And now here's a proper like chapter. I love this chapter but tell me what you think. I need feedback. I'm suffering from withdrawals :D

She knew it would come soon. It was at this time every year and as expected, it was announced in work that late October afternoon of the day she had met Fred in the corridor. It was however, not a comforting promise.

The Ministry ball, to be held on the 31st of October, was not a thing that Tonks looked forward to, to say the least. Every year she had tried to get out of it and every year, she had failed abysmally. She adored parties but the thought of getting dressed in sweeping dresses, nice hair and trading her boots for a pair of dainty ball slippers wasn't her idea of fun.

There was one small difference nonetheless.

Due to a change of partners, Remus had been requested to take Hestia and Tonks had graciously accepted, believing that it would give her a perfect alibi to stay home. An hour later, from coming in from work she had found that her "selected" partner had been none other than Charlie. Kingsley and bill had suggested the idea as soon as they had heard Tonks had been given an invitation for a guest. Tonks had begged either of the two men to take her but they had merely grinned and pounced of Charlie to tell him the news as he emerged into the living room looking still half asleep.

It was for this reason that Tonks believed him to accept.

He had agreed a little too readily and Bill looked positively delighted about the conclusion reached. After the landing incident however, Tonks was less than excited about the prospect of spending the evening with Charlie. Remus was going to be there for crying out loud! What if she couldn't hide her feelings for Charlie infront of him? For it had indeed become a lot harder to persuade herself that what she was feeling was purely a crush.

After speaking with Charlie in Diagon Alley after that day while patrolling, Tonks had realised that the perpetual feeling of desire and love… No, not love, she reminded herself, would ever go away unless she acted on her feelings. Did she still love Remus? If she did, she could feel what love remained drifting away daily. She still adored him as her best friend but as a lover…

Tonks emitted a low groan as she placed the book she was reading down beside her and rubbed her eyes wearily. She couldn't concentrate. Not here. It was too reminiscent of Charlie. Getting up from the sofa in the living room of the burrow, Tonks moved to the window wondering absently whether she would take a walk on the hills surrounding the burrow. It was two days before the Ministry ball. Two days. Tonks envisioned the dress that was currently hanging up in her bedroom and the Burrow and wrinkled her nose. It was beautiful but not her.

Deciding that she would wander into the woods at the back of the garden, Tonks shuffled into the kitchen, stepping into her heavy boots which were at the door and moved out into the garden, along the flower lined path until she had disappeared into the misty depths of the forest. As she did so, her senses increased dramatically. The fog that she had not noticed at first was swirling around her making her journey awkward but nevertheless peaceful as her mind concentrated on where she was. It was a couple of minutes before she realised that her feet where taking her to the special place that was hers and Remus'… and Charlie's, she reminded herself bitterly. Yes, of course. It was where she had first really talked to Charlie.

Why did I have to befriend him? I could've ignored him! I could've knocked him out in Grimmauld Place when I first met him and ran away!

"Alright, alright. No need to send a search party. I'll come back in a bit."

Tonks gasped very loudly as Charlie's voice pierced her thoughts. "Flip Charlie! Are you trying to kill me with terror!?"

She saw the form of Charlie stand up quickly from the ground where he was sitting and stare at her, pure shock etched on his face. "I thought… I thought you were Bill!"

Tonks held back her sarcastic smile and settled for the tone instead. "Thank you Charlie. It's a good thing Bill is gorgeous else you'd be in trouble right now."

Charlie laugh sounded uneasy. "No I mean, well, he told me the fog was bad. I didn't believe him. Mind you, I have been out here about 4 hours wondering if I would ever get back." He grinned but Tonks saw that the gesture didn't reach his eyes. "So, what you doing out here?"

"Oh, you know. Just wandering around." It was with an incredibly horrible feeling that she realised they were standing in the glade were she had brought him that first time. "Why are you here?"

Charlie at once seemed to understand that she was on about the specific place because his eyes flickered and he shuffled his feet. "Oh, you know. Just wandering around."

Tonks nodded, feeling a smile play at her lips. His ears and neck were reddening quickly - a reaction that had occurred in every meeting they had had since their meeting in Fred's bedroom and the proceeding events. Seeing the fog closing in, Tonks automatically moved towards Charlie for a sense of comfort. Her brain thankfully abruptly reacted and she moved suddenly away, aware of being unable to control her feelings around Charlie. Charlie, who was seemingly unaware of her mental battle, was looking around, a frown etched on his handsome face. Tonks watched involuntarily as Charlie captured his lip in between his teeth and worried it.

