Author: misfit_ragdoll
Theme/kink: A/U (Wizards! In! Space!)
Warnings: Threesome, otherwise fairly vanilla.
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: 9650
Compliant to: HBP



Title: Interstellar Overdrive
Pairing: Bill Weasley/Nymphadora Tonks/Charlie Weasley
Warnings: Threesome, mention of character death, mention of impending wedding
Summary: When Lord Voldemort's forces shoot down Charlie Weasley's ship, he and his fellow Phoenix Alliance members find themselves marooned on a small forest moon and in need of creative ways to pass the time.
Notes: Thanks to r_grayjoy, katesque, green_amber and LJ's Renn for their help and support. I hadn't expected this story to become as big as it did. From little PWPs, big stories grow.

"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."--Arthur C. Clarke

Bill Weasley came to in the cockpit of the Dragon, the air filled with dust and smoke. It took him several minutes before realisation began to filter into his muddled brain. They'd been trying to outrun a Death Eater fighter, Charlie showing off his best hot shot piloting moves in order to evade them. The last thing Bill remembered was seeing the white hot burst of laser fire coming toward them and then…nothing.

He unstrapped himself from his seat, and immediately checked the nav system to see where the hell they were. To his relief they'd crash-landed on what appeared to be a small forested moon. At least they weren't adrift somewhere in the middle of space without any shields or firepower. The little ship was on emergency power, just enough to run diagnostics and minor operations, but not much else. It looked as though they wouldn't be going anywhere for a while. However, a look at the readouts confirmed that they were dealing with a breathable atmosphere and bearable conditions outside. That was a minor miracle in itself.

Out of habit, he rubbed his thumb over the silver engagement ring on his left hand, but it felt cold to the touch, another indication of just how far off course they had to be. Under normal circumstances, it would be warm. It was a Vee'lah artefact, a marvel of that race's psionic technology, which linked him to his fiancée Fleur at all times. At least until now. He could feel no trace of her. It wasn't a comforting thought.

Shaking off his concern, Bill hit a button on the console, setting the diagnostic program in motion, and then glanced over at the pilot's chair. His brother, Charlie, was beginning to come to.

"Holy fuck," Charlie groaned, rubbing at his temples, his hands coming away wet with blood from a cut on his head. "What the hell happened?"

"You tell me, Charlie," Bill responded, helping his younger brother to his feet. "You were the one piloting the ship."

Charlie screwed up his face in thought, trying to recall the details of their ordeal. "We took a hit. Big one from those bastards. Clipped us…on the nose and that was it. I saw a small moon not too far out and tried to get us there in one piece." He checked the readout and then smiled ruefully. "Looks like I managed it, didn't I?"

"Yeah, they'll be singing songs about your valour from here to Durmstrang City and declare you a hero," Bill scoffed. "Assuming we can ever get off this bloody rock to tell anybody."

"There is that," Charlie agreed, then glanced down at the console. "We'll see how bad the damage is and go from there. If nothing else, we'll have to work on the comm system and get the Patronus Net up and running. At least that way we've got a chance of the Alliance finding us before Lord Voldemort and his goons, yeah?"

"Right now," Bill said, "we need to find the med kit and see what sort of supplies you've got onboard here. You have got emergency supplies, haven't you?"

Charlie rolled his eyes, then winced with pain. "What kind of prat do you think I am, Bilberry?" He held up his hand, the knuckles bruised and swollen. "No, don't answer that, mate."

"I will," said a female voice, breaking into their conversation. Lieutenant Nymphadora Tonks, formerly of the Auroran Guard, stuck her head through the broken door leading to the back of the ship, her pink-tinged hair matted and thick with dust. "You're a great big prat, Weasley. I think they need to change your nickname from 'Dragon-Tamer' to 'Dragon-Killer' if you ask me." She pushed the door open just far enough to limp through, then glared at the brothers. "Thanks for checking up on me, boys. Your concern's so very touching."

"Shite," Bill muttered, hurrying over to her side. He put an arm around her slim waist, leading her over to his empty seat. "You all right, Tonks? I'm going to blame my negligence on a concussion if it's all the same to you."

"I'm the one with concussion," Charlie countered with a grin. "He's just got his head too full of codes to remember anything useful. Except possibly his upcoming nuptials."

Tonks narrowed her dark eyes, clearly not being taken in by Charlie's attempts at humour. "Born and bred Traders like you lot ought to know the golden rule -- 'Kin before craft', innit?" she scoffed. "After all, if the whole flipping crew bleeds to death while you piss about with the ship, you've got nobody to fly the damned thing!"

"Oi," Charlie exclaimed, bristling. "No one was 'pissing about', Tonks. I'd just come to and Big Brother here was just making certain we weren't going to die of oxygen deprivation before we got any further." He shook his head in annoyance, all traces of good humour now gone. "You of all people shouldn't be mouthing off about regs at any rate." One of the reasons Tonks was a former Guard member had to do with her inability to toe the line. However, it wasn't something she liked to be reminded of.

Bill saw Tonks ball her fists, her arm twitching as if she was about to strike. He grabbed it, holding her back, then flashed her his most charming smile. "Now, now, don't let's fight just yet. We've got to assess the damage and get ourselves back to Headquarters. Admiral Dumbledore sent us out to retrieve those data crystals with the hopes the Death Eaters didn't kill us. I don't think he'd take it too kindly if we did the job ourselves." He glanced over at Charlie who was still looking a bit dazed. "Save the fight for when we get home – then you can beat each other raw for all I care."

Tonks opened her mouth to argue, then seemed to think better of it. She relaxed and gave him a terse nod in response. "Makes sense to me. Though it might be a long time before we see those hallowed halls again. Comm system's completely fried."

Charlie grunted in agreement. "Right. Well, then, I suppose we'd better start making ourselves feel at home on this rock, haven't we?"

