The sun shining brightly through my bedroom window woke me early the next morning. All was silent except for the gentle breathing of the woman lying fast asleep in my arms. I smiled as I stroked the hair away from her face and watched her sleep. I kissed her neck softly, she didn't stir, she was in her own world, she was with me. I loved waking with her beside me, I loved having her with me, hell with it, I loved everything about her. In my eyes, Andy became non existent for a night; last night confirmed that I would do anything to have her as my own, to see her smile, to hold her close; if that meant cursing Dolohov into oblivion, I would do it.

People amaze me; some people can be like the British weather, so changeable. A smirk appeared on my face as I remembered how Dromeda used to be. I remembered my first encounter with her as though it had happened days ago; we were in our second year, we had been sat together in Potions. Not by choice. I remembered the first words that she had ever said to me: "Go to hell, mudblood." She was a true Black then; cruel, stuck up and thought that she was the superior one. It's hard to believe that three years later we began dating, and three years after that I would be proposing marriage and making love to her. But I suppose fate worked like that, but our fate was certainly different – ours was forbidden fate.

I heard Dromeda groan slightly as she started to wake up. A smile touched my lips as I stroked her spine. The room was warm due to the sun and we only had a sheet covering us. I wanted this to be us every morning; I wanted it more than anything else in the world. I felt a grin stretch across my face as she looked up into my eyes.

"Good morning, you." I said, placing a kiss on top of her head. She responded with a sleepy smile as she snuggled closer to my chest. We laid there in silence for a few minutes.

"I meant what I said last night…" I said finally. "I love you more than your so called family ever will." Dromeda said nothing, merely shifted vaguely in my arms. She spoke after many long seconds.

"I'm scared, Ted. If things don't work out between us I will have no family to go back to. They will never accept you and I'll be alone."

"Who says that things won't work? We argue ninety nine percent of the time anyway so we don't have that to worry about. You'll never find anyone that loves you more than I do." That was one hundred percent true. "I may not have much money, and I may be a mudblood…"

"Ted…" I ignored her interruption.

"But I'm crazy about you, Andromeda." I lifted her chin so she was looking at me; my blue eyes met her brown ones and I knew that she was considering. "At least think about marrying me?" She sat up in bed, holding the sheet close to her chest; I propped myself up onto one elbow, waiting.

"You are impossible. You know that?" She said finally, her face remaining expressionless.

"Not impossible…" I replied, grinning. "Just very unlikely. So, is that a yes?"

"No, it's a maybe." My heart sank like a stone, how could she turn me down after a speech like that?

"I'm not turning you down." That's another thing about Dromeda; she could read my mind. "I just need to think."

"Fine," I sighed. "Just remember, for better or for worse, I'm here for you. I can wait for you forever." She kissed my lips delicately, her fingers entwined in my hair.

"I know."

--

At half past eleven, we had gotten dressed and had breakfast. I kissed Dromeda goodbye so she could go back to being the perfect daughter, go back to being Andy. I didn't hear from her for a week after that. I tried to distract myself with my work. But it didn't fill the gaping hole in my heart that Dromeda had left behind.

But one week later I found a note attached to the leg of an owl that I immediately recognised as Andromeda's. I ignored the continuous pecks as I pulled the note free, I recognised Dromeda's handwriting at once. Her small, neat writing took up less than half of the parchment it was written on.

"Ted.

For better or for worse, right?

I told my parents this morning. I told them that I wanted to marry you and that there was nothing they could do about it. Their reactions didn't come as a surprise to me. They told me that I was a disgrace to the family and that they never wanted to see my face again. Bellatrix and Narcissa found out before long; Bella looked like she was about to murder me. They managed to hex me, but I'm alright, just a few cuts and bruises. I did that for you, so if you've backed out, Ted Tonks, I will never forgive you."

I laughed in spite of myself, I certainly hadn't backed out, I told her I would wait, and a week is nothing compared to what it could have been.

"I am coming over at half past two. I have nowhere else to go now. But first I am going to pay a little visit to Dolohov; I want to tell him that he isn't getting married anymore before my parent's do; just to see the look on his face.

I am just glad that you talked sense into me before I truly messed up my life.

I will see you soon.

Your Andromeda."

Dromeda arrived at exactly half past two; she had no reason to be late anymore. She was a lot worse than I had expected, she had bruises all over her arms and several cuts on her face, it looked like her sisters had done more than hexed her. She explained that Dolohov was responsible for most of it, but the look on his face when she told him she wasn't marrying him was worth it all, and for the first time in weeks; I saw a true smile on my Dromeda's face.

I just didn't know what to say, I never knew that I would be so grateful for all that Dromeda had given up for me. But I did the only thing that I thought justified my feelings, and I embraced Dromeda; breathing her in, never wanting to let her go as long as I lived.

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Fin.

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Author's Note - Please review and I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it!