Title: Birth
Author: LupinLovesTonks
Rated: T
Disclaimer: HP and all related characters are trademarks of JK Rowling. No animals were harmed in the writing of this fic. No profit is made from this fic and is intended strictly for entertainment purposes. Any similarities to actual people or events are strictly a coincidence.
Summary: Sequel to Alive. A night of celebrations turns out to be more than Tonks and Lupin bargained for. RLNT. WIP

Chapter 2
She turned sideways and looked at her reflection. Now that she thought about it, if one wasn't looking closely, they could scarcely tell she had the soft roundness developing on her lower abdomen. This was especially so if she thickened her waistline a little bit. Then again, he might notice and start asking questions. He always noticed when she changed the tiniest of things.

"You changed the shade."

"Pardon?"

"Your hair. It was about three shades brighter earlier."

"Oh. You noticed. No one else did."

"One can hardly not notice when hair goes from lime green to the lovely pastel you are currently sporting."

Tonks flushed slightly when she remembered the almost adoring gaze he had as he'd looked over her hair. It had only been a few days after their 'celebration of life'. She turned to face the mirror squarely, after shifting her waistline back to normal.

Part of her had wanted to think that, perhaps, he'd thought about kissing her at that moment. The softness in his eyes had been almost perfect for that to be an option. He'd even leaned in toward her with his heavy eyelids drooping low over his beautiful eyes. But, in the end, he'd just plucked a doxie wing out of her hair and then excused himself rather quickly.

There had been so many confessions that night, and the morning after. She had confessed her feelings for him, and he had confessed feelings for her. They'd voiced their fears and reasons for not pursuing their feelings. What had gone wrong? Perhaps they had just shared and experienced too much too soon and it had simply scared them both to the point they then feared something more actually coming to pass.

Or maybe the fact Ginny had interrupted their pre-breakfast coupling had been what had caused the aire of discomfort afterwards. Their night was no longer a sneaky little secret between the two of them. Of course, Ginny had whispered about it to Hermione, and Hermione told Harry and Ron, and then they had in turn told Fred and George, which had told Mundugus, whom had then basically blabbed it in the middle of an Order meeting.

Then again, Mundugus couldn't help the fact the room had gone quiet right as he'd nudged Lupin with a knowing wink and said "Heard yeh got in with our little 'Dora the oth' night."

But if Tonks had to pick the moment things started getting weird between herself and Lupin, it was the moment every eye in the Order meeting jerked to him and then to her. And, of course, there was the deafening silence that followed.

Whatever the case was, something had caused an eerie discomfort between the two of them.

Tonks reached up and wiped at the corner of her eye with her finger. For now, she had to just worry about how to break the news to Lupin. And, of course, she had to first get used to the fact that she was pregnant.

Her eyes widened and she suddenly felt somewhat sick. Not from eating but just from the thought of her being a mother. What if she did things wrong? What if she wasn't a good mother? What if she couldn't learn to pick it up right and the nurses at St. Mungos wouldn't let her take it home because she was clumsy and stupid and didn't know what to do?

She closed her eyes for a moment. She had Molly and her own mother to help her. And of course, there were several other people she knew that might be able to teach her what to do. Would Lupin want to be part of its life? Tonks squeezed her eyes shut, her life, she mental corrected. The baby was a girl, not an 'it'.

Tonks looked at her reflection again. Her eyes looked worried. Part of her doubted he would be the type to tell her she was on her own, but she had seen things like that happen to friends before. No one had ever thought her friends' lover would have done such a thing, but certainly enough, they had.

She didn't want to be one of those witches that had to juggle her Auror work and raising a baby on her own. She had seen it enough with her friends to know that wasn't the kind of life she wanted for herself and a baby.

"Perhaps you should possibly seek other options."

Tonks' smacked her hand over her mouth. Had she just said that out loud? In addition to watching a friend raise a son on her own, Tonks had also had the misfortune of experiencing the outcomes of some of the "other options." One friend had actually had something go horribly wrong and another ended up regretting it, needlessly, neither of those friends were what one could call "sane" anymore.

No, the "other options" were not an option for her, personally.

She looked at her reflection and smiled lightly. "You're going to be a mum," she said with a firm nod. "Whether Lupin likes it or not, you're going to be a mum Nymphadora Tonks." Her smiled faded. "Well, that is if your own mum doesn't kill you for getting pregnant by a werewolf that twelve years older than you are."

First things first, she was going to tell her mother. And then tell her dad. If things went good with them, perhaps she would consider telling Lupin before the baby was born.

