Thank you Saraell, remusdora, pleione-x, PrincessDreamGirl, danadanaBATMAN, ellieh804, jesstlupin for your reviews, I will be looking forward from you all more :)

Well, those who don't know, though I hardly think there would be anyone but, there's a little mention, so for the sake of convenience, 'chocolate makes dogs sick.'

I do not own Harry Potter

He was in the drawing room, sitting on the sofa with a book on his lap, one would think he had no better work but truth was with Order work increasing, he hardly got such leisure time in between. Fire was merrily crackling and his eyes were roving the book rhythmically. When after few months he had thought that he would turn mad by reading only books of Grimmauld's library, he had borrowed few books from Tonks. She had given him total four books, on top was a book named Top Dog: Becoming alpha male, next book was named ways to bewitch a witch and rest two books were rather much more in accordance with his taste. After seeing first two books he had raised his eyebrows and had wondered if she was pulling his leg and playing a prank or if she was trying to give some him some hint.. But one look at her face where she was trying to hold her laughter, while seeing horror on his face, had told him all he had to know.

He licked a bit of his index finger to turn a page and thought that he could do much better things with his hand, mouth and eyes than reading a book. Unfortunately, object of his affections was not here, not yet anyway. It had been three days since he had last seen her, later he had been busy with order business and when he was free, she had been on duty. He longed to look once at her glowing face. In the past few weeks, since they had been together, felt like moments and days from another universe, another life. For once he was content with spending time with his loved once. He practically lived in Grimmauld place these days and well, she stayed here, anyway, more than her flat. He had got his friend back, even though Sirius remained inebriated for most of the time, it still felt nice to reminisce old times. The few weeks that have followed, after their first kiss, they have been spending as much as time as they could amidst order duties and her job. Whenever she was able to, she sneaked upon him in his room at nights, when he might or might not be sleeping. They slept together, and by slept he meant only sleeping and cuddling, fully clothed. With her in his arms, safely tucked, away from troubles of world, he felt most at peace.

He had also came to know so many details about her, small things, that he doubted anyone else knew. Like when she let go of every morph from her body she had a small scar beneath her chin she got as a child when she fell from a tree, and another one just above her left eyebrow, he always made a point to kiss them whenever she showed them, that is only in front of him; she was born with dark brown hairs, which were her natural color, though after seeing her only in bright colors, it was bit disconcerting to see such an ordinary color on her but he soon got used to it; she had dimples at the back of her shoulders on top, again which he made a point to kiss whenever they were alone and if her clothing allowed; one of the hidden talents she had was that she could sing quite well and contrary to the popular belief she could also cook, though it might not be of Molly's standard but it was edible. When he had raised eyebrows at her about it, she had shrugged and had told him that she had been living alone for past five years and she had to learn to cook to survive as she just can't live on canned food. And how he enjoyed such little trivial things about her, he took his joy in it.

He once again roved his eyes on the book, picking it up a bit, reading the last paragraph on the page when a belly button with a tiny navel ring came in front of his eye level.

Ah..finally..

He looked up, trying to hide the smile that was threatening to spread on his face. Now when he got to see her face he realized how much he had missed her.

"Don't you think the shirt is a bit too short for you?" he asked while raising one eyebrow trying to hide his amusement. There she was standing with her one knee placed between his knees, hands on hips, tiny deep red t-shirt with copper color hairs and tattered torn jeans. She looked pretty as usual but he couldn't stop from teasing her.

She narrowed her eyes at him.

"Are you complaining?"

"Yes." he lied.

"Really?"

"No." he couldn't keep a straight face and gave a breathy chuckle while his breath probably tickled her stomach as he saw her belly quivering. He placed his hands on both sides of her hips, pulled her forward and gave a lingering kiss just above her belly button. She giggled. He knew she was ticklish there. She bent forward and placed her hand on his shoulder and looked him into the eye all the while smiling sweetly.

"I missed you."

"And I missed you..." before the last word had left his mouth her lips was on his in a kiss full of longing and to express just how much they have missed each other. He pulled away, only to pull her unto his lap side ways, he snaked his one arm around her bare waist while his other arm was tangled in her hair to kiss her properly in greeting. He brushed her lips lightly, almost teasingly and stroked her bottom lip with his tongue. She inhaled strongly at that and pulled his head more firmly against her mouth and deepened the kiss. He chuckled at her impatience but soon he was forced to take a shuddering breath when she raked her nails through his scalp. Soon they pulled away to breathe, and he took her face in hungrily through his eyes. He kissed her forehead affectionately and she smiled at him in the way that was only reserved for him.

"How have you been?" his voice more husky.

