Young Girl

18- Blue Promise

Tonks's POV-

"I'm sorry." Remus said tiredly, looking me right in the eye as he spoke. He looked sad, but defiant at the same time, "You can't stop me." I nodded slowly, looking away briefly before spontaneously reaching up and slinging my arms around his neck in a hug. He jumped at first, but didn't try to pull away and instead held me back.

"Bye Rem." I whispered into his shoulder, my arms around his neck, "Just try and survive. Promise me."

"I will promise nothing." He replied into my ear, awkwardly holding my back. When he felt my muscles tighten though, he let out a sigh, "But I'll try."

It was the first time we had been alone since I had found out about the mission. I had finally met up with him in the kitchen at the Burrow, when everyone else was in the living room. I had tried at first to talk him out of it, but it soon became clear that I would have no luck, so I gave up.

"I'll miss you." I whispered into the curve of his neck, small tears landing on his shoulder as they dripped off the end of my nose, "Its going to be so boring without you."

"I'll miss you too." He admitted, making me look up in confusion. That was certainly very unexpected, "Are you sure you'll be fine?"

"Its you you should be worrying about." I replied stubbornly, pulling away, "I'm not the one agreeing to live underground for a whole year. And if Auntie Bella does try and kill me again, I'm ready." He winced as I spoke, letting out a small huff of breath.

"Don't say that." His whisper was so pained it felt like it physically hurt me, "That woman has already ruined my life; don't let her kill you. Whatever happens Tonks."

"You care?" I asked curiously and perhaps a little testingly. Remus stumbled over his words as he struggled with how to reply, but finally settled on pretending he hadn't heard me.

"I need to leave soon." He said slowly, running a hand through his prematurely greying hair, "There's nothing I can take, but its best to be prepared in case something happens."

"Nothing will." I assured him gently, "And as for the fact you're not taking anything. Take this as a promise." I slipped a hand into my back pocket and felt around for what I wanted. Remus looked curiously at me, his head almost tilting to one side like a dog. OK, perhaps not the best comparison.

I closed my fingers around the small, cold object and slowly pulled it out. I didn't break away from his gaze, and he didn't leave mine. I took one of his hands and gently unfurled his fingers, pressing the the small 'promise' into it.

Remus's POV-

A cold, egg shaped thing being pressed into my hand snapped me out of my trance. I had gotten completely lost in her pale grey swirls of eyes and, though I tried not to, almost had second thoughts. She gave me an encouraging smile and I slowly opened my hand. Lying in my palm was a small, dark blue gem, catching the dim light of the room and shining back. It was perfectly oval, smooth to the touch.

"Tonks?" I asked unsurely, not knowing what to make of it or say. She smiled calmly up at me, a faint blush and smile playing on her pale face.

"Keep it." She whispered, closing my fingers back around it with her own slim ones, "As a promise to come back. It was from one of my best friends; to make me promise something to him." She tenderly caressed the back of my fingers, again drawing me in with her soft, seductive eyes, though they were slightly glittered with tears.

"What was the promise you made him?" I asked before I could stop myself.

She smiled serenely, before leaning up to my ear and whispering, "That I would wait until he came back for me. He said he loved me, but I couldn't quite feel the same way. I'm saving my love for someone very special."

"What happened?" I questioned her once more, ignoring my previous instinct to ask who the love was for.

"I never saw him again, he died in a bombing attack." She said softly, "But he told me to keep the charm until the world stops around it."

"I'm sorry." I said as truthfully as I could, though at the same time feeling slightly relieved that she had saved her love, "Are you sure you want to give it to me?" Her hair was restored to its original shade of pink as she let out a small laugh, the tears leaving no traces of their presence.

"When the world stops." She whispered into my ear again, a hand on each of my shoulders. I kissed her without even thinking, assessing the risks and consequences I would cause. The world stopped. She closed her eyes and let out a long sigh against my lips. My heart was thundering, but in a good way. Tonks's hair was the brightest pink I had ever seen, like it always did when...
What have I done?

"No." I said, pulling away. Her eyes, which had snapped open as I pulled away, closed again and she looked away, "Tonks I'm sorry but we can't. Each time I kiss you, it just makes it all harder. We don't have a chance, stop trying." She was already walking away, but my skin was burning. At the door she turned back to look at me.

"I won't." She said firmly, "I promised. So did you."

"You don't love me." I growled, "Stop kidding yourself."

"I'm bloody well not!" She rounded on me, hair back to its original depressive brown, "Its my fucking choice and I've decided to love you! You're not too old, or too poor and if you keep talking I will be the dangerous one here!" With that she ran from the room, coat flicking around her ankles.

I was out in a matter of minutes, disapparating after saying my goodbyes. All I took of home, was a small blue promise.

A.N-

I'm back!!! Had a bit of a troublesome week. I don't know if any of you guys saw in the paper or online; but these two women in Sherborne crashed into this house in a car. My great grandmother was in the car when her friend crashed into the house. Just had a lot to deal with. And rewrite my chapter of course.

Rhea
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