Hello everyone :) once again all my thanks to people who took time to review.

Saraell - My theory about trio knowing about R/T is that since it was Harry that suggested in HBP that may be Tonks was in love with Sirius, he wasn't aware about Remus and well Ron was clueless as ever and there is a chance that Hermione may have had some clue about it, may be through Ginny.

Remusdora- thank you for reviewing with such great detail.

I don't own Harry Potter.

Remus sighed as he stretched out. He had been reading particularly interesting book on half breed hunting, found in Grimmauld Place library, and he had found the book all in all amusing. Gone were those days where he felt furious at such ridiculous ignorance, he couldn't stop people from writing such absurdity, they were blissfully ignorant, there was no need to get worked up on it. It was better to take it in good humor even though it was difficult to find in such dark books.

His muscles ached, full moon was two days ago and he felt old. Granted that 36 years wasn't old as per wizarding standards, it wasn't even old as per muggle standards but he wasn't aged by years, he was aged by lycanthropy. For millionth time he wondered if he will die well before, other people of his age because of it, being a werewolf for more than 30 years, was taking toll on his health. But then again, there was a war going on and he was fighting against dark force, there was no guarantee for anybody's life.

He thought of having some hot chocolate before turning in, along with muscle pain relief potion, Tonks had brought for him. The day next to full moon when he had came downstairs to kitchen, looking something to eat, she had been there and had handed him his hot chocolate and told him that she was coming to meet him anyway. They had then sat and talked and after drinking the hot chocolate, he had felt the prominent pain in his muscles fade to a dull ache. When he was surprised she had told him that she had mixed some potion of hers in it and had handed him a whole bottle of it. When he objected that he can not accept it from her, she waved off his concern and had told him that she hadn't bought it from market but had rather made it at home and had said "I was quite a potions master in my time, we were required good grades in potion for Auror studies, so I was quite good at it, once I got past to breaking cauldrons, that is and all the ingredients were available at my home so I didn't spend a penny on it. Use it whenever you want, I will make for you another for next month."and then she quickly had changed the subject to her Hogwarts days about how she used to enjoy exploding cauldrons in Snape's classes.

He was overwhelmed by her passion and care towards his lycanthropy. He knew she hardly got time amidst order duties and auror missions yet she found time to brew it for him. Never once she let it seem that she was doing it out of pity or as a charity case or that he was in dire need of it rather it appeared a very caring and friendly act of one friend to another who cared very deeply about each other. He was also glad for the way in which she handled his lycanthropy. Even most friends of his who accepted him for it, either they completely ignored the fact that he indeed was a werewolf and acted as if every full moon he was away on fishing adventure or they were very awkward about dealing with it. Yes, he was a private man who didn't liked people prying too much but he would rather like that they ask him downright their query instead of assuming worst of him in their ignorance, after all, he, just like every other normal human being like to be liked.

Whereas with Tonks she never acted that there were no issues with him, she did acknowledged his lycanthropy and also knew how to communicate to him about it. She does care for him but she never took her concerning act to the point where it brought too much attention to his being werewolf. Like whenever she was meeting him last time before a transformation maximum she said was a very sweet 'take care' and a loving hug to accompany with it and whenever she met him next, after transformation, she made a point to ask 'How are you feeling?' with a smile and then shares a chocolate with him which according to her she had 'coincidentally' pocketed that day or Molly's left over pudding or this time she made a potion for him, without actually attracting attention to the fact that his muscles were aching or he was sore. He was proud man and she knew. All in all he was very glad that she was in his life.

He moved quietly towards kitchen, these days Grimmauld was full with children, Weasleys and a happy Sirius, now that Harry was here. He opened the door and felt a strong sense of Déjà vu when he saw Tonks sitting there, or rather sleeping there. She must have returned from guard duty and had fallen asleep.

He smiled at her and walked very slowly so as to not to startle her. He knelt down beside her and winced when his knee creaked, not at the pain but at the noise. She was sitting on the chair with her head resting on the table, facing towards the door, pillowed by her one hand, while her other hand was resting limply on her thigh. Her hair were of shoulder length, lavender color today, shaping her beautiful heart shaped face. She wore a deep pink color top which was probably deep neck, as it's shoulder was dropping to one side dangerously. Beneath her top peeked a pale shoulder and he caught a glimpse of deep purple colored bra strap and he blushed. It was stupid really seeing as there was nobody watching him. He smiled to himself, only Nymphadora would be covered in head to toe with such bright colors. He was content with watching her, sore knees and aching muscles, apparently forgotten as he kept kneeling beside her, taking her every tiny detail which probably in other's eyes will be bordering on obsession. Which, it probably was. She wore black nail paint which was chipped from one nail or two. She also wore a silver bee ring. Ever since he had known her he had seen her with various bee-accessories. He knew she had a t-shirt with a drawing of a bee, then he had once seen her wearing a bracelet with a yellow and black bee and now this ring. He noted in his mind to ask her about her fondness of bees. He watched her long lashes covering those beautiful big brown eyes. Her soft cheeks and her beautiful pink lips, Her slender pale neck and he, not for first time, thought how will it feel to have his lips on there... He shook his head, he couldn't think like that now. His gaze shifted from her face to her shoulder again he felt like a magnet was attracting him towards it. He felt a strong desire to kiss there, wasn't any harm in it, was there?

