Disclaimer: Anything you notice familiar from Rowling's canon is obviously not mine.
Chapter 6—Healing Wounds
Tonks sighed as she came into the kitchen. Looking around the room that had become the hub of the dungeon quarters, she realized that the Weasleys didn't need The Burrow to make people feel comfortable. Her home life had always been fine, even with the Black side's dramas, but it could never compare to what the Weasleys grew up with. Tonks envied each of the Weasley kids for the love that saturated the air from just a gentle look of reprimand from the Molly the matriarch. Tonks, like so many others that had graced the Weasleys over the years, hoped for a life like theirs. She hoped to find a man who could be as much her equal as Arthur was to Molly. She wanted a man who was the opposite side of her coin. As she was thinking this, Harry came in behind her still sleepy eyed and grumpy. He bumped into her, blushed, and said, "Hi Tonks. What up?"
Tonks reached up and ruffled Harry's already ruffled hair and smiled. "Not much kid. How you like the dungeons?"
"They are actually not bad. At least everyone I care about shows up once in a bit and we don't need air conditioning. How long you in for?"
"You make it sound like a prison sentence. I'm here until I'm of no use anymore. Seems I am to help Molly here," she patted Molly on the back, "Keep you lot protected until the rest of the Order moves in."
"What?" Harry eyes lit up a bit. "The rest of the Order is moving in. When? Where? Why aren't they at . . . well you know?"
"You know how many Death Eaters were around when we saved Shaklebolt and Figg. Well, it was only a matter of time before they figured out how to get into the headquarters. After we took the Fab Five back to Azkaban, the little league thugs somehow figured out there wasn't a 12 anywhere on Grimmauld Place and just thinking of it got them inside. Luckily, Snape was still there from the meetings, and was able to alert the rest of us as to what happened before any of us reported back, of course, not until after he pacified the mini minions and gave them a story for Voldemort. Dumbledore knew it was only a matter of time before Snape would have to slip the headquarters information. But apparently, it wasn't Snape that let that information slip. There is another spy. No one knows who it could be."
"Malfoy. That's who."
"Now Harry, just because Draco is a brat of a pureblood doesn't mean he is the bug. How would Malfoy know anything? He doesn't know about Snape and he doesn't live anywhere near The Burrow or Grimmauld Place. He's probably off swimming in the French Riviera right now, being pampered by luscious French women and their house elves. He's far gone from the war. How else would his pop ever convince him to take on the Dark Mark, if he didn't show him all the perks? It has to be someone we don't expect. It's one of our own. We have another Wormtail in our mists."
"Wow, now that's comforting. Being protected here only to let all of the Order come in and spy on us. Great tack that is."
"Not to worry, Harry. Dumbledore has plans for that. He may be a Gryffindor, but he is just as Slytherin as Snape. The only real difference is the exterior personality and that Dumbledore thinks life is based on choices, where as Snape doesn't believe he's even really had a choice."
"It's not our skills, but the choices we choose that dictate the lives we lead," Harry quoted sarcastically rolling his eyes. "Hummm that sounds familiar. Must have been one of Dumbledore's pep talks. I think it was after the Chamber of Secrets. Yes, humm. Well anyway, speaking for Snape, he does seem to have no choice. Spy and he lives, not spy and Dumbledore could send him to Azkaban. And besides Voldemort would have his hide without any information to give him. I don't think even Snape would last too long on the run."
"Don't be so sure Harry. Severus has lasted over twenty years at this game right in the heart of both sides. If he just disappeared, I think he'd be safely gone for quite a better life. Dumbledore is right, and Snape has made the harder choice, but he is a braver and better man because he has made that choice."
"That is if he really is on our side," Harry snickered.
"You should talk Harry. How many times has he saved your skin now? At least once a school year I'd wager, and that says nothing to whether he's kept an eye on you otherwise. His word may be what turns Voldemort eyes away, while you sneak past."
"I still don't quite trust him."
"Well in these times I understand that, but he is one of few I truly believe in. I can't even say that about Albus always." As Tonks finished her tribute to Snape, a dark shadow floated over Harry's place at the bar. Tonks looked up from where she stood opposite Harry. Just behind Harry with eyebrow raised, stood Severus Snape. Tonks chuckled a bit and nodded behind Harry,
"Well, I guess Voldemort isn't the only name we should fear saying. How is it that every time anyone starts to talk about you, Severus, you appear from the shadows. Perhaps the vampire rumor has merit." Tonks smiled as Harry's face paled.
