Written for Remadora microfics day 5: midnight. G. Summary: Tonks has a miserable New Year's Eve.
Lights twinkled outside the windows. The village of Hogsmeade was dressed merrily for the holidays, with no shop more garish than Madam Puddifoot's, which sat prominently in Tonks's view. She blew the limp, brown hair out of her eyes and brought her mug to her lips. Unlike the stupid couples ringing in the new year at the tea shop, she sat alone and miserable at The Three Broomsticks. Midnight had come and gone; she'd sent Remus a scrap of a letter, a single line asking to meet her for a drink. She'd waited four long hours, pretending to be happy with her coworkers, patrons at the pub, and she'd even flirted with a pretty witch. She'd almost gone home with the witch, but she'd held out hope Remus would come.
He hadn't, and now she looked like a fool, brushing angry tears away from her eyes while drunken patrons kissed and knocked their drinks together, cheering on for a new year.
"Oi, sweetheart!"
A glassy-eyed, burly wizard swayed in front of her.
"What's a little beauty like you doing here, sitting all alone?"
Tonks swallowed a sob. "I'm waiting for someone."
The man grinned lecherously. "He isn't here, is he?" With a gleam in his eyes, he added, "I'm here, darling."
"Yes," Tonks murmured, "you are."
She drummed her fingers against her empty glass, musing on her options. She could take this man upstairs, fuck him, and send him away in the morning. It wouldn't be the first time she indulged in a pity fuck. The wizard swayed, splashing her with some of his drink. Tonks wrinkled her nose.
"Not tonight."
The burly man snarled and tried to lunge at her, but a friend seemed to notice and took him away. The clock outside struck one in the morning.
It was time to give up.
Tonks dragged her feet up to her room and threw herself on the bed. There, she found the terse reply Remus sent after her initial request.
"I'll only disappoint you."
He hadn't come, and more than merely disappoint her, he'd broken her heart again.