The smell of chocolate wafted in his direction "Can I help you, sweetheart?"

"Huh? No." answered the woman absent-mindedly "I have everything under control."

"Are you sure?" Ted frowned, looking around. It was like being in the middle of an unusual battlefield. The dishes were piled up in the sink, the kettle was whistling and the oven was on. "Are we having guests tonight?"

"No." Andromeda replied, taking a bunch of carrots from the fridge "Why?"

"'cause you've been cooking for hours," Ted said, glancing at the bowl of mashed potatoes and the pork roast with apple sauce on the table.

After 28 years of marriage, Ted knew when his wife was stressed out. "You need to rest, love," he said, stopping her before she started peeling the carrots. "I know you are worried about Nymphadora, but she can look after herself."

Before Andromeda could reply, someone rang the doorbell.

Ted looked at the clock on the wall. It was too late for visitors.

He stared at him. His grey hair, his scars and the well-worn cloak clinging to his thin frame told Ted all he needed to know. Ted had never met him, but he knew exactly who the man on the porch was.

"Hi." said Lupin "Wait! Don't do it, please," he begged as Ted began to close the door. "Please!"

Ted stopped, eyeing him coldly. "What do you want?"

"I need to talk to Nymphadora."

Hearing his daughter's name, Ted's eyes narrowed "She doesn't want to talk to you."

His hands clenched at his side, Lupin stared at the floor for a moment. He swallowed hard, then looked up, his voice strained. "But I have to explain. I..."

"I've never understood what my daughter saw in you." Ted snapped, stepping forward "She would have done everything for you. For a werewolf!"

Although Lupin was used to such disdain, the hostility in Ted's eyes was enough to make his chest tighten painfully. "If she doesn't want to talk to me, I'll go away. But let her know I am here. Please!" he insisted, grabbing Ted's arm.

Lupin's desperation was so palpable that, despite everything, Ted didn't have the heart to chase him away. "She is not at home."

"I'll wait," replied Lupin resolutely, sitting on the steps, his pulse quickening with anxiety. He didn't know if Tonks would have talked to him, but now he had hope. "Thanks."

"Don't thank me." Ted turned his back to him. He took a step but then stopped. "Come inside. I don't want my neighbours asking questions about you."

"Mum?" Tonks closed the door and dropped her bag on the floor. "Dad?"

It had been a long day. Dozens of wizards and witches had crowded the Atrium of the Ministry, demanding explanations about what was happening. At least nobody had tried to stop her. People were still afraid of the small silver 'A' on her uniform.

The good smell of roast and chocolate cake made her stomach growl.

The lights in the kitchen were on, but no one was in the room. "I'm home. Mum?" she called again, listening to the odd silence. Her right hand reached for the wand in her pocket "Dad?"

"Dora." Ted appeared from the dining room.

Tonks couldn't help but notice the strange look on her father's face. He seemed concerned about something as if he were trying to hide it. The girl frowned. "What's going on?" she asked, trying to look over his shoulder.

Ted took a deep breath. "Sweetheart…"

For a long moment, Tonks looked at the man sitting on the sofa. "What is he doing here?" she asked in a dull voice.

Lupin stood up. "Tonks…"

Hearing his voice, her knees wobbled. Tonks tightened her fists at her sides, pretending not to have heard him "Why is he here?"

"Your father let him in," said Andromeda, glaring at her husband.

It felt as if somebody had punched her in the stomach, leaving her breathless "Dad…" Tonks whispered, completely baffled.

Lupin took a step towards her. "Your father tried to kick me out…"

"He should have tried harder!" snapped Tonks, looking at her father in disbelief.

Ted sighed. Ignoring Andromeda's reproachful glare, he stepped closer to Tonks. "Love," he said in a murmur "I'll chase him away right now if that's what you want."

The memory of every time Remus had turned his back on her made a dark cloud of resentment grow in her mind. And for a moment, the picture of her father slamming the door in Remus' face made Tonks feel better. But then, their eyes met. The sight of fear in Remus' eyes made her anger falter. Tonks raised an eyebrow, her expression thoughtful. She had seen him that scared only once before: the night he had failed to convince Sirius to stay home.

