Chains
Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters. JKR does. Hopefully you figured that out.
A/N: This will either stay a one-shot, or if anyone wants, I can elaborate or change the plot and make it a multi-chapter. Enjoy, read, review, criticize, favourite, ect.
Andromeda spent her life in chains.
Ever holiday or occasion that required a gift, people would give her chains. Chains-linked necklaces with rocks or stars strung on them. "Like your namesake," they would tell her as she eyed the jewelery with disdain. Like her namesake that was sacrificed by her family to a sea monster. Andromeda promised her life would be different than the mythological hero she was named after, but her family didn't make it easy.
First came Cassiopeia. Aunt Cassi had always favoured Andromeda over her sisters. In hindsight, Andromeda expected that mythology was to blame again, making Cassiopeia look at Andromeda like a daughter. She often found joy in bragging to her friends about Andromeda's beauty and intelligence. One of those friends was Regina Lestrange.
Next came the sea monster. When Andromeda was fifteen, Rabastan began courting her. Obviously Aunt Cassiopeia's bragging had caught somebody's attention. He sent her flowers, and necklaces, and chocolates. After a year and twenty-four days, he proposed.
Then came the sacrifice. Andromeda made the mistake of telling her parents about his proposal, conveniently forgetting to mention that she refused. They took matters into their own hands and accepted for her. The two families were over-joyed. Andromeda wasn't. The cold rock sitting on her finger was a harsh reminder of her fate, and what her family had done to her.
After that there was the hero. Ted Tonks, a fool of a Hufflepuff who no one expected to ever do anything noticeable. He saved Andromeda. It started with a fight. Rabastan had called Andromeda a slut, and Ted had jumped to her defense. He didn't even know her. When Andromeda went to thank him, he gave her a necklace. It wasn't chain. It didn't have a rock. It was a simple leather band, with childish beads that spelled "Meda". He had freed her from the chains.
Last, the battle. Andromeda and Ted were standing at the alter, full of Ted's family and friends. No one came for Andromeda. Just as the Justice of the Peace asked for objections, Rabastan stormed in. He said Andromeda was still engaged to him. Andromeda said she never was. He pulled out his wand, and fired a curse at Ted. Ted reacted with a defensive spell before firing another at Rabastan. The duel lasted an hour and a half, and only ended when five Aurors intervened. The wedding was postponed.
Andromeda was free from her chains forever.