She wrinkled her nose. "As good as you could be if you were on patrol duty near a cold lonely cottage where Sirius Black is supposedly hiding when in truth, I know he was here in probably in kitchen sulking and drowning in firewhisky. I was so sorely tempted to give him away." she sighed in frustration. "And I even fell down while climbing the stairs. I swear this place has got something against me." she added while pointing towards her knees which were peeking out of her torn patches in her jeans, of angry red color.

He placed his warm hands on her knees, healing it absentmindedly while asking her "Is that why you wear holey jeans, so that you can assess the damage of your injured knees, every time you fall?" thinking that she probably fell so much, that it would be trouble always to fold jeans up to knees to heal them.

She didn't paid any heed to him but rather, looked at her own knees and removed his hands and looked impressively at her knees which were now their original pale color.

"You never fail to impress me with your wandless and non verbal magic." she said with a wide eye expression.

"May be that's why, I probably do it?" he replied bashfully, which was truth really, he had so few things that he could brag about, though it was not in his nature to brag but every once in a while trying to impress his own girlfriend, and not someone else's won't hurt, would it? He kissed her now healed knees tenderly and She sniggered behind her hands.

"Now, if you would be so kind on my knees and instead sit next to me?" he asked teasingly.

"Are you insinuating I am fat?"

"You are a smart woman." he winked at her and got a deserving pinch on his arm. Though it was far less, he had heard from his friend how torturous women can be if you even indirectly and unintentionally point out they were fat. But then again, his Tonks, his Dora was not like others. She sat down next to him anyway. In fact she curled up on the sofa next to him, placed her head in his lap, which from experience he now knew that it was her favorite place to be.

He parted her fringe to place a loving kiss on her temple. Though something was odd...

"Dora?"

"Hmm." her voice was muffled as her face was buried in his stomach."You are behaving positively chipper but looking very tired. How so?" he asked while pulling her face and traced dark circles gently with his index fingers beneath her eyes.

As if on cue, she yawned. "Well I am tired, you see, I have hardly got sleep in past 48 hours, and I was needed for a surveillance job, again, so I wen to ministry apothecary and bought that wake up potion that works for about 8 hours, it must be about to wear off or may be already wearing off.. " she yawned.

He smiled tenderly at her, patting and stoking her head. "Sleep then, I am here." nodding, she closed her eyes and he gave her a chaste kiss on her cheek while taking in her comforting scent. The war had barely started and it was already taking a toll on her, she hardly got any time between order and auror duties, where people of her age should be partying and having fun, she was walking on a path that was bound to take away her innocence and cheerfulness. It was only few minutes that her deep breathing indicated that she was fast asleep. He was always astonished of how calmly she could sleep with him around, when half of the wizarding world felt unsafe near him. He kept stroking her hair and her deep breathing and scent lulled him into peace. He was about to pick up his book again when a smug looking Sirius walked in with a tea cup in hand.

"Aww isn't that cute, Moony?" he said in a mock disgust voice, even though Remus knew that his friend was happy for him despite his own circumstances. He smiled inwardly, it was first time that he was awed upon, even though it was in mock disgust. He was glad that him and Tonks had made Sirius go aww.

He placed his hand on Tonks's ear protectively and pulled her lightly so that her other ear was covered by his stomach, to make sure Sirius's loud voice does not disturb her and apparently this action didn't escaped Sirius's notice and he smiled to himself for his friend and his cousin, and for once didn't commented on it.

"Keep your voice low, Padfoot, unlike you and me, she has got a job to do and needs her sleep, and as for you another comment, you are just jealous." he said in a low voice.

He sat on an armchair and raised his teacup in an entire royal fashion and replied in a haughty way. "She is my cousin, like my little sister, no need to be jealous."

"I am talking about myself, you are just jealous that you will have to share me, that I care about her more than you." he replied good naturedly, teasing him, it was rare occasion when anyone can get on Sirius the dog Black's nerve.

"Dream on Moony, there is not a one chance in million that I will waste my dog-drool on you." he replied while throwing his long back hairs behind his shoulders, a movement worthy of a veela and while slurping his tea.

Sirius Black with tea at 11 in night? One would think the lecture he had got recently from Molly on excessive alcohol consumption had actually reached his brains.

He took his wand out slowly.

"Accio teacup."

His teacup came flying to him sloshing the liquid a bit, he peered in the cup, and it was firewhisky!

"Really Sirius, you thought you can get past through me?"

Sirius looked sullen that his trick was caught. "Well it worked for two days, Molly thought I was drinking tea." he said defensively.

"You know I am fairly tempted to feed my all chocolate to you the moment you transform into snuffles."

"As a payback for fifth year, when we got homework in care for magical creatures and I asked you to be my project?"

He laughed at the memory. The moments they had spent together in school were bizarre. Tonks stirred a bit, turning and burying her face in his stomach once again, he sighed happily. Lightly he caressed her shoulder, and she curled her arm around him. In other's eye he might look like a love struck fool, which he probably was. When was the last time he was so in love? He couldn't even remember.

