Author: J.A.K.
Rating: R
Author's Notes: This story starts in the middle of Tonks and Harry's relationship. There will be a few flashbacks alluding to situations and events that happened in the past between the two, but I felt it best to start here because the crux of this story lies in them being together not in how they came to be together. I also wanted to warn everyone that this is a darker Harry; less like the one written in books 1 through 4 and more like the Harry written in book 5.
AN 2: Again thank you all for the wonderful reviews. I would like to say that I'm very sorry this chapter took so long. You can blame it all on me having a severe case of writer's block. Still, writer's block aside, I decided that I had to finish it today because I'll be in LA this coming week, for spring break. So it may not be as good as I want it to be, but it is an update. Enjoy!
Chapter Three
Harry watched in minor disbelief as Ron's voice bounced off the walls and resonated within the otherwise still air.
Standing at an upright position, so that he could compensate for his friends obvious height advantage, Harry calmed himself enough so that he could listen to what Ron had to say. He tried, as best he could, to maintain his composure, as the fact remained that he had kept a major aspect of his life secret from his two best friends. And in so doing, he had lied to them—bold-facedly—on several occasions. The least he could do now was let Ron vent his emotions…or as much as his own temper would allow them to be vented.
Ron felt a surge of irritation run through his veins at Harry's serene disposition.
"Did you hear me Harry?" Ron tapped his middle and index fingers against his temple. "Do you understand the words that are coming out of my mouth?" He sighed when his friend merely blinked at him, lips compressed into a firm line.
He's mad, Ron surmised. No…he's pissed off; but for whatever reason, he wasn't responding. Ron accepted that information and looked slowly about him, realizing that Tonks was still somewhere in the room. When his eyes rested on her form, a slight smile shaped on his face at the simple fact that he couldn't really blame Harry for engaging in certain…unmentionable activities with her.
He turned his head again and stared dead on at his friend.
Ron leaned against one of the desks that were directly behind him as he spoke.
"Harry, if anyone finds out about this, you'll be in danger of getting expelled."
Harry nodded his head slightly, knowing that what he said was true. At the same time, his eyes couldn't help but wander around Ron's body and stare at Tonks. She appeared more anxious than he'd seen her lately, and that was saying a lot, as he had been a witness to the look on her face when he'd come along with her, and a handful of Aurors, on their latest mission.
He shook his head faintly, trying to focus his attention on the situation at hand.
Ron waited for Harry to say something, but continued on when sound was not forthcoming. He folded his hands against his chest.
"Harry, I'm not even supposed to be here right now. I have free hour, but Hermione stopped me in the hallways to tell me that when she confronted you, you cursed at her while essentially telling her to mind her own business."
Harry shrugged faintly, not knowing what else to do. He'd admitted to himself that he'd felt a bit bad for speaking to her the way he did, but fuck it, Hermione did need to mind her own once in a while.
Tonks watched their one-sided exchange and kept her mouth shut. She knew that any interjections she had to make at this point would only make things worse, and the last thing she needed right now was to have somebody walk by the room and overhear some juicy tidbit about her involvement with Harry—which reminded her. Tonks stepped slowly and guardedly to her robes and drew out her wand. Murmuring a few words under her breath, she pointed at the air surrounding them, effectively placing a sound proofing charm around the room.
Ron was unwise to the movement behind him. All he could register right now was how nonchalant Harry was being to everything he'd said thus far. Enough was enough, Ron thought, easing his arms from their previous position.
He stepped closer to Harry.
"Do you know that things have been strained between Hermione and me for the last couple of days now?" He didn't give him a chance to reply. "Do you want to know why?" This time he paused, gauging Harry's body language. It looked like he was actually listening to him—as if he wanted to reply, but instead, Harry just shook his head.
"Hermione came to me a few nights ago, talking on and on about how familiar you and Tonks had become. She kept alluding to what she was trying to say but never actually came right out and said it." Ron stared at Harry's eyes, wondering if he knew where he was going with this, and wondering if any of what he was saying was registering. "Then I told her to spit it out, and she did. And then I responded by saying she needed to read some more books, because the whole profound insight thing that she does so well was completely skewed for once." Ron held out his arm towards Harry. "I told her that even if her theory was right, that she was still somehow wrong, because Harry would tell me if he was fraternizing with one of our Professor's."
Ron's short monologue motivated Harry into speech. He had felt bad for not telling them about his relationship with Tonks, but this was ridiculous.
Harry stretched out his own arms.
"So what is this now, woe is Ron because he's just figured out that his pal Harry doesn't tell him all of his secrets."
Ron felt the blood rush to his ears, making them turn pink as they often did when he was angry.
"No this isn't woe is Ron. I'm just asking you why you didn't tell us about this…or at the very least me." Ron pointed at his chest. "You know that I, of all people, wouldn't give two shits about who you're having sex with."
Tonks gave a quick intake of breath at Ron's words. Did he really have to put things across quite that way?
