Time during summer break is a curious thing. Days melt into each other and stretch out endlessly before you, until suddenly the first cold nights proclaim the coming of autumn. That's what it felt like for the children living in Grimmauld Place 12. Suddenly the five weeks of the summer holidays they had all spent together were coming to a close and the beginning of term on September 1st was starting to become a constant presence in their lives. They went shopping for school supplies, and (if they hadn't already) catching up on their assignments, all the while the mood within the Order got darker and darker. News of attacks that were clearly the work of the Death Eaters surfaced weekly and the feeling of a looming darkness had befallen almost everyone. It was because of this, that Molly Weasley had decided they all needed a well deserved break in form of a "end of the holidays" party. Dumledore had been so thrilled by the idea that he made attandance mandatory for every Order member ("yes, that includes you, Severus. I will be expecting you!" - "Fine, but I won't have any fun!" - "We'll see...") and had promised Molly he'd bring his famous Lemon drop cookies, a special recipe from the Hogwarts house elves. The preparations for the party, which would take place on August 29, were in full swing.
-Harry-
It was the last week of their two months long summer holidays and Harry was sitting in the garden of Grimmauld Place 12, enjoying the last rays of sunshine on his face. He was thinking about the past four weeks that he had spent with his friends here, cleaning up the place, making it a home for Sirius, Remus and any Order member that cared to spend the night after a particularly long meeting; he thought about the games of Quidditch they'd played in the garden, about the strange treasures they'd found in some of the more obscure rooms of the house... And he thought about his two friends, who were currently sitting next to him, both with their noses stuck in a book (Hermione was doing some reading for the upcoming lessons, Ron had a Quidditch magazine in his lap), who had changed so much over the course of the summer and were still the same in every way that mattered. They would leave for Hogwarts again in three days and everyone in the Order was coming tonight for a little party; Ron and Harry had halfheartedly offered their help to Mrs. Weasley and were relieved when she dismissed them and sighed, that they would probably be more hinderance than help. Even Ginny and Hermione could get out of helping, but only after Ginny had explained to her mother in a lengthy rant, why exactly it wasn't okay to only aks the girls to help with these kind of chores.
"Do know what you'll be wearing tonight, Hermione?", Ginny, who'd come outside and sat next to her friend, asked. Hermione let out a huge sigh.
"Not yet. I fear I hadn't really planned for a party before packing my clothes for the summer and now all of my pretty clothes are already in my suitcase for Hogwarts, which my partens have. You?", she looked at her friend hopefully, but when Ginny also shook her head, she closed her book with a frustrated sigh.
Harry felt like maybe he should have given his attire for the party more (meaing: any at all) thought, but one exchange of glance with Ron showed him that his friend was thinking the same.
"I just thought of wearing what I always wear", Harry supplied helpfully to the girls, with Ron nodding his assent enthusiastically, but the look Ginny and Hermione gave him made him realize that that was not the right way to go about this evening.
"Well, boys always have it easy", Ginny said, her voice dripping with contempt, "you put on some shirt, whatever pair of pants you can find, maybe throw a robe on if you feel like it and pretty much everyone will tell you how handsome you look... Us girls on the other hand...", she pointedly didn't finish her sentence and Harry felt like he should know what she meant, but he had no clue. One look at Ron told him that he wasn't alone in that.
"I guess we'll wear whatever", he grinned.
"Yeah", Harry agreed, "'cos I heard we look handsome anyway." He winked at Ginny and could hvae sworn that he saw her blush. Which was impossible, because she had totally gotten over her crush on him, right? Right?
-Tonks-
Tonks really wanted to help Molly with the preparations for the party. For one, because she wanted to be helpful to the mother of seven (Tonks counted them in her head again, but they were indeed seven) children hosting a party in a huge and still not completely hazard-free house; but really, she wanted to help to distract herself from thinking to much about the coming evening, when she would see him again, and for the first time in her life they would meet at a gathering that was neither work nor...well, work. Even tho attendance of the party was in fact mandatory for Order members, she didn't count today as work. It was still hours until the party would start and she had brought everything she needed already with her; she would never admit it to anyone, but of course her outfit and her make up and her whole look had been planned ever since Molly and Dumbledore had announced there would be a party. She knew that it was ridiculous, that he probably wouldn't even notice what she was wearing, but she just couldn't help herself. She wanted to look jaw dropping tonight.
