Andromeda had had a few flings with men her mother would have called "suitable" but pureblood mania was never her thing. She got so bored listening to her younger sister, Bellatrix, go on and on about "mudbloods" being sorted into Ravenclaw (to her mothers shame), she knew people who came from muggle families and she saw no difference between them and herself. Unfortunately there was only one other person in her whole family who would have agreed with that statement and he had recently escaped the clutches of their blood crazed family. Andromeda had always been good friends with her cousin Sirius. They were thrown together a lot when they were young as their mothers had had plans for them. But their hopes had been dashed when Sirius was sorted into Gryffindor and made it quite clear that he didn't want to be part of the family. She was relieved to hear that he had gotten out because she knew from experience how he felt.
In their families circle of high society pureblood maniacs, the back sisters were considered to be very eligible, they were rich, beautiful and from a good family.
Andromeda was the eldest. She was tall with long silky black hair that fell in waves down her back. And heavy lidded eyes that were considered alluring. After Sirius left there was a long line of suitors who were rich enough for her mother to approve of, but she didn't want any of them.
Narcissa was next. She was the real beauty of the family. Her long blonde hair and blue eyes hid the fact that she was very ambitious she mirrored their mother in looks whereas the other two had inherited the dark features of the Black family. Cissy was obsessed with money and titles, parties and appearances. She believed marriage was for heightening status
There was only one kind of status on Bellas mind. Blood status. At best she ignored people of muggle descent, at worst she cursed them. Bellatrix was cruel and sadistic. She was spoiled by their father as she was the youngest. He doted on her and gave her anything she asked for. When she asked to join the death eaters it was seen as an opportunity for her to find a husband.
Mrs. Black had been obsessed with marrying off her daughters since it became clear she would never have a son. Now that her hopes were dashed for Sirius to become the heir to both families, she had her sights set on Regulus.
Cissy had had her sights set on Lucius Malfoy since school and her mother approved of her choice immensely. For weeks he and his parents were invited to dinner. On these occasions narcissi would be done up to the nines, she looked flawless and said all the right things. The bait was thrown and he bit. It was clear to Andromeda though, that Narcissa loved him. She was so happy on her wedding day. Andromeda knew it had been a set up between Lucius and Cissi. They had let their parents think they were in control when really they had been seeing each other since 6th year.
The pressure was on for Andromeda to get married. At this stage Bella had informed her parents that the dark lord had chosen her a husband. Her mother was a bit miffed but he came from a good family and was wealthy enough for her to be sated.
After being sorted into Revenclaw, Andromeda wasn't expected to do as well as her Slytherin sisters. The line of suitors was still there though, and there seemed to be more and more strange faces at the dinner table every night.
A party was thrown for Bellatrixs engagement. Two hours beforehand Mrs. Black burst in to Andromeda's suite and announced it was time to bet ready. Two maids came in behind her. One with a garment bag and the other with an armful of makeup and hair potions.
When they were finished poking and prodding her Andromeda looked at herself in the full-length mirror. What she saw was a beautiful young woman. Her hair fell elegantly in soft shiny curls down her back. The dress was amazing. Floor length green chiffon and satin. Steep cleavage and an even steeper back. It clung in all the right places accentuating her curves.
As she walked down the grand staircase her name was called. Heads turned and to her embarrassment jaws dropped. A few people even clapped as she reached the bottom and walked over to her sisters. Lucius greeted her politely, but Rudolphus just ogled her. She felt revulsion as he looked her up and down repeatedly, his mouth open.
She looked at Bellatrix to see her reaction, but Bella was not looking. She was glaring at the waiter who was serving fire whiskey to their father. She nudged her fiancé and said "look! I remember him from Hogwarts. He's a mud blood!" Rudolphus tore his eyes from Andromeda and looked over to where Bella pointed. Before he could do more though Lucius stopped him. "Not here, idiot." Glaring the newly engaged couple turned away and walked in the opposite direction.
After having a drink with Narcissa, Andromeda was forced to mingle and dance with every eligible bachelor there. She also danced with Lucius, the perfect gentleman, and Rudolphus, the pig with roaming hands.
She then danced with Regulus and they talked and laughed. She could almost see the cogs working in her mothers head, surely though, she thought, she would think he was too young for her? She wasn't so sure and was glad when the song ended.
Andromeda soon became tired and bored. She desperately wanted her bed. Seeing that her mother was distracted she decided to get some fresh air. She slipped out the French doors and walked down the garden path. The smell of night blooming flowers was refreshing.
After a few minutes of walking around she became uneasy. The patch of trees at the bottom of the garden seemed to move out of time to the slight summer breeze that lifted her hair gently as she walked. She didn't have her wand and thought longingly of it as it lay on her bedside locker.
Turning to leave she heard voice utter the body bind curse and she was frozen. She fell onto the grass and didn't see who her attacker was until he turned her over.
Rudolphus' breath was as bad as his intentions. He loomed over her his face inches from hers.
"You look lovely tonight Annie" he said. He grabbed a handful of her hair and smelled it. "Very pretty" he leaned his weight on her and she began to panic. She could feel the hard mass beneath his robes against her leg.
One of his hands snaked around behind her head and pulled it back painfully by the roots of her hair. She couldn't even call for help as his other hand reached down her side and slowly lifted her dress.
Suddenly he was thrown off her with the force of a stunning spell. She was still unable to move and so couldn't see her savior. Then the curse was lifted and someone helped her to her feet. It was the waiter Bella had noticed earlier. He had left Hogwarts a year before her but she remembered him. He was handsome and had been in hufflepuff.
She hadn't realized she was crying until he wiped away her tears gently with his thumbs. She looked up into his eyes and he looked back at her. She didn't know how long they stood there in silence.
"How can I ever thank you?" she asked
"His cheeks flushed slightly as he said "dance with me."
She placed both hands on his shoulders and he put his on her back respectfully. His hands didn't stray, he didn't stare at her body and it wasn't any kind of formal dance that she was used to. They just swayed, looking into each others eyes.
She knew she had a choice to make. Narcissa would never speak to her again; Bellatrix would probably try to kill her. She would be disowned, disinherited, like Sirius, but she didn't care.
She didn't need anything that ted Tonks couldn't give her.