Author's note: All rights belong to the 'holier than thou' J.K Rowling. Follows from the end of The Deathly Hallows (not the nineteen years later epilogue though), reasonably canon but will drift. All responses are welcome, please review I beg of you. Lullaby lyrics are not mine, they're from the song 'Lullaby for a stormy night' by Vienna Teng.

Chapter three: that wasn't very nice

Harry stood patiently outside the Tonks' house, he wiped his arm across his face to catch the sweat beads he couldn't remember being there a couple of seconds ago. Great, show up sweating profusely like a pig, well done Harry. He knocked four times to alert his arrival then went back to his nervous thoughts.

He was pondering about how to greet the grandmother of his godson when he heard what sounded like someone pounding frantically down the stairs, before he could think the door had flung open and a wand was pointed in his face. Instinctively he took two steps back and withdrew his own wand. He was about to cast a shield to prevent incoming hexes when he realised who was stood in front of him. Andromeda was soaking and he presumed she'd been in the shower, her drenched hair clung to her face which looked flushed, she stood before him in only a men's shirt which was indecently high about her knee and was only buttoned up enough to cover her belly button, not to mention the thin fabric was dampening from her wet skin.
He quickly diverted his gaze to her feet which were a safe place for his eyes. Upon recognising her visitor the witch lowered her wand and clutched her unbuttoned shirt to prevent from showing anymore skin. Harry too put his wand back in his pockets and help up his hands in a mock surrender before speaking.
"Ms Tonks, I'm urm sorry for startling you, I uh this is the time Augusta told me to come round. She said you'd be expecting me, I-I'm Harry Potter. We, we've met before." He sneaked a glance at her face, she didn't look happy.
"I know exactly who you are Mr Potter, and yes Augusta left me a note saying you would be coming but I sent her an owl saying that wouldn't do today." Her hand trembled slightly as she spoke and he could see how uncomfortable she felt.
"Oh, I urm, well there are some letters here from several members of the Order, so there for you." He held the letters out awkwardly to her, still not moving his line of vision off the ground. He put his hand back in his pocket when he felt her apprehensively take the letters.
"So urm if this isn't a good time for you I'll be off but, I urm I hope you don't find this rude but I would like to be able to come meet Teddy. And be a godparent to him and help you out, not that you need help because you're incompetent or anything just y'know, Sirius was so great to me in the short time we had, Remus too. I mean, I never had parents so godparents were a big deal for me so… I mean I know I haven't met him yet but I just know that I want to be there for him, if that makes sense." He trailed off and hoped he hadn't babbled too much, it bothered him deeply how he sounded so literate in his head yet could never articulate out loud, always had.
"Yes well, I uh appreciate it and I know Dora would have wanted you involved so I'm sure we can come up with some agreement. Have a nice day Mr Potter." As soon as she stopped speaking, she slammed the door in his face. Leaving a perplexed Harry Potter to wander down the drive to the apparation spot wondering whether the previous conversation was good or not.

Her palm rubbed against her clitoris as nimble fingers began to increase the pace they thrust into her sex; while the right made work of her dripping entrance her left hand gripped a large round breast, fondling the nipple. As her breathing speed up moans escaped her lips in time with the movements of her hand, with the increasing pleasure she arched her back against the shower wall. The water from the shower head ran down her face and body, eyes closed in anticipation she welcomed the wetness that soaked her body, treasuring how it met with her own and ran down her long legs. The workings of her hand became more frantic and she moaned the name belonging to the man who, in her mind, was delivering the pleasurable administrations to her body,
"Ted, oh Ted." Her words dripped with longing.
Andromeda wasn't sure whether touching oneself and pretending it's your late husband that is doing so is an effective form of grief, but she didn't care. She needed this, not just the sexual release, the idea of closeness. Even if she was alone this act made her feel close to Ted, if she could pretend it was him she would never have to let him go. If he could give her these feelings even when he was gone she'd never need to seek another for the company she'd only ever received from her husband. She knew Ted would want her to be happy and acting like she still had him with her gave her happiness, she wasn't sure how it just did. If it was her that was gone the thought of Ted moving on to another made her sick, it was selfish yet she didn't care. Ted was all hers and she would always be his.

