She stood there looking splendid in her Head Girl robes. Her finery, linen and bone, brocades and lace, were a compliment to her hazel eyes and soft brown hair. The Vicar performed the bonding while Ted was enamored at the woman before him. He was to be her husband. She was to be his wife. In sickness and health, for richer or poorer, 'til the end of our days – those were the vows they took before the bonding started.

Gooseflesh broke out across his skin once the Vicar pronounced them married. The bond laid upon their hands and wands was nothing to the first kiss from her lips. The small smile on her face was more gorgeous than when he first laid eyes on her at the start of their fifth year.

"Mrs. Tonks, shall we?"

"We shall, Mr. Tonks."

Ted opened his eyes to the faint light coming into their rented room. As he promised, they didn't stay with his parents at their bed and breakfast. Instead, they let a room at another one up the street just a ways. His parents understood his request, yet invited them for breakfast once they rose again this morning. Ted informed them that they would be back for a late lunch or early Supper, depending on what happened in Hertford this morning. Andromeda was most candid about the possibilities but he still held out hope that they valued their daughter more than their ideology.

Ted reached a hand out under the bedclothes and felt soft cotton under his fingertips. When did she put on a robe? He looked to his right and saw the tangled hair of his beloved next to him in the double bed. He could only watch the shift of her body next to him, still asleep in the early morning hours. The gown had fallen, showing creamy white skin of her delicate shoulder.

Andromeda was hesitant to show more than just her ankles. Only when I offered to extinguish the lights in the room did she relent. But goodness, the feel of her skin was exquisite.

Those first few moments after the lamps were extinguished were more than he bargained for. The touch of her lips on his, the caress of her hands on his chest, the way her hair smelled when he nuzzled her neck and the way her skin felt sliding against his.

The kisses dropped on her gooseflesh covered skin were the stuff my dreams were made of. She was worth waiting for.

Ted reached a hand out to caress that bare shoulder in front of him. He didn't need to touch the soft skin to feel the heat radiating from her body. Instead, he shifted in their marriage bed, rolling onto his side to snuggle up to her still prone form. Her back was to him, but it was still just enough for him to appreciate the curves that were hidden under the cotton of her gown.

"I know you're awake."

Ted grinned from behind her head. "I didn't mean to wake you. I was trying to let you sleep longer this morning since we have a long day ahead of us."

Andromeda reached behind her hip for his hand, finding it within her immediate grasp. "I've been awake a while wondering what you were doing."

Ted chuckled. "I was admiring your shoulder."

"My shoulder?"

"It's the only skin I see besides your neck at the moment and it's beautiful."

"There's barely any light in here at the moment. How can you see such a wanton display?"

"Wanton? You? Hardly my dear." Ted laid his other hand upon her shoulder. She shivered under his touch. "Wanton is what I saw on occasion in the Quidditch locker room after matches. Those women have absolutely no shame. They acted like strumpets some of the time." Ted snuggled up even closer, nudging her head up just a touch so he could slide his bare arm under her head. "Seeing those girls did nothing for me. I had my eyes on you the entire time."

"You did look, though, didn't you?"

Ted laughed again. "Only as long as it took for me to turn around and not watch them. I had no interest in seeing their bare bums. It was terrible that I heard the gossip often enough in the common room."

Andromeda turned in his arms, rolling onto her back. She was greeted with Ted's bright smile. "Mr. Tonks?"

"Yes, Mrs. Tonks?"

Andromeda reached her small hand up and pulled him to her in a less than chaste kiss. "We still have a few hours before we have to be at my parent's home."

Ted smirked at her insinuation. "Why Mrs. Tonks, I believe you enjoyed my company last night."

She turned his head, laying gentle kisses upon his ears and neck. "I most certainly did."

Ted slid his hand to her bare shoulder and laid his fingertips on the edge of the cotton gown. "Then this might have to disappear for a while if we are going to be reacquainted."

Andromeda blushed profusely.

Ted carried their trunks on the dolly behind him. They were stopping at his parents' residence before returning to Hertford. They discussed this morning, once they rose from bed, what she expected to find once they arrived at her parent's residence. Ted was optimistic that they would welcome her with open arms. Andromeda knew better, even she still carried herself like she believed his optimism.

