Chapter 10
"So did you have fun today?" Tonks asked at the window which they stood and smoked cigarettes.
"It's the same thing on most Saturdays."
"But it's fun. You must have fun with all your friends."
"Yeah, hours." His sarcasm made her laugh. She said, "You are not like me at that age – which isn't that long ago."
"You are twenty four."
"So. When I was in school I enjoyed my time, caused mischief and I found something I'm good at." She declined another cigarette and instead poked at the books holding the window sill open. She knew that with her luck if she wasn't careful the sill would fall and crush her fingers.
"How can you enjoy something like this when it's like a freaking prison?"
"Look at it as you advancement to the-" he had a way of shooting down her ideas that made her laugh.
"Listen, this is your final year, really do at it. Take this opportunity to feel safe," she punctuated a cut off so he wouldn't put his two sense in and said, "You know in all honesty that you are safe here. You know they can't harm you badly when you are behind these walls. You also have Dumbledore and Professor Snape. They won't let anything happen to you, and if it's a constellation of any sorts you have me."
"I'll have to think about that."
She knew he was kidding even if he didn't.
"I can protect you like I asked you to protect Hermione Granger even though so far you have not."
"She's not dead is she!" he snapped.
"You know what's going on, the changes that are happening, what these papers and parents are feeding their kids."
"I'm not stupid; I'm fed the same bullshit."
"What do you think of it?"
He lit another cigarette keeping his eyes out the window, he blew out smoke into the night. "Nothing."
"You're just going to watch everything happen?"
"What do you expect me to do?"
"I don't know," she pulled a book out of the bookshelf and handed it to him. "Just don't hop aboard the family crazy train. We're the last two to show this family any justice."
"I'll hang myself from the family tree first." (Author Note: From my other story Hanging Yourself From You're Family Tree. Check it out, it features these two.)
They both started laughing, but then he stopped. "I'm serious too, and besides why'd you give me this book?" He put it on the window sill.
"I liked it when I was here and I had written in it. Listen, I'd better go before everyone starts returning. You are going to stop by on Christmas right?"
"Where?"
"Why Aunty Andromeda's house!" She turned around and came eye to eye with Hermione's orange cat. The cat stared at her and she made a shooing motion but he only hissed at her.
"no."
"That's mean. And anyways you should. My mom and dad won't be there, they like to view Christmas decorations. Come on." She felt the disappointment. She had her mom and dad but he was family now too.
"Fine. At six o' clock I'll meet you at Nive's Creek. I don't know where that location is anyways."
"Thanks. Well until then."
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But she wasn't surprised to be back in the school after a questionable attention to violence at Hogwarts. Another student was attacked and sent to St. Mungos. The Ministry felt they were not doing their job so they sent a few Aurors to warn and meet with the teachers of the school, which turned out to be a complete waste of time. She knew it would be. The kids were only listening to advice of the media and what their parents dictated.
No matter what the teachers said they were going to decide. Unfortunately, she hadn't seen Severus Snape due to class conflicts- him having class so to "have a word" afterwards there would be no excuse now.
Tonks turned the corner to head toward the Main Hall and saw Hermione Granger sunken in on the ground crying. She knew how much was going on, how people were playing against her trying, and mostly succeeding in making her the enemy of the school.
She went over to the girl and knelt down and wrapped her arms around her.
"What are you doing here?"
"Apparently this school isn't what it's supposed to be." She sat next to Hermione bringing her knees to her chest and stuffing her hands in her pockets. She could never get warm. When she felt awkward she moved her legs out.
"The Ministry thinks the teachers here can't do their jobs. There are so many problems in here, especially you my little trouble maker."
Hermione stretched out as well. She said to Tonks, "I'm not going to defend myself because I know I didn't do anyth-"
"I'm just kidding with you Hermione. I know you better than that. I always see the character for who someone really is." Except she knew she had not done that the other time when she had to write her the letter.
"How come no one else can?" the girl asked and Tonk's heart broke because Hermione was about to cry. She asked, "Who didn't?"
