Author's POV

"How is it, Dora? Have you found her yet?"

Nymphadora Tonks was ambushed by her mother as soon as she stepped into the house. Her mother was standing in the foyer looking more perturbed than ever. Tonks shook her head and looked crestfallen, her shoulders sagged and her whole body screamed exhaustion.

After falling unconscious from her battle with Bellatrix at the Department of Mysteries, Tonks had woken up in St. Mungo's Hospital. She was hospitalized for a day and had just gotten out from there yesterday. During the stay, Tonks heard the news that was being talked amongst the Order members but what worried her the most was about Hermione's state of missing.

There was speculation that Hermione had been captured by Bellatrix, but no one seemed to be able to prove it. Even if it was true, none of the Order members wanted to go and verify the matter, which made anger welled up in Tonks' chest.

They said, "we can't go and ambush You-Know-Who's lair when we still lack in manpower." Tonks called them bullshit and went around everywhere to find her friend as soon as she got out of the hospital.

She had also notified her parents about the matter. Although it troubled her about the missing Hermione, she had never seen her mother became worried sick like this especially towards someone whom she had just known in a short period of time.

Tonks watched as her mother went back to the living room and sat on the sofa staring at nothing. She followed and sat ungracefully next to her mother and heaved a tired sigh. There were so many thoughts running through her mind, so many questions she wanted to ask her mother, but she hesitated due to not knowing what her limit was.

Decided that she had nothing to lose, she tried to take the gamble and called out to her mother. "Mom?" Her mother hummed in response. "Can I ask you something?" She asks.

Andromeda turned her head towards her darling daughter. "What is it, honey?" She smiled warmly.

"Is there anything going on between you and 'Mione?" Tonks nervously asked her mother, feeling like a child asking for something they knew their parents would not give.

Andromeda froze for a second before she sat upright and squared her shoulders. "No, there's nothing going on between Hermione and me." Her body looked tense and her face turned stony.

Tonks had known her mother long enough to be able to distinguish whether her mother was angry or she was running away from her problem. Right at this moment, it was the latter. Tonks had made up her mind and she would definitely see this to the end.

"Did you guys shag with each other?"

What on earth? Andromeda baffled at the question. "Excuse me? No, we did not!" Her voice rose in volume.

"Then, did you guys snog?" Andromeda felt heat crept up her neck and cheeks and she stumbled on her words, "we… did not?" She remembered the 'almost kiss' moment she encountered with Hermione and blushed harder. The fact was that they did not kiss, but she felt like she would not be able to stop if it turned out that way. She kind of wanted it to happen, though.

"What was that, Mom? Ha-ha!" Tonks was laughing hard at seeing the look on her mother's face.

Andromeda quickly recomposed herself and reprimanded her daughter. "Anyway, there is nothing going on between Hermione and me. What is up with you, Dora, asking all these questions?" She emphasized on the word 'nothing' to make herself feel better because the reality was, there really should be nothing happened between her and the young witch.

"Yeah, right. Keep telling yourself that, Mom." Tonks snorted. "Excuse me? Whatever do you mean by that, Nymphadora? And watch your tone with me, young lady." Andromeda's voice was stern and her eyes were as sharp as her kitchen knife.

Tonks flinched at the use of her first name. She never liked that name, and she hated it even more when her mother called, he with that name in that tone — a tone that told her to tread her words carefully. However, she was Nymphadora Tonks, and all her senses of cautions had been thrown out of the windows since her birth.

I knew how you look at her, Mom, from when you first laid your eyes on 'Mione while she was sitting here, in the same spot I'm sitting right now. Mom, you were never a careless person and would always take good care of your china, but you simply dropping your favourite tea set? That wasn't you—"

"It was an accident!" Andromeda intercepted; her voice was high-pitched due to her embarrassment.

"Yeah, yeah. Look, Mom, you may think that you were being subtle with how you looked at 'Mione, however, I saw it. You look at 'Mione like your world revolves around her. Everything she said or does become interesting and matters to you. I know she brilliant, she's the brightest witch of her age, she's pretty and witty. But the way you smile at her, one may say that you're—" Tonks said but was stop by Andromeda.

"Hold your tongue, Nymphadora!" Andromeda said.

