Long Road Home

• eQuasarus •

Disclaimer: Such a shame it isn't mine. Would've been different by my design.

Summary: Monthly challenge for the yahoo-group pinkhairgreeneyes (Harry/Tonks) link is on my bio for those interested.
Long Road. Any rating and no word count limit.
Despite the reprieve from Death Eater trouble since the DoM incident, Dumbledore arranges for Harry to get to school in an unusual, but safer way. Tonks is chosen to be the only escort. Too bad things never go as planned.
Required phrases in a story: "If you think I'm doing that, you're mental." and "At this rate, I'll make it to school by seventh year."

Author Notes: Go join Pinkhairgreeneyes and read the rest of the challenge stories – they're all good. This one's a bit shorter than my last challenge, but I like them short and sweet sometimes so just read it and let me know what you think. Thanks to Dave, TonksNymph, be0t, and Shreve for helping me out with the story

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"I'll get it right this time!" Tonks muttered, staring at the locket in her hand. "Portus!"

Harry groaned. "That's the fourth time," he said, hoping she failed again. He suspected that Tonks would be able to do the spell in a few hours, as soon as her patience and energy returned. He wasn't about to tell her that, though. When he was ready to leave, she could try again; if she failed, he'd try his hand at it.

When they'd originally ended up on this island, a small on too, Tonks had tried over and over again to make a Portkey that would send them back. Harry was content in relaxing for a little while. He hadn't been able to get out since he was at Hogwarts the previous year. Being in doors for three months had made him feel cramped. This island was quiet, open, and a very relaxing atmosphere.

"You know, I think I could just stay here," he offered.

Tonks glanced at Harry angrily. She'd been frustrated for the last few hours, frustrated enough that she hadn't even flirted with him once after the initial Portkey experience. "I'll get it right this time," she said furiously, raising her wand again.

Harry laughed, and slipped into the water further. He didn't want to think about Hogwarts. This place, wherever it was, was quiet and he didn't have to worry about Death Eaters here. It was probably too far away from civilization to apparate, judging by the plants.

Finally, Tonks muttered something that Harry couldn't hear well through the water and put her wand down.

"At this rate, I'll make it to school by seventh year," Tonks said, pouting.

Harry grinned. "Would that be so bad? You could teach me this year instead of shipping me off to Hogwarts. No one would know where we are. I wouldn't have to deal with Snape. We have our wands for protection, and I'm sure we could find some food around here somewhere."

Harry realized he actually wouldn't mind if it took that long. He'd miss Ron and Hermione of course, but they were safe at school, so he wouldn't need to worry about them.

Harry took a deep breath, trying to force down the feeling in the pit of his stomach. "Join me," he said quietly, hoping she'd hear him. Tonks stared at the ocean that was down the hill, half a kilometer away, and Harry pulled himself out of the water. Once again gathering his courage, he approached Tonks from behind.

"Tonks," he whispered in her ear as seductively as he could. "Why don't you get in with me?"

Since the beginning of the summer, Tonks had been flirting endlessly with him. Although he was no good at it, it was fun to at least try to flirt back.

Tonks shivered as if cold. Harry saw it, and stepped back, startled. He'd hadn't had that sort of effect on her since he started trying, though sometimes she'd been more flirty back. When she turned around she had a smile on her face that was well beyond playful. Harry was used to a flirty smile; she'd been using it all summer when she'd sit on his lap and flirt around until he got turned on.

Without speaking, she started to pull off her shirt, startling Harry. He'd taken off his shirt, of course, but he still wore clothing enough to cover him. "You're not going to..." he started to say, but Tonks silenced him with a finger to his mouth. Harry stared at her, standing there in a bra, looking just as comfortable as she had before she took her shirt off.

"You don't think I'm going to get my only set of clothes dirty, do you?" she asked, using her free hand to unbutton her pants.