Seeing Tonks hesitate "If you need me, I'll be in the kitchen with your mother" Ted said, gesturing for a reluctant Andromeda to precede him out of the room.

A deep silence, broken only by the clock ticking, fell in the room. Remus had never felt so uncomfortable. For days he had thought about what to say. He had feared she would not give him the chance to speak. In that moment, staring at her back, he couldn't find the words.

"What do you want?"

Hearing her cold voice, Remus flinched. That iciness made a shiver run down his spine. His mouth was dry."I…" He cleared his throat, desperately trying to steady himself. "Could you look at me, please?"

"Say what you came to say or leave."

Tonks' words sounded sharper than a knife. Remus stood frozen for a moment, staring at her back. Then he took a shaky breath, trying to collect the strength to speak. "When Dumbledore asked me to spy…" he said, shifting uncomfortably "I…I can't" he snorted in frustration. "Nymphadora, …."

Hearing that name, feeling his hand on her shoulder, was the last straw. She turned and slapped him with all her strength.

There was such a fury in her eyes, that Lupin had to avert his gaze. Neither of them spoke for a moment. Then he broke the silence "I'm sorry."

The sight of tears in his eyes made rage boil in her veins. "You're sorry?" Tonks echoed angrily. "What exactly are you sorry for? For calling me Nymphadora? For choosing a suicide mission over me? For…?"

"I told myself you would have a better life without me." Lupin cut her short, his cheek smarting. "I am a werewolf…"

"Yeah, I know." She laughed bitterly, starting to think having let him talk had been a mistake. "You are a werewolf. You are too old for me, too dangerous for me, too poor for me." She reached the door "I should have listened to you the first time you said it."

"No!" exclaimed Lupin, his heart pounding. The fear of seeing her open the door and tell him to go away clouded his mind and made even breathing too difficult for him. "You are right!" he exclaimed, his voice breaking "You've always been." he said, a knot tightening in the pit of his stomach."I've been running away all my life."

The fear and regret in his voice made her stop. Almost unwillingly, as if her body was refusing to follow her brain's order, her hand let go of the door handle.

Remus' voice seemed to come from far away as he spoke again"I've always thought keeping my distance from the ones I love was the only choice I had." Even though she was still showing him her back, he could tell Tonks was listening. He took a cautious step towards her."You say you don't care but I am a werewolf." he said, and before she could even snort in reply, he went on. "When people look at me, all they see are my scars." His voice was heavy with emotion "They fire me, as soon as they understand the reason for my monthly absences. They cross the street and avoid sitting next to me, talking to me, or even looking at me. I'm used to it. I don't care about it anymore. But ..." he sighed, struggling against the need to make her turn and look into her eyes "I've seen my being a werewolf putting itself between me and my best friends. I've seen it destroy my parents' lives. I can't stand the thought of ruining yours."

"Ruining my life ?" asked Tonks sarcastically.

Her eyes pierced him from side to side as she turned to face him. That cold, rage-filled glare sent a shiver down his spine, but this time, he held her gaze. "I regretted it the very moment I understood what I had done" he admitted, his heart shrinking painfully at the sight of her mousy brown hair and dull brown eyes. "But by then, it was too late. I'd already given my word to Dumbledore and..."

"And you couldn't fail him, could you?"Tonks cut him short, her voice sharp and accusing.

"No." Remus corrected her, wincing at the accusation in her tone "I couldn't fail the Order. I couldn't risk putting everyone in danger because I had made a mistake. "

Silence fell over them again, thick and uncomfortable. Then, grinding her teeth, Tonks let out a sharp, frustrated snort. As furious as she was, she knew Remus was right. One small mistake could have cost many lives. "Three nights ago when I saw you I thought my eyes were deceiving me." she began, her voice trembling "I was so happy that I didn't care why you had left. It didn't matter what you'd done or where you'd been..." Tears of anger prickled at the corners of her eyes. She bit her lip to chase them away, angry at herself for even feeling that way. She walked to the centre of the room, avoiding his gaze. "But you ran away, again!" her voice cracked with rage "Why should I listen to you now?"

"Love…"

Andromeda's hands trembled with barely contained frustration as she filled the kettle."Don't call me 'love,' Ted!" she hissed, her voice sharp as a dagger. "How could you do that to our daughter?"