No, what will she think? It's inappropriate kissing without's one's consent specially at a place like one's shoulder... or neck... or hollow of throat or... Stop!

But... what she doesn't know won't hurt her..

No... no matter how tempting was the prospect, he won't do it... not like this... not when she can't have a say in it...

But..

NO!

He gingerly raised his hand and covered her shoulder affectionately... if she was in his destiny.. that day will come, no need to sneak upon her like that.

He thought of carrying her to her room so that she can sleep in her bed or else in this awkward angle she will get a crick in her neck, but thought better of it. He was still a bit weak from full moon and he didn't want to risk dropping her and moreover he didn't knew if she was a light sleeper. She might wake up in mid way,might get startled and hex him first ask question later.

So he performed a comfort charm and cushioning charm on the table and chair so that she can get as comfortable as one can get whilst sleeping on a chair. He also performed a warming charm around her and hoped that she would wake up after some time and sleep rest in her bed.

He was still kneeling in front of her when the door creaked and someone entered startling him, and in his panic to get up, he tripped on his own feet and landed on his bottom. Tonks's clumsiness is catching up, he thought. In his dread he slowly looked up to see who was out for midnight stroll.

"Hello Harry" he said as calmly as he could, there still sitting on floor as if it was his intention all along to be on floor, as if he could be found daily at this time on the kitchen floor doing meditation!

Harry looking disheveled with an empty water jug in hand peered curiously at his former professor, wondering what the hell was he doing on floor so close to sleeping Tonks. He furrowed his brows and said uncertainly "Err.. Hello?"

"Um.. I was just.. Uh.. looking for a quill.. it had, you see, um fallen, I was just searching under the table. What are you doing at this time?"

"Well I came to get some water" looking at Remus as if questioning his sanity.

"Oh well, you see you could use this useful little spell 'aquamenti' "

He raised his eyebrows at his former professor.

"Well I just got into trouble for performing magic out of school didn't I? Didn't want to risk it again even for useful little spell" he said as if explaining to a child that when it gets dark outside, it is known as night.

"Sure Harry, go ahead, have water" He said and waited with baited breath for him to go without getting any suspicious. He returned with jug full of water and raised it in acknowledgement but paused before moving further. Remus's breath caught in anticipation.

"Professor, I was wondering-"

"Y-Yes, Harry what were you wondering?" he stuttered and thought, cursing himself inwardly that if his sitting on floor had not given him away, his stuttering and flustered look probably will.

"Have, by mistake, you had any of Fred & George's new sweets? Or any sweet for that matter?" He said wondering about the new sweet twins had told him about, which caused momentary brain disorientation.

"No of course not.. I know better than that" Remus smiled reassuringly at him to quell his curiosity and wondering that since when Harry had became so nosy, he took another step towards door but paused again.

"Did you got your quill?"

"Huh? Oh..quill.. Yes, I mean no, it must be here somewhere" he said, still sitting on floor, his brain too occupied to even consider getting up.

"You can borrow from me one, if you need it, you know, I have many"

"That's very kind of you Harry, I will, if need be."

"Even those sugar ones. Sugar quills, I have that too"

"Sure, Harry" he nodded.

Harry took another two step towards kitchen door and paused again. Remus repressed a groan of frustration.

"Shall I wake up Tonks? She will probably get uncomfortable here"

"No!" he said a little too quickly, not wanting him to know that he had already taken care of her comfort "I mean let her sleep, she will probably get up on her own later"

He nodded and move towards the door. He was almost out of kitchen when he again paused and turned to look at him and Remus suppressed the desire to pull his own hairs.

"Oh and professor?"

"Yes Harry?"

"I would consider sitting on a chair now, if I were you" he smirked at him and finally went upstairs without looking back. Remus released the breath he had been holding. God knows what Harry will be thinking. He kept still until he heard a distant sound of door closing.

