Nymphadora Tonks sat on the stairs in Grimauld place, cursing the day her crazed mother decided to call her Nymphadora. Not for the first time, she wished she could have a different name, maybe slightly more normal. What kind of a name was Nymphadora anyway?
Her boyfriend (well, he was until an hour ago) had dumped her because "your names just really weird." of course, she had reason to suspect he was really shagging his best friends girl, but still, it had gotten her thinking. Again. Right now, she was sure that if there was a god, he wanted her to suffer. Well, she hoped he as happy.
She was wallowing so deep in self-pity that she didn't hear the footsteps coming down the stairs behind her. She didn't notice anyone was there until they sat down next to her.
"What's wrong?" Remus asked. He had always been good at noticing when she was upset. She thought he paid a bit too much attention to her, but still…
"Huh? Oh, nothing, just the usual. My boyfriend dumped me. Stupid bastard was shagging his friends girl." She replied dully.
"That doesn't sound like nothing." Remus noted.
"I know. Its not. Not really." she turned to face him. "You know what really pissed me off, though? I mean, the cheating I can live with. I just wish he'd told me to my face. But no, he's all "your names too weird for me!" that has to be the worlds most pathetic excuse…" she took a deep breath.
"You know, I think your names really beautiful." Said Remus softly.
"Really?" Tonks asked dubiously. Remus nodded.
"Yes. Its Greek, did you know?" she shook her head.
"It means gift of the faeries. Well, nymphs really, but it amounts to the same thing."
Tonks raised an eyebrow. Did you google my name?" she asked, grinning.
"What's google?" Remus asked, confused.
"Oh, it's a search engine… never mind. But how do you know all that stuff?"
Remus went slightly red. "Err… well… like I said, I liked your name, and I wanted to know what it meant… so I went to a library and looked it up…"Remus muttered uncomfortably.
Tonks sniggered. "That's really stalkerish, you know."
"Oh… sorry." Remus stuttered.
"Its ok. I don't mind." She smiled at him. "Did you learn anything else? I'm curious now."
"Well, in Greek mythology, a nymph is a beautiful woman, surrounded by lesser beings." He grinned wolfishly. "it can also be an insect undergoing incomplete metamorphosis. Which is funny really, considering you're a metamorphmagus. Remus mused.
"Terribly funny, being named after a mutant bug." Tonks said sarcastically. Remus raised an eyebrow.
"You're being stupid, you know."
"You think? I still say it's a horrible name." Tonks said stubbornly.
"Its not. Its beautiful. Like you." Remus said quietly.
"What?"
"What?"
"Did you, or did you not just call me beautiful?" Tonks asked, smirking.
"Ah… I believe I did."
"Well, you're very handsome yourself, you know." Tonks said.
"Oh… right. Well, your last name dates back to the Norman conquests in 1066 AD. The Tonks have been lords of the manor in Nottingham, and it's a pet form of Thomas…" Remus mumbled.
"Remus." Tonks interrupted. He stopped and looked at her, mouth still open from speed talking. Tonks leant forward and kissed him.
From the landing above, Sirius watched the couple, laughing silently to himself. Only Remus could get a snog while talking about name history. Yet, he was pretty sure Tonks didn't hate her name so much now.