There were no more signs of the wedding or its aftermath when Tonks arrived at the Burrow. Somehow, that surprised her. There weren't even marks in the grass where the tent and tables had been laid out. If you hadn't been there, you'd never know what had happened.
But Tonks had been there, and she remembered it well. She also knew that Ministry officials had been harassing the Weasleys since with questions about where Ron had disappeared to.
It was dangerous for her to visit, but that wasn't going to stop her. The coast was clear, and they couldn't hide away from each other forever. There were important things to be done.
And important news to share.
It was Fleur who opened the door for her. Despite the disaster that her wedding had turned into, the woman was glowing as she ushered Tonks inside, murmuring a few short encantations on the door once it was closed behind them.
"Tonks, dear!" Molly greeted her with a strong hug. "It's nice to see you."
Tonks noticed the weariness in Molly's features as she pulled away, but she did her best to smile as she led Tonks over to the table.
"Have you heard from Ron and the others?" Tonks asked, though she knew the answer would be no even before Molly shook her head.
"I'm sure they're perfectly safe," Fleur assured her, laying a comforting hand on Molly's shoulder as the older woman sat down at the table.
"They have each other," Molly said. "I know they'll do their best." She turned her face to look out the window. The moonlight reflected on her eyes. "You know, each of my children were born during a war. Back then, I couldn't be sure if they'd be safe or not, but after You-Know-Who disappeared, I truly hoped for the best. They were going to have long, healthy lives."
Her shoulders sagged, and she looked down at her lap. Fleur's arm came to fully wrap around her shoulders.
"Back then I thought I was prepared for what they might have to face one day," Molly said. Tonks conjured a handkerchief and passed it to her. She took it thankfully, dabbing at the edges of her eyes. "Even recently, I've been trying to wrap my head around it, but I think I've failed. Bill was an adult. I couldn't quite keep him out of the Order. But Charlie was in Romania, and the others were so young. I had hoped we could end things quickly, that they could continue being children for a little longer. I realise now that that was too much to hope for."
"It was never too much to hope for," Fleur assured her. "I cannot imagine what you've gone through both in the last war and this one. If it were my own children, I'd be horrified. I've told Bill before. I can't imagine having children until we know it's safe."
Tonks remained silent, staring down at the grains in the wooden table and trying to discern recognizable shapes in its patterns. The back of her throat stung with bile, and for once, she didn't think it was morning sickness.
Fleur turned to her, her expression shifting as she noticed how uncomfortable Tonks was. Tonks hands found her way to her abdomen without thinking about it, and Fleur's eyes widened. She cast a quick glance at Molly, but the older woman was still staring off in the distance. Fleur looked back at her, a questioning look in her gaze.
Tonks knew that, if she didn't say anything, Fleur wouldn't either. Her secret would be safe from Molly for the time being, but she had no reason to keep it a secret anymore. In a few months' time, it would be obvious, and she couldn't hide it from the rest of the Order forever. They would need to know if it affected her assignments.
She nodded, silently answering Fleur's question.
"I'm pregnant," she said.
Molly's gaze snapped to her as she returned to the kitchen. Her eyes flickered down to Tonks' stomach, looking for signs of pregnancy that weren't yet there. She gasped and reached across the table, holding her hand out. Tonks took it, feeling ground as Molly squeezed her fingers.
"How long have you known now?" she asked.
"A couple of weeks," Tonks said. "I found out right before the wedding." Her gaze flickered to Fleur, who gave her an encouraging smile. "But I didn't know how Remus would react, so I didn't dare tell him until afterward."
Molly's brow creased in worry, but it was Fleur who asked, "Is everything all right?"
Tonks gave a tight smile. "I think so? He's worried. I… I understand why. Considering the state of the world, it's hard knowing our child will enter into that, but then when you add Remus' lycanthropy on top of that… Well, you know how he is. He still doubts himself. He won't talk much about it, but I know he still worries about the baby. If they'll be like him."
"Is lycanthropy inheritable?" Fleur asked. "I've never heard of such a thing."
Tonks shrugged. "To be honest, I don't either, but according to Remus, so few werewolves have children that there's no way to know. But even if he was, that wouldn't make me want the baby any less."
Molly's grip on her hand tightened. "Of course not, sweetheart," she cooed. "All new parents get nervous. It's natural. After raising seven of my own, I'd like to think I know who will make good parents and who won't, and you and Remus will undoubtedly be great at it." She patted Tonks' hand one last time before pulling away. "He'll come to his senses in time, just like he always does."
Tonks took a shaky breath and tried to smile.
Last time, it had taken him nearly a near to come to his senses. Her hand found her abdomen again. They wouldn't have enough time for that this time.