Misery Loves Company (HP, f and m)

[Dusty15]

Feedback appreciated! I love to write pretty much anything HP so if there's a character you'd like to see, let me know!

Tonks felt miserable. It’d been nearly twelve hours on the job as she prepared to leave the Auror office for the night and return to Grimmauld for a check-in with Remus and Sirius. Quite frankly, all she wanted was to go back to her little flat and crawl into bed. No shade of purple hair or distorted facial features could hide her reddening nose. She’d been a coughing, sneezing, sniffling mess all afternoon. Dozens of tissues were strewn about her desk, mixed with the stacks of files that needed completing. It’d have to wait until tomorrow.

Pulling on her coat and scarf, she took the elevators up into the Ministry atrium and made her way to the apparation point exits. Pausing for a moment, she fumbled in her pocket for another tissue to catch the sneeze she felt building up. Her breath hitched and she held the tissue at the ready as she sneezed a loud “Etshumf!”

The sneezed echoed in the large foyer and several heads turned her way. She felt her face burn the same red as her nose. Wiping at her congestion, she hurried to the exit and apparated to the alleyway nearby Grimmauld. Climbing the front steps, she let herself inside, sniffling and wheezing from the cold air.

Remus met her in the front hall.

“Shh,” he said as she took off her coat. “Sirius is asleep in the library. He was up nearly all night. Dreams and such.”

She nodded, letting Remus take her scarf. When she turned to meet his eyes, she saw him frown.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

“Yeah,” she replied, but she could hear the congestion in her own voice and knew she wouldn’t be able to fool him for long. “Just a touch of cold, that’s…”

She broke off, coughing into her arm. She winced a little as her chest constricted and the sound of her barking coughs echoed in the old house.

“You’re not well at all!” said Remus, putting a warm hand on her shoulder. She melted under his touch. “You can’t go home alone like this.”

She wanted to protest, but here was this lovely man that she found herself increasingly attracted to, and he wanted her to stay with him. She nodded in resignation.

“I’ve been coming down with something all week,” she said, sniffling. “I guess it finally got me today.”

“Well, I’ve got some tea on the stove if you want,” he said. “There’s probably some Pepper-Up around if I can find it, but I don’t know if it’ll still be good.”

“Tea and bed sounds good enough,” she said, following him down the hall.

He forced her into a seat at the table and prepared a cup of lemon tea with honey.

“There,” he said, placing the cup in front of her and sitting down at her side. “Drink up.”

“Thanks,” she said, taking a sip. It made the tension in her chest loosen a bit and she coughed a few times. Remus reached out a hand and rubbed her back a little. She found herself leaning into him and he wrapped his arm around her, letting her body sink into his. His cheek met the top of her hair and rested there for a moment.

“I think you’re worse than you’re letting on,” he said, making soothing circles on her back with his hand. “Let’s get you up to bed.”

He stood with his arm still around her and gently guided her up the stairs. She realized she was shivering a little and pressed closer against him, soaking up the little heat that came from his thin frame.

“I think I can find you some spare pajama trousers,” he said, opening the door to a guest room and helping her sit down on the large four-poster bed. “Stay here and I’ll be right back.”

She opened her mouth to say thanks, but a sneeze crept up in its place and instead she simply let out a delicate “hitshchooo!”

“Bless you,” he said as he left the room. She heard him down the hall and he soon returned with a pair of worn, plaid pajama trousers and a soft blue jumper.

“These should fit,” he said, offering her the clothes. “I’m going to search out some potions if you want to get changed.”

He left her to shed her clothes and put on the pajamas. She shivered as she slipped out of her Auror robes and into the unfamiliar clothes. They smelled reassuringly of him and she snuggled down under the blankets, suppressing a few coughs.

He returned with his hands empty.

“Seems as if everything’s quite out of date, but I’ve put in an owl order for some more tonics. In the mean time, you’ll have to soldier on.”

She smiled at him from her nest of blankets.

“I’ll survive.”

“You’re shivering,” he said, sitting next to her on the bed. He brushed away a bit of her hair with his soft hand and she nuzzled into the touch. Before either of them was really aware of what was happening, he was kicking off his shoes and climbing into the bed beside her. She pressed herself against him, entwining her legs with his. His thin hips rested against hers and she tucked her head into the bend of his long neck.

“You’re warm,” she whispered.

“So are you,” he said. “I hate winter. Hurts my bones.”

She coughed a little and felt her hot breath hit his neck.

“Sorry,” she said.

“It’s okay,” he said, lightly brushing the top of her head with his lips. “I’ve got a good immune system.”

She couldn’t respond because her nose began to tickle fiercely and her head snapped forward with two rapid “Ehh etshooo! Etshooo!” into his shoulder. She sniffed congestedly and a little sigh escaped her lips.

“Poor Nymphadora,” he said, running his hand down her back.

“Tonks,” she said, wearily.

He laughed a little.

“Yes, sorry.”

“Stay with me?” she asked. Her voice felt small and childlike.

“Of course,” he replied, pulling the blankets tight around them both.

His embrace was comforting and gentle, and she soon felt herself slipping into sleep.

