Intimate Confessions

Gijane

Rated: R/M (Whatever! Just to be on the safe side)

Disclaimer: I wish I owned just a single percentage of the Harry Potter world. I'd be so happy. However, I don't, I'm just borrowing them. Ms Rowling and her associates own everyone.

Summary: A Lupin/Tonks fic. (My new favourite 'ship!) This is a back-story to what happened between Remus and Dora. We know something did! It's broken up into three parts: Part One: 'The Order of the Phoenix'; Part Two: 'The Half-Blood Prince'; Part Three: 'The Discussion' (I think the titles are self-explanatory). The plotline continues into my Year 7 epic fic that I've started.

Chapter Note: Even I was gagging from the sappiness while writing. However, it had to be said.

Thanks to beckettslady, greta2242, tmirane, and siriusgirl for reading and making comments and/or suggestions.

Special thanks to DarkerRage, my beta, for putting up with all my Americanisms. I still say the words look funny spelt 'wrong'!

Part One: 'The Order of the Phoenix'

Chapter One- Telling Nymphadora

Nymphadora Tonks felt a steady stare trained on her as she gradually regained consciousness. Slowly, she opened her eyes. Turning her head towards the window, she met the amber eyes of Remus Lupin.

"Wotcher, Remus." She smiled at him.

"Wotcher yourself Nymphadora." He replied with a faint smile in return knowing he was on the very short list of people that could call her by her given name, without her correcting them.

Tonks looked around, taking in her surroundings like any good Auror would. Frowning slightly, she asked, knowing the answer but wanting to hear it from him, "Where are we?"

"St Mungos, spell damage recovery ward." His faint smile grew broader as she made a face.

"What happened? My memory's kind of fuzzy."

Lupin leaned in and took both of her hands in his. Tonks, while startled at his sudden affection, did not say anything and set herself to enjoy it, until she saw the look on his face. His smile had faded and he was looking rather grim.

"Remus," she questioned. "Are Harry and the kids okay?"

"Harry and the other students are fine. So is everyone else. Dumbledore Portkey'd them back to Hogwarts. They all had minor injuries, but nothing that Madam Pomfrey couldn't heal."

"And how long ago was this?"

She hissed as Lupin replied, "Six days ago."

"I've been out for six days!"

"Yes." He answered simply.

"What's going on? What about work?" Tonks started asking questions, but Lupin put his hand up to silence her.

"You're on leave for at least another week. The Minister released a statement the night of the Battle informing the wizarding world of Voldemort's return.

"About bloody time!" She interjected, causing a smile to cross Lupin's face. "Sorry, please continue."

He placed a small kiss on the back of her hands, then said, "Fudge met with Dumbledore and finally listened to him. The Daily Prophet is finally printing the truth. Harry is once again 'The Boy That Lived' and the Headmaster has been reinstated to all he was removed from."

"And where is my damned cousin? Out flirting with the Welcome Witch? If the world knows the truth, then Sirius' name has been cleared and he's got 14 years to catch up- "She trailed off at the pained expression on Lupin's face. "What happened?" she whispered. "Tell me the truth."

"Sirius," Lupin cleared his throat. "Sirius and Harry both ducked a curse that wound up hitting you, knocking you out."

"That explains the aching chest." She said, unconsciously rubbing her chest.

"Sirius took off after Bellatrix, shouting at Harry to run for cover. He went to finish your duel with her." He paused, drew a breath, and then continued. "They wound up on the dais. Dumbledore came in and the other Death Eaters scattered, but Sirius and Bellatrix were locked in a fierce duel. You know how much he hated her, and she returned his feelings." Lupin paused again. "So, they were duelling. Sirius ducked the first curse she had thrown at him, but while he was taunting her to do better, he took the second right in the chest. He went through the veil."

"What!" Tonks let out a choked sob. "Oh, Remus." She broke down.

Lupin held her until her initial shock wore off. Sniffling while and trying to regain control of her emotions, she had a sudden thought and a look of pain crossed her face.

"Remus, I only really knew him for a year, regardless of the fact that he was my cousin. We had some great times together at Grimmauld Place, but you two had been friends for nearly-"

"25 years." Lupin finished sadly for her. "Twelve of which we lost due to him being unjustly imprisoned in Azkaban."

"How are you?" She asked hugging him fiercely.

She noted he did not let go as he answered, "As well as I can be."

"Where are you staying? Not at Grimmauld Place, all alone with Kreacher the Creepy are you?" She pulled away from him to look at him with a look of true horror on her pale, heart shaped face. Lupin smiled fondly at the nickname that the three of them had drunkenly created for Sirius' house elf one wild night.

"No, I'm back at my family home. Dumbledore had us temporarily evacuateGrimmauld Place until Sirius' will is found and verified. We know he left everything to Harry. The Order left in case there is some family loophole about a non-Black, Harry being a Potter, inheriting. In that case, 12 Grimmauld Place would belong to Bellatrix, the oldest living Black family member. Well, the oldest one recognized by the family."

