Chapter 4: Mr. Nymphadora Tonks

Lunch was, as always, a noisy affair. Ron was trying to put as much food in his mouth as possible, disgusting Hermione who was slowly chewing her bits of food one by one. Harry was ignoring both of them, expecting an argument, and was discussing Defense Against the Dark Arts with Lupin. Ginny was occupying herself with Tonks, who was making silly faces.

As they were starting to finish, the post came. All of the owls were instantly identified as school owls. There were five letters in all. Mr. Harry Potter, Mr. Ronald Weasley, Miss Hermione Granger, Miss Ginny Weasley, Mr. Remus Lupin, and Miss Nymphadora Tonks. Tonks and Lupin's were addressed in the same letter. Hermione was giddy when she first saw the letters, knowing what they contained, but her feelings soon turned into nervousness as her own letter lay before her.

"Wat's wong 'ermione?" Ron asked, spitting food out in the process. Harry threw a napkin at him and everyone let out an 'ech!' or 'ugh.' Hermione stared daggers into him before Harry broke in, a little annoyed at being mediator again.

"Nervous, Hermione?" Harry smiled. Hermione softly blushed and he laughed at her.

"It's not funny, Harry!" she retorted. "What if I failed Arithmancy? I didn't give it my full attention, what with Umbridge, and the D.A., and Sir-" she quickly tried to eat her words.

Harry's eyes were unreadable for a moment while he thought of his dead godfather. He never really got a chance to mourn. He felt tears sting at his eyes as the vision of Sirius falling through the veil, still egging on Bellatrix Lestrange. He quickly excused himself from the table and left the kitchen, not sure where he was heading. He raced up the stairs, taking them two at a time. Without warning, all of the memories from that night were brought to him. Sirius, Neville, Ron, Lucius Malfoy, Ginny, Tonks, Hermione…He stopped dead in his tracks. He had almost lost her that night. The woman he had begun to love, gone forever, and it would've been his fault entirely. All of last year was his fault.

"Way to go Hermione!" Ron wailed as Harry left the room. They were all wearing somber faces as Hermione lowered her head in sadness. She shouldn't have said that. God, how could I be so selfish? she thought. I should go to him, unless maybe he hates me now. Her mind wandered as she thought about him, and how she had just hurt him. She got up to go apologize to him, but Lupin lifted his hand to stop her.

"I should probably go, Hermione," he suggested. She nodded as he slowly walked up the stairs to his new godson.

Harry sobbed into his hands as he stood in the Atrium, which was now cold and barren. He thought of everything. His parents, Sirius, Hermione, Voldemort, Hermione, Lupin, the Order, Hermione, the Weasleys, and then Hermione again, before settling on Sirius's last moments. He only faintly heard the door open and Lupin enter. He stood next to Harry with his hand on his shoulder until he was ready to talk. Finally, Harry whispered, "It's my fault, Lupin…"

"No, Harry, no," Lupin tried to reassure him. Harry quickly rose and stared at him. "Harry, it's not…"

Harry interrupted him. "Not what? Not my fault?" he shouted, and Lupin nodded. "Of course it's my fault! I didn't listen to anybody! I just went after him, not even thinking about the consequences, of other people's lives, the Order!"

"You're right," Lupin said softly and Harry stared at him. "You didn't think, you were too worried. That's forgivable, Harry, people are allowed to worry. I probably would have done the same thing if I was in your position, so would Sirius, and your father," Lupin explained. Harry wiped the tears from is face and spoke softly once again.

"But I could've killed them all. I almost lost Her—" he quickly stopped himself and turned around.

"But Harry you didn't…" then he caught on. A wide grin spread across his face as the realization came to him. "Am I to believe that you were greatly worried about losing Hermione?"

Harry turned on his heels and waved a finger at Lupin, trying to explain. "No, no! I said her, meaning, er, umm…" he stalled while he thought about who he could say. "Tonks! She looked really beaten up," he said lamely.

"Oh, of course. But Tonks is fine now, and you didn't seem to express that much concern for her at the Ministry." Harry looked at his feet and Lupin's eyes flashed mischievously. "So, then, now it all makes sense. Young Mr. Potter has fallen for our very own Hermione Granger."

"No, no I haven't!" he tried vainly to deter Lupin, who was beginning to sing 'Harry and Hermione.' "You know, I was to believe that you were the more mature of the Marauders."

"But you see," Lupin said, taking a break from his song. "I have to make up for the missing immaturity."

