Drabble: Yes, Please (Harry Potter fandom)
Title: Yes, Please
Fandom: Harry Potter
Character(s)/Pairing(s): Remus Lupin/Nymphadora Tonks
Genre: angst, romance
Rating & Warnings: PG, none
Word Count: 582
Summary: He's never liked Nymphadora Tonks, but everyone persists in telling him that he's got it all wrong.
Author's Note: Originally written for the April Showers Drabblethon at day_by_drabble, April 2011. Prompt used: wrong
Yes, Please
Nymphadora Tonks. He’s never liked her. Though everyone insists on telling him that he’s got it all wrong.
“What’s stopping you, Moony? Why are you keeping her at arm’s length?” Sirius is first to notice, which is worrying because Sirius isn’t known for noticing anything like this, and also because what he does know is how to sweep aside Remus’ arguments. “Don’t count on getting a second chance.”
Ah, no. It’s a chance for him by ruining life for her, and how could that ever be fair? And if he needs another reminder of just how unfair things can be, when Sirius is gone he’s left with the memory of this being one of the last conversations they ever had as he was about to commit to something he had no business to. If that isn’t a dose of harsh reality, nothing is.
“Remus!” Molly is, of course, as romantic, as impractical and as caring for them both as ever. The last makes her particularly hard to bear. “You and Tonks are made for each other!”
Ah, no. A werewolf is made for many things, but warmth, companionship and lifelong happiness is not amongst them.
“You know, once upon a time, many would have said I wasn’t good enough for Molly and I did wonder.” Arthur, who Remus thinks understands a little of how he feels, shuffles his feet and proves that he doesn’t, quite, when he adds, “Molly told me to let her decide that for herself.”
Ah, no. There’s a vast difference between narrow-minded people making snap judgements and any right-thinking person pointing out obvious facts. And the facts stink.
“Sirius was locked away in a prison. Arguably, twice over.” This from Dumbledore, the final time Remus had seen him, looking old and impossibly weary, and yet the titan that lived inside was burning brighter than ever. “Don’t create your own here, Remus.”
Ah, no. They’d both pretended he was talking about the werewolf mission; Dumbledore almost certainly was. It’s only Remus who makes everything personal these days.
“I don’t understand.” Now there is Tonks, standing in the sunlight with her brown hair pulled back but fighting sparks still in her eyes. She’s always found honesty easy and now she’s groping for words. “You shouldn’t have - if you didn’t care, why did - right, look, you haven’t given me one good reason, otherwise I’d have dropped this long ago.” Her voice falters but she still says determinedly, “Because there isn’t one we can't overcome, is there?”
Ah, no. She knows nothing. Nothing about how dangerous the idea of him being with her was, of how desperately tempting she is to a drowning man, of how he can see so clearly how this will inevitably end. Easier to make her hate him now than leave him later on. As everyone he cares about does.
"I have been waiting over thirty-six years for something impossible to happen to me," Remus says, some part of him marvelling at how he sounds so tired and distant, “and you really think I'm finding it easy to say no?"
“I’ve heard the no part, Remus. Now tell me why. Tell me the truth. You owe us both the truth.”
Ah, the truth. Yes, please. What a relief it would be to say this out loud instead of repeating it silently to himself inside his head.
Nymphadora Tonks. He’s never liked her.
That’s because, right from the start, he knew he loved her.
Fandom: Harry Potter
Character(s)/Pairing(s): Remus Lupin/Nymphadora Tonks
Genre: angst, romance
Rating & Warnings: PG, none
Word Count: 582
Summary: He's never liked Nymphadora Tonks, but everyone persists in telling him that he's got it all wrong.
Author's Note: Originally written for the April Showers Drabblethon at day_by_drabble, April 2011. Prompt used: wrong
Yes, Please
Nymphadora Tonks. He’s never liked her. Though everyone insists on telling him that he’s got it all wrong.
“What’s stopping you, Moony? Why are you keeping her at arm’s length?” Sirius is first to notice, which is worrying because Sirius isn’t known for noticing anything like this, and also because what he does know is how to sweep aside Remus’ arguments. “Don’t count on getting a second chance.”
Ah, no. It’s a chance for him by ruining life for her, and how could that ever be fair? And if he needs another reminder of just how unfair things can be, when Sirius is gone he’s left with the memory of this being one of the last conversations they ever had as he was about to commit to something he had no business to. If that isn’t a dose of harsh reality, nothing is.
“Remus!” Molly is, of course, as romantic, as impractical and as caring for them both as ever. The last makes her particularly hard to bear. “You and Tonks are made for each other!”
Ah, no. A werewolf is made for many things, but warmth, companionship and lifelong happiness is not amongst them.
“You know, once upon a time, many would have said I wasn’t good enough for Molly and I did wonder.” Arthur, who Remus thinks understands a little of how he feels, shuffles his feet and proves that he doesn’t, quite, when he adds, “Molly told me to let her decide that for herself.”
Ah, no. There’s a vast difference between narrow-minded people making snap judgements and any right-thinking person pointing out obvious facts. And the facts stink.
“Sirius was locked away in a prison. Arguably, twice over.” This from Dumbledore, the final time Remus had seen him, looking old and impossibly weary, and yet the titan that lived inside was burning brighter than ever. “Don’t create your own here, Remus.”
Ah, no. They’d both pretended he was talking about the werewolf mission; Dumbledore almost certainly was. It’s only Remus who makes everything personal these days.
“I don’t understand.” Now there is Tonks, standing in the sunlight with her brown hair pulled back but fighting sparks still in her eyes. She’s always found honesty easy and now she’s groping for words. “You shouldn’t have - if you didn’t care, why did - right, look, you haven’t given me one good reason, otherwise I’d have dropped this long ago.” Her voice falters but she still says determinedly, “Because there isn’t one we can't overcome, is there?”
Ah, no. She knows nothing. Nothing about how dangerous the idea of him being with her was, of how desperately tempting she is to a drowning man, of how he can see so clearly how this will inevitably end. Easier to make her hate him now than leave him later on. As everyone he cares about does.
"I have been waiting over thirty-six years for something impossible to happen to me," Remus says, some part of him marvelling at how he sounds so tired and distant, “and you really think I'm finding it easy to say no?"
“I’ve heard the no part, Remus. Now tell me why. Tell me the truth. You owe us both the truth.”
Ah, the truth. Yes, please. What a relief it would be to say this out loud instead of repeating it silently to himself inside his head.
Nymphadora Tonks. He’s never liked her.
That’s because, right from the start, he knew he loved her.