* * *

Tonks was not happy. It had been two days since they'd landed here and nothing much had been accomplished although not for want of trying. They'd spent most of the first day setting up camp, assessing the damage to the ship and trying to figure out how to contact the Phoenix Alliance. A cursory recon around the area had yielded a fresh water stream complete with some sort of fishoid which Charlie deemed edible. The prospect of fish, along with the month's stock of food supplies, meant there was little chance of them starving to death in the near future.

The ship, however, was in bad shape. The engines had been badly damaged, the communications system a heap of slag and, without the right parts or equipment, it would never leave planet-side again. Between the three of them, it was possible the comm could be rebuilt by cannibalizing useable parts from other non-essential systems, but it was going to take time. In the meantime, at least the ship would serve as a makeshift shelter. It could have been much worse, but it also could've been much better.

Her two companions were men she'd known for most of her life. Charlie had been in her year at the Academy, his brother Bill two years ahead. Everyone knew the Weasley family, of course. The never-ending horde of redheads were infamous as Traders who, despite business savvy and brains, had never really made an impact in the Galactic economy. Their father, Arthur, was an odd man who seemed happy to run one ship, The Burrow, rather than an entire fleet like most Trader families. He'd even let his three eldest sons go into other lines of work something that was virtually unheard of in such a small family business. Bill had gone on to be a Codebreaker for Gringotts Corp., serving on the GFC Egypt. In his travels, he'd managed to catch the eye of Princess Fleur, daughter of a prominent Vee'lah Diplomat, and they'd recently gotten engaged. Tonks had noticed him checking his engagement ring, a most impressive piece of Vee'lah psi tech, at least twice an hour.

Charlie had gone on to a commission as an office and pilot and officer on aboard the ministry ship, Romania. His exceptional skills at handling the small Dragon class fighter ships had earned him the nickname "Dragon-Tamer". Unlike his older brother, Charlie had shown no interest in settling down. If anything, his reputation with the ladies (as well as a few gentlemen) was renowned. It seemed to be a family trait.

Her own path hadn't been quite so illustrious. She'd only gotten into the Academy because of her mother's name. Andromeda Black still wielded quite a lot of influence, even if she had been disinherited from the Family for marrying an unclean Morpher of no importance. The Black clan was an ancient and powerful one, Aristos whose roots went back so far that they and they alone claimed the right to name their scions after the constellations and stars of their now defunct home world. It had been a lot to live up to. Unfortunately, Tonks had disappointed them all.

She'd managed to stay in the Academy by the skin of her teeth although old Dumbledore had taken a shine to her, admiring her pluck and her determination, despite her temper and her disregard for authority. The Ministry had courted her for the Guard, the elite force who policed the galaxy. Having the innate talent to change her looks and shape at will was a boon in an Agent. Even one who was a known troublemaker. She'd been taken under the wing of her mentor Alastor Moody, commonly known as "Mad-Eye" thanks to his cybernetic eye (and other body parts).

Her four years in the Guard had passed with little incident until Lord Voldemort's activities had started to come to light. Tonks had never been the sort to stand idly by while injustice had taken place. The incidents of disobedience and insubordination had started shortly thereafter, finally culminating with a dishonourable discharge for questioning Minister Fudge's loyalties. In the end, she'd been right; Fudge had all but handed over the Government to Voldemort, but no one had heeded her warning.

Her actions hadn't been completely ignored, however. She had been recruited to join the Phoenix Alliance by Moody and Commodore Kingsley, a high ranking Guard who was also Admiral Dumbledore's spy.

Tonks worked along side the Weasley brothers until it grew too dark to do any more. She took up a spot by the fire, accepting the plate of roasted fishoid and mug of coffee from Charlie, watching as he and Bill continued to tease one another, envying their easy camaraderie. Even if she'd wanted to be included in their good-natured banter, she didn't know how. Perhaps it was just a Trader thing. Traders were born, lived and died on their family-owned ships, always surrounded by an army of siblings, cousins and crew mates. Her own upbringing had been nothing like that and set her apart.

Charlie offered to take the first watch, pulling out his blaster and staring into the gloom as if he expected to see Death Eaters lurking in the distance. Bill agreed, then announced he'd take the second shift before picking up several blankets and a pillow, preparing to settle down for the night.

"Not quite the same as your comfy bed at the Ambassador's palace, is it, mate?" Charlie snickered, helping himself to a flask of coffee. "Think you'll be able to manage in such squalor?"

Bill laughed, then flashed his brother a two-fingered salute in response.

Tonks ignored them, arranging a bed for herself before curling up beneath the thin wool blanket. She shivered despite the warm night air. It wasn't if she was a pampered Princess of the Realm like Weasley's intended – hardly – but she missed her bunk and she missed four walls surrounding her. But, most of all she missed him. Remus Lupin had been dead for a year now, brought down by Anton Dolohov during a skirmish with Voldemort's troops. She knew it was foolish – they had been compatriots, friends, occasional lovers, but he had not loved her the way she'd loved him. She wasn't even certain if the alien Wolfkin were capable of love in the same way as humans. But, Remus had been a good man and she'd given him her heart, and there were times where she missed his sage council and his comfort. Like now.

She sniffled, squeezing her eyes closed tight to hold back the tears as a lump formed in her throat. Unlike the Weasleys, she'd only had her parents for company growing up, she'd never had the pleasure of a large bustling family. There had only been solitude and isolation and the constant reminder that she was different. Not quite human, not quite the same. Even now, in the middle of an encampment on some far flung rock, she could feel it causing a distant between her and the two men she'd found herself stuck with.

"Hey…you okay?" She heard Bill whisper.

She wiped her nose against the sleeve of her jacket and nodded. "Yeah. Of course. Why would you think otherwise?"

There was the sound of him moving closer to her on the ground and she felt his hand on her shoulder. "Dunno. Because I heard you crying?"

"I wasn't—"

"Tonks, it's all right. There's nothing to be afraid of. We're going to get out of here," he assured her, his fingers softly caressing her shoulder. "You don't have to worry. We'll see home again."

