A/N: Hello. Guys thanks for all the reviews so far, they've been a great help. The definitely make me want to write faster. I tell you want if I didn't know what happens to Remus and Tonks, then I'd be jealous of them right now. They like each other so much. Well read on and enjoy.

The Long way There.

"Look what's been going on, I haven't heard anything from anyone, what's Vol - ?" Harry was stopped from finishing, by the sounds of shock and terror that came from the group of wizards.

Remus stood in the middle of the tidy muggle kitchen. Harry stood before him, the anger evident on his face. He had grown so much in the past year. He was clearly not a child anymore, but no more was he an adult. Remus remembered back to his years as a teenager, they were confusing and frustrating, and that had been without the added pressures that Harry had in his life.

Mad-Eye warned Harry to not say anymore till they were somewhere safe, his magical eye getting stuck as he said it. Asking Harry for a glass of water, he pulled the eye out. Remus paled and looked away. He vaguely heard Tonks make a protest as he struggled to keep his gag reflexes in check.

His stomach under control, Remus looked back to Harry. " How're we getting - wherever we're going?" Harry asked.

"Brooms," answered Remus. "Only way. You're too young to Apparate, they'll be watching the Floo Network and it's more then our life's worth to set up an unauthorised Portkey."

"Remus says you're a good flier," said Kingsley Shacklebolt in his deep voice.

"He's excellent," said Remus. Time was getting away from them as Remus looked at his watch. "Anyway, you'd better go and get packed, Harry, we need to be ready to go when the signal comes."

"I'll come and help you," said Tonks, flashing a smile at Remus.

As Tonks bounced off after Harry, Remus looked out the window. Bill Weasley and Malcolm Riley, another Order member were to do a quick sky check while the guard broke into the Dursleys house. They were to send one red flash across the sky, to make the all clear. And one green spark to mark the go ahead.

Tonks followed Harry into the Hall and up the stairs. While they walked she tried to explain her earlier comments, "Funny place. It's bit too clean, d'you know what I mean? Bit unnatural." Harry walked through into his room switching on the light as he went. "Oh, this is better."

Harry's room looked a bit more like Tonks apartment, not that she would never admit that to Harry. Her room had looked even worse when she was Harry's age. Harry started to pile all his books into his trunk. Tonks, unsure if she really wanted to go throwing dirty socks into some 15 year olds school trunk, turned her attentions to the mirror inside Harry's closet. Remus early words about her hair colour came back into mind.

"You know, I don't think violet's really my colour. D'you think it makes me look a bit peaky?" Tonks pulled at one of her violet spikes and looked over at Harry.

Harry stopped what he was doing and gave her a baffled look, "Err-."

Tonks didn't need anymore convincing then that. "Yeah it does." she closed her eyes and concentrated on seeing her self with her pink hair. Every other thought left her mind and pink hair was all she thought about. Then she felt the small twitch on her head and she knew that her hair had changed. She opened her eyes.

"How did you do that?" Harry looked at her astonished.

"I'm a Metamorphmagus," she moved her head around making sure the change was complete. She had once gone a whole day before she realised that the hair on the back of her head had not changed with the rest of it. She caught Harry's confused look in the mirror, "It means I can change my appearance at will. I was born one. I got top marks in Concealment and Disguise during my Auror training without any study at all, it was great."

Tonks watched as Harry forgot about the book still in his hand and gave Tonks his full attention. If he hadn't instantly liked her, he did now. "You're an Auror?" he asked impressed.

"Yeah," Tonks said proudly, "Kingsley is as well, he's bit higher up then me, though. I only qualified a year ago. Nearly failed on Stealth and Tracking. I'm dead clumsy, did you hear me break a plate when we arrived downstairs."

"Can you learn how to be a Metamorphmagus?" asked Harry, the book in his hand nearly slipping to the floor.

Tonks giggled thinking about how she would morph away spots when she was younger, she was sure Harry would have loved to not have to be 'the boy who lived' for a day. "Bet you wouldn't mind hiding that scar sometimes, eh?"

"No, I wouldn't mind," said Harry turning away. Tonks realised that she had been staring at his scar and looked away also.

"Well you have to learn the hard way, I'm afraid," Tonks said, "Metamorphmagus are really rare, they're born, not made. Most wizards need to use a wand, or potion, to change their appearance," Tonks looked around on the floor, she hadn't helped pack at all, and now Harry had stopped altogether, "But we've got to get going, Harry, we're supposed to be packing."