Her climax was near; fingers moved desperately curling as they hit their destination. Moans became deeper, louder and she was glad the shower masked the sounds for if not Teddy would surely have heard her. She could feel her orgasm growing in her stomach and,
"KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK!" The sound of thudding against the front door pulled her away from her release. It was around lunch time, they had no neighbours, who the hell was at the door? Andromeda jumped from the shower and grabbed her wand, she was about to sprint down the stairs before she got a side glance in the mirror. She was soaking and naked; changing her direction to the bedroom she grabbed one of Ted's old shirts she had taken to sleeping in and threw it on.
Charging down the stairs she fumbled with the shirt buttons until at least her naval was covered. Wasting no time she flung the door open and shoved her wand into the face of the intruder. The figure took a few steps back and drew their own wand. Examining her visitor she instantly recognised the man, Harry Potter stood before her wand raised in muggle clothing and his trademark glasses. Andromeda lowered her wand and clutched her shirt to prevent showing the young man anymore of her already over exposed flesh. It seemed recognition dawned on him too as the boy who lived lowered his wand and raised his arms as if to surrender, she then became painfully aware of the boy giving her slow one over but released a deep breath when he settled his gaze on the ground.
"Ms Tonks, I'm urm sorry for startling you, I uh this is the time Augusta told me to come round. She said you'd be expecting me, I-I'm Harry Potter. We, we've met before." His voice was weak and for the saviour of the wizarding world Andromeda found him remarkably un-impressive. Then again she hadn't laid eyes on anyone in the last five months other than her grandson and Augusta as of last night so she might have been expecting too much. Speaking of Augusta she had owled her this morning clearly stating she didn't wish for boy wonder to come banging on her front door until she decided to let him see Teddy. It really was stupid of her to presume Augusta was giving her any sort of option. Her irritation was clearly apparent in her face as the boy made quick eye contact only to shoot his gaze back down to the ground.
"I know exactly who you are Mr Potter, and yes Augusta left me a note saying you would be coming but I sent her an owl saying that wouldn't do today." She could feel her voice shaking a little bit and hoped her sexual frustration wasn't clear in her speech.
"Oh, I urm, well there are some letters here from several members of the Order, so there for you." He held his arm out awkwardly still keeping his vision lowered, she wasn't sure to appreciate his manners or be irritated that he obviously found her so repugnant he couldn't bear to look at her. Just as she made to take the letters from him she realised with great embarrassment there was sufficient evidence of her earlier activities on her hand, with great caution she took the letters from the boy, careful not to let her hand brush his. Lest she make this more uncomfortable.
"So urm if this isn't a good time for you I'll be off but, I urm I hope you don't find this rude but I would like to be able to come meet Teddy. And be a godparent to him and help you out, not that you need help because you're incompetent or anything just y'know, Sirius was so great to me in the short time we had, Remus too. I mean, I never had parents so godparents were a big deal for me so… I mean I know I haven't met him yet but I just know that I want to be there for him, if that makes sense." The boy trailed off and Andromeda could see how afflictive the situation was for him, he was clearly only interested in Teddy yet was hoping for a more friendly welcome on her behalf. She did feel bad; he wanted to be a part of the boy's life and regretted the lateness of his offer. But Teddy was all she had now, just him and memories, she didn't want to share. She didn't want to let those people into her life, those people who could go on like normal when her Dora would never go anywhere again. She hated them for living instead of her daughter, she hated herself for being selfish, and she hated Harry Potter for being one of the first people she'd spoke to in so long and evidently not giving a shit about her.
"Yes well, I uh appreciate it and I know Dora would have wanted you involved so I'm sure we can come up with some agreement. Have a nice day Mr Potter." She slammed the door in his face as soon as she had finished her sentence, this wasn't about her it was about Teddy and her grandson needed people in his life. She leaned against the back of the door besides, it was never about her.