"No!" Tonks gasped. "She killed him!"

"Exactly. But we'll have to just wait and see what happens with the will." Lupin rubbed his eyes wearily. The hard part, telling Nymphadora, was over.

"What have you been doing since then?"

"I've been here, waiting for you to wake up." He answered softly.

Tonks turned her dark eyes to meet his amber ones. Their gazes locked. She and Lupin had been dancing around their mutual attraction to one another for the past year, much to Sirius' amusement. They both had very strong feelings for each other, having slowly fallen in love as they got to know each other better, spending much of their time together keeping her cousin company at Headquarters as night. Sirius supervised them and gave his approval to their match as both their friend and head of her family ("You two would be great for one another. The werewolf and the Metamorphmagus. What a pair! I love it!" He would say.) However, Remus kept giving him excuses ("I'm too old for her, too poor, too dangerous!") They were noble excuses, but still excuses, and Sirius had not bought them. Especially since both Tonks, and eventually Lupin, had separately admitting their feelings towards one another to him.

Tonks smiled, as the memory of her cousin telling her that time would win Lupin out in the end drifted through her mind. "You waited six days for me to wake?"

"I knew I had to be the one to tell you." He replied quietly.

Tonks was suddenly restless. "I have to get out of here!" She shot Lupin a pleading look.

He understood at once. "Are you sure you can leave? Feeling all right?" At her nod, he continued. "I'll go and find a Healer and we'll get you discharged." Standing up, he finally let go of her hands. Kissing her cheek, he quickly left her private room in search of a Healer.

"Well colour me purple! Sirius Black, where ever you are, this is your doing, isn't it?" She asked aloud. She swore she saw the daisies in a vase on her bedside nightstand blow in a sudden breeze.

The door to her room reopened and Lupin, along with a young Healer, entered. "I hear you wished to be discharged, Miss Tonks."

"Yes, please. I feel fine. I want to go home."

"Yes, well, let me just quickly examine you and then we'll see. Mr Lupin, if you don't mind?" The Healer waved his hand towards the door.

"Ah, yes, of course." Lupin stood and made towards the door.

"I want him to stay!" Tonks said suddenly. Both the Healer and Lupin looked at her, surprised.

"Miss Tonks, that is highly…"

"I don't care! He can wait behind the privacy screen. I don't want to be alone right now. Remus, go sit." She pointed at the screen and smiled as he obeyed.

The Healer looked scandalized, but allowed Lupin to stay. After quickly examining her, he signed her discharge papers and scurried out of the room.

"Good riddance." Tonks muttered. Lupin let out a laugh. "Come out from behind there and help me up you!"

Coming out from behind the screen, he grabbed her hands and pulled her up. Tonks, being Tonks, tripped over her own foot and toppled over into his arms. She went scarlet (as she always did when he caught her). Lupin grinned.

"Here we go again. I'm glad you big strong arms were here to catch me, again." She added.

"I'll always be around to catch you, Nymphadora."

Her eyes widened, but she still whispered, "Promise?"

"I promise." He kissed her forehead, then handed her rucksack. "Go and change, behind the privacy curtain. Alone." He added at the naughty look that crossed her face.

She took the bag from him, and muttering, "Spoilsport," she went behind the screen and quickly changed into her jeans and t-shirt.

"What colour hair?" She called. It was still currently black, streaked with neon blue highlights, as it had been the night of the Battle.

"I'm fond of the bubblegum pink." He replied.

Tonks smiled behind the curtain and quickly morphed her hair pink. She frowned at the slight twinge that lingered. "Okay, here I come." She called and stepped out from behind the screen. She noted that Remus had folded up her various clothing and her blanket. She handed him the rucksack and he placed everything inside.

Tonks went over to the vase of daisies on the bedside nightstand. She took them out and placed one behind her ear. "Daisies are my favourite." She murmured.

"I remembered. Only you would love a weed."

"Ha-ha, Lupin." She stuck her tongue out at him.

Both of them grinning, they exited her private room. Tonks was surprised that Lupin steered her towards the fireplace instead of the Apparition Point.

"We'll Floo. I don't want you Apparating quite yet."

"Why, Remus, I didn't know you cared."

"I do." He said quietly.

She met his gaze and held it. "Then where are we going? I really meant it when I told the Healer I don't want to be alone right now. However, I don't want to face Mum, and Dad, quite yet. She'll be a mess over Sirius. Someone told her, didn't they?" She asked.

At Lupin's affirmative nod, Tonks took a handful of Floo Powder and tossed it onto the flames, causing them to flare up and burn green. "Take me home, Remus." She told him.

He nodded again, and then quickly conferred with a Healer and the Welcome Witch. "They'll owl your parents to let them know you've been discharged and that you're going home with me."

Tonks nodded. "I'll owl them later as well."

Taking his hand, they stepped into the flames together. Holding her close, he said, "Lupin Manor!"

TBC