"Indeed," Snape said with a glare. Then in his authoritarian professor voice, "Miss Tonks shouldn't you be helping Mrs. Weasley with the wards, they seem to be dying down."
"Of course, Professor. See you around 'Arry."
With that, Tonks left the kitchen in search of Mrs. Weasley, and Snape conjured himself some rich roast coffee. Snape sat and looked to his coffee never glancing up at Harry. Meanwhile, Harry fixed himself a ham and cheese omelet and pulled some orange juice from the refrigerator. Both men seemed determined to ignore the other, but the air was thick between them. Finally, Harry broke the silence,
"So professor, good show with headquarters. What kind of story did you have to tell them? Or were you the sneak who lead them there?"
"Mr. Potter, why should I waste my breath trying to gain your trust, when you wouldn't even consider your friend's word of my loyalty? Never mind, it truly does not matter to me." Snape looked at Harry with a nonchalant gaze that seemed to prove what he said. Then, the professor got up from his seat and took to his usual professor stance and glare. Just as he was about to turn around, Harry opened his uncouth mouth,
"Why must you make things so hard on yourself? All you'd have to do is be kind to people once in a while and you would gain everyone's trust."
"Oh, I've seen how that works. Or have you forgotten how most no one believed your story in both your second and fourth year?" Snape snapped. "I'm afraid Mr. Potter that it has been too long for me to change my ways. If a person cannot trust me as I am, than I do not care to have their trust. I don't need anyone to trust me for me to know where I stand." Snape's eyes pinched together in a way Harry had never seen before. Harry knew that look. He'd seen it on Hermione too many times after Ron had said something beyond idiotic. Snape was hurt. Snape was still capable of being hurt. With just a pinch of guilt guiding his gut, Harry whispered after the professor,
"I'm sorry, sir." Snape paused at that, maybe acknowledging that Harry had said something, but Harry would never know if Snape actually heard him because the professor just stormed off on his way. Harry didn't know why he continued to try to provoke Snape, after all, even if Harry didn't trust him he did respect him. But even Harry's respect could not erase the wrong Snape had done in Harry's eyes. Harry's thoughts kept going to the same place. Snape killed Sirius. Snape did not deserve to still be alive.
In the days that followed, the rest of the Order members began to bring the gadgets and necessities they were able to replace to the new temporary headquarters. Tonks had be in charge of moving the items and organizing them in the new meeting room, but after she created the room itself and transfigured the furniture, her light-footed talents began to surface.
First, she was carrying one of Moody's spare eyepieces, when she failed to notice a quill that had fallen out of Lupin's parchments. Though she survived the fall with no cuts, Moody's eyepiece did not. It shattered to dust. The second incident occurred when Molly had the grace to allow Tonks to polish Snape's mortar and pestle set for the potions lab they had just created for him. She had just gotten the polish out when she reached for what she thought was the polishing cloth, not noticing the test tubes that were wrapped in it. It is a good thing Tonks was good at charms and transfiguration or Snape would have had worse words than Mrs. Weasley had with her. But forgiveness for one of the best aurors around ran plenty, even after she dropped the two-way mirror, Hermione's distillation tubes, Mundungus's new crab shell cauldrons, and McGonagall's brand new glass cat bell. Instead of transfiguring the girl into a bag of cotton, so she could do no harm, Mrs. Weasley calmly brought Tonks to Harry and his friends giving her the duty of tutoring the children with their charms.
"Alright then. How about that parchment there. I want the lot of you to come up with a way in which a person can write on that paper to communicate with someone who has a similar parchment. I want you to make the ink disappear as they write and allow only the two people using the parchments to see what is written. Any bystanders should see something entirely different. Much like students hid The Quibbler last year. No one but the owners of the parchments should be able to use the parchment either. So each of you grab some parchment and a partner and make your parchments work only for you. Harry you work with Ginny and Ron you with Hermione. When you are finished you should switch with each other and check the results."
A few hours later "Professor Tonks" came back to check on the two pairs. While it appeared that Hermione's parchment was infallible, the others needed some work. Ron's parchment displayed the front page of The Daily Prophet but would say the words that were written by Hermione in Hermione's voice. Ginny's parchment worked very well for herself, but wouldn't receive Harry's responses. And Harry's, though ingenious in disguise as Quidditch through the Ages and also splendid in function, allowed Hermione's use with just one Alohamora.
