Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. Wish I did but. :)

Chapter Titles:

(L) - Chapter contains lime or adult scene.

(X) - Chapter contains lemon or sex scene.

(V) - Chapter contains gratuitous violence.

THANKS FOR READING: Please comment & review.

(Premise)

Some things in life are truly fucked up. Their relationship was one of these things. Before he had met her he knew nothing of love or the magical world or much of the muggle world for that matter. Before she had met him she had gone from one unsuccessful, unfulfilling lover to another in a constant search for acceptance and the seemingly impossible notion of true love.

Fate or perhaps something else brought them together.

(Somewhere in the not too distant future)

Harry leaned forth out of the shadows and looked into the pensive-like pool set into the middle of the round stone table before him.

He looked up at the shadowy figure opposite him and smiled. The scares that crisscrossed his face pulling the gentle gesture into something truly hideous.

"You know my love, if we go through with this, things will change and not for the better..."

The shadowy figure he addressed leaned forward allowing the silvery glow from the pool to illuminate her bright pink hair. She nodded and stared with her one good eye silently conveying her acceptance. Her lips were sealed with stitches preventing her from replying otherwise.

"My life under the Dursley's care was criminal and vile, but what Dumbledore had in store for me at Hogwarts was downright demonic at the least."

Tonks nodded her head slowly in agreement.

"However I can accept all that, the end justified the means. And given the situation we were posed with at the time I would gladly go through it all again as perhaps you would as well?"

Tonks nodded her head in agreement once more.

"But this has nothing to do with that aspect. Voldemort will always be defeated no matter what we alter. He is always defeated!"

Tonks nodded her head again.

"But this, this is about our love. Thrice it has been denied us, once by the Dursley's, once by Dumbledore and once by our own hand. Each time for the greater good!"

Tonks stared forward at him a single tear welling up in her eye. The sadness and loss clearly evident.

"Dumbledore used this ritual to keep us apart for he knew in our love we would let the world burn about us. and... and sadly I must agree with what he did. he paused a moment raising his fist only to slam it hard against the table "But I cannot agree with how he did it! If we destroy this table and its pool we will cancel the changes he has affected on our current lives. The time line will be restored to how it should be, not how he wanted it to be."

Tonks stood taller, her gaze turning harder.

"But should we? Had I not come to this room I would have never found out I loved you. You are dead Tonks. You had a child to Lupin. Should we throw away all that is for all that should have been? Is that right if not correct?"

Tonks lowered her head and breathed out heavily though her nose. Walking gracefully around the table she wrapped her arms around Harry and pressed her closed lips against his. In that moment of contact, Harry felt her love for him. Without further ado he brought the sword of Gryffindor down on the table slicing it into two and destroying the ritual bowl.

As the world around them began to fade, Harry held onto Tonks tightly kissing her forehead one last time.

"See you on the flip side." He whispered as the world around faded away into the ether.

(Summer, 1991)

After her sixth year at Hogwarts, Tonks was home for the summer once again.

Like every year before; she stayed with her parents for the summer. However it was a nightmare most days living at home for those few short months of the year and she missed Hogwarts and her friends terribly.

Not because it was bad for her, but because she could see what her presence wrought upon her family.

Dad was a squib, a magical with no magical power. Her mum was a pure-blood with more magical power than anyone other than perhaps Dumbledore should have. And these two had lived together for close to eighteen years now.

Dad was a lawyer who specialised in muggle to magical cases. Blow up a taxi because you think it's a dragon that's eating people then he's your man.

Mum was an accountant who specialised in magical to muggle transactions. Got 5000 galleons you need converted to pound sterling she'd filter it around the world so as to not blow up the muggle economy from dumping so much gold into it and at a better exchange rate than Gringotts could offer too...

Secretly Tonks figured that their lives worked perfectly while she was at Hogwarts. Dad would mow the lawn while mum would cook. Dad would wash the outside windows while Mum would clean the inside. So on and so forth.

But when she was home the dynamic would change drastically. For instance this year her Dad wanted to teach her to drive a car while Mum wanted to tack her to Diagon Alley to show her the latest brooms. Another example would be when Dad would want to play a game of cricket down the park while Mum would want to play pass the quaffle.

It had been this way for the last six years and as usual, by the fourth week of summer it was unbearable. And thus Tonks decided to go out for a bit.

It was a toss-up as to whether she would go into muggle London or magical England. But nearly nine times out of ten it was muggle London. Over eight months of magical life a year was enough, a little muggle was always good.

Normally upon heading into London she would seek out her old friends and catch up. Possibly have a coffee or change her teen appearance and have a beer.

But on such a rare day; with the sun in the sky and not a cloud in sight she went to the zoo.

She patted the giraffe when it leaned down to nip at her bright grass green hair. To all those around her she looked like an early 20's, punk rock chick. Long lace up combat boots, denim skirt and a band T-shirt.

She liked the animals, totally different than what she encountered in the care of magical creatures class. Compared to a hippogriff, a lion is a sweet little kitten.

It was as she was passing the "Slytherin" mascot exhibit that she felt a presence.

