This is kind of a prequel to my one-shot "Dinner at the Weasleys." This is when Tonks has a chat with Mrs. Weasley. Again, my apologies for any spelling and or grammatical errors as well as canon errors. I try my best to stay in canon. The italicized text is taken from Chapter 5, An Excess of Phlegm in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.

Please, if you have the time, review. I'd really appreciated it.

*Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. That credit belongs to the wonderful Mrs. J.K. Rowling.

Mother's Intuition

"Mum, can I answer?" Ron walked towards the door.

"Yes, Ron. It's Tonks she's come for tea."

"So late?" Ron asked.

"Yes. She's been working late."

"She's come over a lot recently."

"And does that bother you, Ronald? I'm worried about her," Mrs. Weasley answered. Ron opened the door. Standing outside was Nymphadora Tonks, although if Ron did not know her face well enough, he would have never known. Her normally bubblegum pink hair had been replaced by a mousy brown and her complexion had grown pale. "Wotcher, Ron," she said as she entered the Burrow.

"Hello Tonks," he replied. "How's the Ministry?" he tried to strike a conversation. "How are you?" seemed to be a stupid question judging by her appearance. "Busy and full of nutters," she answered receiving a laugh from Ron. "Are Harry and Hermione here?"

"Hermione is," Ron answered. "Harry's not yet."

Just then Mrs. Weasley entered the kitchen.

"Hello Tonks," she hugged her. "Please sit. I'll get the tea," she hurried over to the stove. "Ron, why don't you go upstairs?"

"Tell everyone I said hello," Tonks called after Ron as he ran up the stairs. "I'm sorry, it's so late," she pulled out a chair hanging her cloak on the back. "I've been staying this late for about a month now. I know I'm really there for the Order, but Scrimgeour obviously doesn't know that. Kingsley's got to keep him pleased so I'm stuck doing miles of paperwork."

"No problem at all, dear," Molly also took a seat summoning the kettle of tea from the stove and a mug from the cupboard. "I actually asked you here to see if you're alright." Tonks genuinely seemed surprised.

"Oh," she took a quick sip of her tea. "I'm fine. Not enough hours in the day, but I'm fine."

"Are you sure?" Mrs. Weasley gave her a peculiar look. "Are you hungry? You must be starving. I can't imagine you had time to eat at work. I can whip you up something."

"Oh, no thank you Molly. I'm not hungry."

"My dear, are you sure something's not troubling you? Is it Scrimgeour? Arthur tells me he's a bit of work."

"No, Molly, I promise I'm fine."

"You just, you just don't seem yourself. Not to be blunt, but you are pretty easy to read," she shifted her eyes towards Tonks's hair. Tonks managed a small laugh.

"Yes, I know" Tonks replied staring into her tea.

"You were always so cheery, always laughing with Remus and Sirius after the meetings," she noticed at the mention of Remus and Sirius, the shade of Tonks's hair darkened a small bit. "Is it just the times? I know this is a lot to take in. I remember the first time this happened, I, I could hardly keep myself together sometimes." Tonks was about to answer when a silvery, ghost-like lynx came through the fireplace and appeared in front of the table.

"Molly, Arthur," Kingsley Shackebolt's voice bellowed, "Is Tonks with you?" Tonks shook her head. "Always worried. I told him where I was going," she drew out her wand and sent a patronus back. A large dog-like figure emerged from the tip of her wand. Mrs. Weasley watched it float through the air until it disappeared up the fireplace.

"Tonks," Mrs. Weasley poured more tea. "Was your patronus always a dog?" she wasn't sure if it, in fact, was a dog. It was very large for a common dog. She did know, however, that months ago when she had seen Tonks produce a patronus it was not that dog.

"No."

A thought clicked in Mrs. Weasley's head. She just had to find a way to get Tonks to tell her. "Did it change, because of Sirius?" she grabbed Tonks's hand sympathetically. "I know it was hard for you, but, dear, remember, it wasn't your fault."

"I know. I know," Tonks answered. Even though she knew Sirius died at Bellatrix's wand, she always blamed herself for not finishing off Bellatrix first.

"Are you still having trouble with it?"

"I know I didn't know him long," Tonks's eyes glazed over with tears, "but he was a dear friend and a good man."

