Ginny sighed and pushed her long ginger hair out of her eyes. "Tonks." She said. Tonks was perched on a stool beside the bed that Ginny was lounging on. Ginny propped herself up on her elbow and looked at Tonks seriously. "You need to talk to him." She told her.

Tonks wrinkled her nose at this and nervously ran a hand through her short cropped, mousy brown hair. Ginny knew that the colour of her hair was effected by her mood, and today just wasn't a good day. Tonks looked up from her lap and said almost fiercely "I could say the same to you!" Her tone softened as she added "He won't listen, Gin."

"And he'll never see me that way!" Ginny sighed. "So I guess we're both stuck then!" She laughed. Tonks laughed too but bitterly. "You're too young to think like that." Tonks told her.

"So are you!" Ginny said indignantly, sitting upright, confronting her.

"Mmm...yeah," Tonks mumbled. "Age."

"What?" Ginny asked.

"Age." She thumped her leg in annoyance. "Age. It's the whole bloody problem!" She frowned

"What do you mean?" Ginny frowned. Tonks cringed and refused to meet Ginny's gaze. "Tell me Dora." The use of her abbreviated first name seemed to do it

"Ok." She took a deep breath, eyes closed. When she opened them again they were wet. "He says I'm too young. That he's too old for me...that I could do better, much better!"

Ginny gaped and struggled for words. "But-but you want him. Surely if he feels- then age- it wouldn't- shouldn't matter." She frowned.

"Ginny," Tonks laughed humourlessly and got up. She sat beside the young girl and rested her hand on Ginny's arm, in a very older sister like fashion that Ginny wasn't used to. "He says the feelings mutual honey. But he simply feels, it would be selfish" Her lips twisted at the words. "to take me for himself when he believes I could do better than him."

"But- but" Ginny objected.

"I know," She sighed. "I know, but what can I do?"

'Tonks-

When are you coming over?! I REALLY need to talk to you...about importance stuff!

I haven't seen you in forever!

I'm borrowing Pig off Ron, so send your reply with him. The holidays are soo boring and I miss you!

Mum says you're welcome to come over for dinner whenever you'd like...Remus too, if y'know...you want.

Please Tonks...

Lots of love,

Ginny xxx'

"I can't stay long." Tonks tutted, hood up, face cast in the shadows; the Burrow was bright and warm behind them; it was dark, cold and raining outside standing in the lane. Ginny stood in an old rain coat, staring at her best friend.

"Tonks," Words failed her. Tonks was a wreck, she was not the Tonks Ginny knew and loved. Gone was the smile, the bright hair seemed lost forever-dark ragged locks replaced it. She was wearing a very old travelling cloak that Ginny thought might have belonged to Sirius. Because since her cousin's death and being rebuffed by Remus, Tonks had gone into herself, seeking solitude, depressed wasn't a strong enough word. "Please come in, even just for a cup of tea..." Ginny pleaded.

"I don't want to." Tonks said. "I'm not in the mood to have company..." She huffed.

"Dora," Ginny pleaded. "You're really worrying me!"

"Well, yeah, things aren't great at the moment kid." Although her voice was rough, she said 'kid' in an affectionate tone.

"I know, but hiding away isn't going to help is it? Especially with the current situation..." Ginny trailed off.

"'The current situation?'" She laughed humourlessly. "Yeah, You Know Who's back; loads of my family are dead...! The man I love won't love me! I might lose my job, every days a risk, we could all die any second...Oh and You Know Who's back!" She repeated "And- and we're all alone!" She sobbed.

"TONKS!" Ginny went to her and hugged her. She could feel her silent sobs as she held her tight.

When they broke apart, Tonks hastily whipped her eyes, Ginny looked away pointedly. "I'm sorry." Tonks whispered a hand on Ginny's arm. Her voice flattered. "I'm taking this out on you- what would Molly say?" She laughed.

"She'd say stop being silly and come in for a cup of tea." Ginny said definitely.

"Okay, okay!" Tonks raised her hands in defeat; a small smile played on her lips.

Ginny smiled back encouragingly. "Come on." She said and as they turned back towards The Burrow, Tonks slipped her hand in to Ginny's and squeezed. "Thank you." She whispered.

Inside The Burrow was warm and dimly lit; Ginny and Tonks sat at one end of the long dining table, while Mrs Weasley hurried around making them cups of tea. Tonks sat with her hands in her lap, looking at them avoiding Molly's polite and friendly, yet probing questions.

