The Song: Hey There, Delilah, by The Plain White Tees
The Inspiration: Hey there, Delilah, don't you worry 'bout the distance, I'm right there if you get lonely, Give this song another listen, Close your eyes. Listen to my voice it's my disguise, I'm by your side…
The Characters: Ted Tonks
The Rating: K+
The Disclaimer: Written to my happysong, which I do not own, no more than I own the characters here. Dedicated to the guy who made this my happy song. He doesn't know it is, nor does he know that he made it so. Hugs to him, and everyone else (almost everyone else) at my old school.
…
(words from the heart)
His hands shook as he penned the letter. The ball-point pen seemed stupid, and unworthy of writing his thoughts, hopes and dreams to her. But where the hell would he find a quill right now? And it wasn't like he was going to be able to send it. Any owls coming from the middle of an uninhabited forest would be suspicious, and he had to avoid that at all costs. He had to stay alive, even if it was just for Dora and Dromeda. He'd stay alive for himself too, but it felt better to say he was staying alive for them.
It was hard to find the words to tell his wife that he loved her. He had never been good at words; it was always "Ted Tonks, wicked with a wand" or "Ted Tonks, best kisser at Hogwarts" or even "Ted Tonks, Casanova extraordinaire". He laughed, an unfamiliar sound to him. Those days were long gone, and now it was just "Ted Tonks, married that Andromeda Black, and got her disowned by the family". He didn't care. His name in the same sentence as his wife's was compliment enough.
Damnit, he missed her. She didn't have to run, he thought resentfully, looping an H. Her blood was so pure it could be traced back to the dawn of time. His, he wouldn't trust his blood to clean a pot, if it were water. But he was glad she didn't have to run. This was no life for a woman like her.
He sighed, and leaned back so he could read his still-wet words. It said nothing of where he was, nor what state he was living in. It just said he wasn't dead, because saying he was safe would be akin to saying he was incredibly comfortable, and lying wasn't something he liked to do. The paper held words that made his eyes water with emotion, and he folded it reverentially. People were surprised when he folded origami, but it was always something he'd been able to do. He folded a heart, and set it up on the grass gently. His fingers secured themselves around his wand, and after a moment's trepidation, he whispered "Incendio" and burned the words that came right from his heart.
Hazel eyes watched the heart become no more than ash before he sat up, and wiped his hands on his knees. He walked over to his companions, and sat down, sliding slowly into the conversation.