Sirius was looking at them with watchful eyes. He looked up and silently questioned him by raising one eyebrow. "Don't mess it up Moony." he said very seriously. He knew where this was going and thought, that Sirius probably knew him too well.

"I have seen you looking at her, when you think no one is looking, in a way that tells clearly, at least to me, that you keep thinking that this might be last day with her, as if she is going to vanish. I don't know what you were up to the when I was in Azkaban, but I know you weren't chasing witches."

"I wasn't." which was truth, because after few years of Potter's death, he was least bothered in the world around him, and then when he had gathered momentum, realized that life indeed does goes on, he had tried to survive by doing odd jobs and relationships were at that time too much trouble, because truth would have came out when he would have gone missing on every full moon, therefore he had almost given up on the idea of relationships and love.

"Don't think you would have no one to answer to, though, this time." Sirius continued "I was in Azkaban and well now I want to fulfill every relation I have failed to. I want to be the godfather Harry needs, I want to be the big cousin to Tonks, whom I should have seen growing up, and I want to be a good friend to you which I failed to be, even before I went to Azkaban."

"Sirius, really, there's no need, I don't blame you."

"I know you don't but it was my fault, it still pains to think only if I would have trusted you.." he trailed off.

It pained Remus also, to think various only if, what ifs, situation. What if he wasn't a werewolf, what if there was no Peter in scene, what if what if... But it does no good to dwell in what ifs..

"Anyway... We are Gryffindor men, we are brave and noble but for god sake don't take your noble act too far this time, that you even put Godric to shame. Be brave and fight for what you love. Don't let your insecurities win Moony."

He chuckled. "Is this the effect of firewhisky or did you prepared a speech for some big brother talk?" thinking that Sirius was one of the last person he had imagined to be having this kind of big-brother talk with.

Sirius sniffed in amusement. "Yeah, it got all very Sirius isn't it? Getting all sentimental."

Remus groaned at Sirius's siriously joke. Somethings never change.

All the time he had been stroking Dora's head and now he wondered if she was still sleeping? What if she would have heard all this? But her breathing was still deep and he realized she was still in deep slumber. Also the air around them had grown quiet cold, he conjured a blanket, covering her, knowing well how cold her feet would be, tucking her properly.

"Awww Moony, aren't you going softie in old age." Sirius spoke again while tossing his hair back.

He frowned. "You know, know matter what shampoo you use, you will never have glamour that of Snape's shiny greasy hairs."

Sirius shuddered. "Merlin help me! I need a strong drink to get the memory out of my system."

He got up only when Tonks turned in her sleep. For a moment there Sirius watched her like a brother who didn't got time to see her sister grow up, his affection for Tonks were understandable, seeing his own brothers and sisters were a bunch of death eaters. He bent over Tonks and planted a kiss on her forehead sloppily, Remus winced in anticipation that Tonks might wake up.

Sirius looked up at Remus and asked wide eyed."You want one too Moony?"

"No bad dog, go brush your teeth." Remus hissed squeezing his eyes shut and facing away from him, but Sirius had already transformed into Snuffles and had already given him a generous lick on his cheek full of dog slobber, trotting away.

Remus sighed and shuddered at the feel of it, and wiped it clean with a flick of his wand, from himself.

It had been worrying him ever since, impact of him in her life. She surely smiled a lot and a little brighter whenever she was with him, but will this smile remain when people will start taunting her? How badly will he be affecting her life in long time? It was not in his heart to push her away, and he couldn't even if he wanted. They both worked in order avoiding each other was out of question just like resisting her whenever she was within 1 meter of radius was out of question. Thought of leaving her was.. Excruciatingly painful.

He engulfed her in his arms, as well as he could with her curled up in his lap like a kitten, buried his head lightly in her hair and kissed back of her neck. She stirred and he winced inwardly, poor soul couldn't sleep properly with all commotion going.

She turned and looked up at him, blinking back sleep.

"Didn't meant to wake you. Go back to sleep, love." he cringed inwardly again at the endearment. It wasn't that he didn't wanted to tell her how deeply he felt about her, he did. Sometimes he felt as if he will burst with all the love, but telling her, saying those three words would be like a promise, and he wasn't sure if he was in a position to promise her something when his own life was so uncertain. He always became a bit unhinged at the thought of leaving her or she leaving him.

Though, it didn't felt like she had paid much attention in her drowsy state. She cupped his face in her one hand and peered groggily at him.

"You are cute, do you know that?"

He chuckled. Of all the adjectives for him, cute was the last one on his mind. He leaned forward and kissed tip of her of nose.

All of a sudden, she sat up, narrowly avoiding banging his head with hers. She adjusted the blanket, this time around both of them and buried herself in his side, practically sitting on him. He also took her in his arms and pulled her towards him.