"Mum!" Ginny protested when her mother's questions had become too consistent. "We just want a minute. Seriously, I could have made the tea!"

Mrs Weasley scowled her daughter with a single look and hurried over, placing two mugs of hot tea in front of them. "Nonsense, it's no problem." She whipped her hands on her apron and smiled. "So?" She asked, smiling.

"Yeah," Ginny said forcefully. "Thanks mum." Ginny hinted by glancing to the door.

"Oooh!" Mrs Weasley smiled and looked quickly between the two girls; Tonks was staring into her mug. "Right!" Mrs Weasley said decisively. "I'll leave you two too it shall I?" She asked.

"Thanks mum."

"Cheers Molly." Tonks muttered eyes still cast down.

Molly Weasley left her kitchen, but not without one final look at the two girls.

Silence fell between them; the only sound in the kitchen was the ticking of the large clock on the wall above the sink. Tonks drank deeply from her mug. "That tastes good." She sighed. "Warm."

"Tonks I-," Ginny began.

"It's okay, Ginny." Tonks said softly. "I've been, not exactly the best lately, I know that." She frowned then looked up at her. "But you've been great."

Ginny half smiled. "I just hate seeing you like this Dora."

Tonks looked down and drank some more tea. "Look Ginny, since Sirius" Her voice broke saying his name, she shuddered with tears. Ginny reached across the table and took her hand. "It's just been so hard y'know?" Tonks half whispered, tears gleamed in her eyes. "And Bellatrix" She snarled her name. "She was the one! You know that makes it all the worse!" Anger burned in her eyes, consumed her whole face. "I'll kill her, Ginny!" Tonks promised. The look of hatred and revenge, on her pale faced worried Ginny. "She'll get what's coming for her, if it's the last thing I do!" Tonks was deadly serious and that was what worried Ginny the most.

"Don't do anything rash Tonks." Ginny begged and squeezed her hand tightly.

"I won't. I won't go looking for her" Tonks said. "But when the opportunity presents itself and it will. I won't be kind!"
"No one expects you to be!" Ginny said quickly. "But I don't want you to get hurt!"

"I won't." Tonks repeated, defiantly. The look on her face reminded Ginny of the old Tonks, who would have challenged anyone who dared to say she may get herself hurt, the old Tonks, who loved danger; got into every battle, every fight, who won every duel. Ginny smiled at the memory of the bubble gum pink haired Tonks that had formed in her mind.

The present Tonks, however, was trying to catch her attention. "Ginny!" Tonks waved her hand across her line of vision. When Ginny looked up, Tonks said. "Anyway, you have no need to worry. I can look after myself just fine!"

Tonks could, Ginny knew that; but she was more afraid of the idea of Tonks coming face to face with her Aunt Bellatrix. The idea of it sent shivers down her spine.

They drank their tea in relative quiet, the clock ticked, people moved around upstairs. Tonks and Ginny just sipped their tea. Finally Tonks broke the silence, she moved, taking off her long travelling cloak. She let it fall back on to the back of her chair.

Very slowly, she smiled at Ginny and ran a hand through her matted hair; instantly it began to change- became shorter, neater, and red. It wasn't quite the cheery pink, but this improvement made Ginny happy. "Finally," She whispered.

Tonks laughed. "Get Remus to stop being so stubborn and it'll be pink again!" She grinned but there was pain behind the smile.

"We kissed, you know." Tonks said out of the blue.

Ginny looked at her gobsmacked. "What?! You and Remus?! When? How?! Explain." Ginny demanded.

"It was in the basement kitchen at Grimmuald Place," She explained "The night after Sirius..." She hesitated. "You know," Ginny nodded sympathetically. "Well, anyway," she continued. "He came to talk, to grieve together. We both- Sirius was important to us both, he was his best friend. And then- it well, it just happened."

Ginny frowned. "What?" You just kissed then what?"

"Well yeah, we were both grieving then he kissed me, or I kissed him- or it was both of us. I don't know it just happened and then...he said goodnight and left. We haven't really spoken since."

"He just left?!" Ginny said outraged.

"Yep," Tonks sighed and tilted her empty mug. She stood up and looked at Ginny. "Want another cup of tea?" She asked smiling.