Turing around she saw a big fat kid fall into a display and watched with further amazement as the glass reappeared. She noticed a young black haired boy look down at an escaping snake, smile and whisper something like a hiss.

It had to be accidental magic for the whole thing was so out of place. She walked over just as a long necked woman and a man the size of a hippopotamus rushed over. The hippo turned on the black haired boy and shouted "FREAK!" before he began wailing on him with his ham sized fists and his boots.

Tonks could not stand by any longer and rushed to the boy's side only for the boy to vanish as she wrapped her arms around him. She did not want to let go and so followed his apparition.

Harry awoke on the kitchen of number four privet drive. It had happened again, same as when he had teleported onto the school roof. Only this time he felt warm and comfortable. It was then that he realised he was being held in someone's arms. It took a few more moments to realise that they were not trying to strangle him like his Aunt Petunia had tried when he was but five years old.

Harry looked up at the strange girl that had seemingly fallen on top of him. She had her eyes half closed as if dazed but they snapped open when he moved. Her face filled with concern as she wrapped her arms more tightly around him, drawing him closer to her body.

"You are away from that man, you are safe now." She whispered to him as she slowly began to rock him back and forth in her arms.

To Harry it was the most relaxing and nicest feeling thing he had ever felt.

"That man will never hurt you again." She continued.

Harry froze and tensed.

"Shh, it's ok, everything will be fine. Are we at your home, are your parents' home."

Harry craned his neck toward the front door and began to shudder.

Tonks gripped him tighter as he apparently began to go into shock from his ordeal, or so she believed.

The forced tag-along apparition had taken it out of her. She could feel pain in the back of head where that fat fucks fist had struck just before she had drawn herself into the jump after him. She must have passed out; slightly concussed, for her knees felt heavy as if she had been in the same position for longer than a few moments.

It was then she noticed he was focused on something. She looked over to where he was staring and saw what he was looking at.

She gasped and felt the pit of her stomach drop.

Just next to the door was an alcove; within this alcove was a series of large family pictures.

Set dead centre was a huge family portrait of the boy that was in the snake exhibit, the horse lady and the fat bastard.

"Shit." She whispered.

"You've got to get out of here" The boy whimpered "If they find you here they will know you are like me and they will hurt you."

"No!" Tonks cried

"Please go. Please!" He begged.

"No, I could not live with myself knowing what was happening to you at the zoo would continue."

"Trust me" the boy said looking up at her with his luminescent green eyes "that beating was the least of my worries. If all my beating were going to be as tame as that I could die a happy man right now."

Tonks shivered. The boy spoke with such conviction and brutal honesty, it made her go cold just thinking of some the possible abuse he had already suffered. The degree of torture that had occurred to him to make him as such.

"Look, I'm not leaving you, you will come with me. Now!" She shouted and gathered him into her own side-along apparition back to her home.

But as the pulling feeling began she was snapped back and they were thrown across the room into the hall.

Tonks cursed, a barrier had been erected around the house. Undoubtedly so people could apparate in but not out.

She groaned and began to stand up when the boy pushed her hard against the wall, forcing her into a cupboard under the stairs.

As she fell, she saw over his shoulder; the front door begin to open...

Harry landed next to the front door, whatever that woman had tried to do had thrown them into the hallway. He stood slowly and watched her struggle to her own feet. However as she did so he heard a car pull into the driveway. Noticing where she had landed he ran for her, tackling her into his cupboard.

She did not call out, undoubtedly too shocked or still dazed from the fall.

Harry slammed the door to his cupboard shut just as Vernon slammed the door to the house open.

"I fucking knew you would be here... FREAK!" Vernon roared.

"I'm sorry uncle, I don't know what happened."

"Oh, fuck you know! You have embarrassed me for the last time BOY!" Vernon charged and grabbed Harry up by the neck "Trying to hide in your cupboard BOY. Well think again, me and Dudley are going to use my new belt sander." He began to drag Harry towards the garage. "Oh, Petunia darling, please bring the salt and vinegar..."

Tonks watched the boy be dragged away by the hippo. The boy did not struggle. He just let himself be taken, like a limp rag-doll. A passing thought occurred to her that he did it so as to not provoke his uncle any further.

She groaned inwardly.

The blow to the head had really rattled her and she watched with abject horror through the slits in the door as the other members of the family followed after the pair.

Tonks had not brought her wand with her, a stupid decision she now regretted, she tried apparating away to get help but felt the barrier again and stopped herself from trying to pass through it. She tried witch calling her mum only to feel the call also rebound off the barrier.

Whatever that barrier was it stopped ALL magic from leaving the residence.

It was then that she heard the screams begin. Blood curdling and horrific. They echoed in the house, chilling her nerves to new heights.

She did not stand a chance against them without magic as she was. She wanted to save him, she had promised him only minutes before that he would not be hurt ever again and here he was being tortured in the next room.

She reviewed what had happened that day. Her mind quickly replaying the scene at the zoo.

The boy had stood his ground and taken the beating. He only apperated away when... she had tried to protect him. He was used to the abuse so why run away if the beating would only be worse later.

Again in the kitchen he had begged her to leave. And in the hall he had hidden her in this cupboard when the car had shown up.