The menacing looks in her mother's eyes sent chills down Tonks' spine. She gulped and her courage faltered for a second. Her voice turned to an above whisper, "one may say that you are in love with 'Mione, Mom." She looked at her mother with utter defiant in her eyes.

Slap!

"How dare you, Nymphadora!?" Andromeda felt her anger was boiling like lava. Her palm was red and stung from the hit she delivered on her daughter's cheek.

"Hey, hey, hey, everyone stops! What the hell is happening here?" Ted Tonks said somewhere in the house.

Out of nowhere, came Ted Tonks to the rescue. He rushed in the room to stand between the furious mother and daughter. He just came back from meeting with a friend and was surprised to hear the commotion coming from the living room. He looked at his wife who had her jaw clenched before he turned at his daughter who had one hand on her left cheek.

Tonk's eyes stung as she felt the burn in her cheek. She could also feel thick liquid leaked out from the slit on her lips, but when she touched the wound and saw the deep red blood, she took a deep breath to cool her head before she confronted her mother again.

"What are you afraid of, Mom? Why are you running away from your feelings?" Tonks said as she looks at her mother.

"I told you to hold your tongue, Nymphadora! That is not how you should talk to your mother!" Andromeda kept glaring at her daughter, she barely registered the presence of her husband in the room.

"Dromeda, hey, stop it. Both of you, listen to me right now!" Ted raised his voice to grab the attention of both witches. Fortunately, they heard him and turned to look his way. "Good for you to come to your senses. Andromeda, Nymphadora, come with me, now!"

Ted walked out of the living room and went into the kitchen. He grabbed two glasses and filled them with cool water before he went to sit at the head of the dining table. Minutes later, both his wife and daughter had joined him in sitting on each of his sides. Andromeda bore a worried look on her face while Nymphadora was fidgeting in his seat. There was no longer blood coming out from the wound on her lips.

"First of all, drink this and cool yourself down." He set the water-filled glasses in front of them and watched as they followed his order, albeit reluctantly.

"Now, I believe we have a rule set in this house. Can anyone tell me what it is?" Ted started with a stern voice. This was a rare occasion, but he needed to exercise his position as the head of the house.

Andromeda sighed and she answered at the same time her daughter did, "do not fight against each other."

Ted nodded with pride. "Right. No matter what happens, we do not fight against each other. If there's anything that we're not satisfied with, we talk. We don't shout, we don't scream, we talk and solve the problem together. Understood?" Ted said.

Ted watched as the other two nodded their heads meekly and he carried on, "imagine how shocked I was at coming back home to such an encounter. I know however big this issue is, we can solve this together—peacefully.

Now, Nymphadora, I believe you must have said something to provoke your mother, am I right?" He looked at his daughter and saw her nodded guiltily. "What do you have to say to that?" He asks an d looks at them.

"I'm sorry, Mom, but-!" Tonks said as she tried to apologize.

"Ah, ah, ah! No buts, Dora. We'll get to that later. For now, you must apologize properly to your mother." Ted said as he look at his daughter.

Tonks stood up and walked to her mother's side. She grabbed her mother's hand and kissed on her cheek softly, "I'm sorry, Mother. I apologize for raising my voice at you and for saying things that hurt you. I love you, please forgive me." She hugged her mother from her side and let her tears fell on the shoulder.

Andromeda felt her heart ached and swelled in pain and love. She returned the embrace and apologize for raising her hand towards her darling daughter — something she had never done before.

"Let me see your wound, Dora." She healed the wound with a simple 'Episky' and before long, Tonks had returned to her seat.

"Now that that's done, fuhh..." Ted let out a deep breath and sagged in his seat. "I really don't like to act all fierce and stern like that. Please don't make me do that again."

Tonks giggled at his antics and Andromeda chuckled although with politeness and gracefulness, and Ted barked his own laughter. When they had all calmed down, he spoke again.

"Alright, so let's get back to the issue at hand. Who started it?" Ted asked and looked between them.

"I did," Tonks answered straightforwardly. "I asked Mom if there's anything going on between her and 'Mione. I'm sorry to say this, Dad, but I think Mom has fallen for 'Mione." Tonks said to her father.

