The next night everyone had assembled around the large wooden table waiting for Dumbledore. There was light chatter that Snape did not participate in. He sat off to the side, his arms folded protectively across his chest.

Sirius tried to have a conversation with Tonks but she was too preoccupied. Why have I never noticed before how attractive Snape really is? His nose though admittedly large was rather agreeable and his hair seemed cleaner than usual as it shone bewitchingly in the candlelight. She wanted to play in it.

Dumbledore arrived and seated himself greeting everyone pleasantly.

I wish I knew what Snapes hiding under those robes. Tonks found herself thinking.

Dumbledore asked if anyone had anything important to share. There were voices she couldn't quite hear. She watched Severus. While he was temporally distracted she could look him over properly. He had an elegance few men possess. He was intelligent, and carried himself with such confidence. Looking past his vile demeanour there was a lot to be said for Severus.

And the way he handles his wand… She snorted at the unintentional wordplay that caused many pleasant images to slither into her mind. The noise earned a few odd looks from those nearest her.

"…that is if you have no objections Miss. Tonks." It barely registered Dumbledore was addressing her.

"What? Sorry?" Looking away from Snape for the first time that night she found all eyes on her. Sirius rolled his eyes, Snape had an eyebrow raised and McGonagall scowled. Dumbledore however smiled patiently.

"I have been thinking that regular patrols of certain areas could be beneficial. I would like teams of two and I thought that perhaps you and Severus would do well together. If you would not object."

"No, of course not, that'd be fine." she answered still a little lost. "What would we be doing?"There were many exasperated sighs and McGonagall seemed deeply offended on the headmasters account, but Dumbledore's smile never faltered.

"I would like you and Severus to watch Privet Drive tonight. Keep watch over Harry and report anything suspicious or out of the ordinary."

"Will do." Tonks replied merrily and Snape swore she winked at him.

"Any complaints from you Severus?" Dumbledore asked.

"No. I'm sure I will quite enjoy her company." Sirius threw him a deadly look Snape missed.

Directly after the meeting Lupin whisked Tonks away. Snape lingered a bit giving them some time. After everyone else had left he rose to go find her but Sirius blocked the door.

"I know what you're trying." Snape raised an eyebrow but said nothing which only seemed to aggravate him farther. Sirius' eyes held a dangerous gleam. "I've seen the way you treat her. Being all nice, giving compliments."

"Had I been aware a simple compliment was considered harrowing I would have told you long ago how much I like that coat you're wearing." Snape sneered. Sirius completely ignored the sarcastic remark.

"They were not simple compliments, Sevie." Snape found it greatly irritating to hear Black use the pet name Tonks had given him.

"You want to shag her." Sirius roared at him.

Snape's eyes narrowed and when he spoke, his voice was barely above a whisper. "You think that's all I'm after?" His hand went to his wand.

The movement didn't go unnoticed and Sirius took a step back and reached for his own wand. "Yes I do. But she's never going to sink to your level, Snape. Why would she waste herself on the likes of you?"

Snape's expression relaxed. His hand left his wand to cross his arms over his chest. "If you really believed that we wouldn't be discussing this."

Sirius still looked ready to fight. "I just don't want anyone trying to force her into anything." Snape couldn't restrain his smile. Sirius seemed to decide it was mocking and was all the more incensed.

"Sorry as I'm sure you will be to hear it, I am in no way suicidal." Snape drawled.

Sirius took this as an admission of his power. "That's right. If you touch her you'll have me to answer to." At that Snape almost laughed out loud.

"Actually, I was referring to Miss. Tonks, herself. I feel it could indeed be disastrous to cross her." Eyeing Sirius he continued, "I'm sure her power far outshines that of a flea-bitten mongrel."

Sirius would have shown him just how much of a threat he could be were it not for Snape's departure. He turned his back on me! Sirius was ready to follow him with a particularly nasty hex in mind when he realized something. He complimented her again! He complimented her power! Damn him!