Merlin, he was so beautiful.

"I think we should get going," said Charlie suddenly, his voice a little different to his usual one. Tonks frowned and nodded slowly.

"Yeah, alright. We'd probably bump into each other if the fog got any heavier." Tonks laughter was received with a small smile from Charlie. Her laughter died and the couple silently walked through the guardians of the forest - the tall trees whose bark was as red as the infamous Weasley hair. The mist was now so heavy that only 8 foot of the base of the trees was visible and not much more infront.

"I love fog." Tonks looked up at Charlie who was gazing around him with an almost curious air. "It seems to calm the earth. It allows us to re-evaluate everything. All the things around you can be obscured from sight and yet you can still feel the cold mist on your face, smell the scent of earth and touch the soft floor and hard bark of the trees." Charlie sighed and shook his head making Tonks feel slightly helpless, although why she didn't know. Suddenly, Charlie laughed, a bitterness mixed in with his chuckle. "What am I saying?" He shook his head again, his unusual attitude of animosity making the air around heavy than the fog was doing. "I'm getting sentimental in my young age." He smiled humourlessly and sped up making Tonks have to nearly run after the elder man.

"So, you excited about the ball?" she asked, desperate to see a genuine smile. However, his smile became worse, resembling something like a grimace, at her words.

"Yeah, of course. Should be a great evening."

Tonks halted abruptly and turned to face Charlie. "What's the matter?"

Charlie scowled and raised an eyebrow, stopping beside her. "Nothing at all. Why do you ask?"

"I may be clumsy and awkward and annoying and hated but I'm not stupid Charlie. What's going on?"

Charlie looked awkwardly at her when a loud crack echoed between the trees before several low voices murmured.

"The minister and his family live in the old farm house near Ottery St Catchpole. I should be less than a mile from this forest. If we can close in around the place we should be able to kill the family swiftly. Then let's see whose going to control the ministry under the watchful eye of Dumbledore…"

Tonks gasped but Charlie grabbed her mouth and shook his head frantically. His eyes were wide and fearful but his grip was strong and Tonks was sure that had his hands been at his side, they would be unshaken. Charlie dragged Tonks into a think part of undergrowth and almost threw her to the ground before hiding himself. Tonks could still hear the voices murmuring and felt her heart beating faster than it had ever done - although whether that was because of Charlie's grip she was uncertain.

"They're Death Eaters!" Charlie whispered desperately, his gaze flicking between the men outside and Tonks. He had gone white, sickeningly so, and a thin layer of sweat seemed to cover his forehead. His eyes however were as alert as they were fearful and he looked as though a plan was forming in his mind.

"We can't let them get near the house," he whispered urgently after minutes of silence.

"You can't go out there! You'll be killed," cried Tonks quickly, unable to stop herself. Charlie smiled - genuinely now - and raised his hand to her cheek. He looked embarrassed but Tonks was sure that she must have been redder than a tomato.

"I'll be fine. I'm Charlie Weasley… I'll be back, Tonks. I won't leave you." He gave her a swift grin and disappeared out of the shelter. Tonks let out a dry sob and scrambled to the edge of the hiding place, scanning the forest for any sign of Charlie. Through the mist she could only see, through the fog, the outlines of three or four men but she knew instantly that one of them was Charlie. His voice pierced the air and Tonks was confused to hear it sound jovial and droll.

"Hello gentlemen. What are you three doing out here of such a horrible evening? Surely you should be inside on an evening like this… torturing people or whatever you do."

The sound of someone growling and moving closer.

"You're a Weasley. William, the eldest?"

"Wrong." Charlie's laugh sounded through the gloom and another snarl erupted from one of the death eaters. "Oh, touchy. Please calm down other wise you'll do yourself an injury. I would've thought with so few supporters, Voldemort would want to keep the remaining few alive."

Three angry voices shouted as Charlie chuckled again. "You want to dance?"

"You'll die quicker than your next breath comes."

"I better hold my breath."

A curse was shouted and a body fell to the floor. Tonks screamed, unable to keep her fear inside. Seconds later a voice called near her before she felt a rough pair of arms grab her around the waist and a strong body fighting against hers.