"That's absurd, Dora. How many times do I have to repeat, nothing's going on between Hermione and me? She's nobody," Andromeda knew she was lying through her teeth, and she felt a stab in her heart. Her hand instinctively went to clutch the bangle on her wrist, the gift she had received from Hermione last Christmas.

Tonks abruptly jumped — knocking the chair down backwards — and gasped in absolute horror at her mom's choice of word. "Mom! 'Mione isn't a nobody! Please, never ever say that again! You don't know what she has gone through in her life!" Tonks said.

She clutched her chest and her dam of tears erupted as she remembered what Hermione had told her, every torments she had endured in her life.

"What do you mean, Dora?" Ted asked with concern.

When Tonks first met and spent the night with Hermione, she had instantly adored the little girl. Hermione was a very good and attentive listener, bright and witty as well as devious and playful. However, Tonks was not a total airhead as people had claimed her to be.

Despite Hermione's appearance of smiles, laughs, and all sunshine and rainbows, Tonks noticed the depression that lied deep beneath the girl's layers. Tonks was determined to peel the layers like peeling an onion and got to the core — Hermione's true self.

They parted ways but Tonks had promised to keep in touch with Hermione, and every time she came back from her auror training, she would write to her friend. It made her happy that Hermione did the same too, and they grew closer over time.

When Tonks had become a fully qualified auror, she and Hermione had agreed to meet in Diagon Alley to have a celebration of the joyous occasion. They had a small and private party just between themselves until they were suddenly disturbed.

"Look, Mother, that's her, the filthy Mudblood I told you about. The one that had brought a disgrace to the Slytherin's name." A 14-years-old boy — Theodore Nott, a Pure-blood Slytherin boy in Hermione's batch — pretended to whisper to her mother but his voice was not even toned down and attracted a few patrons around them.

Mrs. Nott scrunched her nose and looked down on Hermione in disgust. "Hey, filth! I heard you're a troublemaker who likes to cause the Slytherin to lose House points. Why do you always give trouble to the Slytherins?"

Hermione looked down at the table instead of answering. The boy snorted and his mother became more irritated at the silent response. "Hey, don't you hear me? Did your mother not teach you the manner of answering when people ask you a question?"

Hermione flinched at the mention of her mother. She bit her lip and Tonks could see her knuckles turned white from gripping the table so hard. Other patrons in the establishment had turned around and were watching at the ruckus.

"Surely not, Mother. I heard she murdered her filthy Muggle parents to sell their filthy Muggle house." The boy sniggered and her mother joined as they both laughed at the poor Hermione.

Rage seared through Tonks and she stood up to make a retort in Hermione's defenses to the pair of mother and son, but she was stopped by long fingers gripping her hand. Hermione's grip was hard while she shook her head furiously at Tonks, and the auror noticed the unshed tears that were pooling in her eyes.

Tonks glared fiercely at the pair of mother and son and left some coins on the table before she pulled Hermione away and out of the establishment. She disapparated them to her neighborhood and looked around cautiously before she gently brought Hermione to her home.

"Tonks, where are we?" Hermione asked with a hint of fear in her voice.

"I'm bringing you home, 'Mione. To where I live with my Mom and Dad. Come on," Tonks said with a warm smile but her steps were halted as Hermione tugged her hand away.

"No, no no no, please, no." Hermione said as she shakes her head refusing on walking.

Tonks looked bewildered at hearing Hermione's plea. The girl looked so stressful as she looked at the Tonks family's house in horror.

"'Mione? It's okay, you'll be safe here. I promise." Tonks said as she tried to calm the young girl down.

Hermione shook her head while backing away in her steps, then turned around before she started to walk away in a random direction.

"'Mione, wait! Where are you going?" Tonks was thoroughly confused as she caught up with the damsel in distress.

Hermione stopped and her eyes darted around before they finally settled on Tonks. She was not in a familiar place and did not know where to go. "Is there any park nearby where we can talk in private?"

"What's wrong with coming to my house? There's enough privacy." Tonks said.

Hermione shook her head again. "Please, Tonks. I can't afford to meet other people today."

