First amused...

Remus Lupin shrugged, his eyes never leaving his book held in front of his face. He heard Sirius groan in complain, "I wish people in this house would pay more attention to the owner of this house, the master," Sirius said, purposefully shooting the person in question glances but found himself pointedly ignored.

"The order meeting will begin in less than an hour, then you can strip tease in front of everyone for attention," Remus replied dryly.

Sirius barked a laugh, his feet removed from the table as he sat up, "You must really be desperate, Moony, for you to say the word strip and tease in the same sentence,"

Remus looked at him, deadpanned, "you have no idea," Sirius feigned to be deeply wounded as he stood. Then the door opened and the old house elf was spotted.

Kreacher looked at Remus in a sneer beneath his hooked nose, "filthy half breed in the house, if my mistress were to know-"

"Get out Kreacher!" Remus winced as Sirius roared. Remus could've sworn he felt the house shake, the looser furnitures rattling.

"Yes Master Black," the old house elf replied almost patronizingly as he bowed and shuffled back out, abandoning his attempt to clean the library.

Sirius muttered under his breath about old house elves and house elves' head before glancing at Remus.

"You shouldn't mistreat him," Remus told him. Sirius snorted. Both men jumped to their feet, wand in hand as they heard the door slam shut downstairs. As far as they were concerned, no one should be here yet, the meeting was still about an hour away. The Weasleys were also only moving in after the meeting.

They exchanged a meaningful glance and Remus led the way out of the library. He passed Kreacher's sneering face in the hallway and spared the house elf a glance before descending the stairs cautiously.

Behind him, Remus heard a whimper, rolling his eyes. Sirius has probably kicked the poor house elf again, hearing him muttering insults about Remus.

Remus passed the portrait of Walburga Black with even more caution, his wand held out in front of him as he glimpsed into the walkway from the main entrance. He was surprised but kept his composure as he was met with the tip of a wand as well.

"Mad-eye," Remus inclined his head in acknowledgement but didn't lower his wand.

"Remus, what time is the order meeting supposed to be and who did I claim to be bringing?" Mad-eye barked roughly, his wand trained on Remus with uncomfortable precision and a steady grip.

"Nineteen hundred hour and you claim to be bringing your protégée from Auror training, Nymphadora Tonks," Remus replied calmly, glimpsing Sirius descending the stairs. He heard a huff behind mad-eye but thought nothing of it. Mad-eye nodded in approval before lowering his wand but keeping it in his hand, his magical eye looking into the back of his head.

"Welcome, Mad-Eye and Nymphadora, to the most ancient and noble house of Black," Sirius flounced down the stairs, arms spread out dramatically. Remus heard another frustrated huff behind Mad-eye but couldn't see from his position on the steps.

Then he heard a snigger behind Mad-Eye as Sirius did an exaggerated twirl with a grin.

He swept past Moody and Remus stepped down in time to see him suffocate a petite bubblegum pink head into his embrace, her face pressed into his shoulder.

Moody marched straight to the kitchen without invitation and Remus watched him go before turning to see Sirius release her, "hello Nymphadora!"

"Don't call me Nymphadora!" Her voice was husky and pleasant sounding but loud. Sirius sniggered and poked her teasingly before turning for the kitchen. Remus let Sirius past, turning to greet her. She had shoulder length bubblegum pink hair, a heart shaped face with a familiar twinkling dark grey eyes that Remus came to know is a Black family trait. There was a kindness in her eyes, even before her lips turn up into a bright smile. Remus easily towered a head over her when they stood on even ground. She was a bright and beautiful young witch.

Before he could offer a handshake and introduce himself, she beamed at him and waved so excitedly that her hand was almost a blur, "wotcher Remus Lupin!"

Remus felt the edge of his lips twitch up into a small smile, "hello," he said in a slow and soft tone, "call me Remus,"

She grinned, "if you would call me Tonks," he raised a brow as she walked past him, patting his shoulder heartily. He turned to watch her walk down the corridor. Remus noticed she had a bounce in her stride but not that of an aristocratic air, but rather, of an infectious happiness. She glanced back to him and he was surprised when she smirked at him and- was that a wink?

