Authors note: Wooo! Two chapters in one day! Go me! Alright...the next chapter might take a little while to put up but it is my hope to get as much of this story up before June 19th so expect it within a day or two.

Oh yeah, the POV in this short chapter switches to Sirius for a short time. I think this'll be the only chapter that does so, but yeah. Whatever. It's still readable.

I dunno if I ever mentioned the timeline of this story. Here's what you need to know... I have no idea. I'm kinda just writing for random days that took place between Order work and such from OOTP to HBP. The first half of this fanfic is OOTP, and the second half (you'll def. know when that takes place) is HBP. I think its obvious, but just putting it out there for those that were wondering.

And thank you again to all my lovelies that dropped a review! And on that note, onward to the story!

Chapter Five-Chocolate

Tonks walked into the cold, dusty room being very careful not to make a lot of noise like she usually did. With nights getting so busy now with office work and such, she was visiting her cousin every free morning she could squeeze in. As she opened the door she saw her dark haired cousin, sitting in a tall, high-backed armchair and reading an enormously thick book.

"Wotcher Sirius!" she said cheerfully and then froze as she saw a familiar pale, gaunt man sleeping on the coach nearby. "Oh!" she whispered. "I'm sorry."

"No, don't bother." Sirius said loudly. "He won't wake up…watch."

Before Tonks could suggest anything otherwise, Sirius snapped his book shut and decisively dropped it onto the hard, wooden floor.

The book was heavy enough to make the floor tremble and the noise was loud enough to rival the explosion of a small bomb.

Tonks gasped and watched in amazement as Remus Lupin didn't move a muscle. He laid there, arm dangling off the couch and continued to sleep on with his mouth slightly open.

"See?" said Sirius. "He wouldn't wake up if a dragon came smashing in through the ceiling and demolished the entire house."

Tonks went over and sat in the other armchair opposite Sirius. "He's a very sound sleeper then?"

Sirius looked over at his tired, ill-looking friend and said, "No, he's exhausted. The day following the full moon he's so sore and tired he falls into this impenetrable coma."

Tonks looked at Remus sadly, "Poor Remus." She said.

"I offered to keep him company this time as Padfoot," Sirius said bitterly. "But he wouldn't hear of it. He kept saying it was too risky, even me being transformed and everything. I guess that all those full moons at school were different." He bent down and picked retrieved his book. Tonks caught a glimpse of the front cover, 'Persecution of the bestial, violent, half-breeds.'

Sirius saw the direction of her look and grinned. "It's great to get a laugh out of. I was reading it out loud to Moony for awhile until he fell asleep. Since then I've been reading it to myself."

"Could I borrow it sometime after you're finished with it?" asked Tonks.

"Interested in hunting down some 'dangerous, half-breeds cuz'?" Sirius asked slyly.

"No more then you are." Tonks replied coolly.

Sirius let out a barklike laugh, "Do you fancy Remus?" he asked.

Tonks gave a start when she heard Sirius's blunt and unexpected question. "What?" she asked, stalling for time as she tried to think of an appropriate answer that wouldn't cause her shame and torment in the near future.

Sirius's dark grey eyes were twinkling, the usual deadened look Azkaban had placed there for many years had been momentarily pushed aside.

"Do you fancy him?" Sirius repeated, a smile slowly starting to spread across his face. "Do you passionately love him? Do you find yourself more often then not, daydreaming about him in-ahem- more than simply platonic ways? Do you want to throw yourself ontop of him and start furiously snogging him? Do you want to-?"

"Stop it! I get the picture!" Tonks interrupted her cheeks rather pink from the spreading blush that she had no power to stop.

"Do you?" inquired Sirius.

"I don't see what business that would be of yours!" she said huffily.

To her dismay, Sirius was looking insanely smug. "I'm just curious."

"Well there's nothing going on between us of that sort if that's what you mean."

"Oh I know that. I was just wondering about the future."

