Disclaimer: Not mine. See chapter 1.

Tonks

For several weeks after Val saw Harry's memory, things were tense between the two of them. Harry attempted several times to speak to Val about their conversation, but she refused. She still sat with them at meals and studied with them in the common room, but it seemed to the three friends as if she was pulling away from them and turning in upon herself. Others noticed the change in Val, and quite a few comments about acting like a Malfoy were overheard in the corridors.

But Val cared not what anyone thought anymore. She was not there to make friends. She was there to get an education in the magical arts. Which she was throwing herself into without any thought to her friends or her former brother.

There were several times that she would see Draco in the hallways, but not a word was ever said. Instead she would stare straight ahead as if she did not see him at all. She noticed a few times as he walked by that he would stop almost as if he would say something to her, but she never stopped walking, and then the opportunity was gone.

Anytime that she would allow either Harry or Draco to enter her thoughts she felt a deep sadness settle over her soul. At those times she would throw herself deeper into her studies wanting to erase any memories that might surface. She felt she had finally come to understand how to survive in the world they were in. If she didn't care she would not get hurt. But was she able to do that?

"Ms. Mal.." Nymphadora Tonks began to say, but corrected herself. "Val, would you please stay after class?"

Val had been lost in thought and hadn't realized that Professor Tonks was speaking to her. "Yes, of course." She said dreading the lecture she was sure to get.

After the last student had left the classroom, Tonks pulled a chair up across from where Val was sitting. Val felt uncomfortable with Tonks staring at her. "So Val, is there anyone in this world that you aren't mad at now?"

"I'm sorry, Professor Tonks?" Val said shocked.

"Don't pretend with me. And don't call me Professor. Its just Tonks." She said in a very casual manner.

"I don't ..know if I can do that. You are my teacher." Val stuttered slightly.

"I'm also your cousin. And right now I'm talking to you as that." Tonks answered her steadily.

"My cousin!" Val said in surprise.

"Second cousin or something like that." Tonks said waving it away as if it really didn't matter. "On your dad's side."

"I had no idea." Val began.

"Yeah well you've known who your real father was for a couple of months now, but you really haven't even attempted to learn about him. That seems sort of strange to me." Tonks said a little reproachfully.

Val thought that Tonks saying that anyone else was strange was the most ironic thing she had ever heard. She very much respected the Auror for her bravery, and self-independence, but she didn't much appreciate being scolded by someone who hardly knew her. "Maybe I prefer not to know anything else." She said rather coldly.

"Or maybe you're afraid of what you might learn or of what your reactions might be?" Tonks suggested.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Val said but suddenly found she could not look Tonks in the eye.

"You can't pretend indifference forever, Val. It's obvious to anyone that has eyes how much pain you're in." Tonks said softly this time.

"What am I supposed to do, Tonks? Sirius is dead. Nothing is going to bring him back. So what difference does it really make?" Val said hopelessly letting the barriers she had been building for weeks slip just a little.

"It is too late for you to spend time with your father, Val. But it is not too late for you to get to know his memory. It's not too late for you to learn what type of person he was. If you do that you might better understand yourself." Tonks said almost in a pleading tone.

Val looked down again staring at her hands. The words sounded so wonderful. The idea of knowing her father was so very tempting. "And to do that, I would have to …" She began but the words faded.

"Trust those that loved him the most. Get to know Remus Lupin. He and your father were closer than brothers. I will certainly tell you anything I know about my cousin, though it is not very much. I was never able to spend much time with him. And then there is Harry." Tonks paused her words as she saw Val wince at the name. "Val, don't be angry at Harry. He and your father needed each other when it seemed as if they had no one else."

"I don't want to be angry at Harry. He means so much to me. I love spending time with him." Val said shakily. "I just don't understand how fate would be so cruel as to not let me have even one moment with my father, but allow Harry to see him as a second father."

Tonks sat staring for a moment and then decided to try a different tactic. Maybe a different viewpoint would help. "Val, how many years did you have with your mother before she died?"

