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Tonks is far too tired to use magic to make herself a cup of hot chocolate. It's three am, and a grueling night of Order duties topped off by a grueling day of Auror duties leaves her drained and exhausted. She should be asleep right now, but instead she's wide awake, too exhausted to do much of anything but awake enough to crave hot chocolate.
The kitchen of Grimmauld Place is well away from where anyone sleeps, so she fills the kettle with water, and turns on the muggle stereo Mundungus brought in a week ago. One of the late night stations is playing slow songs, so she leaves the volume low and shuffles around, getting a mug out as well as mix for the hot chocolate.
The song on the radio ends, and after a brief statement by the DJ Tonks doesn't quite tune into, a song she knows starts playing. She sways in front of the stove, softly singing the lyrics to herself.
Tonks senses someone at the doorway. She turns, expecting to find Sirius or Harry, her regular late night hot chocolate companions, and finds Remus leaning against the door jam with his hands stuffed into the pockets of his pajama pants. He smiles softly over at her, and she finds herself grinning back. He can always do that, pull a smile out of her even if she's bone tired and miserable. She wishes abruptly that she'd put on a robe before coming down, she's wearing her typical sleeping outfit, an old, overlarge shirt and a pair of boxers, and her socks don't match. Oh well. It's too late at night to be worried about it.
And it isn't like Remus is dressed up either, he's wearing a faded t shirt and a pair of loose pajama pants.
“What are you doing up?” She asks him softly.
He ruffles a hand through his hair before crossing the room to lean against the counter nearest to her. “I couldn't sleep.” He says. “I got tired of staring at my ceiling and decided to come make some hot chocolate.”
Tonks smiled, and reaches for another mug, setting it next to hers with a gentle clink.
“I beat you to it. That's what I'm doing.”
“You always are one step ahead of me.” He answers with a sideways smile.
She giggles, and the song changes. He watches the flash of recognition cross her features, and her eyes light up. A smile spreads across her lips, and she dances a bit in place.
“I take it you know this song?” Remus asks with a wry smile.
“It's called Champagne Supernova, by a muggle band called Oasis.” She answers him. “I love it.”
And the chorus hits, and Remus understands why she likes it so much. He finds himself swaying in tune to it.
They must look ridiculous, Tonks thinks to herself. Two people standing a bit too close together to be slow dancing separately in a kitchen at 3 am, so she takes a step closer to him.
“Remus?” She asks.
Remus stills.
“Yes?”
“Will you dance with me?” Tonks asks softly.
Remus knows the answer should be no. He should politely decline, and head back up to his room. But she's right here. She's so close, and he can't tell her no. Not now. He nods, and she takes a tentative step towards him. Remus takes her hand, and twines their fingers together. Her eyes meet his, and he notices her face is red. He presses his lips to her knuckles, just to see her blush again. Tonks moves closer to him again, and he rests his free hand gently on her hip. She reaches up, and brushes an overlong lock of his hair behind Remus’s ear as an excuse to rest her hand on his shoulder.
Tonks breaths out a sigh against his chest, her head resting near his collar bone, and Remus sways gently, the two of them rotating slowly, twirling in a lazy circle around the kitchen.
Remus’s head dips automatically, and he presses his lips against the part of her hair and lingers there, the two of them swaying and twirling, the gentle notes of muggle music drifting through the night.
Remus closes his eyes. This is what heaven is, he decides, and his arm slips around her waist, bringing her closer. When he opens his eyes again, he meets Tonk’s gaze. Her wonderful hazel eyes meet his steadily. He could kiss her, he thinks. The thought makes his breath catch in his throat.
“Remus.” She says. Her voice barely a whisper.
Tonks stands on her tiptoes, and Remus, for once, doesn't question what he's about to do. His lips meet hers, and for the second time in one night, Remus Lupin redefines heaven. Tonks’ hand slips into his hair, and she pulls him closer, relishing the feeling of his arm tightening around her.
A screech jars them apart, the kettle on the stove finally reaching its boiling point. Tonks rushes to silence it, and pours them both a mug full of hot chocolate, their quiet moment gone.