Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, or any of its characters. Nor am I making any money from this story.

Thanks to my beta MsHellFire2005.

Tonks was making a start on the evening meal, something that she had been brave enough to try on her own. It would take longer than it would for Mrs. Weasely to cook, or even Remus. But taking one task at a time was a the way to go to avoid any Tonksesq accidents, as she was half way peeling the potatoes Ginny had come in from the garden.

“Would you like some help Tonks? Ginny asked just coming in from the garden.

Tonks turned to her right and smiled at Ginny, “I didn’t hear you come in Gin,” Tonks put the knife down and dried her hands in the tea towel and continued “Well since you’re a guest, and I really shouldn’t ask you to. But it’s going to take me all night other wise, so I think I better take you up on the offer …that is if you don’t mind?”

Ginny shook her head, “No, I don’t mind.”

Tonks smiled back at the young girl, “Are you sure now, isn’t Hermione supposed to be coming over?”

Ginny shook her head sadly, “No, she’s not she said she was studying, but I think she’s trying not to take sides. Harry’s probably worked out why I’ve gone and told Hermione and Ron. And I suppose that she‘s not coming over because she doesn‘t want to take sides”

Tonks nodded and handed Ginny the knife and moved towards the fridge, “I’m sensing a bit of bitterness there Ginny. Is there anything you want to talk about?”

Ginny nodded “I really would like to talk what‘s been going on, Tonks. If that‘s okay?”

Tonks nodded as she got the meat tenderiser from the cupboard. “You always know if you want to talk to me then you can.”

Ginny continued slowly cut the potatoes in even wedges, but she stopped to answer Tonks. “You don’t mind me coming to talk to you do you Tonks?

“No,” Tonks said as she was preparing the meat on the chopping board. “I don’t mind at all, and I promise that what ever you say will stay between you and me.”

Ginny sighed and put the knife down this time, so she could face Tonks “I know that, and I do trust you Tonks, but I just don’t want to make Charlie angry at you again. I don’t want to cause you or Professor Lupin any trouble.”

Tonks sighed and put the mallet down besides the meat. “Come on Ginny, let’s sit down, let’s have a proper chat.”

Ginny made her way to the dinning table straight away, but Tonks went to the fridge first to get two bottles of butter beer from inside it.

“You can’t have a girly chat without butter beer,” she started as she joined Ginny “that’s one of the most important things I learnt at Hogwarts.” she added with a wink.

Ginny smiled and ran her finger around the top of the bottle “Tonks, can I ask you something?”

Tonks nodded while she took a small swig of her drink, “yep, you ask me anything.”

“Well you know earlier today when Charlie was over?” Ginny asked cautiously

“Yes.” Tonks replied slowly.

“Well…were you arguing about me?” Ginny asked, again cautiously.

“No Ginny we weren’t,” Tonks reassured the girl honestly, “Remus and I told him about us and he didn’t take it very well that’s all. I guess he was shocked, a lot of people are going to be shocked.”

Ginny nodded her head, “So he wasn’t cross that I came to you rather than to him?”

“No, not in the slightest. If he was mad at anybody, it was me.” Tonks stated.

“Why, is he angry at you?” Ginny asked concerned.

“Ginny,” Tonks started and she reached across taking the young girls hand in her own. “He wasn’t angry at me, because he thought that you and I were keeping secrets from him. And he certainly wasn’t cross at you, for coming to me, he was just glad you had someone you could talk to. I am not lying to you Gin.”

Ginny sighed not understanding “Are you sure?”

Tonks nodded vigorously before adding, “Yup, I’m sure it was me and Remus he was angry at.”

“So, why did Charlie not take you and Professor Lupin being together well?”

Tonks started to turn her attention to peeling the label on the bottle off, putting the tiny sections that came off with her efforts on the table. “I don’t know Ginny; I guess your going to have to ask Charlie that one.”

Tonks knew she was lying to Ginny, but she didn’t want the young girl thinking ill of her brother. She certainly didn’t, she knew most of what Charlie had said had been out of temper, and out of shock. I’m sure once he calmed down things would be okay again. Tonks knew from experience that people often said very silly things out of temper. Ginny however seemed to get the hint that Tonks didn’t want to talk about it.

“So you want to know what happened between me and Harry then.”

“Sure do,” Tonks said cheerfully “but you don’t have to tell me anything you don’t want to, okay?”

Ginny nodded, “we broke up, after Dumbledore’s death. He said that it wasn’t safe for us to be together. He said that it would be too dangerous, that Voldermort would target me.”

Tonks scratched her nose “he has a point there Ginny, he used you once to get into the Chamber of Secrets, there’s nothing stopping him trying to get you again?”

Ginny looked shocked, “how did you know about that?”

Tonks took another drink from her bottle and said, “The twins told me last summer, they were just telling me what had been going on in Hogwarts, and it came up.”

Ginny started to run her finger around the top of the bottle again, “you must think that I was a stupid little girl.”

“No!” Tonks exclaimed reaching for Ginny‘s hand, “I don’t think that at all sweetheart, I just think that it was a horrible thing, no aterrible thing to happen to one of the brightest young witches I know.”

Ginny smiled “thanks Tonks, but I don’t know what to do about Harry.”

Tonks shrugged her shoulders, “I don’t think there’s much you can do sweetheart.”

Ginny took the first swig of her bottle and put it back down on the table, “Maybe I can make him see what he’s doing, like you did with Professor Lupin.”

“Ginny,” Tonks said “I understand what your going through I really do. But you can’t do that, and like Remus said, it’s different from our situation from us. Remus is always going to be a Werewolf. Harry won’t always have to defeat Voldermort, one day it’ll all be behind him, and he’ll need you Ginny.”

Ginny nodded sadly, “I know that it just hurts so bad Tonks.”

“I know it does, and it’s supposed to hurt, the best things in life always hurt. But it makes us appreciate the good times. And I’m not a seer, but I’m hopeful that you and Harry have lots of happy times ahead of you.”

Ginny smiled as tears welled up in her eyes, “thank you Tonks, that means a lot to me.”

Ginny wrapped her arms around Tonks in a warm hug. Tonks returned Ginny’s hug, “That’s okay Ginny, you know it’s all going to work out for the best in the end don’t you?

Ginny nodded “we should be thinking of getting back to the cooking, or we won’t get to eat tonight.”

Tonks groaned and slouched in her chair, “I feel too important to cook now.”

Ginny laughed “so what do you want to do then?”

Tonks pretended to think about it “ I think I want to get a take-away.”

Ginny sighed “but we've alreadystarted onthe potatoes and the meat?”

Tonks shrugged her shoulders, “Well I can put the potatoes in a pan of water, and I can put the meat back in the fridge. Then when I’m feeling less important, I’ll put them in a stew.”

Ginny let out a huff of laughter “But what about Professor Lupin, won’t he be expecting you to cook something.”

Tonks rolled her eyes, “Professor Lupin will eat anything I put in front of him, if he knows what’s good for him. So what do you want, Pizza or Chinese?”

Please review after you read, your comments do help me write this story, even if it’s slowly.

- Solitary Witch.