September 12th
1965
"Yes, Yaxley and Carrow, fine—who doesn't have a partner? Ah, Ms. Black—oh—er, well, you can partner Tonks," Professor Slughorn said. "Nothing wrong with a little inter-house friendship for the day," he laughed.
Andromeda closed her eyes and sighed, turning reluctantly to face the handsome Hufflepuff boy.
Ted smiled. "Shall we get started?"
Andromeda said nothing.
"Are you going to call me a Mudblood too?" he asked interestedly. "Your sister did, last week."
Andromeda looked up at him, lifting her chin. "A lady doesn't need foul language."
"Imagine that," Ted said. "Two sisters, and only one's a lady."
September 12th
1966
"How's my favorite Mudblood?"
Ted winced, looking up, and saw Bellatrix standing over him where he sat at the Hufflepuff table. "Leave me alone, Bellatrix," he said coldly. "I haven't done anything to you."
"Wrong, Tonks," she spat. "You've offended me."
"Bella, leave him alone," said a strong, sharp voice. Bellatrix turned to see Andromeda. Her lip curled.
"Why should I?"
"Slughorn's watching," Andromeda said, jerking her head to the staff table. Bellatrix scowled.
"See you later, Mudblood," she hissed to Ted.
He looked at Andromeda. "Thank you—"
"I didn't do it for you," she said, and hurried away.
September 12th
1967
"What's Hogsmeade like?" Ted asked out of the corner of his mouth. Andromeda sat at the library table beside his, and they were having a study session—in a manner of speaking.
"How should I know?" Andromeda asked quietly. "I've never been."
"Really?" asked Ted.
Andromeda shrugged. "My parents don't like going out to mingle unless they have to." She wasn't quite able to keep the bitterness from her voice.
"Seems stupid," Ted said.
Andromeda snorted, looking carefully around the library for any watchful eyes. Then she looked at Ted and smiled. "My parents say a lot of stupid things."
September 12th
1968
"Hi, Andromeda," Ted said.
"I'm not here for small talk," she said coolly, leaning over his library table. "I need you to tell me the answer to this question."
"For Potions?" Ted asked, frowning at the book she held. "I—"
"Will you just help me?" Andromeda snapped, casting a glance over her shoulder. Bellatrix was nearby.
Ted gulped. Andromeda opened the textbook and pointed to the page. Tucked into the book was a scribbled note in Andromeda's handwriting.
Tonight, after Astronomy?
Ted smiled. "Oh, I see," he said casually. "Try this paragraph." With his quill, he hastily wrote: Yes!
September 12th
1969
"Oh, Ted," Andromeda gasped. Ted shut the door of an unused classroom, in an out-of-the-way corridor opposite a tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy. He clutched his arm, which was bleeding badly.
"What happened?" Andromeda looked around, spotting some dittany and bandages on a shelf nearby, and seized it, sitting Ted in a chair.
"Fell over," Ted mumbled.
Andromeda lifted back his sleeve. "Onto a Severing Charm?" she demanded. Ted winced as she applied the essence of dittany to his cut. "Was it Bellatrix?"
Ted gently fingered the end of Andromeda's long brown braid. "It doesn't matter," he promised. "We're together."
September 12th
1970
"So," Ted said quietly, sitting down at the study table near Andromeda's and busying himself with his books. "Did she see us?"
Andromeda nodded. "Sit with me," she said, not looking up. "There aren't any Slytherins here, and Bella's got detention again."
Ted's face lit up, and hurried to sit down across from her. Then his stomach clenched. He'd only seen Andromeda's profile until now, but now he saw the dark bruise across her cheek.
"Why is she in detention, Andromeda?" he asked angrily.
Andromeda just shook her head, brushing her fingers over the bruise to wipe her tears away.
September 12th
1971
"I don't care anymore." Andromeda looked over to Ted; it was a warm Saturday afternoon for early September, and everyone was outdoors.
"You don't care?" he asked.
"I don't care if my family knows about us," Andromeda told him. "I'm seventeen years old. I'm not scared of them anymore."
"Good for you, Princess Andromeda," Ted grinned at her haughty tone.
Andromeda rolled her eyes. "Be my boyfriend?"
"I thought I was," he laughed.
"You're not a secret anymore," she insisted. "Are you with me?"
Ted looked into her eyes and kissed her. "What do you think, Your Highness?" he asked.
September 12th
1973
Andromeda stared out her parlor window, shaking with anger as she crumpled the envelope in her hand.
"What's that?" Ted asked from behind her. She turned. He held two-month-old Nymphadora, who was sound asleep.
"Birth announcement," Andromeda said tersely. "It's not opened, but Bellatrix certainly offers her congratulations." Ted took the envelope. In Bellatrix's large, neat script was a single word. He sighed.
Andromeda took Nymphadora, her chin trembling.
"Well," Ted said, tearing the envelope in half. "She's our freak."
Andromeda nodded, her eyes full of tears. Nymphadora yawned. Her hair turned bright green, and Andromeda laughed. "Yes, she is."
September 12th
1997
"I love you, Dora," said Ted. "Take care of the little one." Dora stepped back, putting a hand to her stomach.
"I love you, Daddy," she whispered. Ted kissed her forehead, then turned to Andromeda.
"Be careful," Andromeda said hoarsely. "Don't lose your wand—"
"Andromeda," Ted said quietly, taking her shoulders. "I love you. I'll be back soon."
"I love you more than anything," Andromeda said, in a broken voice. She kissed him.
Ted swallowed a lump in his throat. "More than anything."
Pausing at the door, Ted smiled at his girls before stepping out into the pre-dawn light.
September 12th
2049
"Afternoon, Princess."
Andromeda's eyes snapped open. She was in her house—in hers and Ted's bed. She hadn't lived there in years, since she'd had to move in with Teddy and Victoire. Then she looked down at her hands—she was not a sick old woman anymore; she couldn't have been more than twenty.
Ted lay beside her, grinning. With a sob of joy, Andromeda threw her arms around him. Ted laughed.
"You made one hell of an old lady," he said, looking proud. "But I missed you."
"Shut up and kiss me, Ted Tonks," Andromeda said, kissing him passionately.