A/N:I did say I wasn't going to go hog wild with the notes, didn't I? Well, that's just another thing I went against when I went to a post almost every day... You see, the more reviews I get the more excited I get and the only way I can think of to get more reviews is to post another chapter! See what my addiction does to me? *ARGH!* ;) Some questions are answered, some are brought up, and yet others are waiting to pounce on you from nowhere. Enjoy yet another chapter!
Harry and Hermione met with Professors Snape and Flitwick at the designated time and place then bid each other a goodnight before the tapestry that hid Hermione's quarters.
Harry Flooed home shortly afterwards and found Tonks asleep on the sofa once again. Thankfully, she was disguised this time and with a slight smile, he tried to gently shake her awake. She didn't stir at his attempt so he lifted her in his arms, as he had the previous night, and carried her upstairs.
"Hmm?" she groaned as he laid her on the bed. "Oh, James, you're home," she said with a sleepy smile.
"I said you didn't have to wait up for me," he said with a grin. "Why don't we get ready for bed?"
Tonks slipped to the floor and undressed as he stripped to his boxers. He shook his head as they snuggled under the covers and felt her warm, nude body pressed against his.
"How was your day?" Tonks purred into his ear. She flicked his earlobe with her tongue before kissing him gently at the base of his jaw.
He smiled and shifted a bit as he felt her tug at the waistband of his boxers. "I thought you were sleepy..." he said with a smile as her foot hooked his underwear and removed them completely.
"I was waiting for you to carry me to bed again," she said with a soft chuckle. "Don't you want to explore our new bodies, we are married after all," she cooed seductively in his ear.
Harry laughed as she rolled on top of him then bent down for a kiss and after a few moments, he gave into her demands.
"You should have asked me, James!" Tonks grumbled irritatingly as they walked across the school grounds to the Quidditch pitch. "Did you stop to think that I might have wanted to sleep in after last night?!"
Harry cringed at the response he'd been getting since he told his partner that both of them would meet Hermione for her first walk. "Why is this such a big deal?" he asked seemingly for the hundredth time. "You care for Hermione as well... don't you want to help her?"
"Of course I do," she said quietly. "I just wish you would have talked to me about it first."
"I'm sorry," he said, stopping and holding her at arms length. "It slipped out last night at tea. If you don't want to go, you don't have to." He smiled softly and she rolled her eyes with a sigh of resignation.
"Come on, it's only a twenty-lap walk," she huffed and turned towards the pitch but Harry turned her back.
"Can we not be fighting when we get there, please?" he asked pleadingly, cupping her cheek with his hand. "We're helping a friend and it'll only be this one time. I'd like you to be there to help me as well," he whispered. "It's not easy hiding from her, but I'm a professor here and I'm also her friend. I can't turn her away."
Tonks closed her eyes when he'd placed his warm hand on her cheek and she nodded after he was finished, covering his hand with her chilled fingers. "I'm sorry, I'm just tired," she said quietly. "Come on, Hermione's waiting for her coach."
Harry smiled softly and kissed her gently on the forehead. "Thank you," he whispered as he pulled away. They continued the remainder of the hike hand-in-hand and Harry waved to Hermione after she came into view.
"Good morning!" Hermione said with a smile. "I got here a bit earlier that I thought!"
"Professor Granger, this is my wife Marion. Marion, Professor Hermione Granger," Harry said with a smile.
"It's a pleasure to meet the famous Hermione Granger," Tonks said with a smile. "Is everything they've written in the books true?"
Hermione laughed as she shook Tonks' hand. "I don't think all of it's true," she said with a smile, "at least not what they've written in the Daily Prophet's gossip columns!"
The three of them laughed for a moment as they began their stretching exercises. Harry and Tonks took turns correcting Hermione's form throughout the process and were soon walking at a semi-brisk pace around the pitch. They didn't say much during their early morning exercises and they parted ways after Harry checked her heart rate.
"That wasn't so bad, was it?" Harry asked with a smile. "If it's alright with you, I can tend to her training alone," he said as they walked back to Hogsmeade.