"There's another one!"

"Bring her here!" Wheezed a voice from the clearing into which Charlie had gone. Tonks felt a mixture of terror and anger flood through her veins as she scrambled and kicked, her body being dragged across the mossy ground. Seconds later she felt as though the very breath had been swept from her body. Charlie was laying still on the ground, unmoving, his body at an awkward angle.

"No…"

"Over here. Now." Tonks felt herself being dragged towards the leader of the trio and she scowled as she saw a malicious grin emerge from under the hood. "I do believe your lover has been killed. You can join him if you like or you can co-operate."

Tonks grimaced; the pain rising in her chest to such a great extent that she thought her lungs may have exploded.

"He can't be dead."

"He is," laughed the death eater cruelly.

"No!"

"Why?"

"Because… he will be back for me…" She felt a tear trickle down her cheek as the death eaters laughed cruelly.

"We can send you to him if you'd prefer." The death eater raised his wand. "Co-operate with us."

"Never!" shouted Tonks reaching for her own wand.

"AVARA KEDAV--"

"EXPELLIARMUS!"

Tonks watched as the wand of the death eater flew high up in the air and came to the man behind her who caught it easily.

Charlie.

"You fucking bastard," growled Charlie before he raised his wand and sent a fatal curse at the death eater. The two others went to grab Charlie who gave them a murderous glare and lifting the two wands he was holding.

In a flash of red light the two bodies fell to the floor with a sickening thud.

Tonks was shaking, the adrenaline pumping through her veins. She was watching Charlie who was looking as unwell as ever. Suddenly, he swayed dangerously. She caught him awkwardly just before he hit the floor and lowered him to the ground in a desperate attempt to make sure he didn't hurt himself. Charlie coughed awkwardly as a trickle of blood from his lip ran into his mouth.

"Merlin, please. Charlie? Are you okay? Charlie?" Tonks embraced the man laying in her lap tightly, not caring how her touch would be responded to.

"I'm okay," he rasped, reaching weakly up to Tonks' hand and grasping it firmly. "We should go. Got to get a letter… dad… we should get more security charms placed around the house."

Tonks nodded and went to move when a sharp intake of breath alerted her to how much pain Charlie was actually in. "Oh Charlie! What's hurting?"

"My… my side. I think… my ribs…" He gulped a breath of air as his colour became sallower.

Tonks didn't need to think twice. She pulled her wand from her back pocket and sent up 3 red stars into the air before shouting as loud as her shaky voice could muster, "the phoenix is needed." A loud bird call sounded making the clearing fall silent, a peacefulness descending over the land. Tonks watched as the bird glided through her air and landed next to her where she reached out and stroked the creature. "Fawkes, we need your help. Go and alert Dumbledore where we are. Ask him to send Bill and Kingsley. We need to get Charlie away from here to the Burrow and we need them to set up the strongest security charms we have round the edge of the forest and house. Can you do that for me Fawkes?"

The phoenix nipped her hand affectionately before flying up onto Charlie's heaving torso. A few silvery drops of water fell onto the young man's body and Tonks watched thankfully as the blood stains blossoming from Charlie shirt stopped spreading.

"Thank you, my friend," Charlie rasped before the bird gave a tranquil call and soared up into the fog again. "Excellent thought… Miss clumsy…" he panted, a small grin appearing on his lips. Tonks smiled, the giddiness of a school girl crush making her head swim.

"Tonks! Charlie! Where are you?" Kinsley's voice was echoing in the vapour and Tonks felt herself come crashing back down to reality.

"Kingsley! We're over here! Please hurry, Charlie's been hurt…"

The two men ran into her sight and gasped as they saw the couple. "Char…" Bill ran over to his younger brother and crouched next to him, worry invading his features. "Are you alright?"

"Never better."

Tonks breathed a sigh of relief as Bill conjured a stretcher and drifted Charlie away. Kingsley meanwhile was looking at the three death eaters on the ground.

"Tonks… They're dead…"

Tonks swallowed suddenly reliving what had happened and appreciating what could happen. "Charlie…"

"Tonks," Kinsley said slowly. "These people are dead."

Tonks watched him with fearful eyes as he turned and gazed at her with fear. She felt liquid ice slowly filling her veins, suffocating her.

"Tonks. The ministry will be here soon. Charlie's going to be found as a murderer."