"And what evidence do you have that would remotely suggest that there would be a future between us?" Tonks glared.

A knowing, smile spread across Sirius's face. "I've seen the way he looks at you."

Tonks flushed as she felt her heart leap. "What'd you mean?" she asked quickly, trying not to sound overly excited or hopeful.

"Nothing…nothing…" he said while opening his book. "If you don't even fancy him, what's the point in telling you?"

Oh so that's your game. Tonks thought angrily. You want me to openly confess that I'm mad about him so you can rub it in. Well you shouldn't bother trying…I'm above such childish nonsense.

Sirius found his page again and began reading again. Tonks sat there trying to appear cool and reserved and not at all infuriated with her evil cousin.

Sirius flipped the page and kept reading.

"WELL?" she demanded, unable to keep up her act. "You can at least tell me!"

"Why bother?" shrugged Sirius.

"Well-" Tonks floundered. "It would be nice to…to just know. I mean-you can't just say something so…so…surprising and leave me hanging!"

"Why not?" he smiled as he looked up at her from over the top of his book.

Tonks opened her mouth furiously and paused trying to think of a good reason besides: 'Oh, I'm pretty sure that I've fallen in love with him and up until now I wasn't sure if he even felt the same.'

Sirius laughed again as he watched her struggle in silence for the right words.

"Fine, I'll tell you." He said with a mischievous look. He set down his book, stretched, yawned loudly, and began slowly and deliberately taking his time to get rid of the crick in his neck, crack his knuckles, stretch out his feet…

Tonks folded her arms and waited impatiently, tapping her foot on the cold floor.

"He looks at you…" Sirius finally began. "More often than is necessary in my opinion. At meetings, more then once, I've caught him staring at you when he should be paying attention to whomever's talking. Remus is the only one I ever knew that could stay fully awake and take notes for Professor Binns 'History of Magic' classes. If he could keep his undying attention on a boring history teacher who could put the whole world to sleep if he wished, its very interesting that he's not paying attention to the exciting Order meetings."

Tonks tried not to look excited on receiving this news but her look of happiness shone through on her face and Sirius seemed to have noticed it.

"And secondly," he continued lazily as he leaned back in the chair. "Since I've known Remus for many years, and have been a loyal, dedicated, and thoughtful friend to him-"

Tonks let out an incredulous snort at that.

"Well, the point is, I've known him long enough to get to know his true personality. Although a lot people don't know it, he hides a lot of feelings under that noble, self-sacrificing skin. That's not to say that he's not like that on the inside as well-" he added hurriedly as Tonks gave him a confused look. "But he hides a lot of his true feelings most of the time. I don't think I've ever seen him cry in front of anyone, he never yells and hardly ever gets angry. He always has a cool, level head in a crisis and whatever feelings he's having are shoved onto the backburner until he can deal with them privately and with a rational head...but I think at last he's finally experiencing a new emotion that he can't properly deal with due to inexperience." Sirius said looking triumphant and content as he finished his speech.

Tonks bit her lip, thinking for a moment before cautiously asking, "So you defiantly think he fancy's me?"

Sirius's dark eyebrows rose. "My dear cuz, I'd say that he most defiantly fancies you. Do you know, he called you sexy?"

"Now I know you're lying on that one Sirius." Tonks laughed.

"Well he did in a manner of speaking. He told me shortly after that first mission you two went on, that he thought you were very 'charming'."

"There is a huge difference between 'charming' and 'sexy', Sirius."

"Well that's Remus's way of saying you're sexy. He says funny words like that: 'charming', 'most agreeable', 'vivacious'…For him, it means the same thing as sexy, except he's a 'gentleman' and he won't say things that the rest of the world considers: normal."

"Well I think, that's charming." Tonks said sweetly.

"Whatever you think, it all comes down to the same thing. Remus is barely managing to suppress his newly discovered feelings. Of course, I'm sure Remus is trying to convince himself that he's experiencing an early mid-life crisis rather then admitting that his passionate, if not horny side that he locked away when he was young teenager had decided to surface."