"She's unhappy, and..."

"I know that!" she snapped, turning the tap off angrily. "What she needs is to forget about that… that man!" She turned to glare at him, her eyes blazing. "And you let him in. You let him..."

Ted sighed. He hated arguing with her, but sometimes Andromeda was just overprotective. "Dora's talking to him because she wants to," he said evenly. "Maybe he'll get what you think he deserves. Maybe not. But..."

"How can you stand up for him?"Her voice rose, demanding an answer she wasn't sure she wanted to hear.

"I'm not defending him."

"Yes, you are!" Andromeda replied, astounded. "If I were you, I wouldn't have even let him through the door! I'd have chased him off without a second thought. I wouldn't have hesitated before casting a sp..."

"Do you even hear yourself?" Ted interrupted, stepping closer. "You sound just like your father."

The words hit their mark. Andromeda's face twisted as if he had struck her.

"The first time I met your parents, your mother refused to speak to me. Your father told me people like me were stains on a new pair of leather boots. Then he pointed his wand at me and..."

"My parents were crazy!" Andromeda cut him short, that memory sharp and bitter. She remembered that day clearly; the day she'd left her parents' house with Ted.

"You've always looked past appearances, always seen people for who they are."

"I'm not judging him by his appearance, Ted," she retorted, her voice tense. "I'm judging him by his actions."

"It's not up to us to judge Lupin. Let Dora make her own choice."

Ted's words were reasonable, but Andromeda's anger was too fresh to let her concede fully. She didn't understand it. Lupin had nothing to offer their daughter. "Why are you giving him this chance?"

"I was terrified."

That was the last thing she expected him to say. "Terrified?" Tonks repeated, her tone sharp. "Dumbledore was dead. Bill was hurt. I was terrified too."

His muscle aching for the effort of keeping himself from pulling her in his arms "When I saw what Greyback had done to Bill..."

"I'm an Auror." Tonks interrupted flatly, disappointment and bitterness running in her veins. "I can defend myself."

"No, you don't understand," Remus said, shaking his head in frustration as he started pacing the room. He knew she had misunderstood his words.

"Then explain it to me!" Tonks snapped, her voice raising. Annoyed at having received the same answer he used to give her every time he had pushed her away, she grabbed his arm, forcing him to stop "You asked to talk to me..." their eyes met again, and what she saw there made her anger falter. Letting him go, she crossed her arms, her voice cooler but still firm. "I'm listening. So talk!"

Remus stared at her for a long moment, then sighed. "When I saw Bill lying unconscious, I thought that... that could have been you. That Greyback might have looked for you in the crowd and …"

Tonks frowned in confusion. As well as any other Auror she'd been trying to seize Greyback long before joining the Order. Why would he have shown any particular interest in her? "There were four of us there that night," she said slowly. "Why would he..."

"Because of me," Remus cut her off, his voice low but fierce. "Because I love you," he admitted, his heartbeat deafening him. He'd never said it to anyone before; never thought he would.

Hearing his words, Tonks startled, breathless. Her heart skipped a beat, the room began to spin around her. She grabbed the back of the armchair to steady herself. She'd waited so long for him to say those words, dreamt of it more times than she could count. And yet, now that he had said it, she felt herself stepping back, her voice betraying her.

Remus hadn't expected this. Her blank expression, her lack of reply...it hurt him more than any words could have done. An invisible hand clenched around his heart as he forced himself to go on. "When my father reported Greyback to the Ministry, he didn't realize the consequences of it. But Greyback never forgot. He swore to destroy everything we care about… and he's determined to keep his promise."

Tonks stared at him, starting to understand why the colour had left Remus' cheeks the very moment he had heard what had happened to Bill. His reaction to Bill's injuries, his sudden refusal to look at her, his cold silence...it was making sense now. If only he'd spoken to her sooner, she thought bitterly. If only he'd trusted her enough to explain. Shaking slightly her head, as if coming back to her senses "Why are you telling me that now?" she asked, her voice softer but no less determined.

"I know I should have told you everything that night," Remus admitted sadly, regretting his choices. "I should have told you everything and begged for your forgiveness." The fear of seeing her turn her back on him was driving him crazy. His eyes fixed on hers, he took a step ahead.

