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The Burrow was lovely at twilight. The last rays of sun were sinking just below the trees in the orchard, painting the sky with peaches and pinks that faded into the velvety darkness of the coming night sky.
There was a tent set up just a little way from the house and fairy lights were strung delicately through the trees as a soft breeze drifted through the sweetly scented early spring air, redolent with cherry blossoms and a faint hint of music that was a mere promise of the festivities to come. In other words, a perfect evening for a wedding.
It was all very lovely, and Nymphadora Tonks wouldn't dream of begrudging Harry Potter, Ginny Weasley or any of the motley crew of found family she had fallen into a moment of happiness; it was terribly hard won and anyone that even thought to try would face the wrath of not only tonight’s happy couple but the twelve-member wedding party, various spouses, the entire teaching staff of Hogwarts and, perhaps most terrifyingly, the unlikely trio of Molly Weasley, Narcissa Malfoy and Andromeda Tonks. The three mothers were thick as thieves despite past differences and had been conspiring for months over this wedding, possibly longer if she knew Molly as well as she did.
"Nymphadora, we could use your presence unless you need to stare absently out the window some more." Pansy Parkinson's voice, while not jarring, WAS surprising and broke her out of her slight trance.
The bedroom turned bridal lounge, for lack of a better word, was bustling with activity, with all female members of the wedding party (all on Harry's side strangely enough) getting primped, plucked, tucked and painted into perfection at the hands of Pansy Parkinson, Fleur Weasley and the Greengrass sisters. Sighing and allowing the gauzy curtain to slip from her fingers, Tonks adjusted the belt on her silky robe before settling into the chair in front of Pansy and pulling her pink strands out of their messy bun with an insouciant grin; the sleek Slytherin was unphased, clicking her tongue and tucking a jet black strand behind her ear as she surveyed the riotous pink mess.
“I’ve worked with worse. You sure you won’t do anything about the colour? I know you can.” There was no bite to Pansy’s words, and the smallest hint of a smile played on her face; she knew the answer but couldn’t help but ask anyway.
“Absolutely not.” Ginny Weasley’s voice rang through the room from behind the fine silk screen where she was changing, her answer finite and Tonks caught Pansy’s eyes in the mirror she had been plopped in front of, both women fighting back a laugh as Pansy tugged her fingers through messy, pink tresses.
Three hours, five bottles of Sleekeazy’s, more powders and paints than Tonks had ever used in her life, two silk handkerchiefs for Molly Weasley and what felt like a full tree of cherry blossoms later, the entire bridal party sans Ginny and Molly was making their way down the stairs from the attic of The Burrow, Tonks gripping the railing in one hand and her shoes in the other.
“I promise the stabilising charm works beautifully.” Hermione’s voice was barely a whisper, encouraging and genuine.
“I believe you but I’d rather save any possible injuries until AFTER the wedding; I’d like to remain a bit respectable if I can, for Harry.” The statement was soft and genuine; everyone in the room was there for Harry and Ginny; while everyone had lost something,he deserved it more than anyone.
“Respectable, Pinks?” Charlie Weasley’s voice echoed up the stairs and both Hermione and Tonks rolled their eyes as they reached the landing, joining the rest of the large and slightly motley wedding party gathered in Molly’s kitchen. It was warm and smelled like vanilla and almonds mixed with the perfume from the pale pink flowers woven into Hermione, Tonks and Luna’s hair. Neville Longbottom had worked some kind of magic that Tonks couldn't begin to understand no matter how many times he had tried to teach her. He was currently tucked in the corner deep in conversation with Theodore Nott and Draco Malfoy, all three men looking dashing in dark, well tailored robes, although Theo’s were slightly wrinkled by the precocious toddler in his arms, the child’s hair currently a shade of platinum that matched his cousins perfectly.
For all her talents, Herbology wasn't one of them; her thumbs were the opposite of green. The only flowers she had ever managed to keep alive still sat on her bedside table. A small branch of cherry blossoms, charmed to always bloom, sat in a tiny pink vase on her armoire at home, a small note tucked beneath: ‘I want to do with you what the spring does with the cherry trees’. There was no signature, but none was needed; there was only one person who they could have come from. The symbolism; attraction, beauty, the transient state of the seasons was not lost on her; nor was it on the sender, of that she was certain.
