"I thought you said you were going to 'clean or something?'" Snape asked from the doorway to the guest bedroom.

Tonks curled tighter in the blanket facing the wall in an awkward ball. Her bad leg stuck out at an awkward angle. It was bad enough that taking a shower was an effort without getting it wet but also she stumbled and had a nice shiner on her forehead. She felt miserable again, just like that and managed to get dress and crawl right back into bed with a growling stomach and nauseous stomach acid gurgling inside of her.

"I don't feel well again." The window open a gentle breeze blew in knocking some papers off the night dresser next to the bed.

"Pathetic," he said. He came into the room and perched on the end of the bed.

"Sorry we all can't be immortal and greatly powerful like you," she bid out sarcastically in her cocoon.

"I know," he agreed.

It became silent. He just sat there and she fell asleep, back to her cat-like state with a fatigue the only thing that was happening to her lately. She didn't even know if she was having a fever or well anymore. Everything was just so mixed up.

He left the room when he knew she was asleep.

-

-

She woke up knowing it was night time out because everything was completely dark outside and in the room. She used her wand to see two feet in front of her and pushed her nasty hair back out of her face. She felt a little better like before when she woke up and knew that it wouldn't last but with the little energy she had she had to get something to eat. Her stomach clenched, grumbled and groaned from the empty pit feeling.

She dragged her butt out of bed with the blanket around her as always and went downstairs in the dimly lit house. A fire blazed in the fire place casting eerie shadows in the furniture and corners. What caught her eye the most was a bowl of soup on the coffee table with a napkin and spoon; a nice presentations she thought amused.

"Aw, how sweet," she smiled to herself. She went over and sat down on the floor and spooned some into her mouth and grinned so wide it hurt her cheeks. She made a contented sigh. Not only was it warm but was homemade. He knew how to take care of the sick, she'd give him that. He was doing a good job and it made her wonder if he had a good side to him after all or a caring nurturing side that nobody ever saw it gave him reason to show.

Yeah right she thought and Azkaban is full of people with hidden good hearts or whatever was there for them. It couldn't be.

But whatever it was it was working and she still liked it, a lot, someone to take care of her and give her the space she needed; he didn't want to be bothered most of the time anyways, he was a very lone person, a loner who knew exactly what he was doing.

She drained her soup to a empty bowl and put the spoon back onto the napkin feeling very full, very content and satisfied that she was feeling okay and the house was dull and perfect; as id she was in a library at night. She needed more light but wasn't going to push her luck and just enjoy Snape's house to herself.

Well at least she thought she was alone. She gazed around to make sure but couldn't sense anyone around. She stood gingerly and went over to the closest bookshelf and took a random book and opened it up. It was a novel, a very old one with tiny scripted type written words and yellow pages. Everything else looked just as old so she took it to the couch where she would soon have a groove, planted herself into that spot and on her stomach she opened up to page one and began to read.

-

-

Snape aparated in. She was not surprised at his brisk entrance. She knew that he was only going to come and go that way. She wondered if his neighbors wondered about him. She wanted to meet one of them but thought better of it.

She leaned her face on the book.

"Good evening Severus," she spoke, voice muffled by the book.

"Good evening Nymphadora." He said back.

She lifted her head wanting so badly to give him the finger but reframed from doing so. She decided not to tell him that she was feeling well when he cared only when she wasn't. She would just continue on like that hoping it would stay that way.

"Well, you have a wonderful evening and I must thank you for the wonderful care you have left for me in your absence."

"You're welcome as long as it doesn't end up all over the place again," he eyed her conspicuously.

"Not making any promises there but I will clean up after myself this time," she said a determination she knew she couldn't keep the promise to.

"Doubtful," he countered, apparently knowing what she was all about all along.

"Excuse me," he said with that sack again as he disappeared upstairs.

She returned to the book only on page three and shut the book and put it on the floor and closed her eyes draping her arms over her face.

Snape came back down on his way to the kitchen but stopped in mid stride. She could feel him look down at her.

"What happened to reading the book, rather than to leave it on to the floor to get stepped on? Or slept on? Or tripped over, hm?"

"My eyes are tired and they hurt and are dry because of the fine print and the dim light in here. Do you have any piece of writing in this house that is of regular size and understandability?"

"Yes," he said.

She lifted her head, "Really?" she asked.

He went over to the farthest left shelf and pulled out a folder and snuck it under her folded arms and took a seat in his chair with a few things to read and fill out.

She sat up with the folder and put it in her lap and opened it to see the name Hermione Granger. It was an essay by her from a few years ago.

She shifted through the pieces of parchment until she got to the last one which was her's from her sixth year. It was crinkled and ripped in corners. She remembered when writing it she fell asleep in the library. When Madam Pince awoke her for her 'disruptive' breathing she got real mad at Snape and used her essay as a rant to him.

She looked back at the other essays and read them; each and every one of them until she got to her's which she read three times before slowly inclining her head toward Snape who was writing a million miles a minute. She didn't understand how he could read in such dim light let alone write in it.

Why didn't he need glasses already? She knew she was going to need them if this continued.

