Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling. The use of its characters, locations, and universe in general is merely a lend. I only have the plot—or something more like know and have seen it lived (partially). The names come from the Black Family Tree (although I'm disregarding some of the dates there).

Dedicated to DeepDownSlytherin, for inspiring me with her stories, and to my parents, because this is based on their story.

Daybreak

She had spent the evening in a flurry of activity, unbeknown to the rest of the household. She had informed the house elves she wasn't to be disturbed and had placed an Imperturbable Charm and Anti-Apparition wards around her room as safety measures. If anyone wondered what she was doing locked up in her room the entire night, not even leaving for dinner, they just dismissed it as one more of her peculiarities. And others didn't notice her absence at all.

In her worry to make sure everything was all right, she had woken up earlier than the intended, but perhaps that was for the best. Sitting in her bed and gazing unseeingly at the empty fireplace, Andromeda Black wondered one more time if she really was doing this. And just like every other time, she knew she was and as she waited for daylight to break in the horizon, she thought over how things had come to that.

Andromeda often thought of herself as paradox personified. In her family, she'd always felt like the black sheep. She was the little rebellious one. However, her rebellion had happened almost in a subconscious level and mainly in the dark. She wasn't outspoken about her doubts, worries, and innermost thoughts. Everything happened in the depths of her mind, as children or adolescents (especially young ladies) weren't allowed to delve in political affairs of their world. The distance between parents and children naturally self-imposed by their pureblood traditions and lifestyle made it harder still that her Mother or Father would ever have an inkling of such thoughts, if any at all.

Conversely, she was also the most controlled, studious and courteous of the three sisters, as Bellatrix was the wild one with volatile moods and Narcissa in turn was self-possessed and aloof. In amidst of Blacks, Andromeda was almost too nice and positive for their dark world of purity and tradition, as Bella had once so wisely yet teasingly remarked.

But in Hogwarts, and in Slytherin, she was considered one of them. Every bit the high society witch as her sisters and cousins and friends. She was cold and jaded, strong and powerful, merciless and foreboding. In the eyes of others, Andromeda was mysterious and intriguing, but in an entirely intimidating manner. It was what resulted of years being sheltered and isolated behind a family name with all its wealth, history, and reputation—as well as growing up in said family and its social circles.

And they weren't wrong. She was all of that. But they didn't see that she was also loving, thoughtful, and kind. Nor that she had a witty sense of humour. A side of her that was warm, sensitive, and teasing. They didn't see it. She wouldn't allow them to see. It was only for her sisters and closest cousins; it was as they were, as they were raised to be. Blacks were supposed to be feared and respected. They were above other people, and they all should know it.

Aside from Bellatrix who had a ridiculous habit of fondly assigning nicknames to her sisters and cousins, Andromeda wouldn't allow outside people to shorten her name in any way. She was Andromeda. There was no abbreviation for those who weren't in the inner circle. She'd actually prefer if others called her Ms. Black, but it was always so confusing when she was in the company of her sisters.

That is why in her third year when a fellow student from Gryffindor walked up to her and said, "Morning, Andy!" she didn't know if she was more shocked at the 'Morning' or 'Andy' parts of that sentence, and then it occurred to her that this boy was a mudblood. A mudblood! Talking to her just like that on a Monday morning. The nerve!

In times like this, she was certainly her mother's child. Years being subjected to withering looks gave her the foundation she'd use to base her own scathing glares on, and years more of practice in front of the mirror in her room had perfected them. She turned a flawless Scathing Glare over him and said with as much contempt as she could, "My name is Andromeda Black." She felt that was all for now, after all why subject oneself to talking to a mudblood more than the explicitly necessary?

Unabashed and most disturbingly unmoved before her glare, the boy grinned at her and said, "I know. That's why I said, 'Morning, Andy!'." She blinked up at him, speechless as he continued. "And common courtesy states you should say, 'Morning, Ted!', in return."

This strange attitude from a boy she didn't remember ever talking to left her completely baffled. Unsure of how to act, she resorted to basic instincts and decided to be defensive and haughty at same time. "Why should I? I don't even know you." She said, her grey eyes suspicious as she flipped her long, dark hair over her shoulder.

"Of course you do," he replied with an easy grin. "We've had Potions together for the past two years, and now it seems we'll be seeing each other in Arithmancy as well."

"Clearly, you're delusional if you think I'll be 'seeing you' anywhere in any way," she said with a derisive sneer, sitting primly on her chair and turning resolutely to face forward and away from him.

"Oh, but you will," he replied, laughter in his voice, as he took the chair next to her and winked at her. Winked! The nerve!

Andromeda had decided she would either ignore the boy or else be entirely unpleasant should it prove absolutely necessary to engage him in conversation. At first, she succeeded in her plans and never in her mind crossed the thought that she might be hurting his feelings in any way—he certainly seemed to be enjoying himself with attempts to talk to her.

But over the years, things changed somehow. She didn't know when it happened, or what prompted it. She was growing accustomed to his presence, and coming up with new comebacks to throw at him once he talked to her. Her hostility was slowly replaced with friendly banter and teasing. And she didn't even notice it. She was looking forward to his 'Morning, Andy!' as much as her own 'My name is Andromeda!'. Yet, most people in school would never think they knew each other at all.

It was a most unusual case, because she'd spent her entire life listening to how mudbloods were unworthy and beneath them, how her family was made of true witches and wizards, with the purest blood for centuries, and how they knew all about magic. Magic that now was falling in the hands of inexperienced people.

"Dangerous people, these muggles," her old grandfather used to say. And for what she'd learned with her tutors before going to Hogwarts, it was true enough. Muggles had a terrible history when it came to dealing with power. And magic was a power they couldn't even understand, let alone handle it. Past experiences had proved catastrophic when mixing muggles and magic—especially dark magic—and it was something that was still too fresh in everyone's minds, both worlds still in process of reconstruction and recovery from the last war.

But as she grew up and learned more, she learned to think for herself as well. Wizards also had incidents in their history when power got out of hand that had led to gruesome conflicts, and even all-out wars. And in the end she'd accept they were all, in fact, humans. And that they had their flaws and made mistakes, each with the kind of power they had at hand.

She slowly learned not to judge by appearances or preconceived ideas, and reasoned she was smart enough to come to her own conclusions. And if she liked to idly chat with a boy in one of her favourite classes, she'd continue to do it. Only she'd not exactly advertise it to her family and friends.