888

Tonks sank down in her chair and just wished she were invisible. As her luck would have had it, she had picked one of the few days both of her parents were home. Her father had taken it rather well, and was happy about the fact he was going to be a grandfather. However, her mother was a different story…

"How many times do I have to tell you Nymphadora? How many? How many time have I already told you to be careful," her mother shrieked. "Unmarried. Baby on the way. What kind of wizard wants to marry a witch with a baby?"

"Andromeda," Ted Tonks said lightly. "This isn't like it was when we ere coming up. Plenty of lads would like to marry a cute, young witch like our Nymphadora. And I'm sure some of the lads would like the idea of having a ready-made family."

"You're not helping Ted," Andromeda snarled. "Unlike Muggles, it's a bit harder for unmarried witches with children to find a suitable husband." Her mother sighed heavily. "Do you even know who the father is?"

"Actually, mum," Tonks huffed. "Contrary to what you like to think, I do not sleep with every wizard I come across. I've only been with one wizard in this past year so I know exactly who the father is."

At this, Andromeda's features softened and she lightly sat down beside her husband. "Well, what does he have to say about the little addition?"

"I haven't told him yet. I'm just a little nervous as to how he'll react," Tonks shrugged. "I thought I would tell the two of you first, see how it went, and then tell him."

Tonks spilled the tale of how things came to pass. Of course, she deleted several details about the night with Lupin and failed to tell them who exactly it was, opting just to tell them that she and Lupin had a few drinks and 'things happened'. After the tale was done, both of her parents nodded with approval. Even as a Muggle, her father knew about the details of the "celebration of life," apparently it was something both Muggles and Magic folk did back in the ancient days.

"So, tell us a little more about the lucky young man," Ted asked.

Tonks heard an "eep" slip between her lips. She cleared her throat a few times. "Well, he's wonderful with children, worked as a teacher for a while, tutors witches and wizards that are having a few problems at school from time to time. Very smart, was top of his classes when he was in Hogwarts." Andromeda nodded with approval, a wide smile on her face. "A very calm natured gentleman, really. I mean it comes as a surprise to most people when they find out he's a werewolf and --"

The smile disappeared from her mother's face. "Wait, what was that? A… what? Did you say a werewolf?" Tonks nodded lightly and she saw her mother stiffen. "Needless to say, you would find that he would most likely be more than willing to take care of you and the baby. Honourable creatures werewolves, but that's their only positive attribute. Did you know he was a werewolf at he time?"

"Yes, I've known for a long time mum," Tonks rolled her eyes and stood up. "And just so you know, Remus has many positive attributes. He's nothing like the others that let their wolf side control every aspect of their lives. He's kind, generous, caring, and there's nothing he would like more than to be normal like everyone else. He hates the fact he's a werewolf and people like you won't let him make anything of himself when he's one of the most brilliant wizards alive."

Her mother looked thunderstruck. Her face was pale and she was blinking as if she had just received news that she had won a big cash prize. "Remus? Remus Lupin? Your cousin, Sirius' friend?" Tonks nodded firmly. "Well, why didn't you say so to begin with? You've had a bit of a fancy for him since you were little. Besides, you're a grown woman now. But, even though I do find him somewhat too old for you, there's not really anything I can do about it."

Tonks cocked an eyebrow. "So, if it was just any werewolf, you think it would be unsuitable… But since it's Remus, it's okay?"

"Of course," Ted said. "Fine lad he is. Was always very respectful when Sirius would bring him over. And he's wanted a family since he was in Hogwarts. Right dear?"

Andromeda nodded lightly. "Remus was always the type that wished he could have a family, but at the same time he never thought there would be a possibility, Nymphadora. And since it is somewhat hard for werewolves to find work, I'm sure he wouldn't mind being a stay at home dad while you worked. Providing the two of you got married of course. The Department of Regulation of Magical Creatures would never approve of him staying alone at home with a baby unless the two of you were married."

Tonks felt her eyes widen. "What? Whoa, whoa, wait one tick mum. I have to get used to the idea of being a mum right now. I don't need the added stress of being a wife too."

"I'm just saying, dear, that if you would want to be a working mom, you and Remus would definitely have to get married in order for him to keep the baby unattended."

"I have to go now," Tonks blurted quickly. "I need lots of air."

Without waiting for another word, Tonks apparated back to Grimmauld. As soon as she arrived, she ran to the kitchen and started pulling several snacks from the cabinets and the icebox. After gathering them all at her spot at the table she laid her forehead against the wood and sighed heavily.

"What am I going to say to Remus?" she groaned.

"About what?" asked the all-too-familiar voice of Remus Lupin from the doorway.

Tonks decided that moment was the moment to start crying.