Helping a Friend

Helping a Friend

Tonks was alone in Grimmauld place. Tonks was alone in Grimmauld place with Remus Lupin. She'd had a huge crush on Remus ever since she'd first seen him. The fact that this July had been incredibly hot--so hot that even the usually conservative Remus was in cargo shorts and a sleeveless white t-shirt--didn't help.

Two weeks into the summer, Tonks had noticed that Remus was falling into an almost irreversible state of depression. In an attempt to help, she did what she would do for any of her friends; she took him shopping. He got his graying hair dyed deep brown, and then bleached the tips. They left the salon for a piercing studio, and in a mad attempt to make him laugh, she told him she'd give him ten Galleons if he got his tongue pierced. All he said was 'yeah, whatever', and entered the shop. Fifteen minutes later, he reappeared with false silver stud in his mouth. She had simply stared as she emptied about ten times the arranged amount into his palm.

He looked hot. Not movie star, or model hot, but perfectly tanned Californian surfer type of hot. This was definitely not good. How could she ever hope to help him heal from the loss of Sirius if she was battling with her mouth whether or not to ask him out?

That had been a month ago, and her thoughts on Remus still hadn't changed. Luckily, the trip to the mall had helped the man's attitude and he was always laughing at Molly Weasley's odd looks and angry comments to his new look.

Once Tonks had even overheard Ginny and Hermione talking about how hot he was now and how she and Remus should get together. Oh, how she wished it were true!

Remus walked into the small parlor area she had been sitting and reading in. he turned on the small radio in the corner to a classical station.

"Remus," she whined playfully, "you know how much I hate your taste in music! You need tunes to match your look!" With that she got up and messed around with the dial until a song she liked came on. "'I don' know whatcha' heard abou' me! But if ya' can't get a dolla' ou-'" The music stopped abruptly.

Tonks opened her eyes, which she had closed to dramatize her karaoke talent, and saw Remus had turned the dial to another station.

"Is this a good compromise?" he asked.

"Okay, as long as I can sing to it. I didn't know you liked this type of music."

"It's a secret fetish. No, actually, I've never heard this song before, I just abhor rap music. Am I hearing this wrong, or in badly translated French is that singer talking about prostitution?"

"Yeah, but I love this song! '...Drank all that Magnolia wine...' Okay, I really don't know the words. I think I'll stop before I make a total fool of myself !" she laughed.

"I like your voice," said Remus. Tonks blushed, and so did Remus.

She switched the dial again and it started playing a slow, rhythmic song.

"May I have this dance?" she asked. Chuckling, Remus stood up and took the offered hand, kissing it.

"Very gentlemanly of you," Tonks commented flirtatiously.

"Thank you, I'm truly flattered, such a complement from such a stunning young woman," he replied. His answer was stated in such a way that she could not tell if he was being silly or romantic as well.

He gently wrapped his arms around her waist and she placed hers around his neck, putting her head against his chest. It was a very comfortable position, Tonks speculated. Their bodies fit perfectly together. Whoa! A bit kinky there! She mentally slapped herself.

They swayed in rhythm of the music for a while. Song after song came on with the same, slow, quiet beat. It was nearly eleven and they hadn't left each other's arms.

"This is a sad song," said Remus as they danced gently to My Immortal by Evanesance.

"What would make it better?" she questioned.

"A kiss," he answered simply, as he leaned in and their lips met. It was exactly what they had wanted since the moment they'd laid eyes on each other.

Neither of them noticed Minerva McGonagall looking at them with a small smile on her face. She had been waiting for them to get together. Guessing it would probably be tonight, she'd come over in hopes of catching them at it. She couldn't stay long though, she had two hundred Galleons to collect from Mundungus Fletcher before the night was through.

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FIN