AN: For every tenth chapter there will be a different AU set in the post-war environment. I already have the rest planned, so this ought to be fun! Here you have Tonks for being the worst and best adult friend. Putting a note out there for younger readers that this chapter has an adult topic mentioned.
Massive amount of thanks to TatterdemalionDandelion, alittlemorecreative, and Legionary Prime for leaving reviews! Thanks also extends to people that are faving, following, and reading this. You guys rock!
Disclaimer: I sound too Yankee-Doodle-Dandy to be JK Rowling.
Title: What If: The Next Step
Word Count: 1680
Summary: Reboot! The hardest thing to do after a war is to wake up. 101 one-shots in a gender-bended universe of people getting better.
Halley hoped that the conversation would be quick and painless.
The Lupin-Tonks' living room was cluttered with soft baby toys, Remus' paperbacks and Tonks' colorful furniture purchases. Here Halley had many conversations in this room about her future as an Auror, her godson Teddy, and now it looked more like an even more personal matter.
"Aww, Teddy, go give your godmother a big kiss."
The baby gurgled and reached his pudgy arms out, making smacking noises with his mouth.
"I see that you've been training him." Halley gave her godson a kiss on the nose. "Can he do tricks now?" she asked Tonks as his hair became darker and wilder.
"Mostly sympathetic stuff at the moment." Her friend cooed when Teddy's fair skin color started to change to match Halley's. "Very good, Teddy. Soon you'll be able to do more. Like this." Tonks morphed her nose to resemble a toucan's. Teddy laughed loudly. Her face became normal again and she quirked her mouth. "Relax, Halley. Remus is going to be out for a while. He had a rough full moon."
Halley looked up at the ceiling, imagining the horror of her old professor walking down or even listening to their conversation.
"What brings you to my couch? No, it can't be Auror business, and you specifically asked if Remus wasn't here, which means…" Tonks' face split into a wide and Sirius-like grin. "Oooh, it must be boy stuff." She whispered loudly into her son's ear, "See, Teddy? Your godmother trusts me enough to talk about—"
"Tonks!" Halley said. She dropped her head into her hands. "I don't think Teddy should be here for the conversation."
"But don't you want a physical reminder of what happens when—"
"Please, don't."
"—you get a little too passionate near a full moon?"
Halley raised her head. "Why?" Aghast, she stared her at mentor, not wanting to picture what that witch that was training her to be an Auror and her best Defense professor did alone in their bedroom. "Really, why?"
"I could ask you the same question, kid." Tonks set Teddy down between them. He squirmed and fell backwards on the couch cushion, kicking his little legs up. "Gosh, when did you two get so old on me?"
"I'm not a kid anymore," muttered Halley.
"You're right. You're an adult with a boyfriend that is also of age. A boyfriend that you're getting really comfortable with. You want to know when you're ready?"
Halley tucked her knees under her chin. She tried to steel herself, but the conversation already took several turns, and it felt like her face was about to burst into flames. "Yeah."
"Let's say that you are ready for…Quidditch." The corner of Tonks' mouth twitched. "Do you know how that works?"
Halley massaged the bridge of her nose, muttering to herself before actually speaking. "Bloody hell, I have to catch the snitch or whatever analogy you see fit. Molly gave me that talk years ago."
"Good, but maybe it should be something like scoring a goal or riding a broom," Tonks said. "That shouldn't be the problem with those romance novels that Gid reads. Oh, please," she said at seeing Halley's expression. "Who do you think supplies them?"
"You're a horrible influence on him."
"You'll be thanking me later. Those books can be very educational." Tonks' smile became wicked and she waggled her eyebrows. "And you know how to catch his attention because we had that lovely talk when you were 16."
Halley groaned. The conversation was just as vivid in her mind's eye. It was before Slughorn's Christmas party, and Halley had run into the Auror while she was on break. It didn't take much needling for Tonks to realize who Halley fancied, and had then given her information that was worthy of Witch Weekly. Most of the conversation had made Halley stutter and blush as the older witch just laughed.
Some of the well meaning mirth left Tonks' face. "When did you decide that you wanted to play Quidditch?"
Wishing the couch would swallow her whole; Halley made vague waves with her hand. "Thought about it for a while, actually. But it felt too soon back then, and we weren't in any good shape in the summer. We talked and stuff, like, we both want to make a move but I think we're scared out of our wits."