When she woke, she was still in his arms. He was asleep, snoring very softly. Her head spun for a moment and she took a deep breath through her mouth upon the realization that her nose was too congested to breathe. Remus stirred and opened his eyes.

“Morning,” he said. His voice was hoarse and still thick with sleep.

“Hi,” she said, snuggling close to him once more.

He rolled away from her, coughing heavily.

“Remus?” she said, leaning over his shoulder.

“I wasn’t thinking,” he said between coughs. “It’s the moon in nearly two days. Immune system is a bit compromised, I imagine.”

“Oh no,” she groaned. “I’m sorry!”

“It’s not your fault,” he said wearily, rubbing at his throat.

She turned away, stifling three quick sneezes into her pillow. “Hitshoo! Etshoo! Tshoo!”

“What a sorry lot we make,” he said when she turned back to him, her nose red and streaming. He reached for a tissue from the nightstand and tenderly dabbed at her nose.

“You’re dripping too,” she said.

He sniffled and his eyelashes fluttered.

“Hehhh….ehh…..Hestchump!”

He sneezed loudly and wetly into the tissue he’d just used on Tonks’ nose.

“Ugh,” he groaned. “I guess we’re staying here today.”

There was a soft knock on the door and they both froze, looking at each other.

“Come in?” Remus said tentively.

Sirius poked his head in the room and his eyes widened at the sight of them.

“Finally!” he exclaimed. “I had a bet with Bill. He said at least another month.”

“It’s not that, Padfoot,” Remus said, rolling his eyes. “We’ve both come down with colds and we’re sharing the misery.”

“Well that is less romantic than I imagined,” said Sirius, striding into the room and eying the two of them. “Yes, you do look rather peaky.”

“I sent an order for Pepper-Up last night,” said Remus, rubbing fiercely at his running nose. “It should be here later. Until then, we’re at the mercy of this wretched thing.”

He coughed miserably into his fist and Tonks reached over him for a tissue. She blew her nose with a soft, wet honk.

“Well, I guess that puts me on chicken soup duty then,” said Sirius. “Can I bring you up some tea for breakfast?”

“Sure,” said Remus, propping himself up in bed. Tonks rested her head against his leg.

“With honey,” she added.

“At your service,” said Sirius, bowing out the room. Tonks laughed and quickly the laughs turned to coughs.

“Bloody hell!” she hissed as the coughs subsided. Remus reached down and smoothed her hair.

“It’ll be better when the Pepper-Up gets here,” he said.

She nodded. “Misery loves company at least.”

He didn’t respond, but instead reached for a tissue just in time to catch a fit of spraying sneezes.

“Etshoo! Hehhh….hetshoo! Estschoo! Hshooo! Tehhh….hehhh…hetschooo!”

Tonks reached for another tissue as the one he held became increasingly soaked.

“Here,” she said, handing it to him. He took it with a look of gratitude, and blew his now brilliantly red nose.

“I’m too tired for tea,” he said, sliding back down under the blankets. He pulled her head in so that it rested on his chest, and she slid a hand up onto his cheek and up to brush back his hair. His eyes slipped closed and she relaxed in his arms.

When Sirius returned with breakfast, he found them entwined in the quilts, both snoring softly. He leaned in the doorway and smiled.

“I think Bill still owes me the money,” he said to himself.

[queenie]

Goodness gracious, woman! I don't even like Tonks/Remus, and you've got me all fuzzy!

[chui]

oh now this is so very sweet!! i Remus and Tonks!!! what a wonderful way to share a cold, all cuddly and cute!! great job!!

[silentdreamer789]

Lovely! All those wet sneezes...yum! And I loved Sirius - I can just imagine him betting with Bill over things like that!

[stargazer]

I really enjoyed reading this, though I'm not a huge Tonks fan. But I must admit I felt really guilty reading it, especially since I should be writing instead .

I know I'm supposed to be writing , but since I'm still in the middle (more like beginning) of my move, if you ever feel in the mood to write another HP fic, I'd love to see at Snape or Harry one.

[count tiszula]

I LOVE Tonks; and i particularly like her sneezes here! I wonder if there are any neglected HP female characters. Hmm, have to have a look around...

Dusty, you are a miracle, as ever...

PS Of course Cho is sadly neglected, and I can't think why....

[ilovesneezing]

Awww....this is adorable - I'm not even a huge HP fan (sorry!) but this is very very cute

[Helzbelz]

This is wonderful! Lupin is my favourite character plus all the characterizations were spot on, especially Sirius

Sirius poked his head in the room and his eyes widened at the sight of them.

“Finally!” he exclaimed. “I had a bet with Bill. He said at least another month.”

that made me laugh

[matilda3948]

Awww...such a sweet story! Really well written too.

[estrelleta]

Even though I love HP this really isn't my normal kind of fic, but I really loved it! Great writing and just so sweet!

E x

[Celeb Obsessed]

:drool: OMG, that is freaking amazing!!! Remus/Tonks is my OTP (one true pairing), so this was just wow! And btw, Helzbelz, Lupin is my favorite character too. He's so sexy and the movies definitely don't do him justice. Will you write more?

[littlesneezer18]

GREAT!