“Wotcher, Remus, hi Draco.”
Draco peers into his cousin’s face. He . Remus went shooting with this cousin, not Sirius.
“Hi, er… Nymphadora.” He says, not managing a smile.
“No one calls me that but Mum, call me Tonks.” He says, letting them inside. Draco nods, following Remus into the small muggle house.
“Where is she? I thought she’d be here today.” Remus says casually, looking around.
“She’s helping Gran with a problematic lightbulb.” Tonks says. “Gran’s a muggle, you know. Mum might be back before you leave, though.”
Tonks leads them out to the garden, where a rather extensive tea spread is already set out.
“Don’t break anything, please. I promised I’d be extra careful with the china.”
Remus laughs, but Draco doesn’t get the joke. He sits on a bench against the fence, the only seat that’s shaded.
“Sit in the sun, Draco.” Remus says, gesturing at the third chair.
“I’m alright here.”
“I know a sunblock charm, hang on.” Tonks offers, drawing out his wand. “You’ll get cold sitting there.”
Draco’s usually cold anyway, but he doesn’t mention it. Tonks casts the spell, and Draco begrudgingly moves to the third seat. The sun does feel quite nice, but Draco’s still sulking at having to leave bed, so he doesn’t want to seem too pleased about it.
“How’s work?” Remus asks. Tonks pours everyone tea before answering.
“We’re sort of… There’s a bit of a coup, at the mo. Some of us aurors, we’re not happy with the way things are being run.”
“I think that’s a fairly common sentiment these days.” Remus says lightly. “Sandwich, Draco?”
Even though it’s phrased as a question, Draco knows he’s going to be forced to choke one down regardless, so he shrugs.
Remus sets two on Draco’s plate, one cucumber and one that has lettuce sticking out the sides. Draco plucks the leaf out, setting it aside.
“Eat the lettuce.” Remus says.
“No.”
Remus gives Draco a look, and Draco glowers back.
“You don’t get to be picky until you’re eating more than one meal a day.” Remus says firmly, waving his wand at the sandwich so the lettuce goes back in and stays put.
It’s very rich of Remus to force Draco to eat things he doesn’t like when just last night, he’d told Draco there was no cake of any kind available because he, Remus, doesn’t care for it. Who doesn’t care for cake? Remus is clearly a psychopath, so Draco reluctantly eats as he’s told.
“How are you two holding up?” Tonks asks after an awkward silence.
“Well enough.”
“Shittily.”
Remus and Draco speak at the same time, and Remus rolls his eyes. Draco ignores him, drinking his tea silently.
“We haven’t gotten out much.” Remus tells Tonks. “But we’re handling it alright, I think. We’re in a weird transitionary period now.”
“Hm.” Tonks says lightly. “That’s how Gran was when dad’s step-father passed. They’d been together since I was six.”
“What did he die of?” Draco asks. Remus sighs.