Val was surprised at the question, but answered anyway. "Five years."

"Do you have many memories of her?" Tonks asked.

"Not as many as I'd like, but yes. She was a wonderful woman." Val smiled.

"Val, Harry has only one memory of his parents. He was just a baby when they were killed. Do you know what that memory is?" Tonks asked and her voice turned sad. She had discussed the matter with Remus, and she could imagine no worse memory.

"No." Val said quietly feeling the change in Tonks demeanor.

"He remembers his parent's deaths. He remembers his mother's screams as You-Know-Who killed her." Tonks said quietly.

Val had not known. She knew that Harry was just a baby when they died, but she never imagined that he would remember such a horrifying event. She swallowed hard feeling very ashamed of herself for some reason.

"So, do you begrudge him the year and a half that he borrowed your father, now? Do you begrudge him the small amount of happiness he was able to gain from that time?" Tonks asked.

Val started to slowly shake her head. She had never had a wonderful family life with the Malfoy's, but she did know what it was like to feel loved. She had her mother for five years, and Draco whenever they were allowed to be together. No she did not begrudge him. He deserved that happiness, and he deserved a lot better than what she had been doing. "I've been stupid and selfish." She whispered.

"Yes you have, but it is never too late to change that." Tonks said reaching over and taking Val's hand.

"Thanks, Tonks." She whispered looking into the older woman's eyes.

"Do you think I'm done with you?" Tonks asked with a mischievous look on her face.

Val looked at her and saw that look, feeling as if she was in for something not so pleasant. "I guess not."

"No. I am not." Tonks said smiling yet again. "It seems that there is another young man in this school, whom you are avoiding, but I know you don't want to." Val began to interrupt her, but Tonks cut her off. "I have seen you two pass each other in the halls. Both of you are dying to speak, but neither one will admit it."

"Tonks, Draco.." Val felt her throat immediately swell as the tears she thought she had gotten out of her system threatened to overwhelm her again. "He's a Malfoy." Was all she could say.

"Yes and until about two months ago, so were you. What difference does that make? Does the fact that you aren't one negate all the times you two spent together as children? Does it stop you from caring for him? Does it stop your heart from beating?" Tonks said firmly not letting Val pull her hand away.

"It changes everything." Val said bitterly.

"So you're not as closely related to him as you first thought. So what. Blood doesn't mean anything when it comes to the heart." Tonks insisted.

Val thought about her words. She was caught off guard by the way she had said that. "What do you mean 'not as closely related as I first thought'?"

"Well you aren't brother and sister, but you are still related." Tonks said offhandedly.

"How?" Val asked in confusion.

"Well if you must know, Draco is my first cousin. Narcissa was my Aunt, even though I was never accepted in the family since my dad was a muggle. Narcissa was Sirius' first cousin, so that makes you just as related to him as you are me." Tonks explained. "But you're still not understanding me. That doesn't matter at all. What matters is how you two feel about each other. This is where it counts." With those words Tonks reached out and touched Val's chest where her heart would be.

Val thought for a moment about all the wonderful times she and Draco had shared when they were younger. She also remembered sitting with him in the owlry stargazing. Some of the happiest times she had ever spent were with him. She had been attempting to forget all of those times, to block them out, as if they never occurred, but that was impossible. They were right below the surface of her heart. "How do I fix what is between us?" She asked closing her eyes as the tears started trickling down her cheeks yet again.

"Just talk to him. Talk to both of them, before you lose them forever." Tonks said squeezing her hand.

Val had a free period for the next period, and she knew Harry and Ron also had that period free. The weather was beginning to improve and when she did not find them in the common room she decided to check outside.

When she found them they were lounging by the lake. She could see that they were deep in discussion and did not hear her approaching.

"Just tell her to stop being such a git." Ron suggested.

"I can't call her a git, Ron. This is Val we are talking about." Harry said tossing a rock into the lake.

"Well she's not acting like the Val we used to know." Ron said pointedly.

