To Chocolate
(Charlie/Tonks)
By Heart4Happiness
"Not tears, Charlie? A strong young man like yourself?"
"Been dumped, haven't I? She's off with another man, getting cosy at Madam Puddifoot's."
She sighs. "Single too. We should start a club. In fact, that's exactly what we should do; bottle of Odgen's finest under my bed. I'll fetch it, shall I?"
He know he shouldn't – but the looks on her face makes his heart melt.
"Go ahead. I'll bring the chocolate."
Screw his instincts.
---
An hour, three glasses of Odgen's and nine chocolates later, he's feeling much better."Refill, now," he says, tapping his glass, "I'm nowhere near drunk."
She laughs, pouring the liquid, spilling odd amounts as she does so.
He raises his glass. "To being single!"
She laughs, raising his glass to match his. "To chocolate!"
And soon they're making ridiculous toasts, to Dumbledore, to alcohol…
"To freedom! Yes, to freedom, come on, hold my hand now Tonks, and we'll toast to freedom forever!"
"And," she adds, slurring, "to finding the right person to fall in love with!"
Their eyes meet in understanding. She draws herself closer to him, and as he closes his eyes, their lips meet in a soft, wet kiss.
"Yes," he says, finally drawing away, "to being single."
---
"Happy Valentine's, Charlie."
It's a box of chocolates; so ironic.
"You too, Tonks. Hope you're well. Congratulations, I heard about you and Lupin."
"Wait, no, don't go."
She grabs hold of his arm.
"I wanted to… to say sorry. About… about everything, really."
"S'all right."
"One day," she continues, "one day, you'll find this girl. She's going to be your everything, and then, then you'll see. I was just some crush, a teenage thing, but when you find her, you'll know what love is."
She smiles, touches his arm, and Disapparates.
"I know what love is already," he says lightly.
(That night, he throws the chocolates in the fire, and realises that they smell like her, if he's just a little bit drunk and concentrates hard enough.)