The Dance Lesson

Something in the night woke Remus from a sound sleep, and no matter how he tossed on the bed he couldn't quite manage to find his way back to his dreams. With a defeated sigh, he finally swung his legs around and slid off the side of the bed. Shrugging on a dressing gown, he meandered over to the window to gaze up through the tree outside it to the sky beyond. Stars twinkled brightly as they hid behind the gently fluttering leaves, but his eyes were drawn to the gently swelling orb that hung just above the highest branches. It would be full in three days time, and he assumed that the moon's influence was what had disturbed his slumber. Restlessness filled him at its approach, awakening the wolf at night and disrupting his sleep, and causing him to doze away the days.

Might as well read a few chapters in my book, he decided, recalling that he had left it downstairs beside his favorite chair. With a last glance at the moon, he went after his novel.

The house was quiet, which Remus thought was quite a feat, considering that Tonks now resided here- a fact that Kreacher accepted with loud and bitter resentment. His incessant mutters had increased in volume until he would practically shout his vile commentary, and during her one brief visit here even Hermione's tolerance had been sorely tested. After one too many comments about Tonks' heritage and likely habits Remus hadn't bothered resisting any longer; the house-elf now kept a respectful distance from him.

Slipping softly past the somnolent portrait of Mrs. Black, he padded noiselessly toward the living room, enjoying the peace and quiet. As he approached the room a sound, out of place, gave him pause and he hesitated before pulling his wand and creeping slowly forward to the corner. He cautiously poked his head around, not sure what to expect, but certainly not expecting what met his eyes.

It was Tonks. And she was dancing.

Well, to be more honest, she was trying to dance, and he had to give her full marks for her efforts. Here in the wee hours of the morning, where she could be reasonably assured of being undisturbed, she had hung a couple of step diagrams and she had enchanted an enlarged doll to accompany her; Remus wasn't sure which of the pair was more confused. The doll was trying to lead, only Tonks obviously had no concept whatsoever what moves to make, and didn't take kindly to being handled by the doll either. The resulting motion was something which was neither graceful nor, he noted, entirely amicable, as Tonks smacked the doll soundly for stepping on her feet.

"Damn! I'm never going to get this." Tonks stopped suddenly, letting the doll drop to the ground; he thought he heard a relieved hiss issuing from it as it slumped away. She rubbed a hand over her eyes, her face expressing weariness and frustration. "How am I ever going to get this right in time..."

"Music usually helps," Remus was amazed when he spoke, and even more astonished when he entered the room with a confidence he was sure he didn't really feel. Tonks was staring at him with her mouth open, her cheeks stained with ragged patches of scarlet; for a frightening moment he thought that she was going to start shrieking. But she merely closed her mouth, dropping her gaze to the floor in embarrassment as he conjured a slow yet lilting tune out of the air. Approaching her, still amazed with his boldness, he placed his hands lightly on her waist and lowered his head so that his mouth was close to her ear. Gently, he murmured, "Just move with the music; easy, no need to be extravagant now."

Her body was tense as she swayed stiffly along with him, still staring furiously at the floor. Remus had never seen her blush so much, nor could he recall ever having seen her at a loss for words. But although she said nothing, this close to the full moon she told him much through his sharpened senses. Her scent; ah, her scent was making him feel a little giddy, as the late hour was loosening his inhibitions. That tantalizing fragrance teasing at his senses, he forced himself to put all of his concentration on the dance; gradually he felt her relaxing, and before much longer she was moving along with him and seeming to enjoy it.

Slowly, he began leading her through some of the steps she had tried and failed with the doll; she was easily frustrated but he persevered, and soon enough she had caught on to most of them. Laughing, she twirled and spun along with him, and he felt like he had dropped a couple of decades back to his youth as he partnered her across the room again and again. As the music finally stopped Remus swept her up in a joking embrace, and was a little shocked when he saw a flare of eagerness in her eyes at the gesture. Certainly that couldn't mean what I think it means...

Cocking her head to one side, Tonks regarded him keenly, and Remus held his breath as he realized that his thinking was spot-on. She smiled at him, a shy smile that he didn't recall having seen on any of her faces before. "Thanks for the lesson," she said softly, biting her lower lip nervously.

Her scent tickling his nostrils he replied, "You're quite welcome."

She giggled, then slipped out of his arms and gathered up the doll and diagrams with a quick wave of her wand. Stowing them under one arm, she gave him another peculiar, modest smile and ducked her head a little. "I'm off to bed, I guess," she told him, not quite meeting his eyes, and he nodded.

"Goodnight Tonks. Sleep well."

She flashed her usual grin his way and hurried past him toward the door. As she went by him she paused, then turned to face him with an air of determined resolution. As Remus stared at her in alarm, she suddenly leaned in and planted a brief kiss tasting of coffee on his mouth, and then she was gone with a rustle of paper and the clatter of her boots on the stairs.

Remus stood still and in shock for a minute, then numbly headed for the stairs and his own room. He passed by Tonks' room on the way to his own, and as he did he had to fight the urge to knock on her door and see if she would let him in...

Dirty old man, he chided himself, failing to notice that her door was not latched, as though waiting to be pushed open. Continuing past it, he went back to his room and threw the gown carelessly aside before climbing into bed. As he twisted and turned to get comfortable, it dawned on him that he had never asked Tonks why she needed to learn to dance. Tasting again the sweet coffee taste of her kiss on his lips, he decided that motives didn't matter in this case; he was simply happy to have been part of the solution.