'We've led a good life, haven't we?'
Andromeda blinked back the tears and swallowed hard as she squeezed her frail hand. 'Yes, Ellie, it was a good life.'
The doctor placed two pills and a glass of water on the tray beside her bed. 'Prenez-le dès que vous serez prêt.'
Tears rolled down Andromeda's cheeks. She couldn't look at the pills and at Ellie neither.
'Hand them to me, please, my darling.' Ellie's voice was hoarse and mellow.
With trembling hands, Andromeda placed the pills in her hand and intertwined her fingers. She looked at the fragile woman as she swallowed them.
Andromeda lay down beside her, stroked her hair and kissed her gently. 'Promise me that we'll meet again.'
'Yes, Annie.' She drew a slow breath and closed her eyes.
'I love you, Ellie!' Andromeda suppressed the sob but clasped her hands a little firmer.
A smile flickered across her face, but she could no longer speak.
Andromeda didn't know if she was leaning on Nymphadora or if Nymphadora was leaning on her as they approached the cobblestone building at the end of the road.
'Ellie,' whispered Andromeda when the older woman opened the door. 'Ted has died.'
In front of her, Eleanor Tonks crashed to her knees with a keening sob, and Andromeda felt the emptiness creep into her stomach. She didn't yet know that it wouldn't leave until years later.
Releasing Nymphadora, who was crying softly, she knelt down and took Ellie in her arms. 'I'm so sorry, Ellie.'
Nymphadora sat down close to them and leaned her head against Andromeda's shoulder.
Andromeda embraced them both and tried with all her might to keep her family from shattering.
-§-§-§-§-§-
'Ellie,' Andromeda choked out when the older woman opened the door. She clutched Teddy to her chest and drew a shallow breath. 'Nymphadora has died.'
After that, she couldn't see anything for the tears. This time she was the one who slumped to the ground.
Ellie's steady hands hoisted her to her feet and ushered her inside, where they curled up on the couch together.
'How can you still breathe, Ellie?' Andromeda asked, clinging to her.
Ellie sobbed and shook her head. 'I can't.'
-§-§-§-§-§-
They lay next to each other in bed because the grief did not allow either of them to sleep.
Teddy slept curled up on Andromeda's stomach.
She ran her fingers over his back while Ellie ran hers along her arm and pressed her forehead to her shoulder.
'I don't want to be his mother.'
Ellie looked at her, confused.
'I want to be his grandmother. I want to spoil him. I want Nymphadora to raise him!'
Tears escaped from the corners of her eyes, and Ellie wiped them away with shaky fingers.
-§-§-§-§-§-
'Magic destroyed our family.'
Andromeda lowered her wand as tears welled up in her eyes. 'Magic is an essential part of me.'
Ellie nodded slowly. 'I know, but-'
'You know I never meant to hurt him... Hurt them. The path we chose was a dangerous one, and he knew it. You can't blame me, Ellie, please don't do this to me!'
Ellie put her hand over her mouth and bent down. 'I'm sorry, Annie! I'm so sorry!'
Andromeda dropped her wand on the floor and hugged her.
-§-§-§-§-§-
'Move to France with me. Before we suffocate.' She made an all-encompassing gesture before stepping closer to Ellie.
Ellie flinched as tears welled up. 'I've lived my whole life in this country.'
Andromeda took her hands and held them against her heart. 'There's more life to live, Ellie.'
After a moment's hesitation, Ellie nodded and pressed her forehead against hers while they intertwined their fingers.
'It will be good for us.' Andromeda whispered.
-§-§-§-§-§-
'Join me, Ellie!'
Andromeda held out her hand and smiled.
Ellie's skin pebbled when the water reached her waist and she sighed deeply.
Andromeda put her hands on her hips and guided her deeper into the Atlantic.
She lay on her back and floated while Ellie held her close.
'When you hold your head underwater, you can scream, and nobody cares.' Ellie spoke and promptly demonstrated.
Andromeda followed suit, and it was liberating.
-§-§-§-§-§-
She looked over Teddy's head at Ellie.
There was longing in her eyes, and she was sure her eyes reflected the same. She shook it off with an ache in her heart.
Teddy tugged at her sleeve. 'Who's that, Nana?
'That's Grandpa, my darling.'
Ellie's cheeks paled, and so did hers.
They stopped looking at each other.
-§-§-§-§-§-
'Remember when she dropped the whole tray of glasses on my birthday?' Andromeda laughed until tears stung her eyes.
