A/N: Written for Hogwarts assignment 6 - Floristry: task 6 - Write about someone beginning a new, exciting chapter in their life (a new relationship, a job promotion—be creative).

Warning: references to past character death

Also, a reminder that I don't write Fleur's accent as a style choice.

Word count: 2,291

Nothing was easy after the war.

Tonks had entered her relationship with Remus fully aware of the risks that came with falling in love during a war. She'd held no illusions that they'd remain safe: Remus was a werewolf, and both of them were members of the Order of the Phoenix. No matter what Remus had said while pushing her away, she'd known what she was getting into.

Even during her pregnancy, Remus had repeatedly reminded her of how dangerous their situation was while Tonks did her best to remain happy. It had taken months for them to reach a place of understanding. She didn't act happy because she was ignorant to the danger they faced. She was happy because she planned to take whatever time the universe gave them and make the most of it.

Remus' death hadn't been a surprise, but that hadn't made it any less devastating. Tonks had been prepared for the possibility of becoming a single mother the second Remus left for the battle, leaving Teddy in her care. She hadn't been happy to be left behind, but her conviction that one of them needed to be there for their child had been enough to prevent her from running after her husband like she wanted to.

In the year and a half since the war, Tonks had relied on the generosity of countless people. Never before had she felt so surrounded by love. She wished Remus could have seen the way everyone had rallied around his family and honoured his memory.

Andromeda had practically moved in for a few months as Tonks struggled to piece together a new life. They mourned those they had lost together.

Harry had tried his hardest to be an ideal godfather, even as Tonks did everything in her power to encourage him to live his life freely for once.

Molly cooked more of their meals than Tonks did for a full year.

Ginny provided endless laughs during late night sleepovers that were inevitably interrupted by Teddy's cries.

But no one was there for Tonks in the aftermath as much as Bill and Fleur were.

Tonks wasn't sure how it had come about. She'd known Bill at school, but they'd never been close. There had been too many years (and house allegiances) between them to establish a strong friendship.

After joining the Order, Fleur had kept her distance from Tonks, leading Tonks to believe that the other woman didn't particularly like her. That was all well and good when Tonks had other things to worry about; she hadn't wasted any time trying to win the other witch over.

It was Fleur who first tried to bridge the gap between them though. She'd come to visit with Molly once and had been enthralled with Teddy the moment she laid eyes on him. Soon, she was coming without her mother-in-law with increasing frequency, and in no time at all, Bill tagged along for most of her visits.

At some point, though Tonks wasn't sure when, they had become something akin to best friends. If she needed anything, Fleur and Bill were the first people Tonks asked. They babysat Teddy more than Andromeda, much to Andromeda's chagrin.

For nearly a year, it was only friendship. Tonks mourned Remus deeply, and for a long time, she couldn't imagine moving on. Yet time passed, and gradually, her despair lessened. Remus wasn't forgotten, but she learned how to live without his memory enveloping every part of her being.

It scared her the first time she felt a surge of jealousy when she saw Bill and Fleur being physically affectionate. That time, she convinced herself that she was merely lonely, nothing more, but time had proven that was only denial.

She was attracted to both of them. No, more than attracted. They'd spent countless hours opening up with each other and helping each other: she had fallen for both of them deeply.

After more than a year spent thinking she'd remain alone for the rest of her life, she found herself the ultimate third wheel.

Fleur and Bill were happy together. That was one of the things Tonks loved about being around them. They would never want anything so scandalous as a relationship with someone else, yet it became increasingly difficult for Tonks to imagine them as only friends.

So, she pulled back. She did what she had once scolded Remus for and avoided the couple at all costs.

She had expected awkwardness and perhaps the loss of Molly's support once she learned Tonks had spurned her son, but she had underestimated just how stubborn Fleur Weasley could be. It hadn't even been a week since Tonks had set her mind on not contacting them again when Fleur showed up at her door with a spark in her eye that Tonks tried terribly hard not to think about even as she let her inside, still determined to get rid of her quickly.

Instead, only a few days later, she'd wound up at the kitchen table of Shell Cottage with a cup of tea, Fleur looking a little too satisfied about the situation across from her.

Despite having ostensibly lived through the whole thing, Tonks wasn't sure how she got there. If Kingsley were to hear of it, he would joke that he'd failed as a mentor and that the Auror Office would go downhill as a result. But nothing from Tonks' training had prepared her for the power of Fleur.

Tonks ran her finger around the rim of her teacup while ignoring the bright red lipstick that carefully lined Fleur's lips. It was the first time Tonks had seen her don such a colour, yet the way it popped against her skin suited her perfectly. The few times Tonks had attempted similar looks, she'd wound up with red everywhere, but Fleur's lips had such a sharp line that Tonks was sure the lipstick was being held in place by magic.

Not that she was paying attention to it.

She took a long sip while willing her cheeks not to burn as she felt Fleur's intense gaze. Not even when she'd first fallen for Remus had she been so bashful. Falling for a married couple really changed the game. For the first time in years, Tonks didn't know what her next move should be.

The only thing working in her favour was that Bill was at work. If handling Fleur was bad, handling both of them together left her incapable of functioning.

She strained her ears for any sign that Teddy was stirring in the bassinet they'd placed in the sitting room. Any distraction would have been welcome, but there was nothing.

"We've been thinking about renovating this place now that things have calmed down," Fleur continued as if she hadn't noticed anything strange in Tonks' demeanor.

Tonks took a deep breath before she answered.

"Oh, really? What kind of renovations?"