To work out the kinks, Tonks asked Hermione to use the room next door to help the Weasleys, while she herself would help Harry out. Once Harry was able to fix his minor mishap, Harry sat down on the stone floor laying the charmed parchment on his lap. Harry sighed and looked into the glowing fire of the library. Tonks looked at the sullen Harry and decided it was time to break the ice. In her mind, it had been too long for Harry not to say anything about Sirius. It was time to get the feelings out. She quietly put a silencing charm on the room and started telling a story,
"So I know you like to hear stories about your parents and such. I've got one you should like. When I was younger, the Blacks would have family reunions of sorts. I was probably barely five if I was a day and just as a big a klutz as I am now." Tonks blushed as she looked toward Harry. Harry was holding back a giggle behind his half smile. Tonks continued, "Well, being five I hadn't developed much of a self-esteem or even a mind to defend myself when various rotten cousins would tease me about my lack of grace."
"One day a particularly nasty older cousin decided it would be precious to catch a Nymphadora moment on a wizard's camera and so she and a few others set up a place for me to trip and land in the punch for the afternoon luncheon. Bellatrix was extremely nice to me that day. She helped me pick out my nicest white summer dress that had blue polka dots and a blue bonnet. She showed me how to walk like a lady and we played tea all afternoon. I actually had a really nice time with her."
"At luncheon she told me to go get her a glass of punch and to make sure to act like a lady. It was hard for me to walk like she taught me, but I tried my hardest. I must have looked like a hippo ballet dancing, but I was determined to get her punch and not spill it. Bellatrix was in on the humiliation plot, of course, so she had taught me to never look to the ground as I walked. I was to walk with my head held straight and a look of boredom upon my face. Just as I was to trip over the fine cord my cousins had planted, Sirius came out from the mansion in a surprise visit and ran for me. He picked me up and whirled me around planting kisses on my cheeks."
"Sirius took me over to the older cousins and commented on how beautiful his little princess looked today. I didn't notice, but Sirius later told me about how Bellatrix scowled and looked toward the punch bowl. Si knew something was up and said, 'Oh Bella, I suppose my princess was getting you some punch, allow me.' Sirius at eighteen was not at all clumsy on his feet and he was also more than observant. When he noticed Bellatrix and Narcissa snickering at each other he looked down to the ground where Narcissa was pointing. He laughed a bit and walked right over the rope never making it known he knew anything. He retrieved the punch for our cousin and just as he was about to hand it to her, he pretended to trip and the red punch spilled all over her brand new white chiffon dress from Paris. Bugger, huh?"
"The wizard's camera caught it all and everyone laughed at her in that moment and every year we got together. I heard Si whisper something about an invisible cord being in the place he tripped to Bellatrix, which caused her to fume all the more. As a five-year-old Sirius was my hero, and as I grew up I realized how good of a person he was to do that for a five year old. I never believed for a second that someone who would do that would betray his best friends and kill so many." Tonks looked to Harry,
"I already missed him, Harry. He was my favorite family. I think I only survived those first few years because of Si. And then they put him in Azkaban with only the dementors to keep him company. I loved him so much." Tonks started to cry. "I know what it is to miss people you love." Harry's tears started to fall. Tonks looked up and Harry wiped the tears from her eyes. The two looked at each other silently for a moment and Tonks finally broke the void and gave Harry a big hug. What started as just a hug that needed to be given, became a hug neither wanted to let go from. Minutes later Tonks pulled away dabbing her eyes on her sleeve. Harry paying no heed to his tears said to her,
"That was a really nice story, Tonks."
"Thanks . . . sniff . . . 'Arry" The two got up from the floor and started toward the hall to make way for dinner. Just as Tonks was passing through the door, Harry grabbed her shoulder and looked into her eyes and shaking his head said softly, "Thank you Tonks. You have no idea . . ." Tonks covered Harry's lips with her fingers and caressed his cheek. They reached for each other and Tonks leaned into Harry placing her soft lips to his. As she pulled away from him, still leaning toward him, she started to blush and her hair started changing colors at an unusual rate. After she calmed down she said in a deep breathy voice,
"Yes, Harry, I think I have some idea." They walked silently through the hall together holding hands as they went. Before they got to the kitchen Tonks turned to Harry and told him yet another secret, "You know that whole episode back there? I can't control my morphing when I'm embarrassed or nervous." She blushed and Harry just smiled at her,
"I guess we will just have to work on that then, Nymphadora." Tonks hit Harry on the shoulder and her hair turned as red as her cheeks. From the other side of the kitchen Ron and Hermione smirked at each other.