She bit her lip, and then looked back at him wide her trademark puppy dog eyes as if preparing herself to say something and he knew, something was coming, something he should probably say no to, but he won't be able to say because of the way she was looking at him and she knew it.

She gingerly stroked his fringe back and smiled in a endearing way. "You are sweet too."

Now he was growing suspicious. He was oddly reminded of a child, buttering their parents so that they could agree to him to buy his favorite toy or something.

"What do you want Nymphadora?" he asked raising his eyebrow at her.

"What makes you think I want something?" she said innocently, too innocently and started squeezing back of his neck and shoulder blades slowing, releasing the tension in them, while pressing a sweet kiss to the corner of his mouth.

"I think I know that look now very well. Your pleading, infuriatingly endearing look, which you know I couldn't say no to." trying to ignore the way she was trying to distract him and he could have sworn that she morphed her eyes a bit larger for dramatic effect.

"It's... Well just a... Small request."

"You tell me, and I will decide how small it is."

"Um..well.. This full moon-"

"No!"

"You haven't even heard what I was going to say." she said indignantly.

"I don't need to hear it, it's a no." he said with a finality, having decided from earlier that anything from Tonks with the words starting 'this full moon' or 'next full moon' or something along those lines will always elicit a negative answer from him.

"Fine!" she said a bit loudly, crossed her arms across her chest, jumped 12 inches away from him and turned her face away from him, probably pretending to sulk or may be sulking in real. He sighed in frustration, counting to ten that until how far she will be willing to take her act because he was sure, his resolve was crumbling, and sure enough, when she looked at him wide eyed with dramatic innocence and accusation, eyes brimming with exaggerated drama, he knew all too well he was in. She looked away again grumbling under breath that sounded like 'not even listening'.

"Alright, tell me what it is?" he asked, nearing her forcing her to look at him by placing his hand under her chin and kissing her frown away, because really, whether in truth or in facade, he couldn't see her sad or angry, which he was sure will prove his greatest weakness in coming future.

"Dora.. Let me hear." he said again kissing her.

She grinned. and despite himself Remus smiled too. He rolled his eyes and mumbled "drama queen" under his breath and she looked at him with narrowed eyes and he raised his both hands in surrender to placate her while trying as much to keep a straight face.

"Well I was asking Can I come to meet you this full moon after sunrise?"

He tensed slightly, he was a sight on the morning after full moon, weak and vulnerable, almost crawling to get dressed and trying to get into bed, he never wanted her to see him like that. But then she only wanted to help...

"I don't think it would be a good idea, I can manage well enough on my own Dora, I have been doing this for more than 30 years." he said as gently as he could.

"I know Remus, I don't doubt that, you can handle your self very well, and well I just want to help, I promise I won't fuss, I just want to see you, and I promise I will let you sleep, I will sleep with you too, I looked up, I have a day off that day, and I-"

She was babbling and he placed his hand lightly to keep her from talking.

Well the real reason was that he hardly had anything to flaunt and what will he impress upon her when she will see him in such a weakened state? It was a matter of dignity, surely what man wanted that his girlfriend sees him in a crippled state?

"I want to be part of you, all of you, surely you can't keep it from me always Remus." She said gently.

He never wanted her to be a part of something so gruesome, seeing the one you love, with self inflicted injuries, bleeding hardly in a state to stand, and feeling helpless. But then she might be cute, adorable but she was an Auror and a tough woman, she could handle that but he wasn't sure how he felt being exposed to her in such beginning of their relationship. And it was true though, if they were in for a long term relationship, he cannot shut her out of this forever, he had just hoped the time won't come so soon..

"Talk to me, what are you thinking Remus?" she brought him out of his thoughts stroking his cheek comfortingly.

He smiled."I am not sure... It was not something I had counted on you seeing." he said truthfully.

"I won't think any less of you if that is what you are thinking." she smiled gently at him, placing a lingering kiss on his jaw making him shiver.

"If I would have been ill, you would have done it for me too."

Very few people in his life have compared lycanthropy with illness. He felt his resolve breaking and he found himself nodding, but before he could say anything further she had flung herself at him, practically tackling him, kissing him all over face muttering 'thank yous' he couldn't help but laugh. God knew what he had done to deserve her.

"Alright, my lady, but I have one condition."

She stopped her ministrations looking at him questioningly.

"You will come after about one hour of sunrise... No. Please" he hastily said when he saw her ready to protest "at least agree to this much, please Dora." thinking that it would at least give him some time to get dressed and get into bed, sparing him some dignity.

She nodded, albeit reluctantly, and hugged him back burying her face in crook of his neck. He embraced her back breathing deeply, taking her scent in. This time when she kissed him, he didn't interrupted. His overpowering deep love for her was the only thing he felt.

A/N- I was going to include that full moon scene originally in this chapter only, but then this alone got so long.. well what do you think about it? next update will be up soon.