Tonks opened her mouth to reply, but her voice failed her. She remembered it clearly. The expression on Remus' face as soon as their eyes had met, the strength of his arms holding her against him, the way he had kissed her...

As if reading her thoughts, his gaze flicked from her eyes to her lips, then to her eyes again. His fingers tingled with the longing to touch her. "When I saw what that monster had done to Bill for the sheer pleasure of doing it, I panicked." His chest rising and falling faster and faster as if gasping for air while running uphill, he broke the silence again " I told myself looking for you had been the worst mistake of my life. What had been the point of it when I knew you'd be better off forgetting me?" His voice cracked with pain, each word heavy with sorrow. "How could I ask you to forgive me? How could I ask you to choose me, knowing that staying close to me would put him on your trail?"

Tonks stared at him in silence for a moment. The weight of his fear, his anguish, hung in the air between them. Remus' eyes were locked on hers, the fear of hearing she couldn't forgive him, that it was too late, that he had failed her one too many times was so intense that she could almost touch it.

"Why is it so hard for you to accept that it's my choice?" she asked finally, her voice soft but edged with disappointment. "Mine. Not yours."

"'cause it isn't right. Don't you understand it?" replied Remus frustrated, angry with himself "I love you, more than I will ever be able to tell you. I want you in my life, I need you to be in it. I've never wished for anything else." he said in the sweetest tone she had ever heard, his eyes full of anguish. "But all I can offer you is danger! And that's not what I want for you!" he exclaimed. His hands trembled as his emotions spilt over. "Three nights ago, when I ran away from the Infirmary, I told myself I had to do it for your sake. I told myself that if I loved you, I had to stay away from you. But I can't. I can't live knowing you hate me. I can't live knowing you regret having met me." He took a deep breath, his voice breaking as he continued. "Telling you I love you, coming here tonight..this is the most selfish thing I've ever done. But I couldn't go on like this. I can't keep hoping you'll fall for someone else and forget me. I can't!"His voice grew frantic, his words tumbling out. It was hard for Tonks to distinguish all his words "I wish things were different. I wish Greyback had never stepped into my father's life, 'cause you deserve more." Unable to resist, he raised a trembling hand and let his fingertips brush her cheek. "You deserve someone worth it, someone better than me..."

That touch...it was like he'd wrapped her in a soft, warm blanket. She felt the heat of it spread from her cheek, rippling through her entire being, down to her toes. It reached the aching centre of her heart, making her want to cry, to hold onto him and never let go.

Yes, he'd hurt her. Yes, he'd let her down, again and again. But the thought of a life without him was unbearable. All the anger, all the pain, all the sleepless nights spent crying...it all seemed to fade under the weight of his words and the warmth of his touch.

"It's my choice." she whispered "You can't choose for me who to love."She covered his hand with hers, her eyes meeting his."And I love you."

Feeling her hand on his, hearing her words...it took Remus every ounce of his willpower to keep himself from kissing her. "It won't be like it was at Grimmauld Place," he warned softly. "There'll be no potions…"

"You'll tell me what I have to do..."Tonks cut him short.

"No matter what you'll do, no matter how much I love you..." Remus replied sadly, his fingers brushing her cheek "I'll hurt you and..."

"More than you have already done?" Tonks asked, her voice a soft challenge. Her fingers curled into his shirt, holding him as if her life depended on it "More than you'll do if you choose to disappear again?"

At her words, Remus looked away, his guilt pulling him down. When he looked at her again, tears were filling his eyes. "I'm not here to say goodbye. I won't leave unless you ask me to." His hand traced the profile of her face, stopping beneath her chin to tilt it up gently. "But before you decide, I want you to think about it."

"I've already thought about it," Tonks said.

Remus sighed."If you choose me," he insisted, desperate to make her understand. "you'll lose all you have worked for," He knew how much she had worked for it, how strongly she had wanted to get that job. "As soon as they know it, nobody at the Ministry will trust you ."

Tonks' fingers clenched his shirt tighter, refusing to let go. "Do you love me, Remus?"

