Fear and Jealousy
Chapter 10: The Hunger
When she arrived at the gates of Hogwarts, Dumbledore was waiting.
"Ah, Tonks my dear, I was expecting young Reginald." He said as he unlocked the chains and let her pass.
"I can be Reg if you like D.." she trailed off sadly, knowing it was a lie.
"It's quite alright, you're much better on the eye," he said with a wink.
Tonks couldn't help but laugh as they walked towards the castle.
"There's our Tonks again," Dumbledore smiled. He patted her on the back and let her get on with her patrol.
She did a quick sweep of the perimeter and found nothing out of the ordinary. As she headed round to the side door it began to rain. She made it inside before it did too much damage but the toffee in her pocket had got damp enough to stick to her jeans.
"Wonderful." she thought, pulling at the warm sticky mess and walking around a corner straight into Professor Snape.
He looked at the wet toffee oozing from her jeans.
"Ah such elegance," he smirked.
"That's not what you said last night," Tonks retorted, stomping off down the corridor. "So this is where you sneaked back to this morning?"
"I did not sneak," Snape said, adjusting his long strides to match her speed. "And not that it is any of your business, but I have preparations to make before the start of term."
"I forgot you're a conniving snivelling creep, remind me next time you want a quick shag."
"If you insist," he raised an eyebrow and gave Tonks a sly smile. "I, Professor Severus Snape, am a conniving snivelling creep."
"Nice try slick, but I aint bein dumped twice in twenty-four hours." Tonks sped up. "If you wouldn't mind buggering off back to your pit, I've got ministry work to do."
"Of course you have Nymphadora, don't let me keep you. I shall get back to my supper."
"You do that pal."
"I should imagine the milk jelly is set by now."
Tonks stopped in her tracks. How did he know milk jelly was her favourite? Well he had been poking around in her head not so long ago. She could tell Snape was waiting for a reaction and refused to give him the satisfaction. She kept going, knowing full well she had skipped dinner to play housewife to the werewolf. Come to think of it, all she'd eaten all day was an apple from the ministry canteen. Tonks would not be won over by her stupid stomach, not to him anyway.
Tonks started with the two towers, then worked her way downwards. She checked all the entrances and windows, made sure the charms placed on them to keep people out would do just that, not to mention keep the students in. With the house areas secure and the classrooms checked, she made a sweep of the offices and the kitchens. Everything was clear so far, all she had left to do was Snape's quarters in the far edge of the damp dungeons. A walk past was all that was needed Tonks told herself, she didn't want him knowing she was nearby. One last sweep and she could get to bed, Merlin knows she needed it after the day she'd had.
She crept through the corridors, past various storerooms and spare classrooms. As she came to the last corner she head something up ahead. Tonks stopped in her tracks and listened carefully. Was it just Snape? His living quarters were just ahead after all. But then again, the aloof Snape probably wouldn't be scratching at the mortar like a deranged wombat. As she peered cautiously round the black stone wall a house elf scurried under her feet, knocking her off balance and straight to the floor with a thud. She stood up slowly nursing her battered backside as Snape's door squeaked open.
"Ah Nymphadora, I trust the castle is...impregnable?" he said, making no attempt to hide the fact he was eying her behind.
"You're a pervert Sev. I'm going home."
"Are you sure you wont come inside for something to eat?"
"Deadly sure, I've been working non-stop since 5 am," she blurted. "I have to get up in four hours, I am going to bed."
"What a fabulous idea."
"Oh drop dead slimeball."
"I don't know what you mean Nymphadora," he said innocently. "Would you at least take something with you then?"
Snape proffered a small tub of strawberry flavour milk jelly.
"What did you put in it?" Tonks said, eying the tub suspitiously.
"Just jelly and milk, why do you like it with something else?"
"Fine," she snatched the pot and turned to leave. "Now bugger off back to your pit."
Snape bowed and retreated back to his quarters. Tonks shook her head and walked back up the stone stairs towards the entrance. A house elf was there to let her out of the main gates, presumably Dumbledore was already in bed. She envied him. Since her pockets weren't big enough to hold the pudding, she gulped it down it three mouthfuls then minisculed the tub and tucked the pea-sized blob into her shoe.
By the time she's flown past the apparition block, she noticed a peculiar tingling in her stomach. It felt like butterflies, but there was nothing to trigger them. She put it down to tiredness and apparated back to London. She couldn't face going back to her lonely hovel so instead she headed for Grimauld Place. When she wandered in the kitchen door, Remus was sat at the table picking at his mended cloak.
"Wotcha," she said glumly and trudged straight up the stairs. As she did so, Remus saw the cuts on her fingers. He looked back to his cloak, sighed and sat silently in the darkness.