sorry for this - I think it's kind of a sucky chapter.. but anywho, enjoy!

FORGIVENESS.

"Darcy."

Lupin was gently shaking me awake. I groaned and pulled the sheet up higher on my body, shivering. "Go back to sleep," I sighed and I rolled over, my back facing him. I heard Lupin chuckle. "Shh."

"Terribly sorry I wore you out last night," he joked. "But we've got to get back to the Burrow. I expect Molly will be waking up soon to start on a huge breakfast. It's almost five in the morning."

"And we can't just have breakfast here?" I asked, opening my eyes slightly to see that it was still dark outside. I shut my eyes again. "I'll get Kreacher to make us something… or I'll just make us something… Or you could make me something…"

"If you don't care about being scolded and yelled at for staying the night here with me by Molly, then so be it, I'll make you breakfast. I, on the other hand, am a bit tired of her telling me that I'm completely wrong for you."

"Don't listen to her," I replied. "You know that what she says is crazy and it isn't true. You're perfect for me."

"I try not to let it get to me, love," he said. "But it's a tad difficult when she reminds me every time she sees us in the same room."

"She's only telling you that because she's still unsure of our relationship. She's still convinced that you're with me for the wrong reasons, but she doesn't know what happens when she isn't around." I frowned and rolled over, propping myself up on my elbows. He looked at me. Lupin was completely dressed already, flattening his sandy brown hair with his fingers. "Is she beginning to convince you that you don't really love me? Is she making you believe that you are with me for the wrong reasons? If she is, don't be shy, Remus, spit it out. Tell me if something is bothering you. I thought we were done worrying about all the factors going into this relationship."

"Darcy, don't get me wrong, I love you more than anything."

My face fell and I laid back on my back, staring up at the ceiling and sighing quietly. "Is she making you think you don't love me?"

"Darcy Potter, you listen to me right now." He sat down on the bed and looked me directly in the eyes, speaking in a serious tone. "I would die if it meant you could live. I'd starve if it meant you could eat. I would do anything for you, Darcy, and you wouldn't even have to ask. I'm sorry that I can't show you how much I really love you, but… but it's hard. All these years I've been this lonely, old, werewolf and then you came alone and now I'm not so alone anymore. If you want something from me, tell me, and I'd be glad to do it."

I pursed my lips. "I want you to kiss me."

"You know you can kiss me whenever you'd like."

"But I like it when you kiss me first." I smiled and he pressed his lips softly to mine.

He pulled away quickly and lifted me in his arms. I screamed and he placed me lightly on my feet. "You've got to get dressed. Unfortunately, I don't think the Weasleys – or your brother – would want you walking around naked." He turned away to make the bed.

I smiled at him as I clipped my bra on and pulled my underwear up. When he turned back around, he laughed.

"What are you looking at me like that for?" he asked and I shrugged, pulling up my jeans and buttoning them.

"I just –" I crossed my arms and blushed. "I just really love you, you know that?" I looked away and continued to get dressed, but Lupin walked over to me and held my chin gingerly with his fingers. He lifted my face and kissed me.

"I love you, too. Now come on, let's go back to the Burrow." He waited for me to finish dressing and we walked down to the front door, putting our coats and shoes on. I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes and he ran his fingers through my hair, combing it a bit.

I snapped. "Kreacher!" Kreacher appeared directly in front of me and bowed, his long nose almost touching the floor. "We're leaving now – you can come out of the room. Listen to me, Kreacher. Do not tell anyone we were here – anyone – okay? Do not leave this house. Happy Christmas."

"Yes, Mistress." And the house elf bowed once more, turning around and slowly climbing the stairs.

Lupin and I stepped out onto the front step of 12 Grimmauld Place. It was still dark out and I couldn't see the sun anywhere in the sky. The wind was cold and I shivered. Snow fell in sheets onto the ground, which already was covered with a good two inches of snow. Lupin grabbed my hand and we turned on the spot, focused on the Burrow.

Instead of Apparating a long way from the Burrow, we landed closer to the house and we trudged through the snow to the front door, which we opened silently and closed just as quietly. No one was awake yet and the inside of the Burrow was considerably warming than outside. "I'm tired," I moaned and Lupin helped take my coat off. We took off our shoes and I walked right into the living room. He pulled his wand out of his pocket and flicked his wrist, causing a fire to burn brightly in the large fireplace.

I sat down on the couch and he sat down beside me. I laid down, resting my head in his lap and closed my eyes. He grabbed a blanket and threw it over me. I curled up, the fire warming me, and he ran his fingers through my hair until I fell back asleep.

I woke up again around eight o'clock with breakfast on the table, everyone else already awake. They had already eaten, letting Lupin and me sleep a bit longer. Lupin waited until I sat up so he wouldn't disturb me and we walked together to breakfast; I kept the blanket wrapped around my shoulders as I sat down beside Lupin. Mr. Weasley was reading the newspaper at the table, as well.

"How come you two slept on the couch last night?" Mrs. Weasley asked casually, dumping sausage onto my place.

"It was cold upstairs," I answered.

"Oh?" Mrs. Weasley scraped eggs onto Lupin's plate. "When did you go downstairs?"

I cleared my throat. "Around midnight."

"Around four."

Lupin and I spoke at exactly the same time and I glared at him. Mrs. Weasley didn't seem to be listening, but she hummed, scrubbing the pan and then waving her wand, making the sponge magically do it. Mr. Weasley, on the other hand, looked up from his paper and when Mrs. Weasley left the kitchen to go change out of her pajamas, he asked, "Where were you really?"

