Save the drama for yo mama. :P

"Look, Dora," Rabastan laughed at the girl, pointing her away from her playroom in the summer house. "Come see your room. You don't even have to share with Athena."

Andromeda leaned into her husband's side, laughing delightedly along with him as Nymphadora squealed in excitement, hurrying to throw herself down in the pile of multi-coloured cushions that sat in one corner of her room. "Rabastan, you're so wonderful," Andromeda sighed contentedly, leaning her head against his arm.

"Mummy!" Dora yelled, thrilled as her hair shot bright pink, every single cushion around her changing colours as well. "Mummy, see?!"

"I see, darling," Andromeda smiled at the girl, feeling Rabastan's arm snake around her waist. "Daddy knows what his daughter likes, doesn't he?"

Dora nodded vigorously, morphing her hair purple and giggling as the cushions changed colours again. With a bit of prompting, Dora shot up from the floor and flung herself into her father's arms. "Thank you," she grinned at him, hugging him tightly before planting a big kiss on his cheek. "I love you."

"I love you too," he told her, squeezing her in return. "Now go on. See what you can do with those cushions."

Giggling excitedly, Dora raced back to the corner and threw herself down again, closing her eyes before she morphed her hair bright blue. Rabastan wrapped his arm around Andromeda once again before smiling as he saw every cushion turn either a shade of grey or blue. He looked to the side at his wife, then said softly, "We're safe here, Dromeda. Father has ordered the other two not to come here while we are...recovering."

Andromeda looked down at Athena, who grinned back at her. "She's happy too," her mother sighed gratefully. "This was a good idea, Rabastan."

"I thought it would do us all good to get away for a bit," he said, looking between the children and their mother. "I severely injured Rodolphus before we left, and I thought it would be best for us all to get away for a while so we can all cool down."

"He destroyed—" Andromeda broke off her angry words as Rabastan touched her face.

"And I will see to it that he never lays a hand to you, or the children, ever again," he promised her quietly.

The two's attention was soon drawn to Nymphadora as she lay, black-haired, surrounded by white, black, and grey cushions. "Good," she grinned at them. "Now watch!" Dora morphed her hair into a rainbow of colours, the cushions immediately following her example.

"That's lovely, Dora," Rabastan told her. "Your mother and I are going to go sit in the sitting room. Have Lacey get us if you need us, all right?"

"Okay," Dora grinned, content to lie on the floor experimenting for a bit longer.

Rab led Andromeda from the room, leading her to a seat on the couch. "Would you like a drink?" he asked her with a small smile. Andromeda nodded slightly, turning Athena to sit on her lap, facing her father. Rabastan couldn't help grinning at his daughter before he hurried off to get drinks for himself and Andromeda.

When he returned, he sat down next to Andromeda, setting her glass on the table in front of them. "I'd like to pretend I remember, but I don't," Rabastan admitted. "How old is Athena?"

"She's about six months old," Andromeda answered after a moment. "Yes, because Dora is just slightly short of two and a half years."

"They're both beautiful girls," he murmured, wrapping one arm around her shoulders and planting a kiss on her cheek. "I am very proud of my two daughters."

Andromeda looked down, slipping her arms more protectively around her daughter, and Rabastan sighed, leaning back against the couch. "Dromeda," he began, but she interrupted.

"Please," she breathed. "Rabastan, I won't be able to have another child any time soon. I—I need time." She winced at her own words, then breathed, "I want to fulfill my duties, Rab, but—my body is too weak right now. I—I can't handle another pregnancy so soon." Her eyes seemed to darken as tears gathered, the witch staring purposefully away from the man. "I would do it right now, if I could, but I know I can't do it." She shook her head, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "I'm not being stubborn," she whispered. "I'm not avoiding what must be done, I swear. Rabastan—I—I really do need some time to recover properly."

"You will dictate when you are able," Rabastan said quietly, reaching up and wiping her tears away with his thumb. "I would not want to bring any more harm to you, Love."

