Chapter Thirty-Seven – A Night Alone

'Let's try that again,' said Tonks, holding her hand out to Harry, who was lying on the floor.

'Thanks for not going easy on me,' said Harry, taking her hand and standing up.

'You're getting better,' said Tonks cheerfully. They had been working on non-verbal spells for a month now. Harry had gotten to the point where he could cast them easily. Now was what Tonks considered the most important part. Learning how to block the opponent's non-verbal spells.

'May I get a drink of water?' asked Harry. Tonks nodded and Harry headed towards her kitchen. They were originally going to meet at Headquarters, but Harry didn't want the chance of other people knowing what he was doing, so Tonks suggested they move to her flat for the lessons.

Tonks was sitting on the coffee table when he came back into the living room. 'When I tried a non-verbal spell on Snape, he blocked it so easily,' said Harry, his hands curling into fists like they normally did whenever Severus' name was mentioned. Tonks knew that at this point, stopping Severus might be even more important to Harry than stopping Voldemort.

'Why didn't he kill you, do you think?' asked Tonks, hoping she sounded casual.

'I know why,' said Harry, his voice rising slightly. 'Because Voldemort doesn't want anyone to kill me but him.'

'So why not stun you? Bring you to You-Know-Who?' asked Tonks quietly. Harry's mouth dropped. 'Just playing devil's advocate,' added Tonks quickly.

'He probably didn't think about it. Too much to worry about with Draco and the other Death Eaters,' said Harry, who seemed satisfied with the answer.

Tonks decided that there had been enough talk regarding Severus this evening. It was time to work again.

Harry suddenly looked inspired. 'We should find Lupin. I bet that blocking non-verbal spells is easier when using Legilimency,' he said. 'That's probably how Snape did it. Used Legilimency and then was able to know what I was going to use.'

'That's not a bad idea,' said Tonks slowly. 'But not tonight. Full moon.' Remus was currently looked up in the basement of Headquarters.

'I'd forgotten,' said Harry apologetically.

'So do you feel odd not being at school?' asked Tonks out of the blue. The term at Hogwarts started more than two weeks ago and Harry, Ron and Hermione hadn't gone back.

'I have more important things to do than school,' said Harry softly.

'I didn't mean that,' said Tonks. 'I just asked if it felt odd. Like skiving a year's worth of lessons.'

Harry grinned. 'It does feel odd. It's hardest on Hermione. She misses classes so much, but she pretends that she doesn't,' said Harry. 'I'm glad Ron and Hermione are with me.'

'Where do you all disappear to?' asked Tonks.

The wall that Tonks was used to seeing around Harry formed quickly. 'Here and there,' he said quickly. 'Some things we need to take care of.'

Tonks decided to catch Harry off his guard. She thought, 'Pilosius.' Harry wasn't able to block it in time. His natural body hair started growing thicker. A moment later, he was able to stop the spell, but it was more than enough time for someone to cast Avada Kedavra on him.

'Next time I'm bringing Lupin,' said Harry resignedly.

'Sounds like a plan,' said Tonks as she watched his body hair go back to normal.

They quickly set a time to meet next week as Tonks walked him to her front door. 'Thanks, Tonks,' said Harry with a bit of a smile.

'You are getting better, you know,' said Tonks quietly.

'I know,' said Harry. 'But I need to be better now.'

She stood at her doorway for a moment and watched him walk down the hall. Once Harry disappeared her thought strayed. Tonks had two choices. Sleep or paperwork. Sleep seemed so much more appealing, but Tonks knew the paperwork would win.

After she grabbed a handful of parchments from her desk, Tonks sat down Indian-style on her couch. For once, she was almost grateful that there was a full moon, giving her the excuse to stay at her flat and catch up on her work.

It was time to start. Tonks grabbed the top parchment, dipped her quill into the well sitting on her side table and started writing. Before long, she was immersed in administration busy work.

And then there was a knock on the door.

Tonks looked up, startled. Glancing at the clock, she saw that Harry hadn't left too long ago. She looked around, trying to see if he had forgotten anything.

'One moment!' shouted Tonks, waving her wand at the parchments, banishing them to the desk.

Once at the door, Tonks casually looked through the peephole. Her heart started pounding at an unnaturally high rate when she saw that it wasn't Harry. A man, his face in shadows from the cloak he was wearing stood on the other side of the door.

It was Severus. It had to be.

When she touched the door knob, her hand reacted like it had been burned. She forced herself to take a calming breath.

'Who's there?' asked Tonks, on the slight chance it was an actual Death Eater.

The man slowly pulled back the hood of his cloak and Severus was looking back at her. Tonks scrunched her nose quickly and changed her hair from navy blue almost down to her waist to her traditional bright pink spikes. 'What was the name of your childhood pet?' asked Tonks. She couldn't help but grin as he scowled at her question.