"Are you expecting me to believe that he never once acted as a horny teenager?" Tonks asked with skepticism.

"To a degree. It's incredible isn't it? Remus was determined to stay a dedicated student, a loyal friend and overall a selfless boy. He was always trying to convince himself that as a werewolf, he would be crossing the line if he acted on regular teenage impulses. He fought with inwardly with himself a lot on that." Sirius laughed suddenly. "This is why it's so amusing to see Remus acting the way he is now. For years he was afraid to look sideways out of the corners of his eyes at a girl, and now he's pointblank staring at one who herself has just barely come out of the horny teenager stage."

"Haha. You're so funny, I forgot to laugh." She replied sarcastically.

"You should feel honoured that you're so 'charming' as to have brought Remus out of his incurable, 'women-are-off-limits' stage. For years we tried everything."

"I'm sure Remus appreciated that as much."

"Er, not really to tell you the truth- one time we locked him in the broom cupboard at school with Guinevere Pipher…she had great figure too- he was stuck in there for ages with her and by the time they both got out-"

Suddenly on the couch Remus rolled over. Tonks and Sirius both sat there in silence to see if he'd wake up but he slept on peacefully.

Tonks watched him wistfully. When she had first met him she thought he was nice enough and wasn't too bad to look at in a bookish, scholarly-professor sort of sense. But in time, he had more than just grown on her. Despite his prematurely lined face, his ill and tired look, his brown hair that was streaked with grey and his patched and shabby robes-she had unexpectedly, completely (and quite literally) fallen 'head-over-heals' in love with him. She realized then she had been staring at Remus for some time and turned around to face Sirius who had been watching her the whole time.

"Horny teenager caught in the act!" he hissed while his eyes were dancing with amusement. He shook his finger at her. "You wicked, naughty witch!"

"Oh shut up!" Tonks said as she jumped up and began to leave the room.

"Where are you going?"

"I have to go and drop by the office."

"Oh fine then," Sirius said moodily. "Go ahead-I'll just tell Remus when he wakes up about the conversation we had when you decided to drop by for a minute."

Tonks froze in doorway and then turned around to face her cousin.

"Don't you dare tell him anything! I mean it! If you do, I will curse you so badly you'll-"

"Come'on Tonks, do you really think I'd tell him something this important to his face? Do you think I'm going to sit here and when he wakes up say, 'Remus mate, I was talking to Tonks the morning and she's mad about you.'?"

"Yes. That is exactly something you would do."

"Well fine I won't, though it would be great fun to do so."

"Sirius I'm going to hex you right here if you don't swear to me that you'll-"

"Fine! Fine! I won't tell him that you fancy him, but if I were you I'd tell him myself."

"When?"

"The sooner, the better or you might find yourself a victim of a werewolf 'attack'. Although I'm sure you wouldn't mind in the least would you? You sick minded, lustful-"

"I'll see you later Sirius." Tonks said unable to stop herself from laughing.

"See! You don't mind at all! You're laughing, amused by the dirty idea that-"

Tonks shut the door behind her with a snap and laughed softly. Remus might like her! He might actually fancy her! Of course, it was Sirius's word which meant that she was going to take all of it with a grain of salt but it was some encouragement nonetheless. Until now she had been thinking it was all unrequited. She headed down the stairs feeling so cheerful she felt she could float and attempted an excited little jig. She nearly smashed into the banister, caught herself and headed down the stairs off to work, softly singing a now favorite song of hers-

"I saw a werewolf with a Chinese menu in his hand
Walking through the streets of Soho in the rain…"

The embers in the fireplace were a dying red and the room was now very dark. Sirius had returned an hour ago to find his friend still sleeping on the musty smelling couch. Tonks and a few other members of the Order had stopped by for lunch but Sirius had spent much of the day tending to Buckbeak, abusing Kreacher and half-heartedly attempting to clean apart of the attic.

