I am quitting fanfiction. Check my profile for more info. I own nothing.
Tonks yawned as she headed towards a certain painting. She looked around carefully before tickling the pear and stepping into the kitchen. One of the elves looked up and grinned. "Why, Miss Tonks, ma'am!"
She waved slightly. "Wotcher, Battie. You don't mind, do you? I mean, it's late..."
"No, no, Miss Tonks!" The house-elf bobbed her head happily. "I is happy to serve Miss Tonks!"
"Great," Tonks said, relieved. "I had detention and then it was after dinner... I'm starving."
Battie was almost dancing with excitement. "Battie will get you some food, Miss Tonks." The elf rushed off, and Tonks sat on a bench pressed against the wall. She thought her stomach might implode if she didn't get something to eat. Just then, before Battie returned, the door opened again and someone, a human, an adult human, stepped into the kitchen. From her seat Tonks was partially hidden behind a shelf, so that she could see whoever it was but they couldn't see her. Her eyes widened in surprise when she saw that it was the same young man from earlier.
A collective gasp went through the kitchens, and then all of the house-elves that were not asleep began clapping and cheering. He grinned. "Master Moony, sir, Master Moony!" cried one old house-elf, hobbling forward. His grin disappeared.
"Hey, Tiller," he said quietly. "I, uh, I have to tell you something."
"Are Master Prongs and Master Padfoot here? And Master Wormtail?"
"No, no, it's just me... Say, can I get something to eat? Then we need to talk, Tille- who else is in here?"
Tonks pressed herself against the wall, praying that it was just a guess. Or maybe he was referring to the house-elves?
Nope. He turned in her direction. Saw her, for she wasn't completely hidden. He pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger. "Good Lord, I don't believe this..." He looked at her again. "Well, get over here, then." She stood on legs that suddenly felt like jello. Why was she so afraid? Anyone else and she would laugh and skip over like there was nothing wrong whatsoever.
"Yes?" At least her voice was steady.
"Why are you awake?"
"Why are you here?"
"You should be in bed."
"You should be wherever you were before you came here."
His face paled, then flushed. "That is a lie," he whispered fiercely. "It... it's not true."
She ignored his strange reaction. "Well so's what you said. I should not be in bed."
He just stared at her, one eyebrow raised.
"Um... okay, maybe I should... b-but I'm hungry!"
The other eyebrow was up now.
"I missed dinner. Madam Hooch saw me... er, filching brooms out of the, uh, locker rooms."
He sighed. "Look, kid, eat your dinner, then leave. Okay?"
She nodded, cursing her legs, which had started shaking again. "O-okay."
He nodded curtly and turned to the old elf again. "Tiller, we need to talk." He placed a hand on the elf''s shoulder and started walking away. "It's about the McKinnons..."
When Battie brought her food a moment later, Tonks found that she wasn't hungry anymore.