Stargazers
An RLNT one-shot
Summary: His hand was sweating as he fumbled with the glittering ring in his pocket, waiting for the right moment to ask her for her hand in marriage. Will she say 'yes'? This is the real deal during Remus Lupin's marriage proposal to Nymphadora Tonks.
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A picnic mat had been placed underneath the bed of soft grass in the peaceful meadow that night, and that was where Remus Lupin and Dora Tonks lay. They were silent as they stared above them, at the overcast evening sky with gray clouds gliding in the sea of darkness over their heads. It was almost twelve midnight, with only a few minutes left before it was Tonks's twenty-fourth birthday.
Tonks, who was wearing her favorite Weird Sisters t-shirt and faded blue jeans, yawned, her eyes drooping slightly. "Remus, we've been watching this boring sky for almost an hour now… There aren't even stars tonight!" Her voice was a mixture of disappointment and exasperation. She was very tired from doing her Auror duties, and the fact that their stargazing had been in vain made her slightly angry at Remus for letting her go through this with him.
"Don't worry Dora, they'll come soon… maybe they're just waiting for the perfect time to come…." Remus only smiled as he spoke, which only irritated Tonks all the more.
"Well maybe tonight isn't the night of those constellations, Remus! Have you actually read the weather forecast in the Daily Prophet today and checked if it would be cloudy tonight?"
Remus chuckled. "Actually I have," he said, "and I knew it would indeed be cloudy tonight."
"What?" exclaimed Tonks, appalled. "Remus, what are you up to?" She demanded.
"We'll get there, Dora," he said, trying not to laugh though his eyes showed so much amusement. Then his face became serious; he composed himself and took a deep breath before speaking again.
"I was glad, you know, when you accepted my invitation to stargaze with me this morning. I was happy as well when you didn't seem to realize what I was up to, and when you appeared to have no idea about the particular star I've been talking about for days… I knew that tonight will be the right moment."
Tonks glared at him. "Stop using all sorts of imagery, okay? What's your point?"
"All right then, I'll get to the point, but please…," Remus said, "Please listen to every word I say, and try as much as possible not to interrupt.
"So from what you understand, you know that I'm pertaining to a different kind of star, right?"
Tonks nodded, slightly frowning. "But I still--"
Remus unceremoniously interrupted her. "I'm talking about my favorite star; it's the brightest, loveliest star I've ever seen in my entire life…."
Tonks sat up and so did Remus; she searched the dark sky above them both while Remus surreptitiously glanced at his watch-- it was seven minutes till April twentieth-- till Tonks turns twenty-four. Tonks sighed heavily and faced Remus. "But where exactly is this star?"
"We'll get there Dora," said Remus calmly. "Anyway, back to the story… That star was incomparable, see, nothing can ever catch my attention like that star; I knew it the moment I first saw it.
"But I also knew there was a complication to it. Many others, those who have seen the star, were after it too; so I had to be quick and do something to have it for myself, before it would fall for someone else and not for me…
"Luckily enough though," Remus continued, smiling reminiscently this time, "that star seemed to want me as much as I needed it, and it greatly overjoyed me to know that…" He paused and watched Tonks, who could only look back at Remus, waiting to hear the whole story.
"And you know what happened?" asked Remus.
"Er-- n-no…" muttered Tonks.
"Well, that star… it still shines the brightest in my opinion, and I know it always will… And as for your previous question as to where it is?" Remus smiled again, his hazel eyes twinkling like the star he had been talking about. "That star's right here," he said, "just right beside me all this time… underneath this dark sky."
Tonks could only muster a hoarse sound as she cleared her throat. She was staring at Remus, dumbfounded. Remus, meanwhile, took another look at his watch: it was a minute and counting till twelve midnight. He listened as the second hand ticked, from the number twelve, going to each of the numbers from one to eleven. He would have to say it now, to achieve the right effect he wants-- to propose to Tonks the very second she turns twenty-four.
"So…," began Remus, who had only felt nervous just now.
"Remus, I don't know what to say, I just couldn't believe it…" whispered Tonks, whose hair was turning rapidly from pink to stunning white then back again. "I mean, those were the sweetest words I've ever heard and-- and-- to hear it from you…."
"Well, you can congratulate me for my great skills in using similes and metaphors later," he laughed. "But for now…"
Remus stood up and pulled Tonks to her feet. "You know how some people depend on stars to tell them about their future, or how they should decide about something? Like how they observe all these celestial bodies and how these affect us?" he said.
Tonks chuckled. "Yeah, it's astrology… People who believe in that are pretty stupid, if you ask me," she said.
Remus laughed. "I agree, too… People like me are pretty stupid to rely on them, but you know what? I don't care; I've got my own star to rely on, haven't I?"
"Remus--"
"Yes, I'm saying it's you, Dora," Remus answered for her. "Tonight, it's either I become the luckiest wizard alive or the sodden-looking old lycanthrope who thinks he can simply have whatever he wants…
"And since I believe in astrology, like I said… it means I'll be depending on you, my lovely star, for my life-- my future…."
Then, to make matters more astoundingly surprising, Remus knelt on one knee and retrieved a ring from his pocket. It was a very beautiful ring, sparkling, and with a lone opal gem adorning it. He checked his watch again-- the second hand was ten steps away back to the number twelve; he was right on time, he thought.
Remus looked up at Tonks, whose eyes were shining with tears of utter joy. "I'm so glad to have met you, Dora… You've changed me, and that's what I've come to love about you… I simply cannot imagine being back to that miserable Remus I once was, and I cannot imagine you without me, keeping me sane and happy.
"And so here we are now, and here I am…," he said. "Well, here goes… Nymphadora Tonks-- I know you dislike the name, but just bear with me, please?" Remus added when Tonks grumbled, "--will you be my wife? Will you marry me?" He held up the ring at Tonks, whose eyes shone with tears and was all smiles at the same time.
She sniffed once and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. Then taking Remus by his empty hand and pulling him up she whispered, her voice solemn and sincere, "Yes, Remus. I will gladly be your wife-- and for that to happen, yes, I'll marry you…."
Remus could hardly believe what he had just heard. He glanced at his watch once more and saw that he had been exactly on time-- the second hand was ticking past one now, and was making its way to two. His heart was beating fast now-- it was hammering inside his chest; he smiled in relief as he slipped the opalescent ring on her finger.
"Oh, Remus!" squealed Tonks, throwing her arms around Remus's neck. "I can't believe you'd do this. That was pretty amazing!" she said, her voice cracking as she began to cry.
"Hush, love," whispered Remus as he comfortingly rubbed Tonks's back. "I did it for you. I'm glad you loved it."
Tonks, instead of stopping, continued to cry all the more on her fiancé's shoulder; Remus figured that his rubbing did nothing to help cease her crying and instead-- bending low to be in level with Tonks's face, he gently pressed his lips to hers until he felt Tonks responding eagerly to him, laughing softly.
"And before I forget--," mumbled Remus as he chuckled against her lips. "Happy birthday, Dora."
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A/N: So this story is one of a few fanfics stuck in my computer for an unbelievably long time now, and owing it to a miracle I was strongly urged to finish this one. Let's just say this can serve as a Christmas gift to y'all?-- Especially to those who are really into the RLNT tandem, and to those who have been reading and reviewing (or just reading) my other fanfics. Basically, this will be my last post for the year 2009, and with this I hope there'll be more ideas and updates to come from me in the coming New Year.
Have a Merry Christmas and a grand New Year, readers! [wink]
A/N 2: This fic is, by the way, dedicated to all the people who've helped me out in every aspect of my life this year-- thanks very much, I love you people….
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