“This way,” hissed the woman. “Remus, down here!”
Remus didn’t need telling again; he ducked into the alleyway after her.
“What now?” he whispered urgently.
“Stay there in the shadows and follow my lead,” she whispered back.
He could hear the yells of the Death Eater who’d spotted them and waited for the tell-tale sounds of his footsteps getting closer. Fortunately, the streetlamps in this run down street had long ago stopped working, a consequence of the area’s deterioration. The only light came from the sliver of a moon up above. He could hear the Death Eater’s steps now as he approached the alleyway. His heart started thumping as a fight or flight instinct took hold. Suddenly, he felt himself being pressed against the wall.
“Tonks! What the...?” he spluttered.
“Shut up!” she ordered, as she tore off her thick coat. Underneath she wore an extremely short black skirt and tight red top. In the moonlight he could see her face screwed up in concentration. He knew what she was doing, so wasn’t surprised when her hair changed from its customary pink spikes to long black curls. Her features became sharp as her cheeks hollowed and her lips became thin. She looked like one of the Muggle girls they’d seen on the street corner.
“Put your arms around me for Helga’s sake, Remus!” she muttered, and began to kiss him. He realised she was using her hair as a shield for his face, and although she seemed to be concentrating only on him her eyes were, in fact, wide open and trained on the alley entrance.
“Who’s there?” shouted the man. “Show yourself!”
Although they were close to being sprung, Tonks carried on kissing Remus, and then she turned her head.
“Oy!” she screeched in an accent Remus had heard in the East End of London. “D’you mind?”
Keeping Remus hidden, she stuck her hand on her hip in an attitude that screamed street-girl. The Death Eater sneered at her and made some comment under his breath about ‘filthy Muggle whores’.
“Out of there,” he shouted.
Tonks, very deliberately, put Remus’ arm around her waist and walked slowly up the alley. Remus dared not look up and was thankful it was Crabbe standing there. Someone with half a brain and they’d have been caught.
For all his talk of Muggle filth, Crabbe could not take his eyes off Tonks' legs. Remus felt a surge of anger flood into him, surprising him. He reached for his wand which he’d stowed under his shirt but her urgent squeeze stayed his arm. They carried on walking down the main street.
“Should we Apparate?” Tonks asked, sounding indecisive for the first time that night.
“I think it’s better if we carry on walking. If he sees us Apparate he’ll know the Order’s onto their safe house,” he replied.
Tonks looked round. “I know a place near here “ Muggle pub “ we’ll go there.”
“Bit late for a drink, isn’t it?”
“I know the landlady,” replied Tonks.
Remus became aware that he was still holding her round the waist. Horribly embarrassed, he began to disentangle himself.
“Remus Lupin, don’t you dare!” she exclaimed. “He could still be watching.” Then she leaned into him. “Besides, I’m freezing in this get up and you’re the only warm thing here.”
He whispered something and she felt a warmth seep into her, but he kept his arm around her.
“Crabbe must have thought I was a right dirty so-and-so to be with a girl your age,” he murmured.
“Thirteen years, Remus, that’s not such a big gap,” she replied.
They walked together companionably. Remus noticed that no one round here gave them a second look. Under the bright street lights and fluorescent signs, they could be a normal Muggle couple, staggering out of a pub or heading for a club. Tonks guided him along the street until they came to a pub called ‘The Lamplighter’s Arms’. They walked in.
“We’re closed,” rasped a woman from behind the bar. “I’ve already called last orders.”
“Can’t your favourite granddaughter get a drink these days, Nan?” enquired Tonks.
The woman looked up. She had greying blonde hair, set with hairspray around an over made up, but shrewd face. She beckoned to Tonks who approached her confidently. The Landlady’s sharp, blue eyes looked straight into Tonks’ dark brown ones then she relaxed.
“You look a bit different, Dora, but what’s new?” She laughed and walked round from the bar to hug her granddaughter. Tonks held the woman close.
“I’ll change in a bit,” she said, laughing.