"I'm not worried, Weasley," she insisted. "Or afraid."

"Then what is it?"

She turned to him, lips pursed in annoyance. "Nothing. I'm just trying to get some kip."

"Uh huh." His tone was rife with doubt. "Look, I'm here for you if you need me. We're all comrades, not enemies. We're all on the same side, remember?"

"I hadn't forgotten. But I'm not one of you and I'm not a faerie princess, am I?"

"You're Phoenix Alliance. That makes you one of us in my book any day." Clearly he was going to ignore the taunt about his fiancée. She supposed she couldn't blame him. "If you're still sore about me not checking on you after we hit – you've got every right to. I fucked up. So did Charlie. If anything had happened to you, I'd never have forgiven myself."

"Luckily for you, nothing did. And I'm not all that delicate."

"Never said you were. It's one of the things I like about you, actually," Bill said, his fingertips ruffling her short hair, lightly playing against the crook of her neck. "I like a woman who's self-reliant."

"Uh huh." It was her turn to sound sceptical.

"I do. You're selling yourself short if you believe otherwise, love." He settled himself behind her, his chest solid and warm against her back, one arm wrapped around her waist.

Tonks tensed, then elbowed him in the ribs. He didn't let go. "Weasley, what the hell are you doing?" she hissed.

"I'm a Spacer, we're used to huddling together for warmth…or comfort. It just means we're friends, nothing more." There was a pause, then a laugh. She could imagine him smirking in the dark. "Unless, of course, you want it to mean more."

"I most certainly don't." Tonks retorted, although she didn't bother pushing him away. "And I doubt your fiancée would want me to either."

"Fine, have it any way you'd like it," he mumbled, a hint of disappointment in his voice.

"If this is how you are with family, why don't you just cuddle up with your brother and let me take the watch?" she mused.

"Good question," he replied with a chuckle. "But, to be honest, Charlie's not my type. Not nearly enough curves. Besides, he snores like a Devonian wart hog."

"If you snore, I swear I'll blast your bloody head off…"

"Nah, I'm as quiet as they come. At least, I've never had any complaints from bed mates. I don't reckon that it'll suddenly change now." Bill shifted slightly, his cheek resting against her shoulder. "But if it does, feel free to do what's needed. Now get some sleep, yeah?" To her surprise, he planted a quick kiss on her cheek. "Night."

Tonks lay there in his arms, unable to think of a better argument, her heart beating a tattoo of fear until she finally willed herself to relax, then drifted off to sleep in Bill's secure embrace.

* * *

Charlie made one last check of the perimeter before returning to camp. It had been a long day and an even longer night; all he wanted to do was wake his brother and collapse in a small heap on the ground. He cursed the Death Eaters for screwing up his plans. He supposed this is what they got for being overconfident. The mission to retrieve the data crystals from the Sibylline Temple on Trelawn had been too easy. The bastards had to have known they were coming for the Prophecy files on Potter, otherwise they would've been in and out without ever being caught.

However, he couldn't completely lay the blame on the Death Eaters for their current predicament, as much as he'd have liked to. That was his responsibility. He'd been at the helm, he'd been the one piloting. Somehow, he should've been able to evade the Death Eaters ship and gotten them home. Instead, they were marooned on a mudball of a moon somewhere in the middle of nowhere with no way to get back to the Alliance. Charlie was determined to change all that, even if it was the last thing he ever did.

He sauntered over to where he'd left Bill earlier, surprised when he noticed that not only had his older brother moved his sleeping spot, but that he was presently fast asleep, his long limbs wrapped around Tonks as if it was the most natural thing in the world to do. Leave it to Bill to manage a pull in the middle of a crash site. Annoyed, Charlie toed Bill in the ribs and hissed "Pillock, pillock, wake up…"

Bill raised his head, rubbing his eyes sleepily. "My watch already? Give us a minute, yeah?"

Tonks seemed to be on the verge of waking as Bill extricated his arm from beneath her, then tucked the blankets around her as if she were a small child. He sat up, still half-covered in his own blanket; Charlie could see the outlines of his erection beneath the folds of fabric.

"Blimey," he snapped, then stalked off in the direction of the fire. "Don't you ever give it a rest, even for a bloody minute?"

Bill scrambled to his feet, dogging his brother's footsteps. "What's all this then?" he asked in confusion before helping himself to the vestiges of coffee left in the pot. "What's crawled up your arse and died?"

"I can't believe you," Charlie replied, casting Bill a dark look. "Barely been here forty-eight hours and you're already putting the moves on her. Nice one, big brother."

"What?" Bill exclaimed. He glanced over in Tonks's direction, then lowered his voice. "I have no idea where you're getting that idea from, Charlie. Clearly you got hit on the head harder than I reckoned."

"Riiiight. You getting all nice 'n cozy with Tonks was just my imagination, was it?"

"I wasn’t getting 'cozy'," Bill protested. "Sorry to break it to you, mate, but she was upset. All I was just trying to do was make her feel better!"

"Oh, I'll bet. Is that what you're going to tell Fleur too?"

Bill let out a snort. "There's nothing to tell. You've just got a vivid imagination."

"Right, and I suppose I'm imagining that stiffy tenting your trousers too." Charlie jutted his chin in the direction of Bill's crotch. He could see his brother flushing in the flickering firelight, momentarily at a loss for words. "Honestly, Bill, a little discretion goes a long way, especially when we've got bigger problems at hand."

Bill took a long quaff of what was probably lukewarm coffee before responding, looking slightly more composed as he did. "I'll say it again, little bro. We weren't doing anything. Not that it should bother you if we were. It's not like you were brought up planet side and never seen anything like it." Most Spacers were used to cramped quarters and next to no privacy. Standard operating procedure aboard ships was to ignore anything that didn't directly involve you.

"It's not that," Charlie insisted between clenched teeth.

"Then what is it?"