Looking at her, Remus understood she had already made her choice and it was written plainly in her eyes. He sighed heavily, his shoulders sagging under the weight of his feelings. "Do you understand what I'm saying?"

"Do you think that if I had to choose between you and my job, I could choose my job over you?" she asked back, determined. "My private life is not the Ministry's business. And if they are foolish enough to fire me because of who I love," she went on "I'll find another job."

"It doesn't ..."

"It's a job, Remus." Tonks cut him short, her eyes studying him. She could see the struggle on his face, the way he was torn between wanting her and convincing himself she deserved better.

"Your friends, even the members of the Order, will avoid you. " he tried again, desperate to make her see his point.

"You forget the members of the Orders are your friends too..." she replied, unwavering.

"Some of them have tolerated my presence until now only because of Dumbledore." he corrected her bitterly. "Things are going to change now that he is dead."

"You should trust people more." replied Tonks, stepping closer to him."And if they do as you say, they are not my friends. But you should know me well enough to know I don't care what people say or think."

"Greyback..." he started, but she didn't let him finish.

"My life is already in danger. Whether you want it to or not, we are all in danger." she cut him short. "You ran away. You could have disappeared again. But you didn't. Why?" she asked, staring straight into his eyes, her voice softening. She knew the answer but wanted to hear it from him "Why did you come here tonight? What do you want, Remus?"

The way she was looking at him made Remus' heart miss a beat. Despite the ease with which she had been able to argue all the reasons why she should not be with him, he knew she had understood the risks of it. He knew that nothing would have made her change her mind. He'd never met anyone as stubborn as her. "You."Remus admitted, putting his hands on her hips, "Even if I have made too many mistakes. Even if I don't deserve you." His grip tightened, and he pulled her closer. "Even if I have nothing to offer to you. Nothing but what you can see right now." he said "Nothing but my heart."

She could feel it, pounding frantically under her palm. "That's all I want," she whispered smiling. Rising onto her toes, she leaned in, her head tilting towards his. But, before her lips could touch his, Remus drew back, a smile turning up the corner of his mouth. It reached his eyes, softening their haunted edge. "Marry me," he said with determination.

Tonks froze, blinking, trying to process what he had just said. "What?" she stuttered, not sure of having understood his words.

His smile widened, his fingers running slowly through her hair, his other arm wrapping around her, holding her close. "Marry me, love," he repeated in a soft, sweet voice, resting his forehead against hers. "This week. Before the next full moon makes me too weak to apparate."

Recognizing the unmistakable sound of Tonks' steps on the wooden floor, Ted turned towards the door just in time to see his daughter appear.

It had been a long time since he'd seen her smiling like that, her happiness lighting up the room. But it wasn't just her smile that caught his attention, making him raise his eyebrows. There was something different about her, something he couldn't quite understand...a spark, a light in her eyes he'd never seen before.

"Everything all right?" he asked, curious.

"I've asked Remus to stay for dinner," Tonks replied, her voice bright with barely contained excitement.

Ted smiled back at her, realizing he'd made the right choice giving Remus a chance to talk to her. "As you wish, darling."

Still shocked by what had just happened, Tonks felt an almost unbearable urge to tell them everything. "I…" she started, but then her mother's sharp gaze landed on her, her lips pressed into a thin line. The warmth Tonks had felt just a moment ago was suddenly chilled, as if a gust of cold wind had swept through the room. "I've asked him to move in here."

"Andromeda," whispered Ted, seeing his wife clutching the handle of the cup so tightly that the knuckles of her hand had turned white.

Andromeda didn't look up. "I'll get the guest room ready," she said briskly, her tone as cold and stiff as her posture, not even trying to disguise her discontent.

There was so much electricity in the air that Tonks could almost hear it crackles. It had been impossible not to notice the hostile glances Andromeda had been giving Remus during dinner.

Watching her father's hand brush her mother's arm as he reached for the bottle of wine, Tonks realized it was his presence alone that was keeping her mother from voicing her thoughts outright.

Andromeda was sitting stiffly, her hand clasped around her fork as if it was the only thing grounding her. She hadn't said much, but her disapproval hung in the air like a storm cloud, thick and unyielding.

