A/N: SPOV.
As Severus swept through the lower dungeons and made his way past the ground floor and kitchens, he wondered why he went so far in berating her. It was natural for him to do that to the students and to the Gryffindors in order to appear Pro-Slytherin in front of any student, in case a tale of his kindness or sense of fairness gets back to any of the Death Eaters... but she was no longer a student.
It's that damned werewolf that she's fretting over, he mused. He didn't really blame Remus for the prank that nearly killed him and made him owe James Potter his life, a debt that cannot be repaid... no, for that, Sirius was to blame and Severus needled the man's inability to fight with the Order to the point where it got himself killed. He never meant for his childhood grudges to take the life of another; such misplaced animosity was meant for blundering Gryffindors to hold onto. He considered himself better than Sirius in that instance, until his payback ultimately cost his childhood's nemesis his life.
Now as Sirius was deceased, Severus turned his mind back to James and Lily. What did she see in that bastard? He never could understand that, though he did realize why Lily didn't choose him. She was proud, assertive, and the kind of witch that would never be tied down. And he was the kind of wizard that liked having his witches tied down, after a fashion. At the first floor landing, he simply cast Hominem Revelio, and when it was confirmed that the entire floor was devoid of anything living, he made his way to the staircase to the second floor.
The castle, as did Albus, had a perverse sense of humor. Usually to put small obstacles in his way, or would make him and Peeves run into each other at least once a day. This time, it was the staircase taking him back down to the bottom floor, rather than upwards.
Fine, I can just take the other stairwell back up.
As he went to the other stairwell that would lead him upwards, he found himself being glared at by none other than Tonks herself. She didn't say a word as she turned her back on him and went up to do her patrols.
"Bloody castle." He muttered, making his way back up the stairs behind her. As he trudged upwards, his eyes glanced momentarily on her combat boots and his mind recalled the shapely state of her legs and thighs in the green pants she was wearing. He couldn't help but appreciate her athletic form, the pink tank top notwithstanding.
Maybe that's what had him irked. Simple jealousy that one of those 'marauders' was happy being with someone. All he had were empty fantasies and an emptier bed. Dark Revels aside, his only intimacy with a witch was paid for off of Knockturn Alley. And the one experience was something that he did not ever wish to seek again.
Though perhaps Auror Tonks would look good in a collar. He mused as he reached the second floor, debating on whether to apologize for his words.
"Auror Tonks," He started, not sure where he was going with this, "Your familial name that you prefer is horrible; whereas your given name translates, albeit roughly, as 'gift to the nymphs'. I do not understand why you dislike your name since it is rooted in Greek Mythology. Anyways." He bowed his head slightly, and turned to patrol the second floor on his own.