Tonks nodded her head in understanding and brought Hermione to the nearest park, and they sat on a bench. Fortunately, there was no one in the park at the moment. Hermione clenched her jaws and clutched her arms so tight while her knees were bouncing anxiously. Tonks had never seen the girl looked so small and agitated — like a broken/dysfunctional toy.

"'Mione, are you alright?" Tonks mentally slapped herself for asking a stupid question. Of course, the girl was not alright — she had just been made fun of in public. However, what she heard from Hermione's mouth made her heart dropped.

"Let me die. Die, die die die die!" Hermione kept chanting the words 'die' again and again — like a mantra — as she cradled her head in her hands. Tonks felt cold breeze crawled on her skin making her shivered in fear.

"'Mione!" Tonks shook the girl and pulled her into her arms. She tried everything she could to calm Hermione down — rubbing her back, whispered safe words and more.

"'Mione, I'm here for you and I care about you. Tell me what made you become this depressed, please?"

Hermione looked up into Tonks' sincere eyes and broke into a mess of tears. She did not know whether the tears were of relief due to Tonks' words or because there were just so many emotions in her right now, but nevertheless, she knew she could trust Tonks. They had been friends for a year and not once did Tonks forced her to reveal anything, while she no doubt knew Tonks would have suspected something by now.

Hermione took a deep breath and proceeded to tell her life story to the auror. She believed that Tonks would not make fun of her like the others and her heart hoped so.

Tonks showed different expressions but she never interfered as Hermione bared her soul. Sometimes she would gasp in shock and groan in anger but she listened attentively towards the end. She could never understand how fate can be so cruel toward the girl, but she promised to herself that she would always be by Hermione's side no matter what.

"'Mione—" Tonks sniffled as she came back from her memory, "—doesn't have anybody in her life anymore but she definitely isn't a nobody! She's someone very special to me, like a sister I never wished for, but I'm truly grateful that I met her. I love her, and I love you, Mom and Dad. That's why I don't like to see any of you get hurt!" Tonks said.

Tonks wept uncontrollably and her heart felt heavy with emotions she had buried for a long time. She was feeling sad, angry, hurt, but mostly sad. So sad that her hair had changed its colour to grey to show her woe.

"Dora…" Ted was speechless.

"Dora, I'm sorry… I didn't mean it…" Andromeda's voice was so soft and she had a guilty look on her face as she reached for her daughter's hand from across the table.

"I know—" Tonks wiped her tears away, "—I know about both of you. You may think I have no idea of what's going on between the two of you, of what's happening in our family, but I do!" Tonks said.

Tonks let out an outburst as she looked determined at her parents. She's determined to bring forth the subject regarding the dark secret in this family, something no outsider had ever known about.

Ted and Andromeda exchanged looks between each other and their eyebrows raised as they communicate through their eyes.

"What exactly do you think you know, Dora?" Ted asked as they turned towards their daughter again. His voice was stern and his arms crossed over his chest.

Tonks had cleared the mess on her face and she cleared her throat. 'There's no going back,' she willed her heart to be strong.

"Mom, Dad, I know you both are not together. I have realized it since before I went to Hogwarts. You may say that you love each other, you may show to other people that we are a happy family, but the truth is we're not. You don't even sleep or be intimate — not that I want to know — with each other anymore. Mom is always either cried to sleep in the living room or in the library, while Dad, you would either sleep in a tavern or at work rather than at home." Tonks said as she looks between her mom and dad.

Andromeda looked surprised before she composed herself. "You're wrong, honey. I love your father, that's why I married him years ago. Why do you think I dared to leave my family in order to marry your father?" She said in a serious tone.

Ted nodded his head in agreement to his wife's words. "And I love your mother too, Dora. I have never stopped loving her." Ted grabbed his wife's hand and rubbed it soothingly. He smiled warmly at her but she only returned it with tight lips.

"That was the story of more than twenty-five years ago, and you're no longer in love with each other! I think that both of you just wanted to keep up with the facade, play a happy family idea, or maybe you compromised with each other so I wouldn't know. But don't you see? Our family is broken inside!" Tears rolled down Tonks' cheeks again but she quickly wiped them away not wanting her determination to falter for a bit.

