Prompt One
Title: Forgiveness
Author:
gijane7702
Format & Word Count: Ficlet 811 words
Rating: PG
Prompt: #1: "A woman can forgive a man for the harm he does her...but she can never forgive him for the sacrifices he makes on her account." --W. Somerset Maugham
Warning: implied violence/battle scenes
Summary: During the Final Battle, Remus injures himself saving Tonks.
Author's Note: Challenge time *squee* As always, thank yous to my beta,
godricgal
For ErikaS535- Thanks for the suggestion
Nymphadora Lupin sat by her husband’s bedside holding his hand. Two days ago, during what the Daily Prophet was already calling the Battle of Hogsmeade, Remus had taken the brunt of a jinx that had been aimed at her from Bellatrix Lestrange. He had managed to cast a Shield Charm, but had sacrificed several precious seconds pushing his wife out of harm’s way.
Tonks swept a glance over the Hogwarts’ Hospital Wing, her gaze finally landing on Harry Potter’s still form. Harry and Remus had grown very close in the past year, with Harry even beginning to look towards her husband almost as a father figure. Their new relationship had been beneficial for both men regarding their relationships with the women in their lives. She was pleased to see that he looked as if he was asleep in the neighbouring bed. They both had held vigil until Madame Pomfrey had announced, just a few hours ago that Remus was out of danger. Tonks still hadn’t slept, wanting to make sure by actually talking to Remus that he would be all right.
A low groan from the bed had her leaning in, brushing back his greying hair until he opened his eyes. He smiled slightly at her, and then croaked out, "Hello."
Tonks’ dark eyes watered and tears leaked down her pale cheeks as she responded, "Hello, yourself."
"You okay?" Remus asked hoarsely.
"I’m fine, aside from a few bruised ribs from when I unceremoniously hit the ground."
"Sorry about that. How’s Harry?"
Tonks looked over to where Harry was asleep. Remus turned his head slightly to follow her gaze. "He’s fine. Not a scratch on him."
"Amazing…Voldemort?" he questioned.
"Gone," she told him. Remus closed his eyes. Tonks tried to control herself, but couldn’t. She blurted out, "You promised, Remus!"
Her husband’s face scrunched up as if he were thinking. Finally, in a low voice he said, "I know."
"Do you know what I was thinking when you hit the ground?"
"Yes, I do." Remus reached for her hand and laced their fingers. "I’m sorry, Dora. I acted with pure instinct which was to protect my wife."
"Lestrange got away. She’s still loose." Tonks smiled slightly as he swore. "Remus…"
"I know," he said.
"This is different from ‘too old, too poor and too dangerous’. You purposely threw yourself in the line of fire."
"I know, Dora," he began, but she continued on not hearing him.
"After swearing to me you’d never do it again. You spent a whole year underground…in the line of fire. You promised me the night Dumbledore died that you wouldn’t purposely do it again. But you did."
"What did you want me to do? Let my beautiful young wife die before my eyes?"
Tonks opened her mouth, but no words came out. Remus arched an eyebrow at her. Finally, she said, "Your life is just as precious as mine."
"If I had died, you would have moved on…eventually," he added hastily as she began to protest. "Charlie swore to me that if anything happened to me that he’d…watch over you."
Tonks frowned at the plan that her husband and her best friend had made without her consent. "I’ll deal with him later. Remus, I’m an Auror. I’m always in the line of fire."
"You never would have survived that jinx Bellatrix was aiming at your back. You couldn’t see her. I did what I had to do."
"You broke your promise," Tonks told him.
"We were in wartime, Nymphadora," he smiled slightly as she cocked an eyebrow at her full given name. "As Order members, we were always in the line of fire. I saw an opportunity to save you, so I took it."
"We’re going to disagree about this for the rest of our lives, Remus. I’m angry. I forgave you about last year. I’m not sure if I can about this."
"Can you at least see why I did it?" he asked.
Tonks rubbed her weary eyes with her hands, and then asked, "Can you see why I am angry?"
"Yes, I can."
"Then…we’ll work through this," Leaning closer, she brushed a kiss on his brow, then his lips. "I love you, Remus Lupin."
As Remus squeezed her hand, he said, "I love you, Nymphadora Lupin." With that mischievous grin that always went straight to her heart, he added, "When I get out of here, we’ll start working on those babies we promised your mother…and Molly."
Tonks’ shout of laughter woke Harry, who, as she suspected, was just dozing. He was pleased to see that Remus was finally awake. She moved back so her husband could talk with Harry, who she knew he loved as if he were his own son. Watching them, she felt the love between them. They made an odd family, but they were a family, and they were her family.