No Ordinary Love

Chapter 8: Luckless Romance

"Remus is well aware of what could happen if his true purpose for being there is discovered. He is also aware that, if he were to be recognized, his life would be in grave danger. This threat is made all the more real due to the leader of the colony that he will be entering. All of you know of this man because of his barbaric acts and insatiable bloodlust. The leader of the colony Remus will be infiltrating is none other than Fenrir Greyback."

Remus heard the sharp intakes of breath before the sound of someone running from the room overwhelmed them. Turning his head towards the sound of someone sobbing, he was met with a sight that caused his heart to ache in his chest. Turning to look at the doorway, he could just make out a pair of faux leopard shoes disappearing from sight. The rest of the world ceased to exist in that very moment.

Tonks was gone.

1 hour earlier...

Folding her arms across her chest, Tonks gazed with unseeing eyes at the blur of the last Ministry workers swishing away through the Floo Network. The intense green was so harsh, tears stung her eyes; she swiped at them with the sleeve of her cardigan.

"Why are you waiting here?"

She turned, a little startled, but recovered quickly enough, greeting Kingsley Shacklebolt with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. They usually always met up at the Apparation point just outside the Visitor's Entrance, but today she stood and waited for him to come down from the lifts, to let him know that--

"I'm not going."

Kingsley frowned and looked around for eavesdroppers before he muttered, "What do you mean? You've never missed a meeting."

"I'm not really feeling all too well. And Remus and I, we've-"

"Trouble in paradise already?" he asked, eyebrows raised in surprise, clearly astonished.

Tonks turned from Kingsley's stare; he was the only one in the Order that knew of the two of them she was sure, and being a good friend of both herself and Remus, Tonks didn't really want Kingsley to get too involved, lest he had to pick between them at some point.

"Something like that," Tonks paused, finally meeting Kingsley's eye. "Actually," she reconsidered, "it's like a hurricane or two have blown past."

She pressed her back flush against the wall, dropped her arms to her sides, and let out a groan when Kingsley said, "Tonks, you know this is important. Besides, Dumbledore wants us all there. He's got an important announcement to make, apparently."

Tonks snorted. "Sounds like he's getting married, the way you put it... or with child."

Kingsley rolled his eyes, then nodded towards the telephone box at the end of the hall. "Ready, then?"

"Ha." She started towards the little red lift, laughing genuinely, "You're a right git, did you know, Shacklebolt?" He went to shove her, but she ducked just in time.

"At least this git's on your side."

Tonks felt an overwhelming swelling in her heart, and she gazed side-long at Kingsley. "You mean that?"

They had reached the telephone box; Kingsley slid the door open for her. "Only someone with hindered intelligence would let a girl like you go," he said.

"Aw," Tonks said stepping into the lift, "you're really sweet when you want to be, aren't you, Big Head?"

Kingsley stepped in across from her, and the box magically expanded for his broad shoulders. "Don't let that get around."

They made it safely into Muggle London and to the Apparation point, where they spun on the spot and thought of The Burrow. Tonks really wondered if she could just imagine her little flat above her parents' garage, but she knew Shacklebolt would just go after her and drag her to the Order meeting. So, with a sigh of sheer reluctance, Tonks landed expertly before the Weasley's front gate, out of habit.

"It's proper," Kingsley said in regard to Tonks halfhearted sneer.

"Always with the manners," she muttered under her breath, covering her anxiety with annoyance. And doing it rather well, she thought.

Facing The Weasley's front door, Tonks inhaled sharply through her nose; why were her hands so sweaty? She shook her head like a dog shaking water out of its ears, mostly to clear her head, wiped her perspiring hands on the back of her pants, and exhaled roughly and determinedly. She turned to look at Kingsley, who had his eyebrows raised her way.

"What?" she asked defensively, "can't I gear up for the most horrid next hour of my life?" Kingsley pressed his lips together. "Don't poke fun!"

He managed to hold in his laughter. "Right, well," he bowed slightly as he opened the door, "after you."

Tonks stood there for a moment, hands shaking with nerves, before Kingsley had the mind to push her in. She stumbled over the threshold but stayed upright by sheer luck.