"Oh- yeah," said Harry. But they were never going to get it done fast enough.

"Don't be stupid, it'll be much quicker if I - pack!" Tonks said with a wave of her wand.

Tonks watched as Harry's possessions rose into the air and landed in a jumbled heap inside his trunk. "It's not very neat. My mum's got this knack of getting stuff to fit itself in neatly - she even get's the socks to fold themselves - but I've never mastered how she does it - it's a kind of flick - " Tonks tried to repeat her mum's flick.

One sock tried to do something, but gave up.

"Ah, well at least it's all in. that could do with a bit of cleaning, too." Tonks looked across at the empty owl cage. It was much cleaner the her Gaston's cage, he wouldn't even go near the thing, let alone get into it. "Scourgify" Tonks tried, but she knew it was helpless before she even tried. "Well, that's a bit better - I've never quite got the hang of these householdy sort of spells. Right - got everything? Cauldron? Broom? Wow! - A Firebolt?"

Tonks eyes fixed enviously on to Harry's broom. It was a international-standard broomstick, and many of the teams in last years World Cup, had flown them. Tonks wanted one, but there was no way she would be able to afford one on her salary. She thought bitterly of her own Comet Two Sixty, never had it felt so inadequate.

"And I'm still riding a Comet Two Sixty," Tonks said. "Ah, well… wand still in your jeans? Both buttocks still on? OK, let's go. Locomotor trunk."

Tonks picked up the owl cage and charmed the trunk out of the room and down the stairs. Remus had just sealed a letter to the Dursleys, and the rest of the wizards were still going through the Kitchen with amusement. Hestia was laughing at a small bladed object that made Tonks giggle as well.

"Excellent," said Remus. Tonks had only been away from him for a few minutes, but still she felt a rush just seeing him again. "We've got about a minute, I think. We should probably get out into the garden so we're ready. Harry, I've left a letter telling your aunt and uncle not to worry-"

"They won't," interrupted Harry.

"- that you're safe-"

"That'll just depress them."

"- and you'll see them next summer."

"Do I have to?"

Lupin smiled but said nothing as he went to pick up his broom that had been leaning against the wall.

Tonks watched as Mad-Eye placed a Disillusionment charm on Harry. Tonks always liked watching the ex-Auror at work. He was skilled and still had a lot to teach, in between the madness. "Nice one, Mad-Eye," she said. Harry was now almost invisible.

Mad-Eye unlocked the back door and moved out on to the lawn. As Tonks followed, she thought that perhaps the Dursleys had good reason to believe that they had won a lawn competition, the lawn was sensational. The rest of the group spread out across the grass.

Mad-Eye began telling Harry the flight formation that they would be using, the idea was to make him feel reassured that he would be safe. Tonks looked over when she heard the world killed. Harry's face had become creased with concern, as Mad-Eye started on what would happen if the whole guard was killed, save for Harry.

"Stop being so cheerful, Mad-Eye," Tonks said once Mad-Eye had finished, "He'll think we're not taking this seriously." She saw Harry relax just a little, before she turned to her broom and began to strap Harry's trunk and owl cage to the harness on her broom.

"Mount your brooms, that's the first signal!" Remus shouted out.

Tonks looked over at Remus, his movements were rife with tension. His keen eyes focused on the sky above. Tonks fought the compulsion to go and calm him down. Now was not the right time, but she was sure now that her regard for him was returned. Sirius had made enough hints, that she couldn't be in doubt.

"Second Signal, let's go!" Remus called out as green sparks shot out across the sky.

By the time they landed in the small square across from the Headquarters, Remus' body was stiff, and he was more then a little relived that the old broom he had borrowed from Sirius was still in one piece. His fingers were numb, his nose ran like a tap, and he could feel the start of a chesty cough coming on.

Remus quieted down Harry as he turned to see Tonks quickly unbuckling Harry's trunk. He smiled at her pink hair, he tried not to dwell on the idea that she had changed it for him.

"Here, I'll help," he whispered to her. In one hand he held Sirius broom and in the other he griped one side of the trunk. Tonks smiled her thanks. She passed her broom off to Hestia, before griping the other side of the trunk with one hand and the owl cage with the other.

As they moved across the road Tonks was glad to see that the rest of the group had their wands at the ready. Mad-Eye had taken care of the street lamps, once again. Remus could just make out the blurred shape in front of him that was Harry. He saw the piece of paper with the Orders address on it float in front of the blurry Harry.

"What's the Order of the - ? Harry said quietly.

