5. "No- no, I can't do this!"
Molly x Andromeda
She sighed deeply, squeezed her eyes tight shut and then knocked once. Andromeda's voice came from the other side, "Who is it?" She sounded terrified. Molly could imagine her - pressed against the door, wand clutched tightly in her hand, wanting to open the door but dreading who, or what, would be on the other side.
"It's Molly Weasley."
"Prove it! What was the last thing you ever said to me?"
"I said that we would be fine and that I believe Harry will triumph."
The door opened and Andromeda stood there, clutching baby Teddy in her arms. "What happened? Where's Nymphadora?"
Merlin. Molly found herself wondering, for a brief second, why she had volunteered to do this. She remembered almost instantly, only she could depart this news.
"You-Know-Who has been defeated; most of his followers have been rounded up." Molly dodged the last question. "Can I come in?"
Andromeda moved aside to let her in and Molly made her way to the kitchen. Andromeda poured her a cup of tea. Molly slumped into a chair and gratefully accepted the steaming beverage. "Thank you."
"Molly." No more words were needed, Molly knew what she wanted to know.
"She's...she's d-dead. I'm so sorry." Molly said quietly, her voice caught on the words.
"And Remus?" Her voice was calm, too calm. A torrent of emotions was bubbling away under that accepting facade. Molly wondered when it would break.
"He's...gone as well."
Andromeda nodded and her legs crumpled. Molly darted forward, with surprising agility given her size and fatigue, and caught her, plucking Teddy from her arms and helping Andromeda onto a chair. Andromeda's eyes were closed, her face tortured.
"She's gone." Andromeda was repeating the phrase over and over. Her eyes snapped open suddenly. "What will happen to Teddy?"
"They would have wanted you to raise him." Molly said honestly. Teddy needed to be with Andromeda. She needed him and he needed her.
"But... no- no, I can't do this!"
"You can." Molly told her. "Of course you can. You raised Tonks and she needs you to raise her son for her because she can't."
"But... I can't. He's not my son."
"Tonks can't look after him. At least she had a son, at least she loved, at least she lived whilst she still could. There is no one that could do the job, he is your grandson. I would do anything to have a second chance. You are the person she would have wanted to raise him."
There was a screaming silence before Andromeda nodded slowly, "You're right."
They both turned to Teddy, who was lying in a bundle on the table, hair a vivid turquoise and gurgling quietly.
"He won't ever remember them, but no boy will be as loved as he will be. We'll all be there for him." Molly said gently.
"You said something earlier... are you Weasleys all okay? Merlin, please say you're all okay."
Molly shook her head. "He's gone. F-f...gone." She couldn't say his name, not yet, maybe not ever.
Andromeda reached out to take her hands. Without meaning to or really knowing how, both women were suddenly in each others' arms, sobbing together for the children they had lost.
Finally, they pulled apart, both a little embarrassed. Molly wiped her eyes, "It's going to be okay."
Andromeda nodded and hugged Teddy close to her. "I know. We'll make it okay."
