Remus' hat (Ronks one-shot)

Remus' hat.

Disclaimer: I put this story in the category 'fanfiction' so you've probably guessed by now I'm not actually JK Rowling.

Remus had taken to wearing a trilby hat, during the cold months of Winter.

As he went about his Order business, he always wore the hat.

Remus became associated with the hat, and the hat became associated with Remus.

Tonks (and Sirius) found this extremely amusing.
.

A cold night after all the Order business was complete and Molly's dinner was eaten, Remus and Tonks were alone in one of the many rooms of Grimmauld Palace.

Tonks had noticed her and Remus seemed to be 'coincidentally' alone ever since Sirius and Molly got wind of their feelings for each other.

Tonks just knew the pair had money on it; most likely with another skeptical member of the Order. (Kingsley, Moody, Mr Weasley... etc.)

And they'd never get their money. Tonks thought bitterly. Because Remus is 'too poor' or 'too old' and apparently she 'deserved someone young and whole'.

"What is with you and that hat?" She asked him, half to break the silence, half amused.

"It keeps my head warm." Remus smiled, in answer.

"Lemme see it!" She requested, stretching out her hands.

He tossed the hat over to her, amused.

Her hair was mousey brown and her eyes held no sparkle (they never did anymore, not since the night her and Remus argued).

She put it on, it fitted snugly on her head.

"Hello, I'm Remus John Lupin." She said, standing up like an actor on a stage.

"I like chocolate and I am a member of the Order of the Phoenix."

Remus let her continue, amused and curious to see what she would say.

"Once a month, I am a werewolf. The other 27 days I am a chivalrous gentleman. I am charming and intelligent and I am good at catching things when they fall." She took a deep breath, continuing.

"I catch Tonks when she falls. Not just when she falls over their own two feet, which she always seems to do anyways, but when she falls in love. And I entertain the idea, so that she is so in love. Sometimes I'll snog her, or bring her flowers, or talk with her in the cosy red armchair until sunrise.

"But then, Ill realise I'm in too far. And I'll tell her this has to stop, for her own good. We're in the middle of a war, I am a poor old man and a ferocious horrible werewolf. And of course, a despicable beast such as myself cannot know what love is, and she's in so far and fallen so hard that even I can't catch her." Tonks was angry now, her breathing coming quickly to her.

"And I'll pretend not to notice when she's so unhappy she can't perform a bloody patronous and she's technically not a metamorphous anymore, her appearance has been the same for weeks. And I won't intervene when she heart starts to break and even her smiles are broken. Ill pretend I never loved her, for perhaps I never did."

When Tonks had finished she had tears in her eyes, though from anger or sadness, Remus couldn't tell.

"Tonks, you know that's not how it is." Remus said, his expression pained. He made a motion to stand up, but deciding against it.

"You're right, it's not accurate at all." She cried, tears rolling down her cheeks.

"I can't talk like you do, gentle but interested like you are in love with everyone you talk to!" She screamed in frustration.

She ran across the room, pausing only slightly at the door.

"Catch your bloody hat!" She sobbed, throwing it across the room angrily.

He did, without problem.

"I forgot, you're good at catching things."

With that, she left.

And he let her go.

Her words stayed with him and tears welled up in his eyes.

He didn't go after her; and he knew Mrs Weasley and Sirius wouldn't be happy when he recounted what had happened to him to them.

It really was for her own good.

Even though it still hurt.

AN: well hello there👋 thank you for reading. Even though this is a one-shot, maybe I could do a few more. This is set in OoTP (before [SPOILER!] Sirius dies).

Tell me if you think I should do a few more, or just tell me what you think in general.

(Constructive criticism only please x)

-Eleanor x