Title: Birth
Author: LupinLovesTonks
Rated: T (PG13)
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 3

"How did you manage to tell Arthur each time?" Tonks asked.

Molly chuckled and wiped her hands on her apron. "Well, I was nervous the first few times, after the third it was sort of just like telling him about how the weather was going to be. I think when I found out about Fred and George it was over the dinner table and I was just --" she shrugged slightly "-- by the way Arthur, I took the pregnancy potion today and it was uncommonly bitter, so I went to St Mungos and they said it was twins this time." She finished stirring the contents of the cauldron. "It's done Tonks, go ahead and drink up."

Tonks attacked the ladle with vengeance, drinking spoonful after spoonful of the sweet liquid. "How much of this stuff did you drink while you were pregnant?"

"Not much with the boys I'm afraid. With Ginny I drank at least two cauldrons full a day. Until she came about, I thought the bitterness was just part of the potion, nastily bitter it is for boys. Since it was my own brew I didn't know it would taste different if I had a girl." Molly smiled kindly and set to preparing luncheon. "It also helps with the sickness after eating. And a friend of ours had a bitter-sweet taste once, turned out she was having twins… one boy and one girl."

Tonks frowned when she dipped out the last ladle full. "So, how do you think Lupin would take the news? I've tried telling him four times already and each time I panic just before I can tell him. It's ridiculous. I'm an Auror, a damn good one at that, and I can't even get the courage up to tell Lupin that I'm having his baby. How exactly can I just sit down with him and go 'Oh by the way Lupin, I'm pregnant and you're the only one that could be the father'?"

Molly and Tonks both turned as the kitchen door closed. They had been so caught up in their talk that they hadn't seen Remus walk in. But, there he stood, wide-eyed and looking at Tonks with shock. His hand was still raised up from where he'd released the door in surprise. He just stared at her blankly for a long moment. His lips seemed to want to form a question. Instead of managing to say the question he'd been trying to form, he turned and walked out of the kitchen.

"I hate when he does that," Tonks groaned. She squeezed her eyes shut. "I need to go talk to him don't I?"

"That would prove best."

Tonks wanted to curse herself into oblivion as she ran after Lupin. He was already at the top of the stairs when she managed to get out of the kitchen. "Lupin! Wait," she called. She managed to trip over the edge of the carpet, break a vase, and wake up Mrs. Black before she had made it to the stairs and dashed up them. She tripped over the cursed umbrella stand and fell right into Lupin's arms just before her knees could hit the floor.

"You said to wait so I did," he said simply, as he helped her stand on her feet.

"I can explain, Lupin," she started quietly.

"What's there to explain Nymphadora?" he asked, surprisingly calm, in spite of the fact she thought he would be furious. She opened her mouth to reply but he put a finger over her lips. "Not out here."

He gently took her hand and led her to his bedroom. Tonks turned as he closed the door and leaned back against it.

"I'm sorry," Tonks said. "I didn't mean for it to happen."

"Nymphadora," Lupin said with a slightly firm tone. His tone softened as he continued, "There's nothing to be sorry for or to apologize for. I didn't mean for it to happen either. It's just something that sometimes happens. We intended to celebrate life and, in the end, created life. It's nothing to apologize for."

She looked down at her feet as she rocked back and forth on her heels, her hands clasped behind her back. "I was scared you wouldn't want it. I was afraid of how you would react."

"Look at me Nymphadora," Lupin ordered lightly. When she looked up, he had a gentle expression on his face. "There are many thing a people don't want, but hey get it. And once they have it, they realize how wonderful it is and forget they ever didn't want it. And then, there are some, which want something so badly and never get to have it, or at least think they won't be able to. So, when they find out that they do in fact get it, all they wish to do is treasure it like there's still no chance of it happening."

Tonks looked at him with her head cocked slightly. "Are you saying that you want to be part of her life?"

"That depends. Do you want me to be part of her life?" Tonks slowly nodded. "In that case, I would be more than happy to do so. I only have one simple request."

"And what would that be Lupin?"

"That you call me Remus. You did that night and the two days afterwards. Then you just went back to 'Lupin'. And, since I am the father of your child, I would much appreciate it if we were once again on the informal terms." He walked toward her, as he was about to breeze past, he stopped and whispered in her ear, "Besides, I rather like how you say my name, Nymphadora."

A small smile tugged at Tonks' lips. Though she hated to admit it, she rather liked how he said her given name as well.