"Why do you have one of my essays in a folder of very interesting ones? Is this a compare and contrast essay of how to do one and how to do one correctly?"

"No."

"Clearly it's not a good essay; I can't write and never had a good essay in any of my classes. I'm more of a hand on type of person."

"I see," he said, "But for once I can actually see that you stayed awake in my class and actually paid attention."

"You actually like it?" she asked in astonishment. She watched him but he didn't look at her, just continued to work on whatever it was that he was working on. It didn't faze him that she was shocked at the fact that he enjoyed it. "My essay isn't like any of these. Mine was a rant, I was mad, I just went on and one and on-"

"Like you always do in talking, besides its perfect."

She was actually shocked to hear that. She said, "I might start to like you and start to tell my friends."

"Skipping down the hall singing, I'll pass on that," he said giving her a quick look.

"You know you miss me there."

"Yeah," he abided in his most sarcastic tone, "Each and every single day."

It was so painfully sarcastic that she burst out laughing right there in the quiet living room loudly.

"That wasn't even funny," his voice broke her jolly like a needle in a balloon.

"I guess not but I think that's as close to a joke that I'm going to get from you."

"Mh," he agreed.

She reread the essays again then set them on the table and laid down. She didn't feel that tired, just a little weak as in strength. Laughing zapped all her strength.

At least it was worth it.

"Do you think the war will ever be over?" she asked him quietly and out of the blue. She never really asked anyone this before but to him she didn't know she just felt that maybe she could ask him since he was who he didn't appear be. Maybe they could talk a chuck at it; a little one.

"Never," he answered.

"No, I mean, you know with the dark lord. Will there ever be peace here?"

"All how it turns out and knowing who your enemy is and your connection with them."

"There is connection with the enemy, that's the wrong thing to do; it's like me going to a family reunion, not only am I not wanted there I don't belong there interacting with the likes of them."

"What you said about no connection with the enemy, you are here aren't you?" He took his attention off his work and set it all aside.

"I don't consider you an enemy, I consider you confused as to what you want."

"Confused?" he asked. He leaned forward giving her his attention like he really wanted to know her answer. And regardless she wasn't afraid to give it to him.

She scratched her clumpy dark dry hair, one she hadn't brushed in a while and looked to him, unafraid and said, "Yeah, you, as obviously bore the dark mark, but you are also a "secret" member of the Order of the Phoenix, so what I think is you're like a child."

He raised a brow at the kid remark.

"Yeah," she smirked, "As in you're trying to please everyone and cannot do so. On yeah, you're a child, that reference that slipped my mind is one with two parents who are getting a divorce. You cannot choose sides but have to work to exhaustion to please both of them indifferent ways not disrupting the other one. In a way it's like a balancing act you have to be careful to keep."

"Hmm," he said as if he was thinking about it but he wasn't and said, "You think you have it all figured out. Maybe you are right but maybe you are completely wrong. Maybe just maybe I'm using one side for the other's benefit or the other side around, what do you think of that?" he challenged her and she had to actually think about that.

"Weeellll," she said not really sure. She bit the lower inside of her lip and said, "It would really be a bummer because I don't think I could ever see you as a cold blooded bastard, but I can see you as very manipulative and dark though not evil. You could use your gifts for good which I think our side could use at times like these."

He smirked, a one side of the mouth smirk which looked difficult for him but then he chuckled to himself.

"You think so?"

"I am not naive," she cut in.

"I never said you were though this fantasy you've created is just that. Let me ask you something and you have to be honest. Can you be honest?"

"Yeah."

"Let me ask you and you have to tell the truth that you even for a second have ever considered joining the other side or even to consider not being fully on one side? Have you ever considered that the other side can give you more justice than the other, that you can actually do what you want to do?"

"No," she answered honestly, "I'm quite content with what I am and what I do."

"Are you now?" he asked.

"Stop making me try to second guess myself, I know who I am, it's you who doesn't know who he is and what he wants to do." She hated that her made her almost want to second guess why she on the side of good and not on the side of bad where most of her family had been and still remains.

But she wasn't like them. She didn't act like them or have contact with them unless she counted her aunt, but she was locked in jail.

"You have power Nymphadora, powers not many have. They are screwed up right now but when they are at their best you're, like you told me pretty much invincible."

It sounded to her like he was feeding her the same thing to him so she smiled and said, "I know that's why I'm fighting for good and not the other side so yeah, I think if you want to be successful you had better side with me."

He laughed a real laugh and cracked up entirely like she had done not too long ago in this spot. It was weird to hear it from his mouth and a strange site to see his face gain color and his cheeks puffed out. If she was still a student she'd be in quite the aw struck, just to hear the laugh she'd probably never hear again.

She felt insulted but if she let him get to her then she would be letting him win. She had to let it go because if she started questioning herself again then he would definitely win.

"We'll I'm glad you've enjoyed the idea." She stood with her blanket wrapped it around her head and body. She said, "You should laugh more, I like the sound and it makes you a better person if you can see the right in things. You'd be happier if you knew that and used it, so I bid you goodnight since it is already real late. Good night Severus."

He was calm and collective by now; he returned to his work but caught her eyes on the steps.

"Good night Nymphadora."