"Ron." The girl whispered, her legs going to her chest again.
Tonks put her arms around her. Boy troubles. Always. Go figure. "You know boys are idiots. They want to believe the rest of the crowd because they can't think on their own. You know that boy cares about you. It's just that he's concerned. He doesn't want to believe that you are in harm's way- believe me, you are."
She couldn't say much, but why not tell her some truth. Some students did not want to see her succeed.
"They will pick on you," she quickly said, "People do that. If they see you as an easy target they will go for it with the worst intentions. If they start they probably won't stop until they have results. You have to one-up them by any means necessary."
"I never really had to deal with this before. Yes, I have been picked on but not like this. I don't know what to do anymore."
"Ignore them. You don't have to play to it. Eventually it will tire and someone else will be in your shoes. It's mean, but it's better them than you." Hopefully, she thought.
"Thanks Tonks. You've really helped me."
"Sure kid. Anytime. I should be going." She stood up and offered her a hand. "But I will walk you to your next class, which is…"
"Arithmacy."
"Ouch." Ouch. "I remember those days," she said when Severus Snape rounded the corner. For Hermione she added, "Some more than others."
"Granger, we'd like to see you in Dumbledore's office." Then he looked at her. "And what do we owe to your visit?"
She smiled, for him it was easy to respond sarcastically, but tell the truth, but to respond for entertainment of other people at the same time; a triple threat. She said, "work. Well, dodging mostly. I intend to stay for today's game."
"Then by all means." They followed him, Tonks at his side and Hermione staying just a step back.
Tonks liked that he kept confidence, but also somewhere in his cold, black heart, some warmth for her, even though he knew all her dirty laundry and baggage.
"Oh yeah, how are you treating my cousin?" she asked Hermione, knowing that Snape knew, and Hermione knew. It was like a giant secret only the four of them sort of knew.
"Fine." A squeak came out, nothing more.
"That's good." She smiled. She knew Hermione was wishing for a trapped door to appear out of nowhere. She couldn't blame her, but kind of enjoyed it for all the times she felt in the say position.
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It was only girl troubles and they handled it like adults, unlike how she knew she'd handle it; with a clump of the other girl's hair in both of her fists.
She walked her out and to her class, still remembering where it was and stopped just outside. "Don't let anyone bother you. You're on holiday next week. This will all blow over." She kissed Hermione's cheek and as she walked away shouted, "Don't forget to cheer my cousin."
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She dollied with the other two Aurors who had the same idea. They agreed on staying, having their roots from there as well. And with it being so close to Christmas they didn't want to go back and do work; paperwork.
Plus, she needed to handle something and her target appeared as if on que. Ron. It wasn't just him, but also his best friend and sister.
"Ronald Bilious Weasley!"
They all stopped to look as she stormed up and slapped him not once but across the face, each cheek.
"Crazy woman, what's wrong with you!" he scowled, face rushing red with anger; as red as his cheeks.
The other two said nothing, maybe even enjoying it. Secretly of course.
"You better not accuse Hermione of anything. I don't want to see her crying in the hall because of you or so help me, I will take my boot and shove-" she had him by the collar now, until like a puff of smoke Severus Snape was there.
"If you don't stop threatening the students and release Mr. Weasley I will have you strung up in so much paperwork you'll never find your way out."
She released him. Apparently the other two had made themselves busy and disappeared. She knew Ron had some choice words for her but with Snape there nothing was going to be said. Ron walked away. When he was completely gone she faced Snape. "I was handling something."
"You were interfering with something that you had no business interfering with."
"I was putting, even if it was the minimalist of ease on girls of their number one problem."
He waited for her to continue.
"Men, the number one problem." She smiled brightly, snickering because he did not comment.
"But you know all about that huh?"
"You are the center of all my problems," he said and walked away. She shouted to him, "I'm not the problem; I'll always be the solution."
She went to the game and was pleased to know that she made Hermione happy, that she could help girls everywhere take off the boy problem, even if only by a desible.