The Blind Date

*Remus*

I'm barely out the door of Grimmauld place before it begins to pour down, and within thirty seconds I'm soaked. I run along the streets, looking in the windows of all the popular restaurants. As I pass, people on the street give me funny looks.

I suppose I must look ridiculous - a man nearing his forties running around in the rain with only a patchy pair of trousers and an old shirt, sticking his nose up against restaurant windows.

I suddenly stop short, the ludicrousness of what I'm doing hitting me.

"What am I doing?" I ask myself aloud. A very Sirius-esque voice echoes back at me.

You're looking for Tonks, fool!

Yes, but why?

Because you love her!

So?

What do you mean 'so'? Isn't that reason enough?

Not for me. She's on a date, for Merlin's sake. Why do I have to go and ruin it for her?

Because you know she's having a horrible time.

I don't know that.

Do so.

Do not.

Do so!

"Oh, shut up!" I mutter. An old man passing by me looks startled.

"Oh - sorry," I say. "I didn't mean you, I was talking to..."

The old man hurries away, looking very scared.

Okay, that's it. One more window. I'm looking in one more window, and then I'm going home.

I press my nose up against the window of a pizzeria and look inside. After a moment, I sigh, and begin to pull away, when I see something that makes me stop.

There's an attractive young couple sitting a few feet away from the window. The girl is facing away from the window, but the man is staring right at me. He points, and the woman turns.

It's Tonks.

My mouth hangs open for a minute. Then I do the only thing I can think of.

I smile and wave.

Tonks stares back for a moment, and then her mouth becomes set in a tight line. She scrapes back her chair and stands, hurrying out of the restaurant and towards me, her date following.

"Remus?" Tonks asks, coming out of the restaurant. Her date comes out of the door and stands next to her.

"Tonks," I return, trying not to look at her too-handsome date.

"What the hell are you doing here?" she demands.

Okay. It's show time.

And I seem to have lost my voice.

"Well?" she asks again, putting her hands on her hips.

"Uhh..." I struggle out. "I'm sorry about before."

"What?" she snaps.

"About before?" I say again. "You know - saying you looked fine? You...you looked...look...more than fine. You look beautiful."

Tonks' eyes soften for a minute. But then she folds her arms. "You interrupted my date to tell me that?"

My heart drops. "Yes?"

"Remus," Tonks sighs, but suddenly her date interrupts us.

"Remus?" he asks. "This is Remus?"

"Yes." Now Tonks is blushing.

"You've talked about me?" I ask, turning to the date.

"No!" Tonks protests.

"Hi, I'm Angus." The handsome guy sticks out a hand. "Nice to meet you."

"Hi," I answer, dazedly returning the handshake. "Remus Lupin."

Tonks makes a strangled noise in the back of her throat, throws up her hands, and starts to stalk away into the rain.

"Tonks - wait!" I hurry after her, and Angus hurries after me.

The three of us looking like we're playing some grown-up version of follow the leader.

"Leave me alone!" she shouts back, the rain starting to soak her hair.

I run to catch up with her and grab her shoulder. "Wait!"

Tonks stops. "What?" she demands.

Angus catches up to us, panting.

"I...I have to tell you something," I shout over the pounding of the rain.

Tonks just puts her hands on her hips, raising an eyebrow furiously.

"I...I really like you, Tonks," I say quietly. "I think you're really...special. And...and...well, that's it." I finish lamely, staring at her imploringly.

Tonks stares back at me, speechless for a moment. "You like me?" she finally asks.

I nod.

"Well, that's great, Remus," she says sarcastically. "I'm glad we've cleared that up!"

"Look!" I grab her shoulders. "I know I'm not much. I know I'm not rich, or good-looking, and that I'm a werewolf..."

"What?" Angus says faintly. Tonks and I ignore him.

"But, really," I say, shaking her slightly. "Do you want to go out on meaningless dates with men who are too good looking - no offence," I add, looking over at Angus, who just shrugs confusedly. "And waste your time when I know, deep down, that you have feelings for me, too?"

"Look, maybe I should tell you two something..." Angus starts.

"Shut up!" Tonks and I shout at him. Then Tonks turns back to me.

"Why should I give you another chance?" she challenges.

"Because," I shoot back, "who else could do this?"

And then I kiss her.

Tonks' eyes go wide for a minute, and then she relaxes into me, her arms wrapping themselves around my neck. We stand like that for a very long time, the rain falling down all around us, until finally Angus clears his throat loudly.

Tonks and I finally break apart and I step back dazedly.

"I'm gay," Angus blurts out. Tonks and I turn towards him.

"Excuse me?" Tonks asks.

"I'm gay," Angus repeats. "I thought Uncle Albus would've told you that."

"Uhh - nope." Tonks shakes her head.

"Well," Angus smiles. "That should clear up a lot of your troubles, anyway."

You don't say.

I turn towards the younger man with a lot more affection than I'd had for him when I thought he was trying to date Tonks. "Sorry about the too-handsome comment," I say sheepishly.

He shrugs. "It's ok." He glances at his watch. "Look, I'd better be going," he says. "Umm...congratulations, you two. It must be nice to have someone who can tell what fruit your hair smells like."

"What?" I'm confused.

"Nothing!" Tonks says brightly. "Thanks for dinner, Angus."

"Well, we didn't actually get to dinner," Angus says. "But you're welcome anyway."

And with one last cheerful wave, he walks off into the rain.

Tonks turns back to me, a smile on her face. "Well," she says.

"Well," I return, grinning like the idiot I am.

"You were jealous."

"Maybe."

"Maybe," Tonks scoffs, pulling me close to her again.

I'm starting to like the rain. When we pull apart, Tonks grins at me.

"Dinner?" she offers.

"I don't have any money," I say apologetically. Tonks grins.

"No worries. This time - it's on me."

I look down at myself. "We're soaked."

Tonks looks down, as well. Her hair is hanging limp around her face, and her dress is ruined, but she's never looked lovelier.

"All right," she consents. "Let's go to your place first. So I can get...changed."

I laugh and grab her hand, and together we start walking back to Grimmauld Place.

"You think that Dumbledore would've mentioned to me that his nephew was gay..." Tonks muses as we walk, and I suddenly stop.

"Remus?" Tonks asks. "What's wrong?"

I shake my head.

"Nothing."

Tonks shrugs and we continue walking.

Dumbledore is a very perceptive, very shrewd old man. He'd never forget to mention an important detail like that on a blind date, unless...

I give a low chuckle, and Tonks glances over at me and smiles.

Thanks Dumbledore.

You twisted old wizard.

Authors Notes: So, did you like it? Hate it? Let me know either way, please! I decided mainly to write a fic like this because most of my Lupin/Tonks fics are a bit heavy, and it was nice to write something a little more light-hearted. Anyways! Please review because it makes my day!