"She's just more trouble than she's worth is all. Dad went to great pains to negotiate that marriage contract with the Vee'lah for you. It's important to him, it's important to us, to the Family. And now you're going to throw away all that on a tumble with that little shrew? For what reason? So she can screw up your life as badly as she's screwed up her own..?" Before Charlie could say another word, Bill had flung the contents of his cup at him, splattering him with the remains of his cold coffee.

Charlie stood there for a moment, drenched, spluttering and blinking in surprise. He launched himself at his brother, knocking Bill flat on his back against the dusty ground. The two of them began scuffled in the dirt, kicking and punching like a pair of schoolboys. Charlie desperately wanted nothing more than to bash his brother's pretty face in, to take out all the anger and frustration of the day on the smug bastard until he was sorry he was ever conceived.

Bill rolled on top of Charlie, grabbing him by the collar and jerking his head up until they were nose to nose. "I don't care if you're my brother or if we're stuck on this damned moon for eternity. You're not going to talk about Tonks like that – or anyone else for that matter."

"Fuck off," Charlie rasped, swinging at Bill again, but missing.

"I mean it, Charlie," Bill growled. "I'll fucking kill you first."

"Why? What's it to you?"

"Because, you clueless twat, we've got to get along here if we're going to get rescued and I'm not about to put up with your rubbish. Get that?"

"Gerroff," was Charlie's gruff reply. He shoved at his brother, the fight slowly draining out of him.

Bill grunted, loosening his hold on Charlie's collar before easing himself into a standing position. He hesitated for a moment before offering his brother a hand up.

Charlie accepted it, letting Bill haul him to his feet. "You really reckon she's worth this kind of fight?"

"Tonks is part of our team, so the answer's 'yes'," Bill said softly. "She's Mad-Eye Moody's protégé, remember? That old Cyborg loves her like his own daughter. You gonna tell me he's wrong in his assessment of her?"

His jaw was throbbing where Bill's fist had impacted; he spat out blood before continuing. "That bloody 'Borg's not right in the head anyway. He needs a serious overhaul of his positronic neural net if you ask me."

"Same with Kingsley and Dumbledore? They trust her too." Bill rolled his eyes, his upper lip curling into a sneer. "What's the matter, Charlie? What's the real reason you don’t like her? What'd she do -- turn you down for a sleep over?"

There was an awkward pause. Before Charlie could think of a clever retort, his brother had sussed out the truth. Well, part of it at any rate.

"Oh. That's it, isn't it?"

"I don't want to talk about it," Charlie answered huffily.

"The great Charlie Weasley misses out on one conquest and he's got his knickers in a twist? I thought you could handle rejection better'n that."

Charlie kicked at a clod of dirt, his face twisted in frustration. "More like the great Charlie Weasley wasn't damaged enough for Lieutenant Misery Guts to bother with. She only gives herself to charity cases like Lupin apparently – and she lives for trouble, Bilberry. It's like she's so miserable that she's got to make certain everyone else around her is too. I just don't want her mucking up what you've gotten for yourself because she's a spiteful little witch."

"For the last time, Charlie, there's nothing going on between us, certainly nothing that will jeopardise my marriage." Bill sighed. "Although I appreciate your concern. Really." He clapped Charlie on the shoulder. "You ought to get some rest and I'd better go on watch. At this rate, the entire Death Eater fleet could have dropped in on us and we'd have been too busy trying to murder each other to notice."

Charlie could see Bill was determined to drop the discussion and he was personally too weary to continue the fight just now. If nothing else, his brother was right about their need to get along right now. He supposed only time would tell if Bill was lying or not. Charlie hoped for Bill's sake, he wasn't. Despite everything, he could not stand to see his brother hurt.

* * *

Tonks awoke to find herself alone at the camp. It took her a few moments to remember where she was and why she was here. She sat up with a frown. Neither Weasley brother was anywhere in the vicinity. Were they both on watch or had something happened to them? The latter seemed more likely; she doubted she'd have slept through a Death Eater ambush or a fire fight. She hadn't even slept through the barney between Bill and Charlie, although she'd pretended to be just to stay out of the fray.

She hadn't heard the entire altercation but had taken in enough to know she was partly to blame. Until now, she hadn't known how Charlie had felt about her. They'd known one another at the Academy, having been in the same year, but not very well. She couldn't even remember when he'd tried to chat her up or when she'd turned him down. Then again, she hadn't been very interested in anyone's advances while at school. She'd been too busy trying to keep herself out of trouble and in the running for a position with the Guards. Romantic involvements hadn't been on her list of priorities.

Struggling to her feet, she got up, folded up her bed roll, then went into the ship to use the head and wash up. There was no sign of either Weasley in there either. Shouldn't they have been working on repairs by now? Where the hell were they? Exiting the ship, she pulled her blaster, looking for signs of a struggle. Then she heard what sounded like a loud "whoop" of amusement somewhere near the stream. It was definitely Charlie's voice.

She followed the noise, winding her way down to the water's edge. Considering the earlier fracas she'd witnessed, she half expected to find the pair of them trying to drown one another in the stream. To her surprise, there they were, naked as the day they'd been born, splashing and playing in the water. Tonks stopped and watched from a safe distance, finding herself admiring their physiques.

Bill was taller and slimmer, his pale skin dappled with freckles. His hair was long, a mane of wet red hair plastered down his back. He splashed at Charlie, laughing and avoiding Charlie's return attack with an animal grace.

Charlie wasn't exactly hard on the eyes either. He was shorter, more compact, without an ounce of fat on him. He was tanner, sporting several burns on his muscular arms and shoulders along with a brightly coloured dragon tattoo on his left bicep. He submerged himself under the water for a moment, then came up for air, shaking his head like a wet dog.

"Oi, no fair!" she heard Bill exclaim, watching him jump back from the assault of flying droplets.

Charlie opened his mouth to respond, then spied her on the bank. "I think we've got company," he said.

