Gift for Brina from Kristine
To: Brina/wordsncolours
From: Kristine/flipflop_diva
Title: Tea for Two
Summary: In the aftermath of the Second War, Charlie and Tonks find themselves drawn together. A few cups of tea help. Based on the prompt, friends to lovers.
Characters/Pairings: Charlie Weasley/Nymphadora Tonks
Rating/Warnings: PG-13
Word Count: 1,336
Can the Order post to Tumblr?: Yes
If yes, your Tumblr username: N/A
Her hair was long and almost grey the first time he brought her a cup of warm tea. He noticed because she was standing in a patch of sunshine, surrounded by people who were laughing and smiling, but her hair was as sad as the look in her eyes, a look he knew well - it matched the look in the eyes of his parents and his brothers and sister.
He made his way over to her, past people who were still celebrating the end of a war, and handed her the mug, smiling sadly at her. He didn’t say a word because there was nothing to say - I’m sorry he’s dead. I’m sorry their all dead was not something that needed to be spoken aloud. It changed nothing and it didn’t penetrate the sorrow - but she nodded at him and looked him in the eyes as she took the cup from his hand, and he knew she appreciated the gesture all the same.
He made his way back to his family, slid his arm around his mum, and shared in the stories of the brother they would never forget.
Every so often, he would cast a glance her way. Her hair never changed, but he saw her drink the tea, and somehow it made him feel better.
•••
Her hair was dark brown and fell to almost her waist the second time he brought her a cup of warm tea. There was a slight chill in the September air, but the significance of the day made him feel cold from the inside out. The haunted look in her eyes made him realize she felt the exact same.
He took two cups from the wizards who were moving through the crowds and passing them out before walking over to stand next to her. She was dressed in black and holding the baby, the reminder of the man whose memory she was there to honor. It had been the Ministry’s idea to hold a community-wide memorial for all those who were lost and all those who had sacrificed, but Charlie wasn’t sure it was going to help anyone.
He handed her one of the cups, not bothering to ask her how she was doing or if things had gotten any easier - he knew that they hadn’t. He still missed Fred every single day - but he handed little Teddy a new rattle and offered to hold him as she sipped the tea.
They didn’t mention Remus or Fred, but they talked about the baby and the rebuilding of Hogwarts and he told her of some new dragons he was trying to wrangle. Before the service started and he went to go join his family, she took the baby back and smiled gratefully, her fingers meeting his as they both held onto the child.
“We should do this again,” she said, and he knew without asking that she didn’t mean the tea.
•••
Her hair was turquoise blue and piled on top of her head the third time he brought her a cup of warm tea, made this time by him in his mother’s kitchen. The Burrow was filled to the brim with noise and people and laughter, but they had found a quiet spot out of the way where no one would bother them.
They could hear the Christmas music coming from the next room, and the happy squeals of baby Teddy as Ginny showed him some of the twins’ inventions, but neither one had any inclination to move as he sat down beside her and handed her the mug.
They had been spending more time together lately, when they could, and it was nice. Comforting. He felt like he could be himself with her, could laugh and not worry he was offending someone by being happy when it hadn’t even been a year.
He turned to look at her, her eyes bright and shiny, and asked her if she still missed him.
“Every single day,” she said, “but I think he’d want me to be happy.”
He leaned over and kissed her then, just a small peck on the lips. He could feel the steam of her tea grazing his chin as he did so. He pulled back as soon as he was done and settled once more beside her.
A few seconds later, she slipped one hand off her cup and squeezed his fingers, her touch warming his skin and his heart at the very same time.
•••
Her hair was yellow and curly the fourth time he brought her a cup of tea. It was their first official date, after months of dancing around the subject, but the snow that had fallen overnight had almost convinced him to cancel it. She had laughed when he’d suggested they maybe postpone and told him she thought they had waited long enough and, besides, it wasn’t snowing in Madam Puddifoot’s.
He had smiled and agreed, his heart almost dancing in relief, as he took her hand and they Apparated together.
