It wasn't until something hopped onto the bed and tried to cuddle in between them that Tonks woke up. Although it was only around 6 am, Rose had been up for hours, bathing in the heat the woman in her arm was radiating. A quite colorful curse escaped her lips as a squeak sounded and something dug its nails into Rose's.

" Is that your cat ?"

"Yes." Tonks groaned and looked up from Rose's shoulder, shooting her a weak smile. " He's a bloody maniac at night. I'm so sorry."

" Don't worry. It's Jimmy right?" Rose said struggling to sit up, pushing the cat off of the bed with a glare, " Scram Jimmy, we're trying to sleep, goddamnit."

A warm hand landed on Rose's back, and she turned towards Tonks whose hair was slowly turning into a brighter shade of brown. There was a small glimpse in her eye when she spoke again.

"Dude, It's Hercules."

Rose scratched her neck, alternating between looking at the cat which was glaring at her from the floor, and the now almost blonde, who was eyeing her curiously. After a moment or two of half-smiling at each other silently, the amusement began fading out of the auror's eyes. Melting into realization as the memories of yesterday seemed to hit her. Suddenly the before-so-comfortable silence had begun weighing heavy on them, and Rose hurried to try to fill it.

"It's not like he understands-" she muttered.

An offended meow rose from under the bed.

In the sunlight that was streaming in through the light green curtains, the two girls laid close together. One mumbling on about her job, or rather, supposed lack of work, while the other looked at her mesmerized.

"Tonks." Rose's head went blank and the auror's hair flickered between different shades of black in response.

"There's something I have to tell you"

in that moment, the only thing keeping Rose's mind from short-circuiting was the look in Tonks's eyes. The tiny almost not noticeable speck of hope. The brunette (for now) nodded a little, and her lip twitched slightly as if it was threatening to turn into a grimace. Rose couldn't hold it in anymore. Whether the time was right or not she had to tell her.

" I just want to-" Rose began

The owl from yesterday hooed and picked on the bedroom window. The bed shook as the angry peck peck peck made Tonks jump in surprise. She reached for the cover and made a move to sit up. Her eyes were locked on the window despite Rose's attempt at meeting her gaze.

"Oh, it's probably The prophet, I'll just go get it and then you can -"

"I'm in love with you." Rose blurted, out and looked at the auror who'd frozen still.

"I have been in love with you for years… but I… I never wanted to gamble on our friendship. Or worse, your safety." She added hurriedly, scared that she'd chicken out.

A soft oh fell off of Tonkss lips as she turned around to watch Rose, seemingly torn between disbelief and something else. It was like Rose was looking at herself in the mirror, the same look she had observed in herself those lonely days at Grimmauld place. Both before and after fifth year. It was the desire to be held and hold, to give in, and perhaps-

Rose held out an open hand and allowed Tonks to, although hesitantly, lean into her touch. Perhaps it didn't have to be hidden anymore.

Silently Tonks laid back in the bed with Rose's hand still on her arm. Their faces were so close that the auror's warm breath tickled Rose's face.

"You do?"

"Yes. Is that okay?" Rose blushed, knowing well enough that she might have rushed it, although her beating heart told her that there was no way she could've kept it secret for even a second more.

The other woman didn't answer but merely breathed out slightly.

" I should tell you that you shouldn't. Fuck. That you can't. Shouldn't I?"

"I don't think I'd listen to that, honestly," said Rose softly. Tonks nodded again.

The sun was now higher up in the sky and peeked through the curtains less apologetically than before. Rays of pure light played through Tonks's hair as she shot Rose a small smile and scooted a little bit closer. For a long time, they stayed there just looking at each other, taking in each other's face as if they'd been starved of it. When Tonks finally dared to put a hand on Rose's cheek, still in disbelief, the knot that had grown in Rose's stomach since the evening before faded away.

Finally.

The rest of the morning went by quickly as they almost danced around each other, hesitant to act like anything had changed, yet constantly glancing at each other while smiling knowingly. A part of Rose was concerned with how Tonks had backed away when their hands had brushed while preparing breakfast. The auror had tumbled into the table and the blush on her cheeks was accompanied by very red hair. All while alternating between sputtering apologies and refusals to be helped, much like the stubborn witch she was. Rose sighed into the bowl of cornflakes she was carrying. Patience was key. With how traumatized Tonks seemed to be with the Wizarding world's view on LGBTQ people, she knew she didn't have a right to expect anything.