Neither Weasley moved to cover up. Tonks remembered that Spacers were hardly modest, they tended to do everything in the midst of a crowd. Nudity clearly wasn't an issue.

"C'mon in," Bill called. "Water's warm enough."

She found herself frowning. While she was hardly a prude, it didn't seem like the best of all possible moves. Especially after Charlie's accusations earlier this morning. "No thanks," she said, hoping she sounded somewhat polite.

"Don't be ridiculous, Lieutenant," Charlie chimed in. "Get your kit off and join us. You could use a bath, you know."

"Thank you for being so concerned about my personal hygiene," Tonks retorted. "I'll keep that in mind for future." The truth was he was right, especially after a night spent sleeping on the ground.

Bill seemed to sense her discomfort, giving his brother a rough shove and a pointed look. "If you need your privacy, we can leave. Don't want to make you uncomfortable, Tonks."

As if trying to have a conversation with two wet, naked, attractive men wasn't already uncomfortable enough. "Give us a minute," she replied, starting to unlace her boots. She yanked them off, then stripped off her trousers, loose tunic and outer jacket, followed by her socks. Her cheeks began to heat up as she stood there in just her knickers and bra, all too aware that both men were staring at her. Doing her best to ignore them, she strode into the water, stifling the urge to squeal as the cold water hit her. "I thought you said it was warm!" she exclaimed.

"He said it was warm enough," Charlie replied with a smirk, his eyes firmly fixed on her bra-covered breasts, her nipples now clearly visible through the thin wet fabric. "Don't worry, you'll get used to it."

"Obviously," she said dryly. She waded closer to them, the cool water now lapping against her thighs.

"I think she might need a bit of help, don't you?" Charlie quipped to his brother, then dove under the water. Tonks let out a shriek as she felt his hands wrapping around her ankle and then a quick jerk as her feet were yanked out from under her. She was pulled under the water, sinking to the bottom of the stream, her arse hitting the stony floor as she flailed in Charlie's grasp.

She came up swinging, her fist coming in contact with the side of Charlie's head as she gasped for breath, water pouring down her face from her dripping hair. "Bastard!"
Somewhere to her left, she heard Bill chuckling as she lunged at Charlie again.

"Oi, can't you even take a—" Charlie's words were cut off as she cuffed him, this time on the shoulder. He grabbed at her arm, catching her by the wrist. "Are you mad?"

"Yeah, I need a serious overhaul of my positronic neural net, don't I?" Tonks sneered, struggling in his grip, trying to get more secure footing on the slippery stones.

Charlie flushed as he heard his own words being spat back at himself. "I didn't mean—" he spluttered, glancing over at Bill as if to ask for his help. Bill just shrugged, still watching the pair of them with a bemused expression.

"My arse you didn't." Tonks landed another blow on his chest with the flat of her hand causing him to stagger back, taking her with him.

"That's it!" Charlie dragged her forward and before she could stop him, he'd pulled her close, his mouth clamping down upon hers. At first she fought him, attempting to break away but he was stronger than she was. And in spite of everything, he was a good kisser. It had been a long time since anyone had kissed her like this.

His lips were soft as they brushed against hers, his tongue darting into her mouth, swirling against her own. Tonks felt Charlie's cock twitching to life against her bare stomach, his skin warm against hers in spite of the cool water surrounding them.

Charlie finally unglued his lips from hers, breaking away, his breath ragged, his eyes slightly glassy. "Wow," he breathed.

Taking advantage of his dazed condition, Tonks slapped him. Hard. "If that's what you wanted, Weasley, why didn't you just bloody well ask?"

"She's got you there, Charlie," Bill commented, making his way toward them. "Can I assume there's not going to be any bloodshed?"

"Nah." Charlie rubbed at his jaw, wincing. The corner of his mouth quirked up into a sly smile as he added, "Dunno though. She seems to like it a bit rough."

"Tonks?"

"Do you really think you can trust a…what was it? A 'spiteful little witch' like me?" She glared at Bill, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I never said that!" Bill retorted. "In fact, I defended you…"

"Why? Just so you could get a leg over while your Vee'lah princess isn't available?" Tonks hissed, her eyes stinging with unwanted tears. "Take advantage while we're stuck on this bloody rock? I almost thought—"

Bill closed the distance between them and, as he had the night before, put his arms around her, holding her close. "No," he said quietly. "Not taking advantage. I told you we're friends and I meant it."

She trembled, torn between wanting to strike out at him and staying just where she was. As much as she hadn't wanted to admit it, she'd felt safe in Bill's arms last night, just as she did now. Even if they were standing in the middle of a stream, wet and naked and lost.

Bill pressed his lips to the crown of her head, his fingers gently caressing her bare back. His touch sent shivers up her spine, goose pimples forming on her pale arms as she slid them around his slim waist. Leaning against him, she rested her cheek against his chest, listening to the slow, steady beat of his heart. Then, on impulse, she turned her head and planted a kiss against his breast bone. She heard Bill's breath hitch, felt him stiffen against her for just an instant, then the tension left his body entirely.

Emboldened, Tonks repeated the motion, gently kissing her way up the line of his chest, nuzzling the hollow of his throat. She wasn't surprised to hear a low moan escape his lips or feel the stirring of his erection against her thigh. However, the sensation of a second pair of hands suddenly on her hips and warm lips on the nape of her neck was thoroughly unexpected, but hardly unpleasant.

Charlie's hands skimmed up her sides, brushing along her ribs, as he moved in closer, his rampant cock pressed firmly against her arse. His teeth grazed her skin as he nipped at her, then soothed her skin with his tongue. He cupped her breasts through the sodden fabric of her bra, drawing delicate spirals around her hard nipples with the pads of his thumbs.

Bill caressed her cheek with a damp hand, tilting her chin up towards him. Tonks met his gaze, noting a brief flicker of uncertainty in his blue eyes, and then it was gone. He dipped his head down to brush his lips against hers, at first hesitant, then growing in urgency as she responded with equal enthusiasm.