"Not here, boy!" cut in Mad-Eye. "Wait till we're inside." with that said he took the piece of paper off Harry and set fire to it. The small charred bit's of paper drifted off in the wind.

Remus watched as Harry's blurred shape looked up and down the square. The weight of Harry's trunk on his already stiff arms was taxing.

"But where's- ?"

"Think about what you've just memorised," Remus said quietly.

He was glad Harry was a fast thinker, for soon after, number Twelve Grimmauld Place pushed its self into existence. Remus could feel the strain in his arm giving out and was happy to move forward into the house where he could put the trunk down. He lent forward, struggling to pull his wand from his robes. Juggling the broom and his wand Remus managed to tap the door in a non-verbal spell that opened the door. He urged Harry in and warned him not to touch anything.

Remus gave out a muffled groan as he put down the trunk just inside the hall. He looked over to Tonks, she mouthed the word heavy. Mad-Eye put the street lights back on and shut the door. Harry suddenly materialized in front of Remus as Mad-Eye removed the Disillusionment Charm, before turning around and casting a spell on the lamps that lit the hall.

"Oh, Harry, it's lovely to see you!" Molly Weasley had come up from the kitchen and was now talking to Harry in a whispered voice. She turned to the group of wizards, "He's just arrived, the meetings started."

Remus was annoyed that they had been compelled to move their Harry moving plan to a Order meeting night, but it was unavoidable. Remus had secretly hoped that he would have the benefit of missing Snivellus report, but Remus should be so lucky.

The rest of the wizards gave noises of excitement, Remus joined in sarcastically. Tonks who stood beside him gave a short of laughter. Remus elbowed her, to try and get her to stay quiet. She flashed him a cheeky grin as she walked down the hall and into the kitchen.

"Having a guard outside the entrance isn't enough. I know that all the Death Eaters are capable of getting around the Department of Mysteries, with out getting lost. I have grave doubts about the Orders abilities in this." Snape shot spitefully down the table at Author.

"Wait, if the Death Eaters have floor plans, or anything like that, then they have a man inside the department?" Tonks asked Snape.

"Oh, how good it is to see an Auror with such an incisive mind." Snape's lips twitched at a smile as he watch the colour rise in Tonks cheeks. " Yes, we have a man inside the department. But his identity is kept hidden by the Death Eater's secret keeper. As that's not me I can't tell you, otherwise I would. Trust me."

"That's not the point. The thing is that Severus is right, we should all know the lay out of the department. If it comes down to it we don't want to be pulling out floor plans and trying to navigate our way around in a time of crisis," reasoned Remus.

"Yeah, well we have floor plans, don't we? Bill?" Sirius asked Bill.

"Yeah, hang on." Bill rummaged through a pile of large parchments. "Here! Floor plan. Dude these are hectic."

Tonks glanced down at the complicated sprawl of hand drawn plans. "And the D.E.'s know all this already? For real?"

Snape gave a curt nod. When he spoke, his voice was cold and held no emotion, "Their devotion to their cause is overwhelming."

Tonks was sure she heard Sirius mutter something about crazy freaks.

"Well, I suggest we all take a copy of this plan and study it over the next week." Dumbledore sat the head of the table, overlooking the meeting through his half moon glasses. He held out his hand for the floor plan and it was passed from the other end of the table where Bill sat. With the floor plan in one and his wand in the other Dumbledore taped the parchment. Instantly a copy of the plan appeared in front of every Order member. "Right, if you have no other news Severus? No - well then does anyone else have anything they would like to add? No - well the I think that we should call an end to the meeting and let Molly get Dinner ready for those hungry Children of hers." Dumbledore smiled at the room at large and made his exit through the fire place.

Tonks watched as Snape got up to leave through the front door. Many of the wizards followed him from the room, either wanting to ask Snape a question about the Death Eaters, or making their way to the front door. Tonks got up to make her good byes in the hall. She was staying for dinner but she could do with stretching her legs.

As she made her way down the hall she was careful not to speak to loudly as to not wake up Mrs Black. She stood at the back of the crowd that had surrounded Snape. He seemed torn to her, between liking the attention and his desire to get away from the crowd, but then he was a hard card to read, could be wrong she thought to herself.

"Not you too?" Remus whispered to Tonks

"What?" she asked.

"You're not in wonder of Snape as well are you?"

"Oh, yeah, don't ya know it," laughed Tonks.

"Good. I couldn't have you liking him. We wouldn't be able to be friends anymore."

