A/N: I don't own anything. This is for the Never Before Seen Pairing Challenge
It was three o'clock in the morning, Ron rolled over and punched his pillow. The rain was pouring outside and the noise kept waking him up. He sat up and ran his hand through his hair, making it stick up in all different directions.
He swung his legs out over the bed and put his bare feet on the cold wooden floor. The shock from the cold woke him up completely and he stood up to go downstairs.
The closer he got to the kitchen the louder the thunder seemed to get, until he realized it wasn't thunder at all. Tonks was standing at the back door, soaking wet, banging desperately on the window. Ron ran to the door and threw it open, "Tonks! What's wrong?"
"Can I come in?" She stuttered, shivering from the cold.
"Of course!" Ron ran to the linen closet for a towel and blanket. "Here get warm." He handed them to her and she wrapped herself up thankfully. "What are you doing here?" Ron called over his shoulder as he lit a fire in the fireplace.
"Remus and I got into a row… I didn't know where else to go." Tonks wiped the tears from her eyes and looked away.
Ron cleared his throat awkwardly and sat next to her, "Er well… I'm sure my Mum will be up in a bit." He patted her back awkwardly.
Tonks snorted, "Not good at the consoling thing?" She smiled at him.
"No.. er… not really." Ron scratched at his nose and sighed, "So what…uh… what happened?"
"Just… a stupid fight. It was pretty bad… here lately they've been bad. Can… can I get a cup of tea?" Tonks teeth chattered and she gripped her blanket tighter.
"Oh… yeah…" Ron stood up and walked over to the kettle. A couple minutes of awkward silence later he brought Tonks a steaming cup of tea. "So… do you want to talk about it?"
Tonks rubbed her forehead and sipped at her tea, "No… not really. Is there somewhere I can lie down?"
"Take my bed. I couldn't sleep anyway."
"Thanks." She stood up, abandoning her tea, and walked upstairs to Ron's attic bedroom.
Ron went to take a shower, when he got out Mrs. Weasley was in the kitchen making breakfast, "Couldn't sleep?" She asked over her shoulder.
"That… and Tonks is in my bed."
Ron heard a loud clatter and looked up to see most of the potatoes on the floor and his mom gripping her bleeding finger, "Damn it…. Did you say Tonks was in your bed?" She grabbed a towel and wrapped her finger up.
Ron grabbed her wand and handed it to her, "Yes, she was banging on the kitchen door earlier this morning, I let her in and she went up to my room to sleep."
Mrs. Weasley stared at Ron for a minute and raised an eyebrow, "Do… you know why she left Remus?"
"She didn't say." Ron shrugged and pointed to her hand, "Are you gonna be okay?"
"What?" Mrs. Weasley looked down at her hand, "Oh… yeah… But can you go out to the garden and find me new potatoes?"
Ron got up and walked out to the garden, Tonks was sitting under the apple tree in a white summer dress. "Thought you were still asleep in my room?" Ron sat down next to her, forgetting his mission of more potatoes for breakfast.
"I was… I decided to come out here and think." Her hair was long and curly today, it was a dirty blonde color.
"Is that your natural hair?" Ron asked.
"Yes.. This is what it looked like when I was first born… when I'm not thinking about my appearance it turns back to my natural features." Tonks pushed her skirt up and stretched her legs out, letting the sun warm them up.
Ron couldn't help starring at her tan and toned legs. He blushed as he realized his thoughts, "Are you okay? I mean… the whole row last night and--"
"No… I'm not okay. But… it's life and it happens. I love Remus, I really do. But he can be a git just like anyone else." Tonks brushed back her hair and sighed, it immediately shot back into her head until it was around her ears, "I like it shorter, out of my way." She said as she saw Ron's curious expression.
"Shame… I like it longer."
Tonks smiled and stood up, "I'm hungry. Do you think Molly has breakfast ready?"
At the mention of breakfast Ron sat up, "Potatoes!" He slapped his forehead and ran over to the small patch of the garden that was designated for the vegetable.
Tonks laughed and knelt down beside him, "Need help?"
"You'll get your dress dirty."
"I don't mind." Tonks started digging enthusiastically. Ron looked over at her and smiled, she already had a dirt smudge on her cheek. She pulled roughly and fell backwards with a large potato in her hand. "I got one!" She beamed.
Ron laughed, "You sure did. We'll need about five more."
"I don't see any potatoes in your hand." She smiled smugly.
"Yes… I've been having more fun watching you." He reached down and pulled a potato out of the ground a tad bigger than hers, "You make it a lot harder than it has to be." He laughed. She laughed and shook her head, going in for the next one. They laughed and dug up potatoes until they had a good armful each.
"Well here are potatoes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner." Ron laughed, dropping the potatoes into the sink.
"What took you so long?" Mrs. Weasley scowled, the rest of breakfast was eaten and the dirty plates were piled next to the sink. "Everyone else has already eaten. The twins are back up in their room doing Merlin knows what, and your father left for work already. Ginny disappeared too."
"I'm sorry Molly, I guess I'm a slow digger." Tonks smiled. "But I'll be glad to help you with those dishes."
"Yes well… go wash up Ron. You're filthy."
"I should wash up too… Erm, after you of course." Tonks blushed.
"No lady's first, I'll get you a towel." Ron went to the linen closet and grabbed two fluffy towels, handing them to Tonks.
"Thanks." Tonks went upstairs to the bathroom.
When she was out of site Mrs. Weasley turned around to face Ron, "She's married!"
"What?" Ron furrowed his eyebrows at his mother's outburst.
Mrs. Weasley crossed her arms and sighed, "I'm not dumb Ronald… I can see you like her. But she's married, just because she and Remus had a row does not mean they are going to get a divorce. And it certainly doesn't mean she's going to be with you." She shook her head, "She's far too old for you anyway. You're sixteen!"
"Mum… it's not even like that." Ron sighed. He walked to the sink and started doing the dishes.
Molly shooed him away, "Just go do something." She spat irritated.
Later that day Ron sat by the pond drawing, it was one of his favorite past times, the horizon created a beautiful view and he sat sketching away. He didn't hear as someone came and sat down beside him, "I didn't know you could draw."
Ron jumped with a start, "Oh… I didn't see you there Tonks." He sat the pad down and stretched out on the grass.
"Ginny was too busy gushing over Harry and your mum wanted to talk about Remus… I don't want to talk about Remus." Tonks sighed.
"Not even with me?" Ron looked up at her squinting from the sun.
"You want to know why I left him don't you?" Tonks laughed.
"Yes…" Ron shrugged.
"Ron… it's complicated…" Tonks laid down beside him and stared up at the sky. "Look… that cloud looks like a hippogriff."
"Changing the subject… I get it. We won't go there." Ron pointed to another cloud, "That one looks like a broomstick."
"You and your Quidditch." Tonks laughed.
That night Tonks lay in a cot in Ginny's room, "Tonks…" Ginny's voice rang out in the dark."
"Yes?"
"You have feelings for my brother don't you?"
"That's…. why I left Remus." Tonks sat up on one elbow, "Don't tell anyone Ginny. Please."
Ginny sighed heavily, "I won't… but you should."
"Goodnight Ginerva." Tonks growled angrily.
"Goodnight Nymphadora." Ginny mocked.