888

"Now, she has a tendency to wear very dramatic blue and pink eye shadow and bright pink lipstick. Not to mention she wears a very obvious red blush and very thick foundation. Don't look at her like she's lost her mind though please. She's 282 years old so she honestly thinks she knows what she's doing."

"That's not very reassuring Remus."

"Well, when it comes to caring for expecting mothers she does know what she's doing. Been doing it since she was about twenty. Started as a mid-wife in the colonies and, after women were allowed to do so, she became a certified doctor. My mum recommended her. And she was my doctor when I was a boy. Nice woman and a wonderful doctor, she's just somewhat batty."

"Ooh, bagels and ice cream."

She felt Remus grab the back belt loop of her trousers as she started wandering toward the bakery and ice cream shop. With a heavy sigh, she put herself back on course for the doctor's office. It turned out the doctor's office was only half a block down from the two shops, so Tonks made a mental note to stop by both of them after her visit was done.

Upon first look, the building looked like an old 1920's building, but Tonks knew better, there had to some secret way in so that Muggles wouldn't try to use the building for anything. Remus walked up to the dirty window and knocked twice then rang the bell over the door. He glanced around to make sure no one was looking and the two simply walked through the closed door and into a crisp, clean waiting room.

There were only two other women in the waiting area. One was a woman around 30 that looked like she had only swallowed a coconut; she was sitting next to her husband reading a Magic Babies Weekly. He had a little girl in his lap, bouncing her as she giggled happily. The other was a much younger woman that looked eerily familiar to Tonks. She was around the same age as Tonks with long blond hair up in pigtails, unlike the other woman, this one was alone and looked rather gloomy and her stomach big and round as if she were close to time.

Remus rubbed the small of her back slightly. "Just have a seat and I'll get you signed in and such."

As Tonks took a seat, the younger girl looked at her curiously for a moment then gasped, "Tonks?"

"Yes?" Tonks replied unsurely.

The girl squealed with delight and waddled over to hug her. "You remember me aye? Alyssa Craven, Hufflepuff Chaser."

Tonks hugged the girl back eagerly. "I thought you looked familiar," Tonks grinned as the girl carefully sat down beside her. "Do you still turn yourself into a rabbit?"

"Not as often as I used to. Kinda hard to do it when you're pregnant and all, well, at this point it is. In the first few months it's rather easy," Alyssa patted her round belly. "But Habra says that about a month after he's born I should be able to go back to my normal animagi business."

"So, where's the father?" Tonks asked. Remus had come over and taken a seat on her other side and was contentedly letting her talk to her old school friend.

Alyssa bit her bottom lip at this. "Well, him and his wife are on vacation this week. They want a full report by floo though. They're so excited. I can't travel because I'm so close to having it, but they can't wait for me to be able to bring the baby along next time. They were so sad they had to leave me for a week. They'd hoped he would be born before they had to leave."

Tonks blinked repeatedly. "He already has a wife and he's gotten you pregnant?"

"Yeah," Alyssa nodded eagerly. "And the other two kids are just so sweet and are excited about their baby brother. The other two are by his wife. We're all just one big happy family."

A medic-witch stepped out of a door and said Alyssa's name. Alyssa hugged Tonks happily and gave her a quick peck on the cheek before standing up.

"See you later Tonks," she looked over at Remus and gasped. "Professor Lupin? Oh my goodness, he's the professor I wrote you about the year after you left. Do you remember me Professor?"

Remus gave a somewhat forced smile as Alyssa hugged his neck. "Of course I remember you Alyssa. I doubt anyone that ever meets you would be able to forget about you." Tonks stifled a snicker at his less than enthusiastic tone. "Run along Miss Craven, I think the nurse is waiting."

"Oh!" Alyssa grinned shyly and waddled toward the nurse, waving happily.

After she disappeared behind the swinging door, Remus cleared his throat and shook his head as if to clear it. "A very nice and enthusiastic girl. Just not very bright."

Tonks just blinked several times. "My gods, she's seeing a married man and herself and his wife are okay with it. And they're all one big happy family?"

Remus shrugged slightly. "I've heard of stranger arrangements. It was a somewhat common practice in the late sixties, earlier seventies. One man has about three or four women he calls his wife. But usually the communes had two or three 'husbands' that shared about ten 'wives'. I find the practice somewhat primitive and unrefined. But, to each their own, I suppose. I'm rather happy I lost my fixation with those things before leaving Hogwarts."

Tonks grinned. "You thought about joining a commune?"

"It was Sirius' idea, not mine," Remus said simply, immersing himself in a magazine. "I'll explain later."