Chapter 6—Healing Wounds
Tonks sighed as she came into the kitchen. Looking around the room that had become the hub of the dungeon quarters, she realized that the Weasleys didn't need The Burrow to make people feel comfortable. Her home life had always been fine, even with the Black side's dramas, but it could never compare to what the Weasleys grew up with. Tonks envied each of the Weasley kids for the love that saturated the air from just a gentle look of reprimand from the Molly the matriarch. Tonks, like so many others that had graced the Weasleys over the years, hoped for a life like theirs. She hoped to find a man who could be as much her equal as Arthur was to Molly. She wanted a man who was the opposite side of her coin. As she was thinking this, Harry came in behind her still sleepy eyed and grumpy. He bumped into her, blushed, and said, "Hi Tonks. What up?"
Tonks reached up and ruffled Harry's already ruffled hair and smiled. "Not much kid. How you like the dungeons?"
"They are actually not bad. At least everyone I care about shows up once in a bit and we don't need air conditioning. How long you in for?"
"You make it sound like a prison sentence. I'm here until I'm of no use anymore. Seems I am to help Molly here," she patted Molly on the back, "Keep you lot protected until the rest of the Order moves in."
"What?" Harry eyes lit up a bit. "The rest of the Order is moving in. When? Where? Why aren't they at . . . well you know?"
"You know how many Death Eaters were around when we saved Shaklebolt and Figg. Well, it was only a matter of time before they figured out how to get into the headquarters. After we took the Fab Five back to Azkaban, the little league thugs somehow figured out there wasn't a 12 anywhere on Grimmauld Place and just thinking of it got them inside. Luckily, Snape was still there from the meetings, and was able to alert the rest of us as to what happened before any of us reported back, of course, not until after he pacified the mini minions and gave them a story for Voldemort. Dumbledore knew it was only a matter of time before Snape would have to slip the headquarters information. But apparently, it wasn't Snape that let that information slip. There is another spy. No one knows who it could be."
"Malfoy. That's who."
"Now Harry, just because Draco is a brat of a pureblood doesn't mean he is the bug. How would Malfoy know anything? He doesn't know about Snape and he doesn't live anywhere near The Burrow or Grimmauld Place. He's probably off swimming in the French Riviera right now, being pampered by luscious French women and their house elves. He's far gone from the war. How else would his pop ever convince him to take on the Dark Mark, if he didn't show him all the perks? It has to be someone we don't expect. It's one of our own. We have another Wormtail in our mists."
"Wow, now that's comforting. Being protected here only to let all of the Order come in and spy on us. Great tack that is."
"Not to worry, Harry. Dumbledore has plans for that. He may be a Gryffindor, but he is just as Slytherin as Snape. The only real difference is the exterior personality and that Dumbledore thinks life is based on choices, where as Snape doesn't believe he's even really had a choice."
"It's not our skills, but the choices we choose that dictate the lives we lead," Harry quoted sarcastically rolling his eyes. "Hummm that sounds familiar. Must have been one of Dumbledore's pep talks. I think it was after the Chamber of Secrets. Yes, humm. Well anyway, speaking for Snape, he does seem to have no choice. Spy and he lives, not spy and Dumbledore could send him to Azkaban. And besides Voldemort would have his hide without any information to give him. I don't think even Snape would last too long on the run."
"Don't be so sure Harry. Severus has lasted over twenty years at this game right in the heart of both sides. If he just disappeared, I think he'd be safely gone for quite a better life. Dumbledore is right, and Snape has made the harder choice, but he is a braver and better man because he has made that choice."
"That is if he really is on our side," Harry snickered.
"You should talk Harry. How many times has he saved your skin now? At least once a school year I'd wager, and that says nothing to whether he's kept an eye on you otherwise. His word may be what turns Voldemort eyes away, while you sneak past."
"I still don't quite trust him."
"Well in these times I understand that, but he is one of few I truly believe in. I can't even say that about Albus always." As Tonks finished her tribute to Snape, a dark shadow floated over Harry's place at the bar. Tonks looked up from where she stood opposite Harry. Just behind Harry with eyebrow raised, stood Severus Snape. Tonks chuckled a bit and nodded behind Harry,
"Well, I guess Voldemort isn't the only name we should fear saying. How is it that every time anyone starts to talk about you, Severus, you appear from the shadows. Perhaps the vampire rumor has merit." Tonks smiled as Harry's face paled.
