"At the End of the Day"
Chapter 3
Bill leaned against the door frame, hands casually in the pockets of his worn jeans, hair still wet and slicked back, his dragon tooth earring catching the light.
"Tonks." He grinned as he said her name.
Nymphadora stepped through the threshold of the door to greet her suitor. "Hello Bill."
Taking her hands in his, he pulled her close and kissed her cheek, voice low as he added, "I'm so glad we're finally doing this."
She pulled away, quickly turning to fumble with the door lock. "Uh, yeah…me, too."
"So I thought we'd go to La Petite Fromage."
Tonks wrinkled her eyebrows. "The small cheese?"
He laughed slightly. "Silly name, isn't it? But great French food. Fleur's favorite place."
This time, she nearly winced as he mentioned his ex. Wasn't there a rule in the unwritten first date handbook that you should never mention your ex-girlfriend? Not that Tonks dated a lot, but it was kind of weird.
Bill causally took Nymphadora's hand, and as they walked down the hallway he smiled at her and said, "Like the blue eyes." Then looking ahead, he added, "Have you ever thought about going blonde?"
By the end of the evening, Tonks knew every detail of Bill and Fleur's disastrous two-year relationship; and being stuffed with cheese, snails and some strange meat dish that she couldn't translate only added to her nausea. It was obvious that Bill was in serious Fleur-withdrawal; and although it was annoying, she couldn't really be mad at him. Someone else was on her mind, too.
"And that's when she told me to move out. Really, was that way too far over the top? Tonks?"
"Uhh… I'm sorry." Three hours later, she was doing a rather good job tuning Bill out, her mind drifting to more pleasant thoughts. Oh, Remus. I miss you. "What did you say?"
He shrugged his shoulders. "Never mind. It probably was too much."
Finally, they were at her flat. "Well, we're here."
Bill took a step forward, and Tonks put a hand against his chest. "No need to walk me up."
"Alright," he answered, voice solemn.
Then before she could yell Immobulus, his lips were against hers. Warm breath, a gentle touch; then lips parted and there was more…
"No," she whispered, drawing back. Even with her eyes closed, she knew he wasn't the man she wanted to be kissing like this. "Bill, you don't really want to be with me tonight," Tonks finished with a broken sigh.
He opened his mouth to protest but said nothing.
"You just don't want to be alone."
With his right hand, he cupped her face and in his eyes, she could see his affection for her. "You've always been my best friend, Tonks."
Closing her eyes, she took his hand in hers. "I know."
"I wish it was you." The sincerity of Bill's voice pierced her heart.
"We can't choose who we love," she whispered, gripping his hand tighter.
Bill nodded. "No we can't." Their hands fell away from one another,and he ran a hand through his long red hair. "So how do we end this?"
Nothing was worse than an awkward good bye.
Tonks looped her thumbs through her belt hooks. "Owl me next week. We'll get a pint, have a good laugh."
Finally, he smiled again. "I'd like that."
"So would I."
"Good night, Tonks."
"Good night, Bill." Then he turned on his heel, and in the shadow of a street lamp, she watch him walk away.
But turning to go inside her building, she heard him shout, "He's crazy about you, Tonks!"
She turned to Bill's shadow, calling to her from the sidewalk. "What?"
"You know who I'm talking about. Ol' Moony! He loves you."
She quickly turned away, trying to blow off his insinuation. "Thanks for the update."
"Just don't muck it up like I did with Fleur. Like you said, we can't help who we love." And with a pop, he apparated into the darkness.
Tonks, visibly shaken, leaned against the callbox and wondered how Bill knew about her and Remus. Her own words ran like a mantra though her mind.
You can't help who you love…
And with a lonely heart, she buzzed herself in alone.
Author's Note: Special thanks to my skateboard-loving beta for getting my lazy butt motivated to finish this. One more chapter coming.