𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐫 | n. tonks

xxviii

The days following Dumbledore's death were unusually quiet. Hadley and the rest of the Order booked rooms at The Three Broomsticks so that they could stay close to Hogwarts in case anything else happened and for Dumbledore's funeral.

It was a warm, sunny day when the service took place. Madam Maxime, the Beauxbatons headmistress, showed up, as well as the merpeople that live in the Black Lake.

After the service, Mad-Eye instructed Hadley, Remus, and Kingsley to escort the Hogwarts students to the Hogwarts Express, which was waiting on Hogsmeade Station to take them home. Numerous concerned parents wanted their children home as soon as possible.

As the large steam engine pulled out of the station, Hadley felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned to face Mad-Eye, who told her that Tonks was waiting for her down near the Shrieking Shack.

Hadley thought this was a rather unusual place, but it wasn't until she got there that she realized why Tonks wanted her to meet her there.

"Do you remember when we first met?" Tonks asked as they sat in the grass a few yards away from the Shrieking Shack. "I was in my 7th year, you in your 2nd. You, Fred, and George had snuck out of Hogwarts to come down to Hogsmeade. You three were messing around with some Zonko's products right here in front of the Shack. I saw you guys, and Fred and George...ran for it."

Hadley chuckled a little and nodded. She'd never told anyone about how she and her brothers used to use a special map that they stole from Filch's office 1st year to sneak out to Hogsmeade before they had permission in their 3rd year. "I think they thought you were a prefect or something," Hadley said.

"Nah, Professor Sprout said I couldn't behave myself enough to be a prefect." Tonks laughed. "Anyway, you stayed behind and attempted to erase my memory so I wouldn't be able to rat you guys out–"

"But then it kinda backfired and hit me instead," Hadley finished, the memory coming back to her.

"And I had to take you up to the hospital wing so Madam Pomfrey could put you right."

"You know, I almost forgot that we went to school together for a little bit," Hadley admitted.

"How could you forget the Hufflepunk with the pink hair?" Tonks asked, placing a hand to her chest in mock offense and smiling when Hadley laughed. "I didn't forget you. I think that's probably why I'd get so annoyed with you in the beginning, cause I knew you used to be such a troublemaker."

"Freddie, Georgie, and I ruled detention." Hadley tossed her hair dramatically over her shoulder. "But I think...I hope...I've matured at least a little bit."

"Maybe a little more than a little bit." Tonks nudged Hadley gently with her shoulder. "You were amazing the other night. The way you threw yourself in front of Bill knowing you'd get hurt...You were so brave."

"He's my brother." Hadley shrugged her shoulders lightly. "Greyback would've killed him...I couldn't just stand by and do nothing."

"That's one of the things I love about you," Tonks said softly.

Hadley gasped, her eyes lighting up. "What did you say?"

Tonks chuckled and playfully shoved her shoulder. "I love you, idiot."

"So, what are you gonna do about it?" Hadley asked with a teasing smirk.

"Actually..." Tonks reached into her pocket for something. "There is...one thing."

Hadley's jaw fell open, all cockiness leaving her as she watched Tonks pull a ring out of her pocket. She was scared to blink, scared to move. If this was a dream, she didn't want to wake up.

"It's nothing fancy, just something I got from my mum since it was such short notice, but...with the way things are right now..." Tonks took a deep breath. She reached for Hadley's hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "You are the most important person in my life right now. I never really understood what people meant when they talked about love until I found myself falling in love with you...I don't know what's gonna happen or where we might be a few days, weeks, or months from now...All I know is that, whatever happens...I want it to happen when I'm with you."

A tear fell down Hadley's cheek. The gentle wind rustling the leaves and the birds tweeting around them sang a gentle melody for this tender moment as oceans of blue and pools of chocolate stared into one another.

"I know it's a little old fashioned, but I asked your parents for their blessing, which they were more than happy to give...s-so I'm just gonna keep it simple." Tonks took another deep breath and moved closer to her girlfriend; to the love of her life. "Hadley...will you marry me?"

Hadley opened her mouth to speak, but she couldn't get the words to form. Never in her wildest dreams did she think that something like this would ever happen to her. In the past whenever she'd picture her figure, she always saw it running a successful joke shop with Fred and George. Now when she imagined it, she saw it in a Voldemort-free world, surrounded by all her family, and married to the clumsy Order member sitting right in front of her.

"Y-Yes..." Hadley whispered once she found her voice, nodding.

Tonks's face flooded with relief, and she grabbed the back of Hadley's neck, pulling her in for a passionate kiss. When air became limited, they broke away, and she rested their foreheads together, her thumb caressing her cheek lovingly.

"And I love you, too," Hadley said softly before connecting their lips again.

─── ⋆·✧·⋆ ───

a/n

that's officially the end of act ii !! there's gonna be a little bit of a break before i start the third and final act while i plan chapters and finish rereading deathly hallows so i can figure out what i need from the book in addition to the movie

i promise not to keep you guys waiting for too long, and i promise that tonks and hadley's story isn't going to end in tragedy! i love them too much to end it with tonks dying 🥺

thoughts?