Author: J.A.K.
Rating: R
Author's Notes: This story starts in the middle of Tonks and Harry's relationship. There will be a few flashbacks alluding to situations and events that happened in the past between the two, but I felt it best to start here because the crux of this story lies in them being together not in how they came to be together. I also wanted to warn everyone that this is a darker Harry; less like the one written in books 1 through 4 and more like the Harry written in book 5.
AN 2: Sorry about the long delay. School has and still is kicking my butt. Summer was hectic, and after reading HBP, I really had no clue as to where my stories could go. However, I'll try to work with whatever plot ideas I had before July 15th and integrate them (a little) with what has transpired in the 6th book. Please note that this interlude was written well before HBP. Please read, review, and most importantly enjoy!
Chapter 9—Interlude I
No one dared stare too long at each other during breakfast that morning. Too much had happened within the past few hours. Looking at someone too hard might have made all the despair that everyone felt rise to the fore.
Kingsley was dead. Williamson was dead. Hermione glanced at the place where Ron usually sat. It was empty. Under her lashes she watched Harry, but he seemed to be in another world. She presumed that his mind was on Tonks, who would have been dead had she followed through on her orders and not spent the night with him. Thank God Tonks hadn't died. If she had, who knew what type of state Harry would be in right now. Perhaps the same condition Ron was in after finding out that his brother had been one of the unlucky few to carry out the Orders ill fated mission.
Hermione stared at the banana that lay in front of her and tried to take a bite. Every time she made to swallow however, the slimy fruit slid up her throat. Quickly snatching a napkin she placed it over her mouth and surreptitiously spit out the chewed up substance. Resignedly she got up, foregoing further attempts to eat, and went behind Harry.
"I think it's safe to go check on Ron now," Hermione's mind flashed to when her friend had first heard the news, and how he had screamed and cried and had pitched everything within arms length across the room. "Are you going to be alright?"
Harry's eyes were still a bit red rimmed from crying. He had been closer to the Weasley brothers than she ever was and so this loss had come as a harder blow to him. Harry nodded at her question thinking how ridiculous she was being for fussing over him. She had already given him a shoulder to cry on. Now her comfort would be much better seen in the arms of someone who really needed her.
Hermione turned to leave but Harry caught her hand.
"Take care of him, okay?" Harry's eyes were so intense and sincere that her heart swelled with all the love that she felt for him. Hermione bent down and hugged him as tightly as she could, dimly aware that they were probably attracting all kinds of unwanted attention.
She pulled back a bit, but not from his embrace. "You're my boys and I'm always going to take care of both of you." If Harry was at all surprised by Hermione's uncharacteristic show of affection he didn't let on. He simply nodded his head and allowed her to kiss him above the brow. "I'll be with Dora if you need me."
Hermione tipped her head, giving a silent okay, still mystified that her seventeen year old best friend and DADA teacher were on level that permitted him calling her "Dora," and turned to leave. As she made her way towards the door, she couldn't help but see the many pairs of eyes that were on her. Only some people knew what had just happened, but most of the students in the Great Hall were mystified by what could have caused not only classes to be cancelled but all the teachers of Hogwarts to be absent from the Head Table as well. Now with her, the Head Girl leaving, that left only Draco and a handful of school prefects in charge.
They would find out soon enough Hermione decided as she pulled on the brass knobs. The whole world would find out soon enough.
AN 3: All questions, wanderings, and misgivings about this chapter will be cleared up in the following update. Always remember to embrace the ship of Harry and Tonks! Till the next update.