As she grew up, Andromeda wasn't exactly averse to dating, except that in a way she was. She wanted to fall in love but was very much afraid of it at the same time. She'd watch her sisters' love lives, which were as opposite as possible.

Bellatrix claimed she didn't believe in love, she only liked to have fun. She went out with various boys, and always came back with fun stories to share. As it was in her nature, she wouldn't allow to be tamed down, though many boys tried it in their time. It was only a few years later that she'd let herself be serious and committed to someone—Rodolphus Lestrange, the man she'd fall in love with and eventually marry.

Narcissa was an entirely different case because she did believe in love. Actually, a little bit too much, for she was constantly falling in and out of love. Although self-possessed and aloof, as mentioned before, she was also the youngest and, for some unwritten rule, the most innocent and trusting one. Her love affairs always ended tragically, both for Narcissa who'd invariably get a broken heart, and for the boy in question, who'd usually have a broken arm, leg, or some other limb damaged in a way or another—a small parting gift from Bella. Eventually, the only man to remain intact was Lucius Malfoy, who was quite aware of Bella's power and vindictive tendencies and actually quite fond of Narcissa not to break her heart.

While Andromeda watched Bella have all the fun and Cissy live the romantic melodramas, she tried to find some balance to her own life. However, she was used to keeping people at distance with her Black poise, so she was dubbed the Ice Princess—to which she simply rolled her eyes the first time she heard of it, thinking how unoriginal it was. Boys either shied away completely from her (because they were intimidated) or saw her as a challenge to be conquered (because they were too cocky).

It was near the end of her fifth year when she at last relented to go out on a date. Julian Flint was a year older, handsome, charming, and interesting, and she liked him. They dated for about three months and she thought it was perfect. He actually listened to her, and made her laugh, and wasn't imposing in any way. She enjoyed their conversations and moments together, make it during meals, study sessions, Hogsmeade weekends, or walks around the school grounds.

To this day, she wasn't sure why when things were starting to get serious he came to her and said they had to talk. She listened as he said he needed to be honest, because he was starting to really like her and she should know she was the subject of a bet. Despite Bellatrix's preceding reputation of overly protective older sister, some of the boys in Slytherin had started a bet on who could break the Ice Princess and actually get her to go out on a date and make her fall for them. And apparently Julian had won the bet.

Horrified, Andromeda broke things up immediately, and wouldn't take him back on any terms. He apologized profusely and insisted that he really liked her, that it was a stupid bet that didn't matter at all to him. But she said the damage was already done and that if he'd been smart he'd have kept that information to himself.

After such a blow to his ego, one would have heard Julian say how he never cared about her and that he'd only had a bit of fun with her, all because of the bet.

Bellatrix's avenging fury upon hearing the story was now legendary in Slytherin, as well as the extent of injuries Julian and any other boy rumoured to be part of the bet suffered.

As for Andromeda, she then became even more reclusive in regards to the dating department, especially when it came to boys of her own House. She decided Bellatrix was probably right after all, that love wasn't important and that in the end you'd always have your heart broken, like Narcissa. Overdramatic a view as it was, she was sixteen and felt entitled to such drastic and cynic thoughts given the recent events.

Back to her sixth year, she fell back in stride to the single life and immersed herself in her studies. Choosing the library as her safe haven, Andromeda spent many hours there immersed in a wide variety of books. The result of this new routine was that she befriended a Ravenclaw sixth-year named Emmeline Vance, an assiduous scholar also hiding away from heartbreak among written words.

It started casually. Andromeda had checked out the book of Ancient Runes that Emmeline needed, and they found out they were researching for the same thing. At first they were a bit hesitant in studying together, but they soon learned they worked in similar manners and it became a habit. Their recent bad developments in their love lives were something else they shared. They started talking about how men were generally useless and complete bastards, and from there they decided they were fun company to each other. In due time, they came up with other topics to discuss and found they had similar tastes in literature, and apparently in music as well.

The Vances were still renowned as a pureblood family in the wizarding society, although Emmeline's aunt by marriage was muggle-born. They were far more liberal than the Blacks and quite interested in muggle culture and science in general as a consequence. Following the footsteps of her half-blood cousins, Emmeline fell in love with the muggle music so prolific and popular in the 1960's. Andromeda might have never heard of the rock and pop bands if not for her friendship with Emmeline. But as it were, she did hear them and instantly fell in love as well.

Such developments very much worried her family. Her sisters tried to talk some sense into her. Bellatrix argued that muggles and everything regarding them were beneath them, that they would never have magic and therefore were ignorant to some of the most powerful sources in the world. Bella had always been naturally attracted to the Dark Arts, a branch so disconnected and incomprehensible to the muggle world that the pureblood philosophy impressed on them since early age held a stronger, special meaning to her.

But Andromeda didn't think muggles were as ignorant. Emmeline had told her of their inventions and discoveries in the science field, and they had such a rich culture as well. Not only the music, but every form of art and philosophy. They were thinkers, and dreamers, and makers. A lot of what they created had a highly destructive power, surely. But it amazed her all the same how they could manage their lives without magic and still have so much.

Narcissa only begged her to think of her future. Although it wasn't exactly official, Andromeda had been promised to her second cousin Ian Rosier ever since the age of ten. Andromeda and Ian were actually the prefects of their year in Slytherin. Cissy worried that her rebellious preferences would somehow upset and displease their cousin, who would call off the engagement in the future, thus leaving Andromeda without a safety pureblood net.

Acknowledging her younger sister's worries, Andromeda dismissed them nonetheless with a careless wave of her hand. She was a Black, and if she wanted to have the perfect pureblood marriage, she would get one. That much was undisputable. But despite her recent cynical views, she knew she wanted to marry for love. And she was also starting to question if she indeed wanted a pureblood marriage.

Their parents, Druella and Cygnus Black were entirely more adamant and malcontent with the whole matter. They said that she'd be disgracing the family name to associate with muggle-lovers such as the Vances, that the conflicts revolving around muggle issues were escalating and worsening every day, and that such behaviour was unacceptable. What would their friends say if one of their daughters had taken to listening to raucous, filthy muggle music?

Rather indifferent before her parents' contemptuous treatment, Andromeda merely said she would try not to disgrace the family name with her actions. Right then, they took her to her word. A few months later, a similar statement would earn her a very painful hexing for being disrespectful. But then it would be too late, there would be nothing to stop her from thinking for herself.

