Written for:

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry: Pop Music Chart Day
90s - No Doubt - Don't Speak

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry: Career Advice
Task #2: Write about a character suddenly seeing someone for who they really are.

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry: 2017 Event: 365 Drabbles
Event - Anniversary

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry: Insane House Challenge
Pairing - Tonks/Charlie

Time to Say Goodbye

xXx

I really feel
That I'm losing my best friend
I can't believe
This could be the end
It looks as though you're letting go
And if it's real
Well I don't want to know

Tonks and Charlie sat in an uncomfortable silence.

Charlie looked everywhere but at his girlfriend. Tonks, on the other hand, didn't shy away from looking at the man she lived with for the last year.

Tonks watched Charlie for any kind of reaction. "This is the anniversary of our first date. We're supposed to be celebrating."

"But we're not."

Tonks sighed. "Because it has been three years, and I feel like we aren't moving forward in our relationship."

"We have great conversations. We have fun. We make love. Why can't you just be happy with what we have?"

For the first time, Tonks' eyes were wide open to the truth. "Are we ever going to have more? Will you ever commit fully to me?"

Charlie finally looked at her. "I'm not the marrying type of man. I have a bunch of nieces and nephews; I don't want kids. I thought you knew that."

She bit her bottom lip. He had warned her at the beginning of their relationship, but she had thought, and hoped, she'd be able to change his mind.

"What now?" she finally whispered.

"That's up to you."

Tonks' fingers clutched her trousers, bunching up the fabric. "Charlie, I love you. I want to be married, though. I want to have kids, and if you don't want to give me that, I'm not sure what kind of future we can have."

Charlie nodded. "You deserve all of that, but I can't be the one to give it to you."

"You would if you loved me," she retorted.

"It's not about love. It's about me as a person, and I don't want to get married or have kids."

Tonks couldn't hold back the tears any longer. "Are we saying goodbye?" she croaked.

Charlie was silent for a moment before he replied, "I think we are."

Tonks leaned against Charlie's side, and he wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"You're my best friend," she finally said.

"And you're mine. That's why we should end it when we don't yet resent each other."

Tonks nodded against his shoulder. He was right. There was a chance they could still be friends, but if they kept waiting, a friendship might not be salvageable.

"We'll always have the last three years, but saying goodbye to our romance is the best thing for us," he murmured.

Tonks held him tighter. He was right. She just wanted to hold him a little longer, and then she'd get ready to start the next chapter in her life.

xXx

(word count: 420)