"Indeed," Snape said with a glare. Then in his authoritarian professor voice, "Miss Tonks shouldn't you be helping Mrs. Weasley with the wards, they seem to be dying down."
"Of course, Professor. See you around 'Arry."
With that, Tonks left the kitchen in search of Mrs. Weasley, and Snape conjured himself some rich roast coffee. Snape sat and looked to his coffee never glancing up at Harry. Meanwhile, Harry fixed himself a ham and cheese omelet and pulled some orange juice from the refrigerator. Both men seemed determined to ignore the other, but the air was thick between them. Finally, Harry broke the silence,
"So professor, good show with headquarters. What kind of story did you have to tell them? Or were you the sneak who lead them there?"
"Mr. Potter, why should I waste my breath trying to gain your trust, when you wouldn't even consider your friend's word of my loyalty? Never mind, it truly does not matter to me." Snape looked at Harry with a nonchalant gaze that seemed to prove what he said. Then, the professor got up from his seat and took to his usual professor stance and glare. Just as he was about to turn around, Harry opened his uncouth mouth,
"Why must you make things so hard on yourself? All you'd have to do is be kind to people once in a while and you would gain everyone's trust."
"Oh, I've seen how that works. Or have you forgotten how most no one believed your story in both your second and fourth year?" Snape snapped. "I'm afraid Mr. Potter that it has been too long for me to change my ways. If a person cannot trust me as I am, than I do not care to have their trust. I don't need anyone to trust me for me to know where I stand." Snape's eyes pinched together in a way Harry had never seen before. Harry knew that look. He'd seen it on Hermione too many times after Ron had said something beyond idiotic. Snape was hurt. Snape was still capable of being hurt. With just a pinch of guilt guiding his gut, Harry whispered after the professor,
"I'm sorry, sir." Snape paused at that, maybe acknowledging that Harry had said something, but Harry would never know if Snape actually heard him because the professor just stormed off on his way. Harry didn't know why he continued to try to provoke Snape, after all, even if Harry didn't trust him he did respect him. But even Harry's respect could not erase the wrong Snape had done in Harry's eyes. Harry's thoughts kept going to the same place. Snape killed Sirius. Snape did not deserve to still be alive.
In the days that followed, the rest of the Order members began to bring the gadgets and necessities they were able to replace to the new temporary headquarters. Tonks had be in charge of moving the items and organizing them in the new meeting room, but after she created the room itself and transfigured the furniture, her light-footed talents began to surface.
First, she was carrying one of Moody's spare eyepieces, when she failed to notice a quill that had fallen out of Lupin's parchments. Though she survived the fall with no cuts, Moody's eyepiece did not. It shattered to dust. The second incident occurred when Molly had the grace to allow Tonks to polish Snape's mortar and pestle set for the potions lab they had just created for him. She had just gotten the polish out when she reached for what she thought was the polishing cloth, not noticing the test tubes that were wrapped in it. It is a good thing Tonks was good at charms and transfiguration or Snape would have had worse words than Mrs. Weasley had with her. But forgiveness for one of the best aurors around ran plenty, even after she dropped the two-way mirror, Hermione's distillation tubes, Mundungus's new crab shell cauldrons, and McGonagall's brand new glass cat bell. Instead of transfiguring the girl into a bag of cotton, so she could do no harm, Mrs. Weasley calmly brought Tonks to Harry and his friends giving her the duty of tutoring the children with their charms.
"Alright then. How about that parchment there. I want the lot of you to come up with a way in which a person can write on that paper to communicate with someone who has a similar parchment. I want you to make the ink disappear as they write and allow only the two people using the parchments to see what is written. Any bystanders should see something entirely different. Much like students hid The Quibbler last year. No one but the owners of the parchments should be able to use the parchment either. So each of you grab some parchment and a partner and make your parchments work only for you. Harry you work with Ginny and Ron you with Hermione. When you are finished you should switch with each other and check the results."
A few hours later "Professor Tonks" came back to check on the two pairs. While it appeared that Hermione's parchment was infallible, the others needed some work. Ron's parchment displayed the front page of The Daily Prophet but would say the words that were written by Hermione in Hermione's voice. Ginny's parchment worked very well for herself, but wouldn't receive Harry's responses. And Harry's, though ingenious in disguise as Quidditch through the Ages and also splendid in function, allowed Hermione's use with just one Alohamora.