“I can still reach my wand, Red.” She didn’t even glance in his direction, raising an insouciant middle finger at the second eldest Weasley as she turned her attention back to her feet, chipped paint on her toes peeking out from under the hem of her delicate pink gown. The gesture was meant with stifled laughter and a grin from Charlie just before a tiny missile crashed into her legs, nearly sending her tumbling.
“Mummy you look pretty!” Teddy’s exclamation was filled with the kind of wonder and honesty that only four year olds could have and she laughed, easily scooping her son up and pressing a kiss to his head.
“Thank you Teddy. Did you talk with Nana Molly about what you need to do?” The little boy nodded solemnly, hazel eyes wide as he squirmed to get down.
“Yup! She said me and Victoire are gonna walk with Gabby. I gots the rings in my pocket, Draco tied ‘em together for me” The little boy trailed off, his attention quickly pulled elsewhere, as he darted back across the crowded kitchen.
Nymphadora laughed as she watched him dart between the well dressed crowd, consisting of all six elder Weasley siblings on Ginny’s side and a motley crew of friends and former enemies on Harry’s. Hermione, resplendent in burgundy gown was to take the traditional Best Man role, with Tonks, Luna, Neville, Draco and Theo filling out the rest of the ragtag party; any old tensions and anger had been exchanged for a formerly tentative peace that was hard won and had, with the passing years and lots of therapy settled into pleasant, if unexpected friendships and the kind of trust you could only have with someone who had also lost nearly everything. The thought boarded on maudlin, as memories of the past tended to do, and Tonks shook her head as if to physically shake them away.
“Nymphadora do NOT mess up my work!” Pansy’s voice was sharp over the din but didn’t hold any real bite, not when she returned almost immediately to her conversation with Percy Weasley, who looked nothing less than enamoured with the beautiful witch. They were an unusual pair, but not unexpected and they complimented each other nearly perfectly, both thriving on consistency and the pressure that they each faced at their jobs; they had found an unexpected solace in the midst of the chaos and pain of recovering after the war, as had so many others.
Laughing, Tonks waved a hand at her friend and turned her attention to Luna Lovegood who currently held Teddy in her arms, his charcoal suit dark against the dusty rose of her dress and small hands playing with the ends of her blonde hair that hung loose with scattered blossoms tucked into tiny braids like vines. She was talking in a low voice to the obviously enraptured little boy about who knows what; Luna had a gift, of that she was certain.
“Five minutes!” Narcissa Malfoy’s gentle but authoritative voice rang through the room from the doorway where she stood with her sister, eyes sharp as she scanned the crowd, an unspoken warning in her tone; Merlin help anyone who dared mess this up for Harry and Ginny. Aside from everyone else in the room, they would have to face the wrath of not only Molly Weasley but Narcissa Malfoy and Andromeda Tonks as well. The three mothers were formidable alone but together, well, they were a force to be reckoned with. Everyone filed into line, the deep grey of the Weasley brothers’ dress robes dark against the silvery moonlight and incandescent glow from the fairy lights that were strung up in the orchard beyond as delicate music drifted through the air.
–
The sounds of laughter and cheers mingled with music and snippets of conversation as Tonks slipped from the elegant tent that seemed to barely contain the wedding reception. The joy from everyone was nearly palpable and the ceremony, while simple, had moved more than one person to tears, although none so much as Molly Weasley, with Teddy on her lap, openly weeping as her youngest and only daughter recited the simple vows she had written herself. It had all been lovely, truly, and the ceremony quickly switched to celebration, with both champagne and elf made wine flowing freely; after four hours it was finally starting to wind down with the first guests just beginning to leave, but enough people still there that her absence would still go undetected.
It still sparked in her veins as Tonks slipped out of the tent, heels long forgotten and the hem of her gown in hand as she made her way back towards the house, a quick peek behind her confirming she was still alone; her friends were too observant by half. Despite the darkness of the house, she moved easily, sidestepping the squeaky stair and door stops that were littered through the cramped, winding halls until she didn’t. Despite all of her training and careful attention, not to mention years of tiptoeing through these same corridors, Tonks couldn't shake her clumsiness and her toe caught on a haphazardly discarded boot and she tumbled forward bracing herself to meet the floor when she was caught firmly around the waist just before she hit and hauled back up to her feet.
“One of these days I’m going to let you fall, Pinks.” There was an edge of laughter in Charlie’s voice and she didn’t hide her smile.
