Harry Potter Oneshots and Headcanons

A Birthday Gift (Tonks x Remus)

Remus sat at the long dining room table in Grimmauld place, drumming his fingers nervously against the dark wood. Everyone was away at school or on business, apart from him and Tonks, and he was waiting for her to wake up and come down so that he could surprise her. There was no sign of her coming down soon and every second that passed was making him more and more anxious.

He focused his attention on the birthday cake. He had agreed not to use magic, to show how much he cared, and it had taken hours to bake but on his fourth attempt it had turned out perfect. Well, as perfect as it was going to get for a Werewolf who couldn't bake or cook.

Lighting the little candles and straightening out the table cloth, which was sprinkled with pink confetti, distracted him for a couple of minutes so much that he didn't realise Tonks had come down and was now standing in the doorway.
"Remus?" She asked groggily. Spinning around quickly, he saw her, and his face flushed red. Light brown hair was flopped over her smiling face and her purple pyjamas were a little too big.

She looked adorable.

"Uh.. Morning." He stammered with a sheepish grin. "Happy birthday, Nymphadora."
She frowned at him and he sighed. Correcting himself, he muttered, "I mean, happy birthday, Tonks."
She laughed and shook her head. There was a sense of awkwardness in the room but, trying to ignore it, she spoke.
"Who told you it was my birthday? I didn't tell you. Well I haven't had the chance... since you've been avoiding me." Her gaze dropped to the floor. Great, that didn't make it more awkward at all, She thought. However she had not said anything in a venomous way, she was just telling the truth.

Ever since she'd confessed her feelings, for Remus, he had been ignoring her. It had broken her heart to be told that the one she loved 'didn't want her' and as a result, for months, her once bubblegum pink hair had been a dull mousy brown.

"Um, yes, well I asked Molly if she knew and obviously she did and... I just hope this makes you feel... better." He waved a hand behind him and awkwardly stepped away from the table to show her the wonky cake he had crafted. It had been carefully iced with buttercream to say 'Happy Birthday Tonks' and pretty pink candles had been enchanted to send little sparkling fireworks above the soft white icing.
"Wow! Where did you get that?" She cried as she walked over to it, her eyes sparkling in the candle light.
"I made it. For you." She tripped over her own feet and Remus made a dive to catch her. Luckily, she regained balance herself before going face first into the cake and he was left standing with his arms stretched like an idiot. He laughed and quickly folded his arms, avoiding her eyes.
"You did? But I thought you couldn't bake! You said the few times you've tried, you burnt your hands and added to the scars you already have!" She carried on and Remus laughed, he found it funny that she still remembered something he'd told her so long ago.
"Yes, well, this took four attempts! So you better appreciate it." She smiled at him but her face soon fell. Looking down at the table, she saw a small and carefully wrapped present.
"What's that?" She asked him in a quiet voice.
"What's what?"
"That." She pointed to the gift on the table, a sad look painted onto her face.
"Your present, silly, what did you think it would be!" Remus was chuckling but he sensed that Tonks didn't find it quite as cute or funny.
"You bought me a present? Remus I don't want you to do that! Why did you do that?"
"Because it's your birthday! Of course I was going to buy you a gift! Don't worry.. it's really not much." He ran a hand through his greying hair and shuffled, uncomfortable under her intense glare.
"Remus... you have no money. You don't have a job or anything! And that's not your fault before we go back into that but I didn't want you to spend money on me!" She looked up at him sadly but he smiled back kindly.
"It really wasn't expensive, I just wanted you to feel better after.. everything. I wanted to get you something nice but you're right, I can't afford it. So I got you this. " He told her calmly whilst, staring at her mousy brown hair. He spoke as if he was cheerful but deep down he was embarrassed. He hated having to live on so little because of his condition and he hated not being able to give Tonks what she deserved.

She picked up the wrapped gift, carefully avoiding the firework-spitting cake, and began to open it reluctantly.

It was a small bar of chocolate.

Looking up at him, but it was clear she was not happy. He had spent some of his very little money on her. She wasn't worth it, she didn't need it, not for her birthday. Looking at his tattered robes and his pale, harrowed face, she sighed.
"Thank you, Remus... I love chocolate." Deciding not to shout at him anymore about money or gifts, she gave him a half hearted smile.
"I know you do, I do as well, but that's not the only thing I got you. Well this isn't really a present but I think it will make you happy." About to open her mouth, ready to reject anymore presents, she angrily turned to face him.
"No! It costs nothing!" He assured her, she closed her mouth and moved the lank brown hair from her face.
"Tonks, I'm sorry for what I said to you that night, and sorry for every other thing I said. I lied, all of it was lies because I am not good enough for you." She wanted to scream at him and tell him she didn't care about any of his excuses, but he already knew how she felt. She had told him so many times before.
"I am old and I am poor and it doesn't matter how much I want to give you because I'll never be able to, and trust me I want to give you everything. I am a Werewolf and loving me is a stupid choice to make, I am an outcast and being with you would cause people to hate and turn against you." He took a deep breath. "But if what you say is true, then that doesn't matter, to you anyway." Tonks wanted to shout at him for speaking about himself like that... and then kiss him and hug him but she didn't do anything. She couldn't speak. She was too shocked and confused by what he was saying and she just stood, her mouth and eyes wide.
"Tonks I can't lie to you or myself anymore... I love you." He looked at her desperately, not knowing what reaction he wanted or expected.

Tonks didn't say anything. Couldn't say anything, she just stared at him trying to convince herself that what he had said was true.

Remus put a hand under her chin and leaned forward, his heart thumping in his chest. Would she still want him? After all of the things he'd done? He couldn't bare to consider that the answer would be no. He closed his eyes and pressed his lips softly to hers and hoped she would accept him. Kissing her was all he had thought of since the first time he met her, wanting to hold her and give her the world was all he dreamed of doing. But he couldn't, and he hoped this would be enough.

She pulled away, tears threatening to spill down her cheeks.
"Remus!" She threw her arms around his neck and pulled him tightly into a hug and he breathed a sigh of relief.
"I love you too, Remus." She whispered into his ear and he slid his arms around her waist, holding her like he'd dreamed of doing ever since first telling himself it would never happen.
"This is the best birthday gift I've ever had." Pulling away from the embrace, she looked at him with a huge grin.
"Well, I think the chocolate was a sting contender." He said with a wink, "Happy birthday, love."
He gently kissed her forehead and gasped when he saw what happened. Her dull brown hair was growing shorter and shorter until it wildly surrounded her head and was back to being a mane of brilliant bubblegum pink.
"What?" Worried, she began to touch the top of her head.
"Your hair, it's pink again!" She blushed and bit her lip. Pulling him into another kiss, she laughed and shook her head.
"Finally! I hated brown and everyone was asking why I had it like that." She poked his chest, a mischievous look in her eyes." And I knew it! It was because of you, Lupin!"

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AND THEY ALL LIVED HAPPILY EVER AFTER AND NO ONE DIED THE END!!!
Sadly, this is not true but I hope you liked it and sorry it's really long and not that well written! I'm not in a writing mood, but I am in a Ronks mood! ;)