Sirius was standing by the fireplace gazing into the glowing coals-lost in thought when he heard a hoarse voice behind him.

"What time is it?"

He turned to see Remus blinking away the bleariness from his eyes, while starting to sit up.

"Too late for you to do anything you wanted to do today. You slept the whole morning, afternoon and evening."

"I did?" Remus asked quietly. "I'm sorry."

Sirius rolled his eyes. "You don't have to apologize Moony, it's not like you missed much. Only a few members stopped by and from the sound of it, nothing new or exciting has happened." He managed to conceal the sourness and bitterness from his voice very well he thought.
Not well enough. Remus's look was a little too understanding.

"Anyways-" Sirius said abruptly in an attempt to stop Remus's consolidation speech which would be rehearsed for the millionth time if Sirius didn't act quickly to distract him. "How're you feeling?"

Remus smiled and pushed some of the graying hair out of his eyes. "Fine thanks." He said, "Though I think I might need some chocolate."

"Oh, stop being such a woman Moony." Sirius snorted. "Although, while we are on the subject of women-"

"Stop it right there." Remus said with a dark look. "I'd rather not hear another one of your past adventures, exploits or anything of that sort that involve them."

Sirius opened his mouth to respond to this unfair assumption but Remus quickly added, "And I don't want to get stuck playing 'Truth' or any other vile form of entertainment with you either."

"You really do presume too much sometimes." Sirius sighed. "But no, what I was really going to say was, 'Do you fancy Tonks?'"

Remus looked startled and momentarily caught off guard before asking in a sharp voice, "What?"

Sirius rolled his eyes and with an affectionate grin continued, "Do you fancy her? Do you passionately love her? Do you find yourself more often then not, daydreaming about her in more than simply platonic ways? Do you want to throw yourself ontop of her and start furiously snogging her? Do you want to-?"

"You can stop right there. I get the picture!" Remus cut him off and began staring at the floor.

"Do you?" asked Sirius as he watched his friend look distractedly about, avoiding eye contact with him. This had been Remus's unique way of being embarrassed for as long as Sirius could remember.

"Well to be honest, I don't see why you are so interested." he finally said.

"Curiosity. She is my cousin you know."

Remus's brow was furrowed, he looked deep in thought before replying, "There is nothing going on between us."

Sirius let out a bark of laughter. "I know there isn't but I couldn't help thinking about the future perhaps."

Remus looked up suddenly. "What do you mean, 'the future'?" he asked watching him closely.

Sirius shrugged, "Oh, I've seen the way she acts around you."

Remus blinked and Sirius (who had been watching expectedly for this) saw the quick flash of hope in his friend's brown eyes before it disappeared under the unreadable expression. "What do you mean?" he repeated.

"I'm amazed you haven't noticed…and you being the more observant and watchful one of the two of us."

Remus said nothing but watched Sirius intently, waiting for him to keep talking.

Sirius poked the fire a bit with a medieval poker, knowing Remus was simply dying to know what he meant, but would never admit it openly unlike cousin Tonks. Remus would not allow his interest to get the better of him and would die before openly confessing that he was hanging onto Sirius's every word.

Sirius cleared his throat and leaned against the mantle and examined the poker with false interest before beginning. "Tonks is a very clumsy, ungraceful witch. But after careful observation I've noticed how more often then not she acts very, very clumsy around a certain someone."

Remus said nothing but Sirius could tell what he was thinking.

"I don't believe it's a coincidence." He continued. "The majority of her accidents occur shortly after you walk into the same room. She also gets much more embarrassed and flustered about them then she usually does. Of course it is awkward to be around someone you don't know very well- but then why isn't she awkward around me, or Mundungus, or Dumbledore, or any other member of the order that she isn't well acquainted wit?."

"What do you think that means then?" asked Remus.

"I think it means that she deeply fancies you."

There was a long pause as Remus stared into the small fire and Sirius watched him. Remus sighed somewhat sadly and put his head in his hands.

