The sunlight tickling Andromeda's skin pulled her from her peaceful musings. She couldn't remember what she'd been dreaming about, though after last night, her dreams had become reality.

She wouldn't lie. For all her confidence and pretty speeches, things had been difficult at first. She'd had no idea what she was doing, and it had been more painful than she'd anticipated. But Ted had been so gentle, and so kind, and they had taken things so slow. Of course, once he'd taken her up to bed, he'd shown her other things. Things she had not learned from her novel, that she'd found positively delightful. Even remembering them now filled her body with pleasure.

And then she felt Ted's breath upon her neck, and her pleasure became all the more pronounced. As careful as she could she turned around to face him. He slept on despite the sunlight streaming into his room. A smile flickered across his face, and she couldn't help but wonder what he was dreaming about. Her? Perhaps? The thought almost made her giggle, yet instead she reached out and carefully stroked his face.

Perhaps she imagined it, but she could swear his smile became more pronounced under her touch.

Then she heard the click of the lock a moment before the door opened.

"Ted!" Meda said, shaking him. Then louder, "Ted!"

His eyes flickered open just as Jean shouted, "Ted! We're home."

"Bloody—" Ted began, but Andromeda clapped her hand over his mouth before he could say another word.

"What are we going to do?" she whispered. "Your mother's here and I'm, and we're…."

"Nude?" Ted finished her sentence for her, and despite everything, she found herself giggling. And then Ted clapped his hand over her mouth.

"She's going to kill me," he said. "I promised her even if we spent the night together, we wouldn't, you know, spend the night together."

Andromeda threw the pillow at him. "What a naughty boy, lying to your mother."

"In my defense, I really didn't think we were going to… spend… the night together."

Andromeda felt her face flush. "I'm sorry, I—"

She didn't get to finish that sentence either. Because Ted planted a kiss on her that she felt down into her toes.

"I'm not sorry," he whispered. "I'd suffer my mother's wrath a thousand times over before I gave up last night."

Looking into his eyes, she knew that he meant it.

"Ted?" Jean said again, sounding closer to the stairs.

Ted groaned and pulled himself out of bed. Andromeda's eyes widened at the sight of him. Of course, she'd seen a lot of him last night, but that didn't mean she was used to it.

"Are you sure you'd rather your mother's wrath?" Andromeda asked, a smile on her lips.

Ted made a face at her as he began to pull on his clothes.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"Lying to my mother," he said. "I'm going to sneak out the window and then run to the front door and pretend I was out for a morning stroll."

"And what do I do?" she asked.

"Throw on a nightgown and pretend you just woke up."

Andromeda wasn't sure this would work, but she thought it best not to dash his hope. She started to slip out of bed when Ted said, "Not yet!"

She blinked. "But you said—"

"After I leave. If I see you naked right now I'm jumping right back into bed with you, and then we'll be right back where we started."

His words made Andromeda giddy with pleasure, almost so much so that she wanted to throw off the covers anyway, just to entice him back to her, but she resisted. Ted had just slipped on his boots and was making his way to the door when a male voice said:

"Ted? You're not still asleep, are you?"

Andromeda glanced at Ted, eyes wide. It just now occurred to her that Jean had said, "We're home," instead of "I'm home."

"Who's that?" she asked.

The flush faded from Ted's cheeks, and his head fell. "That's… my father."

Her jaw dropped open a little. "Your father, I thought—"

"I know," Ted sighed. "I'm sorry. I should have told you sooner, but right now, I have to…"

Heavy footsteps sounded on the stairs. Ted's father was coming to investigate.

"It's alright," Andromeda said, even managing a smile. "Go."

But Ted didn't go, he rushed over and pressed another kiss to her lips. "I love you," he said as he pulled away. It didn't matter how many times she heard him say that. It made her heart stop every time. She wanted to pull him next to her and hold him and never let him go, but she knew she couldn't. Not without wreaking more havoc on his family than she already had.

Ted's father knocked on the door just as Ted disappeared out the window.

"Ted?" his father said again. "It's almost 10."

Andromeda threw the covers off and raced toward her trunk. She felt entirely uncomfortable with the thought that she was stark naked while Ted's father stood a few feet away, whether there was a closed door between them or not. She threw on her nightgown and then reached for her wand.

"I know you're angry with me," Ted's father said, "But you have too… you have to give me a chance to explain."

Andromeda froze. Whatever Ted's father was about to say, it wasn't for her ears. She flicked her wand, and it buttoned up her nightgown just as she opened the door.

"Oh," the man said, when he caught sight of her. Andromeda couldn't help but stare at the man before her. He looked so much like Ted, though his hair was balding and his eyes were larger, but she was certain Ted would look much the same in a couple decades.

"Mr. Tonks," she said, bowing slightly. "My name's Andromeda. It's a pleasure to finally make your acquaintance."

Mr. Tonks stared at her like she'd started speaking gibberish, a look she'd received from Ted all too often.

"Yes, quite," he said, before clearing his throat awkwardly. "Where's Ted? Is he-"

A moment later the kitchen door opened, and Jean said, "Ted? Where have you been?"

"Just out for a morning stroll," Ted said. Mr. Tonks seemed to flinch a little at the sound of his son's voice. Andromeda pretended she hadn't noticed.

"Will you tell Jean and Ted I'll be down in a moment?" Andromeda said.

Mr. Tonks seemed not to have heard her, but then he gave her another awkward nod before carefully shuffling away from the door.

It took considerable effort to keep herself from slamming the door closed. Though once it was shut she nearly collapsed in relief. She had no idea if Ted's parents believed their ruse, but at least they had cause to deny any accusations otherwise. It would save them some entanglements. And with Ted's father here, they had enough entanglements already.

Ted hadn't mentioned his father much. When they'd first been getting to know each other he'd shared an anecdote here and there. Enough that Andromeda thought them close. After he'd told her about his parent's separation, he'd never spoken of his father again. Andromeda didn't even know his name. She'd assumed he'd left for good. But now he was back. Ted had known, but he hadn't told her. She supposed she could understand his reluctance to talk about it, but she would have thought she'd been the exception to that. Apparently not.

She bit her lip. There were too many questions swirling around her mind, and she had no way to untangle them. But whatever Ted had or hadn't told her she was sure he needed her now, and after everything he'd done for her, she could give him this.