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

AN: btw, check my profile for updates on all my WIP fics… Each one that's in works will have a status and the current ideas for the chapter that's being worked on (including this one). It gets updated anytime I update a fic. Not to mention I have some other fics there as well that would really enjoy having you read them.

Chapter Four
"Oh come on Remus, I have to know about the commune," Tonks grinned, swatting her hand at his magazine playfully. "Please? Pretty please? Pretty please with chocolate chips and syrup on the top?"

"Nymphadora," Remus said in a plain, but firm tone. "I will explain later."

"Nymphadora Tonks."

Tonks jerked a glare to the nurse standing in the doorway. She slowly stood up and looked at Remus in a stunned manner when he stood as well. "You're not going to wait out here?" If she hadn't known better, she would have thought a look of being offended had momentarily went across Remus' eyes. "I meant you could go in?"

"Yes," Remus replied simply. "Let's get in so we can get back to Grimmauld."

After the nurse had weighed her, the two of them were guided to a nice sized examination office. Tonks bounced up onto the examination chair and kicked her feet back and forth as she looked at the various posters of fetal development on the walls. Remus took a seat in a small metal chair in the corner. Tonks could feel her eyes getting a little misty as she watched the picture of a "third trimester" fetus suck its thumb.

She slipped off the chair and walked over to the posters. She pointed to one for "month three." She looked over at Remus, which was nervously wringing his hands. "This is what she looks like right now I bet… Are you alright Remus?"

He nodded mutely and his eyes slowly went over the posters on the wall before they went back to his nervous hands. Tonks got back up on the chair and sighed heavily. She did have much time to even think about asking Remus what was wrong when the door flung open and a short, almost skeletal, woman with very heavy and unflattering make up walked into the room.

"You must be Nymphadora Tonks," she greeted, shaking Tonks' hand with a big, tooth filled smile. "I am Dr. Habra Tralawney. And before you ask young lass, yes, the professor is one of my great, great, grand-nieces on her father's side." She conjured a rolling chair over to her and plopped down, crossing her legs. "So, we have a little one on the way do we?"

"Ye--"

"What kind of test did you use?" She looked at a chart she'd been carrying in her hand. "Molly Weasley's Brew, aye? I recommend that one to most of the girls that come in. Molly keeps me good and supplied. I was her doctor for all of her clan. Lovely children, lovely woman. Sheer geniuses the lot of them. Any special magical traits?"

"I'm a--"

"Metamorphagi, wow." She looked at the chart again. "Now I can go ahead and tell you, most magus have a tendency to lose their morphing abilities around the middle of their second trimester? Do you know what a trimester is dear?" Tonks opened her mouth to speak. "Didn't think so. Trimesters are the three stages of development of the baby. The first three months are the first trimester. Month's three thru six are the second, and six thru birth are the third. So roughly that means around your fifth month you may find it very hard to change your appearance at will. By time sixth hits, you won't be able to do so at all."

"Why?" Tonks managed.

"No one knows why, it's just what happens. So make sure to find an appearance you're happy with and stick to it before the fifth month comes along." The woman adjusted the thick wire rimmed glasses on her nose. "Some speculate it's because the baby requires so much. Personally, I think it's because the baby is sucking in all the magic. Around that time you may want to keep your magic to a minimum as well. Any questions?"

"Umm…"

"Good. Now, take this robe and put it on. The bra is okay to leave on, but trousers and knickers must be off. I'll be right back for the examination." She stood and turned to go. "Oh, hellos Remus Lupin, long time no see. Do you still take your daily vitamin potion?" Remus nodded. "Still a werewolf are you?" Again, Remus nodded. "Good, good." She looked over her shoulder at Tonks. "Couldn't have picked a better lad, lass. He'll make a good husband." She patted Remus so hard on the back that he winced each time her hand connected with his back.

"Oh! We're not dating. We're just friends," Tonks supplied, flushing slightly.

Habra smiled lightly. "Ah, I see. Two friends that got caught up in a moment. Most of them call the child that comes of it an accident. But, rest assured, there are no accidents." She looked at Lupin and smiled pleasantly. "And that's from your own mum's mouth Remus so I'll not have you going about trying to say otherwise." Having said that, Habra left the room.

The two exchanged a look and then Tonks looked down at the robe in her hands. She looked up at him after a moment. "Remus?"

"Yes?" he asked softly. Tonks almost could have sworn that there had been a glimmer of something in his eyes, a glimmer that resembled hope. It was only there a moment, so she quickly dismissed it.

