LAST CHAPTER!

An extraordinary assortment of people had already settled into half of the chairs: shabby and smart, old and young. Most Harry did not recognize, but there were a few that he did, including members of the Order of the Phoenix: Kingsley Shacklebolt, Mad-Eye Moody, Tonks, her hair miraculously returned to a vivid pink, and Remus Lupin, with whom she seemed to be holding hands

*Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Chapter 30

After the Battle

Lupin stood in the hospital wing, standing over the bed which lay Fenrir Greybacks latest victim. Fleur was caressing Bills face, tears in her eyes over her lovers wounds. Next to him stood a disheveled Tonks and under any other circumstance Remus would have been ecstatic to be in her presence, but Harrys words were still sending a numb coldness through his body.

Dumbledore was dead.

He had been asked a few days prior the battle by Dumbledore himself to take a watch at Hogwarts. Along with several other order members, Remus gladly accepted the temporary reassignment knowing Tonks would be there as well. It was only suppose to be for the one day. Dumbledore had said he needed to go somewhere urgently in two days time, but was nervous to leave the school unprotected with recent occurrences. Remus should have questioned him more thoroughly, but his trust in the older wizard was complete and unscathed. Looking back, Remus wondered whether Dumbledore had already known his fate somehow.

A few silent tears fell down his face as he continued to stare at Bills mangled body. They had lost so much within the last hour it was unbearable to think of. During the fight, Remus had felt alive for the first time in months. He was suspiciously aware of the fact that it had mostly to do with Tonks fighting along side him, several of her quick maneuvers saving his skin. It had not been the way he pictured seeing her again after such a long separation, but it was enough to send sparks to his heart and set a new determination to beat back the Death Eaters that had sprinted down the stairs of the Astronomy Tower.

Any of those initially feelings had now fallen away and Remus was once again met with an overwhelming feeling of loss and remorse. He had seen Snape, coming down the stairs with the Malfoy boy in tow and yet hadn't done a thing to stop him. At the time he didn't know of Snapes betrayal on top of those stairs and now as Remus stood there he could think of nothing but strangling the man.

How could Snape have done such a thing to the very man who took him in all those years back?

It was disgusting. Remus could not tell if he was more disappointed in himself for trusting in Severus Snape and not listening to the warnings of Sirius and Harry or Snape himself.

His hatred was temporarily pushed to the side as Fleur and Mrs. Weasley began hugging and reconciling over Bills bed. He couldn't help but feel that it was endearing to witness Molly casting aside her stubbornness to accept her sons future wife, no matter if the current circumstances were dire.

"You see!" a strained voice interrupted his thoughts. Lupin turned to see that Tonks was glaring at him with glistening eyes. "She still wants to marry him, even though he's been bitten! She doesn't care!

Lupin stared back in slight shock that Tonks had just announced to the entire room of their strained relationship. He had just cried in front of everyone with the news of Dumbledore and he did not want to discuss another private matter that was sure to show another slew of strong emotions in him. This would be the first time Remus had talked to her since the Three Broomsticks. They hadn't had more then a meeting of eyes during the battle.

"It's different," he said tensely, barely moving his lips and trying hard to end this conversation as quickly as possible. He wasn't sure he'd be able to hold on to himself. "Bill will not be a full werewolf. The cases are completely -"

"But I don't care either, I don't care!" Tonks cried back, seizing the front of his robes and shaking them. "I've told you a million times. . . ."

He couldn't meet her eyes, knowing he'd give in instantly to her pleas this time. Everyone in the room had grown quiet, watching the scene playing before them.

"And I've told you a million times," he said, hating his own words already and staring at the floor. "that I am too old for you, too poor . . . too dangerous. . . ."

"I've said all along you're taking a ridiculous line on this, Remus," Mrs. Weasley interrupted over Fleur's shoulder as she patted her on the back.

"I am not being ridiculous," he replied, trying to steady himself. He could feel his walls breaking from every word thrown at him. He didn't want to decide here, he needed time. Right now, he wasn't thinking straight. How could he? "Tonks deserves somebody young and whole."

"But she wants you," Mr. Weasley added with a small smile. "And after all, Remus, young and whole men do not necessarily remain so."

He gestured sadly at his son, lying between them.

"This is... not the moment to discuss it," he tried, begging in his voice for them to stop. They had just lost a battle, the strongest wizard on their side was dead, and Snape had been proven a traitor. Now was not the time to discuss his love life. "Dumbledore is dead. ..."

"Dumbledore would have been happier than anybody to think that there was a little more love in the world," Professor McGonagall said curtly. The shock of his old Professor adding her two cents on the matter was pushed aside as Hagrid waltz through the doors.

Lupin took his opportunity to slip out of the room in order to catch his breath. He simply could not handle all that was happening around him. He was caught between filtering the shock and remorse of Dumbledores death and also the strong need to crawl into Tonks comforting arms and promise her to never leave again. He found himself shaking and through a hand to his chest, as if trying to literally get a grip on his heart. He breathed in deeply and eyed the area around him. How many times did James, Sirius, and him walk down this hall? Laughing and wrestling …

The memory suddenly had him breathing once again and he looked towards the doors at the end of the hallway. Without thinking about what he was doing, he slowly began making his way down the corridor and out the entrance. The night was much too clear and calming for such horrible events to have occurred. His foot steps felt heavy as he made his way to the familiar tree he and his two other best friends hung around during their time at Hogwarts. It was strange to Lupin how the tree remained completely unchanged based on his memory of it, yet everything else in his life had turned upside down. He leaned against its bark and tried taking calming breaths.