A faint knock accompanied by a very loud voice rang through the house and Tonks looked at Rose, gripping the milk carton hard enough for her knuckles to turn white.

"Are you here? Goddamnit. I told Molly to not come here and yet- Has she killed you two? When I get my hands on that woman- Fucking hell. Rose. Tonks. Open up." Sirius yelled.

The auror straightened up a bit, still with a stressed look on her face, yet a bit less panicked. Together they began moving towards the door until Tonks stopped. Now blushing again.

" Won't he think… if we open the door and he sees you here?"

"What?" Rose could barely comprehend what the auror was saying. It was Sirius, looking for her. For some reason, she seemed to have forgotten that she wasn't actually in a bubble with Tonks. First Mrs. Weasley had burst it and now… Sirius? But he didn't sound like he was angry at either of them? She stared at the door.

"After what came out yesterday there might be one or two people out there who think I'm a predator, Rose," Tonks said with a faint smile, yet the tiredness in her eyes betrayed her. "They'll think I'm using you."

Before Rose could answer, the man behind the door knocked again, as if to inform them that he was thinking the same exact thing. If only a little differently.

"Oh. Remus told me that this might happen." A roaring laugh sounded through the door. "Don't worry I won't be barging in, wouldn't want to bloody embarrass you two. Keep your secrets. " he cleared his throat and when he spoke again the smile in his voice was impossible to miss. "When you're, uh, ready to come out, don't forget to swing by the cottage. Remus and I have some stuff we want to tell you." Sirius snorted "Deal? "

And so, without waiting for an answer, he apparated away and left the two young women looking at everything but each other.

"I didn't expect much else from him to be very honest," Rose said and much to her joy, Tonks began laughing.

"Moodys with you on that one" she replied, grinning before her smile fell as their eyes met.

With hands that shook with hesitation and eyes that would've been asking for permission had they only been a little bit less desperate, Tonks grabbed Rose's arms and took a step forward. Their chests pressed against each other as the tension from before seemed to fall onto them once again.

"This is wrong, it is very wrong and I might lose my job for it," Tonks said in a low voice, more to herself than anyone else. Gone was the lighthearted laughter from just a moment ago. Rose stood still, too scared that she'd make Tonks take her hands off her, yet unable to disagree. It was wrong. At least according to the books at the Hogwarts library, the daily prophet, and Mrs. Weasley. Did she really need more proof? Yet she forced herself to shake her head no, it wasn't her own thought that was festering in her head. Tonks's hands grabbed onto her harder as if she was searching for stability.

"Moody might defend me but- when the media hears of a lesbian auror he too will have to stay away from me. They all will have to." she stared into Rose's eyes when the torn look faded away from her face.

"Rose." she simply said before pressing her lips to Rose's, causing every little bit of Rose's self-restraint to go out the window. Her own heartbeat was loud in her ears when she put her arms around Tonks's waist and on hard. Trying to express just how much she wanted to be right there, right at that moment. The walls had fallen to crumbs and as a hand snaked into her hair, Rose moaned softly. Their hands were everywhere and nowhere at the same time and while it soon became hard to tell them apart she felt as if she could never get enough. Her hip, ribs, and neck were all subjected to eager touch as the auror let her hands travel all over her body. Rose let her lips fall open to pay back the favor, kissing almost aggressively while pressing closer to the warm body before her. Years of denying, wondering, and need made Tonks's lips feel almost electrified. Like a life source. Something which Rose could feed on forever and ever.

