The grass was as green as ever on that bright sunny day at Hogwarts. The trees cast dancing shadows across the grounds as students lounged around, not having class they were free to do as they liked. One boy with ginger curls that fell across his emerald eyes was getting particular attention from groups of girls as he lay in the grass, on arm beneath his head. The boy's eyes were closed, not that he would have noticed the girls anyways, he was used to it so it never occurred to him to care, being the Quidditch captain and seeker in only his 5th year, it was expected. Mere moments later there came a soft clunking of familiarity, causing Charlie to stir and open his eyes. He wasn't surprised to be met with a clunky pair of combat boots, and a bright head of bubblegum pink hair. "Well, well, if it isn't my favorite accident in progress" he said up to her with a grin playing his lips.
"Well well if it isn't my favorite cocky cock" she replied back, her grin equal to his as she plopped-literally beside him, her hair bouncing at her shoulders as she did so.
"Tonks, you really are just a mismatch of color, arentcha?" he teased and nudged her shoulder with a small wink. Charlie flicked his hair from his eyes in his smooth signature head movement that he never really meant to do, but usually sent the girls into a fit of giggles.
Tonks beamed at him "It's my talent. I'm a professional. Kids, don't try this at home!" she exclaimed and threw her arms in the air, very narrowly missing hitting Charlie in the face as she got strange looks from people around. Charlie pretended to hold his wand like a microphone.
"Laaaaadies and Gentleman!" he exclaimed back in his best muggle announcer voice, despite the weird looks he was getting. "Our dear performer here is about to attempt the impossible! The fantastic! THE CRAZY MIND BLOWING TRICK! May I present, Tonks the Magnificent!" he nearly yelled out and pointed to a laughing Tonks.
"Thank you, thank you!" She started out and fake bowed "Now don't try this at home folks!" She then proceeded to turn her hair a bright shade of purple, then blue, then back to pinks, followed by Charlie's obnoxious fake cheering.
"Wow, what a great show" he said nonchalantly and winked at her "We're pros. We should have our own followers and we can just..." he tried to search for the right word.
"Have a muggle television show?" she suggested to complete his sentence.
"Well I was gonna say take over the world...But whats the difference eh? Yours is good too!" he said grinning and offering another wink in her direction as she burst into laughter.
Charlie grinned at her "Jeez, I must be pretty damn funny!" he wiggled his eyebrows at her "Or you've come down with a tragic case of some rare disease that makes you unable to control your laughter!" he exclaimed dramatically and gasped "We must save you! Quick don't speak!" He pressed one finger to her lips in hopes of silencing her, however he was sourly disappointed.
"What are you-" she started to say before being cut off by Charlie's hand pressed to her mouth. "SHHHHHHHH YOU'LL DIE!" he said in the most dramatic voice he could muster. "You do realize, that you can lick my hand all you'd like, but it won't make a difference" he said smugly and smirked, one eyebrow raised at Tonks, who was in fact licking his hand to try and get him to remove it from her mouth. "Ow! Okay no need to bite! Jeez you're like a rabid animal!" he teased as he let go of her mouth and wiped his hand on her robes.
Tonks gave him her most innocent smile "I'm just like little puppy" she said and made a small whimper noise as she made her eyes literally grow larger and sweeter. Charlie chuckled and made a fake 'aww' at her as she rolled on his lap before sitting up and flat out licking his cheek.
"Ew! Merlins beard, Tonks! Now, you do realize you aren't aaactually a puppy dog, right?" Charlie said in a fake teacher tone as he wiped his cheek off on his sleeve.
"That's what you think!" Tonks said in a mysterious tone, this time it was her turn to wink just before she transformed her nose to that of a dogs. "Look? See that? SEE THAT? PURE DOG RIGHT THERE!" she said, getting right up in his face. Charlie made a face and wrinkled his nose.
"Yeah, breath of a dog too!" he said disgusted-when in fact, he found Tonks scent, breath and all, to be a very pleasant one. He tried to place it, but just couldn't seem to, though it was familiar.
Tonks' face returned to normal except for the slight blush on her cheeks "Least I'm not big headed" She countered and stuck her tongue out, simply causing Charlie to crack up. "What? What's so funny?" she asked quickly, a frown forming on her lips.