He was protecting her. He had been protecting HER.

Damn.

She set her jaw and began to change.

Harry's back felt on fire.

Vernon had stripped him of his clothes with a paring and was now running his brand new belt sander up and down his spine and over his shoulders.

The skin was quickly wearing down. Slower than a knife but faster than the rasp.

Dudley had pinned his legs, pieces of the snake exhibits foliage still clearly visible, embedded in his hair and shirt.

Petunia held his arms, or more correctly held the rope that held his arms.

He was strapped down on Vernon's garage work bench. Ropes around both wrists were wrapped painfully tight and drawn under the large table giving Vernon perfect access to sand his back, occasionally stopping to throw washing powder, bleach and caustic soda into the red raw wounds now forming on his back.

Harry begged for a miracle, begged all that woman had said would happen; would. But most of all begged that that woman... that beautiful caring woman would not have to suffer this for trying to save him.

It was then that the wall exploded.

Tonks felt herself begin to grow.

Her muscles began to double, triple, until they finally grew hard and strong. Her hair shortened and turned red like wild fire. Her teeth lengthened, her fingernails sharpened, her ears grew pointed. She poured her rage into the change and let it go wild. She had no form in mind. She just wanted to save that boy.

Her clothes ripped away and the room was becoming cramped around her. She pushed at the cupboard door and it splintered apart under her fist.

She moved out and ripped the stairs apart like tissue paper as she stood. She glanced in a mirror momentarily and snarled before she turned and ran, ran toward the screams and the maniacal laughter.

She saw more than felt the wall implode around her as he smashed in the door to the garage.

What she witnessed inside made her roar.

"Demon!" Petunia shouted.

Vernon turned as the beast/monster smacked him into the wall with a huge meaty fist.

Dudley fell backwards and ran only to be picked up and thrown into the washing machine on the wall.

Without his legs being held he pulled and ripped the ropes from Petunias hands just moments before the creature punched his aunt, sending the stick figured giraffe woman into the garage roller door.

Harry turned to look at his saviour.

His saviour looked down at him.

Harry smiled, not at all scared. What stood before him was a seven foot tall cross between a vaguely humanish gorilla and alligator, with claws for hands, razor sharp teeth jutting out of its mouth and pointed elf-like ears. It looked like a demon should, except without the usual stereotypical horns. It was pure white with blazing red hair flowing down its back like a lion's mane.

Harry knew right off that it was defiantly the woman. She had saved him again. How she had become this way he did not know but it was clearly her as this beast had the torn remains of her denim skirt around one ankle.

That realisation sparked another, if that was all that remained of the clothes she had been wearing then she was in fact naked.

Harry blushed and grinned sheepishly.

Tonks smiled as he smiled up her.

He was not scared of her at all in this form. Why? She had no idea.

She leaned down to untie his wrists when an unimaginable sensation of pain speared her back.

A loud gunshot rang out and the monster toppled. Venom stood unsteadily holding a pump action shotgun.

As the beast woman spun with the force of the impact, Harry noticed blood running down her back.

"Fucking freak magic is no match for good old English engineering. Say goodbye to you rabid dog BOY!" Vernon said as he pumped and drew a bead on the monsters head.

Harry dived as he pulled the trigger. Hot metal lashed across his face. But he did not care. He charged on and put all his effort into stopping his uncle killing the one person who had ever been nice to him.

So he pushed.

Tonks awoke.

Her body felt strange and heavy. Whatever had just hit her had really knocked her for a loop.

She tried to change back but her focus was off. Seeking her centre she tried again and felt everything return to normal.

Sitting up she looked for the boy. What she saw chilled her to the bone even more than the scene she had interrupted just minutes before.

He stood between her and the garage door. His body ridged and tense. Both hands were outstretched as if he had been pushing something away.

As she lifted herself to stand she slipped on a pool of blood at her feet. In fact everywhere she looked there was blood. On the floor, on the ceiling, on the walls and on herself.

She approached him and saw the remains of the boy's uncle. Everything from the waist up was gone. Whatever piece of accidental or intentional magic he had conducted had vaporised the top half of his uncle.

It was when she wrapped her arms around him that the true damage became known to her.

Harry pushed.

There was a resistance for a single moment but a blinding purple flash obscured his eyes.

He felt his uncles firm, flabby chest under his fingers seemingly melt away. The threads of the shirt that he wore simply come undone all at once.

The only thing he could liken that split second feeling to, was a dry biscuit crumbling to dust in his finger only for that same dust to blow away in a strong wind.

He froze as the purple glare faded and he saw what remained of his uncle. A bloody mess smeared across every surface of the garage.

Pain lanced once more across his jaw. A deep throbbing pain like no other he had ever felt.

It was then that he felt those caring arms wrap around him once more.

A small gasp and a whimper of pity whispered in his ear.

"I never asked you your name miss" He rasped, his mouth unable to fully form the words.

"Tonks, Nymphadora Tonks. And you." She replied, tears forming in her eyes, causing her voice to warble.

He turned his head to look her in the eye. "Harry, Harry Potter".

Tonks froze.