"All right there, Tonks?" Hestia Jones asked from beside the sideboard, a small shot of firewhisky in her hand.

Tonks stared at her, a tad disoriented, and wondered why she disliked Hestia so.... She swiped Hestia's glass, swigged the Ogden's back, said, "I am now, thanks for asking," and handed the stunned woman the empty cup back.

Mundungus, skulking by the wireless set, choked with laughter over his own shot of alcohol.

Before Tonks could do anymore damage, Kingsley quietly apologized to Hestia and steered Tonks to Molly Weasley, who embraced her with a bone-crushing hug. Tonks sincerely wondered what she'd done to deserve this.

"Nymphadora! Kingsley! It's so good to see you!" she enthused, letting Tonks go and wrapping her arm around Kingsley's. Before Tonks could object to being called by her Christian name, Molly went on, "Tell me! Tell me! How've you been? Moody mentioned Robards is keeping you two busy, being unfamiliar to the post and all ..."

Molly's words became faded suddenly into an irritating sort of buzz as the kitchen door swung shut behind her; Tonks had managed a glance in the room and saw Moody sitting between Dumbledore and Arthur. She had stopped right before the kitchen door, as she was quite certain Remus was already here, perhaps less than a yard away, and she wasn't sure she could face him just yet. She turned and inspected the sitting room, her eyes automatically landing on the coat rack: a charcoal blazer was hung innocently by the front door. Why hadn't she noticed it as soon as she'd entered? She could've made some excuse, something like-

"Tonks, dear, are you all right?" Molly poked her head around the door- Moody must have mentioned that she was still in the living room. "You're looking a bit peaky. Can I get you something? Gingerale? Lemonade? Ginny made it just this morning," Molly offered and started pulling Tonks into the kitchen.

"No, Molly, really! I'm all right! I'm all right!" Tonks insisted, throwing a desperate look over her shoulder at Mundungus, who shrugged at her.

But it was too late. Tonks stood awkwardly in front of the cramped kitchen. Diggle and Doge glanced at her curiously from the back door before continuing their conversation. McGonagall smiled from beside Arthur, who let out a jovial, "Tonks! Good to see you!" Moody and Dumbledore looked over her, and through her, it seemed, but nodded her way just the same. Snape sneered at her, sitting next to Hagrid whom waved at her so grandly that he unsettled a kettle full of tea all over Snape's black robes. While Tonks was joyful about that turn of events, she wondered, glancing around the room, where Remus was.

"Here you are," Molly said. She had disappeared for what felt like a split-second before she was next to her, pressing a glass of lemonade into her hand, simultaneously levitating a shot of firewhisky to Kingsley. "Go on, drink! Sit! Hestia, dear," Tonks moved aside to let Jones in, "Go and fetch Remus, would you? He's in the garden- said he needed some air."

"Merlin, here we go," Tonks muttered under her breath. She shuffled to Kingsley's side and whispered in his ear, tip-toeing to do so, "Please, please, please, sit next to me."

"Of course," he said, politely excusing himself to Arthur.

"Right," she said, settling in with her back to back door, "take this."

"Why?" Kingsley asked, taking her glass of lemonade.

"Because I need what you've got more," she said, taking his firewhisky and shooting it back, the burn in her throat doing wonders for her mood. "Cheers."

Mundungus entered the room and sat next to Tonks just as she refilled her glass with more hard liquor. It seemed everyone was pretty much ready for the meeting to commence, not that Tonks was really paying attention. She was mostly waiting for the back door to open, so she could perhaps knee Remus in the crotch. Oh, how she wanted to, she thought as she took a swig of Ogden's.

"I want to knee him in the crotch, Kings," Tonks murmured to her companion.

"Which means," he murmured back, gently taking the shot glass back, "that you've had quite enough."

"Really? Have I? How d'you know that?" she asked, indignant.

"You just called me 'Kings'."

"Right-o."

The back door opened; Tonks didn't turn around. She knew Hestia had walked in first, as her awful Mary Jane's clunked distinctively on the hardwood floor. She listened carefully for Remus' distinctive footsteps, realizing that her hands weren't as moist as before.