"Could you turn your head while I get this on?"

Remus nodded mutely and turned his chair to face the wall.

888

"So, what are we going to name her?"

Tonks looked up from her ice cream sundae, which she was dipping bits of cream cheese covered bagel into. "Name? Oh, I don't know yet. Haven't given it much thought. I got six more months after all, no need to rush things. Or, rather, we have six more months." She gave Remus a bright smile and leaned in excitedly. "Why? Did you have an idea for a name?"

He flushed slightly. "No, I didn't. You're right. It is a bit early for that sort isn't it?"

"No, it's not. Let's hear your ideas. Come on, I want to hear them."

Remus gave a slight smile. "Actually I was thinking of asking you to let your mum pick a name, since she does so well."

"Funny," Tonks said with a dangerous glare. Her expression softened as she stuffed a piece of cream cheese and ice-creamed bagel into her mouth. "If you had an idea for a name, let me know. Because I have no idea what to name her. Other than something simple like Mary or April or something of that nature." She felt tears misting in her eyes. "You were already thinking of names. That's so sweet."

Remus looked down at his coffee. "I was just formulating something. Something that would somewhat point in the direction of her method of conception. Something that sounds ancient but beautiful. And at the same time have it sound like something misunderstood but upon looking at it written down you would have never thought that she is the child of a metamorphagi and a werewolf."

Tonks blinked several times. "Wow. What did you have in mind?"

Remus shook his head. "It's nothing. It was silly anyway. Don't you want to hear about how Sirius and I wanted to form a commune?"

"No. I want to hear what you want to name our daughter. After that explanation of the inspiration of it, I'm kind of curious."

"So do you plan on the being a working mum and me keeping her? We would have to get married if that's what you wanted to do --"

"Remus quit avoiding my question. I want to know what you want to name her."

Remus closed his eyes and inhaled deeply before sighing. "Not right now. We'll converse about it at a more appropriate time. Besides, I know you wouldn't like it."

"Oh come on now, Remus. I'm saddled with Nymphadora, you can't get worse than that so trust me, I probably will like it." She reached across the table and held his hand. "From the way you explained it, it sounds like it'll be a beautiful name."

Remus shook his head. "Another time. We'll set aside some time each month to discuss the names you come up with and the ones I come up with."

Tonks squeezed his hand slightly. "How about tomorrow night, you and I grab a bite to eat and bring a list of five names. And the one you refuse to tell me about better be on that list."

"It will be on there as soon as I get all the details of it sorted."

"Details? Like what?"

"For one, it's taking an old word -- an old word associated with magic --" Remus explained. "And I am basically changing the spelling. Or, I will just find the ancient spelling of it to be her name. Because I want her name to be perfect."

"You're going to be putting a lot of thought into this," Tonks said quietly. "I bet she'll love having her name and will never want to go by her surname." Tonks gasped slightly. When Remus looked at her questioningly, Tonks blushed. "Um, Remus, who's last name will she be having? I mean, I'd love for her to have yours but I'm not sure what the Ministry says about this sort. I could look into tomorrow at work."

"That's a good idea," Remus agreed. "Because I am a rather bit uncertain myself. Especially since I'm a werewolf and all." He was quiet a moment, staring off across the street. "Tonks, if it came to it, would you marry me if you had to?"

Tonks felt her heart leap into her throat then dive into her stomach. She blinked several times and closed her mouth, which had dropped open in her shock. "Are… are you asking," she stammered. Her heart started to rapidly beat, letting Tonks know it had once again climbed back to its rightful spot in her chest.

Thousands of times, since she had met him, she had daydreamed about the idea of becoming Nymphadora Lupin. And now, here he was, sitting across from her, outside of an ice cream shop asking her if she would. If he were indeed asking, she certainly would not say "no".

Remus shook his head slightly, and Tonks felt her heart fall. "I'm asking if you would if you had to. Because I know and lovely young woman like yourself wouldn't be too keen on having a werewolf for a husband."

Tonks smiled lightly and squeezed his hand again. "Well, if I had to, then no. If I needed to, maybe. If I was asked because you want to, then yes. Besides, a rather handsome werewolf is the father of my baby, so I don't think I would mind marrying one."

She felt his hand tremble slightly. "Let's get back to Grimmauld," he said softly, his tone shaking. When he glanced at her, his eyes held traces of wanting to form tears in the corners.

The two of them stood and walked back to Grimmauld.