"I thought you were just going to walk today and again in two weeks?" Tonks asked a bit evenly.
Harry looked at her curiously. "Are you alright?" he asked after taking her arm. "I just want to help her along, you know exercise is better when you've got company."
"I know," she said after a moment. "But if you keep spreading yourself so thin, I'll be the only one on the lookout."
Harry shook his head and smiled. "I'll just catch a nap over lunch and do more night work when I don't have patrol at the castle. When Hogsmeade trips start, I'll be with the students and can keep watch then as well."
"Just don't spread yourself too thin, Ha... James," Tonks said quietly. "Listen, you're going to be late unless you run back, I'll catch up..."
Harry looked at his watch and blanched. "Better yet, I'll apparate to the house!" He kissed her on the cheek and with a pop was standing in their bedroom. Good thing we can travel like that... he thought to himself as he barreled through the bathroom to the shower.
He'd just finished getting ready when Tonks walked in looking rather deep in thought. "I'm off. I'll see you for lunch," he said with a smile and another kiss to her cheek. She looked up at him, confused for a moment, then smiled and kissed him back.
"See you then," she said. Harry looked at her curiously but had to rush to the fireplace.
Classes went well for his second day and the sixth years were just as surprised as the seventh years were. It was a tired man that stumbled into his house at noon and with a groan collapsed on the sofa.
"Hey, ready for some lunch?" Tonks asked with a curious smile from the table.
Harry shook his head. "I'm too tired," he mumbled. Harry sighed when he felt fingers slip into his hair and he moaned sleepily. "Can you wake me up in an hour?" he asked groggily.
Harry felt a kiss on his lips which he returned weakly. "Get some sleep, I'll wake you," Tonks whispered into his ear before everything went dark.
"James... James, wake up..." Tonks whispered into his ear at the designated time. "You've got to get back to the school."
Harry's eyes fluttered open and he still didn't feel rested. "I think it's going to take some time to get used to this timetable," Harry said with a yawn. He smiled at the woman sitting next to him. "Thanks for waking me."
"You asked me to wake you after an hour and here we are," she said with a smile. "Off to class with you! I'll see you when you're done with rounds." She kissed him lightly on the cheek and straightened his hair a bit.
"You take good care of me," he said with a smile, rising to his feet. He pulled her hand to his lips and with a kiss to her knuckles waved and Flooed back to his office. He hadn't been there long when a knock came at his door. "Come in."
He hadn't looked up from his lesson plan but turned when he heard Hermione clear her throat by the door.
"Oh, Hermione, sit down, please." He grinned at her. "How are you feeling after your first day on the program?"
"Tired," she admitted with a smile. "But I'll get used to it."
"Any soreness or other problems?"
She shook her head. "Nothing yet, though I have a feeling I'll be running into that problem in the morning."
Harry laughed. "Well, yes, there is that problem," he admitted. "If you'd like, I can continue training with you in the mornings, exercise loves company."
"Actually, I was going to ask my friend Harry to join me," she said with a slight smile. "I've been ignoring him since I told him I was teaching here. He's an Auror now so he's used to the exercise."
"I'm sure he'll be happy to hear from you then," Harry said with a grin as he turned back to his paperwork. "Is there anything else you needed?" he asked as he looked at her with a raised eyebrow.
"I just wanted to thank you for helping me," she said with a smile. "And I was hoping I could cook for you and your wife this weekend, it's the least I can do to repay you for your kindness."
"That would be wonderful," he said, returning her smile in full. "I have to check with Marion first, but I think there shouldn't be any problems. I'll let you know after I get her word?"
"That'll be fine," Hermione said as she stood to leave. "Thanks again, you don't know how much this means to me."
"Seeing you physically fit and cheerful is enough," Harry said with another smile. "I'll see you at tea."
She waved before leaving his office and Harry returned to his preparations. The day slipped by and ten minutes before tea, he found himself on all fours with his head in the fireplace looking confusedly at an angry woman.
"Marion, why are you so angry?" Harry asked dumbfounded. "It's just one meal as thanks for helping her."
