author_by_night | Drabble (Reply)

I wrote a Remus/Tonks one shot a few days ago, and decided to post it. Read if you want! :) But first, read the background information.

(Don't get scared off by the title)

Background info: In my fic universe, Artemis is Remus's little sister; she and Tonks met through Sirius (he volunteered Artemis to babysit for her), and they are now best friends.

The reason I haven't explained the setting is because it is sort of a cross between a drabble and a one shot; I might expand more later.

Tonks took a deep breath as she faced Artemis.

“Artemis… I can’t date Remus,” she said.

She had expected Artemis to look angry, or, at the very least, frown; however, Artemis sat down calmly, though there had been a fleeting look of confusion in her eyes.

“What are you talking about?” Artemis asked.

Tonks sighed. “I’m too scared.”

“Scared?” Artemis blinked. “Why are you scared?”

“Artemis, look at us,” Tonks said. “He’s not in the Order, but relatively close to Harry, and you know what the Death Eaters’ll think of that – and I bet they know, too. And there’s me… I’m in the Order, I’m an Auror, and half the Death Eaters have a personal grudge against me. What if.... what if something happens?”

“Dora, trying not to let yourself love Remus isn’t going to keep anything from happening,” Artemis said slowly.

“No, but… what if something happens to one of us? The other will be all alone,” Tonks said. “It terrifies me. Losing someone I love… I don’t think I could deal with it. And Remus – Artemis, he’s already lost James, Sirius, and Peter. What would he do if he lost me?”

“You both aren’t the only ones you love,” Artemis said. “Anyone could be next.”

“Yes, but… I don’t really have a choice about the others,” Tonks said. “And besides… I don’t think anyone’s more vulnerable than we are.”

“Everyone’s vulnerable,” Artemis said. “Everyone. If you’re going to push people away due to vulnerability levels, you might as well never leave your room again.”

“I know,” Tonks said, “but still… one less person to lose…”

Artemis hesitated. “Do you want me to tell you a story?”

Tonks had no clue what this had to do with anything. “Um… I guess.”

“Well… Grandma Atsidakos – Mum’s Mum – was in love with someone before Grandpa Atsidakos,” Artemis began. “Very much in love. A man named Darius Smith.”

“Oh…” Tonks said.

“However, they never got together, because he was going to be leaving for the war,” Artemis continued. “So they remained friends.”

“Oh…” Tonks said again. She had a feeling the story was not about to take a good turn.

“Well, one day… there was an air raid,” Artemis said. “Do you know what an air raid is?”

Tonks nodded. “Bombs… oh, Artemis, don’t tell me…”

“They bombed Coventry,” Artemis said. “And people tried to escape, but… Darius didn’t.”

Tonks gasped. “You mean…”

Artemis nodded. “Grandma Atsidakos always wished she’d told him she loved him, and that they’d at least had one romantic, special day together before he died. However, it never happened, and she has to live her life wondering ‘what if.’”

Tonks shuddered. “That’s… that’s horrible.”

“It is,” Artemis said. “And that’s why I wasted no time in getting together with Bill, once I realized I did love him. And that’s why… Tonks, if you and Remus don’t ever love one another, and something happens – Heaven forbid – whoever is left will only feel worse. Grandma Atsidakos told me she still sometimes wakes up crying, and this is over half a century later. He was her world, no matter what she told herself. I know you and Remus love one another – need one another – just as much as Darius and my Grandmother.”

Tonks thought of how she’d feel if she lost Remus, and never told him her feelings. She thought of the fear she’d had, even at the Department of Mysteries, when she realized they were (seemingly) outnumbered, how she’d seen Bellatrix heading towards Remus, looking vicious. And she remembered how when Sirius had died, she’d comforted herself with the knowledge that at least she’d gotten him again, if only for a while.

And she knew Remus felt the same way.

It really was better to have loved and lost.

“I love him so much, Artemis,” Tonks said, a tear rolling down her cheek. “And I know he loves me. That’s why it scares me.”

Artemis put her arm around Tonks. “It scares me, too. I don’t want to loose any of you.”

“Me either,” Tonks said, her voice breaking. “I don’t know what I’d do if… if I lost one of you again… especially you, Remus and my parents…”

She started crying, and Artemis pulled her into a hug.

“It’s going to be okay,” she said. “We’ll be okay, in the end. No matter how many of us come out.”

Tonks nodded. “I hope so, Artemis. I sure as hell hope so.”

“Everything all right?”

Tonks looked up; it was Remus.

“Go on,” Artemis said, letting go. “Now’s the time.”

Tonks walked up to Remus, still crying.