"You have a tiny tongue. Do you realize this? Miniscule." He said matter-of-factly and chuckled as she tried to observe her own tongue, which of course didn't work out in her favor. "You're lame. Did you know that? Extremely" he said simply as he played with a blade of grass between his fingers.
"Yes, yes I did know that! Did you know you are, too?" she asked grinning once again. Charlie never said so, but he loved her smile, her grin, her everything happy. It made him smile, it was contagious!
"Why what a coincidence! I Diiiid in fact know that!" he grinned back "We make the perfect team, yknow that?" he asked, his voice suddenly soft and sincere as he nudged her gently with his arm.
Tonks gave him a genuine smile in return "I quite agree, Mr. Weasley! Again, the similarities!" she exclaimed in a very posh tone and a fancy flourish of her hand. Charlie chuckled and lay back down, closing his eyes and just as he was starting to relax again- "CHARLIIIIEEEEEE WAKE UUUUUUUUUPPPP!" came her yelling voice right in his ear. He jumped up, his eyes flying open to see a grinning Tonks standing above him. "Race you to the blake lake! Last ones a flobberworm!" she took of running before she fell flat on her face as Charlie's hand closed around her boot, pulling her to the ground. He then jumped up and took of running, with her at his heel. When he reached the lake he turned around quickly to see where Tonks was and-THWONK! Tonks collided with Charlie, not only knocking them over, but knocking them both straight into the black lake. Tonks was never what you'd call graceful, or even what you could just barely pass for graceful. She was about as clumsy as it got. And thats how Charlie liked her.
Charlie's lungs felt like they were on fire, like they were burning in the fires of the lowest hell, water gulped into his open mouth as he kicked towards the surface. THe water was deceptive, one would think water should put out fire, but in this particular case it only made the fire burn stronger in Charlie's lungs. Never had he longed for something as much as he longed for the sweet taste of air now. A sense of relief washed over him as his face broke the surface and air cascaded down his throat and into his yearning lungs. He immediately searched around for Tonks, but didn't see her. A though had suddenly struck him and he was thrust backwards in time into his own flashback. He remembered that day because Tonks had worn her hair to match his, a firey red, and it had made her cheeks seem aflame along with her long red hair. She had imitated the freckles he had all along the bridge of his nose and cheeks, they had talked for hours up in their favorite tree. One part of their conversation struck him like an arrow to the heart; she had said she couldn't swim. He had promised to teach her, but in fact never had. Now she was no where to be seen...Thats when the panic really set in.
Charlie took in the biggest breath he could before letting the water envelope him once more. Charlie, despite the stinging biting pain, opened his eyes in the water to better his search for her. She would murder him for thinking this, but he felt as though she were the damsel in distress and he were the Prince there to save her, and that irritated him. He was never one for princes rescuing the maiden in danger, because really those were silly stories. He had met quite a plenty of tough girls through his mere 15 years who could take care of themselves. That was one of the reasons he liked Tonks so much, because she could think for herself and was tough and willing for a challenge and adventure. Mid train of thought, Charlie's eye caught something pink in the water. He swam down as far as his lungs could take with the pressure, and grabbed her arm, swimming her to the top as fast as he could. It was like a race between what would kill him first, the fire raging in his lungs, or the fear engulfing him on Tonks behalf. When he finally broke the surface and pulled her ashore he began to get even more nervous, his heart was pounding in his ears and the thought of losing Tonks made him dizzy and nauseous. She didn't appear to be breathing, and his breath caught in his throat as he came to this realization. He forced himself to trudge on, though and pinched her nose slightly and lowered his face closer to hers.
Charlie slowly lowered his face so it was just inches from her own, he took a deep breath, ready to give her mouth to mouth recitation in the hopes of keeping her alive when- "BOO!" she screamed in his face and burst into a fit of laughter. Charlie let out a yell and jumped backwards, falling on his back gulping in air from his momentarily stopped heart and lungs.
"Bloody hell Tonks! What is WRONG with you?" he cried out, his voice seething with anger, but this wasn't normal joking Charlie anger, this was genuine anger. How could she do this to him?
"Woah...Char...Calm down it was just a joke..." she said nervously and crawled over to him.