A small pang rang through the air and before either could look around to find the source, two large objects emerged from thin air. Covered in intense blue light from what seemed like all directions, Rose squinted to try to make out what on earth it could be. Although this whole situation was foreign, she didn't have it in her to be scared, but rather felt weirdly at peace. If not only soothed by the soft smile that lingered on Tonkss lips before her as she looked at the spectacle that had become of her living room. And then it hit Rose: patronuses. The two does moved in circles around the couple, skipping in the air and nipping playfully at each other's tail. For a moment or two, they stood in awe watching the does move around, and without too much thought their hands seemed to have found each other. Tonks squeezed Rose's hand and moved, if possible, a little bit closer. Silently they looked at each other when the patronuses finally dissapeared, and without letting another moment go to waste, Rose once again pressed her lips to Tonks's. How could she ever stay away?

Soon enough the energy had ebbed out and rather than two hungry lips begging for contact the kiss became slow and lazy. The pair smiled, still not ready to let go of each other, but nonetheless, they had to breathe.

"Wicked." Rose said as she came up for air, closing her eyes for a moment as Tonks swiped a loose strand of hair out of her face.

"That's the word you choose to go with?" Tonks looked at her in mock- irritation before her poker face fell and she laughed. It was such a joyous thing, Rose thought. After the war, separation, and the mess that had been last night, a genuine laugh was to be treasured. Especially from someone like Tonks.

"Although…I still don't understand the Patronus thing? Do they just come out at random?" Rose said.

"Don't tell me you were too busy saving the world to pay attention in defense against dark arts? Lupin sure won't be happy with that," came the reply all too quickly for Rose's taste and the auror earned herself a little shove for the smugness.

"Okay listen -" Tonks laughed again before lowering her voice a bit, acquiring a more gentle tone while she continued to play with loose strands of Rose's hair. " In auror training, we were taught to not hold in any big emotions for longer amounts of time, they even made us go to muggle therapy every now and then. What can happen is that the witch or wizard simply will be unable to control their magic, and whatever feelings they're hiding might end up manifesting magically. Kinda like what happened just now…and earlier."

"But I don't have my wand?"

"Rose!" came the reply. "Do you really think things make sense in this bloody place? We're witches goddamnit." Tonks shook her head, and made Rose even less able to take her eyes off the auror as rays of the sun played over her face as she moved .

Still, with their arms against each other, the two fell silent once again until Tonks freed herself and started making her way to the table.

"Remus going to be really disappointed with you, you know." She said over her shoulder as her hair slowly turned a fiery red, exposing just what revious event her mind was revisiting, and Rose's lips tingled in anticipation.

Far too early in Roses's opinion, breakfast was over and the excuses to stay were burned though. It was time for her to leave if only to make sure that Sirius hadn't actually gone back to the Burrow after his visit, to murder the redheaded matriarch. Standing in the doorway Rose swayed uncertainly, unsure if it was a good idea to leave Tonks alone after yesterday's ruckus. Although the tiredness in the Aurors eyes was close to gone, the many threats of the outside world were ever- so- present in the back of Rose's mind. It was never about them, but always about the others. As if she was legilimens (which she might be for all Rose knew, what auror training actually consisted of was highly secretive) Tonks said in a confident tone:

"I'll be fine- go. Sirius will think I've locked you in the basement, or worse, shagged you to dea- " she hesitated for a second and they both glanced at each other before looking away. Though, that didn't stop Rose from noticing the small smirk on Tonks's lips nor the streak of bubblegum-pink hair that was coming in nicely at the front.

"Oh!" Tonks jumped back toward the counter where Rose's long-lost scarf was placed. A plate fell to the floor as she for a second time that day stumbled into the table, but she waved it off. Flustered. she grabbed the scarf in a smooth movement and jogged back.

" Wait, you almost forgot this-", Tonks began, and this time it was Rose who couldn't control herself. Soft lips eagerly met hers as she leaned forward for a quick kiss. It was beyond her how something so light, so quick, could melt her insides that effortlessly. Rose took a step backward, still with the scarf in her hand. The last time she had held it she'd been 15 and terrified of the world, and now… She looked up at the auror before her. Tonks was leaning against the doorway, with an embarrassed smile that seemed to be threatening to turn into a grin. Her blue eyes were much like Rose's own focused on the scarf.

In a swift movement Rose swung it around Tonks's neck before tying it neatly at the front, shaking her head at the auror's silent protests with a smile.

Things were good, she thought, and they could only get better. And by Merlin was Rose sure that they would.

"You can keep this one."