The Smell of Toffee Apples

Written for Bad Mum

For the Drabble Request Thread at HPFC

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He smelt of toffee apples, that morning in the owlery. And she isn't sure why that's important. She isn't sure why he is important.

All she knows is that he takes her seriously, and calls her Tonks without smirking.

Surrounded by the constant fluttering, and an incessant scratching that irritates after a time, she wondered whether he tasted like toffee apples too. And when she found out, she wasn't sure if she regretted it or not.

She doesn't think they are right for each other. Even though he makes her laugh and doesn't roll his eyes every time she trips up the stairs. Even though he looks at her quizzically so that she feels intelligent. Even though he is so very handsome. She knows he is not the one for her.

But that morning in the owlery, the sweet smell of toffee apples overwhelmed her, and she forgot that they weren't right together. She pretended that when they remembered, she wouldn't need a cushion to break the fall. She pretended that he didn't like her like that.

When she does remember though, it isn't as easy as she pretended. He is hurt, even though he tells her he isn't. Even though she sees him at Hogsmeade with a pretty Ravenclaw three weeks later. Even though he doesn't seem to care about anything except dragons anymore. She knows he is hurt, because he no longer smells like toffee apples.

And she wishes that life was as easy as that morning in the owlery. When Charlie Weasley was the most important person in the world, and she didn't want to brush her teeth in case she lost the taste of toffee apples.