Chapter 5
Snape looked down at his drink. "Severus? Please talk to me." Tonks' face, which had been stern, had changed to worry. Snape kept looking at his glass. Tonks put her hand under his chin and forced him to look at her. "What was all that about?" Snape moved his eyes away from her face. "Severus? I know that something's happened or going on. . . I'm not sure which. . . but I'm involved now and I deserve to know."
She removed her hand, sure he wasn't going to look down. "Fine." Tonks lay some money on the table and walked out. Snape hit some extra money on the table, called "keep the change!" and ran out after her.
"Tonks wait!" he called. He had no idea why he was chasing after her. After all, she drove him mad. But something was forcing him to follow her.
She took a deep breath and turned around. "What Severus?"
"I can explain."
"Then explain," Tonks said, sternly.
"Come over here." He took her hand and led her to a small bench. They sat at complete opposite ends, Snape wondering why he had grabbed her hand like that.
"I probably couldn't say I had done much myself. But I got picked on by James Potter, Remus Lupin, Sirius Black and Peter Pittigrew at school. I was a bit of an idiot. Not exactly bright. And that didn't help. We were different houses."
"Lily Potter, used to dislike James and stood up for me. That just made James pick on me more. They used that nickname. . . Sevvie. And that's why I hated it when you used it the day we met. It's like a haunting memory, which won't go away. I don't depend on anyone but myself. "
Embarrassed by his honesty, Snape looked down at his hands. Tonks moved towards him and held is hands in hers. "You can depend on me."
Snape looked into her eyes. "I feel like such an idiot." He stood up and turned away from her. "I shouldn't have told you this. I don't want your pity."
"Then I won't give it to you!" Tonks stood up and faced him. "I don't want to pity you, I don't want you to pity me! I know how you feel. People used to call me stuff because of what I was - a Metamorphmagus. I ignored it. I'm not going to pity you. I just want to you to know you can trust me."
They stood there a few moments, just looking at each other. Tonks stood with tears in her eyes, and at exactly the same moment, they moved in and hugged each other for what seemed like hours.
Snape had no idea how this woman, no, young woman, very young woman, had the power to make him tell her things that he had never told anyone. Admit his inner feelings to her. There was something about her, and now, as they stood there, he wanted nothing more. It felt perfect.
They broke apart. "Thank you for a lovely evening," Tonks said.
"No. Thank you. And you don't have to make the effort to arrange dates anymore. I am, and I want you to know that tonight as meant a lot to me and I want to thank you."
"You big softie!" Tonks said, and kissed his cheek. "Night." She walked off a bit and apparated.
"Goodnight." Snape apparated himself, only thinking about that kiss on the cheek.