When she'd put her clothes and make up in one of the free rooms in the house she went down to the kitchen where Molly, Arthur, Remus and Hestia were already making preparations, cooking, baking, cleaning and whatever else one needed to do to throw a party. Sirius was sitting in a corner next to Remus, obviously not part of the planning.
"Wotcher", Tonks greeted them. She thought she'd imagined Molly blanching when she entered the kitchen. "Auror Tonks reporting for party planning duty!" She grinned at them, but only got an amused smile from Sirius, a raised eyebrow from Remus and a decidedly unfriendly huff from Hestia Jones. Molly tried her best at a friendly smile, but it ended up more like a grimace, and Arthur looked at everyone but her.
"That's nice, Tonks dear", Molly began and threw a sharp look towards Hestia. "But at the moment we have everything quite in control, so there's really no need for more help. You know what they say", she giggled nervously, "too many wands spoil the potion..." - "especially a wand like that", Hestia huffed under her breath, but was quickly silenced by a death stare from both Sirius and Remus.
Tonks just nodded and before she could say anything, Molly suggested that she should go into the garden to look after the kids, see of they needed anything.
"That sounds great, Molly. I'll leave you guys to it, as you know household charms were never my strong suit anyway", Tonks winked at Sirius and raised a challenging brow towards Hestia.
It wasn't that Nymphadora Tonks wasn't aware of her clumsiness and her inability to perform even the simplest household charm; it was just that she hated it when people treated her like a baby because of that. So she was glad that Molly had found something for her to do, even if it was just an excuse to get her away from the important work. At least that way she would also be able to get her thoughts away from... Severus.
Damn it, Tonks chided herself, pull yourself together, girl! Concentrate on the task ahead and just don't think about his sultry voice, his calloused hands that would fit perfectly onto my boobs and his tongue... Argh, Tonks, focus!
She took a deep breath, banning all sinful thoughts she harboured towards the Potion's Master, before stepping into the garden to where Ron, Harry, Hermione and Ginny were lounging in the sun.
"Do know what you'll be wearing tonight, Hermione?", she heard Ginny ask.
"Not yet. I fear I hadn't really planned for a party before packing my clothes for the summer and now all of my pretty clothes are already in my suitcase for Hogwarts, which my partens have. You?"
Tonks grinned. Now this was something she could help with.
-Hermione-
There had been a time when Hermione Granger had cared more about the look of her assignments than the look of her clothes; a time when she'd thought that dressing up was only for girls who didn't have the brains to impress. But that had all changed in her third year, with the Yule ball, when she'd realized that she quite liked (on occasion) dressing up and wearing pretty clothes and that that didn't mean she was any less smart. She had learned that she could be both, smart and dressed prettily. The party in Grimmauld Place was of course no Yule ball, but still Hermione felt like looking pretty. It might have something do to with the way Ron had looked at her at the ball; or it might just be because she felt this special occasion warranted a special outfit. Either way, Hermione was putting a lot of thought into her outfit and what she could put together with her limited options. It seemed that her friend Ginny was occupied by the same problem.
"I guess we'll wear whatever", Ron supplied.
Typical, Hermione thought.
"Yeah", Harry agreed with a wink at Ginny, "'cos I heard we look handsome anyway." Hermione tried to catch her friends ganze and roll her eyes, but she noticed a rose flush grace Ginny' s cheeks.
Hermione huffed and said with final tone: "That's nice but still doesn't help..."
"Maybe I can help you gals out", a familiar voice from behind them suddenly interrupted.
The four teenagers all turned around and grinned at the woman standing behind them, who wore an equally bright smile and whose eyes seemed to almost sparkle. However, as Hermione turned she caught a short sight of Harry, who seemed unable to properly look Tonks in the eyes.
How odd, she thought. They hadn't seen Tonks in a while and she'd have expected Harry to be more enthusiastic about seeing her again.
"We could wear some of your clothes?", Ginny grinned excitedly.
"Some of my suitable clothes", Tonks added and looked over her shoulder, as if fearing Molly Weasley would come out any moment and chide her for introducing her youngest and only daughter to the world of low cut tops and fishnet tights.
"But yes, if you want to, I can lend you some of my clothes", she added.
Ginny raised a questioning eyebrow at Hermione, who understood immediately.
"If you are sure...", Hermione started. "Sure as the phoenix's flames", Tonks nodded.
"Well, then", Hermione grinned, "show as what you got."