Harry arrived in the burrow kitchen with a loud pop. Walking into the living room he spotted Ginny, kissed her on the cheek and sat beside her.
"You're back early." He was about to explain to Ginny when three of her brothers walked in.
"Hey Harry."
"Hi Harry, hi Ginny."
"Hey."
"Ron, George, Bill." He greeted the Weasley brothers, who were closely followed by Hermione, Fleur, Neville and Luna.
"Harry how did it go?" Hermione was the first to bring up the meeting.
"Well that's what I wanted to talk about, turns out Andromeda owled Augusta this morning telling her not to send me. It seems Augusta didn't read the owl, and if she did she didn't care for the contents."
"I'm sorry Harry my grandma can be a bit, strict at times. She doesn't take well to people going against her wishes, she just tends to ignore them and go ahead. You get used to her." The others grinned at Neville it was no secret he was scared of his grandmother, a ten foot snake easy, his grandmother no way in hell.
"I presume she wasn't happy about you being there." Hermione steered the conversation before it became embarrassing for Neville.
"Yes and no, we had a very short and urm, awkward conversation. She agreed to let me see Teddy, I don't know when though; she took the letters as well. I don't think she was that annoyed about me coming round just what she was doing when I came round." He tried to be as discreet as possible although he knew the lads would push him for details.
"And what exactly was she doing when you came round?" Ginny's voice had taken a defensive edge he'd never known from her, making her sound strikingly like her mother. He looked in her face for explanation to her tone but was met with a jealous glare that confused him further.
"Nothing bad or anything. I heard running then the door was flung open and there was a wand in my face,"
"She 'exed you?" Fleur cut him off sounding horrified.
"No, no. I got my wand out but before anything happened she recognised me."
"So you just startled her." George pointed out.
"Yeah it's just; when I saw her she got uncomfortable cos, she must have been showering before I came round and thought it was somebody else, who she didn't know. She'd obviously just grabbed a night shirt and not dried herself. She was very wet and the shirt was short, she hadn't properly buttoned it up and it was starting to stick to her. She was embarrassed so I looked at the floor and, it was a short conversation." Harry felt like he was being interrogated.
"Oh you just looked at the floor did you, that's big of you!" Ginny was shouting at him and he didn't for the life of him know why.
"Yes what was I supposed to do? I couldn't stand there and gawp at the woman. I wouldn't do that!" Harry was annoyed now, why was Ginny being like this?
"Yeah course mate." Ron looked and sounded amused, as did the others.
"WHAT?" Harry didn't get what everyone found so bloody funny about his girlfriend going off on one.
Fleur decided to help the oblivious boy out, "Harry don't be so defensive, we only laugh because Andromeda is a very attractive woman et you're a young man…" She trailed off suggestively hoping he'd get the message. He did.
"Well, oh, right. I know, well I get what you mean but, she's, she's"
"Spit it out Harry." Hermione cut him off.
"She's not Ginny." He mumbled feeling like a soppy twat. He felt a little better when his girlfriend snuggled into him, clearly happy with his answer. She looked up at him all anger and possessiveness gone from her face; he smiled at her ignoring the gagging noises George was making.
"You still could have asked her to button up." He could never win with his Ginny.

Andromeda sat lulling in mortification leaning against the back of her front door; the saviour of the wizarding world had essentially just interrupted her masturbating. This was certainly something, she wondered with morbid curiosity if he was perceptive enough to have realised why she was so flushed. Perhaps that was why he couldn't meet her eyes, either that or the sight of a frumpy old woman half naked repulsed too much for him to chance a glance for fear of vomiting. She suspected the latter.

Mortification aside she wondered of her opinion in regard to the 'chosen one'. Her gratitude towards his heroism was a given but what did she think of the boy, not the hero the tabloids wrote of.

