"Hogsmeade," Andromeda says, lying on Ted's stomach. He was gently tracing the bump on her stomach as she talked. "It has to be then. Trixy already told me that she wasn't going and we can apparate from there. It'll be easier to sneak away, too, and no one will notice we're gone until we're far enough away."
Ted nods. "I can have my parents waiting for us," he says. "They're so excited to meet you, Andi."
She laughs and smiles, reaching up to tangle a hand in his hair. "It feels so strange…" she says. "Like I'm on the cusp of something new, some life I only dreamed of. I… I'm going to miss my sisters, though."
He nods, looking down at her. "I'm sorry," he tells her gently.
"I don't know how to make things right with them before I go," she says, closing her eyes. "Cissy won't understand. She'll think I'm abandoning her. I feel like I'm abandoning her. I feel like I'm abandoning everyone."
Ted nods, listening to her and stroking her hair.
Andromeda sighs and looks up at the sky, taking a moment to think. "There's so many choices so fast," she says. "Getting married, having a child, leaving my family… These are all things that should have come years later, but here we are, standing on the brink. And I don't know any right answers. I don't know the best way, the right way. All I have," she takes his hand and squeezes it, holding her against her chest, "is how much I love you. And I have to trust that. I'm terrified, Ted. Truly. But I also feel an odd peace. Maybe not so much peace as it is hope. I feel like I see all the struggles ahead, and maybe I don't understand them all yet, but I have you and this little baby and I'm excited for what we can make of things."
Ted smiles softly, nodding. He shifts so that he can lean down and kiss her. He moves her hand down to her stomach. "Speaking of this little one, sooner or later we're going to have to name it."
Andromeda laughs, feeling her worries lessen. "We don't even know what gender it is yet," she protests.
"It's a boy," Ted says with assuredly, nodding wisely.
Andromeda laughs again, shaking her head. "Going by your divination skills, I'm going to doubt the accuracy of that statement."
"A name," he eggs her, kissing her lightly again. "Pick one. Any name." He runs his hand along her stomach, sending goosebumps along her skin. "Our baby needs a name so that I can talk to it, so that it knows we're here, thinking about it."
A smile crawls across her face. "Edward," she tells him. "If it's a boy and your divination skills are confirmed. Little Teddy, like his daddy."
"And if it's a girl? Little Dromeda?"
"No," she laughs. "Oh, heavens no. Nymphadora." She smiles to herself and nods. "Yes, Nymphadora."
"Perfect," Ted says, kissing her lightly. "Absolutely perfect." He pecks her lips quickly and then turns his attention down to her stomach. "Hello, baby," he says softly, tracing the small bump. "Hello little Teddy or Dora. This is your daddy. Your mama and I are here and we're so excited to bring you into this world. We've got a few things to get done first to make sure everything's ready for you when you get here, so go ahead and take your time. Grow big and strong for us, okay? I can't wait to meet you, little one. I can't wait to see you grow up. You're going to be perfect. Just perfect. If you're anything like your mother… You're going to be perfect."
Andromeda smiles softly and reaches out to gently trace Ted's face. "You're perfect," she tells him, her voice just above a whisper.
Ted smiles and leans back to her, kissing her and laying her down on the ground.
