A/N: Hey guys. This chapter took me awhile because I couldn't quite work out how to write what I wanted to. I blame it on the fact that it's chapter 13.

Anyway, I'm looking for a good beta, so if you know anyone or your interested, let me know. Enjoy.

Chapter 13

Twat!

Tonks felt like rubbish. When she had woken that day, she felt like all the energy and happiness in her body had been drained. Everything in her life felt somehow mute and unreal. Things, like what her boss thought of her, held little to no meaning to her now. The last few mornings had been much the same, with her feelings getting darker by the day.

It had been like this since Remus had ignored her declaration. They had meet a few times since, at dinner at Number 12, or when one of them took over from the other for guard duty. The kept a friendly indifference to each other. Although Tonks had to admit to herself that she felt happiest those days when Remus was around, even when he didn't meet her eyes.

Tonks now sat in a questioning room, depressed and taking notes. Her superior was grilling a suspect in relation to the Blue Ring poison case. Taking notes had been Tonks main task while working the case, she was also given the opportunity to write up observation reports. This was meant to be better then the paper work that she had been stuck doing the past month,

"So, on the night of the August 12th, you left your apartment at what time?" The interrogator asked the tired suspect for the fourth time.

It was an interview technique, to have the suspect repeat their story over and over. Then find where their story changed or become disjointed, and then you can pin point where they are lying. Effective, but slow.

Tonks scribbled down her notes on the session, as the suspect spat out his reply, "I told you! Eight. Eight-o-five, maybe. It was around then."

Tonks mind began to wander. The next day she would be part of the security team for Harry's trip from Number 12 to Kings Cross. She had been asked to disguise herself. The Death Eaters would be out, and as far she knew, no one knew that she was part of the Order, except the Order members.

The racked her brain, thinking of all the different disguises she could use. An older, rather bookish woman that Tonks had seen at a rare trip to Marks and Spencer's Food recently, came to mind. The woman had been very fastidious about choosing her strawberries, picking up all the punnets at least twice. She would be fun to play.

Tonks' attention was brought back to the questioning room when her superior coughed loudly. "Do you need a break Tonks?"

"Err, sorry sir. I'm right." Tonks put her mind back on the job, and left her disguise ideas for later.

Remus sat on top of an old dark mahogany dresser, it creaked under the strain, but the old wood held out. The room smelt like a farm, and Remus tried to breath only through his month to block the stench. Sirius stood throwing dead rats to the Hippogriff that was sitting on top of the large four poster bed.

"So, you still thinking of coming tomorrow?"

Sirius turned to his friend. "Of course. Your not going to try and talk me out of it are you?"

Remus thought about it for a moment, "No. It wouldn't help, besides I'd like to see you get some fresh air."

"Merlin! Fresh air, what does that smell like?" Sirius said with a mirthless laugh.

"Well, it wont be that fresh. It is London air after all." They both laughed.

Sirius threw Buckbeck the last rat. "Tell, what's happening with you and the lovely Miss Tonks?"

"Don't start at me about that."

"You like her, and she likes-"

"She hardly knows me. If she did know me, then she wouldn't fancy me." Remus said bitterly.

"You're a twat, you know?" Sirius snapped back at his friend, "You're hardly a man of mystery. You're more a man with deep rooted issues of self-confidence."

"I'm not a twat." Remus tried to defend himself.

"Yes you are. If you weren't then you'd be dating a young, attractive, if a little clumsy, witch."

"Well it doesn't matter now. I've pushed her away and missed my chance."

"Pushed her away? Yes. Missed your chance? No. She's still very smitten with you. I bet that if you where to say sorry and put a few moves on her tonight , then you be snogging in no time." Sirius said with a certainty that Remus couldn't argue with.

"You really do talk some rubbish."

"Trust me Moony, I know about these things." Sirius cupped his friends shoulder.

"Fine I'll do it then. I'll apologise." Remus said reluctantly.

At lunch time Tonks had found an inter office memo from Mr Weasley, telling her that Ron and Hermione had become the new Gryffindor prefects, and in honour of the achievement, there would be a small party at Number 12 that night. Now Tonks stood in her work bathroom, touching up her make-up. Her work clothes of brown cords and a navy button down shirt would have to do, but at least she could change her hair from a plain dark brown bob, to something more fun.

Twenty minutes later Tonks was slipping thought the door of Number 12, her hair a tomato red colour, reaching down to her waist. It was Sirius who had let her in, and Tonks couldn't help but notice the childish grin on his face.

"What are you grinning about?" she whispered.

Sirius gave a bark of a laugh that made the curtains covering Mrs black shake. "I had a little talk to Remus today. About you."

Tonks heart gave a flutter. She walked down the steps into the kitchen, missing the last one, righted herself quickly and glanced around. The long table had been pushed to one side, a few bowls of wizard candy on it, the rest of the food was still being cooked. A red banner hung above the table praising the new prefects. Remus stood lining up bottles of butter beer at one end of the table.

