Chapter 31
“We should have just Apparated,” Remus said, gritting his teeth as the car lifted slightly on the curb, as Tonks took the turn too sharply.
“Nah, where’s the surprise in that?” She declared cheerfully, pulling diagonally into 2 parking spaces and shutting off the car. “‘Ta da! Got us here in one piece!”
“It was a close call,” Remus muttered helping himself out as the bubbly Hufflepuff seemed immune to his grumblings.
In truth, this date was only for her sake. So she would learn that he was too old, too jaded for the likes of her. If she discovered the truth on her own, it would be easier for her to move to better candidates.
Until this epiphany occurred, he found himself on the receiving end of this unique, blissful torture. Her hand firmly dragging his own, he was blinded by colors. Bubble gum pink hair brushed against a buttery yellow sundress that hardly brushed the tops of her knees and yellow and white knee socks. The neon sign of the building was extra bright against the moonless night sky, teal blue and buzzing loudly.
Skate- o- rama.
He swallowed, hard. Remus was clumsy by any means but his own athletism ended at “not tripping over his own feet.” He could dance, passably, and ride a broom if bullied into playing Quidditch instead of spectating.
He never attempted skating.
And Tonks was, in fact, clumsy. And her dancing…boisterous…
Giggling she pointed to the sign on the glass front doors, proclaiming tonight, was 70’s night.
He wanted to leave. Right now. But his stumbled protest went unheeded as he was shunted into the Skating Rink and through the process of procuring skates.
Tonks didn’t even ask his shoe size she just guessed and thrust the smelly things at him.
He opened his mouth to really say something this time, to put his foot down and end this -
Then a familiar song started, earning a scattered cheer from patrons.
*Hey hey mama said the way you move
Gonna make you sweat, gonna make you groove
“FINE!” he practically barked, jamming his foot into the skate. “FINE! Very funny, let's watch Moony fall on his arse from the afterlife then shall we?! Sooo hilarious Sirius, real witty.”
Tonks caught the tail end of his rant and laughed with him. “It is funny timing, isn’t it? My dad took me to these all the time. Would have been great to have a cousin or two to join us… ah well…” she took the laces from his fumbling fingers and tightened the skates for him.
To his annoyance, they fit perfectly.
“Come on then.” She glided easily onto the wooden floor, crammed with people all skating anti-clockwise, sometimes with a partner, some just solo.
To his greatest surprise yet, Tonks skated better than she walked. She moved easily and quickly through the masses, losing herself in the music…
It was enchanting.
Cautiously, he stepped down to the wood floor and felt his feet move from under him of his own accord. Gripping the wall, he half hobbled, half slid, causing a ripple in the crowd around him.
Tonks was in front of him again, taking both his hands and propelling herself slowly backward. “Why didn’t you say anything?!”
“I did! You just didn’t listen!”
“Sorry! I get a little excited sometimes. Let go of the wall, it throws off your balance. I won’t let you fall. There we are!” He was skating slowly, albeit slowly with her now, keeping pace with most of the others.
After a minute, the motions to keep himself moving on his own came naturally, but she kept facing him, eyes warm and delighted with something…
And he could feel it too…like a flame being kindled from within…
The song had changed now…
*I'm hooked on a feeling
I'm high on believing
That you're in love with me