"I don't know why he paired you with him. Why didn't he pair us?" Tonks could see why Remus was so upset. He hated Snape. What she couldn't understand was why she wasn't.

"I don't know but he always has a reason." Was all she could come up with and was glad when he nodded his acceptance. Remus scowled over her shoulder so she knew who must be there.

"Wotcher Snape. Ready to go?" apparently she was too chipper because Remus' scowl deepened. Quickly changing her expression to a sad smile she pecked him on the cheek.

"Don't worry, I'll see you tomorrow morning" she called out, walking backwards toward the door until she hit Snape. "Oi, sorry!"

They Apparated to the designated point, well away from Muggle eyes and ears. As they made their way down identical streets heading for Privet Drive Tonks eyed the houses to both sides of her.

"They're all the same. On every street. Even the lawn decorations." There was something unsettling about it.

Snape looked over at her. The hair he knew to be purple looked dark in the dim light, the colour unidentifiable. Still it was apparent she was no conformist.

"Some people prefer a colourless life, Nymphadora."She stopped dead. Snape turned to look at her. Her hair was a bold red, clear even on the dark street.

He hadn't meant to but he always used her name when he dreamed of her and it just slipped.

"Why would you call me that?"She snapped. He decided to be honest.

"Because it is a lovely name. Do you know what I think of when …?"

"Yes", she cut him off. "Nympho! I'm Nympho –dora. It's nothing I haven't heard my entire life."

It was hard to conceal his smirk but he knew better than to let it show. "Actually, I was about to say it reminded me of wood nymphs, unadorned, dancing freely throughout the forests creating the beauty of nature."

She stood frozen staring at him. That's what he thinks of my name? I know it means "gift of the nymphs" but no one ever took it that way before. And how had he made something so natural and innocent sound so erotic?

Sighing, she relented. "Look, if you must use my name than call me Dora."

He eyed her wickedly. "I could, but if you would rather be called Nympho I would oblige."

Her hair returned to purple and a mischievous smile played at her lips. "Only if you want to be Syphilis." He flinched. That was worse than the name Potter had given him when he was in school. She knew how to play.

Bowing his head and spreading his hands in a submissive gesture he replied, "Dora it is."

She seemed satisfied that she'd bested him and strode on ahead. Severus decided to fall behind. Things were lovely from this viewpoint. Her little arse wiggled enticingly as she walked and though he normally didn't care for Muggle fashions the tight jeans she wore showed her form perfectly. He watched her stumble twice though there was nothing in the road. He would never understand how someone whose hips swayed so gracefully could trip repeatedly over her own feet.

When he used her name she had been furious. More so, she knew, than she really should have been. But he knew how she felt about her name… and now he knew why. Damn it! Why did I tell him? Of course once he had compared her to a wood nymph she gave in a little. Dora wasn't really that bad after all.

Tonks knew he was watching her. She stumbled. She may have been blessed with many things but grace just wasn't one of them. Unlike the man who glided smoothly and silently behind her, Tonks stomped her way down the street in her heavy boots. But the more delicately she tried to walk the more she seemed to trip. It was a lost cause. She was unsure why she even cared.

The night was long and uneventful. They said very little and spent most of the time sitting in comfortable silence, until they thought it might be better to watch things from two viewpoints. They separated but never lost sight of the other.

It was early in the morning when they met up and walked back to the Apparition point. Two other less conspicuous people took over the day shift.

They were going their separate ways, Snape to his house, Tonks to Grimmauld Place. Tonks yawned grandly and stretched her arms out before her. "Well goodbye Severus. I guess I'll see you tomorrow or…" she checked her watch. "…later today."

He nodded, "Good…morning. Sleep well Dora." They both Disapparated toward their destinations.

The sorrowful street where Snape lived during the summer appeared before him. But for the first time it didn't bring him down. At least one good thing had come from that long and tedious night. Snape could now call her Dora.