“Not in front of the customers, ducks,” ordered her nan. Then she noticed Remus standing by the door. He walked forward extending his hand to her.
“Remus Lupin a... err...colleague,” he said.
“Shirley King, Dora’s nan. You’re one of her lot, right?”
He nodded. “You’re not a ‘Tonks’ then?” he asked politely.
She grinned at him, showing nicotine stained teeth. “I was a Tonks, many years ago; Eddie Tonks was my first husband.” She turned back to the bar. “What can I get you, Dora? And you, Remus?”
“We shouldn’t really,” said Remus.
“Oh, come on,” said Tonks in exasperation. “We haven’t got to be back for hours. You go and send them a Patronus explaining what’s happened and we’ll lay low for a while.”
He assented, not unwillingly, to her plan because he was tired and couldn’t face a Mad-Eye debrief quite yet. They’d been on reconnaissance for nearly five hours and, boy, could he use a drink!
“A brandy would be great, Shirley,” he said.
They sat up at the bar until all the stragglers had left. Then Tonks screwed up her face and returned to her normal features.
“Not pink, again!” exclaimed Shirley. “Can’t you ever be a nice brown or something?”
Remus laughed. Being naturally reclusive, he’d always wondered why Tonks chose the most outrageous colours for her hair.
Tonks ignored them and helped herself to a large brandy.
“Can we help you clear up, Nan?”
“No, love, don’t worry,” she said, adding in an aside to Remus, “Her magic always ends up causing me more work.”
Tonks picked up her drink and the bottle of brandy and went to sit at a table, by a fire which was slowly dying out. Remus walked over to her.
“You okay?” he asked.
“Yeah, I will be,” she replied. “The adrenaline rush is wearing off now and I’m starting to realise how close I came to blowing it. I can’t quite face the others yet “ do you mind? You can go if you want.”
“I’ll stay. Let me just send Sirius a message first.”
She nodded and returned to her drink. He quickly sent a Patronus to Grimmauld Place explaining the situation and waited for the reply. It came swiftly; obviously Sirius had nothing to do. “Have fun!” was the sardonic reply.
Tonks glanced at Remus’ face as he heard the message. It was full of concern, and perhaps guilt, for his friend.
“You can leave me, Remus, I’ll be fine,” she said quietly.
He looked down at her sitting forlornly in front of a dying fire. When he’d first met her, he’d soon realised that, despite the hair and cheerful demeanour, Tonks was insecure about her abilities. Tonight had been her first assignment without another Auror. She was far more powerful than she realised.
He pulled up a chair, took a sip of brandy and looked at her. “Do you remember our first Order meeting? I couldn’t believe you were an Auror.”
Tonks stared at the bottom of her glass. “Too young,” she muttered. “Too inexperienced.”
“That’s not what I meant,” he said sharply. “You stood out because everyone else is old “ apart from Bill. You’re the youngest by several years.”
“So, what’s that got to do with the price of Kneazles?” she muttered.
“They only take the best in the Auror department, Tonks. You were the first for several years and they haven’t even accepted anyone into the training programme since you.”
She smiled ruefully. “I cocked up though, didn’t I? Crabbe heard me tripping over that dustbin lid.”
“He’d have found us anyway. You got us out. You took charge and because of that, they don’t know we’re on to them,” he said, urging her to accept his words.
Tonks perked up. “Ta, Remus,” she said, grinning widely. She leant over and hugged him. He had a ridiculous urge to hug her back, ridiculous because it could lead to a place he couldn’t go to. So he froze instead. Tonks released him then looked at him meditatively.
“Do I look better with black hair?” She swiftly resumed her street girl look.
Remus flinched. She smiled grimly and returned to her normal face. “Sorry, I freak you out, don’t I?”
“N-not at all,” he stuttered. It wasn’t quite a lie “ he was freaked out but not by her metamorphosis “ more by the horror he felt seeing her sweet features turned into that hard girl.
She shrugged. “I’m used to it.”
“Dora, I’m going to bed,” called Shirley from the back. “Lock up when you leave, ducks, and come again soon. You too, Remus.”