They sat at a little table in a corner, huddled over their tea, and he told her about the other girls he had sat with during his school days in this very spot, and she smiled and told him how she’d spent all her money at Honeydukes instead.
They sat together at their little table for hours, just talking and laughing while their fingers grazed one another’s. He took her hand and led her outside before they returned home. It was bright but cold, and he didn’t see the scoop of snow she picked up until it was in his face and she was laughing.
He returned the favor and a few minutes later they were rolling on top of each other in a mound of snow as high as their waists, but neither one cared that they were maybe too old to be doing that.
She pushed a wet strand of hair out of her eyes when they were finished and told him with a smirk that he needed to buy her another cup of tea.
Instead he took her home and showed her an entirely different way of staying warm.
•••
Her hair was bright pink and spiky the fifth time he brought her a cup of warm tea. They were camped out in Romania, huddled together as they watched a dragon with her newborn baby, the mother dragon nuzzling the baby and tucking it under her wing.
The snow was falling hard and fast, and Charlie and Tonks were both shivering, but neither wanted to move away. Instead he poured her a mug of tea from the thermos he had packed in his bag that morning and handed it to her.
She took in into her mittened hands with a grateful nod, but then her brows furrowed as she stared into the cup.
“There’s something in there,” she started, and he couldn’t help but hide his nervous smile as her eyes grew wide.
She fumbled for her wand, to cool off the steaming liquid, her words almost stuttering together as she cast the spell. Finally, she tossed her wand aside, tore off her mitten and reached into the mug, pulling out the tiny ring with the glittering diamond.
She stared at him in awe, as he shifted his position to move on to one knee. He took her hand and told her all the ways she made his life better, and after she had thrown herself into his arms with a cry of “Yes!”, he slipped the ring on her finger and felt like he had finally found his true purpose in life.
“That was the best cup of tea you’ve ever given me,” she told him later that night when they were curled together in the tent, and he laughed.
“You’re the best thing a cup of tea has ever given me,” he said, and he leaned over, still tasting the chamomile as he kissed her lips and wishing the moment never had to end.
Kristine/Puff/45 Points
From: Kristine/flipflop_diva
Title: Tea for Two
Summary: In the aftermath of the Second War, Charlie and Tonks find themselves drawn together. A few cups of tea help. Based on the prompt, friends to lovers.
Characters/Pairings: Charlie Weasley/Nymphadora Tonks
Rating/Warnings: PG-13
Word Count: 1,336
Can the Order post to Tumblr?: Yes
If yes, your Tumblr username: N/A
Her hair was long and almost grey the first time he brought her a cup of warm tea. He noticed because she was standing in a patch of sunshine, surrounded by people who were laughing and smiling, but her hair was as sad as the look in her eyes, a look he knew well - it matched the look in the eyes of his parents and his brothers and sister.
He made his way over to her, past people who were still celebrating the end of a war, and handed her the mug, smiling sadly at her. He didn’t say a word because there was nothing to say - I’m sorry he’s dead. I’m sorry their all dead was not something that needed to be spoken aloud. It changed nothing and it didn’t penetrate the sorrow - but she nodded at him and looked him in the eyes as she took the cup from his hand, and he knew she appreciated the gesture all the same.
He made his way back to his family, slid his arm around his mum, and shared in the stories of the brother they would never forget.
Every so often, he would cast a glance her way. Her hair never changed, but he saw her drink the tea, and somehow it made him feel better.
•••
Her hair was dark brown and fell to almost her waist the second time he brought her a cup of warm tea. There was a slight chill in the September air, but the significance of the day made him feel cold from the inside out. The haunted look in her eyes made him realize she felt the exact same.
He took two cups from the wizards who were moving through the crowds and passing them out before walking over to stand next to her. She was dressed in black and holding the baby, the reminder of the man whose memory she was there to honor. It had been the Ministry’s idea to hold a community-wide memorial for all those who were lost and all those who had sacrificed, but Charlie wasn’t sure it was going to help anyone.