"Promise?" she whispered, looking up at him. "You won't lose your temper with me again?"

"Dromeda," Rabastan groaned softly, closing his eyes. "That was awful, what I did back then. No, Andromeda. If I even dare such a thing, curse me. Remind me of this moment. I know I should have waited until you were ready. I swear by Merlin: I will not make the same mistake twice."

Andromeda sniffed a little, leaning back into her husband's arms. "I'll hold you to that," she muttered, turning Athena to lie on her chest. "Shh, baby," she said as Athena fussed a little. "See? It's Daddy!"

Rabastan smiled at the children, leaning down to kiss his daughter's head. "I love you, Athena." He gently pressed a kiss into his wife's hair. "Andromeda...I love you."

"I—I know," she whispered, his words wounding her as they always did. "Th—thank you."

"Of course," he murmured, content to hold her there for as long as he could before one of the children needed further attention.

A few days later when the small family was gathered for their midday meal, the two adults looked at each other strangely, both feeling a knock on the wards. "I don't recognise that magic," Rabastan said with a frown.

"I think I do," Andromeda said slowly, "but there's no reason for her to be here…."

"Who do you think it is?" Rabastan asked, getting to his feet.

"My mother," the young woman sighed reluctantly. "She probably wants to make fun of me." Andromeda got to her feet as well. "Why don't you stay with the children while I take care of this?"

Rabastan didn't think that was a good idea. "No, Dromeda. We didn't want visitors here, and it's probably not a good idea to start that."

Andromeda bit her lip. "Rab," she sighed, clasping her hands together in front of her, "if it is Mother, I do need to speak with her. I am not on good terms with my parents as it is."

He sighed, then said, "Have Lacey watch the children for us. I want to at least make sure it is your mother before I let you two closet yourselves away from me."

"Oh, thank you, Rabastan," Andromeda said gratefully, summoning her elf that very second. As soon as she'd given Lacey her instructions, the couple walked off down the hall to the doors of the summer house. Rabastan pointed his wand at the door, saying a difficult incantation and performing an intricate wand-pattern before he stepped back to allow the doors to open.

He kept his left arm around her waist, his right hand casually in his pocket as the two stepped forward to greet the lone witch on their doorstep. "Mother," said Andromeda softly, looking out at the woman. "Welcome."

Druella Black looked up into her second daughter's face. "Am I?"

Andromeda felt her husband tense and leaned into his side slightly so that he was distracted from the witch before them. "I was not expecting anyone to visit us here, least of all a parent who practically disowned me. But as long as you want to ignore that, I will continue to receive you in whatever home I live."

The witch stepped forward, and Andromeda pulled away from her husband, walking to meet her mother. "Andromeda," her mother said in annoyance, "I have no control over the family, you know that."

"Of course I know," Andromeda murmured, sighing softly as she felt her mother's embrace for the first time in more than three years. "Does Cygnus know you're here?"

"I was never here," Druella said, holding her daughter away for a moment.

Andromeda agreed immediately, and said, "Come with me, Mother. We can sit and have a decent chat." She smiled gratefully at her husband once again, then led her mother into the house and down the hall to her own small sitting room. "Tea?" she asked her mother, naming off her mother's favourite immediately.

Druella gave the younger witch a small nod. "You remember everything so well," she sighed. "Everything I've ever tried to teach you, you learned perfectly."

"Except for the Mudblood part," Andromeda muttered before calling an elf to serve herself and her mother.

"I can't help what you choose to ignore," Druella told her sharply. "Though...it seems you have done well anyway. I had been afraid, after how well that you had been trained and taught, that it had all been a waste. I must admit that I was surprised the younger Lestrange boy spoke for you so quickly after what he had done."

Andromeda looked down at her hands for a moment before returning her gaze to her mother. "He loves me," she said, fidgeting slightly. "He couldn't simply let me go; he had to have me."

