"Wha-," Tonks moaned as someone repeatedly shoved her back. She opened her eyes, and found herself on a pillow of papers and parchments. She started, and sat up to meet Kingsley Shacklebolt's disapproving gaze. "Oh," she sighed, stretching. Her mouth opened wide with a yawn, "I's you. Wotcher."

"Tonks," he said seriously. Too seriously for a tired Tonks, "you've been working too hard lately."

"Na," she shook her head, with her short sky blue curls bouncing off the sides of her face. "Jus' a little ou' of it s'all."

"A little," snorted Kingsley scathingly. He handed her a long package. On it, in small bubblegum pink scrawl, read For Tonks: Our Occasional Travel Planning. O-O-T-P were the key letters in that sentence.

"Yes!" Tonks beamed at the package.

"If that's what I think it is-" Kingsley started, his hand covering the package.

"Oh hush up, Kings. I never get any fun these days," said Tonks, waving a hand as she slid the paper out from under Kingsley's hand. She bent over to slide the parcel into her bag, still thoroughly happy. "Perfect wake up call. You should do it more often."

"Tonks, I'd seriously consider turning this one down. You're overworked as it is, with Night duty, and the Ministry-," Kingsley said in a hushed voice, leaning down over her desk.

"Paper work is not work. Its troll toenails."

Kingsley cracked a smile, "Nonetheless, you should-."

"I'm due for a 'vacation' Kings. Work has me all wired up," she grinned and winked a bright purple eye at him.

"We have a meeting toni-."

"Yes, yes, I'm going early. Snuffles wants takeout," she quickly responded.

Kingsley shook his head, folding his arms.

She was looking at a side mirror, examining her face in its small surface, and concentrated as she felt her lips transform. It was kind of a tingling feeling, like the place where she was changing was numb. She looked at her face, not exactly liking how wide she had made her mouth.

"Would taking Snuffles takeout have to do with a certain friend of his?" Kingsley asked, his smile widening wickedly.

"Possibly," she smacked her lips. She didn't like them. So she changed them again.

"Who?" asked a new voice.

Tonks turned in her chair to see Michael Burnt. Leaning against the side of the office door, his face made Tonks grimace. Even though he was tall, rugged, and handsome with dark eyes and vivid blonde hair cut into one of the newest fashions Tonks found the sight more than just a little unpleasant.

To most women this guy was very attractive.

But to Tonks? He was a downright pig-headed arse.

"Oh, 'lo there, Burnt," said Kingsley. Kingsley was far too friendly. That was probably the reason he ranked higher than Tonks.

"Good day, Mr. Shacklebolt. Who are you two talking about?"

"That's none of your-," began Tonks.

"A friend of outs," said Kingsley, cutting Tonks off. If she had finished the sentence there would be a million and a half rumors throughout the entire Ministry by sundown. Plus he knew all too well about Tonks' loud mouth, but so did Burnt.

"Really?" he smiled. Tonks scowled. Ugly perfection spoiled rotten- "So out little Tonks finally fancies someone. Is it me?"

"Butt out, you idjit," said a girl, walking in. She flipped her black hair out of her eyes, and shoved past the two men to reach her desk. She put Tonks' breakfast on the table, out of elbow's reach, just in case. "And I still favor the pink," she said, tugging on one of her friend's blue curls.

"Cheerio, Kings," she waved at him before sitting behind her desk. The two desks were crammed into the small room, but it wasn't as bad as Mr. Weasley's.

"Lee," Kingsley said approvingly.

The woman's small dark eyes darted to Kingsley's face, "Show off."

"I don't do it because of rank," said Kingsley exasperatedly, "Amy. I just do it out of reaction after calling Nympha-."

"Ah ah ah, Language, Kingsley," interrupted Tonks at the sound of her name.

He blinked at her. "The N word," she reminded him of her unspeakable name.

He snorted, and continued, "Tonks, well, Tonks."

"That made loads of sense Kings," said Tonks, scrutinizing her face in the mirror once more.

Michael made a coughing sound, "So, Tonks, who do you fancy?"

Amy whipped her head around, her red highlights (that Tonks had insisted on) sparking slightly, "What? Tonks fancies someone?" she accused, her eyes narrowed, "Since when?"

"I don't fancy anyone. Anyways, you lot wouldn't know him," said Tonks, ducking behind her curls to hide a faint blush, "And if I did he'd never see me as anything more than a friend so, what did you get for breakfast?" she asked, opening the white paper sack, "Yum! Bagels," she beamed and ate. Amy rolled her eyes. They ate bagels every morning.

"Well that's a relief," said Burnt, "If you liked me we'd have to go on a date, and then there would be that whole issue of you being you so I'm off."

Tonks stuck a lizard's forked tongue out at his back. Kingsley and Amy laughed quietly.

"You should get back to clipping those troll toenails," said Kingsley with a grin before walking away. Tonks laughed.

"What?"

"Nothing."

Tonks got back to her paperwork. But the problem was her mind kept drifting to the package in her bag. She wondered what assignment the Order of the Phoenix she was doing this time. Since the Order she'd been doing what she'd planned on doing as an Auror. The Ministry had her on little things, like minor excavations and "troll toenails" for too long know. The Order was exciting, something to look forward to helping people.

She loved the Order. It was fighting for the right. And she would too.

Oh, she could barely stand having another assignment at last and not knowing what it was.