"What if she finds out? What if our cover is blown?" Tonks said in exasperation. "She's one clever witch and it wouldn't be too hard for her to figure things out!"
"She might be able to if we act like who we are," he said as he stepped from the fireplace. "The only one who'd give us away is Hedwig and I'll have her stay at the castle... All of our stuff is generic enough that nobody will know; it's not like everything is embroidered with HP and NT!" he said a little heatedly. "What's gotten into you, Marion? She's a friend of ours, one we've helped and who wants to thank us with a simple meal." Tonks looked at him crossly. "Wasn't it you who told me to tell her how I felt and to visit her? She thinks that I'm James Baker, a professor at Hogwarts who's helped get her life back on track and is happily married to Marion Baker."
"I know," she said with a frustrated sigh. "I get that..."
"Then what's the problem?" he asked and put his hands on her shoulders. "I'll sweep the house and make sure that all of our official equipment is at my place, she doesn't know where that is so it'll be safe. We'll be James and Marion Baker, husband and wife, and we won't have to worry about Hermione blowing our cover." He cupped her cheek and smiled. "I'll take you out Sunday night. Anywhere you choose if that helps."
Tonks rolled her eyes and a slight smile spread across her face. "You don't have to do that..." she said after sliding her arms around his neck. "But I'm not letting you back away from it now!"
Harry laughed and pulled her into a hug. "So is it ok? Are we ok?"
Tonks kissed him tenderly on his lips and slid back afterwards with a wide smile caressing her face. "We're ok," she said quietly. "Tell Hermione it's fine and we'll see her Saturday."
Harry grinned and kissed her again. "Thanks," he said happily. "I should get to tea before it's over."
"See you tonight, dear," Tonks said with a cheeky smile and Harry laughed just before the green flames engulfed him. He barely made it to the Great Hall in time and gave Hermione the affirmative before heading off to his extra-curricular class. His clock chimed that it was time to begin rounds and with a tired stretch, he opened the door to see Hermione walking into the classroom.
"Be right there," he said with a wave as he secured his office. She leaned against the wall and he joined her after a few moments. "How were classes today?" he asked absently as they started their walk down the corridors.
"They went as well as can be expected," she said with a shrug. "I don't understand how difficult turning a matchstick into a needle is..."
"Well, you've got far more experience than they do," Harry said nonchalantly as he opened a broom closet to find two students doing exactly what they shouldn't be doing.
"Ten points from Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw," Harry said sternly as the students looked to the floor. "You know the rules, now back to your houses." They did as they were told and the two professors continued on their patrol.
Conversation slid from one topic to the next. The war, the school, students, current events, just about everything under the sun and before they knew it, Snape and Flitwick were relieving them for the evening.
"That went fast," Harry remarked after they'd started on their way towards the teacher's quarters.
"It was nice chatting with someone for a change," Hermione said with a smile. They stopped at an old tapestry and Hermione smiled again. "I'll see you later," she said with a wave. "Don't keep your wife waiting."
Harry shook his head. "I don't want to do that. Goodnight, Hermione," he said as he continued to his office. He arrived at home at the same time as before and again found Tonks sound asleep on the sofa. She was in her guise as Marion and he thought how lucky it was that his partner was a Metamorphmagus like himself. He kissed her gently on the forehead and cradled her in his arms. She moaned sleepily and wrapped her arms around his neck. A few minutes later, he set her down on the bed and began to undress her.
"Hmm? Oh, you don't have to do that again," she said sleepily.
"Either that or you're grumpy in the morning," Harry said with a smile.
"Oh, this came for you after tea," Tonks said as she rifled through her robe. "Letter from Hermione."
Harry smiled and took the rolled parchment.
Dear Harry,
I'm sorry it's taken me so long to write you again, but I've been busy at the school with classes. The
new defense professor is a very nice man named James Baker. He's rather ruthless in classes, but his students seem
to be responding well to the way he's teaching. But the reason why I'm writing is to ask if you could do me a
small favor. I've started exercising in the mornings and it's thanks to James that I'm able to do this.