Druella smirked at her daughter. "It seems you were punished for your traitorous ideas in the worst way possible," she mused. "Though seeing you two together, you do seem happy—at least, you manage to act happy."

The younger witch took a sip of water before she answered, "I am content. He is not a terrible husband, and can be rather amusing at times. Rabastan...well, he acts much more kind now than he first did."

Druella sneered in derision at the girl's words. "He treated you like dirt," she spat. "I would never have given you to him."

Andromeda's eyes widened in surprise. "Thanks," she said after a moment. "Thank you, Mother. Though thinking of it now, I can't imagine not being Andromeda Lestrange."

"You're such a good girl," Druella sighed, looking at her daughter with something like regret shadowed in her eyes. "You truly are the best out of your sisters."

"Surely you would not risk your husband's wrath just to have polite conversation," Andromeda said after a few moments. "Why have you really come, Mother?"

The woman looked at her daughter carefully, then answered, "Narcissa asked me to see you. She said I might be able to 'help.' Though she wouldn't explain what she meant by that." Druella frowned.

Andromeda was about to reply when she felt someone else touch the wards of the house and shivered, realising it had to be either Rodolphus or his father because of the magical signature. "Someone's here," she breathed, gripping the arm of her chair as she heard Rabastan's hurried footsteps down the hall.

There was a sharp knock on the door before Rabastan entered the room, Athena in his arms as Dora held onto his robe. "What's going on?" Dora pouted. "Tell me!"

"I do apologise for the interruption," Rabastan said, nodding to Druella before he continued, "Father is here. Keep the children while I speak with him. In fact, you should probably go to the nursery, or to our room. Just so you have what you need and you don't cross him."

Andromeda got to her feet quickly, taking her baby girl from her husband as she called Nymphadora to her side. "I'm sorry, Mother," she said to the woman. "If you would join me?"

Druella did not say a word as she followed her daughter down the hall, Rabastan hurrying the opposite direction as Dora stared after him. Andromeda looked back and ordered, "Nymphadora, come here now. He has guests to deal with, and we must not be in the way."

Dora hurried to catch up with her mother, grasping her mother's skirt as they walked into Andromeda's room. She climbed up onto the bed close to her mother and sister as Druella sat down across from them in a chair. "Mum, why?" Dora complained. "He said he would play with me!"

"His father is here to discuss Rodolphus," Andromeda told the child sternly, half embarrassed at the child's display in front of her mother. "Do not pout, Nymphadora." Dora curled into her mother's side, hiding her face in her dress as Andromeda sighed, holding Athena closer.

"This is Athena?" Druella questioned, watching the baby Andromeda was holding.

"Yes," Andromeda said, a smile coming to her lips. "I forgot you hadn't met my daughters. Athena, of course, and then Nymphadora." Andromeda slipped her arm around Dora and gave her a small hug. "Did you want to hold the baby?" she asked, looking up to her mother.

Druella took the child into her arms, peering thoughtfully into the baby's face. "Sturdy child," she said, her expression sudden changing to one of shock when Athena looked up at the sound of her voice. "She has bright blue eyes!" Druella said in amazement. "How beautiful!"

"Rabastan and I think she got them from you and Meira," Andromeda answered breathlessly. "Because they are neither Black, nor Lestrange."

"He doesn't mind?" Druella raised an eyebrow, a cold expression on her face.

"He says she's beautiful," Andromeda replied proudly.

"He must just be glad you aren't stubborn like your sister," Druella decided, lifting Athena up to her shoulder as the child began to wriggle, wanting to look around. "Narcissa seemed to think he was infuriated at you and wanted me to speak to you about it. Why would he be angry—besides the fact it's not a male heir, that is?"

Andromeda bit her lip, remembering her intense fear of his anger at her failures. "He—he didn't seem angry about it," she said quietly as Dora claimed her lap and curled up, playing with her mother's dark locks as if she were a baby as well. "I almost died, and he said he was just glad that I'd survived. He should have been angry—I was prepared for him to hate me, to hurt me—but he didn't."

