Lupin could hear the echo of a woman's high heels coming down the hall and paused his reading in curiosity. No sooner had he looked up towards the door that Tonks appeared and leaned against the frame seductively. Remus sallowed hard at the sight before him.
Tonks was scantily clad in a tight, see-through speghetti-strap
shirt, a brilliant coloured azure bra shining through the white lacy fabric, and a tight mini that barely covered her narrow hips. Her stiletto heels were laced to the middle of her calves, accentuating her shapely legs and giving her height. She had changed her hair from the bubblegum-pink spikes into a softer cottoncandy pink that fell delicately around her face.
The woman in the doorway was not the Nymphadora Tonks that Remus had always known. This had to be some sort of succubi, sent to thrill him into eternal damnation. The ruby coloured lipstick that was splashed across her lucious lips sparkled in the dim light of the candelabra near the window and Tonks smiled.
"Wotcher, Remus." Even her voice seemed more haughty than usual. "What do you think?"
"My God, Tonks, you're breathtaking." Remus replied before he could stop himself. He saw her cheeks flush as she pushed away from the door and came even nearer to him. She had the grace of a cat, swaying her hips in a tantalizing manner, and even when her foot turned under and she tripped, Remus couldn't help but think it was one of the sexiest things he'd ever seen. Even as his mind was numbed by her visual sweetness, his reactions were quick and he moved to catch her before she toppled to the ground.
Remus made the mistake of looking into Tonks' eyes at that point and was drawn into their icy cool depths. He could find no words to say, even though his mind was racing, and his conscience was telling him this wasn't right. With great reluctance, Lupin distanced himself from Tonks.
"I think it best that I retire now." Remus stated, avoiding her eyes. He picked up his book and turned to leave the study, but Tonks had advanced on him again. She placed her hands on his shoulders, and raised herself up to meet his lips. Before she could kiss him, however, Remus took another step back. "Please, Tonks."
"What's the matter?"
"This isn't right, Tonks. I'm afraid I will take advantage of you." Remus told her gently, but received a smirk in response.
"Remus, if I didn't want you to take advantage of me, I wouldn't be dressed this way." She began to advance on him again, and he stepped back once more, bumping his legs on the edge of the couch. She pushed him down by his chest and straddled his legs, leaning over him.
"This isn't a good idea, Tonks." He tried to stay focused on what was the right thing to do, but she was making it increasingly difficult. Tonks nuzzled his neck, kissing her way up to his ear.
"Let me make love to you, Remus." She whispered; the words bringing Remus back to the moment. He took her by the arms and pushed her away somewhat roughly.
"You don't know what love is, Tonks. You're too young to know." Fire flashed in her eyes and for a moment she looked as though she ready to reach out and strike him. She spoke nothing to him, simply ripped out of his grasp and ran as quickly as she could from the room. Once she had reached the hallway he could hear her sobs fade away and he sighed, cursing himself for being such a prude at times. Remus leaned his head back on the couch and closed his eyes.
"What was all that about?" A familiar voice asked from the doorway. "You're not trying to frighten little girls again are you, Moony?"
Remus chuckled without opening his eyes. "Hardly, Padfoot. And she's not a little girl, she's just a bit younger than me." The couch shifted as Sirius sat down. He picked up Remus' disgarded book, eyeing it momentarily before tossing it on the side table.
"She's what? 23 now?" Sirius asked, receiving an affirmative nod. "That's only about 14 years, Moony, that's not that far of a jump."
Remus looked over at his friend incredulously and shook his head. "You're impossible, Padfoot. I just don't think Tonks should get involved with some old werewolf like me."
"Why not? I did."
Lupin laughed loudly. "Yes, but you and I were never romantically involved."
"I'll give you that one." Sirius said with a shudder. Remus sighed and Sirius turned to look at him with a somber expression. "Do you even fancy her?"
"Yes, very much." Remus admitted quietly.
"Then what's the problem? Why pass up a chance at love?"
"Because..." Remus sighed in frustration. "What if she realizes that she was never in love with me to begin with? That it was just physical attraction; a crush?"
Sirius laughed darkly and ruffled Remus' hair. "That's the gamble of love, Moony. Now get off your sorry sod of an arse and go after her!" Before Lupin could reply, Sirius had nearly pushed him off the couch.
Remus turned to give him a dirty look before he left and rolled his eyes at the satified smirk plastered across Padfoot's face. He made his way up the creaky stairs to the girl's floor and tiptoed over to Tonks' room. He knocked gently, leaning against the door.
"Tonks?" There was no answer and Remus knocked again. "Tonks, it's Remus." This time the response was something thudding against the door and a radio sprang to life, blaring out the latest tune from the Weird Sisters. Remus wasn't in the mood for games and knocked once more before turning the knob and letting himself into her room.
"Get out, Remus! This is my room, not yours!" Tonks shouted as she threw a pillow at Remus, hitting him square in the chest. Lupin took out his wand, and aimed it at the radio.
"Silencio." He muttered softly and the small box clicked off. He turned to look at Tonks who was seated in the middle of her bed glaring at him over the top of a stuffed penguin. She had changed in silk pajamas with a red kimono robe tied across her stomach. Her hair was still the same, but her makeup seemed softer. Remus idly wondered if that was simply because of the lack of light in the room.
"Are you going to leave?" She huffed, refusing to move.
Lupin shook his head softly. "Not until I've said my peace." When she rolled her eyes and looked away, Remus sighed, but continued. "I'm sorry I said that you were too young, Tonks, but in my mind you are. You are much younger than me and I know when I was your age I didn't have a clue of what love was. To be honest, I probably still don't know what love is. The way you looked tonight was simply amazing, but I don't want a relationship that is based on sexual desire."
Tonks looked back at him with wonder, all hostility gone. "What do you mean?"
Remus moved and sat on the edge of her bed, facing her and looking in her eyes with intent. "I like you, Nymphadora; I like you a lot, and that scares me. I'm afraid that you'll find you never really loved me."
Tonks felt the sting of tears pricking at her eyes and she shifted to her knees, moving closer to Remus and hugging him gently. "Don't let it scare you, Remus, that's never going to happen."
Remus pulled her into his lap, brushing the soft strands of hair behind her ear as he looked at her. "I don't know how..."
"Shhh..." She whispered, silencing him, her lips mere inches from his. "Let me show you how." She told him as she softly kissed him.
Fin
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