He's taught Muggle physical education along with Auror training as well. I asked him for help and he's come
through brilliantly. I was hoping you'd like to join me in the mornings for a walk around the Quidditch pitch at
Hogwarts. It's twenty laps a day for the first two weeks and I was hoping you'd have time with your busy
timetable. I checked the copy you sent me before I asked and I hope you'd like to join me.
I've got to get ready for patrol now. I hope to hear from you soon! I start my walk at five.
Love from
Hermione
Harry smiled and quickly scribbled that he'd see her at the designated time, rolled the parchment and sent Hedwig off after a lazy stroke of her feathers.
"Hermione just asked if Harry could join her on the walks," he said with a grin.
"Oh, so you won't be going there as James then?" Tonks asked with a raised eyebrow. "This could get interesting... Don't screw up, Harry," she warned.
Harry nodded. "I don't intend to screw anything up," he said seriously as he pulled off his robes. He had stripped down to his boxers and was about to slink under the covers when Tonks shook her head. "Oh, I won't need these again?" he asked with a lopsided grin and tugged at the waistband of his underwear. Tonks lifted the covers to show that she was in the same situation and Harry laughed as he discarded the unnecessary clothing.
He slipped under the covers and threw them over their heads. A few giggles erupted from Tonks followed shortly thereafter by moans.
Harry realized he was out of shape when he tried to move the next morning. The last few assignments he and his partner had been given were cushy and relaxing, allowing his lapse in physical fitness. He groaned when he realized how stiff his legs were and the soreness in his muscles seemed to reach everywhere. Harry sighed when an enervation charm didn't help and he groaned again when he walked across the bedroom.
"You're the one who said you'd do this with her," Tonks said from under her pillow.
"I know," Harry said with a grimace as he slipped on a pair of sweat pants and his trainers. "I'll be back for breakfast," he whispered as he kissed her shoulder.
"Don't be late this time," she said with a smile. "And don't forget you can apparate home."
"I won't forget," he said with a laugh as he reverted to his Harry Potter persona and disappeared with a pop. Harry looked up at the wrought iron gates that marked the beginning of the school grounds and with a smile, pushed them open so he could follow the path to the Quidditch pitch. Hermione was walking stiffly from the school by time he'd started stretching and he looked up when she called his name.
"Good morning!" he said with a wave and a smile, hiding the fact that he was sore from head to toe as well.
"I'm glad you said you'd come," Hermione smiled in return. "This is an everyday project for me," she explained as she started her routine of stretches. "James has me on a training diet and hopefully, I'll shed off this excess fat..."
"You're not fat, Hermione," Harry said with a slight chuckle.
"Yes I am," she stated flatly. "I don't feel good about myself, and I need to start somewhere."
Harry nodded and they continued their stretches in silence. When it came to walking, he felt so comfortable with her that he didn't feel the need to talk. Happiness seemed to be found by just being near her and seeing the woman of his dreams spending time with him.
"So, how's your assignment going?" Hermione asked once she'd gotten tired of the silence.
"Nothing yet," Harry said with a shrug. "We're still looking though."
"How's Tonks? Is she doing ok after her tumble?"
"She's getting along well, actually," Harry said with a laugh. "The food is much better in the new place than what we had before and she's in heaven."
Hermione snorted a laugh that turned into an infectious chuckle from Harry. "I'm sorry I didn't ask you to visit sooner..." she said after they'd finished. "I thought we needed to cool down after that last fight."
"Look, about that..." Harry started but Hermione shook her head.
"I know, Harry," she said with a slight smile. "I was just too blind to see it."
"I'm just happy that we can talk again," he said with a sigh. "I've missed you too much."
"Why didn't you reply to the letters I sent?" she asked curiously after a moment.
"With Ron there?" Harry asked incredulously. "That would have gone over well and I said before that I didn't want to be the reason you two broke up."
She seemed to take this as the only answer she'd get and they continued their laps in silence.
"Well, I need to get ready for classes," Hermione announced as they finished their final stretch. "Thank you for coming, Harry," she said once again. "I've really missed spending time with you."
"Me to, Hermione," he said with a quick hug. He was happy to note that she hugged him back and didn't stiffen at his contact. "I should get back and eat breakfast before my shift starts."