Druella gave her a careful look. "Are you trying for another child yet?"

"I—I can't yet," Andromeda breathed, looking at her mother worriedly.

"Rod hurt Mum," Dora said clearly, looking between the two.

The older witch's eyes narrowed. "What did he do?"

Dora was about to reply, but Andromeda shushed her. "He cursed me," she told her mother. "He doesn't understand why I do everything I can to please my husband while Bellatrix won't even respect him. He lashed out in anger, and—" Andromeda looked down at the floor before glancing up at her mother in shame. "I—I lost a baby," she whispered.

"Oh, Andromeda!" the woman gasped in horror. She moved to her daughter's side after a bit of hesitation and finally wrapped an arm around the young woman. "This just happened?"

"Yes," Andromeda whispered. "That's why Rabastan and I brought the children here. For our protection, and for my recovery. I—Mother, it was a boy. I lost the heir, and Rabastan doesn't even know. I only told him I lost the child."

"No wonder Narcissa thought I should see you," Druella sighed, giving her daughter a gentle hug before returning to cuddling Athena. "You have two girls, and now lost a child."

Andromeda brushed away a stray tear and sighed, "He was very understanding. I just—I just want to recover, and give him the son he wants, and then be done with it."

Druella looked sideways at her daughter and said, "It's not that easy, Andromeda."

Nymphadora wriggled off her mother's lap, saying, "Mum, may I go to my room?"

"No, Dora," her mother answered. "I need you to stay here until your grandfather is gone."

"How do you like your father-in-law?" Druella asked thoughtfully. "What is Desmond Lestrange like from the inside?"

"He's kind enough, but he's proper as well," Andromeda said, biting her lip as she remembered his horror at learning that Dora wasn't a Lestrange. "He's intelligent, and solves problems well." She shook her head slightly before adding, "He helped protect me from Bella when she was angry at me."

"Everyone hates you?" Druella asked her knowingly.

Andromeda sighed as she took Athena back into her arms. "I made a deal with Bella that I would have the Lestrange heir," she told her mother. "Even though she appreciates it, she still gets frustrated with me for being so...perfect, as she says. Rodolphus was just angry that I found it so easy to get pregnant when Bellatrix absolutely refused to think about such things. Meira doesn't trust me, I know that."

Druella sighed too as she watched her daughter feed her granddaughter. "But you will be resting for a while?" she asked sharply. "You have explained to Rabastan that your body needs the rest?"

"Yes," Andromeda answered, closing her eyes tightly. "He said he would honour the need. I am prepared to fight him if I must, as well. Lestranges tend to lack patience."

"Most purebloods do," Druella spat. "Especially the men."

"I suppose," Andromeda agreed finally. "Though...well, after he'd kidnapped me, Rabastan was unexpectedly kind. He—he had to force me to consummate our marriage, because I wanted nothing to do with him. I'm okay with him now...he isn't too bad." She shook her head. "It seems I'll never get away from—from—"

Andromeda's voice trailed off, and her mother finished, "From abuse?"

The younger woman nodded, looking down. "Sorry," she muttered.

"It isn't your fault," Druella told her firmly. "Even Bella wasn't to blame—your father has a terrible problem. You know that. But none of us could stop him. And I couldn't even protect my own daughters. But I've seen you and Bellatrix protect each other, take blame and punishment for each other—it never should have happened, Andromeda."

"Shh, Mum," Andromeda said nervously. "Shh. I've escaped that, at least. Rabastan isn't even close to the worst I've experienced."

Druella looked pained, and turned away from her daughter. "You don't know how much I tried to keep him from hurting you, Andromeda."

Andromeda looked up at her mother accusingly. "But not Bella. No one cared about her!"

"She makes it very difficult," Druella snapped. "She refused to be a proper lady, refused to take instruction from or obey anyone. One thing that helped her be controlled was pain. It seems to be the only thing she understands to this day."