Charlie ranged his kisses up the side of her neck, along the curve of her ear, his teeth closing on her earlobe as he sucked at the tender flesh. His breath was warm and it grew ragged as he continued to touch her, grinding himself against the small of her back as he did. He found his way under her bra, gently teasing her throbbing nipples, tugging them and rolling them between thumb and forefinger.

Meanwhile, Bill was doing a bit of exploration on his own, his fingers skimming down her spine to caress her arse, teasing along the edge of her knickers, his hands caught between her body and Charlie's. She heard the younger Weasley groan as Bill brushed his knuckles against Charlie's cock; somehow it wasn't a surprise that neither seemed particularly bothered by the contact.

Tonks whimpered softly as she rubbed wantonly against Bill, then back against Charlie, not protesting as Bill broke away, taking her hand in his to lead her on to the sandy shore, Charlie following close behind.

"Better," he chuckled. "Not quite as wet."

"But, I bet she is," Charlie said before hooking his fingers in her knickers, peeling them off with expert ease. He tossed the wet garment on the ground, then slipped a hand between her legs. "Mmmm, I was right."

"Charlie…" Bill shook his head, his lips pursed in amusement.

Tonks mewled as Charlie brushed his hand between her legs, tracing along the edges of her pussy, his thumb pressing against the swollen nub of her clit.

"There we go." Charlie's voice was husky with need, his fingertips rough against her sensitive skin. Tonks knew she could push him away if she'd wanted to, make him stop, but it felt good. He sank down on his knees, pulling her onto his lap, his hard-on nestled between her thighs. She undulated at Charlie's touch, rocking against him.

Bill knelt in front of her, unfastening the front clasp of her bra, allowing her breasts to spill free. He lowered his head, his face obscured by a curtain of wet copper hair as he took one breast in hand and began to lavish it with lips, teeth and tongue, sucking greedily at her nipple.

"Want you," Charlie groaned in her ear, his hips bucking underneath her. "Tonks, let me…please?"

Tonks's first impulse was to say "no", to throw more of his words and deeds in his face. But, this was the first time Charlie Weasley had ever asked her for anything, rather than demanded or assumed. It was also the first time in a long time anyone had truly wanted her, not just the act of coupling. As much as she'd wanted Remus to make love to her, it had never happened that way.

Bill stopped his ministrations, looking up at her expectantly, head canted, as if he were waiting for her decision. Somehow, she knew that if she chose to end it all this instant and go running back to their camp, he'd support her. And that made all the difference in the world. She rose up, wrapping the hilt of Charlie's cock in her hand and then, eased herself down upon it, slowly and deliberately. Charlie moaned in approval, his hands running up her thighs to grip her hips, settling her against him. The moans grew louder as she tightened around him, her back moulded his chest.

Bill reached out and caressed her cheek tenderly, drawing her in for another long kiss as Charlie buried his face in the crook of her neck. His breathing was growing erratic with each thrust of his hips, his fingers digging in deeper against her hip bones. Tonks put one arm around Bill's waist, letting one hand stray down his back to grab his firm arse.

She ran the palm of her other hand over the head of his cock, already warm and slick with pre-come, causing Bill to groan against her lips. He placed one hand over hers, folding her fingers around the shaft so that it was enveloped in their entwined fingers. Bill shifted forward slightly, bracing himself against Charlie and rubbing the tip of his cock against her clit, causing Tonks to moan with pleasure. "That's my girl," Bill whispered, starting to pump his hips in tandem with his brother's beneath hers.

They moved as one now; Charlie driving himself into Tonks, Tonks bearing down on Charlie, Bill thrusting between their joined hands and along the edge of her pussy. The sensation of being trapped between two strong bodies, two pairs of hands touching her, two pairs of lips covering her with kisses, two engorged cocks creating friction against her bare skin was exhilarating. Tonks thrashed in Charlie's lap, gasping and moaning in desperation.

"Oh gods, oh gods…" she whimpered, constricting around Charlie as she squeezed Bill into a stranglehold. "Gonna come, gonna c-come…"

"That's it," Bill urged. "Come for us, sweetheart."

"Let's hear you," Charlie added. "Nice and loud for us, love."

Tonks nodded frantically, biting down on her lower lip. "Uh huh…" She could feel Charlie picking up the pace, his thrusts going in hard and deep, Bill doing the same. She squeezed her eyes shut and let go. Her vision exploded to white as her body shook with paroxysms of pleasure, wave after wave sending her reeling. She was vaguely aware of Charlie coming too, the roaring in her ear as he spilled inside of her, and then Bill, the hot rush of release splattering all over her hands, her lap and her thighs.

She slumped back against Charlie, head lolling back against his shoulder, not objecting as he caught her up in a rough kiss. Bill rested against her, panting with exhaustion. Finally, he relaxed his hold, withdrawing to sit on the sandy ground, a satisfied smile playing on his lips. Charlie did likewise, Tonks now resting between his splayed legs.

Bill leaned forward and patted his brother on the knee. "C'mon, you lot. Play time's over. We should get back to camp," he said quietly. "We still have a ship to fix." Without waiting for an answer from either of them, he gathered up his clothes and headed back to the ship.
Confused, Tonks watched him go. "What…?" she started.

Charlie struggled to his feet, then offered a hand up. "Don't take it personally, love. He's always been like that. Too practical for his own good. It's what he gets for being the eldest. Always has to make certain everything is running smoothly." He drew in a deep breath, then flashed her a contrite smile. "I'm sorry about what I said about you. I didn't mean—"

Tonks shook her head. "Yeah, you did."

"But—"

"It's all right, Weasley. It's not like I ever gave you any reason to think otherwise, is it?" She shrugged. "I'm sorry too."

"Can we start over then? And I'm not just saying that because you're probably the only woman within this entire star system. Bill's right. We do have to get on and…"

"And you'd rather stay on my good side just in case I decide to have mind-blowing sex with you again?" Tonks fought to suppress a smirk.