Then she caught her heavy army boots on the troll leg umbrella stand which has remained untouched for years. He winced as she fell flat on her face.

She moaned and groaned. Remus heard loud robust laughter of Sirius from the kitchen but he shook his head and offered her a hand.

Tonks looked up. She had a furious blush on her cheeks as she took his hand but by the time she was up and dusting herself off, the blush was gone, morphed away. She muttered a thanks and ducked her head sheepishly, shuffling away to smack Sirius upside the head.

Sirius scowled and jabbed her rib viciously.

She hopped aside and poked up her tongue out.

Remus witnessed this from the doorway, chuckling. It would seem Sirius has found his personal entertainment and Remus has found his source of amusement, coming in the form of one bubbly and cheerful Nympha- Tonks. He corrected himself, hiding a small laugh.

Then impressed...

Remus frowned as he entered the kitchen to see a figure hunched over the table. He approached quietly. Upon seeing that it actually his young Auror partner for the early hour duty, he tapped her gently on her shoulder.

"Tonks, wake up," when his finger made contact with her shoulder, she shot up. It was almost all a blur to Remus. When it settled, he saw that the chair she occupied was now toppled over on the floor. The snoozing Auror was now wide awake, her wand in her hand and he was looking down the wrong end of it.

He regarded her with guarded and mirth filled eyes as her grey pools melted away into realization. A blush colored her cheek and she hurriedly lowered her wand, stowing it away, "sorry Remus, I thought-"

"That it was our secret resident death eater?" Remus couldn't stop himself from taking a teasing jab at her.

"Sorry, reflex," she muttered, her blush fading quickly as her morph took control of her appearance. He watched her slip on her control of her morph as easily as one might slip on a coat. Her dark eye rings vanished like her blush, her pink hair shortened and fell into place and any traces of sleep vanished.

"No need to be sorry, it's a good reflex to have," Remus smiled as they walked out. He glimpsed her duck her head at his compliment, "why were you sleeping at the table? We have a couple of guest rooms upstairs,"

Tonks shrugged, "I just got back from a call-in 3 hours ago. It wasn't worth the effort to find a room to bunk in, the table's fine,"

Remus frowned, "you should've told me and we would have swapped your shift,"

She waved it away, "I'll be fine. Mad-Eye made me stay up for 2 days and nights straight for training once,"

Remus raised a brow.

"Sure, it might cut some years off of my longevity but I'll cope," Tonks grinned at him as they slipped into the apparition point. Without missing a beat, her wand was in her hand and she was gone with a pop. He frowned as he too apparated after her.

She was already crouched down and peering over the hill that they were supposed to be keeping watch from when he arrived. Her shoulders were rigid as she stared at the cottage they were supposed to be watching. Her mouth seemed turned down in a permanent frown as she kept watch. Her wand remained firmly in her hand all this while. This was obviously Auror Tonks on duty, rather than the bubbly and chatty Tonks he was used to.

Remus opened his mouth to speak but thought better of it and crouched down quietly beside her to keep watch.

Four hour passed in silence and they had only half and hour more to go when he glimpsed her nodding off.

"Are you okay?" He whispered, touching her arm gently, "you can go back for some sleep if you want, I can take this watch,"

She blinked away sleep and shook her head. She tapped her wand to the side of her head and looked instantly refreshed, "it's dangerous to be on this watch alone," Tonks stated firmly, her eyes fixed forward in stone determination.

"Alright-" he replied with a nod but he froze as he felt the tip of a wand jabbed into the small of his back.

"Don't move," Remus stiffened, cursing himself inwardly. If his partner nodded off, he should keep watch doubly hard and not strike up a conversation, "well, Lupin, isn't this a fine bird you got with you,"

Remus glimpsed back to see Greyback hovering over Tonks. He had his wand pressed viciously into the back of her head. He was unable to see the person holding him hostage but he would bet it was Yaxley. The Order had been expecting them.