"Sirius, what should I do?"

"You want my advice?" Sirius asked in amazement. "Now there's a first! I believe you should corner her in the kitchen when no one else is around and snog her senseless-that is, if she doesn't attack you first."

"No you misunderstood me. I meant how should I stop and break this off now?"

Sirius stared at him in shock. "What are you talking about?"

"How can I stop this before it goes anywhere?"

"Why would you want to stop it?" Sirius asked him incredulously.

Remus looked at him and calmly said, "Sirius think about this rationally. Tonks is much younger then I am-"

"Oh for gods sakes Remus!" Sirius swore loudly. "You're not a pervert for looking at her legs rather then listening to Snape's talks! You're only human!"

Remus avoided Sirius's eyes to stare at the floor again. "Not entirely." He said quietly.

"Don't you start that shit again Remus or I'll shove this poker up your arse." He growled. "You are a human-a wizard."

"Ignoring that factor for the moment- she is still too young for me. It would never work between us. She deserves someone who could properly take care of her."

"Are you going by that stupid stance 'As long as their happy, I'm happy?' Like those crap stories where the girl runs off with another guy and the first guy is okay about it because he'd rather see her happy with someone else then less happy with him? Let me tell you something about those stories Remus- that's a bunch of dragon crap. If I loved someone so much that I felt they were the one and only-it would kill me to see them with someone else. Everyone is inwardly selfish like that, so drop the honourable act of chivalry because luckily there is no one else for Tonks except you."

Remus continued to stare at the ground-his eyes unreadable.

"If money mattered to Tonks, she wouldn't fancy you would she? And as for your condition, she doesn't care. You know, I've seen some of the books she's been reading. She's been researching werewolves for some time now."

Remus was silent.

Sirius took a deep breath and said softly, "Don't be a prat Moony. You love her, she loves you- why not live a little for once and see how it goes? You have a chance here- you life isn't over yet."

"We are at war Sirius." Remus said quietly.

"Oh Remus!" Sirius said in exasperation and stabbed the floor with the fire poker. "We're not outnumbered 20 to 1 this time! We're better prepared this time-"

"It still doesn't change the fact that it is war."

"If you're going to be so damn negative about this don't you think that it's more of a reason to start something with her? After all, you might not be alive tomorrow."

"That is exactly why I don't want to start anything. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if something happened to her-" Remus got up off the couch and began pacing. "More importantly, I wouldn't want her upset if something happened to me."

"That's life, its called 'taking chances'." Sirius said coolly.

Remus stopped pacing. "I'm not a risk taker." He said.

"You're a Marauder." Sirius snapped.

They stared at each other. There was a very long and swelling pause.

"I'm going downstairs to look for some chocolate." Remus said finally, breaking the silence.

"Fine." replied Sirius, picking up the fire poker and setting it back against the dark fireplace.

Remus frantically began pulling more ingredients and canned food off the shelves. He had been searching the kitchen for quite awhile and his quest for a piece of chocolate had yielded nothing. He moved aside a jar of jam and some stale biscuits only to find a half-empty box of dry oatmeal.

He sighed and rested his heavy head against the cupboard. He needed chocolate…he was craving it and there was absolutely none to be had. He didn't even have enough ingredients to make his own.

Remus resisted the urge to bang his head against the wall several times. No chocolate…No chocolate…No chocolate…

"Remus?" came a tentative voice behind him.

He turned to see Tonks standing there, her arms full of bags. She looked concerned. "Are you alright?"

He gave a thin smile. "Fine, Nymphadora."

"Tonks!" she reminded him with a grin. "Lucky I went shopping for some food. There was nothing to eat here earlier for lunch so I went after work and picked up some snacks out of the goodness of my heart. But it's good to see that you're finally awake. Sirius said you'd be feeling lousy."

Remus felt all the blood drain from his face. "You talked to him?"