"Well, there is that too," he conceded. "Although it's not mandatory."

"I'll keep that in mind," she replied, now smiling in earnest. She held out her hand to him. "Come on, then. We'd best be getting back."

* * *

Bill had not planned on things going as far as they had. He'd fully intended on keeping things between him and Tonks platonic but, when she'd come down to the water's edge, looking lost and vulnerable, it had moved him. When Charlie had started messing about with her, something inside him had snapped and he'd wanted -- needed -- to be involved too. It was hardly the first time he and his brother had shared a woman, although usually it had been on a layover at a port with some Spacer girl they'd never see again, not a comrade in arms. He'd tried to think of Tonks as just another sister, or closely related cousin (close relation incest being a taboo amongst the already too inbred Traders), but somehow that strategy hadn't worked. He'd enjoyed what they'd done, found her incredibly desirable, perhaps a little too much. For all his denials to his brother, Bill did care for her more than a friend, especially now that they were all physically involved.

Of course things hadn't stopped after that first encounter. The repair efforts had been going excruciatingly slow and not very successfully. Tension and frustration over their predicament had led to more arguments, heightened emotions, and then even more sex as a way of defusing hair-trigger tempers. However, despite the guilt involved, Bill had to admit there was a certain perverse satisfaction in having his cock sucked while going over faulty communications schematics for the hundredth time or having Tonks while bent over the burned out console, not to mention a handy way to kill time while his brother was on watch. Regular shagging had also calmed down both Charlie and the feisty lieutenant; they were now both able to work together without trying to throttle each other within an inch of their respective lives, even if he did have to push them to focus on the tasks at hand rather than one another more often than not. He's always known Charlie was insatiable. He just hadn't banked on their liaison opening up such a wellspring of lust in Tonks as well.

However, he was not about to call off his marriage to Fleur. Assuming he ever got back to Alliance HQ to do anything about it. At this rate, he supposed it might not even matter, there might never be a wedding at all. Bill wondered if anyone even knew they were still alive, if anyone was searching for them, if they even cared. It had only been a few days, but things in the Resistance could change dramatically in the blink of an eye, and the Vee'lah weren't known for their fidelity or their sense of commitment. For all he knew, the Ambassador had already negotiated a new marriage contract with another family, one with better political ties and a larger fleet. So many of their comrades had already fallen on missions that it wasn't a stretch to assume that when they'd failed to return, Dumbledore and the rest of the Alliance had written them off as dead.

It was true that they'd finally gotten the Patronus Net to function, a low level beacon posting their location and condition on the Alliance's private frequency, but it was not a certainty that it was strong enough or clear enough for an Alliance ship to pick up the signal. If no one did…well, Bill wasn't sure how long the three of them could survive here or what kind of life they would have if they were stuck here indefinitely. He didn't want to share his concerns with either of his companions, not wanting to worry them just yet. Better to let them be distracted for now.

Bill went into the cockpit to check the beacon, praying that something might show up on the tracking system, preferably someone friendly. The screen was empty, just as it had been since their arrival, the readout marking their distress signal still being broadcast every fifteen minutes

"Credit for your thoughts?" Tonks inquired, entering the small space. She came up behind Bill, beginning to massage the back of his neck. Her hands were small but strong and she seemed to know right where the knots of tension were. "Any luck?"

"Nah, not yet." Bill disengaged her hands, then tugged her around his chair, pulling her into his lap. "I'm beginning to wonder if there's anybody out there."

She nodded gravely, pushing back a stray lock of his hair. "They're out there, all right. S'just a matter of whether or not they can find us. Of course, there are advantages if they don't."

"Oh?" Bill planted a few light kisses on her bicep. She'd dispensed with her formal uniform after that first morning together, preferring to wear just her under vest with her trousers, her feet bare unless she was on watch.

Tonks sighed. "I know—well, if we get back, when we get back, things will change. Go back to the way they were. You've got your Vee'lah girl, Charlie's got…well, everyone. I'm just me, aren't I?"

"Tonks…" Bill didn't have an answer for her. "We're not going to turn our backs on you once we get home. That's not the way it works."

"You know as well as I do that we can't have this." She waved a finger at him, indicating their current proximity. "Your princess would never allow it."

A loud claxon cut off his response. Bill pushed her off his lap, swinging his chair around to view the console. "Bloody hell!"

Charlie came tearing into the cockpit, throwing down a brace of freshly caught fishoids before joining them. "What is it?"

"We've got a blip!" Bill exclaimed, pointing excitedly at the screen. "Tonks, crank up the comm…."

She complied, working frantically to locate a signal. There was a crackle of static and then finally a voice.

"Come in, Dragon…are you there, Dragon?"

"Fred?!" Charlie boomed, his face lighting up as he recognized his younger brother's voice. Bill let out a whoop of relief as he realised they were actually going to be rescued. "Is that you?"

"The one and the same, mate! Me and George and Doctor McGonagall. We got your message – just had to suss out which one of these bloody moons you lot were hiding on. They all look the same you know."

"Sending the coordinates now, bro." Charlie punched in the data, giving both Tonks and Bill a thumbs up as it went through.

"Oi, Freddy, tell the Admiral the mission was successful. We got what we came for," Bill called. "Just took us a bit longer to get back than expected."

"Reckoned you'd take the scenic route, did you?" That was George, Fred's twin. "Typical of you, isn't it?"

"Yeah. We wanted a holiday in the sun before having to look on your ugly mugs again," said Charlie, laughing. "How long you reckon your ETA is?"

"Should be there within the hour," George replied."Make sure you're decent, yeah?"

Bill glanced over at Tonks who'd been uncharacteristically quiet during the entire exchange, trying to catch her eye. She looked as if she might cry. Seeing her like that caused a twisting in his gut. All he wanted to do was comfort her and reassure her that things weren’t as bad as she thought. But, before he could make a move, she was already half-way out the door.