Harry continued to gape, unsure how to respond. She'd never pushed the game so far. Harry started to make for the water to keep some of his privacy, not really ready for such a jump in the flirting. Tonks had other plans and stopped him dead in his tracks by grabbing his shorts before he escaped, almost yanking them off in the process. "You're not going anywhere," she said pointedly. "You started the game this time; you don't get out until it's finished."

Harry looked at her wide-eyed, not quite sure what she was saying. Using his shock to her advantage, Tonks let go and wiggled out of the jeans she wore. Her cloak and shoes had been taken off two hours before when they'd arrived, so she was wearing nothing but her unmentionables.

The gaping mouth opened even further as Harry's eyes took in Tonks, all of her. Finally finding the words, he spoke. "Is this the real you?" he asked quietly, not sure if he wanted to see the real her, she looked so good like that.

Tonks frowned. "What, it's not good enough?" she demanded.

"No, no," Harry said quickly, holding out his hand. "I just... I always wondered what you really look like, without different hair and eyes – what you look like without any Metamorphmagus changes."

There was a look of reluctance in Tonks eyes before she shut them in concentration. Her form slipped away, changing, growing shorter then adding a few pounds. Harry didn't mind, he'd always thought Tonks was a little too thin most of the time. Seeing her bones wasn't exactly a turn on. The color of her skin, a lightly tanned peach, faded to an almost brilliant white. Her hair grew shorter, turning a pale white, and for a brief instant it reminded Harry of Malfoy. As he stared longer, though, the "Malfoy effect" faded – her hair was silky and soft looking, very different from Malfoy's oily mop. When she opened her eyes again they were a dark black, no true color, just black, like staring into a starless night.

Looking ashamed, Tonks started to turn away, but Harry's hand shot out, grabbing a hold of her. "Don't..." he said quietly. Words escaped him. How could he tell her that she looked divine, an image of a Greek goddess in history books?

"You don't like it," she said with tears on the edge of her voice. "No one ever does."

Harry's eyes widened as she turned again, pulling her to him. "No," he said after she looked down. Then, leaning into her ear he smiled. "I love it."

Tonks pushed him away, looking at the smile on his face, trying to determine if he was just being kind or even cruel. "You can't," she said. "I look like a freak. Like a vampire."

Harry thought she was exaggerating a bit, but he could see how someone might see her that way, someone who didn't know her. That was irrelevant to him, though. Right now his whole world consisted of her lips, pale and white, full and beautiful. Leaning forward, Harry did the only thing that came to mind – he kissed her.

The kiss only lasted a minute, but a warm shiver past through him when he pulled away. When he pulled away Tonks blinked and her eyes turned white and then black once more. Harry drew back, startled and Tonks pulled away. "I told you," she said as she started to move. Harry caught her hand again and gripped it tightly.

"Tonks," he said, trying to force her to turn around without hurting her. She wouldn't comply, but he held her, moving around to face her. Tears had formed in her eyes, and were making their way down her cheeks in tiny rivers. Harry leaned in again, kissing her deeper than before.

When Tonks broke the kiss this time Harry was ready as she blinked white and black. "It's alright," he said to her as she sniffled. "Your eyes changing like that just startled me. They're still as beautiful as before."

Sniffing one last time, Tonks smiled, brushing away her tears. "When did you become such a Romeo?" she asked with a playful tone again.

Harry could still hear the sadness that was in her voice, but ignored it. He wanted to kiss her again. "Only with you…'" he murmured, as he leaned in and their lips connected again.

When they parted a third time, Tonks was smiling brightly. "You're a quick learner," she commented. "Remus said you were, but I never thought you'd be quick to learn things other than magic."

Harry leaned in a fourth time for a kiss, brushing his lips slightly against hers and then moving to the side of her face, whispering in her ear again. "This is magic."

Slowly he kissed her neck, as she grunted approval. Then she pulled away from him, moving down to the water.

Harry watched as she disappeared underneath the surface and came up holding her undergarments in her hand. His eyes widened. "If you think I'm doing that, you're mental," He said in a deep, carefree laugh.

Tonks grinned perversely. "We'll find out, won't we?"

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