He looked up at Tonks, somehow miraculously, during all the commotion she hadn't woke up. She must really be tired. He could spend whole night like this watching her but didn't wanted to risk another encounter like Harry. He brushed his hands and once again kneeled in front of her, taking one last look at sleeping peaceful form. She looked so cute, he felt like 'aww'ing to the empty room where no one was to hear him but bit his tongue. He prayed to which ever god he knew that she comes out of this war unharmed with her innocence and vibrancy intact. Let the war spare her. He leaned forward and pressed a very delicate and light kiss on her forehead, she stirred a bit and smiled in sleep but didn't woke up.

He sighed.

I think I am falling for you. I think I am going down a road, I know there will be no returning from, he thought ruefully.

He rose, dimmed the light and walked quietly out of kitchen.

They were all sitting in drawing room. Sirius and Harry were playing chess, Ginny and Hermione were drinking some tropical juice that Molly had specially made for them as their reward for their 'special contribution in cleaning' and chatting quietly about something, he caught whispers of conversations such as 'thick headed' 'ever oblivious' 'is impossible' and had a fair idea about whom they were talking about, Fred and George were sitting together looking like twins attached from head over some parchment and He was reading or rather trying to read or pretending to read as his mind was wavering to some other direction. All in all he felt at peace, sitting together, chatting occasionally, like a family. It had been so long that he had spend such time with his loved ones, he couldn't take it for granted. Had it not been for Voldemort's return it would have been one of the happiest time of his life, being surrounded by those who accepted him fully.

"Sirius, you have a BARMY mad house elf here" Ron entered the room looking all frantic and frightened with sickly green tinge to his skin.

Hermione wrinkled her nose in distaste at Ron and Sirius looked up at him from his game, raised his eyebrow and asked "What did he do now?"

"I listened to him grumbling to himself about 'Kreacher schemes to pee in the stew the blood traitor woman is making'"

Ginny promptly spluttered the orange juice in her mouth, Harry made a choking sound, Hermione gaped with disgust and even Fred and George looked up.

"Ah!" said Sirius with disinterest and seemed unfazed.

"What do you mean by 'ah' Sirius?" Harry questioned his godfather.

"Well seems like I will have to give him more... Specific order "

"More specific order?" Fred asked or may be George "What do you mean by more specific order"

"Blimey!" exclaimed another twin "even mum's cooking is not safe anymore, That's why I wondered why yesterday's soup tasted over-salty."

Hermione made a gag sound at that and Ginny exclaimed an indignant 'ewww'.

Remus intervened before their thinking got any further "Fred and George, don't run your imagination wild, kreacher had only made unsuccessful attempts at that, he never actually was able to do such thing. And what Sirius meant by 'more specific order' was that last week he caught Kreacher...ah... doing something similar it's just that he ordered him not be 'spit' in any food or drinking items, don't worry now, food here is completely safe and err... Hygienic."

After his reassuring apparently everyone seemed satisfied and got back to their respective tasks and he wondered how the hell his thoughts had wandered from Tonks to kreacher's peeing and spitting habits! He wished she was here right now, but Molly had dragged her to kitchen to do god knows what?!

"Hey Remus" a voice whispered in his ear that he so much wanted to hear and he nearly jumped out of his skin. He turned back, and there she was, behind his sofa, bent near his ear with her heart shaped face with big chocolate brown wide eyes peering at him through her pink fringe and his breath got caught in his chest at her enchanting beauty. His heart skipped a beat and then started fluttering at a mad speed, he nearly fainted with dizziness and her closeness. He was sure he was looking at her what must have been a dreaming expression. Seconds ticked and he remembered that he should probably reply to her instead of staring at her.

"Hello"

"Care for a walk?" she said smiling in that captivating way of hers.

"Walk?" he said and looked around but no one seemed to be paying attention to them, no one even acknowledged that Tonks had entered the room. When had she learned to be so sneaky? "Sure" he said and got up looking warily around but all were busy among themselves, except Sirius who smirked at him with raised eyebrows, he ignored him.

They walked through the front door and a beautiful summer night breeze greeted them.

"So, walk? Any specific destination or reason?" he asked at her looking at her over his shoulder while crossing the road and walking along the street, she joined him, hopping down the road and bumped into him.

"Well destination is my flat and reason is well... Say to provide you the pleasure of my company" She said cheekily while glancing sideways at him with raised eyebrows. She looked positively delicious.

"Oh!" he replied with his own raised eyebrows and felt an odd swirling sensation in his stomach that she was directly or indirectly showing him her flat, which he was, earlier too polite to ask where did she lived."Can't say I am complaining though. I didn't knew I was seeing you home today" he asked a bit nervously as he wanted to know why she suddenly decided that showing him where she lived was a good idea.

"Well..." she blushed and he felt a range of fireworks glowing in his chest at the adorable look on her face, he was sure no one was as smitten to anyone as he was to her "I just thought that you are often staying here with Sirius, who is often not a very pleasant company, not that I am blaming him, with all that's going it is specially hard for him to be cheerful all the time... So... Whenever you feel like you are in need of fresh air or company or something, you can come over mine for a drink or two or tea or hot chocolate or anything" she finished with ducking her face, which was probably glowing red by now.