Tonks nodded. "Quidditch can even change a relationship, you know. Like for Charlotte and I way back—"
"Wait. Charlotte Weasley? Gid's sister?"
"Yeah, poor Molly was heartbroken when we split. The point is that Quidditch can change your relationship. I liked playing it, but Charlotte didn't and that caused us to argue. I didn't respect her feelings and it was the final straw for us. Our careers, Quidditch, what we wanted to do together in the future wouldn't work, but we're in better places now." She looked down at her son who was half-asleep, his hair rippled different colors.
Halley nervously twirled a piece of her hair between her fingers. "You were the jerk in the relationship?"
Tonks flushed. "Yeah, I was. I had a lot of growing up to do, but it's good that you two talked about it first and are respecting each other. That's a good sign that you're both ready."
Halley muttered something in agreement. That particular conversation was recent. She was asked to talk to some of the younger students, and after that she had a wonderful time with her boyfriend. One moment lead into a more awkward one, and they had a frank talk about what they wanted physically in their relationship.
It was more than reassuring to hear out loud from Gid that he wanted her. They had both admitted their dreams and feelings, but what was stopping either of them from making that move? They were comfortable with each other physically and emotionally, they had already said their 'I love you's, and Halley was so close yesterday…
"Tell me more." Tonks readjusted Teddy who had gotten very bored with them and fallen asleep, his head was resting at an awkward angle. He cuddled into his mum's side.
"I love him, and he loves me," said Halley, feeling a slight thrill with saying those words. "But the moment we get close to…" She struggled to find the appropriate words that described the rush of frustration and awkwardness that was always created in the privacy of his bed. Clothes would be off, passion would crackle, but once they were near naked would be one of them would balk.
"It's natural to be scared," her friend said.
"But I don't want to be scared," Halley said. She stretched her legs out, her toes touching the edge of the coffee table. "I just want him. I want us."
"Well," Tonks said. "What's a big thing that the both of you went through? Something that none of us had?"
It took Halley a moment. "It's not like that!" Her voice sounded loud to her ears. "It is absolutely nothing like possession—"
Tonks raised a calming hand. Her pink hair became darker, more solemn. "You and Gideon were hit very intimately by something twisted and wrong. It shaped the both of you for better or worse, and now here you wanting to become intimate. It's your choice this time and that's what different."
She thought about it. The time she was possessed was quicker than Gid's. Instead of it happening gradually over a year with shared secrets and words, she had been struck with a large amount of his power all almost at once. She had been conscious and aware of Voldemort trying to overshadow and control her. There was also the fact that she had been a Horcrux for most of her life, unaware of the fraught piece of soul that had tied them together. It had taken Halley months to get the feeling that could trust herself again…
Halley wondered how Gid saw it. His trust had been violated on a different level, making him lose control of his own body. How much of that fear was still there? The idea of being betrayed by someone that you shared your deepest secrets with?
"Do you think that's why?" she asked.
Tonks shook her head from side to side. "Mix that with the anxiety of taking that step, well, yeah. Maybe you two should talk about that next?"
Halley leaned back into the couch and sighed. "Even dead that bastard has a way of continuing to mess with my life."
The Auror ruffled Halley's hair. "Don't worry, I'm sure that you two will be able to get through this. You'll know when you're ready and so will he."
"Thanks," Halley said, smiling. "I needed to hear that."
"And, Halley?" The way Tonks said her name made her feel worried. "He's a Weasley. You better get the strongest contraceptive out there." She smiled brilliantly and waved as Halley mumbled something about suddenly having errands before leaving in a hurry.
"You did good, Tonks." She patted her son's back and waited for him to burp. Halley's quick exit had disturbed her little boy from his nap, and now he was hungry. "Look at you being such a good role model and mentor, your mother would be so proud of you."
Teddy burped loudly in agreement.
"Good boy," said Tonks. She cooed and put his head against her shoulder. "Isn't it good to know that you may get a godsibling to play with in the future? That'll be fun."
She turned around just as the fireplace changed colors and Gid Weasley stumbled into her living room. "Bloody hell," he gasped. "Okay, Aberforth is only giving me an hour until he tells Filch or McGonagall, but I really need your help. You're one of the few people that I know who isn't with a sister or a close friend."
"Is it about Quidditch?" Tonks asked with a perfectly straight face.
"Quidditch? What, no? I need to know how to not muck things up about sex!"