“Will do, Nan. ‘Night,” replied Tonks.
Remus poured himself and Tonks another brandy. He looked around the pub. It was shabby looking but homely. He’d seen old pubs like this before “ the drinkers loyal to the end. There was character here from the framed photographs on the wall to the beer stained pool table. He much preferred this to the sterile atmosphere in the new bars springing up all over London.
“What’s that?” he said, pointing to a large machine in the corner. She followed his gaze.
“Oh, that’s a juke box,” she replied.
He looked blankly at her.
“It plays music,” she continued. “Nan’s isn’t very modern “ most of this stuff’s at least ten years old.”
She got up and looked through the tracks. Remus followed.
“You put money in the slot and then press the buttons of the track you want to listen to. Here, I’ll show you.”
She went over to the till and removed some coins.
“Choose one, Remus.”
“I don’t know any of these songs,” he said. “I’m guessing it doesn’t have any Weird Sisters or Celestina Warbeck!”
“No chance,” Tonks replied. “Celestina Warbeck! Even Nan’s got taste. Here’s one.” She put the money in, pressed the buttons and the machine whirred into life.
“Hold on,” said Tonks, withdrawing her wand. “I need props for this.”
She turned her flat black boots into red leather shoes, complete with a five inch stiletto heel.
“Let’s Dance!”
“Put on your red shoes and dance the blues.”
“Hey, Remus. Wanna dance?” she said, grinning at him.
Instinctively, he wanted to say no but whether it was the brandy, the song or the fact that in those heels Tonks was already tripping up, he took her hands in his and began to dance with her.
“Wow, you’re good!” she said, then apologised as she stepped on his toes.
He laughed. “I had a good teacher.”
There was a pause as he twirled her round.
“Former girlfriend?” she said, a touch acidly.
Remus grinned. “James Potter, actually. His mum liked ballroom dancing; he insisted on instructing us all so we could dazzle at a ball we once had at the school.”
“Marauder Formation Dancing “ that would have been fun to see,” giggled Tonks.
“And if you say run, I’ll run with you,
And if you say hide, I’ll hide.”
“That sounds like us this evening,” he said, as he assumed the stance of a tango dancer.
“If you should fall into my arms,
And tremble like a flower.”
“That’s definitely me “ falling over,” said Tonks, as he dipped her towards the floor.
In those heels she was nearly the same height as he and it was bliss, utter bliss, to be dancing round the room with this girl.
“Let’s dance for fear tonight is all.”
“Do you think they’d have killed us tonight, if they’d found us?” whispered Tonks, as he twirled her round. He slowed down and simply held her, swaying gently. Then he placed one hand on her cheek.
“We’re okay, Tonks “ we’re alive!”
She turned her head to one side and kissed the palm of his hand. He removed his hand, slowly leant in and began to kiss her. She responded enthusiastically, entwining her hands in his hair.
“Let’s sway you could look into my eyes.
Let’s sway under the moonlight,
This serious moonlight.”
He wrenched back suddenly and let go. “No!”
“What’s wrong?” she cried. “Is it me, Remus? The hair? The clothes? What is it?”
He looked away from her and returned to the table.
“Look at me!” she ordered. “Tell me what I’m doing wrong.”
“Wrong...you! Godric, Nymphadora! It’s not you.”
“It’s Tonks not Nymphadora!” she shouted, almost automatically, and then she sighed, slumping wearily against the bar. “What is wrong, then?”
“You know what’s wrong. I’m a werewolf for crying out loud!” he shouted.
“Err, yes, tell me something new,” she replied, starting to get annoyed again.
“I’m not normal. I can’t have a normal life,” he said in frustration.
“I’m not asking for your life, Remus Lupin, just a dance and a kiss!” She snarled at him.
“And where will that lead?” he yelled, suddenly angry at her persistence.
“Merlin knows! I sure as hell don’t,” she yelled back.
She walked across to the table, picked up her glass and swallowed the shot in one gulp. “Come on, let’s go!”