'I didn't have a pet,' he said curtly. Tonks found herself jumping up and down with excitement. It had been more than two and a half months since they had seen each other. He continued, 'What's your favorite color?'

Tonks threw open the door and looked at her lover. 'Sky blue.'

Once the door was closed firmly behind them, clothes were removed at an alarming rate. Slowly they walked through the living room, towards her bedroom, lips in constant contact with each other. Her foot stepped on a cloak that had been left on the floor, causing her to fall to the ground on her bum.

Severus wasted no time in picking her up again. Instead of trying to keep walking, Tonks jumped up, wrapping her legs firmly around his waist, her arms tight about his shoulders.

In what seemed like hours since she opened the door, but was actually closer to seconds, they finally fell into bed together. Close to four months had passed since they last made love, but he still remembered where she liked to be touched.

The act was over far too soon. Once done, Tonks put on her bright orange dressing gown and Severus, his trousers and undershirt. They walked hand in hand back into the living room. Severus settled on the sofa while Tonks went to the kitchen to get something to drink. 'Do you want anything?' she asked.

'Water,' he called out. Tonks filled two glasses of water and went back into the living room. Severus was sitting in the middle of her sofa, so Tonks sat on his right, leaning against the side of the couch. Tonks started laughing softly. They were sitting just like they would in Severus' bedchambers.

'So,' started Severus.

'So,' grinned back Tonks. There was so much to say but Tonks was having trouble finding the words. She didn't want to ask a question, such as 'How have you been?' or 'How's life on the Dark Side?' All she really wanted to do was enjoy her post-sex haziness with Severus' arms around her, but there was a great deal that needed to be discussed.

She needn't worry. Severus took her hand and said softly, 'I don't have much time. Perhaps an hour.'

Tonks finished her glass of water and placed it on the coffee table. 'That's one more than I expected,' she smiled.

Severus drank from his own cup. 'I'm glad you were finally here tonight.'

'You've come by before?' asked Tonks.

'Twice,' said Severus.

'Right after…what happened, I basically moved into Headquarters,' said Tonks apologetically. 'I can't spend a lot of time here without it looking funny.'

Severus leaned over and put his own cup of water on the table. He then turned his attention to Tonks and she felt herself blush under his gaze. Taking her wrist, he pulled her into his lap, so that she was straddling him.

Tonks was about to tell him how much she had missed him when Severus said, 'Is Potter taking my advice yet?'

'Advice from you?' laughed Tonks. 'I seriously doubt it. What'd you tell him?'

'Has he talked at all about mastering non-verbal spells or Occlumency?' asked Severus, his hands lazily roaming her bottom.

Tonks nodded. 'You did mean that as advice, then,' said Tonks, smiling. 'He's working with Remus on Occlumency.'

'Good,' said Severus quickly. 'Very good. Lupin's not the greatest Occlumens, but he will do. What of non-verbal spells?'

'He's working with yours truly,' said Tonks, trying to keep the pride out of her voice. She couldn't help but be pleased with Harry's progress.

'You?' asked Severus in surprise.

Tonks nodded. 'We're also working on wandless magic.' A horrible thought came to her. 'Severus, he comes here for the lessons. You have to be careful. I don't even want to think what would happen if he saw you here or anywhere near here.'

Severus looked away thoughtfully. 'Do you meet on a specific night? So I can stay away?' he asked.

'My schedule is all messed up. I'm on the Snape Snatching Team and we work all hours of the day so we can never figure out more than a week ahead. And to top it off Harry disappears every so often…'

Severus put his finger to her lips.

'I'm rambling,' said Tonks. Severus nodded. She leaned forward and rested her head on his shoulder. 'It's just so good to see you. I miss telling you things.'

'Snape Snatching Team?' he asked with a hint of amusement.

'That's the name of the Auror team searching for you,' grinned Tonks sheepishly. 'We spend more time and resources looking for you than You-Know-Who. It's ludicrous.'

'How's Potter's progress?' asked Severus seriously.

'He's doing well,' said Tonks quickly. 'He can cast them easily now. But he's having trouble blocking them.'

They spoke of non-verbal spells for the next few minutes, and Severus told her some tips to give Harry next time they met.

Then he leaned back his head on the couch. Tonks looked at him. Really looked at him. Severus was always thin, but he seemed to have lost weight in the months they had been separated. There were blue-black circles under his eyes and Tonks couldn't help but wonder when he last saw the sun.

'Imagine the irony if Potter kills me with a non-verbal spell that you helped him master,' he whispered cynically.

'Do you really think you will be killed?' asked Tonks softly. She hated the words as they came out of her mouth.

Severus nodded. 'There's no doubt in my mind.'

Tonks looked away, not realizing that as she was holding onto his undershirt, she was twisting it tightly. He gently picked up one hand at a time and interlaced her fingers with his.