"No! It wasn't just some joke! I honestly though...I thought...I thought I had lost you! I thought it was all my fault that my favorite person in the world was dea-gone! What would possibly drive you to believe that was okay? How could you do that to me? How could you, for even one second let me believe something as serious as that?" his voice was now raised to a near shout, anger spewing from each syllable, each consonant flying from his lips at rapid pace.
Tonks stared at Charlie in absolute awe, her lips had formed a small 'o' and she couldn't seem to find words to respond as it dawned on her how cruel her plan had actually been. Charlie's chest rose and fell heavily with each angered breath that fought its way through his still burning lungs, though now it was a dull stinging pain. Charlie stood up abruptly "I can't believe you." he said simply as he turned on his heel to walk away.
"Charlie! Wait! I-I'm sorry...I just..." Tonks head was spinning with possible responses, with the possibility that Charlie wouldn't want to be her friend anymore. Slowly, Charlie spun back around, but the look of anger was replaced, by all things, a huge grin.
"Gotcha" He said simply with a huge wink.
"Charlie Weasley!" she cried out and jumped up, though she was unable to keep the grin off her face. "Nymphadora, I believe you just got tricked!"
"Don't. Call. Me. Nymphadora." she said through her clenched teeth. "Oh yeah? Whatcha gonna do? Try and stop me!" he began repeatedly saying her name with a huge grin on his face.
"I'm warning you, Weasley. Don't make me hurt you!" she took a threatening step towards him as if ready to pounce at any moment, like a cat poised to catch its pray.
"Oh yeah? You and who's army, Nymphadora?" he asked as a grin played at his lips, though it didn't stay for long as the girl pounced on him, knocking them both to the grass. Tonks ended up on top of Charlie, her face inches from his own. "Ah, that army!" he breathed with a small chuckle.
"Told you you'd regret it..." she said softly, her lips barely centimeters from his, their breathing as one. She looked into his bright emerald eyes, and he back into her chestnut brown ones.
"Though I wouldn't say this is such a bad punishment" he threw her a big cheesy wink and grinned up at her, the moment, or if it really had even been a moment, was now ruined. Tonks lightly hit his chest.
"You just like having me on top of you. You clearly can't resist me!" she exclaimed dramatically and put her hand to her forehead.
"Oh, no no no! Clearly it is you, who can't resist me. You're all over me!" he claimed back, matching her melodramatic tone and making his eyes big as he looked into hers.
Tonks grinned "Oh, clearly thats how it is. No doubt!" she said in a mock serious tone as she laughed and rolled her eyes. She rolled off of him and lay back in the grass alongside the ginger boy. Charlie closed his eyes lightly and listened to the gentle hum of the world around him. "Char?" she asked carefully.
"Hmmm?" he asked, his tone lazy and tired.
"I-nevermind. Forget it." She said quickly, and knowing what was best in this situation for Tonks was to simply let it go, which is what he did. He slowly let his body become numb and let himself start to drift away. All of the sudden his body was awake and alert, his mind was tingling, he could seemingly feel every fiber of his very being. His fingers and toes seemed to warm and the warmth slowly spread like wildfire throughout his entire body, piece by piece. Bursts of reds, purples, greens, blues, and every color imaginable danced behind his closed eyelids. He had only ever gotten this feeling once before...
After a few moments, which seemed to Charlie like years when in reality it was mere moments, the feeling disappeared as Charlie's lips were once again lonely. He opened his bright green eyes and looked into Tonks' now purple eyes, she was smiling and his lips matched hers perfectly as the corners of his mouth curled up. "Wow.." he started to say, but was cut off when her finger pressed itself to his lips to silence the boy.
"Mhm. Still as good as I was in third year?" she whispered, her face inches from his own.
"Better." he whispered back, his mind reeling back to that night in the astronomy tower, when both had wanted their first kiss to be over, and their lips had met for the first time. Charlie had kissed many girls after her, but none had felt quite the same. He reached up and ran his fingers through her hair "You're my favorite, did ya know that?" he asked quietly, his smiling down at her.
"mm, I did in fact know that! You're mine too" she said back, her voice a gentle murmur into his ear. She grabbed his wrist and ran her thumb along it gently, her smile never faltering.
"Tonks, will you be my girl?" he asked slowly, his eyes full of questioning.
"Charlie, I was always yours to begin with..."
"Well, then I have a lot of time to make up for" he whispered before once again the colors started swirling behind his eyelids, as they once again became one being.
