𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐫 | n. tonks

xxxiv

Hadley spent the majority of her days resting in bed, mostly on Fleur's orders. She woke up most mornings sweating or screaming from recurring nightmares that forced her to relive everything she had experienced while trapped at the manor, so a few bottles of Calming Draught were kept on her nightstand.

Dobby had been killed by Bellatrix's dagger when he returned with Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Hadley had watched from her bedroom window as they buried him, silent tears streaming down her cheeks. She'd always liked Dobby. He was her favourite elf to visit whenever she'd go down to the kitchens with Fred and George for a late-night snack.

Hadley missed her Hogwarts days. Things were so much simpler then. She was just a child that didn't have a care in the world, and now that world was falling apart. How much longer would it be until Voldemort won the battle? How many more of her loved ones were going to die before this war ended for good? Would she even live to see good overpower evil?

She closed her eyes, the words Tonks spoke to her two years ago echoing in her mind.

"Good always has a way of overpowering evil in the end."

Hadley wasn't going to allow herself to lose hope. They would win. Heroes exist for a reason. Never once in any of the Muggle books or movies that she's seen has there ever been a story where the villain was victorious. Even when it seemed like all hope was lost, good always overpowered evil in the end.

There was a gentle knock on Hadley's bedroom door. She reached for the stick that she was using to threaten people with since her wand was still at the safe house where she was staying with the Order before she was kidnapped. She held it out in front of her as the door opened.

She had to resist the urge to instantly run into Tonks's arms.

"What did I say when I accidentally set the kitchen on fire the summer I first stayed at Grimmauld Place?"

"'In my defense, I was left unsupervised'," Tonks replied, smiling a little. "Now, as proud as I am that you're following safety procedures, I'd rather we skipped all that and you get your cute little ass over here."

Hadley smiled and jumped up from the chair she was sitting in by the window. She threw her arms around Tonks's shoulders and buried her face in the crook of her neck.

They stood there holding each other for a while. They didn't need to speak. Everything that needed to be said was said through the tears that were shed and the protective hold that Tonks had on Hadley.

"They didn't hurt you too bad, right?" Tonks asked, her voice breaking. She examined the healing cuts on Hadley's face, her gentle fingers lightly brushing over them. Hadley leaned into her touch, which left a slight tingling feeling as they traced the outline of her features. "Haddie, I'm so sorry," she whispered. "I won't let this happen again. I-I should've gone with you–"

"No." Hadley shook her head, fear flashing in her eyes as she remembered something she heard Bellatrix say. "No, it...it would've been so much worse for you if you were there. Bellatrix, she..."

Hadley couldn't bring herself to say it. She was afraid that saying it out loud would make it true; like it was a Taboo and the minute she said 'Bellatrix wants you dead' that the witch would appear to get the job done.

But Tonks seemed to understand. She cupped Hadley's cheek and connected their lips in a gentle kiss. After the months apart, there was no greater comfort than the familiar feeling of Tonks's lips against hers, their bodies pressed together as the older woman pulled her closer.

"I have something for you," Tonks said when they pulled away. She took something out of her pocket and gave it to Hadley, who gasped.

"My wand! Come to Mama, baby." Hadley snatched the wand out of Tonks's hand, examining it for a moment before casting a spell, smiling as fire in the shape of a butterfly flew around her room before it was extinguished by Tonks's Aguamenti spell. "Dora!" Hadley whined, pouting a little.

"I thought we talked about you not playing with fire anymore, Ley?" Tonks smirked and kissed Hadley's pouty lip.

Hadley shrugged. "I'm against authority. You're no exception."

"You're so cute when you're being a brat." Tonks chuckled, lacing her fingers in Hadley's red hair as she pulled her in for another kiss.