"Oh, I'm cooking for James and his wife this Saturday as thanks for helping me," Hermione said rather quickly. "Would you like to join me?"
Harry sighed inwardly at the look of hope in her eyes and smiled apologetically. "I really wish I could but I'm booked solid this weekend." He pulled her into a tight hug and whispered, "I really wish I could, Hermione, maybe we could get together another time for tea?"
She hugged him tightly in return and smiled forcibly. "That's ok, Harry, I understand." She backed away and shrugged. "I thought I'd ask and I'd like that. Let me know when your timetable is free?"
He cupped her cheek with his hand and sighed. "You don't have to hide your feelings from me, Hermione, remember I can still read you just like you can me. Sunday is free, if you'd still like to spend time with me besides your morning walks..."
He brightened when her smile reverted from her fake one to genuine and she nodded. "Sunday will be fine," she said quietly.
"There's someplace I'd like to show you if that's ok with you," he said with a smile. "Can I owl you directions? It's a surprise."
She nodded and Harry noted the sparkles that were starting to form in her eyes. "Sunday it is then, I'll make sure I don't have any duties to attend to. Do you want to make it an all day event?"
"I'll have to check with Tonks and see if she can handle things for a day, but I'd love to," he replied brightly. "I'll let you know if there's a problem."
They hugged again and Harry thought she lingered in the embrace a bit longer than she ever had before. He wanted to stay where he was but she pulled away and started back to the school. With a wave, he began to jog back to the gates.
"I'm going to be late!" he grumbled, looking at his watch. As soon as he was out of the influence of the wards, he apparated back to the house and began to strip his clothes off in a rush.
"You don't have much time!" Tonks called from downstairs as Harry stepped out of the shower. He saw his reflection in the mirror and quickly changed into his other persona before dressing and rushing to the sitting room. "I made you a few sandwiches to eat before class, now hurry up!"
Harry laughed and kissed her on the cheek. "You're a lifesaver!" he said as she blushed. "I'll see you at tea; we have to talk about this weekend!"
"James, fix your hair before you leave," Tonks said in a business-like tone. "I'll see you tonight."
Harry smiled, ran his fingers through his hair as ordered, and within moments, he was flipping through papers as he chewed hungrily on his sandwich. The bell rang just as he'd gotten the papers he needed straight and without hesitation, introduced himself to the class.
The day was busy and raced by rather quickly before he realized it was tea time. With a flurry of papers and a pinch of powder, he was standing in the sitting room looking at a table set for a romantic evening for two.
"What's this?" he asked curiously as he set down his briefcase and hung his cloak.
"It's tea," Tonks sad with a smile, setting down a bottle of wine after filling two glasses. "I've been such a prat the past few days that I wanted to apologize," she said sheepishly.
Harry took the offered glass and pulled Tonks into a one-armed hug. "No apology is needed," he said quietly and kissed her cheek. "You've been doing all the surveillance and I've been running around the school, perhaps taking the defense position was a mistake."
Tonks smiled after they clinked their glasses together and took the seat that Harry offered her. After a long pull off her wine, she dished out the food and patted the chair next to her. "You must be famished, have a seat and tell me what you wanted to talk about."
Harry did as he was instructed and smiled when she kissed his cheek after he'd seated himself. "Thank you for cooking," he said as he examined the work she had to have gone through. With a slight turn, he looked at her and smiled. "Hermione invited me along for Saturday," he said with a slight laugh. "I had to turn her down, of course, but offered to spend time with her on Sunday. She asked if we could make it an all day thing and I thought I'd ask you first."
"You don't need my permission to date Hermione, Harry," Tonks said evenly after a moment.
"It isn't a date," Harry said taken back at her choice of words and tone of voice, "and I wanted to make sure it was alright with you because of our assignment, I don't want to keep pushing it all onto your shoulders."
Tonks sighed and closed her eyes for a moment. "It's alright, James, I'll cover for you on Sunday," she said quietly. "You two get to know each other again, it's been too long since you've had anyone but me to look at."