Harry rolled his eyes before saying, "What about you and Tonks?" At the mention of her name, Lupin stopped his singing before looking seriously at Harry. "Mr. And Mrs. Remus Lupin. Mrs. Nymphadora Lupin. Mr. Nymphadora Tonks!" Harry stuck out his tongue before running down the stairs with Lupin hot on his heels.

"Come back here, Mr. Hermione Granger!!" Lupin roared, bounding after Harry. When the pair of them reached the kitchen doorway, they both stopped to straighten out the invisible wrinkles in their clothes, and slowly walked in, Harry going first and taking his seat next to Hermione. Lupin sat across from him, next to Tonks. They stared at each other, masking their humor.

"What's going on? I heard my name called," Hermione asked. And Tonks piped in saying she had heard her name as well. Lupin's face broke into a small smile, as did Harry's.

"Nothing," Harry said with difficulty, trying to get a stern look on his face. Hermione turned to Harry with a sad countenance.

"Harry, I'm sorry for before when I—" Harry cut her off with a one-armed hug. Lupin arched an eyebrow at him. Simultaneously, Harry turned to Hermione and Lupin to Tonks. Both lapsing into childish temperaments, they forcefully whispered:

"Lupin loves Tonks."

"Harry loves Hermione."

"DUH!!" Hermione and Tonks's voices rang out in the kitchen. The mens' faces flushed when they realized what the other had said. An uncomfortable silence fell upon them. After finishing his meal, Harry broke the silence.

"So do we know our grades yet?" Hermione looked at Harry. He knew why they hadn't looked at their grades yet. "So why don't we open them now? Hermione, would you like to do us the honors?"

She glared at him. He knew she didn't want to open her grades, but decided to open it anyway. She slowly broke the seal and her mouth fell open at the sight of her O.W.L. grades. She only gasped and handed the letter to Harry, who also let his mouth fall. "Well? Out with it! Bated breath and all?" Ron badgered.

"Straight Troll's," Harry whispered. Everyone's mouth gapedlike Hermione's, who was still failing to form words. Ron snorted.

"Serves her right, after all that studying she was going on about."

Hermione glared at him. "You say that like it's a bad thing, Ronald!" she returned, as Harry threw the letter toward Ron, successfully hitting him in the face, while muttering 'idiot.' Ron made a face at him, and looked at the letter, swearing silently.

"Figures!" Ron fumed. "What was that all about?" Harry and Hermione laughed.

"You deserved it for wanting me to fail every class. No, why don't you tell everybody my real grades!" Hermione smiled an innocent smile.

Ron read aloud: "'Defense Against the Dark Arts-O, Ancient Runes-O, Transfiguration-O, Potions-O, Charms-O, Astronomy-O, Herbology-O, Care of Magical Creatures-O, History of Magic-O, Arithmancy-O'."

"Awesome, Hermione!" Tonks cried, high-fiving her across the table. "Twenty OWLs!" Everyone at the table congratulated her, even Ron…eventually. "Who's next?" Tonks asked. Hermione nudged Harry with her elbow.

"I guess I am," Harry said, opening his letter. "I guess I'll read my own out loud." Hermione smirked as he looked down to his letter. "'Defense Against the Dark Arts-O, Divination-A, Transfiguration-O, Potions-O, Charms-O, Astronomy-A, Herbology-E, Care of Magical Creatures-O, History of Magic-P'," Harry finished. He was breathless.

"Thirteen OWLs, not bad Harry!" Hermione grinned.

"Well, its no twenty, but…" Harry teased. Hermione scoffed. "So Ron, time to bite the bullet." His best mate looked at him, and begrudgingly looked at his letter, picking it up slowly.

He read off his grades. "'Defense Against the Dark Arts-O, Divination-P, Transfiguration-E, Potions-O, Charms-E, Astronomy-A, Herbology-O, Care of Magical Creatures-O, History of Magic-D'." Ron was shocked. "Bloody hell! ELEVEN OWLS!"

Harry said, "Way to go! But, I still got more than you." Ron threw a napkin at his face. Harry smirked and they all congratulated each other.

"Wait a minute, there's something else here too," Ron remarked, looking at the other piece of parchment in his envelope.

'Dear Mr. Weasley,

Due to your serious lack of respect for your duties and position, your status of Gryffindor Prefect has been revoked. A new Prefect shall be instated in your place.

Sincerely,

Professor Minerva McGonagall

P.S. Congratulations on your OWLs, your mother should be proud.'

"Oh well, didn't matter that much to me anyway," Ron claimed, as Hermione looked horrified. "Wonder who the new Prefect is."

"I don't think you'll be wondering for very long, Ronald," Lupin commented as he saw the shiny Prefect badge in Harry's hands.