In the underwear drawer

By: Amy Elizabeth

Disclaimer: All things Harry Potter are sole property of J.K. Rowling

Rating/Warning: PG, DH spoilers

A/N: Inspired by the Joni Mitchell lyric "Something's lost, but something's gained in living everyday." I'm not entirely sure this fits with what I imagine happened in canon but, as you can probably tell, I like cheery RLNT a lot more.

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There was a reason Tonks didn't own nice things.

Well, if she were to be honest, there were several reasons she didn't own nice things. The most obvious reason, of course, being her inability to avoid dropping or bumping into everything that she came in contact with. Secondly, as her mother claimed, she apparently lacked "sophisticated tastes" and wouldn't know a "nice thing if it bit her."

But more importantly, she lost things. Often.

And now, the one time she wanted to wear those blasted earrings her mother had purchased for her at Christmas, she couldn't find them. Anywhere. She had even spent half an hour with half her body wedged in the cabinets under the sink in the bathroom; digging through old cases and make-up boxes hoping she had dropped them in there the last time she had worn them.

Except she couldn't remember the last time she had worn them. If she had ever worn them.

Like I have time to worry about earrings with a war going on.

Now, with thirty minutes before she and Remus were supposed to meet her parents for dinner, she sat half dressed on the bed rifling through an old shoe box she had found in her closet, hoping she had somehow dropped the jewelry box in there.

"Not that you don't look lovely; but wouldn't an outfit with a top be a more appropriate choice for dinner?" Remus' voice caused her to jump a little, almost upsetting the box on her lap, "Though, I will admit, it will be an admirable view." Leaning against the doorway, he raised his eyebrows at her.

Not bothering to turn completely towards him, she resumed tossing things out of the box, "Have you seen a blue jewelry box? Its small, about this big," She measured a couple inches in the air in front of her, "and it has earrings in it."

He started for a moment at her abrupt change of subject before shrugging and saying slowly, "I think I saw a box like that in your underwear drawer a little while ago."

This time the shoe box, and its contents, did go flying as she leapt to her feet and crossed the room to her dresser in a few, wide steps.

She suddenly paused, the drawer halfway opened, "Wait. What were you doing in my underwear drawer?" She sent him a cheeky smile, "Getting a good look at something, Remus?"

He returned her smile with a suggestive one of his own, "I believe I have a very good idea of what all of your underwear look like, Dora."

"Maybe." She gave a falsely casual shrug, "Or maybe I've been hiding something for a special occasion."

Even from across the room she could see his eyes darken slightly, "Well, then I think I need to make up some special occasions."

"I said maybe." Her grin, however, did not.

"Of course you did." He finally entered the room and sat down on the corner of the bed, "I was in your underwear drawer putting laundry away. If I had known that though…"

She grimaced, "You did my laundry?" She felt her cheeks redden, "You didn't have to, you know."

"I was bored." He nudged some of the clothes that she had discarded in several piles on the floor, "And I was curious to see what the floor looked like."

Her grimace faded into a roll of her eyes, "And to think I was about to say 'thank you'." She turned her attention back to the drawer, pushing aside fabric.

Funny, it doesn't seem like there are that many more clothes in here.

Her thoughts were interrupted as she felt her hand brush against the velvet of the box.

Oh, thank Merlin.

"I wonder how this got in here of all places." She turned back to Remus, who hadn't moved from the bed, "I haven't seen this in ages."

"Maybe it fell in a while ago." His voice sounded strained.

That's odd. Maybe he swallowed wrong.

She pulled at the lid and began to reach in to grab the first earring, "I don't really like these, but Mum will be pleased I remembered…" Her hand brushed metal, but not the small shape of an earring.

It felt round.

Like a ring.

Finally looking down, she frowned, "This isn't the right box," She stared hard at the ring, "I don't think I even own a ring like this."

Remus had stood up from the bed, "You could if you want to." His voice was oddly quiet.

She frowned deeper, "Well, yes, I suppose I could have bought one, but I don't think I did. So, I'm a little concerned as to how it ended up in my underwear drawer."

Remus sighed, "I bought the ring, Dora."

She looked confused, "And you hid it in my underwear drawer? Why would you hide a ring in my…"

'I bought the ring'. Remus bought a ring.

"You hid an engagement ring in my underwear drawer?"

It was his turn to frown, "In all fairness, you were supposed to find it this morning before we went to breakfast. A breakfast that was supposed to be in celebration."

"That still doesn't explain why it was in my underwear drawer."

"I wanted it to be the first thing you found in the morning." He gave an exasperated sigh, "And that was the first place you would go when you woke up besides the bathroom. And leaving it on the toilet seemed…" he shrugged, "I thought I had left it right on top but I guess it shifted." He gave a self-conscious smile, "I suppose it wasn't the best way to propose."

A slow smile began to spread across her face, "Well, I was distracted this morning while getting dressed." She winked, "I was watching you get out of bed." She paused and looked at the ring again, "Why didn't you say something when I missed it?"

He chuckled as he took a few steps closer to her, "Like what? 'I think you missed something in your drawer, Dora. How about you dig around a little." He slipped an arm around her waist, pulling her to his chest, "I was going to grab it out of there and try it again tomorrow. That is, I was, until you gave me the perfect opening." He chuckled as he planted a kiss in her hair, "Well. It seemed like the perfect opening."

She wiggled her way closer to him, burying her face in the crook of his neck, and he felt the warmth of her breath as she whispered, "Yes."

He looked down at the top of her head, "Yes?"

He could feel her smile against his collarbone, "The answer is yes."

His body tensed, "Merlin, I didn't even wait to…" He pulled back and looked at her,

"I'm sorry, Dora, I've buggered this completely…"

Suddenly on her tiptoes, she silenced him by pressing her lips to his. As she pulled back, he felt a small, metal object being pressed into his palm.

"Please put my ring on, Remus." Her hand trembled slightly as she held it out to him.

The moment it was on, she was off the ground. Having propelled herself into his arms, she wrapped her legs around his waist as her hands secured themselves behind his neck. Between her rapid kisses he managed to get out, "I've put a charm on it," he paused as her lips passed over his mouth again, "So if you misplace it," Another kiss, "you just have to use your wand," Another, "and it'll point you to…" He decided to tell her about it later.

She suddenly stopped and placed her forehead against his, "When we get back from dinner, I have a surprise from my drawer for you too."

He grinned at her as her legs tightened around his waist, "Oh, really? What for?"

"I believe this counts as a special occasion."