"Greyback," Remus couldn't keep the contempt out of his voice. With a quick mutter from the man behind him, his wand flew out of his hand and to the ground. It wasn't a very well performed disarming spell, Remus noted, cursing the loss of wand.

"Not pleased to see me, Lupin. Why all the hate? We are after all, of the same breed, wouldn't you agree?" Greyback snarled, grabbing a clump of Tonks' hair and yanking her to her feet. To her credit, she barely yelped. Remus' eyes flickered to her worriedly. He hadn't gotten around to tell her about his condition, with all that's been going on.

Tonks had always been the cheerful one in the order, the one with the infectious laugh that induces the rest of the order into fits of laughter. Remus admitted he had been putting off from telling her as he didn't want her smile for him to turn into a sneer of disgust. Someone cheerful and hopeful like Tonks should never wear that look on her face or feel that way, ever.

Instead, she gritted her teeth, resisting his pull, "Remus is nothing like you!" Tonks' voice was loud, strong and confident. Remus bit his tongue. He woe the time Greyback would tell her and she would turn to him in disgust and fear.

"So sure?" Greyback leaned closer, letting her smell his rancid breath. He snorted back a laugh, "tell me Lupin, have you made this one your bitch? She practically worships you already," he laughed.

"What do you want, Greyback?" Remus spat. He paused as he caught Tonks' eye. She was glancing to the apparition point and he knew she was telling him they had to get away by the apparition point.

Greyback seemed oblivious to their exchange as he ignored Lupin and leaned in, taking a deep breath. He licked his lips, "this one would be a good one," Remus gritted his teeth and heard a chuckle behind him. Instantly, he knew it wasn't Yaxley as he first guessed. Greyback growled a warning as he cursed her hand. With a gasp, she dropped her wand. Her wand hand was singed, flesh burning. He grabbed her wrists and bounded her wrists together behind her back. Remus turned away painfully as Greyback's hands clawed at the front of her shirt.

With a snarl, he pushed her forward to her knees. Remus paled as Greyback's lecherous and eager smile made his intention painfully obvious. He approached Tonks, who had her head in the mud, on her knees.

Remus felt rage, which he had never let consume him before now. Taking a swift step back, Remus made a grab for the wand pressed into the small of his back while turning to elbow the man in the rib. The man withdrew his wand from Remus' searching hand but got his face caught by Remus' elbow. Remus heard a crunch as the man's jaw broke. Turning, he snatched the wand. He felt a kick to his abdomen which forced the wind out of his lungs as he fell back, clutching the wand tightly.

He glimpsed the man charging madly at him and Remus stunned him easily. But Greyback descended too quickly on him following that and Remus felt the wand cursed out of his hand before he could react.

Remus ducked just mere seconds before the grass he lay on exploded. He braced himself for another hit when Greyback grunted and fell to the ground stiffly in a full body bind.

To his surprise, he saw Tonks. She was standing, her hands unbounded and her wand in her hand. Tonks offered him a hand up and he took it gratefully.

"How did you-" Remus glimpsed the abandoned rope on the grass.

"Morphed my hands smaller. He should've body binded me, bloody bunch of idiots," Tonks replied, glaring at the younger man who lay stunned on the grass. Remus raised both brows as she stomped over to Greyback's stiff form. She nudged him over with the toe of her boot. Without missing a beat, she kicked him in the face, breaking his nose. Greyback's eyes filled with rage but he was well and truly under the full body bind.

Remus turned to pick up his wand, snapping the man's wand as well as Greyback's. He straightened in time to see Tonks lean over Greyback.

"Men like you, are too busy thinking with your prick to think with your head," he heard her mutter to him before she gave him another well deserved kick and this time, Remus winced inwardly, sympathizing as a fellow male.

"Thanks," Remus said as they walked back to the apparition point, leaving them stunned and their memories erased. They couldn't capture them as the order still needed these lackeys of Voldemort to hint the Order of his plans. They couldn't interrogate them either as Voldemort would only had told them of his immediate action and not the bigger plans as they weren't trusted enough. Both of which Tonks pointed out immediately and Remus wiped their memories before they left.