Harry looked at her strangely for a minute then turned fully towards her so he could see her properly. "What's that supposed to mean?" he asked as he took her hands in his. "You're my closest friend and I enjoy spending time with you whether we're working or not."
Tonks continued to look at her plate and nodded. "I know," she said after a moment. She finally looked up at him and smiled. "Come now, your plate's getting cold and you have to get back for your extra-curricular training session."
"Is everything ok?" he asked her quietly.
She nodded and took in a deep breath. "It's fine, James, really." She kissed him on the cheek and nudged him towards his plate. "Now eat some food! I don't want to hear your stomach rumbling all night!"
Harry smiled slightly at her jibe and reluctantly turned towards his plate. "Did you make this?" he asked after a moment. "It doesn't taste like the house-elves made it."
She nodded nervously. "I had one of them help, but mainly to keep from burning the house down," she admitted after a slight laugh.
"This is good," he said with a grin and helped himself to a second serving, "very good!"
Her smile grew rather broad as Harry dug into a third helping. The clock signaled it was time for him to return to school and he drank the rest of his wine to wash the last bite down.
"That was brilliant," he said with a smile. "Coming home for tea might be a better idea from now on, if you want me to, that is."
"I think I'd like that," Tonks said with a smile of her own. She stood with Harry and walked him to the fireplace. "I'll see you when you get home," she said as she hugged him tightly. "I'm glad you liked it."
"I loved it!" He corrected followed by a gentle kiss. "I'll see you in an hour..."
They broke apart and Harry was back at school, teaching another hour of advanced defense. The dueling practice he'd scheduled went marvelously well and it was a proud, but exhausted man that stumbled into the sitting room later that night. Harry looked to the sofa instinctively and frowned slightly when he didn't find Tonks asleep on the sofa. With drooping eyes, he stumbled up the stairs and stared in shock at what was waiting for him.
Tonks was spread over the bed with rose petals strewn all about the floor and covers. There were several candles floating in the air lazily, giving the room a very romantic tinge of orange and yellow flickering light.
"Welcome home..." Tonks purred seductively with a curling of her index finger. "This is the second part of my apology." She slowly slid her hand up her thigh, pulling on the black, silk nighty as she did so.
Harry stood in awe at the extent she was going to and when his mouth dropped open to say something, words failed him and a small squeak came forth instead.
The woman in his bed smiled approvingly and slid to the floor. "How about I help you with those?" she said as she slid his robes from his shoulders and started on his tie.
"What?" Harry said dumbly as he felt his pants slide to the floor.
"Hmm?" she hummed as his shirt fell away and she kissed his neck.
"I didn't think we fought that much..." Harry said in a daze as Tonks slipped her arms around his neck.
"We did fight, and welcome to the make-up sex," she said with a devilish smile, bringing him into a tender kiss that quickly went passionate. Harry's arms found their way around her and before either of them knew it, he had carried her to the bed and slipped her nighty's straps from her shoulders.
"I made... a few... mmm... modifications..." she said between kisses. "Do you... mmm... like them?"
Harry pulled back slightly and looked her over, a smile forming as his eyes took in the hint of a curve here and a slight dip there. He ran his hand over her flat stomach and lifted her lingerie as he moved it up her thigh.
"I'll take that as a yes," she whispered as she came in for a nibble on his ear, squirming underneath him as she pulled his boxers off of him.
"Remind me... to fight with you... more often..." Harry gasped a half hour later as he rolled to the mattress. She curled into his side and slid her well-shaped leg over him along with an arm.
"After that, I'll fight with you as often as you like," she growled sensually in his ear then kissed his neck. His immediate response to her machinations caused her to smile against his warm skin and she slid atop him once again.
"Another go?" he asked incredulously. She bent and kissed his neck, nibbling at one of the taught muscles that lined it, causing him to issue forth a low groan. She pulled back and nodded as she began once again.
Two hours later, a satisfied Tonks and an even more exhausted Harry lie in bed. The sheets and blankets were long discarded to allow them to cool off and the chilled night air began to take its toll. They brought the blankets over them and within minutes, both were sound asleep.