Aww, it's a sweet, sappy Tonks x Remus ficcy! Rated G and all that, it's just a happy little drabble. I hope you enjoy the little read! Happy ficcing! (laughs)
Tonks grinned widely as the door opened. She had been preparing all day for the next few hours, so she wanted them to be perfect. She had somehow convinced Remus to take her to dinner; it wasn't going to be anywhere fancy, but, to Tonks at least, it was a date nevertheless.
Her small apartment was covered in clothes of every kind: dresses were laid across the couch; coats and jackets on the table; jeans, sweaters, shirts, and robes of every sort littered the chairs, lamps, and counters; every remaining space was filled with trinkets like jewelry and handbags. The floor was a maze of shoes and socks of more varieties than could be thought possible. In the bedroom, out of sight, was even an assortment of lingerie, each undergarment suited to a different style of outerwear. She had borrowed clothing from every woman she knew in the Order, from the girly yet sexy wardrobe of Ginny Weasley, to the matronly attire of Mrs. Weasley, to the conservative dress of Hermione Granger. Basically every female at the Ministry had also donated at least one garment to Tonks's cause.
She sat on the floor in the midst of all this clothing, smiling at the door as it blew suddenly open. Remus slipped in with the wind and brushed the raindrops from his shoulders. He smiled wearily and chuckled, "It's raining outsi---"
His unnecessary remark on the state of the weather was cut short by the sight that met him. There sat Tonks, arrayed in a bathrobe, surrounded by mountains of clothing, and grinning like a madwoman. He blinked slowly, as if to clear his mind, and managed an "Ummm...?"
Tonks stood, indicating all of the clothes with a sweep of her arm. "Wotcher, Remus! I've decided that I want tonight to be perfect," she explained, "so I'm letting you pick your companion." She didn't wait for him to respond, but immediately scrunched up her face, morphing her appearance.
"I thought perhaps you liked tall blondes," she said with a smile. Indeed, she now had the appearance of a leggy, long-haired bombshell. Twitching a wand she had produced from the pocket of her robe, she enchanted a long black dress to float in front of her, giving her the appearance of wearing it. "How's this?"
She noticed that Remus's lips seemed to be moving of their own accord, so she decided this wasn't the right look. Twisting her face again, she became a gorgeous brunette with delicious curves. An enchanted pair of khakis and a sheer sleeveless top now hovered suggestively. Remus shook his head ever so slightly.
Next she had the figure of a sixteen-year-old schoolgirl, complete with miniskirt and sweater-vest, which earned a vigorous "no" shake of the head from the uncomfortable man. Next a mildly heavy-set thirty-something with a few grey hairs and happy crows' feet, which earned her a grateful smile but a no.
She tried a variety of looks and styles, ranging from every height to every color and length of hair under the sun. She had modeled almost every piece of clothing in the apartment, and was becoming rather worried. He had experimented with every fashion possible, from high fashion to classic witch to gothic to teenybopper pink, and still no positive reaction out of the man standing before her.
Tonks was trying curly blue-tinted hair, a short body, and a sailor suit-inspired dress when Remus held up a hand for her to stop. She was just about to comment in surprise on his style choice when she noticed he had raised a hand to his face and was pinching the bridge of his nose.
Her blue eyebrows knitted together in confusion before she noticed that he was chuckling quietly. Brushing aside his graying hair, he stepped gingerly amidst the piles of fabric. He passed fine silken dresses of incredible craftsmanship, dragon-hide pants of the tightest-fitting varieties, and colorful hand-woven shawls before stooping to pick up a worn pair of loose-fitting pants and a comfortable sweater.
Folding these ordinary-looking clothes across his arm, he approached the woman standing bewildered in the center of the room. He looked down at her with a bright light in his clear eyes.
"So I get to pick, hm? Anything I want?"
Tonks nodded silently.
"Then I want you," he said, handing the clothes to her.
In an instant she was back to bright pink hair and rosy cheeks. She was about to smile shyly when she noticed that Remus was once again shaking his head. A befuddled look flitted across her features.
"Just you. The natural you." Remus fixed her with a flat gaze.
Taking a shuddering breath and squinting her face for a final time, Tonks morphed back to her completely natural state. She almost wanted to cry; her mousy hair, somewhat-thin lips, and smallish chest were things she constantly hid if she could help it. Her lips found a lock of her medium-length hair and she began to chew on it self-consciously. She slowly looked up at the man standing over her.
To her surprise, Remus's eyes and smile were extremely tender. He placed his palm on her chin and ran his thumb over her lips, hooking the hair and pulling it gently from her mouth. Tilting her face up towards his, his smile became even softer. "Perfect."
She smiled back up at him, eyes watery.
He gave her a gentle push. "Now go get dressed! We'll go down and have a coffee before dinner."
Moments later Tonks returned in the comfortable clothes Remus had given her. She smiled as he helped her into some waterproof robes and held the door open for her. Giggling softly as the cold rain drenched her brown hair, she slipped her hand into his own warm palm, happier as herself than she had ever been before.
Sappy, eh? Hope you enjoyed!