“Pretty sure you;ve done that on more than one occasion already, yeah?”
“It’s not my fault you and gravity don’t get along.” It was a simple statement and she could hear the smile in his voice as he expertly steered her through the nearest open door despite the darkness and kicked it shut behind him.
“You’d think after nearly a decade as an Auror you would have developed some sense of self-preservation but-” His words were cut off harshly, muffled against her lips.
Charlie tasted like champagne, mint and something else that she couldn’t quite put her finger on, something that was purely him, and it was lovely, if she was honest.
Pansy’s hard work was quickly mussed as strong fingers twisted into pink locks, crushing delicate petals and releasing even more of the intoxicating perfume as clothes were tugged away and tossed, haphazardly around the small room. Whispered endearments mixed with pretty, pretty filth against Tonks ear and a hand covered her mouth as she cried out,clever fingers quickly turning her to putty in Charlie’s very capable hands.
The stolen moments spanned years, since they were both at school and anytime they happened to be single and in the same country at the same time, but since he’d come home from Romania had become constant, although still stolen. Tonks was happy, more so than she could ever remember, but it was still secretive, something just between them, a secret that was just hers. She wasn’t ashamed, neither of them were but it was still something delicate that they weren't quite ready to share yet. There was a familiarity in every touch, promises and a lifetime of friendship the basis for something new that went unspoken but still somehow acknowledged. It was everything.
The turn of the doorknob and quick flash of light barely registered as she cried out a final time, Charlies groaned in her ear quickly giving way to a laugh as the door slammed shut again with a truly impressive string of curses.
“Pretty sure the jig is up, Pinks.” Charlie moved easily, shifting his weight and carefully moving Tonks off of his lap with a soft kiss to her head as she muttered under her breath, a handy little clean up spell that Hermione had shared years ago over gossip and too much Ogden’s.
They redressed quickly,clothes carefully adjusted in silence, pausing at the door for a sweet kiss. “That was Ron and, if I know my baby brother, he’s trying to drink away the image of catching another of his brothers in a compromising position.” Charlie’s words were coloured with laughter as he pulled the door open for Tonks, easily grabbing her hand as they headed for the stairs.
“Another brother? How many times-” She was insanely curious but trailed off as Charlie stopped dead in the middle of the stairs, looking up at her and nearly eye to eye despite being two steps below her.
“Five brothers. We have all seen things that shall never be unseen, Nymph.” His tone was grave but blue eyes twinkled and Tonks laughed, squeezing his hand as they headed back down the stairs. “If we’re lucky, maybe Ron hasn’t told anyone ye- oh.”
Instead of the empty dark kitchen they had passed through an hour before, the homey space was illuminated and filled with nearly the entire wedding party save for the children, all with amused expressions and many handing over galleons to a chuffed looking Theodore Nott. Pansy had her hand clasped over her mouth and Hermione was biting her lip to keep from dissolving into laughter while the Twins and Bill all retrieved their wallets. Molly was by the stove with both Andromeda and Narcissa , all three of whom had serene but knowing smiles. Ron just looked slightly green and Luna rubbed his shoulder affectionately.
“You bet on us?” Tonks’ exclamation echoed around the quiet kitchen as she futilely smoothed her dishevelled hair, petals slipping from the few pins that still remained.
“You thought you were subtle?” Molly Weasley, knitter of initial sweaters, baker of incomparable mince pies and mother of seven looked almost smug, in the most endearing way possible. “That’s adorable dear.”
“Mum, what-”
“Not now, Charlie. Harry and Ginny are waiting to say goodbye before they head off. Let’s go, we can discuss this later. Nymphadora dear, so glad you’ve finally come round.” She turned on her heel and headed out, followed by the rest of the crowd who all looked like they wanted to say something but didn’t want to risk it, not today.
“Disappointed, Pinks?” The question was quiet, barely a whisper and Tonks shook her head, pink stands falling in front of her eyes as she pressed a kiss to Charlie’s smooth-shaven cheek.
“Not at all. I do want to know how much money they made though, although maybe not tonight.”
“There’s more than enough time for that soon, Pinks, I promise. Now come dance with me.” Charlie grinned and tucked a fallen flower behind her ear before taking her hand and as Tonks followed him back out into the velvety night, the sweet scent of cherry blossoms heady in the air.