"Yeah." She said setting down some bags on the table. He noticed that in contrast to him, her pinks were rapidly turning a deep pink. "I stopped by earlier and we…talked."

"Oh." Remus said lamely.

As Tonks straightened up from pulling out the groceries to look at him again, Remus forced Sirius's advice of what he should do to Tonks the next time they were in the kitchen together out of his head, although a good part of him thought that it didn't sound like such a terrible idea…perhaps even- enjoyable- he shook his head, forcing out that particular thought. "So…err-"

"How are you feeling?" she asked him, cutting right to the point.

"Well I'm holding up alright. I think I'll make myself a cup of tea- we don't seem to have any chocolate unfortunately."

Tonks smiled slyly and went searching through the bags till she pulled out a large bar of Honeydukes Chocolate.

Remus's eyes widened as he stared at it hungrily.

Tonks chuckled at his expression and waved it around in front of him in a tantalizing sort of way. "Look who was thinking ahead on your behalf."

"Tonks, I'll be in your debt forever if you give me that." Remus said, his eyes never leaving the bar of chocolate.

Tonks's grin widened. "How bad do you really want it?"

Remus didn't bother to lie. "A lot."

"What would you do to get it?"

"Anything." Remus said wondering if it would be rude to tear it out of her hands.

"Anything?" Tonks repeated, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes- I'd do any…" he trailed off as he realized that their conversation suddenly could have reached a whole other suggestive level that Sirius would have been proud of. "Er-"

She stared at him, and he stared back at her as an awkward silence filled the air between them.

Tonks broke it first. "Right- well, you're off the hook for now. Here you are." She said, handing him the bar.

Remus tore open the wrapping in a frenzied way and took an enormous bite out of it. "You are a lifesaver Tonks." He said weakly.

"Don't mention it."

Remus collapsed into the chair stuffing his face with the chocolate.

"D'ya want that cup of tea then?" she asked.

Remus swallowed the chocolate with difficulty. "If it isn't too much trouble."

"Nope. And I'd like to join you if you don't mind."

Remus was really quite tired, and his mind was swirling with the 'How-to-handle-the-moving-quickly-past-simply-platonic-friendship-with-fellow-Order-member-and-attractive-witch-that-was-nearly-half-his-age-issue' but he nodded and said politely, "Of course."

Tonks managed to put on the tea without a disaster and started putting the groceries away. "Sirius really ought to learn how to cook. We can't keep relying on poor Molly to do all of it. She's got enough mouths to feed as it were."

"I'm sure Sirius won't take up that suggestion too kindly." Remus smiled. "He's feeling too copped up as it were with the cleaning. I believe that the suggestion of cooking might just kill him."

"Well perhaps Kreacher then." Tonks said. "Oh- but never mind- he'll all poison us 'by accident'."

Remus gave a weak chuckle. "Probably would."

Tonks poured the now boiling tea into two dusty mugs and after putting the teabags in them brought them over to the table.

"So." She said. "Full moon last night."

Remus took the mug from her and said in an equally casual voice. "Yes."

She flopped down in the seat across from him. "Seriously, was it really bad?"

He was taken aback by her concern. No one had ever asked him what the transformation itself was like. They usually just asked if he was alright and left it at that. "Well…" he said slowly. "It wasn't too bad."

Tonks raised an eyebrow. "Liar. It probably hurts like hell."

Remus could only stare at her, speechless.

Tonks pushed a bubble-gum pink lock of hair out of her face. "You don't have to pretend it didn't. I'm not going to think any less of you if you started bawling right here into your mug of tea. I honestly don't know how you stand it."

Remus felt an overwhelming warm rush of gratitude for Tonks sweep over him.

"Seriously." Tonks said. "Was it bad?"

Remus sighed and took a sip of his mug of steaming tea. "It's painful still, yes. I've gotten used to it by now, but I'm beginning to feel that I am getting too old for it. The transformations seem to be getting more difficult the older I get."