To work out the kinks, Tonks asked Hermione to use the room next door to help the Weasleys, while she herself would help Harry out. Once Harry was able to fix his minor mishap, Harry sat down on the stone floor laying the charmed parchment on his lap. Harry sighed and looked into the glowing fire of the library. Tonks looked at the sullen Harry and decided it was time to break the ice. In her mind, it had been too long for Harry not to say anything about Sirius. It was time to get the feelings out. She quietly put a silencing charm on the room and started telling a story,
"So I know you like to hear stories about your parents and such. I've got one you should like. When I was younger, the Blacks would have family reunions of sorts. I was probably barely five if I was a day and just as a big a klutz as I am now." Tonks blushed as she looked toward Harry. Harry was holding back a giggle behind his half smile. Tonks continued, "Well, being five I hadn't developed much of a self-esteem or even a mind to defend myself when various rotten cousins would tease me about my lack of grace."
"One day a particularly nasty older cousin decided it would be precious to catch a Nymphadora moment on a wizard's camera and so she and a few others set up a place for me to trip and land in the punch for the afternoon luncheon. Bellatrix was extremely nice to me that day. She helped me pick out my nicest white summer dress that had blue polka dots and a blue bonnet. She showed me how to walk like a lady and we played tea all afternoon. I actually had a really nice time with her."
"At luncheon she told me to go get her a glass of punch and to make sure to act like a lady. It was hard for me to walk like she taught me, but I tried my hardest. I must have looked like a hippo ballet dancing, but I was determined to get her punch and not spill it. Bellatrix was in on the humiliation plot, of course, so she had taught me to never look to the ground as I walked. I was to walk with my head held straight and a look of boredom upon my face. Just as I was to trip over the fine cord my cousins had planted, Sirius came out from the mansion in a surprise visit and ran for me. He picked me up and whirled me around planting kisses on my cheeks."
"Sirius took me over to the older cousins and commented on how beautiful his little princess looked today. I didn't notice, but Sirius later told me about how Bellatrix scowled and looked toward the punch bowl. Si knew something was up and said, 'Oh Bella, I suppose my princess was getting you some punch, allow me.' Sirius at eighteen was not at all clumsy on his feet and he was also more than observant. When he noticed Bellatrix and Narcissa snickering at each other he looked down to the ground where Narcissa was pointing. He laughed a bit and walked right over the rope never making it known he knew anything. He retrieved the punch for our cousin and just as he was about to hand it to her, he pretended to trip and the red punch spilled all over her brand new white chiffon dress from Paris. Bugger, huh?"
"The wizard's camera caught it all and everyone laughed at her in that moment and every year we got together. I heard Si whisper something about an invisible cord being in the place he tripped to Bellatrix, which caused her to fume all the more. As a five-year-old Sirius was my hero, and as I grew up I realized how good of a person he was to do that for a five year old. I never believed for a second that someone who would do that would betray his best friends and kill so many." Tonks looked to Harry,
"I already missed him, Harry. He was my favorite family. I think I only survived those first few years because of Si. And then they put him in Azkaban with only the dementors to keep him company. I loved him so much." Tonks started to cry. "I know what it is to miss people you love." Harry's tears started to fall. Tonks looked up and Harry wiped the tears from her eyes. The two looked at each other silently for a moment and Tonks finally broke the void and gave Harry a big hug. What started as just a hug that needed to be given, became a hug neither wanted to let go from. Minutes later Tonks pulled away dabbing her eyes on her sleeve. Harry paying no heed to his tears said to her,
"That was a really nice story, Tonks."
"Thanks . . . sniff . . . 'Arry" The two got up from the floor and started toward the hall to make way for dinner. Just as Tonks was passing through the door, Harry grabbed her shoulder and looked into her eyes and shaking his head said softly, "Thank you Tonks. You have no idea . . ." Tonks covered Harry's lips with her fingers and caressed his cheek. They reached for each other and Tonks leaned into Harry placing her soft lips to his. As she pulled away from him, still leaning toward him, she started to blush and her hair started changing colors at an unusual rate. After she calmed down she said in a deep breathy voice,
"Yes, Harry, I think I have some idea." They walked silently through the hall together holding hands as they went. Before they got to the kitchen Tonks turned to Harry and told him yet another secret, "You know that whole episode back there? I can't control my morphing when I'm embarrassed or nervous." She blushed and Harry just smiled at her,
"I guess we will just have to work on that then, Nymphadora." Tonks hit Harry on the shoulder and her hair turned as red as her cheeks. From the other side of the kitchen Ron and Hermione smirked at each other.