A Brief Moment of Joy

Just a cute, one-shot fanfic about Tonks and Lupin having a bit of happiness!

Tonks was listening to Lupin, Fred, Lee Jordan, and Kingsley finish up their Christmas Eve broadcast of Potterwatch. They were at her parents’ house; a safe location for this night’s broadcast. She didn’t know how long it would be until they could find another safe place for the next one.

            “Keep twiddling those dials: The next password will be ‘Albus.’ Keep each other safe: Keep faith. Happy Christmas to all of you and good night,” Lee Jordan finished. There was a second of silence as he turned off the equipment they were using. Once it clicked off, the boys began to chat briefly about holiday plans and when and where they would next meet up for Potterwatch. However, they didn’t stay for too long. Lee, Fred, and Kingsley all got up within moments of each other with Lupin following suit rather quickly. Tonks couldn’t stand up as fast she used to. Her growing belly made things difficult and there were times when she seemed even more clumsy than usual. Yet, she was still doing everything she could to help get everything around the house prepared for the arrival of hers and Lupin’s baby. It helped to keep her mind off of where her Muggle father was and if he was still alive.

            She and Lupin wished the boys good night and a Happy Christmas as they filed out of the house. Tonks stayed behind in the front hall while Lupin accompanied their friends to the front gate. The boys’ conversation drifted away into the cold night air. Tonks stood in the hallway, just enjoying the silence. It had been great to have Kingsley show up for Christmas Eve dinner and the arrival of Fred and Lee for Potterwatch was a welcome treat, but Tonks had been craving some peace and quiet to think during the last half hour of their visit. Plus, she could finally drop the bright, smiling face she had presented to their company. It wasn’t because she hadn’t enjoyed seeing some of the members of the Order of the Phoenix, far from it. It was just hard for her to remain emotionally strong at certain times. She was trying to model the strength her mother was showing, but Tonks had noticed that Lupin was growing restless as of late and she feared that he would consider leaving her again. He was already straying further from the house, going into the Muggle areas in secret to spy on the Death Eaters and fight them if he could. She would fall apart if he left her permanently and it would be next to impossible to pick herself back up again.

            To cheer herself up, Tonks looked into the mirror in the hallway and considered her aqua colored curls. That shade had been a particular favorite ever since she had known that she was pregnant. She thought for a second and then, the aqua colored curls morphed into bright, bubblegum pink waves. Tonks smiled at her reflection. Suddenly, she felt something in her abdomen. She paused, not believing it. There it was again! Like a flutter or a…kick. Tonks let out a little gasp as she realized that she was feeling the first movements of her baby. She turned and walked towards the open front door. Kingsley had just Disapparated and Lupin was looking up at the stars for a few seconds.

            “Remus! Remus! Get in here, quick!” she called out to her husband, but not so loud that she would wake her mother. Lupin ran as fast he could through the snow to get to his wife, hoping that she was all right and that nothing was wrong with her or their baby. He closed the door behind him when he entered the house so that she wouldn’t be further chilled by the winter air.

            “What is it, Tonks? Is something the matter?” he asked urgently. He had not expected her to smile so brightly up at him and then take his right hand and place it on her belly.

            “Can you feel it?” she asked him softly. Lupin looked at her in puzzlement, not sure what was going on when he felt it. A kick that let him know their baby was moving. His puzzled expression turned into a bright smile that matched his own and he put his arms around Tonks and pulled her close, holding her tight. He stroked the bubblegum pink waves and let out a little relieved laugh, happy that nothing was wrong with his wife and that their unborn child was literally alive and kicking. Tonks let out a laugh of her own, though it was muffled against his chest. They didn’t know how long they held each other, but Lupin was surprised when he felt some wetness on his sweater. He pulled away a bit and saw tears on Tonks’s cheeks. He gently placed a thumb and forefinger under her chin to lift her face.

            “What’s wrong, sweetheart?” he asked tenderly.

            “I just wish my father was here. I would have loved to tell both him and my mother tomorrow morning that I felt the first movements of our child,” she answered, sounding both tired and sad. Tonks still tried to smile through her tears, but her face crumpled and the tears fell in a hot, silent flow. Lupin placed his hands gently on her face and wiped the tears from her eyes with his thumbs.

            “I know, Tonks. It’s been hard on all of us with him gone. However, we can name our child after him, if you want to.” Lupin was rewarded by Tonks placing one hand on the back of his head to draw him in for a kiss. He had expected it to be sweet and gentle, but it bloomed into a passionate and heartfelt expression of love that translated her sheer and undying joy to him, despite the dangerous and often sad circumstances of the world around them. Lupin responded to her passion by lifting her a little bit off her feet for a moment before setting her down and pulling back for air.

            “I’m sorry. Are you all right? I probably shouldn’t have done that,” he said sheepishly.

            “Oh Remus. I’m not suddenly made out of glass just because I’m pregnant and our baby is moving about,” Tonks laughed and wiped the last of her tears away on her sleeve. Lupin caught her hand in his before she could put that arm around him again. She looked up at him with a silent question in her eyes that he read and knew exactly what she was afraid to ask.

            “I’m not going to leave you and our child. I’m staying right here, with you and little Teddy.”

            “What if the baby turns out to be a girl? What should we name her?”

            “I don’t know. Perhaps we can call her Theodora?”

            “Remus, I’m not going to saddle our potential daughter with an embarrassing first name like mine.”

            “I don’t know. I wouldn’t mind having two ‘Doras’ in my life.”

            Tonks gave him another passionate kiss, though not as fiery as the first one. Rather, there was an undeniable sweetness and tenderness behind the passion that spoke of pure love for both him and their unborn child.

Later that night, when Tonks was curled up beside him and in his arms, he placed his hand automatically over hers, which was resting on her belly. In that moment between being awake and asleep, they were both filled with utter joy and complete love.  

Author's Note

Hope you were all able to handle the cute! Please read and review like always!

Reviews

[Timeless-Chan]

*sniff*sniff*Sniff* I promised myself I won't cry:'( but I just can't help it!!!!!! *starts sodding outright* it's just not fair what happens to them! NOT FAIR I TELL YOU!

[FantasyLover24601]

I know, I know. Their deaths were very sad and their son was left an orphan like Harry which makes the time they had with Teddy even more tragic. Thank you for the review, though.

[Timeless-Chan]

It only means he will be an amazing wizard just like Harry! difficulties make us stronger! I root for Teddy!:D

[Rhianne Ney]

It's a good Harry Potter fanfic I was a shortlived fan and I wasn't able to watch some Harry Potter movies but I love it

[Owlgirl]

I love Harry Potter (as I think you know :p) This is great! I love the softness your words seem to hold, it really captures the moment.

[Yheela]

I'm such a Potter freak!
So how can I *not* love this?! Great great great!

Though, you tend to feel the baby moving inside you some time before others feel it. Maybe if you changed it to, she felt the baby's first real kick?