A hopelessness sprung within him. How could they ever win this war now? It seemed impossible. Everything that he had lost would be have been in vain, everything he sacrificed…

A small hand brushed against his and Remus turned in surprise to see a small pale face staring up at him. He had a strong urge to move his hand away from hers but couldn't bring himself to actually do it. Her touch was the only warmth he could feel at the moment and he'd die before he'd let that vanish.

"We'd come here," Remus heard himself say. "James, Sirius, and I…to study or …cause trouble." His voice sounded small and weak, rasping from the lump caught in his throat.

Tonks only nodded, gripping his hand tighter.

"We're going to loose this war Tonks." He blurted out, turning towards her suddenly. "We're going to loose this war just like I lost everything else."

Tonks arms quickly wrapped around him, holding him closely.

"No we're not," She promised him.

"Dumblesdore dead…" He said again and he wondered if those words would ever sound less horrible to him. His face was buried into her neck, smelling her scent and trying to gain some form of comfort from it.

"There's still Harry." She whispered back to him, letting him lean further into her. Remus found himself shaking his head.

"He's just a boy."

"He's done it before hasn't he?" She asked, bringing a hand up to stroke through his mangled hair. Remus couldn't help but sigh in relief. Every small touch seemed to bring him more to life, the warmth building. Before he knew what was happening Tonks had Apparated them to her apartment and was guiding him gently to a bed. She sat him down at the end of it and then scurried off to an adjacent bathroom. When she returned she had a wet cloth, charmed with a warming spell and placed it gingerly against his forehead. Her hand absently stroked through his hair as his eyes stared at the floor beneath him.

He had never been to her apartment before. It smelled like her; a citrus like scent. He found himself tilting his head back and breathing it in. He had missed that smell.

"You can stay here the night," Tonks said eyeing him. He turned his head to look at her. She was thinner then he remembered, her skin paler and ghostly. Her hair sat limp on her head, void of all color and yet Remus couldn't believe how amazingly beautiful she still was. He gazed back, wondering how he could have forgotten.

"I'll be in the next room, so don't worry." She continued, removing the cloth and standing up. She placed the small towel on the nightstand next to the bed and gave him a sad look. "I missed you." She mumbled quietly. Remus could only look up at her in response.

In his opinion, they had just lost this war and everyone on their side was most likely going to end up suffering because of it. His entire outlook had turned pitch black tonight and now here was Tonks offering a twinkle of light for him to grasp onto. He was certain that her face, and spirit, and beauty were the only good things left in his life anymore. If he could just stay like this and stare at her for the rest of his days he was sure that he could find happiness again.

She fidgeted under his glare, nervous that he hadn't responded.

"I'll go," She gestured, starting to remove herself from the room.

"Tonks," Remus said, finally finding his voice. She turned around as he slowly stood up and made his way over to her. "Don't leave, please." He let his hands fall gently on her shoulders, a finger caressing a small patch of bare skin exposed by her neck. "I can't bare it anymore."

"Remus," She breathed, her eyes sparkling suddenly. "Don't joke with me…"

Remus almost smiled at the notion of him being able to crack a joke right now.

"I'm so tired," He said as he leaned his head down towards her. Their lips met and Remus felt the warmth that had been building within him ever since he'd been in her presence take over. Her response was immediate, the familiar sighs and motions bringing Remus back to a place where everything wasn't full of fear and horror. He could have cried with all of the pleasant emotions she was now causing in him. It'd been so long since he'd felt any of them.

Little time was spent before they ended up lying down on the bed behind them, articles of clothing slowly and gently being removed. There was a moment when Remus hesitated as Tonks proceed to lift his jumper off of him, afraid the scars that covered him would cause her to stop. But the action was over and done with before he could even try and argue it. Tonks barely took any notice as she continued to affectionately kiss him and the disregard made Remus love her even more, if that was possible.

Time passed as their breathing quickened and their motions became more synchronized. And finally, when Tonks panting suddenly hitched underneath him and her body arched into his, Remus saw a flash of colors burst from her hair until finally settling on a vivid pink.

Hours later, still holding onto her sleeping form, Remus stared up at the ceiling and reflected on the past two years of his life. He knew now that he had made a silly choice in trying to cast Tonks from his life. He had been willing to sacrifice friendships, jobs, and even his own well being, but he would never have been able to give up his love for her. It had been foolish to think he could.

He turned his head slowly, making sure not to wake her, and brushed a small strand of her pink hair aside. He couldn't help but smile slightly. It was a small pathetic little thing, but a smile nonetheless and Remus realized something staring at her.

He was finally happy again.

The End.

A/N:

I finished! Aren't you proud of me? I thought some you didn't think I could do it...but I did! I immensely thank those of you who have dealt with my procrastination...especially the ever ambiguous "Guest" and flattering "Margot". You both have commented pretty much every chapter, and neither of you even have accounts!

Now that this is over I ask two favors. One, please review! I would love to hear from people who added my story into their favorites and yet wrote nothing about why they like/hated it. Please let me know what you think! Its the biggest compliment you can give me and its also just plain nice.

Second, I have another fanfic starting and although I'm sure most of the readers that were following this story are pure Tonks/Lupin shippers... maybe you'd surprise yourself reading a Lupin/Sirius one. There is also a lot of Lily/James mixed in it as well. If its not yours thing, cool and if it is, well awesome! Check it out!

Thanks again everyone!