"No worries Remus, all in a days work," Tonks beamed and Remus was left to marvel at her drastic mood change the moment she was off duty.

"Your hand…" She followed his line of gaze to her burnt hand. It was quickly forming blisters, "I can-" He started to offer but she already had her wand ready to heal her hand.

She muttered a long string of incantations and Remus watched, gaping, as the burn subsided to nothing more than a red patch. It was more than what Remus could've done for her with his lack of talent for healing spells, "it'll irritate for a few days," she frowned and glared back at Greyback's unconscious form, seemingly considering to stomp back there to kick him again but she thought better of it. With a soft pop, she expertly apparated away.

He apparated back to Grimmauld Place. He caught up with her in the hallway and he called her before he could stop himself. She stopped, turning to him with a smile.

"I-" he hesitated, his eyes darting everywhere but her face and Remus cursed his cowardice, "Tonks, I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier..I'm a…a-" His voice trailed off and he took a deep breath but Tonks' amused smile stopped him.

"A werewolf?" She finished for him, a smile on her lips, "I already know this Remus,"

He stared.

"How could I not?" She feigned offense, looking eerily similar to Sirius, "I'm an Auror for Merlin's sake," Tonks then proceeded to laugh her infectious laugh, making Remus smile, "don't worry, I practically get paid to be in danger so it's covered and you would find an Auror's not so easily eaten," Tonks patted his arm heavily before winking at him as she turned and shuffled up the stairs, stifling a huge yawn that was cut short as she stumbled over a step.

He stared. Where did such an amazing woman come from?

Then seriously smitten...

She turned up in red stockings and a green miniskirt. Her blouse was black as was her trusty heavy boots. Her bubblegum pink hair was green with a red Santa hat. She shuffled hurriedly into the kitchen warmth, stumbling over the umbrella stand as she always did. Remus found himself watching her, amused, as she shivered, rubbing her arms warmer.

"Tonks, did you not know it snowed this time around Christmas?" Sirius sniggered as he glanced at her mini skirt, "since you can't have possibly forgotten Christmas," he teased. She looked like a Christmas elf, Remus realised with a smile. It was an odd choice of clothings but being festive and different had always been very Tonks-like.

"Shut up," she snapped, slipping into a seat beside Remus, closest to the fire, "I regret picking a miniskirt so much!" She lamented, moaning as the warmth of the fireplace warmed her up.

"You could cast a warming charm, Auror Tonks," Remus couldn't restrain himself from whispering to her teasingly.

She scowled but her eyes were sparking with humour, "bugger off Lupin,"

Remus raised a brow and she stuck her tongue out at him.

Soon, the kids filled the kitchen, shoving Christmas pastries into their mouths when Molly wasn't looking.

Remus glimpsed Tonks and Sirius lock eyes with that infamous smirk. He barely had the time to groan before they both shouted in each other's faces at the top of their lungs, "snowball fight!"

The kids' eyes lit up and Sirius dashed out the door, leading the lot of them as Molly shouted her protests from the kitchen.

"Don't worry Molly, I'll make sure they play safe!" Tonks shouted and upon glimpsing Molly frown in distrust for her; an infamous troublemaker as well, she added, "Remus will make sure too!" With that, she snatched his hand in hers, making his drop the daily prophet to the floor. He yelped, barely preventing being dragged as he steadied himself to his feet. She was stronger than she looked, Remus realized as he, a man a head taller than her, was dragged unwillingly all the way down the hall and out the house by pixie like Tonks.

The streets before Grimmauld Place was layered with snow, ideal for a snowball fight.

Remus glanced beside him to see Tonks weaving protective charm around the area despite there not being a soul in sight apart from them. Remus drew his wand and helped her with it. When he was done, he turned to her. Remus was admittedly surprise that she held still, staring at him as he weaved his wand over her. When the warming charm was placed over her, he could've sworn her cheek flushed, whether due to the warmth, he wasn't certain but it pleased him.

"Thanks," she smiled. Unwittingly, his hands flew up to pull her Santa hat more firmly down over her head. Suddenly, Remus felt a splash of cold onto his face, startled. It was followed by the barks of a huge black dog, its tongue hanging out, obviously laughing.