"I'm going to start packing up our gear. The sooner we can get the hell out of here, the better," she announced, then left the Weasleys to coordinate their rescue with the other Alliance members.

* * *

It had been a week since they'd returned to the Alliance base ship, a week of non-stop debriefings, interrogations and meetings with the other members, going over the same information over and over again until Tonks thought she might go mad. The data crystals had been essential to whatever Admiral Dumbledore's next move against Lord Voldemort might be. However only he, Harry Potter and the combined Sibylline Sisterhood seemed to know what those plans involved.

Coming back to the ship hadn't been all bad, Tonks mused. She had a proper bed, proper food and a proper shower again, not to mention an entire wardrobe of clean clothes. It seemed like paradise compared to the primitive conditions she'd endure for the past week. However, it was lonely, even more so than before. She missed feeling Bill's arms around her as she went to sleep, and waking up to find Charlie's solid weight next to her, even if she didn't miss his snoring for one minute.

From the moment their younger brothers had laid eyes upon them, the two Weasleys had become distanced from her, caught up in their family once again. Whatever good will they'd built up with her seemed to have dissipated like morning mist. It was like she didn't even exist. When they'd arrived back at the base ship, it had been even worse. Bill and Charlie had been greeted like conquering heroes by their parents, assorted siblings and friends. Tonks supposed herself lucky that she'd gotten a nod of approval from the Admiral. At least her old mentor had words of praise for her, even if they'd been delivered in the cyborg's usual flat, emotionless electronic voice.

She went down to the mess, planning to grab a quick meal and a cup of tea before writing up what seemed like another useless report about the Death Eaters' defensive set up on Serpentine. However, when she caught sight of Bill and Charlie sitting at a table, their coppery heads close together in conversation, she began to have second thoughts. Before she could turn and flee, Charlie had spotted her, waving at her wildly.

"Tonks! Tonks!"

Her cheeks were burning as she made her way over to the table. "H-hi," she said, her voice quavering with fear.

"Just the girl we wanted to see," Bill said, sliding his chair over to make room for her. "Have a seat, love."

She glanced around nervously. "You sure?"

Charlie snorted in derision. "Don't start that again. Just sit down and listen, yeah?"

"We'd like you to join us. Please?" Bill put his hand on hers and she started to tremble. "It's good news. I promise."

"You've decided to invite me to the wedding?" Tonks quipped. It came out harsher than she'd planned.

"See, I told you she'd never even listen to—"

"Charlie?" Bill smacked his brother on the back of the head. "Shut your gob. Just this once."

"All right, what do you want?" Tonks finally settled herself on a chair between the two of them, wishing she'd at least gotten her food first. At least it would've given her something to do with her hands.

"We-ell," Bill started. He leaned closer to her, resting one hand on her knee. Tonks hoped no one noticed. "We never did talk about what happened while we were marooned – or about what to do about it once we got back here."

"What's to talk about? It happened, it's over, we move on," she replied. "I hadn't any expectations, neither of you owe me anything. There's nothing to worry about."

"No one said anything about worry. Or owing," Charlie countered. "But, you know, we're Traders…actually, you don't know. Cos you're not one of us."

"I'm well aware of that."

"That's not what I meant…"

"Charlie," Bill warned. His hand was still on her knee, caressing it softly under the table. "What my daft git of a brother is trying to explain is that things are different for us. You know how close Spacer families are, especially those of us in the Trade. You know that we tend to live our entire lives in closed groups. It's a bit—incestuous really. But, actually…well, there's always room for new blood. New…alliances."

"Alliances?" she echoed.

"Well, take my marriage for instance. It's a trade alliance with the Vee'lah. It happens to be with an exceptionally beautiful woman, but it's also to expand our gene pool and our business interests. As well as open up diplomatic relations. It's not as if it's a love match."

Tonks furrowed her brow in confusion, still not comprehending what he was trying to tell her.

"Look, Tonks, I have to marry Fleur. It's too important to all of us but," Bill said, "it's not the only relationship I can have. In fact, the Vee'lah welcomed the news when I mentioned it. They're are pretty open-minded about things, and we Traders have always known the value of a good line marriage. Well, assuming you ever want to go that far."

"W-what?" she stammered.

"As long as you have no interest in any financial gain from my marriage to Fleur and promise to waive any claims for any children that might come from our union…again, assuming you and I ever get to that point, well…" Bill flashed her a warm smile. "there's no reason why we can't continue what we started down there. Well, that is if you don’t mind sharing me with the Vee'lah on occasion."

"I—"

"Don't worry about him. I hear that the story that Vee'lah women kill their husbands and eat their bodies right after sex is only a myth." Charlie put an arm around her shoulder, grinning roguishly. "Of course, I'm not marrying any princesses in the near future. Hell, I'm not planning on marrying anyone ever for that matter. But, you're more than welcome to share me whenever I'm here. Something Big Brother there conveniently forgot to mention."

"And what about me?" Tonks demanded, suddenly feeling better than she had in days. "What if I don't want to share?"

"That," Bill tugged at a lock of her hair, playfully, "is up to you, my dear Lieutenant. However, my brother and I are skilled negotiators and we're more than prepared to spend as much time as we have to convincing you of all the mutual benefits of a continued alliance between the three of us.." His hands crept up her leg, his fingers playing along her upper thigh.

"Hmmm," she replied. "You'll have to work very hard to do that. I'm not one to be easily convinced, or to be taken in by a pretty face." She glanced over at Charlie. "Or two."

"Ah, we didn’t think you were. It's why we like you, you know. And we do like you," Charlie told her, tweaking her nose.

"Yeah, we do," Bill chimed in. "Believe it or not."

"You'll have to do a lot more convincing, I think," Tonks replied lightly. "Why don't we go back to my bunk and open up a round of discussion…?"

Bill's face lit up as he grinned. "Ah, love, I thought you'd never ask."