Author's Note: I just found out I have more summer work than I thought, and I haven't started the assignments I knew about yet. I want to cry, but I wrote this instead. Enjoy!
Ginny and Hermione had been sitting in their room in silence since dinner had ended hours ago; Hermione was reading, leaving Ginny to just sit there, bored. "Come down to the kitchen with me," she said to Hermione.
"Why," said Hermione, still scanning the pages of her book. "We ate dinner only a few hours ago."
"Yes, and mum made some biscuits earlier, and I would like to get some so let's go," said Ginny as she seized Hermione's arm and began to pull it towards her. Hermione sighed before placing her book on the bed and following Ginny towards the door.
"Why couldn't you just go downstairs alone," asked Hermione.
"I'm not walking through this house alone at night," Ginny exclaimed. "That's a death wish!"
"It's not a death wish," Hermione sighed. They walked down the last flight of stairs and into the kitchen where they saw Tonks with a plate of food that was left over from that night's dinner. She was facing away from them and didn't seem to notice she was no longer the only one in the room.
"When did you get here," Ginny asked.
Tonks jumped slightly and snapped her neck around to face the girls, her hand was on her wand holster. "Merlin, you scared me. I got here about two minutes ago, I came right down here because I figured there would be food. The office was swamped today, so I didn't get a chance to eat."
"I feel like you guys are always busy," said Ginny as she sat down on a chair. Hermione sighed, she wouldn't be getting back to her book anytime soon.
"Yeah, well, You Know Who comes back, his followers start to resurface. The higher ups play stupid and act like nothing is happening," explained Tonks, taking a seat in the chair across from Ginny. "It's a cycle that keeps us busy. That coupled with the Order, I barely sleep and my mother is complaining that she never sees me anymore."
"Does your mum know about the Order," asked Hermione, finally sitting down next to Ginny.
"She knows about it," said Tonks before eating a fork load of food. She swallowed it before speaking again, "she was an ally for it in the last war. However, her knowing I'm in the Order is a different story."
"Are you going to tell her," asked Hermione.
"Eventually," said Tonks. "She was never too thrilled of the idea of me becoming an auror, she wanted me to become a healer like her since it's safer, so she probably won't be too happy about this either." She ate another bite of food, "there's also the fact that I have to have the conversation with her letting her know that her younger cousin is, in fact, not a mass murderer like everyone thought."
A puzzled expression crossed both of their faces. "Cousin," Hermione asked.
"Oh did you not know, Sirius and I are second cousins," explained Tonks. "He and my mother were both disowned by their parents because they did not believe in the same blood-supremacy ideals as them. My dad's muggleborn, so that's what did my mum in."
"That's very...fun," said Hermione slowly.
"Oh yeah, it's a blast," said Tonks sarcastically. "Enough about my life, what's new with you two."
"We've been locked in this house for the past few weeks with nothing to do but clean doxies out of the rooms, trust me, we want to hear about your life," said Hermione.
"Fine, but it's not that interesting either," said Tonks. "What do you want to know?"
"Do you have a boyfriend," Ginny blurted out quickly.
"No," replied Tonks.
"Do you fancy anyone," asked Ginny.
"No," repeated Tonks.
"Do you want a boyfriend," asked Ginny.
"I mean...one wouldn't hurt," said Tonks with a laugh. She suddenly looked suspicious, "why do care so much about my love life?"
"No reason...," said Ginny. "Would you ever date Charlie?"
"Ginny," Hermione started.
"Charlie," Tonks asked with a laugh.
"I mean you guys have always been really close, so would you?"
"No," said Tonks. "Charlie and I are just friends, we've only ever been friends."
"Oh," said Ginny. "But what if we tried to set you up with someone!"
Hermione huffed, "Ginny-"
"Hush Hermione," said Ginny. "It could be someone in the order, like...uhh...would you date Bill?"
Tonks laughed again, "you really want me to date one of your brothers don't you?",
"Fine, not Bill then...I don't know. Is Professor Lupin single," asked Ginny.
"I think so," said Tonks cautiously.
"Ginny, stop trying to set Tonks up with people," said Hermione.
"Fine," said Ginny, annoyed, rolling her eyes at her friend. Tonks only laughed again. The kitchen was quiet again, so Tonks took that oppurtunity to eat her food, which was now cold.
"Well since I got grilled on my dating life, do I get to ask about yours," said Tonks to both Ginny and Hermione.
"I didn't ask you anything," exclaimed Hermione.
"Yeah, but you sat down at the table," said Tonks. "So spill it."
"I have nothing to spill actually," said Hermione in a matter of fact tone.
"Not true," said Ginny. "Hermione dated Viktor Krum last year."
"Ginny!"
Tonks's mouth hung open in shock, "the Viktor Krum, as in the quidditch player."
Hermione huffed, her cheeks growing pink, "I never dated him...I went to the Yule Ball with him, sure, but we never dated."
"Okay but you snogged him," said Ginny. "You told me!"
Hermione's cheeks went even redder, almost matching Ginny's hair, but she didn't deny Ginny's claim. Tonks continued to gape at her, "you snogged a professional quidditch player. I don't know whether I should be impressed or not."
Tonks waved her wand to clear her dishes, but she also summoned the bottle of fire whiskey on the counter with a glass. She looked up at the girls, "what some?"
"We're not old enough," stated Hermione.
"No you're not," repeated Tonks. "Spill it Ginny, what's going on in your love life."
"I have a boyfriend, his name is Michael Corner," said Ginny nonchalantly.
"Yes, but she's had the biggest crush on one Harry James Potter for the past, what is it, four years now," said Hermione.
"Shut up!"
"Yeah, it's not fun is it," Hermione said to Ginny with a smirk.
"I'm over it now," said Ginny, her cheeks pink.
"No you're not," said Hermione. "You still give anything to date Harry still, wouldn't you?"
"Am I interrupting something," asked a voice form the doorway. They all looked up to see Remus standing there, he looked both puzzled and amused, "Sirius sent me to fetch the fire whiskey on the counter."
Tonks held the bottle next to her out to him," here it is."
"Thanks," said Remus as he stepped forward and took it from her. "Enjoy...erm...whatever you're up to."
Tonks's stare remained on the door, even after Remus had left the room. Ginny smirked at Hermione before speaking again, "are you sure you don't fancy anyone?" Tonks's cheeks went pink.