I Don't Care, You Amaze Me

by MeetVirginia

"When this is all over... we'll stay together, right? It won't be a secret. We'll buy some run- down cottage with a zillion windows and plant flowers," she'll say. And he'll think, we're going to lose this war, or else wise we're going to die in combat. And even if we won, what would change? I'd still be a werewolf. I'd still be poor and old and people would hate me."

20. I Love You

"Tonks!" he yells, sprinting down the hallway and stopping at the top of a marble staircase.

From the landing below, she turns and stares. Her eyes are unashamedly red.

"What, Remus?" she yells.

"You left the hospital wing!"

"I did!" she says indignantly. "Someone needs to clean up the castle."

Remus nods. "Let me help you!"

"I don't think that is such a-"

"Dora, I want to help!"

She stares at him fixedly. "You've never called me Dora before."

"Dora," he says. When she doesn't jinx him, he continues. "Darling Dora, I'm sorry for the way I've acted. I've been an absolute prat..."

"You have," she agrees, not intending to smile.

"And I, I mean, if it's going to be like this, and if I'm going to say all of this, and apologize and all, I suppose I should tell you..."

"Tell me what?"

"That I love you."

And just like that Remus is descending the stairs, determined to close the distance between them.

"The staircase is moving!" he calls, as the two drift apart once more. "Isn't that just our luck?""

"Stay where you are!" she calls, "I'm coming up!" and Tonks sets off up a different flight of stairs.

And then they're seconds away, and they're running faster and faster and faster until they'll surely collide, and Tonks leaps into his arms.

The two topple onto the floor with a thud, and when he kisses her, her hair turns pink.