Ted knew she had always considered their daughter too impulsive and seeing Tonks forgive Remus in the blink of an eye after all he had done to her...Ted could almost hear the thoughts running through her head: Too impulsive. Too forgiving. Always rushing head-first without thinking. He sighed inwardly. Then, tired of that silence, he asked. "How was your day, sweetheart?" His voice was as warm as ever, though his gaze flicked uneasily to his wife.

"Boring," Tonks replied, scooping the last spoonful of potatoes onto her plate. "I thought with Scrimgeour in charge, things might change. I mean, he used to be an Auror! But no...five of us wasted an entire afternoon guarding another pointless press conference."

Andromeda rose from her seat, smoothing her dress as she went to take the cake from the cupboard. "Did you speak with Arthur today?" she asked, her tone carefully neutral. "How is Bill doing?"

"I didn't meet him," replied Tonks collecting the empty dishes from the table. "But tomorrow we'll go to the Burrow."

That plural pronoun seemed to hit Andromeda on her back. For a moment, she said nothing, setting the cake on the table with a precision that felt almost deliberate. "Poor boy," she said, beginning to slice the cake. "He was so handsome... You two made such a lovely couple. I've never understood why you broke up."

Tonks glanced at Remus, catching the slight quirk of his eyebrows at her mother's comment. "Mum, we were sixteen," she replied flatly. "It wasn't serious."

Andromeda ignored her, focusing on the cake as if it held all the answers to her discontent. "Anyway," she said, "I can't even imagine how Molly and Arthur are feeling right now." Passing a slice to Ted, she turned to Remus. "What do you think?"

"I'm not a Healer, but…"

"But you're a werewolf." Andromeda interrupted, her tone gentle yet cutting, the emphasis on the word 'werewolf' unmistakable. "And Dora mentioned you used to teach Defence Against the Dark Arts. I assumed you'd be an expert on dangerous beasts."

" 'Dromeda" muttered Ted, his voice low and cautious, as he reached for his glass. He was sure she had deliberately chosen the word 'beasts'. But Lupin seemed not to have paid any attention to it.

"I don't pretend to be an expert." Lupin replied gently "Nobody can tell what will happen to Bill until the next full moon."

"Well," Andromeda said, slicing another piece of cake, "it must be frustrating for him. All those years studying hard to become a Curse Breaker, and now…" She handed it to Tonks. "He'll have to give it all up. At least he's lucky to have a...friend with experience, someone like you." Her smile was thin and cold. "It must be very frustrating to know they'll never offer you a teaching position again, isn't it?"

Ted choked on his wine, coughing into his napkin. His wide-eyed look of disbelief only made Andromeda's lips tighten.

Tonks frowned, darting at her mother "He is one of the best Defence Against the Dark Arts teachers Hogwarts has ever had..."

"I don't doubt it," Andromeda said sharply, cutting her daughter off. "But let's be honest. No parent wants a werewolf in the same room as their children." she continued, darting at Lupin and making clear he wasn't welcome.

"Mum!"

Even as Andromeda's words lingered, harsh and cutting, Remus reminded himself that she was only acting out of love for her daughter. "It's all right," Remus said softly, placing a calming hand on Tonks' arm. His gaze stayed on Andromeda, calm but resolute. "I enjoyed teaching, but it was only a job. There are other things worth fighting for." His hand slipped over Tonks'. "And I'll make sure Bill doesn't repeat the mistakes I made."

At the sight of them holding hands Andromeda clenched her teeth. The half smile on Ted's lips annoyed her even more than she already was. "I hope you like chocolate." She said, in a casual tone, cutting a big slice of cake and passing it to Remus "You're so skinny. I can't imagine how hard and tiring it must have been living in the woods. Did you have to... hunt for your meals?"

Feeling Tonks shifting on the chair, ready to stand and reply, Remus squeezed her hand. He didn't need to turn to feel the fury burning in her eyes. Ignoring the provocation, Remus smiled and took the plate Andromeda was passing him. "Chocolate's my favourite. Thank you."

Tonks stared at the ceiling, her mind a whirlwind of thoughts she couldn't silence. After tossing and turning for what felt like hours, she sighed, pushed the sheets aside, and slipped out of bed. Careful not to make a sound, she walked out of the room and down the stairs.