One person was certainly delighted with Andromeda's sudden interest in all things muggle. Ever since her first Arithmancy class in third year, Edward Tonks had been a constant in her life. At first, he only teased her, and never missed a chance at it. But when she started to respond in kind and their then playful banter became more of a subconscious habit, they passed on to real conversations of all kinds.

During her 'I-hate-men' phase in sixth year he could be counted as the only male company she would gladly keep—although if asked, Andromeda would have said she hated them all, no exceptions made. Of course, he heard many complaints about members of his sex in general, but after what she'd been through he could hardly blame her. He had actually offered to go after Julian Flint and dismember him or something once he heard the whole story, only Bellatrix got there first.

After the winter holidays in their sixth year, Andromeda had reached such a level of obsession with studies that Emmeline and Ted—as he insisted to be called—took it to themselves to keep her sane. They would make sure she left the library every once in a while and that she had her meals properly and that she enjoyed Hogsmeade weekends actually in the village and not inside the castle.

It was expected that the Black sisters would be naturally bothered and jealous of Andromeda's friendship and closeness to two individuals who were completely apart from their Slytherin and purist world. And they were, and this was a time they argued often.

But Bellatrix had other things in her mind, as it was her last year in Hogwarts and this was 1971: by the end of the school year in June, a war would be started. Like many young people from their generation, she was all about revolution in the name of their pureblood legacy. As a shadow grew and spread over the country, Bella fell more into darkness as well.

And although Narcissa was worried about the changes in both her sisters' lives, she'd never had a forceful personality like Bella and didn't know how to intervene. She would watch from the sidelines and hope they would make the right choices. And of course her own life was very demanding as she had O.W.L.s to deal with this year, as well as the absence of Lucius Malfoy, since he'd now left Hogwarts.

Now Andromeda had a bit of a new routine with Ted and Emmeline, and it was some time before she noticed a few changes. Emmeline would excuse herself from study sessions and not return for hours. The Ravenclaw blonde would also choose not to go to Hogsmeade weekends with them or else spend more time with the friends from her House while at the village. And Ted would inexplicably patrol the corridors with Andromeda rather than with Audrey Knightley, the other Gryffindor prefect of their year.

There was one day when they'd missed dinner for staying in the library and Ted had decided to drag Andromeda to the kitchens so they'd eat something. They were sitting at the end of one of the long tables with house elves bustling all around them, and they were eating and drinking, and talking and laughing, and it was all so easy, natural, and comfortable. It was nice. And she started thinking.

Ted had always been someone who could move her to emotion. In the very early stages of their acquaintanceship, prior to third year when they started talking regularly, he unnerved her. He was a mudblood and she'd never had anything to do with any of them in her entire life. He was part of a new and strange species to her, and she never knew what to expect when dealing with one of them. She'd once overheard a conversation between two or three muggle-borns, and they'd talk about so many things she didn't understand. It was like learning another language. And she didn't like this disadvantage. She liked to believe she knew it all.

When he'd started to casually talk to her, she was annoyed. He was incredibly infuriating, with his teasing remarks, his boastful manner and the sheer confidence he exuded. He was much too self-assured for a third-year, she decided. And for a mudblood, she added more as an afterthought.

As friends, she thought he always brought out the best and the worse in her. Because he'd make her laugh and relax, throw away her Slytherin and Black façade and simply enjoy the little things. And she actually liked how they'd playfully argue over some inconsequential matter or another. But she'd also realise how biased and spoiled and arrogant she was, and how utterly different her world was from his. And she positively hated how angry she became when he'd make a stab at her House, her society and her family, even if it had been completely unintentional. Andromeda knew he was right and that she actually agreed with him, even though she felt she shouldn't. And so she'd react strongly, showing that famous Black temper and her true attributes that made her a Slytherin.

Over the years, she noticed that whenever the two of them would fight, her family was somehow involved. She'd acknowledge it with a roll of her eyes, appreciating the irony of how he was the one who would comfort her whenever she had a fight with someone from her family—something that occurred regularly when you had strong personalities such as Bellatrix and Andromeda. For as much as they loved each other, there would be inevitably occasions when the differences between the two sisters would produce a feud.

But what bothered Andromeda right now wasn't any of those things. It was the fact that it was simply easy and enjoyable to be around Ted. Just Ted. As it happened with the transition from antagonism to friendship, she couldn't tell when things had changed, or if they had at all. Maybe it was all there the entire time, only she was too stubborn or blind to see it.

And quite suddenly she was noticing a few things. She watched his hands and it came to her how strong they were when he gripped his wand, yet how soft they seemed to be when he was writing or talking to her and making vague though at times vehement gestures. She was now entranced by the way his chestnut hair fell to his eyes, and how his brown eyes sparkled when he laughed, and the way his loud laughter would ring around her as if it was actually inside her head and how it made her want to laugh as well. She was now aware of how exposed she felt under his intense gaze but that at the same time she could never bring herself to break the eye contact. And it all brought a new kind of nervousness, something that perhaps had always been there, buried beneath the surface because of all the other things she'd previously felt, and she hadn't known what to look for before, but how could she know, and as a matter of fact she still didn't know if she actually knew what to look for and—

Andromeda stopped and took a deep breath when she realised she was rambling in her own thoughts.

Always one to remain cool under dire circumstances, Andromeda calmly analysed the whole situation and devised a plan. When Emmeline continued to leave to two of them alone on various occasions, she approached Ted on the subject. They were actually at the Three Broomsticks, sitting on a somewhat secluded table each with a bottle of butterbeer when she decided quite simply to ask him if this was a date.

Raising his eyebrows before the question, he put his elbow on the table and leaned his chin on his hand, partially obstructing her view of his mouth. She wasn't sure, but she thought his eyes were smiling even if she couldn't see it properly formed on his lips. "Would you like it to be?" She definitely detected amusement in his voice, and no small amount of anxiety.

She leaned back on her chair and pretended to give him a searching and somewhat appraising look. "Yes." She said at last with a smile.

"Okay, then," he grinned back at her. "It's a date."

Quite unexpectedly, she reached across the table and slapped him lightly on the arm. "You git! I can't believe this is our first date and I was not even aware of it!"

"Ouch, Andy!"

"It's Andromeda for you now. You didn't even ask me out! And you call yourself a Gryffindor."

"Some of the perks of going out with a Slytherin: I learned a thing or two. And I thought it'd take you less time to figure it out. After all, this isn't exactly our first date."

She merely rolled her eyes at him. "You may not think so, but I do. And next time, ask. Or be more obvious, or something."

