Love, Weasley Style

Bill heard Sirius repeat 'God Rest Ye, Merry Hippogriffs' for the ninth time in the past hour, and he chuckled to himself. At least Sirius was in a good mood; Bill hated it when Sirius chose to brood. So did Tonks.

Ah, beautiful Tonks. In whatever face and whichever hair style she chose, Bill thought she looked absolutely stunning. She was nice and friendly, too, so full of laughter. So unlike Fleur Delacour.

Bill couldn't get over Fleur. He knew this was because she was part Veela (as Ron told him), but he couldn't help it.

Well, Tonks had helped him overcome some of it with her laughter and her charm, and he was thankful for that.

In fact, she had helped with his work too. Despite her clumsiness, she was a really smart witch. She often helped him break the curses the old Egyptian Pharaohs placed in the tombs, telling him her theories and ideas. And most of Tonks's theories were correct. One of them even earned him a promotion just last week!

He was bursting to tell her the news, but he seemed to keep missing her for the past week, going out when she came in. It came to a point where it felt like she was avoiding him on purpose, but he didn't dare tell anyone in case he was mistaken.

A heavy thud, followed by a lighter one and Mrs. Black's screaming marked Tonks's entrance into 12 Grimmauld Place. He automatically rushed out.

"Hey!" Bill greeted her, taking one end of the curtains and pushed Mrs. Black back. Tonks took the other side and together they managed to calm the portrait.

"I haven't seen you in a long time," Bill grinned.

"Yeah, well, I've been busy." Tonks's expression was somber.

"No, you've been avoiding me," Bill accused. Tonks walked quickly into the kitchen, but he followed her.

"Yeah, that too," Tonks said, grabbing a stack of papers off the counter.

"Why?"

"Oh I don't know," Tonks replied sarcastically. "Maybe it's you. Maybe it's Delacour. I don't know."

"What's up with Fleur?" Bill's eyes lit up suddenly and the grin on his face become more pronounced.

Tonks scowled but didn't answer. She unexpectedly ran out of the room and up into the stairs, going into Buckbeak's room.

Bill wondered silently why she chose that room as he ran up the stairs, two at a time.

He tried to open the door, but it was locked. He pulled out his wand, which he had stuffed in his back pocket, and cast Alohamora. However, the door remained locked, and Bill cursed.

A stunning revelation caused Bill's knees to weaken and he slid down to the floor. No! He couldn't love Tonks!

Why the hell not? his brain screamed. Bill thought he loved Fleur. But no, he was just enchanted by her looks, like everybody else had been. But Tonks, now, she was something else.

Bill heard her sobbing inside. He longed to go inside, cry with her, comfort her. But he was stuck outside.

When her crying ceased, he heard her talking to Buckbeak quietly, but just loud enough for him to hear.

"Have you ever loved someone you would give your life for theirs, Buckbeak?" she asked softly. Bill thought she must have been stroking the hippogriff. "Have you ever loved someone so much you wanted her to be your Mrs. Buckbeak? Did she break your heart too?"

Buckbeak must have nodded, because Tonks laughed in amusement. "Yeah, love does hurt. Why did I have to fall in love with him, anyway?"

That seemed to cheer her up for a bit, because she stopped talking to Buckbeak.

A couple minutes later, when Tonks came out, Bill was on his feet and in front of the door.

When she saw him there, she made to close the door, but he stopped her by planting a kiss on her mouth.

"Why, indeed?" Bill teased, giving her the trademark Weasley lopsided grin.

"Why, indeed?" Tonks repeated dreamily.