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BOOK THREE: CHAPTER FIVE

"Come on! You can do it, Tonks. Don't give up."

"Veronica, please! You know this isn't working. This is our tenth lesson, and I'm not any better than I was before we started." Veronica opened her mouth to protest, but Tonks raised her hand to stop her. "I'm not blaming you, it's not your fault. You're an excellent teacher, and I really think you should pursue it as a career one day. I just don't think I'm capable of this level of magic, at least not yet. Besides, it's like you said, it's extremely hard to achieve, and even Charlie, who I can tell you is better at magic than me, couldn't do it. Archie's parents, who are full grown, adult wizards, can't do it. So really, what chance did I have? It was a long shot, but at least we tried! And I had fun, it was great getting to hang out with you and get to know you."

Veronica sighed as she sank to the floor against the wall she had been leaning on. They had been given permission from Dumbledore to use one of the many empty classrooms to practice in. It was great because not only were they away from prying eyes, but they had a big empty space to practice in, and Veronica could use the boards to write on. Obviously none of it mattered because it hadn't worked. She had failed at her task of teaching Tonks non-verbal wandless magic, just as she had with Charlie, and Veronica felt defeated. "I'm really sorry, Tonks."

"Stop." Tonks shook her head as she sat beside Veronica and nudged her shoulder lightly. "Don't apologize. And... you can call me Dora if you want. That's what my dad calls me, and I always said I'd only let very close friends call me that. No one has earned it before, but you definitely have."

"Thanks... Dora." Veronica's eyes seemed to disappear from how big her smile was. "That means a lot to me." The two girls sat in a comfortable silence for a while until Veronica spoke up again. "Can I tell you something? You have to promise this will stay between us. You kept my secret once before, so I know I can trust you, and I need to get this off my chest. I have no one I can talk to about this, not even Charlie... especially not Charlie."

Tonks's eyebrows furrowed as she sat up straight, turning her body to face her friend. "Of course. Is everything okay? You're worrying me," she chuckled nervously.

Veronica sighed and closed her eyes as she leaned her head back against the wall. "I... I'm in love with Charlie." Tonks barely had time to register the harsh blush on Veronica's face before her friend covered her face with her hands. The embarrassment was palpable in the air. Tonks couldn't help the bubble of laughter that escaped her mouth, quickly clasping her hand over it when Veronica's head jerked towards her with her eyebrows furrowed. "Are you laughing at me?"

"No! I'm sorry, I just... it just came out. I didn't mean to laugh." Tonks hated the hurt look on Veronica's face and rushed to explain herself. "I... it's just... Veronica... I already knew that."

"What? How would you know that? I never told you that. I never told anyone that."

Tonks chuckled again as she shook her head. "Trust me, you don't need to tell anyone. I'm pretty sure the whole school can see how in love with each other you both are... except the two of you, of course. You two are the only ones who can't seem to see it."

Now it was Veronica who had to repress a laugh. "Oh please, what are you on about? Charlie does not feel the same way about me as I do about him. He's most certainly not in love with me. Of course he loves me as his best friend, but that's it."

Tonks stared at her friend in disbelief. "Veronica, come on! I've personally seen you two together. He feels the same, he's just scared to ruin your friendship, which I'm sure is the same reason you haven't said anything."

"Oh, I could never. Like I said, he doesn't love me like that, and our friendship would be completely ruined if I told him how I felt. It would be so awkward."

"No, it wouldn't! He would finally tell you how he feels, and you'll be able to be together in the way you both crave as opposed to just pining over each other from a distance."

Veronica simply shook her head sadly. She wished Tonks was right, but she knew deep down, she wasn't. Charlie didn't feel the same. Slowly, she stood and brushed the dust off her trousers before making her way over to the door. She was late again. Turning back to Tonks, she smiled sadly. "Have a great Christmas break, Dora. I'll see you in the new year." And with that, she left Tonks alone in the empty classroom.

"Seriously, how oblivious can one person be... eh?"

Tonks nearly jumped out of her skin at the voice behind her. Scrambling to her feet, she turned to look where she had just been sitting, and sighed as the disembodied head of Peeves poked through the wall she had just been leaning on.

"Merlin, Peeves! You scared me half to death!" Tonks cringed at the glare she received from the poltergeist. "Sorry, but you did. And you're technically not dead, because you were never actually alive."

"Harshy harsh, Nymphy. Harshy harsh."

"Don't call me that!"