FIC: Something to think about - Remus/Tonks (Harry Potter)
Title: Something to think about
Author: Kris Russel
Category: romance/angst
Fandom: Harry Potter
Pairing: Remus/Tonks
Summary: They get to know each other better after time
Author's note: Written for mathgirl24 for the Holiday Fic 2011 - December 2nd. Her prompt was “first kiss”. I hope you’ll like it and that I did the characters and the awesomeness that is Harry Potter justice! This is unbeta’d, so all mistakes and stupidities are my own.
Disclaimer: Not mine and will never be mine. Just writing this for fun!
It’s a quiet Tuesday afternoon in the Hogsmeade and Nymphadora Tonks feels kind of bored as she keeps an eye on the enchanted broom that’s cleaning the floor. So when Remus Lupin enters the old pub, she’s by his side in an instant. They don’t really know each other that well and they haven’t seen each other in a while, but yet they greet each other like old friends.
They know that even though they are alone at the moment, talking about the Order and their assignments in a public place like this, is out of question. They learned the hard way that traitors can be anywhere... and be anyone. So they talk about mundane things and life in general.
After two weeks, Tonks realizes that Remus has been coming into the Hogsmeade almost every day and that he always seeks her out. She realizes that he makes her feel at ease and that while they talk, her problems don’t seem so bad anymore. She realizes that she’s falling for him and it takes all of her courage to walk up to him and ask him a simple question.
“Remus, would you be interested in coming over for dinner tonight?”
For a second he just stares and blinks and gives her a look filled with utter disbelief. He knows he’s falling for her, but he never, ever, would have dared to hope that she’d return his feelings.
He nods before actually voicing his answer. “I would love to.”
The smile on her face is bright and that makes him smile too.
That evening, Remus finds himself in front of Tonks’ door. He knocks hesitantly and the door opens mere seconds later.
“Hi,” she says a bit shyly and it makes him slightly grin.
“Goodevening, Tonks.”
She lets him enter and he looks around the small place.
“This is a nice little house.”
“It is,” she agrees. “But I’m only staying here until my assignment here is finished.”
“It would be nice to really settle down one day,” he says wishfully.
“Yes, it would,” she says and for a second they just stare at each other.
After leading him into the kitchen, where a table for two is set, she serves dinner and they talk again. As they are now in the privacy of her home, they can talk more freely about the Order and everything that’s happening in their world.
After dinner they talk about their fears concerning the War and Voldemort and Harry. They know the big battle is still to come, but sitting here. together, brings them comfort and peace. It makes them feel good and in a way, even happy.
It’s almost midnight when Remus decides it’s time to leave. They both have responsibilities to return to in the morning.
In her narrow hallway, they linger for a moment until she decides to risk it all by slowly leaning into him and gingerly touching her lips to his.
For a moment he’s too stunned to respond and just when she thinks she has ruined their friendship and starts to pull back, he’s kissing her too.
At first the kiss is tentative and almost polite until it deepens and he backs her up against the wall. It’s deep and intense and so much more than either had hoped for.
When the need to breathe becomes to urgent, they slowly part, but stay close, foreheads nearly touching.
“That was...” she whispers.
“Yeah...” he simply agrees.
After another quick kiss, he manages to make himself walk out.
He hasn’t felt this happy in years, but as he walks down the street and turns back to look at her house, a darkness falls over him. Full moon is in two days. He’ll turn into a monster then. Can he do that to her? Can he put her through that?
He’s older than her. He doesn’t have any money or own any property. He’s an outcast and once every four weeks he turns into a dangerous monster. How can he do that to her?
With a sigh he turns away from the house.
He has some thinking to do.