Harry gave partial consent to his friend's statement, but still had a rebuttal waiting patiently at the tip of his tongue.
"Well what was that whole bursting in here bit about; and then demanding what the bloody hell is wrong with me?" Harry moved his hands about to emphasize his point. "I don't call that not giving two shits."
Ron ignored his words for now, pushing through with his point to get at the heart of the matter.
He moved forward a step.
"Harry I'm the least of your problems." Tonks nodded her head involuntarily in silent agreement. These were Harry's friends who had found out about them, and the most either of them would do was give him a tongue lashing. The same couldn't be said if anyone else were to catch wind of their affair.
Ron looked at his best friend, hoping that he would appear as sincere as he felt.
"I'm only looking out for you mate." As he finished speaking, Harry gave Ron the once over, then slowly turned his attention towards his feet. He sighed as he raked his hand through his hair.
"I know you are," Harry said, meeting his eyes. "It's just…" he turned and looked at Tonks who seemed as if she were trying to somehow meld into her surroundings. Her cheeks were tinted faintly red, but her gaze, as she watched him, was unwavering and deep and made him breath slightly faster from their intensity.
"Complicated," Ron's voice finished. Ron noticed how the two of them were looking at each other, briefly though it was, and somehow felt as if he were intruding on something very private.
"Yes," Harry said, turning his head to look at his friend once again.
He took a few steps forward, and placed his hand lightly on Harry's shoulder.
"Well, let's not make things any more complicated than they have to be by throwing Snape into the fray." Harry rolled his eyes at Ron words, wishing for anything that Snape would just fuck himself and die.
"He's right Harry." Tonks took a few strides closer to where they stood, pointing her finger out a bit accusatorily at him. "Snape's already smarter than most, not to mention eerily perceptive," she folded her arms, feeling moisture rise gently through the pores of her skin "For all we know, he's already figured out that what's happening between us is more than a simple student teacher relationship."
Harry recognized the emotion that clouded her face for what it was, and reached over to sooth away her panic. His action was cut short, however, by a loud incessant banging that came from the other side of the door.
"Harry…Ron…open up." There were a few more loud staccato raps. "Quickly!!"
Harry and Ron looked at each other in confusion for a moment before the two moved to undo the lock. It was Ron who got there first and opened the door. Both of them were at a loss for words at the state Hermione was in. Her robes look disheveled and her breathing was somewhat erratic. Luckily for the two young men it was Tonks who spoke for them.
Tonks ushered Hermione into the room while closing the door firmly behind her.
"Hermione what are you doing here?" She put her hand around the younger woman's arm. "Why are you out of Potions so early?"
Hermione put a calming hand on her chest to steady her breathing.
"In case you're wondering, I just ran down two flights of stairs, through numerous rooms, and one secret passageway just to get here before Snape manages to."
At the mention of his professor's name Harry moved next to his lover to stare intently at his friend.
"What does Snape have to do with this," Harry asked.
Hermione stared at the trio, watching them closely for their reactions.
"An announcement was made about fifteen minutes ago that Dumbledore canceled classes for the rest of the day."
Ron felt that this would be a good place to exclaim what was on both Harry and Tonks' minds.
"He did what?" Ron looked at Hermione with a bewildered expression. "Why would Dumbledore do such a thing?"
Hermione shook her head, impatiently.
"That doesn't matter." She looked around her at the three people who were waiting, with baited breath, for what urgent news she would to tell them. "What matter's now is that during class Snape kept watching your chair with a bit of a gleam in his eye, as though he knew why you weren't there." She hesitated, realizing she sounded a tiny bit ridiculous, but shrugged her shoulders anyway. "I mean, I could be paranoid, knowing what I know and all, but I swear, as soon as the class was dismissed, he quickly gave out his assignment then started making his way towards the general direction of this room."
There was a beat of silence as she stared expectantly at them and them at her.
Suddenly, Ron let out a loud booming laugh that rang in all of their ears.
"Hermione," he started while gasping for air. "For being the calm rational one, you sure know how to insight the ma—"
"Professor Tonks," Snape's soft yet clear voice made its way to all four occupants of the classroom. They stared at each other in a moment of stunned horrified disbelief. "I do believe you are harboring a student of mine."
Harry turned to the woman beside him and decided it would be best to put a steadying arm around her shoulders.
"I would like nothing more than to have a small chat with the both of you, right now."
Tonks felt as if the walls were closing in on all sides of her. She knew for certain that if Harry weren't supporting her, she would have most likely been passed out, and sprawled on the floor already.
Tonks took a deep breath trying to remind herself to stay calm and collected. Shooing both Ron and Hermione to the small room that contained various materials and props, she steeled herself as she turned towards the door Snape was still politely knocking on, preparing herself for the worst.
AN 3: As always, reviews are muchly appreciated and greatly adored.
Remember: Embrace the ship of Tonks and Harry forever!!!