the_debt_of_time

"Anyway, since I can change my appearance at will, I was curious how you kept finding
me. Smell, right?"
Remus nodded and then remembered to chew.
"I knew it!" she cheered victoriously, her eyes brightening in excitement.
After swallowing slowly, he asked, "You don't think it's weird?"
"No. Do you think this is weird?" She scrunched up her nose, and her hair changed
from purple to turquoise. When Remus shook his head, she smiled. "See? Can't help what
you are. Out of curiosity, what do I smell like?"
"Biscuits," Remus replied without thinking and then immediately felt his face burn
hot with embarrassment.
She laughed brightly, the sound filling the room. "Nice. Better than Dungbombs or
Stinksap. Oh, I'm Tonks by the way." She tossed a chip in her mouth and then licked the
salt from her fingers before rubbing it off on her jeans. Then she held that hand out to him
in greeting. "But I'm guessing you already knew that."
Remus stared at her palm once more as though he had never before seen a human
hand his entire life. "You're not afraid to let a werewolf touch you?"
"I'm a little offended that a werewolf hasn't been taught that it's rude to not accept
a hand of greeting when it's offered to him," she replied mockingly, wiggling her fingers at
him like bait.
He smiled nervously and took her hand.
The very second that her skin touched his, Remus felt it: a tiny golden string
connecting them. His heart rate quickened, and he wondered if she felt it, too. The relaxed
look on her face said that no, she had not, but he was pleased to discover for himself the
feeling that Mia and Sirius had described to him all those years ago.
"Are you the same Remus Lupin that used to live with my cousin?" Nymphadora
asked out of the blue, snatching a few chips from their now-shared plate.
"You know about that?" Remus raised a brow. "I mean... you remember? You
were so.. ." He paused and winced. Young. She was so young.
"Pretty good memory on me. Plus, Mum and I aren't exactly invited to many Black
family reunions. Not that there would be any considering most of them are either in
Azkaban or dead these days. It makes it a little easier to remember the good family
members."