To say he was happy was understatement, he felt like bouncing on his feet and swinging his hands like a mad man. He bit his lips to control the smile stretching on his face. There hands were touching frequently and he threw caution to winds and grasped her soft hand in his larger one and squeezed it. He felt like lightning running through his arm. No matter how much he touched her, he always felt this tingly. She looked up at him and he smiled at her.

"That's very considerate of you. I appreciate the offer and I will keep in mind to take full advantage of it" he said but didn't let her hand go. Her smile widened, she nodded and tightened her hold on his hand. She looked beautiful. What else can he say? She always looked beautiful to him no matter what. It felt nice holding hands with her on such pleasant night, with breeze ruffling her hair, like any ordinary couple. They kept walking for a few minutes and he suddenly hoped that her flat was far away. He felt something cool against his fingers and he remembered something.

"Tonks?"

"Hmm?"

"What's with this your fondness for bees?" he said rising their joined hands to her eyes level and pointing towards her bee ring."

"Umm.. I don't know.. May be they are yellow and black?"

"They are yellow and black?"

"Yes, they are hufflepuff colors, you see, ever since I was sorted in the house, I am partial towards all things yellow and black and bees are kind of small and cute"

He chuckled and nodded though he was sure that he will find even dragons cute if she was associated to them.

"I am weird aren't I? " she asked him, rolling her eyes, shaking her head and smiling at herself.

"But that's what makes you, you, I wouldn't change a thing about you, no matter what, I think you are adorable" he said without thinking but when he looked at her instead of seeing a smiling face that he had expected he was met with an intense and serious expression and he wondered if he had said too much, if his words had given away his feelings.

"What happened?" he asked softly "Did I said something?" feeling nervous. He didn't want to bugger anything now, when everything was going fine between them.

She bought them to a halt , looked at him searchingly for few seconds as if debating whether to say or not to say what she wanted to.

"You have no idea how much that means to me" she whispered, her eyes never leaving his. She took a deep breath "All my life I have been changing, no one ever wanted me to stay same, I was kind of experiment to everyone, No one ever wanted me for me. My mother always asked to me change my features or hairs so that I appear elegant... all the requests that always accompany when I tell that I am a metamorphmagus... And blokes... " it seemed she no longer was talking to him, there was a distant look on her face and she was saying all this to herself rather than him. She shook her head and looked towards him and smiled laced a bit with sadness "You are the first"

He hated seeing her sad, thinking about people who were selfish even wanting to change such a lovely witch. He felt like he saw a shadow of himself in her. They were both not understood by society, they both didn't quite fit in. though of course his condition was much more dangerous.

"I think of all people, I know, how much I want other people to know me by who I am not by what I am" he understood what she was trying to say and he also understood that under this bubbly, vibrant colorful girl was an insecurity which needed reassurance which he was glad to provide.

He tipped her chin up with his fingers, making her look up at him. For a moment he just wanted to peer in the depths of her eyes "Never doubt yourself. You are beautiful and wonderful just the way you are" he leaned forward and kissed her forehead and she closed her eyes at his touch and sighed.

"Thank you" she said softly peering at him and he thought if all the people in the world were fool who wanted to manipulate her as per their tastes. And then she smiled at him in a way that was only reserved for him, and he promptly forgot about the world, what was the need really, when she was with him? And she understood him just as well as he understood her without even exchanging words. He would have leaned forward and kissed her lips, if at the same time a muggle motorbike's headlight had not flashed at their faces, making them momentarily blind and successfully ruining the moment.

They started walking again and no one spoke, no one felt the need when all could be said through eyes and too soon they were in front of her flat and he pulled away from her reluctantly. She leaned on her door and looked at him with questioning eyes "Come in?"

He would have gladly obliged, it was so tempting but he was sure he wouldn't be able to keep his hands off her in an empty house with nothing to interrupt but only her company. He shook his head with a sad smile.

"Not today, Sirius must be wondering."

She nodded at him with understanding and engulfed him in a brief hug. He felt warmth radiating from her. He never wanted to let go.

"Good night Remus" she pressed forward and gave him a sweet kiss on cheek

"Good night Nymphadora" and he returned the kiss in kind. And for once, probably first time in history she didn't told off him, or anyone for that matter, to not to call her Nymphadora. They both departed with a smile on their face and this time when he was returning home, nothing stopped him from bouncing on his feet.

A/N - I think the serious conversation between them was a bit hurried, but what do you think? if you liked it please also press that little 'favorite' button and please review. next chapter will be up within 3 days :)