Tonks snuck out of her bedroom and headed down the stairs at Grimmauld Place. She didn't want to wake anyone, especially not the kids. She counted as she went, trying to avoid the stairs that creaked, managing to avoid most of them but a few were miscalculated.
Luckily she didn't wake anyone up.
She made her way down the last staircase and in her attempt to step on the edge of one of the stairs to avoid the creak, she felt her foot slip and she hit the stairs.
As she sat at the bottom, her hand rubbing her back, she saw a hand reach out for her.
"Still the same as ever, Tonks," came a familiar voice, and she ignored her aching back and bottom and took the offered hand.
"What are you doing here?"
"Here in Grimmauld Place? I'm helping out with some things for Dumbledore. Come have something to drink with me, it's been what - three years since I last saw you?"
"Four," she replied with a smile.
She slid into the chair as Charlie went to the kettle. There was already a cup out and Tonks assumed that he was already in the process of making a drink when he heard her fall. A minute later, he put a cup in front of her.
"Two sugars?" She asked and Charlie nodded.
"You know, it's great to see you in person. I've missed you," he admitted. "Maybe one day I can take you to see the dragons?"
Tonks raised an eyebrow at him. "You've never offered before."
"That's because the Romanian Dragon Reserve doesn't allow visitors. But the one in Ireland does."
"There's one in Ireland?"
"Well, there will be one," Charlie explained. "They wanted a few of us to transfer and I offered. It's new so they'll need experienced handlers. I'll be going back there in a few days, but I'll be back around these parts very often."
"Why?"
He bit his lip before taking a deep breath.
"Because I miss my family, and because even though working there has been amazing, I lost out on something else. Something the Ireland reserve won't take away."
"What's that?"
"You," Charlie replied. "I took the job so I can come here and see you more often. Maybe take you to dinner if you want. What do you say?"
Tonks thoughts turned to Remus. The wizard she had set her hopes on. The wizard who wouldn't look at her twice because of her cousin.
"Dinner sounds great," she replied, wanting to take a chance and be happy. She had wanted to be with Charlie before he left for Romania. Maybe it their time.
"Now, let me heal your back. You hit the stairs pretty hard. It's fun to see that some things never change. You're just as clumsy on your feet as ever," Charlie said, grinning at her.
"I'm less clumsy off my feet," she replied with a smile, sipping her hot tea as his eyes widened.
"I don't believe you, I'll have to see for myself," Charlie murmured, getting up from his chair and grabbing some potions from the cupboard. "Now turn around and I'll make it all better."
...oOo...
Tonks held her breath as hands ran over her lower back as she lay on the sofa.
"You've damaged your coccyx," Charlie said, after a couple of minutes. "Just give me a minute to fix it and take it easy tomorrow and you should be alright."
"A lot of experience at this?" Tonks asked.
"Dragons can do a lot of damage. A flick of its tail could send us flying. We all know a bit of healing in the reserve."
She felt a cold sensation run through her back, and across her bottom as the spell took effect to heal her. Once the feeling had subsided, Charlie helped Tonks off the sofa, and led her to the bottom of the stairs.
"Thank you," Tonks said. "I'm quite excited to spend more time with you now that you're back."
"I can't wait either," Charlie replied. "Goodnight, Tonks." His lips brushed against hers before he disappeared into the kitchen leaving Tonks forcing herself to walk up the stairs and not follow Charlie into the kitchen.
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