As time went on and she became obviously pregnant, she became too ashamed to go out with her husband and his family. She could feel her unborn child wriggling around and kicking her, and she resented it and what it was doing to her body.

She only confided this in her mother-in-law, not wanting to bother her husband. Nothing changed, but as she'd gotten farther along, Arthur had become more loving and caring toward her and had done his best to make her comfortable during the most uncomfortable part of her pregnancy.

Andromeda often sat and brooded over her current situation, wondering what would have happened if she had never been discovered with Ted Tonks. As it was, she was full of pregnancy hormones and emotions which caused her to feel far more deeply than she usually ever allowed herself to feel.

She only hoped that he was now at peace and hadn't suffered too much at the hands of her older sister. She felt some sorrow looking back over the time she had spent with Ted, for he had professed to love her, even though she had laughed it off and kept him at arm's length for the whole time she'd known him. They had been amicable for less than a year before they had been found together.

It was undoubtedly her fault he was gone, because if she had left him alone, he would still be alive and well. Andromeda refused to let herself dwell on this idea, and also tried to suppress the guilt she felt for so easily succumbing to her new role as the wife of Arthur Weasley. It was pathetic for her to have switched over so easily, and Andromeda now wondered how Ted had ever thought that they could have a family together when she couldn't bear the idea of raising even a bloodtraitor's child.

Ted had been really sweet, but he could never understand the world that she had grown up in. Arthur knew all about pureblood circles and protocol (even if he didn't follow it) and understood the how and why of her mentality even if he didn't agree with her.

Why had she even toyed with the thought of leaving her family when she obviously wasn't ready to do just that? Of course, now that the shock of her pregnancy had worn off, she would do her best to make sure that the child was raised properly for her husband's family.

She had had an actual fight with her husband about whether she would have the baby at home. She had only won because she burst into tears and screamed that if she had to have his baby, she would have it her way. Of course, she regretted saying it now, but she was glad that it had won her the fight.

With a sigh, Andromeda shifted her position on the couch. She was waiting for her husband to get home before she revealed that she thought she might be in labour. Her relief as Arthur arrived was soon replaced by shock, for when she stood up to go to him, she felt a gush of fluid from between her legs, and she gasped.

Cedrella looked up. "You all right there?"

"I—I've been having contractions for a while," Andromeda admitted, "but I think—" she went silent as another contraction took over her body and mind.

"Dromeda, you should have said something," Cedrella scolded, jumping to her feet and hurrying to assist the girl.

"I wanted him to be home," protested Andromeda when she could talk.

Andromeda was quickly taken to the room that had been prepared, Septimus promising to send Arthur along soon. The young witch sat on the edge of the bed, rocking back and forth slowly and working on controlling her breathing as she mentally prepared for her task ahead.

"Nearly ready," Cedrella called from the bathroom where she was running water into the bath.

The door opened, but Andromeda did not look up, concentrating on handling her pain. "Dromeda," she heard her husband murmur, and felt him at her side.

"You doing okay?" he asked softly, placing a hand on her shoulder.

His mother appeared in the doorway and said, "We need to—oh." She hurried across the room and took the girl's hands in hers. "Breathe," she said. "It's going to be okay."

Andromeda squeezed the woman's hands tightly. "Mum," she whimpered, "it's not fun."

"I know," Cedrella said softly. "The Healer should be here soon. Let's get you into the bath: it'll help with your pain."

They helped Andromeda to her feet and across the room to the bath before she stopped, gasping at the intensity of the next contraction. She was panting for breath when it passed, and she looked scared. "It's getting painful really fast."

When Andromeda got undressed for the bath, Cedrella asked her, "Your water broke earlier, in the sitting room, didn't it?"

"I wasn't about to say that in front of your husband," Andromeda breathed. "Ohhh, that Healer had better hurry."

"First babies usually take a while, dear," Cedrella said gently.

"I've been in labour since early this morning," Andromeda snapped.

"All right," the older witch agreed, moving closer and taking Andromeda's hands as the girl gave a small moan, rocking back and forth. "Rub her lower back, along the backbone," Cedrella ordered her son.

Two contractions later and Andromeda was groaning in pain, her eyes bright as she gasped, "Oh, the pressure—Mum, I think it's coming—I need to—"

"We need to get her back onto the bed," Cedrella began, but Andromeda shook her head violently, bearing down as she groaned in pain.

