Disclaimer : I don't own any of the Harry Potter characters…

Chapter 4: The yellow green of struggle

This happens in Harry's sixth year.

Tonks sat by the whomping willow, twirling a fallen leaf in her hand.

Above her, the willow thrashed about, and yet, she wasn't injured at all. It was a trick she had learnt in her time there.

She kept staring at the green yellow leaf in her hand wondering if the leaf in her hand had had to suffer as much as she had before falling down from the tree.

Laughing at her own stupidity, she threw away the leaf, and lay down on the ground.

There was still an hour for her patrol time to start. Aside from the Ministry protection, Dumbledore had also made sure that at least one Order member stayed in the castle at all times. And since she represented both the Ministry and the Order, she happened to be the only guard when her turn came.

And, just her luck, the person who had patrol before her, happened to be Remus Lupin.

Hearing foot steps behind her, she closed her eyes, pretending to sleep, hoping that who ever the person was would go away.

If she had to meet Harry one more time, she would invariably be reminded of Remus and that wouldn't do. She had to be strong enough to fight him and his idiotic insecurities the next time she met him.

Avoiding people associated with him till then was the only way to that, she had convinced herself.

The foot steps only neared her, and she reluctantly opened her eyes a fraction, only to meet the concerned gaze of the very bane of her existence.

"Sleeping?" he asked as he sat beside her form.

"Was. Until you came" her answer was unusually snappy, and Remus couldn't help but smile at her antics.

"Sorry if I'm intruding your nap. I thought you would like some company"

"You assume too many things Lupin"

"Like?"

"One too many to list. Better not get me in argument mode or you'll regret it"

"You seem to be in an extremely bad mood today, for a person who has just been given a promotion"

"As if that matters! That was only because Amelia Bones was….went missing"

"She didn't go missing"

"I know. She was murdered. And who knows I might be his next and for once, he'd find a willing victim"

"That's rubbish. The Order members will not be targeted so easily"

"But I represent the Ministry, don't I?"

"Would you give up your Auror position for the Order?"

"Of course" the answer was spontaneous.

"And the other way round?"

"Definitely not"

"Then you are an Order member no matter what you say"

"But that won't matter to that guy, will it? All that matters to him will be whether or not I will join him and the answer to that is quite simple. It won't matter if or not I marry a werewolf"

"Nymphadora…."

"What? What is it this time? That I'm too young? That I deserve better? I don't! I caused his death, didn't I? I should have finished her off when I had had the chance! I…"

"You're gripping at straws. Sirius wouldn't have wanted you to blame your self like this. It shouldn't stop you from being happy is what he'd say"

"And he'd be quite happy that you are preventing your self from being happy, right?"

"That's another thing. This doesn't concern Sirius"

"Then don't tell me what Sirius would have wanted! You have no right, you hypocrite!"

Stunned, Remus remained silent, watching as her mousy color hair turned a bright red and then, blue.

"I must be leaving. Your shift is due in a few minutes. You should be hurrying too"

After a few minutes of walk, Remus turned back, to find that Tonks was leaving, her hair back to the dull mousy color.

A/n: Written for Green Yellow!

R&R!