No Ordinary Love

No Ordinary Love

By Time and Tide

Chapter Three: New Tricks For Old Dogs

Remus Lupin was nervous, and he hated being nervous. With his heightened senses, he could smell a person sweating from across a room. Even the subtlest of scents were discernable to his sensitive nose. Thus, since he was the one currently perspiring, he wasn't being reminded of violets.

The only saving grace was that Tonks was wearing a good perfume. That helped give him something to focus on. In fact, he could even distinguish the different locations she had applied the perfume. It was Chanel, a very conventional choice for such an unconventional woman. The thought of this made Remus smile. In all likelihood, he decided, Andromeda was missing some perfume.

She had applied some behind both ears. Lily used to do that. She always claimed it drove James wild, not that he needed much prompting. Remus now understood what he meant. More distracting was the fact that he had also applied two more splashes to places Remus was trying very hard not to focus on. A bloke didn't need heightened senses to appreciate those.

Fortunately, the date had gone fairly well. Remus had managed to make her smile several times, and she, in return, had made a point of touching his arm a few times. Even though he'd been on the shelf for quite a while, Remus knew that any physical contact was an encouraging sign. With any luck, he might even get more in the future.

The thought of trusting in luck caused him to laugh. Since when had luck ever favored him before?

"Knut for your thoughts."

The sudden comment broke Remus out of his silent reverie.

"I'm sorry?"

"You should be. I was wondering what you were thinking about that amused you."

Remus blushed slightly at being caught out.

"I was just thinking about luck, or the lack thereof."

An unnaturally stern expression broke over Tonks' face.

"Well, I hate to break it to you, but you won't be getting lucky with me. I don't put out on the first date."

Remus' heart skipped a few beats.

"Oh, god, no, I didn't mean it like that! I meant that I don't usually get lucky... I mean that I'm not usually a lucky person. I never thought for a moment you would put out... I mean that I would never think of you being like that, I promise."

The stern look on Tonks' face quickly dissolved into a much more familiar devilish grin.

"Ha, you're so easy. Thank you, though. Everyone else I've ever gone out with seemed to think that the date wasn't over until I was on my back. We always came to a compromise, though. They had to settle for being the one on their back. Of course, being unconscious and all, they rarely asked me for a second date."

Remus couldn't help but laugh. He had to admit, she had gotten him good. Still, the idea of getting a good thrashing from Tonks was pretty scary. She was certainly more than capable of doing it.

"Well, since I have no intention of making that same mistake, maybe we could, you know, do something again sometime?"

Tonks rolled her eyes.

"Sorry, I'm busy 'sometime'. Try to be more vague and noncommittal next time."

She had gotten him again. Remus would need to tighten up his game if he wanted to keep up with her.

"Very funny, Tonks. Have pity on me, will you? I'm rusty at all this stuff. How about dinner the next time we're both off duty at the same time?"

The grin on Tonks' face turned into a dazzling smile, reminding Remus that she was a very beautiful woman. Maybe, just maybe, his luck was changing after all.

"I'd like that. I'll let you know my Auror schedule when I get it. Since it'll be your turn to buy, I'll make sure I get the biggest steak on the menu. If you're a good boy, I'll even let you have a taste. I might even let you have some steak, too."

Before Remus was able to pick up on her little joke, Tonks leaned forward to placed a quick kiss at the corner of his lips. The action stunned Remus and caused Tonks to laugh. Watching her walk away, Remus suddenly realized what she had said and found himself blushing again. As the waiter cleared the table, Remus shook his head and sighed.

"I swear that girl is going to be the death of me."

Looking up from his task, the waiter followed Remus' gaze.

"Probably, but what a way to go."

**********

Arriving back at Grimmauld, Remus immediately poured himself a generous snifter of Henry IV cognac. Now that he was getting a regular income, his tastes had vastly improved. Going from drinking milk stout out of a brown paper bag to sipping hundred year old cognac from a gold and silver bottle was quite a change, but he was finding that the transition was getting easier and easier.

The sublime liquid also made it easier for him to think clearly, and he certainly needed that. What exactly was he playing at with Tonks? What exactly was she playing at with him? Was she really interested in him, or was she just having a laugh? Either way, should he be going along with it?

Was she sexy? Yes. Could he trust her? Yes. Was he in need of female attention? Good god, yes. Was she Sirius' "baby" cousin? Unfortunately, also yes.

Therein lies the rub. Remus could still well remember Tonks when she was a gangly child running around trying to get Sirius' attention. Her mother, Andromeda, was one of the few members of his family that remained in contact with Sirius after his disowning. Sirius and James used to tease her unmercifully, but Remus had always been kind to her. Being a metamorphamagus, she was different from the others, just like him. Never in a million years would he have ever imagined that he would one day wish for her to return that kindness.

