A/N: Hey y'all! This was written for Hogwarts and the Houses Competition. Prompts are below. :) Also—this is my 100th story, so that's pretty cool XD
Hogwarts:
Magical and Mundane Literature Task 2: Write about someone who loves someone unconditionally
Houses Competition:
House: Hufflepuff
Year 1
Category: Drabble
Prompt: Nymphadora Tonks
Word Count: 977 (within 20% limit)
WARNINGS: Bit of language, mentioned excessive drinking
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. Those rights go to JK Rowling.
A million thanks to Gab, Crissie, and Anna for beta'ing! :)
Enjoy!
London was different at night. Man-made towers bravely stretched up into the jet black sky, like fingers reaching out to touch the forbidden. There were less people about, and the stars provided a softer light than anything that could be found in the daytime.
It was beautiful, mysterious. Tonks hated it.
The young Auror sighed as she ran a hand through her purple hair, then winced when her chipped, coral pink nails snagged on a knot. She was posted on the roof of a building in Muggle London for an Order assignment, and the wind had whipped her hair all around. She shivered and tucked her hands beneath her to try and warm them, but gave up after a while and transfigured her left shoe into a blanket. She wrapped herself up tightly, sighing when its warmth enveloped her.
"I think we need to talk, don't we?" a gentle voice asked from behind her.
Tonks didn't turn around. "Hullo, Kingsley."
The senior Auror lowered himself down beside her, his olive green robes puddling around him. He, too, created a blanket for himself, then turned to face her. "You haven't been yourself all week. What's the matter?"
Tonks frowned. She liked Kingsley, but they'd never had any heart-to-hearts. In school she saved those for Charlie Weasley, her best friend—nowadays she saved them for Remus.
But now that he was the problem, it was a little hard to be honest with him.
"You should go inside. It's not your shift, and it's freezing out here."
Kingsley just laughed. "I've endured worse than this."
Tonks rolled her eyes, but a smile was tugging at her lips. Kingsley cleared his throat and handed her a beer, which she hadn't realized he'd been carrying. "I thought you might want this. I know how much you hate guard duty."
Tonks snorted but accepted the gift. "Cheers, mate."
She took a swig and burrowed back in the blanket. Kingsley shook his head. "I don't know why you're moping up here. You haven't frozen yet—you should be smelling the roses."
Tonks glared at him, her heart aching too much to appreciate the joke. "You should be pushing up daisies," she shot back sourly.
Kingsley let out a booming laugh. "I love you, too."
Tonks shoved his shoulder but didn't respond. They sat in silence for another few moments before Kingsley spoke again, his dark eyes worried.
"You're upset about Remus."
She looked away. "He's just—he's so stupid. So damn stupid. I just don't understand how he can know that I love him, love me back, and then just push me away! I know he's insecure and scared, but if our roles were reversed, he would think just like I do."
Kingsley didn't respond for a moment. Then suddenly, his long, dark fingers plucked the bottle from her grip. She opened her mouth to protest, but then he spoke.
"I think warning labels on alcoholic beverages are too bland. They should be more vivid." He looked her in the eye. "Here is one I would suggest: 'Alcohol will turn you into the same asshole your father was.'"
Tonks blinked in surprise as he handed her back the bottle. She peered at him more closely, suddenly reminded of the fact that he was older than the thirty years he appeared to be. He was older than Remus—meaning he must have seen more.
His voice was strangely detached as he continued. "I loved my father, Tonks. But he wasn't a good man… not to me, not to my mother. He hated everything—those bottles being the exception."
Tonks slowly set the drink down. Kingsley didn't drink often, and only in moderation, and it was suddenly clear why. She hadn't had much—she'd never risk being drunk on a mission—but it had lost its appeal.
Regret shone in his eyes. "I loved him, though. No matter what he did, I always hoped… but it's too late now." He put a hand on her shoulder. "Sometimes we love the things that are bad for us. That's what Remus is afraid of."
Tonks ran a hand over her face. "I never meant for this to happen. Our love. Not that I would change it, but—I… I don't know how to make him understand that I'm not afraid of him. I can't stop what people think of us—I can't control their fear. Only my own." She balled her hands into fists. "My mum is doing the 'I'm not getting any younger, you know. I want to see my grandchildren before I go' thing. And I… I can see a future with him. So, so clearly."
It was a painful thing to admit, but she surrendered herself to it because… she needed to know that she wasn't being ridiculous. She needed to know there was hope.
Kingsley wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "I think he feels the same way. But his future… was not like he expected it to be. You need to be patient and show him that this new one can be."
Tonks leaned her head on his shoulder. "You're right," she said softly. "Thanks, Kingsley." She turned her head to look up at him. "About your father… I'm sorry." She hesitated. "Do you… do you ever wonder what if?"
Kingsley smiled sadly. "Don't do that. Quickest way to lose your mind."
She nodded, deciding to take his advice. She'd love Remus through any hardships they suffered through; she just had to show him that. She had to find a way to prove to him that he was worth it.
He wasn't Kingsley's father. He wasn't hurting her, no matter what he thought.
"I hope you get through to him," Kingsley murmured. "You two are good for each other. I want him to see that."
Tonks smiled, a little more hopeful as she turned back to the city skyline. "So do I."
A/N:
Writing Club:
Disney Challenge: Dialogue 4. "I'm not getting any younger, you know. I want to see my grandchildren before I go."
Showtime: 12. Oom-Pah-Pah — beer
Amber's Attic: 8. "I think the warning labels on alcoholic beverages are too bland. They should be more vivid. Here is one I would suggest: 'Alcohol will turn you into the same asshole your father was.'" (5 bonus points)
Liza's Lodes: 8. Write about someone who looks younger than they are.
Angel's Arcade: 14. Sagat — (character) Kingsley Shacklebolt, (color) olive green, (action) frowning
Lo's Lowdown: Overreaching 1. (theme) partnership
Bex's Basement: Wanda Maximoff — 3. "I can't control their fear. Only my own."
Easter Funfair: Ride the Machine Bull — Nymphadora Tonks, Auror, "I never meant for this to happen.", "It's too late."
Constellation Club: Lynx - 38 Lyncis — "Do you ever wonder what if?" / "Don't do that. Quickest way to lose your mind."
Seasonal Challenges:
Days of the Year: 15th June — Alt. Write about helping someone feel better
Spring: 19. Windy
Colors: 8. Coral
Birthstones: 8. Sapphire: "You should be smelling the roses." / "You should be pushing up daisies." / "I love you, too."
Flowers: 3. Hyacinth — (word) surrender
Earth: 16. "I think we need to talk, don't we?"
Amanda's Challenge: Pairings: 4. Carl Grimes/Enid — Alt. Write about surviving something with the help of somebody else
Hufflepuff Challenge: Characters 13. Nymphadora Tonks, Traits 11. Gentle, Other 2. Jet black
Star Charts: 4. (word) exception
Auction: Muggle London
Fortnightly Challenge:
Space Stuff: 1. Black hole — write a fic set at night
Chinese Zodiac: Pig — (color) purple, (dialogue) "I've endured worse than this.", (word) detached
Insane House Challenge: 72. Nymphadora Tonks
365 Words: 23. Regret