"Andromeda," said Cedrella sternly, but the younger woman wasn't listening.

Andromeda knew her baby was ready to come, and she pulled her hands away from her mother-in-law and prepared to push again. "So much pressure," she panted. "Oh, oh!"

She pushed and whimpered, feeling an awful stretching but knowing instinctively what she had to do. All of her concentration was on having this baby, and as she breathed quick little breaths to recover from one contraction, she cried out in pain as the next began.

"You can do this, Andromeda."

"You're so strong."

Feeling the pressure intensify for a moment, Andromeda let out a frightened whimper, but reached down into the water as the pressure lessened, and in a few moments, had drawn her baby from the water. "Oh," she gasped in shock, clasping the child to herself as she fell against the back of the bathtub.

"Be careful, Andromeda," Cedrella said quickly, "you're still attached."

Andromeda looked down at the thing in her arms as it let out a tiny cry. "My baby," she whispered, tears trickling down her face. She kissed the child's head as she cradled it to herself. "It's a boy," she whispered. "He's beautiful…."

Cedrella got to her feet. "The Healer is here: I'll be right back." Not even a minute later, she was back with the woman.

"Well, congratulations," the Healer said, smiling. "It seems you're made to have babies." She reached over and clamped and cut the cord, saying, "And he's beautiful."

Andromeda said nothing as she cradled her baby to herself, fascinated by the tiny child. She only realised that they were trying to get her attention when Arthur touched her arm. "They want to get you out of the bath," he told her.

Andromeda did not want to hand her baby over, but with a promise that she would give the child right back, Cedrella took her grandson. The moment Andromeda was rinsed off and lying on the bed, she looked toward her mother-in-law with a near glare. "Here you go," the older woman smiled, giving the crying child back to his mother. "I think he may be hungry."

Biting her lip in concentration, Andromeda moved the child to her breast, the Healer helping her slightly. "Good, good," the Healer said, and went back to doing other things.

Andromeda was relieved when the Healer left, looking down at the sleeping baby in her arms. Cedrella asked, "Do you need anything, Andromeda?"

The witch shook her head, and the older woman left the room quietly. Arthur looked down at his son and smiled. "You did very well," he told the new mother, kissing her head. "You had it all under control."

"Thank you," Andromeda murmured.

"Of course," Arthur answered.

"No," Andromeda said, indicating their baby boy. "Thank you...I like him."

Arthur's face broke into a grin. "I'm glad," he told her. "And you look beautiful with a baby in your arms."

Andromeda gave him a tired smile and said, "Please take a picture. I want to see."

The young man obliged, but when Andromeda saw the picture on parchment, she sighed. "I'm a mess."

"You're a mother," Arthur chuckled. "That's beautiful."

"He's so sweet," she sighed, looking at the baby before glancing up at her husband. "We're calling him William?"

Arthur nodded, and Andromeda smiled at the child again. "William Arthur," she murmured, proud of herself. The baby belonged to her.

Andromeda was surprised at how much she loved her baby boy, for she always wanted him nearby, and she wanted to hold him almost all the time. It felt perfect to her to be pregnant and then give birth and have a little one to hold.

She knew Cedrella was amused at her reaction to the child, and that Arthur was relieved. It didn't matter to her what they thought: she was going to take care of her baby. She quickly learned that her husband loved to watch her play with and entertain the little one.

Arthur was more than willing to help her with the baby when he was home, but she wanted to do it, and he didn't pester her. She seemed a lot happier to him somehow, and he didn't question it.

Andromeda kept the baby in a crib close to her at night, always ready to get up and care for him. Her husband adored her for her selflessness, but told her that she needed to give her body a break. She did not want to listen, but he convinced her to compromise.

Late one night when the baby cried, Andromeda sat up sleepily, but Arthur said, "Wait: I'll get him."

She blinked slowly in the darkness, accepting baby William into her arms. "Hey, beautiful," she murmured with a yawn. "Are you hungry?" She put him to her breast, leaning back on her pillows.

She smiled to hear and feel him suckling, his cries quieting immediately. "That's what you wanted," she murmured. "Good boy."

Minutes later, she rocked him in her arms, humming a lullaby to get him back to sleep. She placed him in the crib and crawled back into bed, feeling her husband's arms slip around her.

"You're so good with him," Arthur said, and Andromeda yawned again on purpose.

"He's the best thing that's ever happened to me," she said, looking at her sleeping baby. "I love him."

