One Last Chance: A Nymphadora Tonks and Remus Lupin Love Story

VII

Tonks didn't expect anyone to show up on her doorstep that morning. She never expected anyone on her doorstep at this ungodly hour of daylight. Seven fifteen in the morning. Wonderful.

She was asleep, comfy and cozy under her warm covers. Until a sudden pounding at the door startled her. She nearly lost her head and would have screamed at the people knocking. Tonks threw the covers off her bed and slipped on some fuzzy pink slippers. Her soft lavender pajamas were the only things keeping her warm now. She headed for the door, a zombie paced walk accompanied by the sounds of yawns and sighs.

"Coming!" she shouted groggily, her body still half asleep.

Tonks nearly tripped over the umbrella stand, knocking over a few coats on the coat rack in the process of trying to steady herself. She opened the door a crack and peeked outside t9 see who it was.

None other than Remus freaking Lupin.

She grinned widely, suddenly awake by the arrival of a guest and threw open the door. She didn't really take in his appearance much yet, but his first action was not to greet her with a smile, but to throw his right hand to his face and cover his eyes.

"Tonks... you're still in your pajamas...?"

She glanced down and laughed, knowing she was in her sleeping clothes. She opened the door wider to let Remus in.

"Come inside and I'll go change. Make yourself at home, Remus."

She quickly left the room to change, leaving Remus sitting down in her living room. She hadn't really had the chance to take in his appearance, but he seemed more tried than usual. Tonks expected him to be those 'wake up early in the morning with a grin and a cup of tea' kind of people. She guessed he wasn't because her present observation.

She quickly rummaged through her closet for a shirt and jeans to wear. Finding some of her older concert shirts, a pair of blue jeans and her underwear, she quickly tossed them in and raced back to the living room to be a good host.

Remus was sitting standing near the doorframe, glancing around the room awkwardly as if he didn't know what to do. Which he probably didn't, Tonks thought. His face lit up the moment he saw her walk back in.

Now she studied him carefully. His face had a few scratches and bits of dried mud. His wool and cotton clothing seemed torn in several places. His usually bright hazel eyes that sparkled with laughter and twinkles had dark bags under them. Remus's smile was pained, a ghost of his kind grin. There was a new scratch on his face, another on his arm. Both were red and looked painful. 

"Remus..." she began, "are you alright?"
"Why wouldn't I be," he answered tonelessly, "it's a beautiful day."

Tonks led him to her couch and told him to sit down. Remus obeyed. She was going to make breakfast and tea. The water for the tea wouldn't take so long to warm, it was the food that would take a while.

She was pretty clumsy, but somehow managed to figure out how to make her own food. Nearly stubbing her toe on the leg of her couch and tripping over thin air, Tonks made her way to the kitchen of her flat. She quickly pulled out bacon, pancake mix, and eggs, then began heating the water.

The water was done in a few moments. She reached for two tea packets of whatever tea she had to set them in the warm water. Tonks grabbed the mugs of hot tea by the handles, carefully walked to the living room, and set them down on her coffee table. The very same one she'd fallen or tripped on several times in her past.

Remus smiled gratefully, "Thank you, Tonks."
"You're welcome." she could only grin back.

She finished making the eggs, bacon, and pancakes, then set them down on the dining room table. Tonks blew away a strand of her pink hair that had fallen on her face. Thankful she didn't trip, she reached for a pair of utensils. Remus walked in, sniffing the air with a quite pleased expression. She smirked, the pleasure apparent on his face.

He pulled out a chair for her and then sat down in his own. Tonks' dining room table was square shaped, a chair on each side, making four in total. Her kitchen was small, a few cabinets near a stove and oven. Some others next to to a refrigerator. The marble tiles on the floor were cold, and the walkway was an open concept one that led into the living room. She sat down in front of her plate and picked up a pancake with her fork. Remus looked at the food, both hungry and uncomfortable.

"Well?" she laughed, "Eat."

Remus laughed at her bemused and insistent expression. She watched as he hesitatingly picked up his fork and stabbed a pancake. Tonks smirked as he quickly ate his breakfast. She knew he was hungry.

In the weeks later on, Remus kept coming over for a meal of some sort. Not that she minded it. Tonks enjoyed having company over for a meal. It was better than eating alone. They told jokes, teased and bantered, she even got Remus to laugh more than he usually did. She felt so comfortable talking to him. Like she could tell him anything and know he wouldn't tell a soul.

Tonks began to find him quite endearing. His small chuckles and loud laughs when he found whatever she said hilarious. His shining hazel eyes that seemed to shift between brown, green, and blue. Remus's kind and gentle smile. Wavy brown hair he often ran his hands through. His warm and wonderful personality seemed to amplify his delicate features by a hundred. She soon found herself seriously smitten and was eager for him to come over.

One day, Remus came over for lunch. Tonks greeted him with a smile and the meal went on as planned. She had a feeling in her heart that she was going to do the right thing, right? What would he say? What would she say?

"Remus..." she began as he finished up, "Walk with me."