I have reviews! This is so wonderful! But it means that I have to update reguarly now, huh? Sorry about the whole Ch2 not accessible thing. I'm fairly certain it was my fault, as I managed to screw up and had to post Ch1 twice. Wrote more...HAZE...but I'll see you tomorrow anyways.

The Three Broomsticks was reached almost instantly, and the two passed Madame Rosmerta hanging some fallen Christmas decorations.

Tonks and Lupin sat at a table and Tonks ordered two butterbeers, figuring Lupin could use the warmth.

"So Remus, now that we're away, is it true that you have a crush on Professor McGonagall?"

"Er…what? I mean, Excuse me?"

Tonks laughed and replied, "Just kidding."

Lupin stared blankly at her for a moment with a furrowed brow, then smiled and seemed to relax a little.

"Considering she old enough to be my mother! And this is without any alcohol in your system, Tonks," he chided, shaking his head.

Actually, he seemed to relax a lot.

"She's not that old, is she?" Tonks asked.

"More like I'm not that old. She's at least twenty years older than me." He sat back, taking a long drink of butterbeer, which had just been set down at their table.

"Oh. Then we're only..."

He looked up, calculating, "Twelve years."

"Twelve years apart," Tonks echoed, staring into her mug, wondering what to say.

"Thank you, Nymphadora. I'm rather certain that Sirius asked you to do this for my benefit."

Tonks nodded. "Though it's not like he had to try that hard to persuade me," she admitted.

Lupin smiled and asked, "Did he tell you why, exactly?"

"It's the day…that you received the bite."

"Thirty years ago…" Lupin mused allowed.

Tonks chose that moment to ask a question that she'd been dying to ask upon learning of Lupin's lycanthropy.

"So, what's it like, to change?"

Her friend took a long drink and set his mug down on the table. For a moment, Tonks thought he was going to change the subject and not answer her.

"While it happens, it's the most painful thing in the world. The limbs are changing, shaping themselves into a different structure. I get fangs, almost, well, really long canines right her," he indicated, "but after that, before I lost all conscious thought, it's a feeling of being the most powerful being in the world. I feel strong, stronger than any wizard should be. My mind, however, is gone in an instant, all train of rational thought gone. Without the Wolfsbane Potion, I'd often black out and wake up the next morning, the room I was locked in shredded."

"Werewolves only harm humans?"

"They go for humans. But if any other animal threatens or otherwise challenges them, they won't hesitate to attack. Oh, and wood animals are often attacked as well. Easy prey. But yeah, mostly humans. Supposedly, a werewolf won't even attack certain humans.

"Which certain humans?"

Lupin suddenly became very interested in the rim of his mug. He gave a slight shrug and said, "I'm out. You?" He held the empty mug.

"Yeah, but-"

"What would you say to some firewhiskey?"

Tonks blanched. What had Sirius said about hard liquor?

"Don't worry, I'm buying this one."

She had to protest, "But I'm the one who made you come out for drinks! You don't need to…" she trailed off as Lupin held up a hand.

"What kind of gentleman would I be if I made a lady pay for the drink I ordered? Especially as it's a bottle of firewhiskey."

She began to protest again, but he continued, "Save it Nymphadora. You'll force me to get you very drunk if you keep trying to argue with me."

"Whatever! I could outdrink you any day," Tonks snorted. "And besides, it's Tonks, L-."

"I really don't believe you can outdrink me. Prove it," he challenged, calling for two shot glasses as the firewhiskey arrived.

If somebody had told Tonks she would be out playing a drinking game with Remus Lupin, she wouldn't have believed it.