"That he was," Mrs. Weasley smiled. "And quite a laugh sometimes too, though no regard for wise choices—always the adventurous one he was."

"I worry about Remus the most," Molly admitted after keeping silent for a few moments, careful to watch Tonks's appearance, which she swore changed to another, almost unnoticeable, shade darker. "He's lost both his best friends and his parents have been gone, no other family. He must feel so alone."

"Yeah, well he wouldn't have to if…" Tonks realized she was thinking out loud and stopped herself by quickly sipping her tea.

"What did you say dear?" Mrs. Weasley turned her head so Tonks wouldn't see her expression. It was hard for her to hide her smile.

"Nothing," Tonks murmured still sipping her tea afraid of having to give a better answer if she stopped.

"Wouldn't have to it he what?" Molly persisted. Tonks didn't know what to do. Still sipping what was now an empty cup, she searched for a believable answer. Molly, however, wasn't patient enough to wait.

"It's Remus isn't it?" Mrs. Weasley demanded. "All along." Tonks couldn't do anything, but lower her head. "Oh I knew it. I always know, mother's intuition," Mrs. Weasley's mouth erupted in a smile. She quickly stopped when she saw Tonks's downhearted expression. "But, what happened? Everything was going so well with you two at the meetings and you were together after Sirius. I know you two used to comfort each other, talk about him."

"We did," Tonks answered her voice sounding distant as if her mind had carried her back to those times. "But he doesn't want it. He won't have it."

"Won't have it? Does he know?"

"Yes," Tonks answered her voice more frustrated, "but he doesn't want it."

"Well dear I'm sure he's just afraid. Just give him time."

"Time," Tonks laughed. "He doesn't want it," she repeated staring intently at the floor, trying not to cry. Noticing that Tonks was getting more upset, Mrs. Weasley offered other words of comfort. "Again with my mother's intuition, I can tell you I know how he feels," she lifted Tonks's chin. "And it's the same as you. Why shouldn't he? You're such a smart, talented, and beautiful girl…and funny. If Charlie wasn't running about in Romania and if Bill were, regrettably, attached, I'd do all in my power to have you with one of them." Tonks laughed.

"I'm sure Fleur's not that bad. And Bill must see something in her."

"Perhaps," Mrs. Weasley sighed. "But enough with my troubles, you just remember what I told you. You give him some more time. The problem with Remus is most of his life he's been rejected and disliked, though, as you know there's no reason for that. My point is that Remus still hasn't realized is that he can mean a great deal to a person. He will come around…and if he doesn't, take matters into your own hands."

There was a sudden knocking at the door. "Who's there?" Mrs. Weasley asked nervously getting up from the table and walking toward the door. "Declare yourself!"

"It is I, Dumbledore, bringing Harry." Mrs. Weasley quickly opened the door. "Harry, dear! Gracious, Albus, you gave me a fright, you said not to expect you before morning!"

"We were lucky," said Dumbledore, ushering Harry over the threshold. "Slughorn proved much more persuadable than I had expected. Harry's doing, of course. Ah, hello, Nymphadora!" Dumbledore noticed Tonks still sitting at the table. "Hello, Professor," she said. "Wotcher, Harry."

"Hi Tonks," Harry answered. Knowing that Mrs. Weasley would soon be forcing Harry to eat twice his weight in food, Tonks decided it was time to leave. "I'd better be off," she said quickly, standing up and pulling her cloak around her shoulders. "Thanks for the tea and sympathy, Molly."

"Please don't leave on my account," said Dumbledore courteously, "I cannot stay, I have urgent matters to discuss with Rufus Scrimgeour."

"No, no, I need to get going," said Tonks, not meeting Dumbledore's eyes. "'Night—"

"Dear, why not come to dinner at the weekend, Remus and Mad-Eye are coming—?"

"No, really, Molly…thanks anyway…Good night, everyone." Mrs. Weasley wanted to hug her again, just as she would if Ginny were in Tonks's situation, but of course, she didn't think Tonks would appreciate Dumbledore and Harry's being that acquainted with her personal life. She knew that it would take time for Tonks to be herself again and she suspected Tonks's absence would sooner than later affect Remus. It was her mother's intuition.