Must be the firewhisky, goodness it's potent! she thought. I'll have to invest in some of this.

"Can I have a word with you outside?"

Tonks jumped a foot in the air. There was a crash as the glass of lemonade in front of Kingsley shot forward and shattered, sprinkling quite a few Order members with the sweet drink. The vase in the middle of the table also toppled over, cracking in two and splashing water everywhere.

"Bloody hell, Lupin! Warn a girl, would you?" Tonks growled, glaring at him.

It felt good to be angry with him.

"Right, sorry," Remus said quietly, abandoning her side to sit across from her.

Molly cleaned the table and its occupants with a swish of her wand, while Arthur repaired the broken glass and vase. Molly was suddenly very interested with Tonks; she was looking at her curiously, and it was startling. Quietly, Tonks said a general, "Sorry," then went on to feel miserable for herself, especially when Remus chose the seat by Hestia.

Well, it was the last seat left, a small part of her thought.

Shut-up, shut-up, Brain!

"Shall we get started?" Dumbledore asked the room in general, though he mostly gazed at Tonks, an amused sort of smile playing on his lips. She looked at Kingsley for guidance. He smiled at her and patted her gently and sympathetically on the shoulder.

"You'll be all right, Tonks," he whispered. "It's just an Order meeting."

"Except I was in quite the luckless romance with a certain member, yeah?"

Kingsley gazed at her with concern. "Yeah."

Presently...

Tonks' lungs felt like they were full of lead with every heave of a sob she took. Somehow, she had managed to stumble down The Burrow's back porch steps, into the overgrown garden, and conceal herself behind a gnarled tree after the shock and grief she'd experienced inside.

"Remus, what are you doing?" she whispered to herself.

Tonks wasn't sure what she should feel first. Angry, because Remus was throwing himself into a mission he probably wasn't going to succeed in. Sad, because he was leaving her, physically now, and she wouldn't get to see him, hear him, for an indefinite amount of time. Annoyed, because Tonks hadn't a clue what was going on and when Remus had made the decision to risk his life. Proud, because he was doing the right thing by helping the Light attain more allies. Confused, so confused, because she still hadn't come to terms with their quick start and finish to their relationship.

Embarrassment in her sudden fleeing bloomed within her unexpectedly. How am I going to face The Order now? There was no way Tonks would set herself up for that kind of humiliation. I should resign now, she thought, wiping her tears away with the back of hand, and never see any of these people again.

"Tonks?"

At the abrupt loss of privacy, Tonks turned quickly, tripped over a thick tree root, and fell onto her bottom.

"Merlin's saggy balls," Tonks groaned. A sharp pain raced up her arm when she put weight on her hands to pick herself up. She winced and cradled her wrist.

When Tonks tried to get up for a second time, Molly Weasley interrupted her actions with a firm, "Oh, no, you don't."

"Mrs. Weasley, really, I'm fine--"

"Right," she interrupted, "I'll believe it when I see it."

"I second that."

"Bloody hell, Shacklebolt," Tonks said, looking up at her coworker. "I think this is the most miserable day of my life. I'm an idiot, running out like that."

"No, you're not," Kingsley said, kneeling down beside her. "It's understandable, isn't it? Having to face an ex more than once a week shouldn't be easy for anyone-"

"Ex?" Molly cut in. "What do you mean, 'ex'?"

"Oh, Molly, I don't want it getting around. I mean, I know the Order must know now, but, please-"

"My lips are sealed," Molly said quickly, ready for a juicy story.

"Remus and I, well, we were seeing each other for a bit, but it's gone to shit now, pretty much. He thinks he's not good enough for me or something; I don't understand the half of it, but anyway, it doesn't matter. He ended it with me- there's not much I can do about it."

"Have you two talked about it?" Molly asked as Kingsley looked over Tonks' slowly swelling wrist. "Here, let me," she said, crouching down as well. She cast a quick charm over Tonks' arm, which took her a bit of concentration. "Just fractured," Molly deduced. "All I can do about it is cast it; I can brew a potion after the meeting is over, for pain and swelling, but you'll have to go to St. Mungo's if you wanted it mended just right."