"That doesn't matter, Ron. She's been through hell this year. I'm not going to start calling her names." Harry said emphatically.

Val stood behind them listening to the conversation. She wondered how Harry could defend her after how badly she had treated him. "Why not? She deserves to be called much worse than a git." She piped up.

Harry and Ron turned in surprise to see Val standing behind them with her hands shoved in her pockets, and a wry smile pasted on her face.

"Val. I'm sorry. We didn't mean anything bad.." Harry started to say but she interrupted him.

"Yes you did." She said but then a true smile covered her face. "But I deserve every word of it, and more."

Ron's mouth dropped open, as she seemed to have changed completely over night. Val walked forward and sat in between them. "I'm sorry, I've been so horrible." She said staring off into the lake.

"Hey, its okay." Ron said sitting up. "You had your reasons."

Val turned to him. "I may have had my reasons, but they sure weren't valid ones. If you see Hermione before I do, tell her I'm sorry, okay Ron?"

"I can do that. As a matter of fact, she's about to get out of Arithmancy. I think I'll go walk her to lunch." Ron said standing. Val had turned back to staring at the lake so he gave Harry a wink before he left. Harry just smiled.

After Ron was gone Val sighed heavily. "I owe you more of an apology than I think is possible, Harry." She said not looking away from the lake.

"I don't want an apology, Val." Harry said simply.

Val heard the words and her heart sunk. What would she do if he refused to forgive her? "I really wish you would, Harry."

Harry reached out placing his hand on her chin pulling her face around to look at his. "I don't need one, Val. I knew things might go bad when we talked about Sirius. I just had hoped they wouldn't go as bad as they did." He said hoping his words wouldn't remind her of the bad feelings.

"I have to say it anyway, Harry. I acted selfishly. I'm over that. I won't do it again. I don't want to lose you." She whispered.

"I'm right here, Val. I'm not leaving you." He assured her lightly stroking her cheek with his thumb.

Val stared into his eyes, not understanding the emotions that his touch was eliciting from her. She had never felt so confused. She felt her heart swelling in happiness when he vowed not to leave her. But she felt an uncomfortable queasy feeling in the pit of her stomach, and a cold chill was running up her spine.

He could see the confusion in her emerald green eyes and it was matched in his own eyes that were just a few shades lighter than hers. He too felt something that he had never felt before while touching her. But he knew what the feeling was. It was similar to the feeling he had felt while looking at Cho two years before, but much more intense. He knew he should pull back, but she was so close. He leaned in closer to her and let his lips lightly fall on hers.

Val had never imagined that Harry would kiss her, but when his lips touched hers the queasy feeling in her stomach turned to a fluttering sensation and the cold that had raced up her spine turned to extreme molten heat. Nothing she had ever experienced before had prepared her for that first kiss, but somehow she instinctively knew how to respond, returning his kiss. It wasn't a kiss of passion, but more one of tentative exploration.

When they pulled their mouths apart Harry swallowed hard and Val licked her lips, but their eyes stayed firmly locked on each other. They were only a few inches apart and Harry's hand still touched Val's face. She reached up and placed her hand upon his. "Harry, what are we doing?" She asked stroking his hand.

"I'm not exactly sure, Val. But whatever this is, I think maybe we should take it slow." He said staring at her full lips tempted to kiss her again, but resisting.

She looked into his eyes and felt a small amount of disappointment at his words, but knew he was right. This was all so new to her, and she was completely confused by her own feelings. "Your right." She said standing abruptly, but not letting go of his hand. "We need to get up to the Great Hall, before Ron eats everything." She said smiling.

He stood next to her, but didn't let go of her hand either. They walked back to the castle hand in hand, and maybe a little closer together than they normally would have.

Author's Note: Well this is the beginning of the mild Harry/Val pairing that I mentioned in the first chapter. What do you guys think of them together? I promise this is not going to turn into a mushy lovey dovey story similar to HBP. My main interest is still in the secrets and mysteries that I have set up. But they were so close that it eventually would have happened.