"Auntie Bella?" Dora asked curiously, placing one hand on her mother's knee. "Why didn't she come with us?"

"Because she had to take care of Rodolphus," Andromeda answered the child. "Rabastan cursed him before we left," she explained to her own mother. "He was only angry at Rodolphus, and took out his rage on the man before we left. We basically had to run away from the house."

Druella nodded, giving her granddaughter a small smile as the child shouted happily, content in her mother's arms. "Athena," Druella said softly, drawing the child's attention. "I'm your grandmother, I suppose."

Andromeda smiled as Nymphadora reached out to place her other hand on Druella's knee. "Grandmum?" Dora began to ask, but jumped in surprise as the woman drew away from her quite violently.

"Get away from me, filthy brat," Druella hissed, swatting the girl's hand away from her.

"Mother!" Andromeda cried in horror, setting Athena down on the bed and getting to her knees on the floor to wrap her arms around her daughter. "Dora, are you all right?" Indignation filled her as her daughter turned and clung to her tightly, hiding her face. "Mother, how could you?!" she snapped at the woman, holding Nymphadora close and feeling the girl trembling.

"She is not a true Lestrange," hissed the woman. "And I refuse to call her my granddaughter! You should have sent her away after she was born. She has no place with our family!"

"I have no more place than she does," Andromeda answered, feeling rage building deep inside her. It was true: Dora was a half-blood, but then she herself was a blood-traitor. "But Rabastan has accepted her as his own, and to the rest of the world, she is a Lestrange! Mother, you cannot do this to my daughter!"

Druella watched the two for a moment, then said simply, "Would it have been easier to have been disowned, Andromeda? Could you have raised the Mudblood's daughter alone? You can't tell me lies, Andromeda. Every Black knows what you've done. We know what Dora is. And even though you've always been the perfect daughter, we will never accept Nymphadora."

Andromeda didn't reply, crushed at the words of the woman she had so idolized in her childhood. She held her first daughter close, murmuring reassuring words in the girl's ear. "If you reject my daughter, you reject me," she said coldly, glaring at her mother over Dora's now brown-haired head. "I decided years ago that I could survive being disowned, being shunned. I haven't changed my mind, Mother. Don't you dare speak to my daughter that way. Ignore her if you must, but don't you dare address her so ever again."

Druella Black got to her feet, a cold, distant look on her face. "So be it," she said simply. "I will tell Narcissa there is no hope for you, that you are a waste of time. You should have been disowned, Andromeda, in spite of my reluctance to let go the only daughter who learned everything I had wanted to teach her. It would have been better."

"Get out," growled Andromeda. "And may your husband be waiting for you upon your return."

The woman hissed at her in fury before she turned and left the room, not needing an escort from the house.

Andromeda immediately lifted Dora in her arms and carried her to the bed. "Dora," she breathed, holding the girl away from her and looking into her face. "Dora, are you all right?"

"N—no one likes me," Dora sniffed, looking into her mother's face. "Rod was angry. Now Grandmum—" the little girl's eyes overflowed with tears and Andromeda's heart broke for her.

"Dora—I'm so sorry," Andromeda whispered, tears coming to her own eyes. "They don't understand you."

"She said I was nasty," Dora sniffed, gripping her mother's dress in her small fist. "He said I was a horrible child—Mummy—"

"No, no, baby," Andromeda said sternly, swatting away her own tears. "You're my precious little girl, and you are not nasty. I love you; your father loves you—she's just jealous, and mean. Rod—well, he doesn't have babies of his own, and it makes him mean. You're a perfect, beautiful little girl."

Nymphadora looked up at her mother through her tears. "Mum," she whispered, "they like Athena more?"

Andromeda realised that her daughter was too smart for her own good, and a tear trickled down her face. "Everyone loves babies," she told Dora gently. "Babies are special, because they grow up so fast. But I love you just as much as I love your sister. And she loves you too."