Andromeda let out a resigned sigh. There was no longer a point for her to keep the secrets when her darling daughter was looking at her with so much pain in her eyes like this. She looked at her husband, the man who had been so kind and understanding, who had never stopped loving her and possibly will until his last breath.

She wore the warmest smile ever as she said, "you're both right and wrong, Dora. I'm not in love with your father and we didn't try to keep up a facade. I may have fallen for him since we were in Hogwarts, however, I was a teenager — young and wild — and all I had ever wanted for my life was to break free from my family's curse — the Black name. I wanted to be a rebel, and I decided to get married to a Muggle or a Muggle-born, someone whom my parents despised to their core.

Don't take me wrong, I didn't use your father. Your father confessed his love to me and I fell for his courage because despite knowing who I am, he still wished to be with me. I love your father because he's a true Hufflepuff at heart — he's kind and patience, hardworking and dedicated, and most of all, he's modest and loyal. I told him about my wish to break free from my parents, and he's willing to risk his life for me. I will forever be grateful for that."

Andromeda turned towards Ted and kissed his cheek. She would always remember his deeds and will keep thanking him even if she had to say it a million times.

"I only did what I feel right, Dromeda." Ted smiled sheepishly but he looked at his wife with love in his eyes.

"Regardless, we married and a couple of years later you were born, we were happy. You are the light of our lives, Dora." Andromeda smiled lovingly before her face morphed into sadness as her eyes went downcast.

"We were in the middle of the war at the time, and our lives were in danger. We kept moving around to keep ourselves safe from the Dark Lord and his followers. It was during that time that I realized a few things, about my happiness to be exact," she said.

"What is it, Mom? What were the things that you realized?" Tonks asked.

Tonks looked inquisitively at her mother as she moved in her seat. Truthfully, her bum was feeling sore from sitting in the dining chair for a long time, but she endured it. 'Why must we have this conversation here, of all places?'

Nevertheless, her mother's story was more interesting and she did not want to disrupt the bubble they were currently in. She glanced at her father and saw him smiling at all time while he kept giving her mother reassurance. It was the most intimate she had seen between them for years.

"First; I can't run away from my fate. Wherever I go, I keep remembering about my beloved sisters, whom I love with all my heart. We were very close to each other and being apart feels like a part of my soul has been taken away. I wished to be able to reunite with them, but I was afraid — I still am — to even send a single letter of apology. I can't truly achieve happiness as long as I haven't received their apologies for leaving them.

Secondly; I spoke about this to your father — I have a destined soulmate. When I was little, my sisters and I had a talk about this matter because we all felt the same — a hollow in our souls, a feeling of emptiness in our hearts — despite how happy we were when we're together and although we love each other very much. We tried to gather information on this matter, but it was hard since a soulmate is a very rare occurrence and the few people who experienced it, did not live long and prosper to journalized it."

Tonks was shocked. "Why?"

"From what we've found throughout the years growing up, a soulmate is the most powerful bond ever existed. The connection between a pair of soulmates is so strong that they could only achieve true happiness when they are together in every sense of the word.

No one can sever this connection, and those who reject this bond did not live long, as they either died from depression or mental breakdown. They are still able to love others, to marry other people and settled with a life partner who is not their soulmate, but they couldn't live happily due to the constant feeling of hollowness." Andromeda said as she looks at her husband and daughter.

Tonks jaw hanged wide as she took in her mother's words. She never knew that soulmate existed and how powerful it was, but she felt grateful that her mother explained it to her. She searched within herself if she had ever noticed the feelings that were mentioned, but she did not have them and was not sure whether to feel glad or disappointed. Nevertheless, now that she knew what her mother had been feeling for years, she felt pain and guilty for acting like a brat earlier.

"I'm sorry, Mom. It must have been hard for you and I didn't make you feel any better about it. I'm really sorry." Tonks said.

Tonks kissed her mother's hand and squeezed it for comfort. She wanted to be there for her mother, to support her and showed how much she loved her. Although she could not help eliminate the empty feelings her mother felt, she would do everything within her power to make her mother happy.

Ted squeezed his wife's hand to gain her attention. "Allow me to say this again, Dromeda. Once, I have promised to stay by your side no matter what and I intend to keep that promise. I love you and all I wanted in my life is for you and Dora, my family to be happy. Even if it means that we could no longer be together—"

"Ted!" Andromeda stopped his train of words but was objected by him.