“You can’t Apparate whilst drunk. You’ll Splinch yourself!”
“Shut up! I don’t care.” She began to turn on the spot.
“Tonks! Stop, please,” he said, as he grabbed her arm and pulled her into a chair.
She looked at him belligerently from beneath her lashes.
“I just want to know why the hell not?” she said.
“I’ve told you. I’m not normal. I’ve been a danger since I was six “ an outsider,” he explained.
“And my life’s been so normal, hasn’t it?” she said scornfully.
He looked wearily at her. “You can’t possibly understand.”
She got up and began pacing the room.
“Do you know why Metamorphamagi are so rare, Remus Lupin? Do you know what they did to them in the past?”
He shook his head.
“They used to lock them up “ or worse kill them,” she yelled.
“W...w...what?” Remus was shocked.
“As children, we’re a threat to the Secrecy Act, so we have to be hidden until we can control ourselves. After all, it’s not normal to have a pink-haired child is it?”
Unsteady with the brandy and clumsy at the best of times, Tonks tripped. The heel of one of her shoes snapped off. In fury, she pulled them off her feet and threw them across the room. They hit a picture and it crashed to the floor; glass flying everywhere. Tonks seemed oblivious to the mess, so Remus silently cast Reparo. There was a long pause before she continued.
“Pure-blood families used to hush us up “ like Squibs. We were a danger to their order and not allowed to breed,” she said in a low voice, more to herself than to him.
“That’s the past, Tonks. That’s not now,” said Remus soothingly.
“Wanna bet? My loving aunts sent a black-edged Howler to my mum when I was born. Of course, she’d married out, they told her, and so the freak child was all she could expect!”
“But your parents, your Nan, they don’t think like that,” said Remus.
“No,” she sniffed. “Of course not. But it was hard growing up. Before Hogwarts, I had very few friends “ certainly no Muggle friends.”
“But you must have had some magical friends? A wizard family wouldn’t have rejected you for having pink hair,” reasoned Remus.
“The wizard families didn’t like my mum,” she mumbled, as if she were embarrassed to admit it.
“Why not?” asked Remus in disbelief.
“Have you ever met her?” said Tonks wearily.
“No, Sirius talks about her though,” he replied.
“She’s a Black, Remus. She looks just like Bellatrix and people can’t bear that reminder. So we didn’t get a lot of invitations to fancy parties,” she said sarcastically.
She’d been talking fast and now slowed to catch her breath. She held out her glass but Remus wouldn’t refill it.
“But people must have known she wasn’t like Bellatrix. Sirius never faced that type of prejudice,” he said.
“Yeah, right, until he got sent to Azkaban. He didn’t even get a trial. He was a Black, so he was guilty! For Mum it was worse because she’d been a Slytherin too,” she said. Although the words were angry, the fight was seeping out of her. She turned her back on him.
“I’m sorry,” he said, after a long pause. “I didn’t know. You seem so self-reliant.”
“Yeah well...” She shrugged.
He watched her shoulders moving up and down, heard the shuddering breaths dying out as she calmed down. Then he walked over to the juke box and put another coin in. The same song reverberated through the air.
“Wanna dance, Nymphadora?” he said.
She didn’t answer.
“Tonks,” he said softly, as he walked over to her. “May I have the pleasure of this dance?”
She turned round. In her stockinged feet her head came up to his chest. He put his arms around her and held her close as they swayed to the music.
“Because my love for you,
Will break my heart in two,
If you should fall into my arms,
And tremble like a flower.”
Reconnaissance by Equinox Chick
Story Notes:
The song inspired the one shot and the one shot inspired my chaptered Tonks/Remus fic - Apparently Asleep. Originally I was going to slot this, seamlessly into that fic but Tonks and Remus have rather taken over and this doesn't fit any more.
Thank you to Terri (mudbloodproud) for beta'ing this and for encouragng me to write more about this pairing. They've since taken over my life.
Chapter Endnotes: I love reviews. Concrit or gushing praise all is welcome.
Carole xxx