"All right. Would you like to go out with me again?"

"Ask me again when this date is over and maybe I'll consider it." She smirked at him, and he laughed.

He surprised her many times that evening. He surprised her when he took her hand in his as they walked back to the castle as though it were the most normal thing to do. She liked that it actually felt natural and that she didn't need any reassuring glances or smiles from him to realise it.

He surprised her as he suggested they take a walk around the school grounds before going into the castle. She felt it was horribly clichéd when they traced the path to the lake. Andromeda never thought of herself as the romantic type and the usual passé scenery made her uncomfortable.

"Not clichéd," Ted replied easily when she teasingly remarked it. "Classic." And then she surprisingly found she agreed with him.

He surprised her with the look in his eyes when they stopped under a tree. It was so intense. Then he smiled, and he kissed her. He meant for it to be a light kiss, a soft brush, but they were both taken aback on how it turned so passionate. And after he pulled back, she found herself pulling him back to her as she claimed his lips to her again, her hands gently cupping his face and his arms wrapped around her. And she wondered how they'd never done this before.

Afterwards, only certain details would remain in her memory. How she felt so warm when there was a chilly breeze blowing around them as she sun was setting in the horizon. How her hands suddenly changed place and one of them was in his hair as the other clung to his shirt. How the ground seemed to have disappeared from under her feet and all sense of time was obsolete. And how much she felt she could never get enough of him.

Naturally, she did go out with him again. And again, and again, and again. She marvelled at how easy it had been to turn friendship into something more. They still talked as usual, and teased each other, and had arguments, and carried on with study sessions. Only they were closer, and there were times he'd steal a kiss in an empty corridor, and they'd snog each other senseless in more private occasions.

They decided to keep it a secret, partially for practicality's sake and partially for fun. Andromeda worried terribly that her sisters or friends in Slytherin would find out, and what their reaction would be. She wasn't exactly sure how they managed it but they finished their sixth year and the school's network of gossip was still none the wiser about them. The only person who knew about them was Emmeline, and it was only natural as she was their closest friend and had helped them along the way.

During the summer holidays, she snuck out of her pureblood country house to step into muggle London for the first time in her life. It was no easy feat, but she was a cunning, bright young witch and she was a Slytherin. Being seventeen and having an Apparition license was certainly helpful, as well as a boyfriend with a very keen sense of adventure. The experience was exhilarating and quite overwhelming, with the rush of the big city and the extraordinarily muggle environment surrounding and engulfing her senses.

Ted took her to various hip locations in the West End, and he also brought her to his house in Chelsea. Meeting the Tonks family was certainly an interesting experience, as she'd never been in a muggle household. And all members of his family seemed fairly fascinated in meeting her.

His parents made an interesting combination as Paul Tonks was a Harley Street doctor and his wife Helen was a musician, though she had stopped performing quite a few years before. Ted had four siblings: George, Lucy and Charlotte, who were older, and Alexander, who was two years younger than him. And they were all loud, cheerful and colourful. She felt dizzy with all their playful banter and shouted words across the rooms and genuine display of interest in her life. They were nice people.

She returned home after Sunday lunch with the Tonks with a mixture of conflicting feelings. Andromeda entered her house and she immediately noticed how it was subdued and cold, with its dark corridors even with the brightness of summer and the polite empty words exchanged at the dinner table. She looked at her father, dark and handsome with his solemn face and it suddenly hit her how she didn't even know what exactly was his job. Surely, they referred to it as "the family business", but Andromeda and her sisters and cousins didn't actually know what it meant. All they knew was that they were wealthy and powerful, and for a long time that seemed to be enough.

She turned to look at her mother, sitting regally in her seat, considered the model of the pureblood society lady. Her mother with her carefully arranged fair hair and sharp blue eyes and beautiful features. Her mother who had tea with her friends and organized charity balls for museums and always seemed to be busy but never actually did anything. And Andromeda wondered what had happened to that young, shrewd girl she'd seen in old family portraits and photographs. And she wondered if that was her future.

She then glanced at her sisters. Narcissa who was fair and all blue eyes and was young and shrewd much like Druella Rosier once had been and who seemed to aspire to their mother's life as her own. And Bellatrix who looked much like herself with the dark hair and grey eyes, with her strong personality and fierce determination and ambition to be more, and all the darkness that surrounded her.

And this was her world.

When she went back to Hogwarts for her seventh and final year, Andromeda had to adjust herself to some changes. First of all, Bellatrix wouldn't be with her from now on. With the exception of Bella's first year at Hogwarts, the two of them had always been together. They had their fights (because they were so alike) and disagreements (because of their differences), but they were sisters and loved each other, no matter the various times they proclaimed the opposite. It would be hard not to have her strong but otherwise comforting presence in many ways.

Of course, Bella's absence brought benefits as well, especially when it came to her new boyfriend. Much to her surprise, Andromeda and Ted got the badges for Head Girl and Boy, and perhaps on account of all the extra work they had to do now, the stress of seventh year, N.E.W.T.s and the war developing in the country, or even that she felt they needn't be as guarded for her older sister wasn't around anymore, or maybe they were simply tired. It could've been all of it, but what happened was that their secret was out: By the end of September the whole school—and her family—knew of their relationship.

Andromeda had always imagined what would be their reactions. She'd had dreams—even nightmares about it, and certain images couldn't stop playing in her head, even when she was living blissful moments with Ted. She knew the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black would never accept her involvement with a muggle-born—a mudblood. But she had perhaps found the worse time ever to be deemed a blood-traitor.

Her seventh year, as it happened, was the one her cousin Sirius was starting Hogwarts. Sirius was Uncle Orion (of the first direct lineage from Phineas Nigellus) and Aunt Walburga's oldest son and therefore the heir of the Black legacy and lineage. He had the dark hair and stormy grey eyes just like his father—and mother—and so many other Black traits: even at eleven years old you could see he would grow up to be handsome, he was also precociously sarcastic and a natural troublemaker. Andromeda had always seen traces of brightness, of his cunning intelligence and the sheer force of his personality—much like Bellatrix when she was young, or herself.

In other words, he really was the perfect Black heir. And it was a shocking, almost shameful moment when the Sorting Hat declared he should go to Gryffindor. All the Blacks had always been in Slytherin.

The following morning, as Sirius entered the Great Hall wearing his red and gold Gryffindor tie, many people expected he would receive at least one Howler, but Andromeda knew better. They were Blacks, it wouldn't do to escalate matters and make of this an even bigger scandal. No, he would be reprimanded, of course, but it wouldn't be a public event. And young Sirius was feeling confused and awkward enough with the turn of events.

