Disclaimer—I don't own Harry Potter, the books, the intellectual property or anything else about it—all belongs to JK Rowling

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Tonks took off her robe and tossed it haphazardly over the back of her chair before sinking into it gratefully, sipping her coffee. She'd been gone for the last month on a field assignment, which had the disadvantage that she was away from her family over Christmas, but yielded the definite advantage of not having to see Arthur Weasley.

Of course, on her first day back she had run the gauntlet of her co-workers who were eager to share the latest gossip with her. Some of it was funny, some was less so, but gossip and politics were a part of working in the Auror's office and she had to make sure she was kept informed.

She had barely begun sorting through her pile of incoming messages when she spied a pale violet paper airplane wafting towards her. Plucking it from the air, she opened it to find she was summoned to Scrimgeour's office. Tonks groaned. What did he want with her already? She had submitted her field report first thing, although he had been away from his desk at the time. Was there something wrong with the work she turned in? She heaved herself out of her chair and headed down the hall to his office.

Scrimgeour looked up as she entered and motioned her into a chair. She sat and clasped her hands together.

"While we're waiting, Tonks, how did you think your last assignment went?"

"You have my report, sir."

He waved dismissively. "I didn't ask what happened, I wanted to know what you thought about it."

"It seems to have gone okay, but muggles are not my area of expertise. I've hardly ever known any."

"Consider it training for your next assignment." He looked up as the door opened. "Take a seat and shut the door," he said to the person who had just walked in.

Tonks looked up to see that it was Arthur shutting the door. He sat in the chair next to her, nodding to her before he turned his attention to Scrimgeour.

"I've called you both in this morning because you'll be working together on this next assignment. There's been an increase in the bewitching of muggle objects for dangerous or lethal purposes. You," he said, looking directly at Arthur, "have the expertise to know the types of artifacts that are most likely to be bewitched. And usually they are used for harmless silly pranks." At this Scrimgeour looked severely at Arthur, who returned his look stare for stare.

"You," Scrimgeour continued, looking at Tonks, "have experience with Dark wizards. The types of crimes we've been seeing are most likely the work of such people. You will both be notified when the next case comes in. You understand?"

They both nodded.

"Then you're dismissed."

Arthur got up and left, and Scrimgeour looked sharply at Tonks.

"Is anything the matter?" He demanded gruffly.

"No-no sir."

"You're as pale as a ghost. You're not coming down with anything?"

"Absolutely not, sir."

"Then go."

She turned and left the office, shutting the door behind her only to find Arthur had waited for her. He looked around and cleared his throat before speaking. "I was thinking--uhm--since you don't work with muggles as much as I do--and, well--I don't have the formal training and experience you do with Dark wizards--er, well--what do you think about us studying together--I mean, teaching each other--what we both know."

Tonks, whose hands were suddenly clammy, could only nod.

MEANWHILE...

Going away over the holidays had been exactly what Karen needed, but like all vacations, it was over too soon, and they had to return to the real world. And for Karen, the real world now included Lucius Malfoy.

She didn't like to think about what happened behind The Three Broomsticks; she was ashamed of her behavior, and she hoped that Lucius would decide to forget about it too. Well, only sort of. Feminine to the core, she didn't want to be that easily forgotten. But all the same, she felt no surprise when, only after a few days back home, he sought her out.

She was embarrassed to see him, but she looked him steadily as he explained why he was there.

"Come with me, Karen. We'll...get a cup of coffee and just talk." His manner was grave and deferential.

Get a cup of coffee and just talk? Karen thought, incredulously. "Maybe that's not such a good idea right now."

He nodded understandingly. "Because of what happened the last time we met?"

Karen nodded.

"Well perhaps," he said calmly, "that makes it a very good reason for us to talk."

She looked up into his face and she wondered what he was up to. He was acting so unlike his normal self that she was intrigued. She was also curious as to what he had to say. She nodded and he took her to a quiet place where he could Aparate them without being seen by muggles.

To her surprise, they actually were at a coffee shop, and he ordered for her, something she would ordinarily never allow except she was more interested in what he had to say than in what she was drinking.

"Cream and sugar?" She requested, looking around.

He solemnly tapped the rim of her cup with his wand twice. "You're looking well."

"Thank you."

"Is there anything else you'd like? Donut, maybe or a biscotti?"

Karen slammed her napkin down. "That does it, who are you and what did you do with Lu? Is this some sort of trick? Some sort of wizarding-body-switcharoo?" She glared at him.

"What's wrong now? What did I say?"

"Nothing, only you're acting like a normal person. No, I take that back. You're talking like you've read from some script--completely out of character."

"But I thought you muggle women love to talk about your feelings."

"Now you sound like you watched too many daytime talk shows. And anyway, what makes you an expert on muggle women?"

"I think I know you pretty well by now," he said, eyebrow raised.

"Now," she said, leaning back in her chair. "That's the smug arrogance I've come to expect from you. I can't believe you told me I 'looked well'," she added scornfully.

"Fine," he hissed. "You look better than well. I don't get you sometimes. First you're mad when I'm aggressive, then you're mad when I'm nice. You don't know what you want, do you?" He asked as he took her hands.

"Now you've got me figured out," she said as she half-heartedly tried to pull her hands away. He wasn't letting go so easily and it was a little bit frightening. She was sure he wouldn't make a scene in a public place like this, so the question was, did she want to be with him? She fought a battle inside herself, a battle of conscience and morals and plain good judgment and lost. She stopped struggling. Then he put her hand to his face.

What they didn't know was that they were being watched. Through a window, Trina Goyle saw Lucius and a muggle and smiled with derision. It was a nasty little secret of wizarding life that certain wizards liked to pick up muggle mistresses. It gave them a feeling of power, and the women were always impressed. And the risk to the wizards was pretty low. If things got too intense to handle, if the muggle got too clingy or demanding, it was easy enough to use memory charms to make an easy escape. But Mrs. Goyle never dreamed that Lucius did it too. Of course, he brought her to this remote town, but still...imagine what Narcissa would think!

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