-Tonks-
Throwing together outfits for Ginny and Hermione had been exactly the sort of distraction Tonks had needed. Even tho she hadn't exaggerated and there were most definitely clothing items in her closet that were not suitable for a fifteen and fourteen year old girl, they managed to put together two very decent outfits for a party. Nothing too fancy of course, but judging by the smiles on the girls' faces, a definite upgrade from their choice of party attire.
"Thank you so much", Ginny said while turning in front of Tonks' mirror. She wore a black top with spikes on the shoulders and a short skirt with a black and red plait pattern; her red hair was swept sideways and Tonks had even let her put a bit of mascara on and showed her how to smudge it. Ginny looked and felt like a rock star. Tonks thought that it really suited her and that she should wear Muggle clothes more often.
Hermione had chosen a more subdued look and picked one of Tonks' more formal dresses in a deep navy. Her hair was in a slightly messy updo and her cheeks were tinged a little red. It was not a look Tonks personally would have gone for, but it suited Hermione and her more serious, grown up personality.
"You both look spectacular", Tonks said, not without a hint of self-praise. She threw a glance at her pocket watch and her face darkened.
"We better hurry back to Grimmauld Place. After all, we can't have only you two showing up wearing my fantastic outfits, can we?"
"Oh yes, Tonks, what are you going to wear?", Ginny asked with Hermione nodding eagerly.
"Wait and see", Tonks only replied mysteriously. She hoped her reply conveyed a lot more confidence than she actually felt at the moment.
What if he hates it?, she thought. Or worse, what if he doesn't even notices me? And what if he does?
-Sirius-
Tonight would be a special night. Not only was Harry, his godson, leaving with his friends for the new school year, thus leaving Grimmauld Place a lot emptier than it was, no, it would also be the night Sirius would make his feelings for Remus known to all. He had decided on a whim that the party would be the prefect opportunity to declare their love openly, to finally show the Order, who he was. Hiding his new relationship with Remus had been exciting at first, but after a few weeks it had gotten tiring. The sneaking around, the covertly holding hands at Order meetings, stolen kisses away from prying eyes would all be in the past after tonight.
He'd debated talking to Remus about his plan, but decided that it was more like himself, more romantic, to do it spontaneously and surprisingly. He was a little nervous about how everyone would react. Especially Harry. He hoped his godson would be happy for him and Remus; if he was honest with himself, Harry's opinion was the only one that mattered.
I just hope he accepts me for who I am, he thought.
-Harry-
It was strange to see Tonks again; after his disastrous attempt to ask her out on a date, Harry had successfully avoided her for most of the past weeks. He'd seen her once or twice in the kitchen before an Order meeting, but that was it. Seeing her again, smiling at him and his friends, with that sparkle in her eyes, he couldn't help but relive that embarrassing moment in the library. He felt his cheeks redden and couldn't bring himself to look directly at her. He still thought she was pretty and cool and one of the only people to treat him like he wasn't a little child, but the distance had put these feelings into perspective; he still had a crush on her, but he's now realized that it was foolish to ask her out. Besides, from what he'd heard from Ginny and Hermione (and girls always knew about such things), Tonks seemed to have a bit of a crush of her own, tho neither could say on who. Harry wondered if it was someone from the Order. And as he saw her standing there in the late summer sun, he realized that he wasn't jealous. Maybe she liked someone else. He just hoped that person liked her back, because he'd hate to see her unhappy.
-Severus-
There were quite a lot of people Severus cursed inwardly as he tried on various different outfits for the party. First was of course Molly Weasley, for the idiotic idea of throwing a party at headquarters and inviting the whole Order; second was Albus Dumbledore for making him attend said party; and third was Nymphadora Tonks, that woman, whose sole fault it was that he even cared about his outfit tonight. Most of all he cursed himself for falling for her. And for not being able to chose what to wear.
Damn that woman, he muttered.
In the end he chose a white Muggle shirt with a black tie and black pants, because he knew she liked Muffle clothes, and a black Wizard robe he wore as a coat.
She's not going to care about your outfit anyway, a mocking voice said in his head.
-Gred and Forge-
Fred and George Weasley had been working on new inventions for their pranks the whole summer. Certain tensions within the Order and between their little brother and their dearest bookworm had inspired them to create a special little device for the upcoming party. While everyone else was getting ready for the party, Fred and George were getting ready for what they do best: mischief.