A white pillow flew out of nowhere and hit Hermione on the side of the head, knocking her already somewhat wild hair out of shape. Maintaining an expression of utmost fury and offense, she seized the pillow and hurled it with all her might right back at the offender, knocking them onto the bed, sending cascades of dust out from the moth eaten mattress. Caught somewhere in between hysterical laughter and choking in the stale air, Hermione peered through her watering eyes to see a shock of violet appear from under the pillow through the clouds of dirt.
"I'll get you for that!"
Tonks, never ceasing to act her age, scrambled up from the mouldy duvet and letting out a tribe-like war cry, dived on Hermione, who was currently suffocated with giggling and dust. Landing in a heap of hair and pyjamas on the wooden floor, they both surrendered helplessly to fits of laughter.
Having spent the day cleaning the master bedroom of 13 Grimmauld place, they had decided to use it to host a rewarding girly sleepover. The now clean floor was littered with sleeping bags (Sirius had refused to let his mother's old bed be touched-mainly out of disgust), chocolate frog wrappers, and a game of celebrity wizards chess they had been amusing themselves with or hours (which having been regulated by the International Magical Trading Standards Body c/o the Ministry of Magic contained a wooden portrayal of Cornelius Fudge which had to be slightly elongated from his true proportions to take place as king)
They had invited Ron, Harry and Ginny to join them also, but Ginny had gone to bed early with a headache, and the boys would be joining them later. Since they had found Grimmauld place also had a concealed garden, quidditch practice had been their every waking moment.
A shy knock on the door ceased the mini riot, and they sat up as two mugs of butterbeer eased into the room, followed by a familiar face.
"Bit late for you, isn't it Lupin?" Tonks teased cheekily, accepting the butterbeer gratefully.
"Only to be at your beck and call, Nymphadora" he replied with a bashful smile.
"Don't call me that!" she moaned in protest.
"Well, don't call *me* Lupin then. It's Remus. Everybody else calls me Remus, what's so special about you, huh?"
Hermione sat on the floor cross legged, watching and listening to their idle banter bemusedly. As they laughed together, Hermione noticed something odd about the way Tonks was sitting. Her legs were stretched out in front of her, making little use of the pink checked shorts she was wearing as pyjamas. She lent back, supporting her weight on her arms, smiling up at Remus. She seemed to be trying to surreptitiously lengthen her hair, which she was swishing every now and again. Then it clicked.
Remus
Hermione had never considered Tonks in this light before. She was energetic and clumsy, perhaps a bit of a tomboy. Yet here she was, almost flirting with Remus right in front of her.
"Well, goodnight Hermione. Goodnight Nym…" Cackling, Remus snapped the door shut to avoid the projectile pillow flying out of Tonks' hand.
Smiling to herself, Tonks lay back on her sleeping bag and rolled over to face Hermione.
"You must miss having him as your teacher huh?"
"Yes sometimes I suppose. But he's better off here in the order than at Hogwarts."
A pause in the conversation follow, although Tonks was still smiling.
"Don't YOU think so Tonks?" Hermione persisted, unable to refrain from smiling.
Tonks did not reply, only hid beneath her hair, but Hermione could see the pink blush of her cheeks through the purple strands.
"Or should I say, Nymphadora??" she teased.
Tonks emitted a low growling sound.
"Accio pillow!"
"I'll get you for that!"
Tonks, never ceasing to act her age, scrambled up from the mouldy duvet and letting out a tribe-like war cry, dived on Hermione, who was currently suffocated with giggling and dust. Landing in a heap of hair and pyjamas on the wooden floor, they both surrendered helplessly to fits of laughter.
Having spent the day cleaning the master bedroom of 13 Grimmauld place, they had decided to use it to host a rewarding girly sleepover. The now clean floor was littered with sleeping bags (Sirius had refused to let his mother's old bed be touched-mainly out of disgust), chocolate frog wrappers, and a game of celebrity wizards chess they had been amusing themselves with or hours (which having been regulated by the International Magical Trading Standards Body c/o the Ministry of Magic contained a wooden portrayal of Cornelius Fudge which had to be slightly elongated from his true proportions to take place as king)
They had invited Ron, Harry and Ginny to join them also, but Ginny had gone to bed early with a headache, and the boys would be joining them later. Since they had found Grimmauld place also had a concealed garden, quidditch practice had been their every waking moment.
A shy knock on the door ceased the mini riot, and they sat up as two mugs of butterbeer eased into the room, followed by a familiar face.
"Bit late for you, isn't it Lupin?" Tonks teased cheekily, accepting the butterbeer gratefully.
"Only to be at your beck and call, Nymphadora" he replied with a bashful smile.
"Don't call me that!" she moaned in protest.
"Well, don't call *me* Lupin then. It's Remus. Everybody else calls me Remus, what's so special about you, huh?"
Hermione sat on the floor cross legged, watching and listening to their idle banter bemusedly. As they laughed together, Hermione noticed something odd about the way Tonks was sitting. Her legs were stretched out in front of her, making little use of the pink checked shorts she was wearing as pyjamas. She lent back, supporting her weight on her arms, smiling up at Remus. She seemed to be trying to surreptitiously lengthen her hair, which she was swishing every now and again. Then it clicked.
Remus
Hermione had never considered Tonks in this light before. She was energetic and clumsy, perhaps a bit of a tomboy. Yet here she was, almost flirting with Remus right in front of her.
"Well, goodnight Hermione. Goodnight Nym…" Cackling, Remus snapped the door shut to avoid the projectile pillow flying out of Tonks' hand.
Smiling to herself, Tonks lay back on her sleeping bag and rolled over to face Hermione.
"You must miss having him as your teacher huh?"
"Yes sometimes I suppose. But he's better off here in the order than at Hogwarts."
A pause in the conversation follow, although Tonks was still smiling.
"Don't YOU think so Tonks?" Hermione persisted, unable to refrain from smiling.
Tonks did not reply, only hid beneath her hair, but Hermione could see the pink blush of her cheeks through the purple strands.
"Or should I say, Nymphadora??" she teased.
Tonks emitted a low growling sound.
"Accio pillow!"