With the threat of having a blood-traitor heir looming over their heads—because everyone knew Gryffindors were blood-traitors—the news that their daughter Andromeda was seeing a mudblood incensed her parents to levels previously unknown. Druella actually had to prevent Cygnus from sending her a Howler.

Much like her little cousin, Andromeda received admonitions in letters. Now whereas Sirius could argue that it wasn't his choice, that he'd told the Hat he should be in Slytherin and it hadn't listened to him, Andromeda couldn't—and wouldn't—say she'd been forced into the relationship. It was of her own free will.

It wasn't only with her family that matters got complicated. Slytherins generally disapproved of dating outside their House. Andromeda was sure that if she wasn't a Black and Head Girl, and hadn't such a physical and possibly temperamental resemblance to Bellatrix, she might have been completely shunned. But most of her peers still respected, or at least feared her. And the ones who didn't would suffer the consequences of her wand—or Ted's—later.

Even with all of the adversity, Andromeda continued to see Ted. Right after the news got out, she had tried to break it up with him, especially after receiving Bella's letter. But he insisted he wouldn't let go of her so easily. And she caved.

Ted would tease her mercilessly, saying wasn't it all dreadfully passé and romantic, like Romeo and Juliet, and she would roll her eyes and smile at him despite herself. "As long as we don't end up dead," she'd tell him with a laugh.

But every week she would get a letter from her parents telling her how disappointed they were, and the longer and more heartfelt letters from Bella came almost daily. She soon began to feel it was all too much, her old friends and colleagues from Slytherin didn't respect her anymore, and she never thought having no support from her family would be so excruciatingly exhausting and even frightening. It was just too hard.

"I tried to warn you." She had been reading one more letter from Bella late one night in the common room when she heard the voice coming from the staircase to the girls' dormitories. She looked up and saw Narcissa walking up to her.

"What?" Andromeda questioned as her sister sat in front of her.

"I tried to tell you, to think of your future when you started this rebellious thing." And she smiled, sadly. And in this moment Andromeda knew that Narcissa had known about her involvement with Ted for a long time and that she'd never said a thing to anyone, not even their family.

"Why?" She asked. "If you knew for so long, why didn't you tell them before now?"

She shook her head. "It really wasn't my place to do it. And I knew you'd have to deal with this sooner or later." Narcissa paused and reached for her hands across the table. "Andy, are you sure you know what you're doing?"

"Of course I am," she replied automatically, with a slightly affronted tone.

"Because I don't think you do," her younger sister continued evenly. "Do you have any idea what's happening to the world outside these walls? While you two are at Hogwarts, it might be just fine but you'll be leaving soon. And there is a war. Do you think that's fair to him?"

"Fair? To him? You mean Ted?" Andromeda frowned in confusion.

Narcissa nodded solemnly. "You're a Black, Andy. One of the oldest families with the purest blood. Do you really think they would allow such impertinence from a mudblood go by unnoticed? And you've heard the recent news: these Death Eaters, they attack, they capture, they torture, they kill."

Andromeda shuddered and took her hands away. Narcissa continued in the same soft voice, unfazed.

"And you keep on like this and you'll be considered a blood-traitor. Do you want your name in the Family Tree to be no more and have a hole like a cigarette burn in its place? And you'd turn away your origins and your family—your world—and for what? For a boy who would never really understand you, a boy who has led a completely different life. A life that you'll be putting into danger."

And she listened to her sister, her baby sister who was always so self-possessed and aloof, and who never meddled and simply didn't care, and her words spoken softly but unwaveringly and how she was only thinking of her, Andromeda's life, and her future, her happiness. And suddenly her own words, "As long as we don't end up dead," came back to her and it brought a whole new frightening meaning.

Before the end of November, the strain was already too much for her to take. Her own words and Narcissa's words kept playing over and over in her head, and Andromeda couldn't bear the thought of something happening to Ted. So one day they sat down and she said what had been in her mind since that night's conversation with her sister.

"Andy," he sighed, in a slightly tired manner when she started.

"I'm serious, Ted. I think we should take a break." A pause. "I need it."

"Why?" He said. Such a simple question. How to answer it?

"Because…" She took a deep breath in. "I'm having second thoughts. I'm not sure this is what I want anymore."

"I don't believe you." He said, not in an accusing tone, but of one who was absolutely sure of what is saying.

"This is just too much." She said, angry and frustrated. "It's too hard, my family hates me, my housemates despise me, and it is all just too difficult. Maybe that's not what I want in life."

"So you're telling me you want to end this, forget everything we had, go back to your life of purity and tradition and in the prospective future maybe marry your second cousin Rosier?" He countered, this time sarcastic.

"Yes, maybe that's what I want," she replied, untruly. Lie to him, kept going round and round in her head. "This was all just a rebellious phase, a wish to incite my parents and my family. And it was all terribly fun, but now it's gotten too much."

"Is it really, Andy? You want to go back to all that? To that life?"

"I never left," she smiled coldly. Hurt him so he'll hate you. Then at least he'll be safe. "In the end, I'm a Black, and a Slytherin. I'm a witch of the high society, just like all the others. You always knew that."

"Yes, but I thought you were so much more." He said calmly, but she could see his brown eyes were ablaze. "And I though you were different, special. I still do." He got up, and she watched as he looked away and put his hands in his pockets. "You want a break? Fine, you have it."

She looked at her hands, waiting for him to leave so she could drop her mask of impassiveness and nonchalance, but he still had one more thing to say. "But, Andromeda." And she looked up, for he barely ever used her proper name. "I'm not giving up."

The news that they'd broken up spread around the school faster than she'd expected, and she almost didn't have to write a letter back home to inform her parents of her decision. But she still wrote them, and Bella. And they were ever all so pleased that she'd come back to her senses.

Andromeda had well expected Emmeline to come around with a proper telling off for being so stupid followed by a session of incessant questions that would probably drive them both crazy, but she didn't. Emmeline just said she was there for her in case she wanted to talk, and that it would be all right. Andromeda was never more grateful for her friend.

When they went back home for the winter holidays, Andromeda's sullen mood was shadowed by Bellatrix's exuberance at being reunited with her sisters and all the fabulous parties they would attend. The oldest Black daughter had spent the previous three months in France. For the next three months Bella would stay in Germany—despite all the conflict there at the time, the wizarding community was quite organized and safe—, and then go to one more European nation for another trimester—she was currently undecided between Greece, Finland, and the Netherlands.

