Tonks sat down next to Remus. Remus didn't acknowledge this fact, only kept quiet and kept looking through the photo album, occasinally pausing to look cloe at a certain picture. Finally he said, "He's gone."

"I know he is." Tonks said queitly. Remus had not yet expressed his feelings about Sirius' death.

"He was the only friend I had left. After James- and Peter is alive, but he's not my friend any more, stopped a long time ago..."

"You still have friends, Remus. We're here for you. The whole Order." Tonks still spoke in that quiet tone.

"I know," Remus said, just as queitly.

There was a silence between them, as Tonks debated whether to ask the next question. "Is it hard? Seeing Harry? Because... you and James... I know you probably get this question a lot..."

Remus laughed a hollow sort of laugh. "Less than you think. People look at me with the sort of pitying look so you know you're thinking it, but nobody dares asks me." Remus paused, as if not knowing what the answer was. "Not too only has it been many years since James... but he and Harry are so different... I never confused them, not from the start, not ever. That was Sirius. I guess the understanding of a person is different from the best friend's point of view and the boyfriend..." Remus trailed off. "But no. It makes me wish a bit, maybe, but I myself am long over James, and like I said, even if I was not, Harry isn't a factor."

"I thought you might still be hung up on James... because, you know, being single."

Remus laughed the hollow laugh again. "Being single has more to do ith me being a werewolf than being hung up on an old flame."

"Not everybody is afraid of werewolves," Tonks said.

Remus shrugged and kept flicking through the photo album. He stopped to examine a picture of Peter, James, Sirius and Remus. It was taken right after they'd finished their NEWTs. "Look how happy we were," Remus said sadly.

"You can still be happy," Tonks urged. Remus shrugged yet again, dismissing the sentance as a silly thought.

"Remus. Look at me." Tonks helf Remus' chin from below, forcing him to look at her. "I think..I think I can love you like that. Like he did. I can make you happy, like you used to be. Perhaps even more. Perhaps not as quite. But you can't dismiss it in fear of being hurt, Remus."

Minutes passed as Remus said nothing. Tonks heart beat fast and hard, and she was having trouble breathing. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply, trying to steady her heart. She couldn't believe she had just said that to Remus. She'd have to pretend she wasn't embaressed, was all. After convincing herself she could do that, Tonks opened her eyes. Only to find Remus gazing at her, a half-smile forming on his lips.

"You think that?"

Tonks tried not to blush, not to move (the moment could be worse only if she breaked something), and nodded.

"I think so, too," Remus said. He inched closer to Tonks. Tonks mind raced ("Oh my! oh help me... is he going to kiss me? Oh he is...") but before she knew it, she was kissing him, he was kissing her, and they both pulled away, somewhat breathless and smiling shyly at each other.

Remus got up to his feet and held out his hand for Tonks to take. "Well, I daresay we took a long enough break. We've got to get to work if we plan on getting any sleep tonight."

Getting up to her feet, sleep was the farthest thing from Tonks' mind.