Disclaimer: I don't own. So shut up.
Andromeda Tonks lay in her bed, the left side unnaturally cold and empty. She had gotten used to it, it was, after all, five years after the war. However, today was a specific day. Today was the day that the nice boy who had been with Ted had told her what had happened. How he had found her house, she had never figured out. Maybe she would call him, the boy that is. Suddenly, the forty-six-year-old woman burst into tears. She knew she shouldn't be so loud; Teddy was in the next room. He would hear her and get scared.
"Gran'ma?" Asked a small voice, "Gran'ma, are you okay?" Andromeda sat up, wiping her eyes and forcing a smile at her tiny grandson. She stood up and scooped the boy up in her arms.
"Of course, Teddy. I'm just fine now that you're here. You know what, Teddy? In the morning, if you go to bed real nice for me right now, I'll call Harry and see what I can do to get you over there. Maybe you'll see Victoire, she spends nearly as much as you do over there."
"Aww, gran'ma, she's too little to do anything fun like play in the mud."
"Now, Teddy, you were three once, too. Besides, you shouldn't play in the mud, anyway. Now go off to bed before we're both up for good."
"Too late." Teddy declared, a mischievous grin on his face; it too much resembled his mother's own grin. Andromeda chuckled and looked at Teddy, almost laughing at his teal blue hair.
"Well then, what to do?" Andromeda asked, looking at the clock, shrugging her shoulders. It was early morning, but not all that ridiculous; four-thirty was when Ted had usually woken up anyway.
"How about this, Teddy: I go make us some Hot Cocoa and we watch the sunrise? Your mother and grandfather used to do that all the time. Perhaps we can steal their tradition for a while, I don't think they'll mind." She proposed, her lips forming a rare mischievous grin. Teddy looked at his grandmother oddly; she never brought up his mother or grandfather.
"G-Gran'ma? Can I hear a story about mummy an' daddy?" He asked tentatively, biting his lip nervously.
"Of course you can, Teddy. Ohh, there's a good one. Now, go get dressed; I can see we aren't going to get anymore sleep." Teddy nodded in an exaggerated manner, leaping off the bed and running to his room. Andromeda herself got dressed and headed down the stairs, throwing her hair up in a ponytail as she put on the water to boil.
"Graan'maa!" Teddy shouted, leaping into his grandma's unsuspecting arms, a large grin nearly covering his entire face. Andromeda just barely held onto the boy, laughing and setting him down on the table.
"Gran'ma, the story." Teddy reminded her, swinging his legs in a jolly manner.
"Oh, yes. Well, would you believe that when Dora first came to me and Ted with her news, I wasn't so sure about Remus?" Andromeda asked, a small, wistful smile on her face.
"No!"
"Yes. He wasn't exactly well off, and I wasn't sure he was safe for my little girl."
"But I thought daddy was a good guy?"
"Oh, he was. I was just indecisive about him. So, your mother, because she was just like her father, went off and married him anyway. If I recall, it was quite like my wedding. She didn't even have a dress or a ring."
"I like that story, gran'ma."
"Yes, me too, Teddy."
Andromeda rushed to the pot of water, realizing it was over-boiling and quickly made the hot chocolate. She searched through the cupboards in search of marshmallows. After a few minutes of searching the sought-after treats were found. She popped one in each cup and carried them out to the front porch, Teddy in tow.
"Oh, gran'ma, it's so pretty!" Teddy exclaimed, clapping his hands and scrunching his face. It was obvious he was trying to make his hair the pinks and oranges and yellows of the sky, but all he got was an odd mixture of pink and orange.
"Did it work?" He asked excitedly, his hazel eyes full of enthusiasm.
"Mostly, dear."
"Really?" Teddy questioned, leaping off Andromeda's lap, where he had been placed, and running to the bathroom. A joyful squeal sounded from the bathroom and the five-year-old came shooting back out moments later. That's the closest I've ever gotten to any color I've tried to dupikit ever!"
"Harry should be up now, let's go give him a call."
"Okay!"
"Harry, would you mind taking care of Teddy today? I told him I'd try to get him over there to see you, and you know he's like his mother. He'll just keep pestering until you say yes." Andromeda asked apologetically, her face in Harry's living room fireplace.
"It's no problem, Victoire's here with Bill and Fleur. Fleur and Ginny are in the kitchen, just let me run it by Gin and we'll be all set." Harry replied, smiling at the older woman. He returned moments later, nodding.
"I'll be right over. And, Andromeda, it's not your fault."
"I know, Harry. I just-I wish I could have convinced her to stay, or maybe I could have stopped Remus from going. I know I couldn't have avoided Ted, but Dora and Remus. I can't help but feel like maybe I could have gone instead."
"Andromeda, you know as well as I do that nothing could have stopped Tonks-Nymphadora from going. She would have gone if you had put her in a body-binding spell."
"Yes, I know. Well, I'll be right over with Teddy."
"Good bye, Andromeda."
"Good bye, Harry."