The door to the guest room creaked softly as she opened it.

At the sound, Remus stirred, rolling onto his side.

She gestured for him to stay silent and closed the door behind her. For a brief moment, the world seemed to pause, and then the ticking of the clock on the wall resumed. "Sorry," she whispered "I didn't mean to wake you."

Remus propped himself up on one elbow. "I wasn't sleeping."

"Is the bed uncomfortable?"

"The bed is fine," he assured her, sitting up straighter. "I'm just...not used to sleeping in such a quiet place." He tilted his head, wondering why she was still awake "What's wrong?"

Tonks hesitated, then let out a frustrated huff. "I can't sleep. It's my mother! I can't believe she..."

"...enjoyed teasing me?" Remus finished for her, his lips curled into a faint smile.

Tonks scowled, but the amusement in his tone was contagious. Her frown softened into a reluctant smirk."That's putting it mildly," she muttered.

"She's your mother," Remus said, shifting to sit on the edge of the bed. He reached for her hand and gently pulled her to sit beside him. "After what I have done, I couldn't expect anything less."His voice softened, though his heart sank slightly at the memory of Andromeda's biting words.

Tonks frowned, shaking her head. She knew her mother had deliberately chosen every word to hurt him, and yet Remus was defending her. Did her mother regret how far she had gone? Tonks doubted it but Remus interrupted her thoughts.

"She doesn't hate me," he continued, brushing a stray lock of hair from her face. "She's just protective. She loves you."

Tonks sighed, shaking her head. She knew him enough to know that it didn't matter how unfair someone treated him; he was not able to hold a grudge. Then, leaning forward, she kissed him—a slow, sweet kiss that left Remus smiling.

"If this is what I get for it," he murmured, leaning closer to kiss her again, "I should ask your mother to insult me more often."

Tonks rolled her eyes, though the grin tugging at her lips betrayed her. His good mood melted away the last of her frustration.

"So," Remus said, his tone shifting playfully as he straightened his back again, "it was Bill, huh? I'd always thought it might have been Charlie."

"Charlie?" Tonks laughed. "He's my best friend. I can't even imagine thinking about him that way."

"But Bill..."

"Bill was a prefect. And a rebel." She smiled at the memory. "Almost every girl in my year had a crush on him."

"Ah."

"Come on," she said, catching his mock-thoughtful expression. "Don't try to tell me you've never been on a date."

"Well," Remus said, his tone light and tinged with amusement. "During our last year at Hogwarts, James and your cousin decided it was their sacred duty to find me a girlfriend."

Tonks tilted her head, intrigued, already picturing Sirius' smug grin. "Did they?"

"Oh, yes," Remus nodded. A soft chuckle escaped him, his fingers absently running through her hair. "They thought a girlfriend would distract me from my problems... and, most importantly, give me less time to nag them about studying for exams."

Tonks pulled one leg up onto the bed and bent it, sitting to face him. "And? Did they succeed?"

"No," He shook his head. "I never went out with any of the girls James and Sirius introduced me to." his smile deepened."I'm not saying they were ugly or boring," he added with a soft chuckle. "We were quite popular at that time, you know. Most of the girls in our year would have happily said yes to me."He paused, his gaze growing distant as if caught in the shadow of a memory. "But I've always been too busy feeling sorry for myself to notice if a girl even glanced my way." A smile twisted his lips at the sight of the expression crossing Tonks' face as she heard him admit what she had always accused him of. "I had accepted that I was doomed to live a perfectly sad, lonely life...until I met you." His voice softened, and he put one hand on her knee leaning forward, "Nobody had ever confused my thoughts before."

The way he was looking at her made her cheeks flush "Confuse your thoughts, eh?" Tonks asked, trying to steady her racing heart.

Remus nodded, curling a stray lock of her hair around his finger. "Before meeting you I knew who I was and what life had planned for me. But then you looked at me...you saw me for who I am." he smiled fondly " And just like the wind, you swept all my plans away."

"The wind?" Tonks raised her eyebrows, a playful smile curving her lips. His fingers lightly brushed against her cheek, teasing her.

"Strong, unstoppable... " Even in that moment, sitting next to her, it was hard for him to believe she had even noticed him. He could barely believe she had chosen him, she wanted him.

