Tickled Pink
Chapter 2 – Tears
The next morning Remus found himself scouring the Hufflepuff table for Nymphadora.
"There's no point looking for pink," said Padfoot, reading Remus' mind but not bothering to look up from his Daily Prophet, "she's a metamorphagus, she's probably changed it by now."
But then Moony say it. The shoulder length spiky pink hair bobbing as she talked animatedly to her friends. He could not help but let out a small gasp of happiness. For which he received a sharp kick under the table from Sirius that turned him resolutely back to his eggs. Although he could not help but look at her every now and again throughout the meal.
The bell rang for classes and, with prompting from Lily Evans all four Marauders rose. Sirius and Peter started toward the doors but when Remus went to follow them James caught his arm.
"Try to make it less obvious, Moons" he said seriously, "you know how close Sirius is to his cousin Drommie and that's her daughter, he's bound to be protective. But he'll come round." James smiled squeezing Remus' arm and letting go. "And please mate, do remember what age she is." He smirked.
Remus opened his mouth to retort but looked into his friends dark brown eyes and shut it, nodding.
"Good" James asserted, "now come on. We're going to be late for History of Magic, again."
As they snuck into their seats in the class Professor Bins had already begun his lesson. But, as usual he didn't notice they had entered and carried on speaking in a monotonous tone. James and Remus sat at the back next to Peter and Sirius respectively.
"Where've you been, Moons?" Sirius whispered.
"Left my bag in the Great Hall, had to go back and get it. James came too."
This explanation seemed to suffice because Sirius turned his attention back to is note. Although Remus knew that they were just the doodles of a bored teenager.
When they left the cold, stone room an hour later the corridor thronged with students, all dressed in winter cloaks and many flushed from the icy wind outside. The four used the superiority of their years and Remus' status as prefect to push their way through the crowds.
On their way to the next class, Potions, Remus thought he caught a glimpse of pink in a group of Hufflepuffs. He turned to look causing the girls to giggle and Remus to receive an elbow in the ribs from James.
The remainder of the day passed uneventfully. Except foe James and Sirius getting yet another detention to add to their ever growing list. They had taken an opportunity in Potions to spill a large quantity of suspicious liquid on Severus Snape that caused him to come out in innumerable painful boils. Although this could not really be counted as an event as it was wont to happen every few days at least.
"It's going to be shit," Sirius grumbled, "detention with Slughorn on a Friday night. I could think of so many things I'd rather be doing."
James just grunted over his late History of Magic essay that Binns hadn't stayed awake and conscious of his class long enough to collect yet.
They were curled by the fire in The Gryffindor common room. Sirius and Peter on the floor playing a rather one-sided game of wizard chess. James at a small table with a long roll of mostly blank parchment and Remus seated in a large squashy armchair.
An hour and several games of chess and exploding snap later, James and Sirius left for their detention with Slughorn.
"Want to play with me?" Peter asked, gesturing to the board already set with the enchanted chess pieces.
"Oh, all right." Remus slipped down off his chair and sat beside the small pudgy boy to play a game of chess that could only end one way.
After Peter had been beaten repeatedly Remus began to get bored and restless. He had already exhausted his pile of homework, as was his nature, so was at a loss as to what could amuse him.
"Right," Moony said putting on hand on either side of his chair and pushed himself up to a standing position, "I'm going for a walk."
Remus looked to Peter. He had just found a rather nasty homework for charms he had forgotten about. Wormtail wasn't going to be going anywhere that night.
"Well. See you soon." Remus called as he stepped lightly through the portrait hole and started off down the deserted corridor alone.
The castle was quiet because, even though curfew had not yet arrived, everyone was tucked up in their warm common rooms. It was winter so although it was only seven o'clock outside it was dark and inside only lit by torches mounted on the walls. Remus pulled his warm cloak 'round him and thanked Merlin he had thought to bring it.
As he walked he heard a sound. Remus stopped, listening intently. And, yes, there it was again, a soft sniffling noise coming from an alcove behind a tapestry. Someone was crying.
Suddenly the tapestry slid to one side as the source of the crying sound slipped out.
"Nymphadora!" Remus exclaimed.
She looked up, startled, and promptly tripped over her feet and fell against his chest. Nymphadora looked up at him, he had to try his hardest not to meet those eyes, so beautiful glistening with tears. She blushed brilliantly scarlet, pulled herself up and stared down at her bright yellow Doc Martin boots instead of the face of the older boy.
"What's wrong?" he asked, more gently than his initial reaction.
The girl said nothing but blushed more than ever.
"Come on now, you can tell me." Remus smiled and tapped his prefect badge jokingly. Then, acting on impulse, put a tentative arm around Nymphadora's slim shoulders. The effect was amazing, the warm feeling rose in his chest and began coursing through his veins. She straightened and looked up at Remus' face face for the first time that night. Her eyes made his chest tighten and he no longer trusted himself to stand. Instead he walked her to a broad window ledge and sat down.
"Tell me what's happened." Remus prompted again. And finally she gave in.
"There's this Slytherin boy," Nymphadora sniffed, "he calls me names and teases me for being in Hufflepuff. He said that it's where they put the stupid people who aren't good enough for the other houses." Her eyes began to fill up again with tears. "He's in my Charms and Transfiguration classes and laughs at me when I get something wrong or make a mistake. I always make mistakes, maybe I am just stupid." The tears ran silently down her cheeks.
Remus felt immediate, intense hatred for this boy, how dare he upset this delicate, sensitive, beautiful... Remus stopped himself, no he mustn't think like that. But then he had an idea, be completely innocent, just... helpful.
"First of all, you are in no way stupid. And Hufflepuff is not for those unworthy of other houses, Hufflepuff is for those that are hard-working, kind, fair, patient and generous." He ventured giving her shoulder a squeeze and letting his arm drop, "How about you show me your hard working side. I'll tutor you, meet you in the library or something and help you with Charms and Transfiguration. And if all else fails we'll get James and Sirius to try punching some sense into this boy." For this he earned a watery smile.
"Come on, I'll walk you down to your common room. Shouldn't be out this late little missy." Remus smiled
"But how do you know where it is?" asked Nymphadora, her eyes clearing of the mistiness crying had given them.
Remus thought of the Marauders' Map that he would bet anything James or Sirius had tucked into his robes and just smiled tapping the side of his nose.
They walked in silence, neither really daring to speak, although Remus did have to reach out and catch the clumsy girl more than once as she tripped on stairs or simply her own feet. When they arrived at the Hufflepuff entrance Remus finally broke the silence.
"Goodnight, Nymphadora." He whispered, "and don't let him get to you, OK?" He placed a hand on her shoulder. The contact sent a surge of electricity shooting up his arm, "I'll see you at five on Sunday."
Nymphadora nodded and, just as he began to walk back toward the stairs, she spoke.
"Thank you," she said, "and, um, Remus, call me Tonks would you?"
He turned back to her, smiling, "Goodnight, Tonks."