During the holidays, everyone had been graceful and sensitive enough not to discuss Ted with her—or they'd probably decided to overlook the whole affair in hopes it would be soon forgotten. That is, with the exception of two people. Andromeda always thought Uncle Alphard was a bit... odd. At least that was the general consensus. She was very much surprised with the topic of discussion he chose when he found her standing in the library and gazing at the Family Tree tapestry they had there—identical to the one in Grimmauld Place.

"That was Isla, old Phineas's baby sister." She turned around and watched as he got his wand and produced a small flame. "Cigarette?" He took a pack from his pocket and offered her one.

"I don't smoke, Uncle Alphard." She replied with a slight frown, deciding not to question why he was carrying that particular brand of muggle cigarettes.

"Oh, then it's just Bella." He said casually as he lit the on in his hand. "Did you know your sister's taken to smoking? A habit she's picked up in France, I gather."

"Indeed." She replied casually, and turned back to gaze at the tapestry. They never talked about the marks that resembled cigarette burns and the names and people they had once represented. But she'd always been curious, and he'd been the one to actually broach the subject. "Why was she blasted off?" She suspected she knew the reason, but she wanted to be sure.

"Because she fell in love," Uncle Alphard chuckled slightly and she turned to look at him with a raised eyebrow. "Of course, she only fell in love with the wrong person. Had he been a nice, pureblood husband, she'd still be there and we would hear of their children, and grandchildren possibly."

"A mudblood?" She turned to face him fully.

"I think so. Grandmother Violetta used to say how it was disgraceful that Isla had run off with a muggle, but I don't think she ever got the opportunity to actually meet a real muggle, prior to eloping that is." He sat down on an armchair and summoned an ashtray. "Your mother would have a fit if I dropped ashes on her Persian rug."

"So he was a mudblood?" She continued, after displaying a brief smile at his last remark.

"Yes, from Hogwarts. But for us it doesn't matter if he was a muggle or a mudblood. In the end, she was a traitor." He paused, flicking his cigarette. "Such a pretty girl too, or so I heard. Dark hair and grey eyes just like you."

"Yes, and Bella, and Aunt Wally, and Auntie Dorea." Andromeda rolled her eyes.

"Right you are." He chuckled lightly once more. "Well, Isla chose love, and so she was isolated, ignored. Blasted off the family tree."

"It must have been horrible," Andromeda found herself whispering, looking back up at the tapestry.

"Mmm." Uncle Alphard muttered noncommittally. "We live with the choices we make. If she was happy breaking free, better than the ones that stay behind for fear and are forever bound to such chains." She looked up to find him putting out his cigarette and summoning a book from the shelf.

"What exactly are you trying to tell me, Uncle Alphard?" She asked slowly, watching his face for some sort of reaction.

"Oh nothing, really." He smiled at her over the book. "Just a bit of family history, nothing really interesting or worthwhile, your mother would probably tell you. And before I forget, how is your last year going so far? I don't think I got the opportunity to ask. Ah Hogwarts. The best years of my life."

Andromeda simply stared at him as he continued to look expectantly up at her, a pleasant smile on his face, his dark eyes twinkling. "Oh it was all fine until I had to break up with my boyfriend," she replied, not really sure how those words found their way out of her mouth.

"Oh, what a pity." He said, the twinkling in his eyes disappearing and his eyebrows furrowing in his forehead. "Young love... It is precious, you know Andromeda? Nothing like being young and in love. But then, your mother would probably tell you I'm talking nonsense, as usual." He then got up and left the book on a side table. "Which reminds me, I came here to tell you to go up and get ready. We're having tea with the Malfoys and the Rosiers."

He left, as unassumingly as when he'd first entered the library, leaving a thoroughly perplexed Andromeda behind.

The second person to broach the subject was just as unexpected. Andromeda was sitting alone in a compartment in the Hogwarts Express on her way back to school when the door opened and in walked Sirius Black.

"Hey," he muttered, flopping down on the seat across from her.

"Hello." Andromeda replied, putting down the book she'd been reading. "Are you all right?"

"I had a fight with James." He said simply, crossing his arms and looking extremely sullen.

"Aren't you two generally fighting anyway?" She frowned. Ever since Sirius had been sorted into Gryffindor, he'd had several clashes with his housemates, partially for his foul mood brought onto him by his family and partially because he felt he shouldn't be there and therefore shouldn't be nice to the other Gryffindors.

"Well, no." Sirius frowned as well. "I mean, yeah we had lots of fights, but we stopped." She raised an eyebrow at him. "Fine, I stopped." He rolled his eyes. "I figured I can't go on seven years arguing with them just for the sake of it. Too exhausting."

"Oh I bet your mother won't be pleased to hear you're associating with the mudbloods and blood traitors," Andromeda gave him a sort of twisted, wry smile.

"Yeah, and you're one to talk." Sirius snorted. "You were actually the reason we fought."

"Why on Earth would you and James Potter have a fight about me?"

"Well, you and Ted Tonks, actually." He bit his lip for a moment, as though deciding if he should continue. "James said you were stupid from breaking up with him just because of our family. I told him to shut up, he told me to shut up and then I guess you know what happened."

"You didn't hex him, did you?" She narrowed her eyes at him. It was just like Sirius to use his wand without thinking, a family trait with frequently dangerous consequences.

"No." Despite herself, Andromeda thought he looked adorable when he pouted just like when he was little. "I found that I actually agree with him."

Once more, she raised an eyebrow at him. "Excuse me?"

"Yeah." Sirius nodded. "He really likes you, Andy. I mean, I'd never tell you this, but he is in my House, and well we see it all. I overheard Benjy Fenwick, you know, his friend, the Team Captain, saying how bad he was that day you broke up." He paused, looking up for a minute, twiddling his fingers in a would-be-casual manner. "He was so angry, he nearly destroyed the seventh year dorm, I heard."

"Well," Andromeda said, quite surprised. "Well!" She repeated, a bit annoyed to be at a loss of words. "It had to be like this, Sirius. You of all people should know. I don't need this sort of complication in my life."

"Okay," Sirius got up, putting his hands in his pockets and for a moment reminding her of Ted. "Just, as you usually tell me, don't do anything you'll regret later." And then he left. And once more Andromeda was quite baffled and wondering what was happening to the men in her family.

