Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor do I own a Hairy Potter.
Chapter 2: Manic in the Morning
Tonks woke up stiff and sore. Her neck hurt from the lack of support and her legs had fallen asleep. A good smell wafted in from the kitchen, making Tonks' mouth water. Breakfast! She hoped she would get some. She hoped that Snape would not be that cruel, but then again he probably was. The another thought occurred to her. She doubted that Snape would be willing to untie her, and in that case, how was she supposed to use the toilet? These disturbing thoughts left Tonk's head immediately as Draco entered from the kitchen.
"Top of the mornin' to you, Draco. How goes it? Hey, if you wouldn't mind too much, it would be lovely if you could loosen some of these ropes a bit. They are chafing me horribly," said Tonks.
"How stupid do you think I am?" said Draco, glaring at her.
"Very, but that is not the point. Are you making breakfast?"
"Yes."
"Wow, I didn't know you could cook."
"I can't. I am trying only because I don't trust anything Wormtail makes and Snape is at a meeting," glowered Draco.
"Good thinking. I doubt Wormtail washes his hands. I would cook, but I am a little tied up as of the moment. You wouldn't mind sharing some of that breakfast with me would you?" Tonks knew Draco might act like an evil prat, but she knew that deep down he wasn't too bad. Yes, he was arrogant, rude, prejudiced and stuck-up, but he really could be tolerable. She had already forgiven him for trying to kill Dumbledore and setting Death Eaters loose in Hogwarts. She knew that deep down he was just a confused, scared kid, trying to get by in the shadow of an evil father.
"I guess," Draco answered.
It was a bit awkward from there. Draco had no intent of feeding her, but he seemed not to trust her enough to untie her. He finally gave in to untying on of her hands, but he first but a sticking charm on the chair so that she couldn't get up even if she was untied. Tonks, although she was very happy to get breakfast in spite of Draco's cooking, was not happy about the sticking charm. Sticking charms were always uncomfortable.
Draco sat on a chair across for her, eyeing her warily. Uncomfortable with the silence, Tonks decided to strike of conversation.
"So, how's it going?" she started awkwardly.
"How is what going?" answered Draco coldly.
"The whole being a minion of You-Know-Who thing."
"Craptactular."
"Good to know. You know, you do not have to be a Death Eater. We, meaning the Order, could help you out."
"That's what Dumbledore said. It is not going to happen, though. I wouldn't stoop so low to siding with Mudbloods and Muggle-lovers. And they wouldn't stood so low as accepting me." Tonks though she saw a tear form in Draco's eye as he said this bitterly. Poor kid, she thought. She knew that she could help him if she got the chance and if he accepted the chance.
"Draco, I know we have never been close cousins, seeing that my mother was a shame to the Black family and everything, but really, I don't think you really hate people as much as you say you do and I think you want a chance. Maybe people wouldn't trust you right away, but they would give you a chance."
"I don't want a bloody chance. I am loyal to the Dark Lord and the Dark Lord only. Keep you pathetic offers to yourself," spat Draco, but at the same time, he winked at her and discretely gestured up the attic, where Wormtail was residing. Tonks understood immediately.
"Fine. Have your way, you snarky bastard. Just don't come crying to the order when your whole world has come crumbling out from under you!" Tonks winked back as she said this. They now had an understanding.
It was then that the front door burst open, revealing none other than an irritable-looking Snape. He started rummaging through a stack of books, muttering about "incompetent fools" and "moronic bastards." He then looked over at Tonks and Draco, who were looking at him curiously.
"Why is she untied?" demanded Snape. Draco blanched. "Why did you untie her?" demanded Snape again.
"Breakfast," said Tonks. "It is hard to eat with both arms behind your back."
"Shut up! Draco, why is she untied?"
"As she said, breakfast. I put a sticking charm on her chair, though," said Draco, trembling under Snape's interrogating eyes. Tonks realized that he was using Legilimency on Draco. Snape seemed to accept the answer, even though he was not happy about it.
"Rule number one: do not ever untie any part of the prisoner!" barked Snape.
"Prisoner, am I? I was under the impression that I was just a reluctant guest," said Tonks.
"I said SHUT UP! Draco, go wait for me in the kitchen, we have things to discuss." Then Snape turned to her, tying back up her loose arm.
"Hey, I was using that," said Tonks, looking longingly towards her half-eaten breakfast.
"You my be of use to the Dark Lord, but that doesn't not mean I am not willing to hex you. You will not talk to Draco and you will remain tied to this chair for the duration of your 'visit.' Actually, it would be best if you do not talk at all."
