Tea and sympathy
This is the conversation that took place before Dumbledore and Harry arrived at The Burrow in HBP, 'An Excess of Phlegm' between Molly and Tonks, as I imagine it. This is just a short little thing I wrote while trying to get inspiration for something else I am working on. Hope you enjoy it.
Molly sighed as she closed the kitchen door after the last of her children thundered up the stairs, and turned back to the stove to attend to the soup cooling down on it. Busy as she was clearing the pots and plates away, it took a few moments until she realized there was somebody still in the kitchen with her. Spinning around at the sound of a chair scraping on the stone floor, she let out a sigh of relief when she recognised the young woman sitting there.
'Tonks dear, I thought you slipped out while I was saying goodnight to Ginny!' she shook her head at the forlorn looking girl. 'Is everything alright?'
Tonks opened her mouth to reply positively, but gave up at the knowing look on the older woman's face, and settled for just shaking her head quietly.
'I'm so sorry to impose Molly. I just need somebody to talk to right now. I hope you don't mind, I can go if you-' she stopped as Molly thrust a large mug of tea into her hands, shushing her protests with another look.
'Don't be ridiculous dear. I'm not as silly as I look, I can at least tell that there's something bothering you. Why, even your hair is miles more sensible than normal!' she said with a smile. Tonks replied with a shaky, watery smile in return, before quickly dipping her head down to her tea.
'I just… lately, with everything that's happened… and Sirius of course, such sad times… I just don't know what to do Molly.' she stammered finally, staring into her tea with a sad smile.
Molly gave her a searching look, taking in everything about the young, pale witches appearance. She thought back to the various dinners they'd had over the summer, snatched moments here and there in between setting up protections around the house, not to mention the struggle of trying to keep such an overcrowded household happy.
'Dear, I know the death of Sirius must have affected you an awful amount, just as it has all of us, but you mustn't feel guilty. It could have been any one of us. Maybe you could talk to Remus again-'
'No!' Tonks interrupted suddenly, looking up from the cup. 'I'm sorry, I don't mean to offend. It's just that it's not that. I'm as sorry as anybody about Sirius dying, but he's not the reason I'm acting so stupid. It's something else. Somebody else.'
The other woman smiled. Could there possibly be some happiness for this poor young woman in times such as these? 'Tonks dear, whoever it is, the fact we are in difficult times is not a reason to hold back on your feelings. Quite the opposite in fact. Why, even myself and Arthur realised our feelings for each other during the last time of confusion.'
Tonks shook her head dismally. 'No, Molly, you don't understand. There are other reasons, reasons he seems to think should put me off, but they couldn't ever. I couldn't care less about such stupid things, but he insists I will feel differently with time.' She gave a snort and shook her head. 'He thinks he knows how everything will work out when he doesn't know any more than I do. The difference is, I'm willing to try.'
Molly put a comforting arm around her shoulders, and shook her head. 'You can only try, dear. He will see in time how much you really care about him, I'm sure. Dare I ask who-' She broke off at the sound of three sharp knocks on the door. Exchanging a nervous look with Tonks she stood up, clutching her wand and drew her old dressing gown around her.
'Who's there?' she said nervously, trying to make her voice sound louder and more threatening than she actually felt, 'Declare yourself!'