"Thanks, Molly," Tonks said.

Molly repeated her earlier question.

"Yes, we've talked, but he's stubborn, and too bloody proud, I'd say," Tonks said, sighing and wiping at her moist cheeks with her good hand.

Kingsley gently helped Molly up, then Tonks. She peeked around Shacklebolt and saw, to her horror, about half of the Order members on the back porch, staring their way.

"Oh, no," she said, desperately looking for an out, but finding none. "What should I do?"

"Be strong," Molly said, putting a hand firmly on her back.

Dumbledore was the first to reach her on the back porch of The Burrow, Remus right at his side. "Are you all right, Tonks?" the Headmaster of Hogwarts asked.

She smiled, just a little sadly, glancing briefly at Remus before turning back to the wizard with the kind blue eyes. "I don't suppose you know how to mend a broken heart, do you, Professor?" she asked.

Dumbledore frowned. "I'm sorry, Nymphadora."

"Tonks, I-" Remus started, only to be pushed violently aside by Alastor Moody.

"Come on, Tonks," Mad-Eye said gruffly. "A quick stop at St. Mungo's first?"

Tonks shook her head. Her mum, Andromeda, could fix her up in a jiffy. She worked on the Spell Damage floor at St. Mungo's for eight years before opening her own practice, and could fix minor injuries like Tonks had with her eyes shut.

"No, I just want to go home," she said.

"I'll send the potion by Owl, dear," Molly said, giving her a gently hug.

"Thank you, Molly," Tonks said gratefully. She turned to Dumbledore. "I won't miss anything, will I, Sir?"

Dumbledore said, "No, Tonks. The meeting is over-"

"Because of me? Oh, I'm so sorry!" Tonks said, feeling so awful.

"I won't hear of it," Dumbledore said firmly. "We will meet again on Thursday?" he asked at large.

There was a murmur of agreement. Tonks waved farewell with her good hand and was led towards the Apparation point by Mad-Eye and Kingsley. She only had a moment to glance over her shoulder, and while most of the Order was dispersing, Molly stood on the back porch discussing something with Hestia Jones and Arthur was leading Remus back into The Burrow with a hand on his shoulder.

Remus looked over his shoulder, too, and Tonks' stomach did a flip when their eyes met for the tiniest millisecond. She was whisked along in Side-Along Apparation before she could figure what the look in his eyes had been.

Later that night...

"So, you're not going to tell me what's wrong?" Andromeda asked for what Tonks hoped was the last time.

"No, Mum, I'm not," she responded. "Thanks, though, for fixing my wrist. I'd be in hell tomorrow if it wasn't for you."

"Stop sucking up, dear. It's very unbecoming of you," Mum said, getting up from her place on the couch beside Tonks and kissing her on the forehead. "And take those potions Mrs. Weasley sent. Honestly, the woman doesn't think I have that all in stock?"

"Mum, she was being nice," Tonks said, rolling her eyes. She got up, too, and led her mother towards the door. "Now, I promise to stop by tomorrow before work, all right? I'd really like some sleep," she said pointedly, faking a yawn.

"All right, all right, I get the hint."

"Goodnight, Mum. Thanks again."

"Anytime, Nymphadora," she said, hurrying down the stairs as dark clouds rolled in overhead and thunder rumbled in the distance.

Rain, her mother mouthed, pointing at the sky.

I know, Tonks mouthed back, rolling her eyes at her odd mother.

Tonks waited until her mum was safely inside before closing her door, bolting it shut, and casting the proper enchantments. When she was done, she fell against the door and let gravity take hold, until her bottom was on the floor. She sat there, not thinking much of anything, for quite a while. It was sometime around midnight, when it started to pour, and she could smell the rain through the crack at the bottom of her door, that she got up and shuffled tiredly to her plush couch. There, she collapsed in a tangle of limbs and fell into a deep sleep. After all, she did drink quite a bit of alcohol and plenty of pain potions...

It was the last thing she thought about. So, when she was woken by a figure whooshing in her fireplace and into her little flat, she was 99% certain that she was hallucinating, especially when she realized that the person covered in soot was none other than Remus Lupin.