. I can't watch society shun my own daughter. Think about what the Ministry will do when you marry Remus. You could lose your job!"

"Then so what! I'll still be with him, I love him Mom. And besides, that's why we're not going around parading the fact that Remus is a werewolf."

Andromeda sighed and looked at her daughter as she finished making the salad.

"Why does it matter so much that your family disowned you when you married Dad. They're all psycho anyway. Didn't it turn out better in the long run?" Tonks said breaking the silence.

"Yes, I know, but they're still my family Nymphadora," Andromeda said quietly. "You don't know what it's like to have your mother hate you."

Tonks looked up at her mother, who went back to attending the chicken, and saw her for who she truly was. A woman, who at a young age had abandoned everything she knew her entire life to live a different life. A life her parents and entire family would be in shame of. Tonks realized how much she took for granted. She would always have her Mom and Dad and sister there. There would always be a family member to talk to, or stay with, or spend holidays with. Her mom didn't have that. Tonks' realization came crashing down on her.

Tonks was staring into space, thinking about her Mom when the woman in Tonks' mind broke the silence.

"Have you thought about taking Remus' last name or keeping Tonks?" Tonks took a deep breath and closed her eyes, trying to calm herself. "Because really Nymphadora, I believe that's the most difficult decision a bride has to make! I mean, it was easy for me, why would I want to stay a Black, but you really need to start thinking about this..." Mothers. Gotta love 'em.

Disclaimer

Anything that is recognizable from any of the Harry Potter books is property of J.K. Rowling and I make no profit from it.