A/N: And my humble thanks to all who have reviewed and continued to read this story, you mean the world to me and I couldn't do it with out your kind and wonderful words.

And now with out further ado:

Mysterious Hearts

~~~Harmony ~~~

Severus and Tonks had their honeymoon the second week in July.  They went to New Zealand.  Tonks wanted to lounge around on the beach.  Severus due to his unnaturally pale skin was not to keen on this idea, but always the potions master he made sure to brew enough potions to protect him from having one killer sunburn.

Severus was content with lying on the beaches with his wife.  It was when she wanted surfing lessons was when he drew the line.

"Fine, Severus," Tonks pouted, "I'll just do it myself."

"Fine, go right ahead," said Snape as he pushed on some dark sunglasses.  He settled on the blanket that Tonks had packed resting his head on his arms, "have fun."

"Fine I will, Tonks grinned wickedly my instructor is hot."  

Severus sat up and watched her run to the surf.  He scowled when she began to flirt with the blond instructor.  Severus stealthily gripped his wand.  With a grimace he pointed it at the instructor and placed a few choice hexes on the poor guy.  Tonks' lesson ended early and with a hidden smile she rejoined her husband on the sand.

"I think someone was jealous," she grinned.

"Oh, really," he replied stiffly.

"Yes," she said leaning over to kiss her love.  Severus acted quickly and wrapped her up in the blanket and then grabbed her by the waist and lifted her up.  She gasped and playfully smacked his arm.

"SEVERUS," she squealed and snuggled into his embrace.  She relished being in the arms of her husband, "what about our things."

"Cease your worrying," he commanded.  Tonks rolled her eyes as she rested her head on his shoulder.  "I have it all taken care off."

"This is a MUGGLE beach, Severus," she warned him.

"I have it taken care of."  Severus did indeed he everything before she retuned he shrunk it and placed it in his pockets. 

Snape carried his wife back to their hotel room.  He placed her gently on the bed.  He chastely kissed her lips with a promise of more to come in his eyes.  Tonks wrapped her arms around his neck and kept him close to her as he tenderly made love to her.

At the end of their week alone they apparated back to London one evening and from Diagon Alley walked together back to their flat.  Tonks grabbed the mail from their mailbox, their landlord was a wizard and he collected their mail for them and sent them anything urgent by owl.  Severus picked up the Daily Prophet and opened it figuring on not finding anything of importance to read.  But he was sorely mistaken.  The headlines read: Gilderoy Lockhart New Hogwarts Professor.

Severus growled and read the article.  What on earth was Dumbledore thinking, surely he remembered the incompetence Lockhart had as a student.

"What's wrong, love," Tonks handed Severus a letter from Dumbledore marked Hogwarts Business.

"Lockhart has been named DADA Professor," he sneered, "I have no idea what Albus is thinking."

"Surely he thinks that Lockhart is the best person for the job," Tonks said as she sat down next to him on the couch.

"A Flobberworm could do a better job than Gilderoy Lockhart."

"Well he did write all those books," she pointed out, "that has to count for something."

"No," Severus stated, "It does not,"

"Don't be upset, Severus, I knew you wanted that post," she said softly.

"But Lockhart, Lucius Malfoy would have been a better choice, or better yet his darling wife Narcissa," Severus snarled, "You want to find someone that knows the dark arts.  Plus just think of the look on the students' faces, especially the young Mr. Malfoy.  That would be priceless."

"Severus," Tonks said rolling her eyes at him, "I am sure Headmaster Dumbledore thinks he is doing right by the students, he would never intentionally put the students or Hogwarts in harms way."

"He did hire Quirrell," Snape pointed out.

"One mistake, the man is allowed that," she sighed, "haven't you made a mistake before?"

Severus just growled and sneered in response to his wife's question because they both new the answer to that question.  Tonks wisely let the subject drop and they fell in to a comfortable silence.  Both tired from their trip decided to go to bed.  They fell asleep nearly instantly wrapped around each other. 

Morning came to soon and it was back to their normal routines.  Tonks was back to work and Severus had sometime before he had to start teaching so he flooed to his rooms at Hogwarts and took inventory of his potions ingredients.  And then set out to Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade to restock. 

Just as he was about to open his door a solid knock came.  With a scowl he jerked the door open.  There was the headmaster standing there with his hands clasped behind his back rolling back on his heels, almost nervously.

"Headmaster," Severus said formerly, "I was just leaving."

"I know Severus, and I was wondering if before you left we could talk," Albus asked.

"Very well," the potions professor swooped around elegantly sat at his large desk.  He motioned for the headmaster to take a seat before him.  Albus took a seat and smiled to himself.  Just how many students took this seat when facing an irate professor?

"You wanted to discuss something, Headmaster."

"Yes, of course, Severus," Albus started, "How was your honeymoon."

"Fine, but I do not believe that is what you came here to talk about."

"No you are correct it is not," the headmaster shifted in his chair, "I would like to talk about our last conversation before the term ended."

"Very well," Severus folding his hands, "please continue, Headmaster."

"I admit that I handled the situation at the end of term feast poorly."

"Oh really," Severus said snidely.

"Yes, Severus," Albus sighed this was like pulling teeth, "I could have done it differently, but that is in the past and we can not dwell on our mistakes."

"Very well, is there anything else, Headmaster," asked Snape.

"I hope that our mincing words will not effect our friendship," Albus said gently looking at the much younger wizard.

"I do not believe that it has, Headmaster," Severus said, "I too stepped out of bounds that night."

Albus hid his smile that was probably the closest thing to an apology or an admission of blame from Severus Snape.  Maybe Tonks was a good influence on his potions master.

"I meant to inform you about the DADA post before it was announced, but I did not want to disturb you and Nymphadora, on what little time you have together."

"You could have sent us an owl," Severus snapped, "I did not expect the post, but Lockhart.  I was passed over for a bleached peacock."

"Gilderoy Lockhart will be a fine teacher," Albus said.

"Now if you will excuse me I have things to do," Severus said rising from his desk.  He waited until the headmaster left and swooped out after him.

Severus spent the day in both Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley; he even made a rather quick side trip into Knockturn Alley.  After the tiring day of errand running he just wanted to go home to his wife.

To be continued…