Andromeda felt the man embrace her slightly and groaned, "It's late, Arthur; let me sleep."

"Okay," Arthur said falsely sadly. "I just want to hold you."

Andromeda rolled her eyes at him, then turned over and curled into his arms. "No funny business," she warned him before making herself comfortable, her head on his chest.

She sighed as she felt him rub her back, grinning to herself as she imagined that if she were a cat, she'd be purring. She sighed contentedly and fell asleep to his gentle touch on her back.

Andromeda woke to something pressing uncomfortably into her stomach and shifted before freezing as she realised it was her husband. Fear shot through her as she wondered what he'd been doing while she slept, but as she took stock of herself, nothing felt wrong.

"Good morning," her husband said softly, grinning at her when she looked up.

"You—you weren't touching me, were you?" she asked.

Arthur frowned. "No, no, Andromeda. I've only been rubbing your back like I did last night." She frowned at him, and he said seriously, "I swear it, Andromeda."

She looked down at his shirt, still half asleep, and gasped at the man's next words. "Someone has hurt you, haven't they," he said very quietly.

The witch started shaking, scared and horrified that he would ask her something like that. She opened her mouth to speak, but no sound came out, and she lay her head down on his chest, squeezing her eyes shut tightly.

"Dromeda," he murmured, cradling her in her arms, "it doesn't change what I think about you—you're the strongest woman I've ever met."

Her hands gripped onto his shirt as her body shook with her emotions. "Father—abused me," she barely whispered. "For even talking to a Mudblood." And she let out a broken sob, clinging to her husband.

"Oh, Andromeda," he breathed in horror, never having imagined it to be the woman's father. "How awful—I'm so sorry."

"He's an awful man," she breathed. "He'd hurt Bella, but never me—and then they caught me—the last time he did it was the night before I came here."

Arthur held her close and murmured, "I will never hurt you like that, Andromeda, or in any way. You're safe with me."

"I know," she whispered. "But—I don't trust men."

"Of course," Arthur replied. "I don't blame you."

They lay there quietly for a few minutes until William woke up and Andromeda scrambled to get her son. "Shh, baby," Andromeda sniffed. "It's okay; Mumma's here."

"If you don't want me to hold you when you're sleeping, I won't," Arthur told her as she comforted their son.

"No, that's fine," Andromeda said, taking a deep breath. "I—I just have bad memories of waking to—well, you just seemed to be a little excited this morning."

Arthur blushed. "I was just thinking about you—I'm a man, Andromeda."

"Oh, I know," she smirked at him before looking back to the child. "If you're still in the mood when Will's taken care of, though…."

"Are you sure?" he asked gently, and she nodded.

When Will was happy to just play, Andromeda took him to Cedrella and said, "We need some quiet time."

"Of course," the woman said in amusement, happily taking her grandson into her arms. "Have fun."

An hour and a half later found the couple getting out of the shower, Andromeda with a smirk on her face as Arthur looked at her strangely. "Andromeda...we forgot to use protection…."

"Forgot?" She finished rinsing off her front and turned to smile at him. "Or didn't?"

The expression on his face made her laugh happily, and he sputtered, "You—you want—?"

Andromeda nodded, biting her lip slightly. "I've been thinking about it, and I don't want Will to be an only child—Arthur!"

For he had grabbed her in a hug and was embracing her tightly. "Merlin—Arthur, I just rinsed off!" she protested, grinning from ear to ear.

"Dromeda, Will's only four months old," Arthur breathed. "He'll only be a year old when his sibling is born if your conceive today."

"I can handle two," Andromeda said earnestly. "It's okay. Besides, it'll be nice for them to be close in age."

"Andromeda," he breathed, but she pushed him away gently.

"Finish washing up," she told him. "I need to get back to Will." She quickly rinsed off again and hurried from the room.

Presentable once again, Andromeda hurried to the sitting room, finding Cedrella with her crying son. "He's hungry," she said simply.

"Yes," Andromeda sighed, hurrying to take the child up and sitting down to feed him, throwing a small blanket over them. "There you go, love. Mumma's sorry."

"How was it?" Cedrella smirked at the girl.

"Well...we might be having another baby soon," Andromeda smiled, glancing down at Will contentedly suckling at her breast.

"Ah," Cedrella smiled knowingly. "Let us know when you know for sure."

Andromeda nodded. "Of course."