I figured I should just tell the truth. It was only Mr. Weasley. Lupin continued to eat, not wanting to speak anymore. I shrugged. "Grimmauld Place."

"Need I ask why?" Mr. Weasley asked more sternly.

"I – I don't think you need to," I replied nervously. I avoided eye contact with Mr. Weasley, stuffing my face with sausage.

"Darcy," Mr. Weasley sighed. "You know you aren't to leave here. It's dangerous out there by yourself."

"But I wasn't by myself," I replied shortly. "I had Remus with me and he'd protect me from danger – if there was any."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Go on, Remus, open up!" Mrs. Weasley encouraged him and he unwrapped the new robes and shirts I had gotten him. He turned his head to look at me and smiled. "Those are lovely!"

"They are, aren't they?" he grinned and kissed the top of my head. No one seemed to care; they were all laughing and opening their own presents. Tonks, however, glanced our way and bit her lip and Mrs. Weasley raised her eyebrows at us. Lupin and I ignored it. "Thank you, love. They're wonderful." He reached for a gift that had my name on it. "Ah, here, this one is from me."

I slowly opened it and when I did, I breathed in deeply and looked at him. He was smiling wide and when I held it up, all eyes were on me. My cheeks burned red with embarrassment. It was the bracelet I had given him back the year before. Everyone had gone quiet and Fred and George were grinning, Fred elbowing me on my right hand side. "You – you didn't have to – you didn't have to do this," I whispered.

"Of course I did," he replied. His cheeks were turning pink and he shrugged. "You're my girl."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"That's a beautiful bracelet," Tonks said, poking her head in the archway to the sitting room. I was the only one sitting in the small room and she joined me, sitting down on the opposite side of the couch.

"Hm?" I scrunched my nose. Hadn't she ever seen it before? Hadn't Lupin ever given it to her? "It is, isn't it?" I tried to hide it so she wouldn't have to look at it… I didn't want to wave it right under her nose, knowing that she still loved Lupin.

"So you've forgiven him?"

"I suppose I have," I told her stiffly. It was silent and I stood up. "I think I'll go upstairs. I'm a bit tired."

I ran up the stairs and opened the door to Lupin's room (Mrs. Weasley made up separate for some reason). He was lying in bed, reading, and I smiled. I loved watching him read. There was just something so calming about not talking and just sitting comfortably in the silence with him. I stared at him and he stared back at me.

"Is something bothering you?" he asked and his eyes flicked to my wrist, where my bracelet was.

"Tonks," I whispered.

"What about her?"

"It's just awkward," I said simply and I shrugged.

"Darcy," he sighed. Lupin shut his book and stood up, crossing his arms. "You can't do this to her. It's not fair to her."

"What do you mean it's not fair? She kissed you – she betrayed me and went back on her promise! I think that being upset is pretty damn fair, don't you think?"

"I was the one that kissed her. She wouldn't have kissed me if I hadn't went up to her first."

"But she kissed you back!" I protested.

Lupin shook his head. "That's not the point. Both Tonks and I did something very wrong that night and you've forgiven me completely, but you won't even think about forgiving Tonks." I looked at my feet and blushed. Perhaps Lupin was right. "I know you love me a bit more than her, but just because I can make love to you and Tonks can't doesn't mean that she shouldn't be forgiven." He smirked.

"It's just different," I told him honestly.

"How so?"

"She loves you," I replied. "She loves you and kissed you because she loves you! You kissed her because you wanted to spite me!" I paused. "Right? You don't love her back, do you?"

"No, I don't love her back," he said calmly. "If I loved her, she would be the one wearing that bracelet, not you. But you've got to forgive her."

"But I don't want to."

"Who else do you have?" Lupin asked. "Who else do you have that'll be a friend like Tonks was to you?"

"You don't understand how much it hurt me to watch her kiss you," I swallowed loudly. "And then when I went to talk to her, she admitted that she loved you! And she'll be mad at me no matter what I do!"

"Well," he snorted. "Surely you aren't going to leave me just because Tonks is mad at you? I mean, I would never force you to pick between me and Tonks, but you can't – you wouldn't – I wouldn't leave you for that reason. If my best friend loved you, I wouldn't break up with you just because of that."

"No, no, I'm not going to leave you," I sighed. "Ever. I just don't know what to do. What'll happen when I forgive her? And then I earn her trust? And what if she just goes out and kisses you again?"

"I won't let her kiss me," Lupin smiled and he took my hands. "The only person I want kissing me is you, Darcy."

I kissed his cheek. "Okay, I'll talk to her tomorrow morning."

"Good for you." He touched my cheeks and kissed me. In one swift movement, my new sweater Mrs. Weasley had made me was off and he picked me up and laid me down on the bed, taking my pants off. I smiled into the kiss and he kissed my chest and down my stomach.

As my fingers worked to take his shirt off, there was a loud crash outside and I gasped, jumping up. Lupin and I ran to the window and saw the ring of fire circling the Burrow. "Remus! Remus!" But I didn't have to scream; he was standing right beside me, his eyes wide. Footsteps crashed outside our door and I turned around, grabbed a bathrobe and ran out down the steps.

"Darcy!" Lupin shouted, throwing a shirt on and chasing after me. "Darcy! Come back! Don't go out there! Darcy!"