Whatever it Takes

Whatever it Takes
(set after the Deathly Hallows chapter, The Bribe)

A/N; my first fic here, bit nervous so be kind! First chaper up

“Is it easier if I say I’m not falling for you,
As if all you ever wanted was to be my friend,
But there’s light at the end…
I will do whatever it takes, I will stop at nothing.”
Whatever it Takes/Embrace


Chapter 1

“He called me a…a… coward.” Lupin mumbled the words out.
“And? You expect me to disagree Remus?” Nymphadora Tonks replied, her voice more sad than angry. Her hair was black, and bedraggled, so that for the first time, Lupin saw her aunt Bellatrix looking back at him. There was a faded pallor to her skin, that had sunken into her cheeks and eyes, deep shadows beneath her darker eyes. All so very dark.

Lupin was lingering at the door to Tonk’s home, cowed and hunched, humiliated by his rejection from Harry’s adventure. The light of the room beamed out into the night, illuminating Tonk’s form in the open door. Her folded arms clutched around her belly, around the young baby.
“No, Dora, I don’t mean, I didn’t want…”
“Want me? Please Remus, don’t torture me, just leave me alone!”
“This isn’t right, I shouldn’t have done this…”
“Not this again haven’t you put me through enough? Just go away!” she sighed heavily almost betraying her tears.

“I’m not a coward. Dora. Please. It was the right thing to do. I made you no promises” He pleaded in earnest.
“No promises?! Was this not a promise enough?! (she held up her wedding band still on her wedding finger at him) I’m not sure I know you. I don’t understand you. I love you, but who are you? I don’t recognise this Remus.” Her head dropped so he couldn’t see her eyes, and he held himself back from stepping forward and getting close enough to hold her and look into them.
“Dora, of course I…Nympahadora..I…” Tonks didn’t look up. “Dora?!” She was hunched over, leaning forwards holding her stomach, and finally in a gasp of breath let out a cry of pain.
“Arghh, owwwwwww. R..r..remus?” her voice trembled as her knees gave way and she fell to the floor

Lupin caught her head as she fell, supporting her weight as she clunked to the floor. He pulled her inside through the front door, to the foot of the stairs, and called for Andromeda.
“ANDY! ANDY! Something’s wrong! ...... ANDY!” Andromeda’s footsteps could be heard thudding down the stairs.
“What did you do?!!” She screamed as she knelt at Tonk’s side, stroking her hair. “Death eaters? You brought them with you!”
“No, no I wasn’t followed. She wasn’t stunned!” As he sought for words of concern and defence, he notice a deep red stain spreading quickly along Tonk’s jeans from the seam at her thighs and puddling on the floor.
“Blood!” He stuttered in panic.
“Oh dear god, the baby!”
“We need an emergency floo to St Mungo’s! Immediately!” And in that moment, Lupin had lost what little he had retained of reserve and dignity, so normally composed and contained.
“Remus, I don’t suppose, or hope you have never had any reason to know, that magical babies are protected, they can’t be touched by magic, however powerful or pure. Only muggle medicine can help her.”
“Muggles? Knives, needles. Not a chance!”
“ NO Remus, scans, tests. She may well be losing her baby.”
“Do whatever you have to”
“I don’t need your permission to do what’s best for my daughter. TED TED!”

Ted Tonks came hammering down the stairs, in his grottiest green dressing gown. He stood at Tonk’s feet, and surveyed the scene with a grave face.
“Ambulance then.” He reached for the dusty muggle telephone stashed in the broom cupboard under the stairs (only used for calling his Mum on birthdays and Christmases).
He dialled the 999 numbers slowly, a slightly noticeable tremor in his hand slowing him down.
“Ambulance, yes. My daughter, please, she’s pregnant. She’s bleeding, it’s everywhere. 23. About 5 months. Just now. We’re the cottage at Hawke’s Point. St Ives, yes. 15 minutes ok. OK. OK”

“We can apparate faster Ted!” Lupin exclaimed.
“Its not worth the risk, she’s too sick! They said to prop up her legs.”
“Leaving it to bloody muggles, what the hell are we doing?!” Lupin held Tonk’s hand in his tight, so the skin blanched beneath it.
“She is our daughter Remus. Unlike you our love for her was never conditional.” Andromeda replied calmly. Lupin glared at her in fury, filling his throat with bile.


A stagnant silence passed in which Tonk’s breathing became rapid and erratic, her hands blue and cold to touch. A siren was heard in the distance, the muggle ambulance pulling up the long wending drive. The door flew open before the paramedics could reach it. A rather baffled Andromeda and Remus stood back as Ted spoke to the paramedics who knelt over Tonks and placed a mask, a lot of wires and patches over her body, before lifting her onto a stretcher.
“So who’s coming with her then?” A gruff voice asked.
In quick succession each of them volunteered themselves to join the paramedics in the ambulance. Ted took a step forward to join them, perhaps the most suitable candidate for a muggle environment.
“We’ll see you there Ted dear.” Andromeda called as Ted walked away with the stretcher towards the ambulance, stroking Tonks face as she lay quietly unconscious.

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New writer here! Be kind!
xx