Tonks looked at him her dark eyes filled with compassion. "Don't mind me being blunt and honest here- but you look like shit Remus."

Remus laughed. He appreciated her sincerity- it beat people talking to him in whispers as if he were dying and it beat obnoxious and clueless people that treated him like he was too weak to deal with it.

"And to think I thought it was bad with my own monthly curse." Tonks smirked. "I realize that I have no right to complain now."

Remus looked at her in confusion.

She saw his bewilderment and grinned. "Periods, Remus!" she laughed.

"Oh." Remus said, his ears turning slightly pink. "Right."

She snapped off a slab of chocolate and took a piece for herself, giving him a broad smile in the process

"Have you had a bubble-bath yet?"

Remus nearly gagged on the tea and succeeded in scaling his mouth with the enormous sip of tea he was forced to swallow. "What?" he coughed.

"A bubble-bath!" Tonks said cheerfully. "I imagine it would help a great deal the day after."

"I've never tried it." He said uncomfortably.

"NEVER?!?!"

"Usually I just spend the next day sleeping and the next few days after it, adjusting back to the normal schedule."

"No bath?" Tonks pressed.

"No bath." Remus confessed.

She looked utterly amazed. "What about a massage?"

"What?"

"A massage! Dear god Remus, do you do ANYTHING to help yourself after transformations?"

"Chocolate and tea go quite a long way." He smiled.

Tonks snorted. "No wonder you're so bloody tense."

"Tense?" he repeated. "I'm not tense."

Before he even knew what she was doing or could say anything she had stood up and crossed around the table, to stand behind him.

"Er- Tonks?" he asked somewhat nervously, craning his neck around to see what she was doing.

She put her hands gently on the back of his neck. "Yup." she frowned. "Just as I thought. Tense as a porlock in a quidditch stand."

"How do you-?"

"Your muscles right here-" she said seriously, pressing gently on his neck, "And right here-" she moved her hands a bit lower. "Are very clear indicators of a person's stress level. You are way too tense."

"Mm?" was all Remus was able to manage- it was very hard to act casual with Tonks's warm hands on the back of his neck.

"Very much so." She agreed, beginning to move the tips of her fingers up his neck.

Remus shut his eyes as he felt a rare shiver run from his neck all the way down his spine and sent half the nerves in his body to start tingling.

"So- uh" he coughed trying to act nonchalant about the massage. "How is…how is your-"

"Shut up." Tonks said cheerfully.

He let out his breath in a weary sigh and surrendered, letting his head fall forward onto his chest.

Minutes passed but Remus hardly noticed. Tonks's expert fingers gently kneaded his neck and shoulders and raked his back as he fell deeper and deeper into a blissfully relaxed state. It was almost like being under the Imperius curse- but Imperius didn't cause his skin to pleasantly tingle like fire upon being touched or send his heart beating so hard it sent his blood at an exhilarating and dizzying pace. While trying to keep his deep breathing steady, he closed his eyes and could almost taste the intoxicating and yet gentle scent of vanilla on Tonks that had become so familiar to him now-

"I smell sexual tension." said a familiar voice.

Remus's head jerked up, the spell broken, and when he saw who it was- rolled his eyes. "Were you hunting for it?"

"Perhaps." Sirius said, striding into the room. "Very thoughtful of you Tonks, a bar of chocolate- and a massage, Merlin's beard you are getting spoiled in your old age Moony."

"Bloody hell, after living with you- he deserves it." Tonks said, finishing up the massage with some sweeping strokes.

"Touché." Sirius grinned. "I see you're catching on very quickly on the ways of a Marauder. What the hell is this?" Sirius asked picking up one of the blue boxes on the table and turning it over in his hands.

"Macaroni and cheese."

"Never had it."

"Well you'll get to now. It's easy to make and it's delicious."

"I don't think Molly will appreciate us eating that over her own cooking."

"It's for you to make for yourself when there's no food around."