In the interim, Ted hadn't forgotten his promise and he wouldn't give up on them. As they still had to work together as Heads and had all of their classes together, Andromeda was finding this break-up a very strenuous experience.

In the end, they were apart for nearly three months. Before the end of February, Andromeda couldn't take it anymore and decided to risk everything by getting back together with him. They tried to keep a low profile at start, but naturally it couldn't last forever and it wasn't long before people heard and spread word of it again.

Immediately afterwards, Narcissa came to have a talk with her once more, but this time Andromeda wouldn't listen.

"I love you Cissy, and I know you mean well." She said. "But this is my life, and I know all the risks and the consequences. But right now, frankly I don't care. I just... I love him and I want to be with him."

"All right." Her sister nodded in reply. In truth, she didn't understand and probably never would, but she didn't want to keep arguing with Andromeda. She knew it would never come to anything, and she only hoped her sister came back to her senses before it was too late.

Andromeda was quite surprised that this time there hadn't been as many reprimands from her family. She wouldn't dare hope they were coming to accept it, though. Some time later Narcissa told her their parents had decided this was all just Andromeda's little rebellion, a phase, and that it would be over when she finished Hogwarts. They either hoped or would force her to forget it once she was back at home.

Perhaps on account of it, her last months in Hogwarts were the happiest she had, for she lived as though there was no tomorrow, only the present and damn the consequences. She loved Ted and would be with him, no matter what anyone else thought.

Andromeda remembered it all. Every kiss, every touch, every laugh or tear, every moment they'd spent together. She now smiled, somewhat sadly as she remembered how she'd been so happy and had been stupid enough to almost make the same mistake twice.

After N.E.W.T.s and packing her belongings in her Slytherin dormitory for the last time, she boarded the Hogwarts Express with all the other students, ready to live the rest of her life. But her plan to live without thinking of the future backfired right there, when she panicked, as she didn't know what she'd do.

Feeling slightly sick, and almost immediately regretting it, she talked to Ted and said she wanted another break. She was scared, and she didn't know what was going to happen, and she wasn't ready to leave her family, but she loved him very much, and she simply didn't know what to do.

Sighing deeply, he said, "I know, Andy. And I can't believe I'm saying this, but I understand. Things will be different from now on." He paused, running a hand through his hair. "All right. Then let's take another break. But this time, I won't be coming after you." He locked his brown eyes with her grey ones. "If, and only if you're sure this is what you want, you know where to find me."

"Ted..." She said, despairingly.

"I'm not trying to be mean, Andy." He explained. "But I can't keep doing this. We have to decide what we want to do. And I'm giving you time and space to do that. Besides, I don't think I would be exactly welcomed if I knocked on the door of your house one of these days." He finished with a lopsided smile.

"No, I don't think so." She smiled sadly at him.

And so it was that they separated for the second time. Narcissa saved her the trouble of informing their parents that'd she ended the relationship with that wretched mudblood, and Andromeda noticed as her mother and Aunt Walburga exchanged a smug, satisfied look when they'd heard it. "See, just a bit of youthful rebellion," it seemed to say.

On the first week back, their house was taken in a flood of activity and excitement: Bellatrix was engaged to Rodolphus Lestrange, and naturally they had to throw a party for them.

Andromeda and Narcissa were both a bit surprised with how quickly things had happened. Of course they knew him; Rodolphus had been in Hogwarts with them in Slytherin. In fact, his brother Rabastan—ten years younger—was in the same year as Sirius. But Bella and Rodolphus had been two years apart, and they'd never had much in common. Only when Bella went to France to study, she met him again and something started.

It wasn't quite simple as a mentorship, or a friendship. It was perhaps all of that and so much more. This was the first time Bellatrix was able to show some respect for a man and still maintain every ounce of arrogance and pride she'd always exhibited. They were equals in many ways.

Bella had changed as well. Andromeda couldn't tell exactly how she knew this, but she could feel it. Her older sister had always been fierce and ruthless, but now something about her seemed almost cruel. She watched as they talked about the engagement and everything that had happened that year that they hadn't told in letters.

"I never thought you'd get engaged so quickly, Bella." Narcissa told her, as they were sitting in the gardens in the back of the house.

"Me neither." She replied, her voice distant as she lay watching the night sky. "But it's merely a formality. I'm not getting married for some time. I still have lots of things to do."

"What are you doing this year, then?" Andromeda asked, watching with some sort of fascination as the cigarette in her sister's hand burned.

"Travelling and studying a bit more." Something about her smile made her look sinister. "Eastern Europe now. It should be more interesting. Rodolphus says it is fascinating." She paused, bringing the cigarette to her lips and then exhaling. "You should come, Andy. You would learn a lot."

"I'm not particularly interested in the Dark Arts, Bella." She said with a light, dismissive tone. Their family generally encouraged the study of the Dark Arts, which was considered real magic, and Eastern Europe had always had a reputation of the place to go if that's what you wanted to learn.

"You should learn to ignore such labels, Andy." Bella said. "In the end, it's all about power. Power and knowledge."

Andromeda soon learned that if she didn't plan on following her sister, plans would be made for her. She'd overheard her parents discussing sending her to France as well. She thought they were afraid of what she'd come up with if left to decide her own future, and that perhaps the best option was to send her out of the country for some time.

It was a week after Bella's engagement party and she felt it was almost normal being back home and getting ready for another social event. The Malfoys were throwing a Black and White Ball for some charity at St. Mungo's and naturally her family was invited and expected. Yes, it was quite normal following the routine of the pureblood families. But something inside her felt hollow.

And then she was standing there in her white dress robes, watching Narcissa dance with Lucius and Bellatrix with Rodolphus, and all the other wealthy guests. Then Ian Rosier asked her to dance and she accepted, because it was the only thing to do.

"What a handsome couple," she heard an old friend of her mother comment as she walked with Ian to the dance floor.

"Oh yes," the other witch replied, and added in a voice laced of special meaning. "I heard there might be more than one engagement in the Black family this year."

Andromeda thought she shouldn't be so surprised. After all, what had she expected her parents to do after everything? Naturally they'd want to arrange a wedding for her, and she'd already been promised to her second cousin.

Nevertheless, her mind whirled as they danced, and she was glad it was a short song. She excused herself and stepped outside for some fresh air, the soft music still floating around her. And before she knew what she'd done, Andromeda had Apparated away from there.

Opening her eyes, she saw she'd materialized in front of a building in London, in a street she recognized quite well. She turned around as she heard a voice.