"I have a bit of an objection to that, and I am sure you do as well."
"Oh?" questioned Snape.
"Yes, you see I am in need of using the toilet," said Tonks.
Snape groaned. Obviously, he had forgotten about this part, although it was quite important. Tonks could barely suppress her grin as she saw the Snape's expression.
"Fine," he finally said. He took Tonks unaware and put her under the Imperius curse. Tonks knew she could overthrow it, but she was not sure whether Snape knew that or not. He untied her and pointed her in the direction of a small, dirty bathroom. Tonks was disgusted. Apparently, men did not know how to clean. She was not the neatest person, but at least her flat was sanitary. Unfortunately, there was not window in the bathroom. She could make a run for it when she came out, but she was quite sure it would be of no use. Finally, Tonks decided to play along for awhile, to make Snape think that she couldn't overthrow the Imperius. After Tonks finished in the bathroom, she listened to the voice that was telling her to go sit back down in her chair.
After Snape tied her, he let off the Imperius. "Better?"
"Much," said Tonks. "But your bathroom is in dire need of a good cleaning."
Snape just scowled and stomped out of the room. He was probably going to talk about his meeting with Draco. Tonks strained her ears to listen, but apparently, Snape had put a silencing charm around the kitchen. She sighed, buts he was pretty sure that it was not because of her, but because of Wormtail. She was positive that no one in that house trusted him in the least.
Tonks had fallen into a stupor by the time Snape and Draco came out of the kitchen. She had been staring at a torn piece of all paper for a very long time. Not, that it was particularly interesting, but compared to the rest of the room it was a hoot. A loud cough struck down her concentration. She glared up at the hook-nosed, greasy haired man with distaste.
"You know, you could have been interrupting something important," she said indignantly.
"Yes, because my wall deserves so much attention," said Snape, his voicing dripping with sarcasm. "We have some matters to discuss, Nymphadora.
Tonks knew he had called her that horrendous name just to spite her. She wouldn't admit it, but it did get to her. It wasn't just that he said it, but it was the way he said it. It truly made her want to punch his lights out. Unfortunately, she could not move her arm, so punching was out of the question and after the kicking incident he had bound her legs as well, so kicking was also out of the question. "Yes?" she answered tentatively.
"What is the Order's next move?"
Tonks snorted. "You expect me to answer that?"
"Yes," said Snape, staring into her eyes. Tonks knew what he was trying to do the bloody Legilimens. She would not let him get away with it that easy. She stared straight back at him, changing her eye color as she did, from green, to purple, to blue and back again. Unfortunately, this didn't work in distracting him, but she couldn't break her eye contact. It was partially because she did want to appear to be backing down, but it was also because she had just discovered that Snape had very pretty eyes. It was weird, but true none-the-less.
Tonks wanted to shake the thought out of her head, but she realized that it could be used to her advantage. She opened her mind to Snape, but only let him see want she wanted him to. Not memories, but she let him know her thoughts. She knew she many regret this later, but she did it none the less.
Wow, Snape has a nice arse, she thought. It worked. Snape stumbled back with a stunned look on his face. Tonks bit back her laugh as he glared at her. She had a really hard time stopping herself for laughing when, as he turned to find a book, he purposely positioned his hands as to obstruct her view of his arse. It was quite funny.
Draco, who did know of the exchange, looked at both of the curiously.
Snape didn't try interrogating Tonks again for the rest of the morning and all of the afternoon. She guessed that he was still agitated by her sudden interest in his royal rumpus. She found the whole situation hilarious. He spent the whole afternoon avoiding her, studying in the kitchen. Whenever there was a book he needed, he sent Draco to get it.
--
Draco was utterly confused with the turn of events. He had never seen Snape act so dazed and so avoidant of anyone. He guess he saw something odd when he used Legilimency on Tonks. He honestly did not know what to think of it, any of it. He knew that Tonks could be his way to liberator from the clutches of Voldemort. She had seemed to have belief in him, that he was not evil like the rest of them. And she had connections to the Order of the Phoenix. If he played his cards right, he could be free of this whole mess. Only one thing stood in his way.
Draco eyed Snape warily, as he bent over an old musty book. Only one man stood in his way.
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A/N: Thanks for reading! Also thank you to everyone who reviewed! And, yes, this will have a romance. I shudder at the thought, but maybe the Giant Squid will do a cameo. I doubt it, but my head works in mysterious ways.
Thanks again!
---Perplexity