Seeing him staring at her in silence, a lost-in-thought expression in his eyes "What?" Tonks asked

"Nothing" Remus slightly shook his head, a happy smile on his lips "It's only...nobody had ever thrown me off balance before..."

She passed her arm around his shoulders. Her fingers sank into his hair, tangling at the nape of his neck making him lean towards her."Did I?"

"More times than I can count" he replied nodding again, his eyes sparking"I didn't imagine I'd fall for my best friend's clumsy, young cousin," he murmured in a low teasing voice on her lips.

She pulled her head back instinctively, blinking. The double meaning of his words became clear, the light in his eyes made her want to laugh. The heat in her cheeks was quickly replaced by mock indignation. Putting her hand on his chest she weakly pushed him away, "I'm not clu..."

His eyes glinted with mischief, and his arms slid around her waist, holding her tighter, Remus kissed her. A long, intense kiss. A kiss so full of longing that Tonks wrapped her arms around his shoulders, leaning into him as she rose onto her knees, trying to get even closer.

His hands slid down on her back and grabbed her hips as he pulled her to sit on his lap. His lips brushed slowly one last time against hers before he unwillingly pulled back his head, regretting having to breathe. His hand brushed her hair away from her face, cupping her chin and making her eyes meet his gaze. He had missed teasing her. He Had missed her smile, the sound of her voice, of her laugh. A shadow passed through his expression, just for a moment.

Their gazes met. A shared understanding passed between them like a silent exchange. She knew what he was thinking about. Living without a word from him had felt like being trapped in an endless nightmare. But she couldn't even imagine what it had been like for him, surviving among people who could have killed him at the slightest suspicion he was a spy. She pushed that thought away. Not that night. She couldn't let herself dwell on it that night.

"It's only a scratch," Remus said softly as her fingers brushed against the pink scar on his cheekbone. "It'll disappear in a couple of weeks."

The months he had spent with the werewolves had added streaks of grey to his hair, and new lines to his forehead, but they hadn't changed the way his eyes shone when he smiled. It had been one of the first things she had noticed of him. His smile, his gentle eyes. Looking in the mirror, he only saw the scars crossing his face. She knew he would never be able to see himself the way she saw him.

"I'm sorry, love."

Remus frowned, puzzled. "What for?"

"I shouldn't have hit you."

Remus's frown softened into a faint smile. "I quite deserved it," he replied, his hand moving slowly up and down her back, unable to stop touching her. He had spent days listening to James talk about Lily. He and Sirius had laughed at him and made fun of their best friend. And yet now, Remus thought he finally understood how James must have felt. They were simply talking, but he had never felt like that before. Her breath was teasing him. Her touch was sending electricity running through his veins. His pulse was quickening."I shouldn't have called you..."

She rolled her eyes at him "Don't say it."

"It's your name," he pointed out "How should I call you, then?"

"Tonks."

He looked at her for a moment in silence, as if seriously considering it, then shook his head, grinning."Never," he said, leaning in to kiss her. "I'll never call my wife by her surname."

The way he said those words made her beam. "I'm not your wife yet," she replied, though her radiant smile made her protest far less convincing.

"You're right," Remus nodded, mocking a thoughtful expression, absently stroking his short beard. "So..." he began, his tone teasing. "I'll have to wait a couple of days and then I can call you Nym..."

Tonks slapped her hand over his mouth, her eyes wide. "Don't you dare!"

"...phadora." he finished, the word muffled by her hand, but his laughter unmistakable.

Tonks snorted darting at him in mock outrage.

He had seen it happen a thousand times before, and yet, every time, it left him amazed. He had often wondered what it must have been like to be able to change one's appearance at will. He had tried to imagine her real eye colour or hair colour, what they might have been when she wasn't shifting them on a whim. But, to be honest, whatever colour they could have been, it wouldn't have changed the way he felt about her.

"You are imp..." She stopped mid-word, raising her eyebrows, puzzled by the strange, half-amused, half-satisfied expression on his face. "What?"

Instead of answering, Remus smiled, wide and mischievous. Slowly, he raised his hand. Curled around his finger was a lock of red hair.