"That's a bit rough. I've read his file- I'd be worried if he was normal."

"File? Like his law records?"

"Yeah. And he's had some messed up things happen to him. D'you know his mum died when he was only 16. Overdosed herself with drought of the living dead."

"I - I didn't know that."

"Don't feel guilty. He's still a git. And he's story isn't as depressing as some of the other crims I've met." Tonks turned and gave Remus a smile to help endorse the point.

The front door opened and the crowed of wizards moved on out, apparating from the top step. Molly, Remus, and Tonks moved forward and locked the door after them all. When they turned around, the Weasley children, Hermione, and Harry all stood on the first step of the staircase.

Tonks started forward to the kitchen, her eyes on the long curtains that hid Mrs Black, watching for any hint that they would fly open. Pain shot through Tonks shin at the same time there was a loud crash at the umbrella stand tipped over. Tonks fell to the floor, as the pain shot through her body in hot waves. No matter how many times she walked into things it still hurt.

"Tonks!" cried Molly.

"I'm Sorry!" managed Tonks, "It's that stupid umbrella stand, it's the second time I've tripped over it today." but it was no use talking anymore, Tonks words were lost under Mrs. Blacks Screams.

Remus Quickly pulled Tonks off the ground as he dashed forward to pull at the curtains that had sprung open. Molly wasn't far behind her. All along the hall the paintings began to howl out their protest. Tonks picked up the large umbrella stand and moved it against the wall. She was still trying to apologise over the noise.

Molly had now given up on the curtain, and was working on stunning the other paintings. The door to the kitchen was thrown open and Sirius bounded up the stairs. He stood yelling at his mother for a while before he helped Remus close the curtains. Sirius turned around to Harry and smiled up at him. Tonks had never seen either of them look so happy.

Remus sat with elbows on the table, his hands clasped together in front of him. He could hear the floor boards creak as Harry, Hermione, and the Weasley's made their way slowly up stairs to bed. After they had all been well feed, Sirius had let Harry ask anything he wanted about the Order. Tonks, Arthur, Sirius, and Remus had explained what they could. Harry was not told that Voldemort was after a prophecy that was stored in the department of Mysteries. On the other hand, Remus had told him that he was unable to join the Order.

"Nothing the Order does is going to be any worse than what Harry's been through already." Sirius fixed his friend with a hard stare.

Reaching for his empty glass, Remus spun it around on his finger. "Yes, But would you have wanted Harry to have willing gone and done the things he's done?"

Sirius rubbed the back of his neck. "No. Your right Moony. Just because he's survived that danger before, doesn't mean I should let him willing do it now."

"Don't think being a member will stop him from standing up to fight anyway," mused Tonks.

Sirius laughed. "You're right there. He's his fathers son, his mothers as well, come to think of it."

"True. They never missed a chance to stand up and fight for what was right." Remus pushed his chair back and stood up.

"You going?" Tonks asked.

"Yeah, that broom ride was tiring." Remus went and put his empty glass in the sink.

"I'm off too. Work in the morning." Tonks gave a wave to Weasley's and Sirius.

Together Remus and Tonks made their way quietly down the hall. As they passed the umbrella stand Remus leaned over and whispered to Tonks, "Watch out. There's that stand."

Tonks shook her head. "Shut up. You know I tripped on it on my way in this afternoon as well?"

"You didn't - you did." Remus suppressed a laugh as he opened the front door.

The air was cold outside, summer seemed to be disappearing already. Tonks hugged herself. A bright piece of pink hair blew into her face. She shooed it away by flicking her head.

"So how's you're your leg? It's not had a good day?" joked Remus.

"It bloody hurts. That stand is going to be the death of me I swear." the piece of hair blew into her face again.

Remus watched as she tried unsuccessfully to flick it away again. "Here," said Remus moving towards her to brush the hair from her face. His fingers lightly brushed her soft check, the sensation sent shivers up Remus spine. As he focussed on brushing away the piece of hair, the rest of the world no longer exited to Remus Lupin. His caught the strand of surprisingly silky pink hair. As he tucked the hair behind Tonks ear, he allowed his fingers to trace her ear down to her neck.

Suddenly he felt Tonks' hand around the back of his neck, he was sure he had stopped breathing. Tonks was leaning closer to him, and before he could even think of the consequences, he leaned closer to Tonks. Very slowly, and very softly, and very briefly, they kissed.

AN: Phew! About time they did that. Tell me how I went with the first real mushy bit. Go on, go review now!

P.S. sorry it took them so long. ;)