He handed her one of the cups, not bothering to ask her how she was doing or if things had gotten any easier - he knew that they hadn’t. He still missed Fred every single day - but he handed little Teddy a new rattle and offered to hold him as she sipped the tea.
They didn’t mention Remus or Fred, but they talked about the baby and the rebuilding of Hogwarts and he told her of some new dragons he was trying to wrangle. Before the service started and he went to go join his family, she took the baby back and smiled gratefully, her fingers meeting his as they both held onto the child.
“We should do this again,” she said, and he knew without asking that she didn’t mean the tea.
•••
Her hair was turquoise blue and piled on top of her head the third time he brought her a cup of warm tea, made this time by him in his mother’s kitchen. The Burrow was filled to the brim with noise and people and laughter, but they had found a quiet spot out of the way where no one would bother them.
They could hear the Christmas music coming from the next room, and the happy squeals of baby Teddy as Ginny showed him some of the twins’ inventions, but neither one had any inclination to move as he sat down beside her and handed her the mug.
They had been spending more time together lately, when they could, and it was nice. Comforting. He felt like he could be himself with her, could laugh and not worry he was offending someone by being happy when it hadn’t even been a year.
He turned to look at her, her eyes bright and shiny, and asked her if she still missed him.
“Every single day,” she said, “but I think he’d want me to be happy.”
He leaned over and kissed her then, just a small peck on the lips. He could feel the steam of her tea grazing his chin as he did so. He pulled back as soon as he was done and settled once more beside her.
A few seconds later, she slipped one hand off her cup and squeezed his fingers, her touch warming his skin and his heart at the very same time.
•••
Her hair was yellow and curly the fourth time he brought her a cup of tea. It was their first official date, after months of dancing around the subject, but the snow that had fallen overnight had almost convinced him to cancel it. She had laughed when he’d suggested they maybe postpone and told him she thought they had waited long enough and, besides, it wasn’t snowing in Madam Puddifoot’s.
He had smiled and agreed, his heart almost dancing in relief, as he took her hand and they Apparated together.
They sat at a little table in a corner, huddled over their tea, and he told her about the other girls he had sat with during his school days in this very spot, and she smiled and told him how she’d spent all her money at Honeydukes instead.
They sat together at their little table for hours, just talking and laughing while their fingers grazed one another’s. He took her hand and led her outside before they returned home. It was bright but cold, and he didn’t see the scoop of snow she picked up until it was in his face and she was laughing.
He returned the favor and a few minutes later they were rolling on top of each other in a mound of snow as high as their waists, but neither one cared that they were maybe too old to be doing that.
She pushed a wet strand of hair out of her eyes when they were finished and told him with a smirk that he needed to buy her another cup of tea.
Instead he took her home and showed her an entirely different way of staying warm.
•••
Her hair was bright pink and spiky the fifth time he brought her a cup of warm tea. They were camped out in Romania, huddled together as they watched a dragon with her newborn baby, the mother dragon nuzzling the baby and tucking it under her wing.
The snow was falling hard and fast, and Charlie and Tonks were both shivering, but neither wanted to move away. Instead he poured her a mug of tea from the thermos he had packed in his bag that morning and handed it to her.
She took in into her mittened hands with a grateful nod, but then her brows furrowed as she stared into the cup.
“There’s something in there,” she started, and he couldn’t help but hide his nervous smile as her eyes grew wide.
She fumbled for her wand, to cool off the steaming liquid, her words almost stuttering together as she cast the spell. Finally, she tossed her wand aside, tore off her mitten and reached into the mug, pulling out the tiny ring with the glittering diamond.
She stared at him in awe, as he shifted his position to move on to one knee. He took her hand and told her all the ways she made his life better, and after she had thrown herself into his arms with a cry of “Yes!”, he slipped the ring on her finger and felt like he had finally found his true purpose in life.
“That was the best cup of tea you’ve ever given me,” she told him later that night when they were curled together in the tent, and he laughed.
“You’re the best thing a cup of tea has ever given me,” he said, and he leaned over, still tasting the chamomile as he kissed her lips and wishing the moment never had to end.
Kristine/Puff/45 Points