Serpents, Chapter Five (Part Two)

[mrstater]

Title: Serpents (5/?)
Author: MrsTater
Rating & Warnings: R for sexuality
Prompts: weakness; "In the light of Voldemort's return, we are only as strong as we are united, as weak as we are divided."
Word Count: 14650 words
Summary: Two years into a relationship with Remus, and the correct way to deal with full moons continues to elude Tonks, dredging

Comments

[lady_bracknell]

It's a marathon fic, this, isn't it? And I'll probably forget to say it elsewhere, so congrats to you for keeping going and even getting this close to finishing it - seriously, not an achievment to be sniffed at. I hope you've got a willing slave on hand to turn the pages of DH for you and give your fingers a rest.

I'm still really enjoying this, particularly that ever-present tension between them that seems to hinge on Tonks' expectations, most evident in the scene with the Christmas gifts, where she's expecting one thing, and for it to lead to a proposal, and for a moment that gets in the way of her enjoying the actual gift (which is kind of a cautionary tale for their whole relationship, really, that it's easy to miss what's actually being offered when you get too wound up in your own thoughts).

Aside from the fanfic aspect that that's a really nice way to tie in with the hospital wing scene, where you can read it as if she is fully expecting to marry him, it's really interesting for me personally to read about a young woman who

[mrstater]

I feel like I've run a marathon, quite frankly; the reason I didn't finish the epilogue last night was not because I got sleepy, but because my arms were sore from typing all day! Thank you for your lovely words about doing this thing this month. I sort of don't quite believe it could only have been a little more than a month

[anonymous]

That was so great, I hope you get to finish it before the release, because I'd really liked to know, what happens after that.
Will Remus think about Tonks' question, being a bride, his bride?
As Lady Bracknell already mentioned you got the comparison between their first christmas together and now very well, loved the familiarity between them.

Belladonna

PS: will you also continue writing more of "Caring about magical creatures"?

[mrstater]

Thank you so much! I'm really pleased you like the juxtaposition of the first Christmas with this third one. I enjoyed playing with the contrasts of feelings and how Tonks is playing off the past.

The rest of the story should be up tonight (hopefully before the wire!) so you won't be waiting too much longer to find out what happened after that little bride comment....

And re: Caring For Magical Creatures...Yes, I will be continuing after DH! This story will all get pulled apart and put into it in linear format.

I really appreciate you reading and taking the time to comment!

[drumher]

Your fondness for not writing drabble-length fics made me a tad late to rehearsal last night. It was my fault really, for checking my LJ for new posts when I should've been getting dressed and collecting my gear. Even so, I could've left it for later when I found you'd posted but I have no will-power to resist R/T ficage.

Had a chance to re-read it today at a slower pace and I'll second everything ladybracknell said (cos she said it much better than I ever could) and add that it left me feeling tingly all over. If JKR were to read this, she'd never consider breaking our hearts by killing one or both of them off. (note: not a spoiler, just a growing sense of dread that something like this is going to happen.)

Good luck on finishing the piece in time. Thank goodness for the extended deadline otherwise I would've been screwed!

[mrstater]

LOL I am terribly sorry to have made you late for your rehearsal. No, wait...Should I be? Because I'm really glad you wanted to read it and couldn't stop reading it! ;)

Thanks for letting me know you liked the chapter. Though you didn't have to throw in that awful thought about possible DH outcomes!

Have got the draft of Ch. 6 complete, and will be tweaking madly tonight to post under the wire...Maybe I can finish the epilogue, too, we'll see!

[bway_love]

I continue to love this ficverse. A lot. A lot a lot. :D Remus' house feels homely even to me after the lovely little trysts they've had there, and I'm so glad we got to read their first time. I've been wondering about it since the chapter Tonks told him she was a virgin (which I'm semi-convinced could be canon) and it didn't disappoint, really lovely. Oh that everyone's first times could be with a Remus :)
Also I like that, while she cared a lot for him, she wasn't ready for him to tell her he loved her. It does feel like he'd be the one to fall really deeply first, despite the HBP saga. So many fics have Tonks being absolutely besotted with him because of HBP events, and this was a nice change.
And it's cute that she wrapped herself up for him!

[mrstater]

This is my personal favorite ficverse to write in, so I'm just thrilled to pieces that you like it so much! It's fun doing something that hasn't really been done before and seeing how a relationship going further back changes the characterizations, and one of those things I've enjoyed most is what you pointed out, of Tonks being somewhat wary of Remus at first, though once she lets her guard down she becomes very dependent on him; Remus, on the other hand, is very open to her at first, then gradually closes off.

And I"m so pleased you like Remus' cottage in the forest, too! I've never written him with a home before, but he does seem like a person who would have a quiet place like that, and now I want to go visit it. (With him in it, of course. ;))

Thank you so much for your lovely comments. I've almost got the final chapter ready, so hopefully will get it tweaked (and an epilogue written!) just under the wire...

[bway_love]

Yes, it must be great to write because there's such freedom to make a lot of things your own

[mrstater]

Oh, I totally agree with you about the long-standing relationship thing. It makes most sense to me as a bad breakup.

Your Moody's birthday plot bunny is awesome! You should totally write that! Maybe someone could throw him a party Remus is invited to. Kingsley? Imagine Moody reacting to a surprise party, LOL.

Thank you again. :)

Hi

[weaselsu]

I loved it! All her memories are so sweet and her anxiety heart wrenching. I wish she would just spit it out....what's she's feeling! And I love confident Remus!

Re: Hi

[mrstater]

Tonks' inability to spit things out is going to be important, as you will see in the next chapter, so you're spot on noticing that problem here! Thanks very much for reading and taking the time to comment. I'm very happy to know you like this fic!