Sparks to Flames
Title: Sparks to Flames
Author:
bratty_jedi (Rachael)
Format: Fic (~1300 words)
Rating: Pre-teens and up (very mild swearing)
Prompt: 11 (June 26): "They always say time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself." - Andy Warhol.
Warning: Some fluff and some angst. Is flangst a word?
Summary: "'How long are we going to keep playing this game?' she asked."
Author's Note: Please let me know if any of this feels rough. Some parts of it caused me multiple headaches while writing and just didn't want to be written. I would like to know if that shows to a reader who doesn't know which parts were difficult and which easier.
Disclaimer: I own none of this. J. K. Rowling and assorted companies including but not limited to Bloomsbury, Scholastic, and Warner Brothers own everything. They also make all the money. I am just having fun and in no way seek financial profit from their property.
A wadded bit of parchment bounced off Remus' forehead and landed on his open book just as a voice called, "Oi! Are you going to answer her, mate?" He looked up from his reading to regard the two people playing cards on the floor in front of him.
"There are better ways to get my attention, mate." Remus emphasized the last word as he threw the crumpled score sheet back towards Sirius before addressing the room's only other occupant. "I'm sorry, Ms. Tonks. I didn't realize I was part of this conversation."
"It's just Tonks," she said, her ears going slightly pink, as they did every time he called her that. Which was, of course, why he kept doing it. Given that she was currently sitting on the rug in number twelve Grimmauld Place's library, the fire in its place backlighting her with a soft, warm glow, the effect was particularly enchanting.
"My darling cousin," Sirius' voice said, demanding that Remus turn his gaze and acknowledge its owner's presence, "wants to know how a boring and stuffy professor-type manages to be friends with someone as dashing and charming as me."
"Sirius Black, that is not what I said!" Tonks protested. She appeared quite flustered and dropped the card she had been preparing to play. This was a very bad move since she and Sirius had been playing exploding snap. The resulting explosion of cards and smoke prevented Remus from asking what she had really said.
When the smoke began to clear, Remus realized that both players' hair was now on fire. Tonks and Sirius, each sure the other would cheat, had agreed to leave their wands on a table on the other side of the room and were powerless against the magical flames. Remus grabbed his wand from the arm of his chair, extinguished Tonks' hair, and sat back to watch Sirius.
"Thanks for the help, Remus," Sirius growled as he retrieved his wand and put out his own flaming head. "I could have been badly burned."
"Exploding snap fire doesn't cause permanent damage and I know you've known that since at least the age of eleven so there is no point in pretending otherwise," Remus countered.
Sirius' temper, so fragile of late, broke. "Don't lecture me. You're not a professor anymore and I've never been one of your students."
"Calm down, Padfoot." Remus did not usually call Sirius by his old nickname in front of others, but that was the surest way to get through to him and Remus didn't know what else to say.
"You helped her," Sirius grumbled, indicating Tonks. The young Auror sat mutely watching the two old friends. As Sirius looked at her and then glanced back at Remus, the anger faded from his eyes to be replaced by something else. Something almost calculating. His voice softened. "Turned into quite the gentleman there, haven't you?"
"I merely thought it would be a shame if her lovely hair were singed whereas burning yours off could only improve your looks." At Remus' words, Tonks' entire face went pink, an odd but beautiful contrast to her currently neon green hair.
Sirius barked a short laugh. "What happened to 'exploding snap fire doesn't cause permanent damage'?"
"One could hope?"
"Hope away, Lupin. You could burn off all my hair and I would still be better looking than you." Sirius grinned and in that moment he looked more like an eighteen-year-old boy than a man in his thirties. Remus smiled back at him.
"If you two are quite finished taking the mickey out of each other," Tonks spoke up, "I would like to finish winning my game so I can go home."
Sirius' answer was drowned out by crashing noises coming from upstairs. All three turned to look at the ceiling. "What is that damned Kreacher doing, now?" Sirius snarled before bolting from the room.
Remus stared at the door, shaking his head sadly. Before long, the sounds of Sirius' shouting reached his ears. Remus knew this house was killing his friend and there was nothing he could do to change that. He turned back to Tonks. She was also looking at the door, her forehead wrinkled with concern. She blinked rapidly when she realized he was now looking at her.
"Uh, thanks for the save earlier," she said, pointing towards her hair. He nodded his acknowledgment. She stretched out on the rug, laying on her side, before again breaking the silence. "I didn't call you stuffy or boring, you know," she whispered.
He smiled softly, glad for the opportunity to focus on her rather than his concern for Sirius. "What did you say?" he asked.
"Just that you two are obviously great friends and you have a lot of similarities but you are also so different. It's a bit odd."
Remus shrugged. "I suppose it is. He and James were the most alike. The two of them generally tried to get me to loosen up and stop being so serious while I usually failed at attempting to control them. After so much time apart, Sirius and I have fallen back into those old roles."
Tonks smiled. "You leave your friend's head on fire just to see what will happen and then say you need to loosen up?"
"Sirius would claim that was only due to his influence. I assure you, that was tame compared to most of his antics."
"Everyone other than the Weasley twins are tame compared to Sirius, including me," she said dryly.
"Including you?"
"Doesn't this seem too wild, too immature, for an Auror?" Tonks asked, gesturing towards her hair and clothing.
Remus got up from his armchair and joined her on the rug. They now lay facing each other. "I certainly do not find you immature," he whispered, looking into her eyes.
"No?" she breathed.
"No. You know what needs to be done and you do it but you don't let your duties destroy your soul. I admire that." He felt something soft and warm lightly brushing the back of his hand. He looked down and saw her thumb absently rubbing over his hand. His heart beat faster.
"I'm the only Auror who goes to work in ripped jeans and neon hair."
With his free hand he pushed a strand of her spiky green hair away from her face. She turned slightly into his palm so he left it resting against the side of her face. "You're the only woman in ripped jeans and neon hair with the strength, dedication, and abilities to succeed at Auror training," he countered.
He could feel her breath on his palm. "How long are we going to keep playing this game?" she asked.
"What game?" he whispered as he began to stroke his thumb over her cheek in time to her motions on his hand.
"The one where we keep dancing around what we really want to say." She licked her lips before adding, "what we really want to do."
Remus couldn't stay focused on her eyes. They were enchanting him, but he still couldn't stop himself from frequently glancing down towards her lips. "I'm willing to end that particular game if you are."
Tonks leaned in a little closer. "I want to know how you really feel."
He leaned in closer and whispered against her lips, "Let me show you."
He never would be able to say who closed the final gap. He just knew he was kissing her. Her supple and moist lips were softly moving against his. They broke apart and gazed into each other's eyes for a moment before leaning in for another kiss. This time, hesitant tongues began to explore as the kiss deepened. Nothing mattered to him but the feel and taste of her. Neither of them was aware of the man who briefly appeared in the library door. Neither heard the whispered "Its about bloody time, Moony," as Sirius walked away.