For the first time, Fleur's smile tightened as if she were nervous. Tonks noted the way her posture straightened and she raised an eyebrow.

"We want to add a few rooms," she said quietly. "Bill and I have been talking about growing our family soon."

Tonks' throat burned even as her smile became unnaturally large. The next day, at work, she would have to ask for a refresher on working undercover. She was meant to be able to hide her emotions.

Before she could congratulate Fleur on their plans, the other woman was already continuing.

"We'd also like a place for Teddy to sleep when he's over. The sitting room can get noisy, and it would be nice for him to have a place of his own."

Tonks gaped at Fleur as the other woman took her turn sipping her tea to avoid Tonks' gaze.

A room for Teddy? Why would they do that? Allowing him to use a room for their future children was one thing, but a room entirely his own was far too much. It wasn't the kind of think you did for a friend.

"You don't need to do that," Tonks said. "Really. He's fine in the sitting room. I could never accept something like that."

Fleur looked at her with the sweetest smile, one that made Tonks' stomach do flips. She reached out to cup Tonks' hand, and Tonks forgot how to breathe. She stared down at their hands, noting how tan her skin looked against Fleur's. Fleur went so far as to stroke her thumb over the skin on the back of Tonks' hand, and embarrassing goosebumps erupted along Tonks' arm.

"It's no trouble," Fleur said, squeezing Tonks' hand for emphasis. "Bill and I enjoy having him here. Honestly, I wouldn't mind if the two of you moved in. We want him to feel comfortable here. It's not a favour."

The air between them was full of electricity. Tonks couldn't look away from Fleur as the other woman bit her lip, an action that still didn't manage to smudge her lipstick.

Not that Tonks was looking at her lips.

"That's still too much to do for a friend's kid," Tonks said.

Unsaid words hung in the air between them.

Fleur's thumb ran over Tonks' skin again, and Tonks knew she wasn't imagining the feeling between them. The realization left her weak and just a little dizzy.

"Bill and I haven't thought of you as just a friend in a while," Fleur said, her hand unconsciously tightening around Tonks'.

For the first time, Tonks made a move of her own as she turned her hand over to link their fingers together.

"Really?" she asked, her brain short circuiting and refusing to come up with a better response to the bombshell of a revelation.

Fleur laughed.

"Really," she confirmed. "You're far too mesmerizing for that, Dora. I don't understand how anyone could resist your charms. We certainly couldn't."

Tonks couldn't fight back the large smile on her lips.

"Says the woman who's part Veela," she retorted childishly, proud of the laugh she earned from Fleur.

"Yes, well, I think your charm is more captivating than mine," she said with a shrug.

Tonks stuck out her bottom lip in a faux pout.

"I'm sure Bill would disagree with you."

Fleur was quick to shake her head, but her eyes were bright.

"Maybe, but he'd disagree with both of us. He'd tell us that we're both charming in our own ways and should stop comparing ourselves to each other."

Tonks laughed louder than she could remember laughing in a long time. Somehow, despite the unease that had built inside her over the past year, she knew in that moment that Fleur was right.

"We'll ask him when he gets home," Fleur said. "It should be any time now. He wanted to be here from the beginning, but we agreed that only one of us speaking to you first might be easier."

Tonks smirked as she realized they'd planned to confess to her. Her stomach tightened at the realization that Fleur was deadly serious in her proposal to build a room for Teddy, something which only pointed to how serious she was about everything else.

Her smile faded as she was hit with the full weight of it all.

"I don't know what to say," she admitted. "It's a lot to take in."

Fleur smiled and brought her other hand up to cover their already joined hands.

"I know. Bill and I are happy to take things at whatever speed you're comfortable with. If you'll have us at all, that is."

"If I'll have you," Tonks scoffed. "Do you think I'm going to say no?"

Fleur shrugged, a crease forming in her forehead.

"It's a lot to ask. Not many people would be comfortable dating a married couple. And we understand that you have to think of Teddy. Anything that happens between us will be hard to explain to anyone else. We don't want to make things harder for you than they've already been."

Tonks scoffed. She'd been plenty inconvenienced in life. The thought of what others would think about her relationship with Remus had never stopped her; it certainly wasn't going to now.

"Can I kiss you?" she asked, a surge of pleasure coursing through her veins at the way Fleur's eyes widened.

She visibly gulped, her eyes flickering to Tonks' lips even though they weren't anywhere near the delicious shade of red that Fleur's were.

Knowing she could have such an effect on a woman as gorgeous as Fleur Weasley did things to Tonks that she knew she shouldn't say out loud yet. She smirked as she half stood from her seat, Fleur eagerly meeting her halfway.

It was everything that Tonks had dreamed of. Fleur's lips moved expertly against Tonks' own, and she easily forgot that they were hunched awkwardly over a table.

When they pulled away, Fleur's lipstick was smeared all around her lips in a way that was even more mesmerising than the previous perfection.

"So it wasn't magic," Tonks muttered as she reached out to wipe some of it away with her thumb.

Fleur raised an eyebrow at her but didn't move as Tonks set to work repairing the damage she'd caused. She didn't speak at all until Tonks had finished and settled back in her chair.

"You know you have it all over your mouth too," Fleur said, motioning at Tonks' lips with a smirk.

Tonks laughed and reached up to swipe her hand over her lips in a far less graceful move than she'd used to help Fleur. The other woman continued to smile at her in the same way regardless.

In the end, their attempts at cleaning up didn't matter. Within seconds, the lipstick was only smeared once more.