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Tonks was already drowning her sorrows in firewhiskey when Hermione arrived. She nibbled Hermione's neck in greeting. Hermione moaned but pulled away, just as Tonks suspected she would. This was their familiar dance, Tonks craving intimacy and Hermione shying away.
Hermione saw the bottle. "You’ve heard I got the M.L.E. promotion?”
"Well spotted." Tonks could feel the bite of her own sarcasm, but didn't care.
"Tonks..."
"So...this is it, then? Like it never happened?"
"It's a conflict of interest!"
"Bollocks. We've worked together before."
"Not in the same department! I want to be Minister for Magic one day. Imagine if the Prophet found out I was fucking an Auror in my reporting line."
"Bloody hell, I want to do more than just fuck you, Hermione!" Tonks cried. "We can go public now so there's less scandal when you transfer. Or I'll transfer somewhere else."
"You'd do that?" Hermione looked frightened, and Tonks couldn't fathom why.
Tonks's fingers slipped between Hermione's knees and grazed her thighs. Hermione's breath hitched.
"I want to, if you'll let me. Why won't you let me love you?"
Hermione took a trembling breath and guided Tonks's hand with her own.
"I can try."