He is, boring. Dora spoke of him so highly as did Remus she just couldn't see it. He's brave and all the other Gryffindor crap but he didn't strike her as intelligent. A skilled fighter and duellist yes. A smart man no. And brains are important. She meant not that he was dumb only, moderate. Nothing exceptional struck her about him nor had it the first time they met. Actually their first meeting pissed her off rather. Threatening her as if she were that deatheater, that psychopath who took her Dora, that beast her sister had become. There was/is a physical resemblance though not to the point of miss-identification in any other circumstance. And he has never even apologised, not properly anyway. That bitch killed her daughter and he didn't think it may be polite to say sorry for ever mixing them around! So arrogant, he could spout modest tripe to his heart's content yet she saw through. Always blabbering on about people dying for him, sacrifices for him, all for him. Those people fought for their lives, families, and futures you stupid boy! Going on and on about him being the only one able to defeat you know who, like no one else could stab a cursed cup with a sword that conveniently came to you whenever there was a horcrux nearby really. From what she heard it was 50% luck and the 50% help from others. Yes the boy is a hero, is he a great man no, she doubts it. Thinking the world revolves around him.

In fact fuck this heroism bollocks if she didn't like him she didn't bloody like him! Why should she…

"Bottle?" Teddy had crawled to the landing and was sat a few feet away from her. His eyes shone with innocence, his hair an adorable bubble-gum blue.

Immediately the sight of her grandson caused her anger to disappear, replaced with a strange sense of content happiness. She skipped to the kitchen to get a bottle of milk, heating it with a gentle warming spell. Dashing up the stairs Andromeda began to hum softly, undoing the baby barrier she swept Teddy up in her arms. Carrying him to her room she jumped lightly onto her bed earning a giggle from the ten month year old, she handed him the bottle and he drank greedily. Ignoring the small puddles of milk being spit onto her shirt, Andromeda stared lovingly at the child in her arms laughing at the gurgling noises he made as he drank. Watching him drink she noticed his eyes changing from a light green to a deep brown with flashes of gold that identically matched her own. Smiling at the resemblance she walked with him in her arms to the full length mirror to get a better look. He had inherited a slight aristocratic edge to his facial features typical of the Black family, sharp cheekbones and defined jaw structure with naturally arched eyebrows. His hair, quite like his mother's, changed constantly. Normally a bright eye catching colour that would irritate Andromeda had Nymphadora come home with her hair such a shade. The alikeness to herself and Dora was ever present but the genes of his father couldn't be denied. There was a ruggedness to every defined feature that was so very Remus. Staring at her own reflection with Teddy in her arms she felt at a loss to understand how self-hating she'd been just ten minutes ago; her hair fell thick and curly around her tiny waist, wet curls stuck to damp skin around her open chest, large breasts matched the proportions of an hourglass figure, long legs held her body high and flawless tan skin made them look golden, the gentleness of her eyes balanced out the harshness of her classical bone structure. She's beautiful and so is little teddy. Confidence elevated she took the now empty bottle from her yawning grandson and walked over to his cot, laying him down she sang a gentle lullaby until he dozed off.

Little child, be not afraid,
though wind makes creatures of our trees
and their branches to hands, they're not real, understand
and I am here tonight.

And someday you'll know,
that nature is so,
the same rain that draws you near me.

Falls on rivers and land,
on forests and sand,
makes the beautiful world that you see
in the morning.

For you know, once even I
was a little child,
and I was afraid.
But a gentle someone always came
to dry all my tears, trade sweet sleep for fears
and to give a kiss goodnight.

Snoring reached her ears, picking the bottle up she walked downstairs to the kitchen. She dropped the bottle in the sink with the intentions to wash it, but as soon as it hit the water's surface she fell to the floor. With no thought as to why she began to weep hysterically, her emotions running rampage. Tears fell heavy, hands were confused at whether to wipe the snotty nose or mop the downpour from the eyes, opting to tremble and occasionally pull at hair instead. Crawling into a foetus position the sobs were loud and desperate, so frantic that she began to shake as she cried. Her release was unexpected and despairing, also quite un-called for and this only made her more sensitive.

She didn't cry for her husband. She didn't cry for her daughter. She didn't cry for her son in law. She didn't cry for her grandchild who would grow up without his wonderful parents. She cried because these mood swings aren't normal, her way of grief isn't normal, her hatred towards all who tried to help her isn't normal, the conversations she has in her mind aren't normal. She cried because she knew she was going a little mad, but mostly she cried because she didn't care.