"Andy?" It was Ted. "What are you doing here? And how do you go around just Apparating like that? Someone could've seen you!"

"I love you," she blurted out, and he halted in front of her. "I love you and I want to be with you, and I don't care about anything else." She said, realising she was starting to ramble but unable to stop. "And I'm sorry, I was confused, but I see now I can't go back, and I don't want to go back and have a life preordained, with charity balls and tradition and engagement parties thrown for me when I least expect—"

"They threw an engagement party for you?" Ted's voice was shocked, outraged and hollow at same time.

"No! No, no, no. We had one for Bella, she's engaged. I'm only wearing this because I was in a Black and White Ball, the Malfoys threw it." She stopped talking, noticing for the first time his clothes. It seemed he was coming or going to a social event as well.

"Oh this," he said, gesturing to his black trouser pants, white shirt and dark jacket, and he smirked. "Well, sorry to disappoint you, but muggles throw charity balls as well. One of my father's friends. I was only taking a walk before we left. But back to what you were saying."

With a half-sob, half-laugh, she threw her arms around him and never wanted to let go, and he embraced her just as strongly.

That had been Saturday. It was now Wednesday morning as Andromeda waited in her bedroom in the Black Manor for the sun to rise. Still sitting in her bed, she glanced at her left hand and smiled at seeing the diamond ring in her third finger.

After Ted had been reassured that this in fact was what she wanted and that she wouldn't change her mind, he surprised her as he took a small velvet box from his pocket, giving it to her.

"It was my grandmother's ring." He explained with a smile, his eyes twinkling. "I was carrying it around, trying to decide if I should just go after you, or hoping that you would."

They decided right then and there to simply elope and get married. They didn't want to wait and risk her family finding about it and trying to stop them.

"You're already wearing a white dress." He grinned at her.

"And you're also looking quite dashing." She returned the smile, giving him a quick kiss.

They'd gotten married that same night, Apparating up to Hogsmeade and registering their civil marriage—also flooing Emmeline and Benjy Fenwick to be there as witnesses and unofficial maid of honour and best man. Andromeda wrote a letter back home saying she would spend the night in a friend's house, and Emmeline covered for her. They disappeared for the rest of the weekend, enjoying their impromptu honeymoon.

Andromeda only returned home Monday by nightfall and was greeted with a set of parents very angry with her behaviour on Saturday, leaving the party without giving word and hiding away at the Vance's. She'd returned knowing there was no hope her parents would accept her sudden marriage to Ted. But she had to try.

She'd spent the entire day of Tuesday attempting to broach the subject with her parents, but they would simply not hear her and start talking of her plans for that year, talking of France and Germany, and even Eastern Europe, and wasn't Ian Rosier so handsome in the ball? By mid-afternoon, she'd decided to stop trying and simply go.

She had spent the night packing some of her things and writing letters. She wrote a short one to her parents, informing them of her marriage and thanking them for everything, but that from now on it would be her life and Ted's, and they would make the decisions.

Her letters to Bellatrix and Narcissa were considerably longer, with more explanations she knew would never reach them. She could write them a book full of words that would all feel empty to her sisters, she knew that. But once again, she had to try.

And when the sky was lighter and the time had come, she got up, shrinking and pocketing her suitcase that contained a few objects from what would be known as her previous life. She left her room, and abruptly tears started to form in her eyes.

She walked through the dark hallways of the house of her family, tears tracing down her face. Andromeda knew she would never see this place again, that she would in all probability never talk to her sisters again, that she wouldn't be present in family meetings or social gatherings. And for as much as she loved Ted and knew she wanted to be with him, it hurt to leave. It hurt to go. But she went anyway.

She took a deep breath in as she stepped out the back door, wiping the tears away and leaving Andromeda Black behind. She would now be Andy Tonks.

She smiled as she watched the sky. This time, this specific time of the day that she was waiting to come reminded her of Ted. While they were broken up, one day Ted asked her to come up to the Astronomy Tower at a specific time of the morning. She went, feeling she shouldn't be there and that she should be stronger.

She had found him leaning over the railing, his eyes closed and he had smiled as she silently approached him.

"So?" She had asked, crossing her arms. "It's freezing cold, Ted. Why did you want me to come here?"

"To show you this," he had smiled even more, gesturing vaguely to the scenery around them. "And to tell you this is my favourite time of the day."

"Why?" She had asked, frowning a bit.

"Because before it was so dark and you thought there could never be light again, but now here comes the sun," he had said earnestly. "Look at how the sky gets lighter and brighter. It's like hope."

She had looked back into his bright eyes and sensed a different meaning to his words. "How long have you been here?"

He had shrugged nonchalantly. "Some time."

"And you just kept waiting?"

"I knew you'd show up. Also, I'd wait for you forever." The look in his eyes had taken her breath away. "I'm still waiting."

Now she could barely believe that had happened less than five months ago. It seemed like a lifetime away.

Suddenly, she laughed, thinking how her present situation reminded her of a song by one of her favourite muggle bands. Admittedly, it wasn't her favourite song, but the way it described her morning was quite fitting.

"She's leaving home," Andromeda whispered to herself, slightly shaking her head before she closed her eyes and Apparated away.

She had arranged to meet Ted in London that morning—not actually in his house—and as she walked through the streets to the rendezvous, she wondered how his family had taken the news of their eloping. Probably better than the Blacks would, she imagined—hoped—but Ted was the first one to get married, even if he was the second youngest.

And coming over the top of Primrose Hill, she found him, and he gave her a huge smile as she approached him.

"You came." He said, hands in his pocket, and she smiled simply at seeing that.

"Of course I did," she said. "What, did you expect me to run away?"

"I was afraid they'd have locked you up or something, or that you'd have changed your mind and I'd be left here, just like a fool on the hill."

"Well, I would never do that, and no one would stop me from coming to you." She replied, stepping up and wrapping her arms around him. She inhaled in his scent as his arms came around her, closing her eyes for a moment, and never before a hug felt nicer and safer. Right. "Are you all right?" She whispered.

"I am now. I love you, Andy." He said. "Let's go home."

She smiled, and said, "Yes, we're going home." And as they turned and started walking, still in each other's arms, she repeated quietly to herself. "I'm going home."

------

A.N.: Here it is. Terribly long, as usual not quite how I wanted it to be, and with a vast number of clichés. But it is my take on Ted and Andy's story, and I like it, especially as it hits so close to home. And I'd love to hear your opinion!