Speaking of his fellow Marauders, what would they think? James would be insufferable. Remus could hear him now...

" Hey, Remus. So, did you have your girlfriend home by ten last night? It was a school night."

"First a werewolf, now a cradle robber."

Sirius would be even worse. Tonks was one of the few relatives he gave a damn about. He'd play the big brother act for all it was worth. He could hear him, too...

"Lay a finger on my baby cousin and I'll have to give you a silver enema, Lupin."

"Hands where I can see them, pedophile."

Yeah, maybe those two being dead wasn't so bad after all.

The main question he had to answer was; should he pursue a relationship with her? What would the other Order members think? What about Harry and his friends? Would they still respect him? Would they now respect him more? What would be the safest option? Well, that would be to sit back and not say anything. Yes, that was safest. That would be the sensible thing to do. Being alone would be safe.

Remus Lupin was tired of being safe.

"Tonks? Are you home?"

"Remus! Fancy seeing your mug in my fireplace."

"I'm sorry; I shouldn't have just popped in like this. Is it a bad time?"

"Nope, now is fine. I was just getting ready to pop in the shower. If you would have waited a few more minutes you might have gotten a free show."

Even surrounded by green flames, Remus' face glowed a bright red.

"Uh, yes, well, I wanted to ask if you had dinner plans for this coming Saturday?"

Tonks turned away to conceal the huge smile on her face.

"This Saturday? That's pretty short notice, Lupin. Seems to me like you're assuming I don't have a full social life of my own. I hope you aren't taking me for granted already."

At first, Remus was convinced he had thrust his foot in his mouth once again. He was just about to apologize when he noticed that Tonks was purposely avoiding his gaze. Knowing what he did about her now, he realized that she was having him on again. Well, two could play at this game.

"You're right, I shouldn't have imposed. I guess I'll just drop by the Three Broomsticks. Rosemerta's been after me for weeks to come by. I'm sure I could make an evening of it."

Tonks quickly turned around to face Remus. The large smile on her face had now been replaced by a look of shock and outrage.

"You better not be spending time with that old slag. Hagrid probably couldn't even hit bottom with that slut. That frustrated old hag has handled more wands than Olivander!"

Even as Tonks was ranting, she noticed that the head floating in her hearth was laughing hysterically. He had gotten her back. Perhaps Remus J. Lupin was a good match for her after all.

"Very funny, wolf-man. I'm sorry to disappoint your bit of fluff, but I'm accepting your kind offer of a date. Oh, and since it will be a 'real' date, you'll have to be on your best behavior. If you play your cards right, maybe you won't have to settle for damaged goods anymore. Impress me enough, and I might even consider going out with you again."

Remus wiped the tears of mirth from his eyes and smiled. Despite the multitude of scars on his face, Tonks' breath was still momentarily lost to her. Remus was still a very handsome man. Not that Tonks was unfamiliar with handsome men. She'd dated several. The difference with Lupin was that he didn't even realize he was handsome. For Tonks, this only made him more so.

"Saturday it is, then. We're both off, so why don't you come around to Grimmauld and I'll knock something up for us. Would Italian be all right?"

Tonks felt her heart flutter slightly. A handsome man that also knew how to cook, things just kept getting better and better.

"Italian would be lovely. What should I bring with me?"

"Just bring yourself. Sirius' parents were as snobby about their wine as they were about everything else. I've got enough bottles of Chateau Lafite to bankrupt Christie's. We could toast everyday of the year and still have enough left over to start on the next one."

Tonks grinned.

"Why, Mr. Lupin, I do believe you are attempting to corrupt me. I am appalled that you would try and entice a poor and innocent girl like myself. I do hope you aren't trying to seduce me."

Remus' already dark brown eyes became black.

"Would you like me to seduce you?"

The room Tonks was in wasn't at all cold, but the effect Remus' words had on her made it seem that way. Causing the young Auror to be unable to form coherent speech, Remus inwardly congratulated himself on getting better at giving as well as he got.

"Well, I'd better let you go. Dinner will be at seven, but you can come by whenever you want, really."

Managing a few steady breaths, Tonks attempted to play off her momentary lapse.

"Ahem, yes, seven would be fine. Should I dress for dinner?"

Remus grinned in a very Marauder-like way.

"If you want me to be able to concentrate on the food, I would say yes."

Ready this time, Tonks managed to return his flirtation with her own.

"I should hope you'd be able to focus on more that just the food, Remus. I can be just as appetizing as any meal, when I want to be."

Remus' mouth began to fill with saliva. He wasn't thinking about pasta, either.

"I'll look forward to it."

Tonks licked her full lips.

"You'd better."

Then, removing his head from the flames, Remus took in a long breath through his nose and blew it out slowly through his mouth. He now had things that needed to be done. For one, he would need to go down to the shops for groceries. Second, and currently more pressing, he needed a long shower.

A very cold one.