The toddler looked over at Athena, who was lying on her back, trying to figure out what had happened. "Mum," she sniffed forlornly, reaching out for her mother again.

"I'm sorry," Andromeda whispered, knowing her daughter did not understand what it all meant. "I'm so sorry, Nymphadora."

Rabastan did not return to his wife and children for a little while, Dora falling asleep in the meantime. He found Andromeda lying on their bed, exhausted as she tried to convince Athena that she wanted to sleep. "Dromeda?" he asked in confusion, ideas of their family splitting leaving his head. "What happened? Oh, what's wrong?"

Andromeda closed her eyes, willing herself not to cry as she whispered, "Mother. She—she rejected Dora. It broke Dora's heart, because she doesn't understand, and—Rabastan, it's all my fault!"

The young man didn't speak as he walked closer to the bed, seeing Dora curled into her mother's side, tear-stains on the girl's face. "Poor child," he sighed. "She's so innocent."

"Could you take Athena?" Andromeda whispered, tears trickling down her face again. "Please? She won't sleep, and I—I can't handle it right now."

"All right," Rabastan agreed. "I'll tell you what Father said later. We're staying here until further notice."

"Okay." Andromeda turned more onto her side, holding Nymphadora close as she shut her eyes, wanting to rest finally. It was her fault for trying to leave the family; it was her fault, thinking she could get away from her pureblood duty. All she had done was to ruin the life of her innocent little girl.

She felt the bed sink slightly as Rabastan sat down next to her, holding Athena against his shoulder. Sniffing slightly, she glanced up to see him looking down at her compassionately. "Stop," she winced. "Don't look at me like that." She didn't want his pity.

Rabastan frowned, looking torn for a moment before he said, "It is not a sin to love, Andromeda. You had no way of knowing what would happen. I know I should have let you go, but I couldn't. It's no more your fault than it is mine."

"Nymphadora suffers because of me!" Andromeda whispered. "Rab, I can't forgive myself for that."

"I didn't know you would have a child," Rabastan said quietly. "But I'm not sorry that we kept her. She's a beautiful little girl, Andromeda. Even if it hurts now, remember that she was his last gift to you, in spite of what I've done. Be strong for that reason: I know you loved him. You still love him." He said this matter-of-factly.

"No," Andromeda protested, trying to wipe her tears away. Rabastan reached out and helped her, gently brushing her hair back from her face.

"I see it in your eyes," he murmured. "Your pain, Andromeda. The loss hurt you terribly, and I can't heal that hurt. But I'll stand by you, and by our daughters. I love you."

"Why are you so kind?" Andromeda sobbed. "You shouldn't be so good to me!"

"I love you," Rabastan said simply, then gently stroked her arm as she lay there sniffing back more tears. "Do—do you think you could learn to...return my feelings, Andromeda?"

The young woman dissolved into tears yet again, though she managed to breath, "P—perhaps."

He watched her for a moment longer, then murmured, "Get some rest, Love. I'll keep Athena in the meantime, don't worry." He leaned in and kissed her forehead before getting to his feet and leaving the room.

Andromeda watched him go, then closed her eyes as she rested her head on the pillow, a tear dripping down her cheek. Maybe she could find what she needed with him after all. What could it hurt, if she actually let herself admit feelings for the man to whom she was bound? Maybe it would be better if she let herself fall in love.

She dried her tears, looking over at their wedding picture on Rabastan's desk. Why he insisted on keeping it there, she had no idea, for she looked awful in the picture. It was painfully obvious to her how much she absolutely did not want to be there, did not want to be his wife, did not want his embrace or his kiss. Andromeda gave a tearful smile. As good as she was at acting, she had completely failed her own wedding. She drew several calming breaths, closing her eyes as she promised herself that when she could, she would get Rabastan a much better picture of them.

The Black family is quite a piece of work, isn't it? But perhaps things will get even better between Andromeda and Rabastan now that they're in their own place.

Trixie Black Lestrange