Ellie put her hand on her stomach and caressed it. 'I remember every single moment we had with her. I'm so grateful to have known her.'
'Me too,' Andromeda whispered, burying her face in her neck.
-§-§-§-§-§-
'I love you, Ellie. So much more than I should.'
Andromeda let her gaze slide to the floor and looked at the knots in the woven carpet. Her heart ached, and she wished she didn't feel this way, but she couldn't stay silent any longer. Blood rushed through her ears.
Ellie blinked slowly and swallowed hard. 'Andromeda,' she whispered but her voice broke. She looked at the dark-haired witch. 'You're my son's wife.' She squeezed her eyes shut and put her hands in her lap as tears prickled behind her lashes.
'Was,' Andromeda said.
-§-§-§-§-§-
'Ellie,' she sighed when the older woman brushed her hands through her hair. 'Ellie, we can't.'
'I know,' Ellie said and caressed her cheeks as she lowered her hands.
Andromeda stepped closer to her, so their noses were touching and let her lips brush over Ellie's for a fleeting moment then pressed their cheeks together and shut her eyes. They stayed like that for a moment, holding on tight, breathing heavily.
Then, Ellie kissed her gently. And kissed her again until she returned it.
Andromeda didn't feel the tears that ran down her cheeks.
-§-§-§-§-§-
Ellie had crawled into bed with her at some point during the night, and it was beautiful to wake up next to her. She slowly disentangled herself from the sheets, but Ellie held her firmly by the waist.
Andromeda sighed. 'What are we doing, Ellie?'
Sky blue eyes met her dark ones. 'I don't know, Annie.'
-§-§-§-§-§-
Andromeda was playing with Teddy when she caught Ellie's piercing gaze.
'What's wrong?'
Ellie looked at her with a furrowed brow. 'Are we betraying Ted, Annie?'
'Love is never wrong,' she said in a firm voice, swallowing hard.
'Do you think we'll ever be able to fully enjoy what we have?' Ellie wiped her eyes with her jumper.
'I do, Ellie.'
-§-§-§-§-§-
Ellie stroked her abdomen and looked lovingly at her. She caressed her just above her mound and over the scar of the incision it had taken to give birth to Nymphadora. She stroked her higher up, over her stomach and ran the back of her hand along the underside of her breasts.
Andromeda sighed softly and closed her eyes. 'You arouse me, Ellie.'
'Do you want to?'
'More than anything!'
-§-§-§-§-§-
'Teddy!' Andromeda called after him when he left the bedroom.
Ellie wrapped the sheets around herself and wept silently. 'He'll resent us.'
'We must at least try. We owe ourselves that much.'
Andromeda quickly moved to her feet and found him sitting on his knees in the middle of his room.
'We didn't know how to tell you.' Panic closed up her throat.
Teddy eyed her warily. 'I would've understood.'
'And now?'
'I still do.'
She pulled him into a crushing hug.
-§-§-§-§-§-
Andromeda kissed her quickly on the cheek and turned to go.
Ellie held her wrist tightly, but Andromeda broke free.
'I'm sorry, Ellie, I'm already late!'
'I know why he loved you so. You're the most wonderful.'
Andromeda smiled wistfully.
-§-§-§-§-§-
'I love you, Eleanor!'
Ellie waved her off with a grin. 'You know I hate that name!'
Andromeda laughed heartily. 'You know I love teasing people by calling them their proper names.'
Ellie smiled softly. 'I do, Andromeda!'
-§-§-§-§-§-
'Are you happy?'
Ellie brushed a strand of grey hair behind Andromeda's ear with her hand covered in age spots.
'I am, Ellie.' She kissed the hands that had helped her back to life.
'Me too,' Ellie whispered.
-§-§-§-§-§-
She heard the words, but she didn't understand them because it couldn't be.
It couldn't be that Ellie was going to die.
-§-§-§-§-§-
Ellie's irises were clouded, but her mind as clear as ever. The disease was eating away at her, and Andromeda felt like she was fading too.
She cursed being a witch, for she faced many more years without her love.
Ellie caressed her hand. 'Promise me you'll keep going.'
'I don't think I can, Ellie. Not after everything.' Tears welled up in her eyes, but she refused to let them fall.
'There's more life to live, Annie.'
-§-§-§-§-§-
'What now?' Tears glistened in Teddy's eyes.
'I think it's time for me to go home.'
-§-§-§-§-§-
Andromeda stood on the cliffs of Dover and breathed in the cool, salty air while the wind blew her hair into her face.
Life would go on, and she would go with it.
As always.