One of these days she wasn't going to be the subject of whispers and rumours. Which would be nice. But today wasn't that day.

All she wanted was some lunch and catch up with her so-called friends. Fellow trainees. Whatever. A nice and peaceful lunch. Nothing more complicated than that. It had been a long day and she was sore and tired. Moody had insisted that if she was always going to trip over her own feet that she may as well know how to get up as fast as possible, ready to continue fighting. Which meant that she spent an awful lot of this morning getting pushed to the ground and being made to jump back up again in a variety of poses. She was starting to feel like some sort of demented puppet. A bruised, demented puppet.

So, yes, some time to sit down on an actual chair instead of being sprawled out on the floor, and eating some food sounded like a fantastic thing to do. Maybe she'd even catch up on what everyone else was doing and they'd laugh at the antics Moody put her through or laugh at whatever Mannering managed to screw up today.

But as she approached the table, they were all sitting at with her tray of food, she knew that that wasn't going to happen.

"There's no way that he's allowed to teach like that."

"It's unfair."

"To us or her?"

"Us. I caught him teaching her something that Blumenthal said I didn't need to know because we weren't at War anymore."

"I caught her outside again the other day. It was raining."

"It's ridiculous."

"I heard he doesn't even do anything with her. Just the bare minimum."

"No that's wrong, I heard he's doing loads more than what's actually needed."

"I heard he's so strict that she has to go dry her tears before coming to see us, that's why she's always late for lunch."

"Did you see how often she runs laps? He makes her do that. Laps! How horrible and mundane is that?"

"I don't think she's doing that well."

"He would have left her or something if she wasn't doing well."

"Maybe he likes to torture her or something."

"Do you think he uses stinging hexes to get her attention?"

"No, that wouldn't be allowed."

"It's Moody though-"

"No one argues with him."

"No one cares what he does."

"Merlin knows what she's learning."

"Oh, would you give over already?"

"Seriously, stinging hexes. You think it happens? Apparently, it used to happen all the time!"

"Actually," Tonks said, slamming her tray of food on the table. "He's training me using dragons while I have to wear a blindfold with my laces undone. Oh, and he doesn't use stinging hexes or anything like that but I'd really rather you didn't give him any ideas, thank you."

She looked around, satisfied that they were all either gaping at her or looking sheepish. Yeah. That's right. They should be feeling stupid and guilty for talking about her like that. Honestly. Where did they even come up with some of this stuff? Did Moody really come across that bad? Were their Mentors really that boring?

None of them had the decency to even look her in the eye after saying stuff like that. Rolling her eyes, she violently stabbed at her rice with a fork. It didn't manage to pick up any but it made her feel better.

"You don't tell us what he's like at all, though," Fontaine told her, finally breaking the silence. "We can't help but wonder if you don't give us anything."

"I've told you stuff."

"No, you really haven't," she disagreed.

Tonks rolled her eyes again. They were all being dramatic and nosy. Let's not forget nosy. She had told them stuff. It wasn't her fault if they weren't listening.

And now they were staring at her again. Great. Was she going to be able to eat her lunch in peace? Was it really that hard? She gave an exasperated sigh.

"He's grumpy and sarcastic and he works me hard," she told them, stuffing a fork full of rice into her mouth. "There. You know what he's like."

"That's it?" McCabbert said sceptically and then sniffed. "Not that I care or anything."

"Right."

"I don't." McCabbert waved her fork at the rest of them. "They all do, though."

"Because she never says anything!" Mannering complained.

"And you say everything," McCabbert rolled her eyes.

Mannering did complain a lot. Realising that she wasn't going to say anything se about Moody or anything else, everyone eventually drifted into normal conversation. For a while, anyway.

Their voices died away and Tonks was confused and then realised that their faces held a mixture of respect, awe and a rather extreme amount of fear. Only one person would generate that sort of response.

"Hello, sir," she said cheekily, spinning around in her chair.

And, sure enough, it was her Mentor. Old Mad-Eye himself. Who was currently scowling at her because of the title she had just used on him? A title that he couldn't very well tell her off for using because that would be inappropriate in front of other trainees. Even if they did know that he didn't like to be referred to as such. She thought they knew anyway.

"I'm getting better at this whole 'expecting everything', aren't I?"

She was very tempted to add another 'sir' there on the end but she didn't want to push her luck.

"Get your arse back to the arena, Tonks," he grunted, giving the other trainees a foul look and not acknowledging her comment (she was right, though). "Aren't you lot meant to be doing something worthwhile with your time?"

"But it's lun-" Mainwaring began but was elbowed by Jean as the rest of them scrambled to put their things away. Tonks rolled her eyes at him, which he caught. Not that she really cared, he looked kind of amused by it anyway. Did he really have to scare them like that? Why couldn't he just be growly and grumpy like he was around her?

"They were eating, you know," she told him.

He didn't look like he cared that much.

"They were basically done. Not my fault they were lingering around."

Tonks opened her mouth but then wondered what was the point in even trying to defend them? It wasn't like they were going to come back and get the remains of their lunch. And, to be honest, she was still a bit peeved off with them. Bunch of idiots who had nothing better to do than gossip. Honestly.

"Whatever," she grumbled.

"So," he coughed, giving her a smirk. "Dragons?"

"Don't you dare!"

He was still smirking at her! Tonks didn't trust him not to get a dragon if he could get away with it. But Madam Bones wouldn't let him, would she? That would be breaking so many laws. There was that one Bill and Percy had always quoted to Charlie as a reason he wasn't allowed a pet dragon. She couldn't remember it right now but it definitely existed! But if it was used for training purposes was kt really a pet? No, she wasn't going to think of that. No way. He wouldn't do it. Would he?

She gave him a wary look and she did not like what she saw.

"I wonder if we could get a dragon to train with," he mus3d, rubbing his chin, much to her dismay.