"Wow. So this is what you get, just for having a shiny little badge." Tonks said.

"Oi, Remus. Didn't you tell me to remind you that, there was something that you had to tell Tonks?" Sirius said in a mock thoughtful tone.

Remus gave a look of reproof to Sirius, before turning to Tonks. "Err, yes."

A light knock on the front door, travelled down to break the silence in the room.

"I'll get. It is my house after all." Sirius was out the door before the other two could say anything.

"So?" asked Tonks.

"I'm sorry. For being a twat." Remus said a little to quickly.

"What?" Tonks said confused, "You're sorry for being a twat."

"Yes. Sincerely sorry."

"Oh! Well… err…that's…err. What are you talking about?" Tonks asked still confused.

Before Remus had time to explain himself, Sirius was bounding down the stairs to the kitchen with Kingsley right behind him. "Look who learnt how to knock without waking my ma."

"That must be an outstanding achievement for you Kingsley." Remus said as he moved over to shake Kingsley's hand.

"Huge achievement." Kingsley joked.

"Sirius, why don't you help me get the rest of this food out." said Remus moving towards the oven.

Tonks stood rooted to the spot, still unable to work out, what part of Remus behaviour he was trying to apologise for.

"You all right there Tonks?" asked Kingsley, "Just you look a little lost."

"No, I mean I'm fine. How is your case going?" Tonks said pulling her self out of her confusion.

"So Moony, what did you say?" Sirius asked as he piled roast potatoes into a serving bowl.

"I said that I was sorry for being a twat." Remus put the large roast beef on to a plate, before tapping his wand to it. The beef instantly sliced itself.

"Then?"

"Then, she asked what I meant." they walked over to the table and put down the beef and potatoes.

"And, you said: for brushing her off, for being distant, for everything over the past few weeks that should have been the start of our passionate relationship."

"No, I didn't say anything, you two came in."

"What!?" Sirius thrust the empty pot in his hand roughly into the sink. The noise made Tonks and Kingsley to turn quizzically towards them.

"Keep your voice down."

"But you didn't fix anything. You twat."

"Really could we stop with the twat?" they moved back to the table with various steamed veggies.

"Ok, you're a c-" Sirius began.

"Twat is fine." Remus said loud enough for Tonks and Kingsley to look at the pair again. "I'll fix it. Later."

"Really?"

"Yes, I'll enter into a doomed relationship. But only to shut you up."

"Fine with me." Sirius smiled broadly.

The party was in full swing now. There was a weird sisters song playing in the background far to quietly for Tonks liking. She sipped some of her butterbeer and felt the familiar warm feeling spread though her body. Her sprits had been high all evening. She wasn't sure what Remus had been apologising for, but she had decided it was a good start to fixing things between them. Perhaps, Tonks thought, they might get together yet.

Tonks tried to listen to Ron, as he explain his new broomstick to her, but she kept glancing over to where Hermione was talking to Remus. A few time Tonks even caught Remus looking over at her. When this happened they would smile sheepishly at each other.

"Oi Ron. Don't you be boring Tonks to death about your broomstick." Bill had appeared at Tonks side.

"He's not boring me Bill." Tonks said, seeing Ron's face burn with embarrassment.

"Oh that's right you like brooms and stuff." Bill said, "Tonks, I know you like me, but changing your hair to look like me, it's going a little far."

Tonks hit Bill playfully. "If your hair was this long, your mother would probably lay and egg."

"Lay a grown chicken more like it." Quipped Ron.

They all laughed.

"Tonks?" Remus had emerged right next to Tonks while they had been laughing.

"Remus." Tonks surprised herself, by putting her hand on Remus' arm.

Remus looked surprised as well. "I was wondering if I might be able to explain, that … err…thing to you now."

Tonks nodded and they moved away from the crowed. Tonks noticed that Remus was breathing rather deeply. His eye flickered all over the room, making sure of their privacy. He stood rubbing his hands together, and Tonks noticed a deep scar run across the palm of him left hand.

"I was distant with you. I never really explained why I felt the need to do so. I've acted rudely, and without thought to your feelings, only to my own. That, according to Sirius, makes me a twat."

It was now Tonks turn to look about the room, searching for what to say to Remus. "That's ok. I … err…forgive you. So what about the fact that I quite fancy you?" Tonks voice shook slightly as she finished her sentence.

"Well, that's a big problem for me. I really fancy you too, and I have very big reservations as to if I am good choice for a boyfriend."

"Isn't that something for me decide." Tonks fought back the tears that were welling up in her eyes.

"It's my illness." Remus look into Tonks eyes, he smiled sadly. "Give me a bit of time."

Tonks nodded, not trusting her self to speak with out her voice failing her.

Not to much latter Tonks left the party, hardly stopping to say her goodbyes.

A/N: You know what will make me write faster? You got it, reviews. So you know what to do.