Sirius frowned. "I wouldn't even force Buckbeak to eat this rubbish."

"Have you ever had it?"

"No."

"Then you can't say anything bad about it until you've tried it."

Sirius yawned and threw it carelessly back onto the table. He started rummaging through the shelves and looked disappointed as he pulled out the last bottle of firewhiskey. "Oh, Tonks I was supposed to give you a message."

"What is it?"

"Mad-Eye wants to see you at 'the-already-preplanned-spot-that-was-discussed-and-later-arranged-for-the-specific-purpose'. I'm assuming you know what he's talking about because I didn't."

Tonks sighed. "Yeah. I know where 'the pre-planned spot' is. What time did he want to see me?"

"Why do you have to meet with him?"

"None of your business."

"Is it Order related work?" Sirius pressed. Remus knew the look in his friend's eyes all too well. Some might mistake it for blankness but Remus guessed that Sirius knew more than he was letting on and was asking Tonks the question for his own mysterious purposes.

"Maybe." Tonks said in exasperation. "When do I have to see him?"

"Well than tell us. We're in the Order too."

"It's Mad-Eye, Sirius. You know what he's like. It's not that important, trust me."

"Why are you being so stubborn on this, why's it such a secret?"

Remus finally spoke up. "Sirius, its Tonks and Mad-Eye's business, not yours or mine."

But Sirius would not be deterred so easily. "Are you two carrying on an illicit affair or something?" he asked Tonks.

Her mouth dropped. "OHMYGOD! EW! NO! SIRIUS! THAT'S DISGUSTING!"

"Well then-"

"Tell me what time I have to meet with him!" she said angrily.

Sirius looked up lazily at the clock. "Oh. Oops. Ten minutes ago."

Her eyes widened in horror. "WHAT?!?!"

"I suggest you get a move on." Sirius said taking a swig of firewhiskey.

"I am going to MURDER you when I get back!" Tonks swore grabbing her wand from the table and bolting out of the room.

"The last thing our family needs is another prison inmate!" Sirius called after her. Remus stared after her even after she had totally left to avoid looking at Sirius who he knew was simply waiting to take the piss out of him.

"Still thinking of 'stopping it before it goes anywhere'?" Sirius chuckled.

Remus turned to see Sirius wearing a grin so large on his face it was in danger of falling off. "I don't know you're on about."

"Oh but I think you do." Sirius said. "A massage and chocolate after every transformation? Merlin's beard, I'd keep her around just for that alone."

"She was just being thoughtful."

"Don't make me laugh. She's probably been planning this for weeks."

Remus took a huge bite out of his bar of chocolate in order to avoid saying anything. Sirius took another gulp of the firewhiskey.

"You know-" Remus said. "You should've come by and told her Moody was waiting for her."

"And interrupt your cozy massage session? I wouldn't dream of it."

Remus said nothing and took a sip of his now rather cold tea.

Sirius let out a barklike laugh. "Moony, I think you ought to reconsider your earlier proclamation. You obviously harbour some sort of deep 'affection' for her and if you're willing to put up with that weird snorting laugh of hers and the clumsiness-"

"I think her clumsiness is very endearing." he said stiffly.

"Remus, what the hell? Just say she's a hott piece of work."

He frowned and stood up. In doing so, he realized he wasn't as stiff and sore as he usually was. His thoughts rather scattered and confused, he invented a hasty departure.

"I'm going to beg you to keep your nose out of this." He said shortly. "There is nothing going on between me and your cousin, and for safety's sake and her future happiness, that's the way it's going to stay." And on that note of finality, he turned abruptly and left the room as quickly as he could.

Sirius watched his friend walk from the room and smiled. So Remus was going to be a prat about this…well that's what friends were for right? To stop them from being stupid and help them when they truly needed it.

He chuckled to himself and started to pour himself a glass of firewhiskey, his mind already scheming on a possible plan that could work on making things move a little faster between his stubborn friend and equally stubborn cousin…