Hours later Tonks stood in the moonlight hidden underneath Moody's invisibility cloak, outside number 4 Privet Drive. She was starting to doze on her feet when a hooded figure appeared at the end of the street. He began walking briskly towards her and stopped just over a meter from where stood invisible. He remained still for a moment before groping in the darkness with his hands held out in front of him.
"Tonks?" the voice whispered, barely audible against the whistling wind that had suddenly picked up.
"Nymphadora?"
Tonks rolled her eyes before opening her mouth to speak, "Get under here quickly," she hissed. "Are you trying to get yourself caught by a muggle or someone worse?"
Lupin ducked under the robe, "Sorry," he apologized. "But I had to see you. That stuff I said before, it was stupid. I didn't know what I was saying but I do now. I love you Tonks and I want to become your husband."
"But why did you say it all?" Tonks whispered. "You don't just all of a sudden decide not to get married a couple of days before the ceremony."
"What more do you want me to say?" Lupin pleaded quietly. "I'll do anything."
Tonks gazed at him intently for a few minutes.
"I suppose you have done enough already," she told him. "I mean you came here when you know full well that there will be death eaters hanging around somewhere but still you came despite it being dangerous."
"I didn't really think," Lupin said sheepishly. "If I had sat down and thought about it then I would have realized how stupid and risky it was."
Tonks was about to respond when there was a fluttering noise from overhead.
The two looked up simultaneously to see a dark hooded figure shoot past them on a broom.
They exchanged looks.
"Did you see who it was?" Tonks whispered.
Lupin shook his head. "Whoever it was, was wearing a mask. We'd better remain silent in case they come back."
The rest of the night passed without another word being uttered. No other sign of movement death eaters or otherwise was seen. As the first signs of dawn appeared Lupin gently shook Tonks awake from where she had been dozing on his shoulder.
"Lets get out of here," he told her.
With one last look around Privet Drive Lupin turned on the spot and disapparated with Tonks.
***
Later that night after the couple had both had a nap to catch up on lost sleep they sat down together in the sitting room.
Lupin took Tonks' hand. "I really am sorry about what I said," he looked into her eyes. "If I had a time turner then I'd go back and change it. I'd change a lot of things…" he said solemnly.
"I'm sorry Sirius couldn't be here," she told him.
Lupin nodded gravely.
"And, James too," Tonks said rather hesitantly.
Lupin had never mentioned James to her before so she had been considerate and never brought him up.
"Yes and Peter," Lupin smiled slightly at the look of surprise on Tonks' face. "If only he had never got involved with You Know Who then he would have been here to celebrate with us. They all would…" a hint of anger tinged his voice.
Tonks leaned over and kissed him gently on the cheek. "I'm sure where ever they are that they will be watching," she said comfortingly.
***
The morning of the wedding dawned bright but cold.
Tonks woke not long after sunrise to find the bed empty. Wild thoughts of Lupin having run away raced through her mind until she remembered that she was at her parents house having insisted that the two spent the night apart due to muggle tradition. She sprung out of bed and headed over to a floor length mirror where she began randomly changing the style of her hair. In the space of about five seconds it had gone from short and brown, to long and pink to wavy and red.
"No, absolutely not, no way," she grimaced to herself as each new hairstyle appeared.
After transforming for half an hour she finally settled on shoulder length black curly hair.
"Morning," Andromeda greeted her daughter as she stepped into the bedroom. "I brought you some breakfast."
She set a tray down on the bed.
"Oh thanks mum!" Tonks said brightly.
She bounced down on to the bed but in her eagerness she upset the tray and sent a glass of orange juice flying.
"I hope Lupin knows what he has let himself in for," Andromeda said, half amused, half exasperated.
"Mmm," Tonks replied.
She had decided against telling her parents about Lupin's second thoughts. He was back on track now and that was all that mattered.
"Will you help me into my dress?" she asked.
"Already?" her mother asked. "The guests wont be here for hours!"
"I know but the full day is my wedding day not just tonight and I'm desperate to wear the dress," Tonks admitted.
"Very well," smiled Andromeda Tonks as she summoned the dress from where it had been hanging inside the wardrobe.
The dress was very simple with the hint of a sparkle here and there. Plain white and falling to just below the knee. It was the same dress Andromeda had worn to her wedding and her mother to hers.
Tonks sighed once the dress was on and she was looking at herself in the mirror.
"You look beautiful," Andromeda beamed. "Now just try not to spill anything on it before tonight," she warned.
