"I'm so sorry Dora." Remus said, hesitantly placing a hand on her shoulder. He felt so helpless, but there was really nothing he could do. She would have to come to terms with this in her own time.
Tonks sniffled and nodded, "I know."
"We'll get you a new cat." He said trying to make her feel better.
This was not the right thing to say.
"I can't just replace Fluffy, Remus." She turned to him, her voice hard.
Remus kicked himself mentally. "I'm sorry," He apologised, "I shouldn't have even suggested that." What was he thinking?!
"S'okay," She said, her voice turning weak and miserable again.
"Dora," He sighed, "Fluffy was old, and he wasn't in the best shape of his life. He's probably happier now." He walked over to her placing his hands on her shoulders from behind.
"Fluffy was fine, and he was happy!" Tonks persisted.
"Dora, he was morbidly obese. He could bearly walk! He just sat around all day in his little bed thing waiting until you put his food out!" He told her, letting some his contempt for the lazy ball of fur show in his voice.
She spun around again, "You never liked Fluffy!" She accused, her eyes narrowing.
"Fluffy never liked me!" He defended raising his hands palm out-turned.
"You stepped on his tail the first time you ever met him! You didn't expect him to go jumping willingly into your waiting arms did you!?" She sniffled again. "First impressions were everything to Fluffy."
Remus rolled his eyes. "Dora he was a cat. And I doubt he could actually jump high enough to reach my knee, let alone 'my waiting arms', he'd have probably died then and there from over exertion!"
"Is that any reason not to respect him? 'He was morbidly obese Dora!'," She imitated his voice. "Don't insult the dead, Remus!" She huffed.
Remus took a deep breath. This was a delicate situation and he was handeling it all wrong. "I'm sorry."
"Maybe you should apologise to fluffy!" She folded her arms across her cheast and turned her back to him, "And while your at it maybe you should say your sorry for stepping on his tail!"
Remus gaped at her back. Was she serious? Did she actually want him to apologise to a dead cat? He closed his mouth and shook him head in disbelief at what he was about to do. Only for her. "I'm sorry Fluffy." He called out. "I'm sorry for calling you morbidly obese, and I'm sorry for stepping on your tail, I didn't see you collap-lying, lying there in front of the door. My apologies."
She once again turned to face him. "Thank you." She said, her voice cracking. She walked over to him, resting her head on his cheast and throwing her arms around him.
He hugged her back and placed a quick kiss on top of her head before leaning his own on her brown spikes.
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It had been two weeks since that damn cat had died and she was still moping. Okay maybe moping might be too strong a word, but he couldn't quite find one that fit well. He'd watch her, if they were sitting on the sofa watching the televisiom, or whatever that thing was called, her eyes would flicker longingly every so often to the place where he used to lay. Or if they were reading, she'd pull a cousin onto her lap, she no doubt missed his considerable weight sitting there.
Remus shook his head to clear his thoughts, he had to do something. Getting up from the table he walked over to where his cloak was hanging and cheaked his watch, Dora would be home from work in an hour.
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Walking through the door he noticed her cloak hanging on the hook beside where his was supposed to hang. She was in. Now to find her. "Dora?" He called.
"In the kitchen." She called back.
He made his way to the kitchen quickly. She was sitting at the table eating out of a tub of Ben and Jerry's Ice-Cream, dressed in a pair of his boxers and one of his old t-shirts. He smiled, walking over to the other side of the table and sat down, watching her, lost in thought. He loved it when she wore his clothes.
She shifted uneasely under his unbreaking gaze. "What?" She asked after a few moments.
Remus grinned. "I bought you a present." He said.
Tonks smiled, "What's the occasion?"
"I love you." He simply stated.
"Aw, and I didn't get you anything. When did we start buying presents for that?"
Remus chuckled shaking his head. "Do you want your presant?"
"Yes." She grinned.
Tonks watched as Remus reached into his pocket and gently pulled out something fluffy and orange. He sat it on the table right in front of her and it let out the most adorable sound she ever heard. Her eyes flickered up to Remus, "You bought me a kitten?" She asked reaching down and stroking its tiny back with the tips of her fingers.
"Yes, and its not a replacement for Fluffy, so don't think thats why I did this. I was actually going to buy you a hamster but this little guy was the smallest of all the cats they were selling and he was getting pushed areund a bit, and I figured you could give him a better home than that." Remus explained.
"Aw, thank you Remus, I love him!" Tonks said picking the tiny cat up with one hand and rushing around to Remus. She sat on his lap and threw her free arm around him in a one-armed hug.
"Just don't over feed this one." Remus chuckled.
Tonks punched him playfully. "What should we call him?" She asked.
"Hmm? I don't know. He's your cat Tonks, what do you want to call him."
"He's our cat." She told him. "How about Weasley?" She giggled.
Remus chuckled. "I'm sure they'd thank you for that!"
Tonks thought for a few moments, "I know! What about Smudge?"
"I like it." He said, then frowned. "Why Smudge?"
"'Cause his coat kinda blends together, like a smudge!" She exclaimed happily.
Remus smiled, "Smudge it is."
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What do you think?
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-Katie