Remus glared at it, waving his wand and sending a huge snowball rolling after the dog who yelped and turned tail to flee. Tonks laughed boisterously beside him, warming him inside up thoroughly.

"Students versus Members of the Order!" Fred or George shouted.

Tonks smirked, "oh that is so on,"

"You mad? There's just two of us!" Remus raised an eyebrow in incredulity. The big black dog, who was Sirius Black, barked, "no you don't count," the dog whined, flattening it's ears.

Tonks' smirk hardly faltered and Remus felt his heart flutter as it was directed at him, "come on, Remus, where is your love for thrills and challenges?"

"Gone with my youth," he quipped and smiled when she laughed. They bolted from their position on the doorstep as the kids gathered their ammunition, surrounding them and peppering them with snowballs.

Snuffles dove aside, barking gleefully as he began collecting ammunition with his hind legs.

"No magic!" Ginny screeched as Sirius nearly drowned her in snow. The black dog whined noisily as it ducked more snowballs.

Remus felt his heart race as he ducked, ran and rolled snowballs and threw and ran somemore. He caught Harry in the face but not before Fred and George got him in the back of his head, soaking through his hair and clothes.

He glimpsed Tonks nail Ron and Hermione in the face and back respectively before Ginny dunked a large snowball directly over the top of her head. Remus grinned as she screamed from the cold, turning to grab Ginny. They both fell to the ground, tussling around in the snow. It wasn't long before Ginny was pinned by the Auror, "no fair, you're an Auror,"

Tonks looked smugly down at her, "you asked for it,"

Remus glimpsed Harry and Hermione clasping large sinful snowballs in each of their hands creeping up behind her but bit his tongue. They bathed Tonks in snow and she shouted, tackling the kids to the ground and taking the war to a physical level.

"You are a traitor, Remus Lupin!" He heard her shout as she was pinned by the kids in the cold snow although he could plainly see the sparkle of joy in her eyes and the wide smile on her lips. He made his way through the snow, over to them.

"Alright kids, break it up, we wouldn't want our resident Auror to catch a cold," Remus said and they grinned, tossing snowballs his way. He yelped, getting caught full in the face.

Amidst the laughter and shouts, he heard one. And as he wiped the snow off his face, he saw her tussling with Snuffles. The war seemed to have broken up. The kids were now against each other, leaving Tonks to take on Sirius and Remus to sit on the steps on Grimmauld Place, contented to watch.

Snuffles barked and dashed off to tackle Harry into the snow.

Tonks approached him, collapsing beside him on the steps, breathing heavily, "it's been a while for him, hasn't it?" He followed her gaze to Sirius, in his animagus form.

"It has," he nodded solemnly.

"Remus," she spoke, marvel in her voice and he turned to her, "it's snowing," she looked up, child like wonder in her beautiful eyes. She stood from the step, holding out her hands, trying to catch a snowflake. Laughing as she did, she twirled and twirled around in the snow till she was giddy and out of breath. He watched her sway dangerous. Remus lunged forward to catch her but she fell onto the snow on her bum before he could, still laughing.

He left the step, crouching before her. Watching her laugh like that, he couldn't help but chuckle as he asked her, "are you alright?" Remus placed his hands on either side of her neck, tilting her face up to meet his eyes gently. He chuckled as a snowflake landed on her nose and melted. He locked eyes with her to see her laughter dying away but her lips turned up into a smile, her eyes sparkling and exploding with life, "you're beautiful," he blurted.

His heart stopped as her smile widened, her eyes flickering with a trace of something Remus daren't believe she would feel for him; that any woman would feel for him. But it was bared in her eyes for him to see and he couldn't look away.

"Remus-" Her voice was barely above a whisper as her cold hand cupped his cheek gently. He took her hands between his warmer ones. As he learnt forward to kiss the back of her hand, he found her couldn't look away from her. Remus Lupin was seriously smitten with Nymphadora Tonks.

He had never fallen in love before...

Finis

A/N: Hope you like it! Please do leave me a review about it!