'Do you know when the first time I realized I cared for you was?' asked Severus quietly.

She shook her head, not looking at him. All she dwelled on was the feeling of her small hands next to his rough, calloused ones.

'When I read that owl you sent me asking me over for dinner on my birthday,' said Severus. 'Even though I was furious with you for sleeping with Lupin on New Year's, I realized that I wanted to spend my birthday with you. That's when I knew.'

'Oh, don't bring that up,' cringed Tonks, thinking of New Year's. A very Aurorish thought suddenly crossed her mind, pushing out all thoughts of love. 'Can you tell me where You-Know-Who's Headquarters are?'

'No,' said Severus at once. 'The Dark Lord has all the same precautions that the Order has.'

'Who's the Secret Keeper?' prodded Tonks. Both realized that more important topics than their feelings needed to be discussed in the brief time they had together.

For just a moment Tonks thought she saw Severus struggled within himself. 'Bellatrix Lestrange,' he said. 'You won't be able to find her; she rarely leaves the Dark Lord's side.'

'But it's a start,' said Tonks eagerly. 'We can start an initiative to find her.'

Severus placed his hands on her shoulders swiftly. Tonks looked at him in surprise.

'Only three people know who the Secret Keeper is. The Dark Lord, myself and Bellatrix,' said Severus in a low voice. 'Several Death Eaters are aware of my absence tonight, Nymphadora. If the Ministry were to announce that they are focused on finding Bellatrix, I will be killed.'

'But if you already expect to die?' she challenged, almost shuddering at the words.

'My death cannot occur until I am sure that Potter can defeat the Dark Lord,' said Severus grimly. 'That may not be for some time.'

'All right,' said Tonks softly. She glanced at the clock. Forty-five minutes left…

His hands moved up her back and he pressed her against him. Their lips met and Tonks only briefly was able to forget everything except him. She broke away first.

'Is there anything else you can tell me?' asked Tonks, cursing that they couldn't spend the time they had simply enjoying each other.

Severus closed his eyes, removed his hands from Tonks' waist and rubbed his temples. 'Seeds of discord, Nymphadora,' he said slowly. 'It's taking time, but I'm beginning to pit Death Eater against Death Eater. If they're all fighting each other they won't have time to fight everyone else.'

'Clever,' said Tonks. She hesitated a moment and then continued. 'Would you like to know anything about your search?'

'Where are they concentrating?' asked Severus.

'Where aren't they is the better question,' said Tonks frustratedly. 'There's a special floo set up and people floo and owl in tips all the time. Then we go through the list and decide where we want to search.'

'My house still under surveillance?' asked Severus, stifling a yawn.

Tonks nodded. 'Do you need anything from there?' asked Tonks. 'Is that why you were there that night? I might be able to sneak something out.'

An undeniable smirk crossed Severus' lips. 'I was there because I found out you were on call.'

Tonks couldn't decide if that was the stupidest or the most brilliant thing she had ever heard. 'Why would you put yourself at risk like that?' she demanded.

'I am a selfish man, Nymphadora,' Severus told her. 'I wanted to see you again.'

'You're expecting me to believe that you put your life in danger because of me?' asked Tonks incredulously.

'There was a book I needed,' said Severus finally. 'You being the one to catch me was a bonus.'

'Thought so,' laughed Tonks, placing her hands on his cheeks and kissing him lightly on the lips.

'Speaking of lives being in danger,' said Severus slowly. 'I'm putting you in danger by being here. If you want me to go away and not seek you out again…I will.'

'Don't you dare, Severus Snape,' said Tonks, her eyes flashing. 'I let Remus give me that line; I'm not accepting it from you. You're the only thing that makes sense in my life right now. I need you.'

Tonks couldn't help but notice the pleased look in his eyes. 'I think that covers everything for now,' said Severus, looking over at the clock on the wall. He slowly untied her dressing gown and slid the silky material from her shoulders.

'A half hour to spare,' smiled Tonks as Severus pulled her flush against him and started kissing her neck. 'What ever will we do with ourselves?'

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Later, after Severus left, Tonks lay on her bed, eyes focused outside on the night sky. They agreed to try to meet again in two weeks. But they both knew plans were almost impossible to make.

Tonks tried to imagine life after the war. After Voldemort's defeat, if Severus survived. There would be no life for him in Britain, that much was sure. And if Severus was alive, there was no life for her without him.

They would have to run. Tonks spent far too many hours that night planning their future life together instead of sleeping. She imagined them starting over somewhere, possibly Canada or somewhere in South America. Not in Europe. The Ministries of Magics worked too closely together. They were both still young by wizarding standards, even if Severus was fifteen years older than her. Many happy years could be shared.

If Severus survived.

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A/N – pilosus (Latin) – to cover with hair