"Look, Dromeda, it's written in the stars that we're not destined to be together. However, it doesn't mean that I could not enjoy the life I have with you while it last. I have long since known that one day I will have to let you go when you meet with your destined soulmate, and I've already accepted this fate." Ted smiled warmly at his wife.

Fate can go to hell!" For the first time in her life, Tonks was surprised at hearing her pristine mother uttered a curse word.

Ted chuckled as he went on, "Dromeda, my love. We cannot run away from this no matter how much we wished for it. No matter how much we try to fill that void, you can only feel whole by your soulmate. Dora had already realized that we're a broken family, but it's not your fault. Fate may be cruel to play with our lives, but who are we to go against them?"

He turned towards his darling daughter and held her hand too, completing their hand-holding link like a triangle. "Tell me, Dora, how would you feel if we become separated in the future?"

Tonks furrowed her eyebrows as she pondered the heavy question. Will she be sad when her parents become separated, like what she heard from various people who had their parents divorced? Or will she be able to live on with the knowledge that her mother was suffering silently when there was a chance for her to meet with her destined soulmate and achieve true happiness?

I'm an adult and sober while making this decision. I believe my life is content when I know that both my parents are happy whether they're together or not, as long as you both still love me. But I do not wish for any of us to run away when there's a chance that Mom could find her soulmate." Tonks said determinedly and looked at both her parents.

Ted beamed with pride. "That's my girl!" he said. He high-fived with his daughter and beamed happily before he turned towards his pouting wife. "There you go, Dromeda. 2 vs 1, you can't win against the majority."

"I told you, Ted, I have long since given up on that chance. I'm already happy with both of you." Andromeda pinched the bridge of her nose, feeling tired from talking about this.

"What about 'Mione, Mom? Don't you feel something with her?" Tonks grinned matched her father.

"Yes, Dromeda. I'm not a fool, I saw how you looked at her the other day." Ted smirked as he said, "Hermione, eh? Hmm…" He stroked his chin while his mind went to the thought of the young brunette witch. Tonks did the same as her father.

"Whatever the both of you are thinking about right now, please, just stop. I'm tired. This discussion is over." Andromeda sighed heavily and wanted to stand up from her seat, but she was immediately pinned down by her husband.

"Oh no, you're not allowed to run away, Dromeda. Don't you see? Hermione might be the one you've been looking for, as I could see that she triggered your emotions. What's more, she's clever but humble, honest and adorable, and she's good with her magic too. I bet she'll become a powerful witch one day. Why would you deny having a feeling for her?" Ted said as he chuckles

Andromeda watched as her daughter nodded furiously at Ted's words. 'I can no longer get out from this, it seems.' She took a deep breath.

"Because I'm afraid, Ted. You all keep planting this seed of hope in me, but what if you're wrong? What if Hermione is not my soulmate? And seriously, you're okay with me being a soulmate to someone who's younger than our daughter, Ted? And you think you'll be fine with leaving me for Hermione?

Have you thought rationally? Because I have! I have thought about it and I wouldn't believe that Hermione and I are destined to be with each other. Enough of this nonsense!" She stood up and made her way out of the kitchen, but not before she said, "I'm going to bed now because I have an early morning tomorrow. Please order take-out or whatever if you want to have dinner because I didn't cook. Goodnight!"

The duo father and daughter watched apathetically at the retreating witch.

"There she goes," Ted said. Tonks sighed defeatedly, thinking that her mother was a lost cause. "Mom is so stubborn!" She whispered in protest but afraid her mother could still hear her.

Ted chuckled at his daughter's antics. "You're just as stubborn as your mother, Dora." He said and laughed when she grinned proudly. "By the way, what's the latest update about Hermione? There isn't any news of her in any newspaper it seems." He asks and that made Tonks mad.

Tonks' face turned grim and she grew more and more despondent at the thought of the missing Hermione. She shrugged her shoulders and sagged herself lower in her seat.

"Let's hope she'll be alright, wherever she might be." Tonks said as she prayed that Hermione is safe.