The only question remaining was whether she would have to raise her wand against her parents.

"Ted?"

He stopped on the sidewalk with their trunks in tow. "What will we do if they banish me?"

"Then we will come back here, have dinner with my parents, and decide how we will go about our lives." Ted started walking again, with Andromeda by his side.

"Father will be most displeased, and probably Mum as well."

Ted stopped once again, this time in the alley behind the building they left. "Are you scared?"

"It's more apprehension more than fear, really. I don't know what to do if they try their worst."

"You really think your parents will raise their wands against you?"

"My concern is that they will hold us there until Father's Solicitor arrives and they try to break the binding."

"They wouldn't dare."

"Of course they will. They're an old Pureblood family and I made an independent decision. What they want is paramount to what I chose to do – or not do. That's why I made the choice I did. I'm an adult and not dependent on my parents."

They started walking again to his parent's bed and breakfast. Ted intended to stow their trunks in his third floor room before they left for Hertford. The walk was quiet, each of them deeply engrossed in their thoughts.

"Will your parents mind if we're here this summer? I would help them out if I knew anything about work."

Ted stopped dead in his tracks. "You're really not kidding, are you?"

Andromeda shook her head. "Honestly, growing up at home, I was quiet as a church mouse, staying in our library much of the time, and when guests came over, I was seen once then sent to my room with the nanny or the governess. My parents fawned over Bellatrix, and lauded over Cissy. I was, for all intents, the forgotten sister." Andromeda scoffed, a blithe approximation of a snort. "Well, forgotten until my dear sister Bella didn't fulfill her duty to the family, that is."

They stopped in front of the bed and breakfast, off the main streets. "You stay here and I'll put these up in my room."

"Nonsense. I'll come inside and wait while you run our things upstairs."

Ted leaned over and gave her a peck on the cheek. She blushed while he grinned, racing up the back stairs to his room under the eaves. Andromeda stepped inside the door to the kitchen before her. Delicious smells inundated her immediately. Fresh baking bread, eggs and bacon and what appeared to be a pot of bubble and squeak on the back of the oven. But what fascinated her mostly was that the matron at the stove was doing all of the work by hand. How can she manage such things by herself? There must be a half dozen dishes cooking at the same time.

Andromeda watched quietly while the cook managed the kitchen, serving up plates of breakfast for the patrons in the dining room. How does she keep who wants what separate? How does she wield such domestic magic?

"Ah, there you are."

Andromeda broke from her introspection to see another matron walk up to her. "Ah, Mrs. Tonks."

"Ted told me as he was running up the stairs you were in the kitchen."

"It's all fascinating. I had no idea."

Mrs. Tonks chuckled. "He may have mentioned that I might have to teach you some things eventually."

"Is that a bad thing?"

"Hardly, my dear. I've not had anyone who wanted to learn domestic skills in ages. All the girls in town rather go listen to the radio or hang out at the lake dancing on the shore."

"It looks magical, the way everything just flows." Andromeda tried to stifle her emotions but failed.

"You'll learn it eventually. Well, at least well enough to feed you and Ted while you're down in London."

"Ready to go?"

Andromeda turned to see Ted dashing through the open doorway to the back stairs. "Our things are stowed in my bedroom upstairs. No one will bother them while we're gone." Ted held out his hand for his blushing bride. "Ready to see what our future holds?"

"I'm sure it'll be fine. My Ted is a good lad."

"I sure hope you're right."

The couple departed the kitchen for the alleyway next to the residence. "You'll have to take us there. I don't know Hertford at all."

Andromeda pulled her wand from her over cloak and gripped it tightly. "Hold my arm. We'll apparated to the clearing by the front of the manor."

Ted held on tight while they apparated from Keswick to Hertford.

"Where are we?"

"We're close to the M1 out of London, in a small place called Bushey. It's south of Watford and outside of London proper."

"How far do we have to walk?"

"Not far – maybe a mile or so. The manor is well-hidden and barely noticed. The wards are ancient magic, put there generations prior to my grandparents being born. Ever since the Muggles started spreading out from London, the family had kept it but made it look like a recreational area. Those few who think they can enter the grounds find that they have an urgent appointment in London and scurry on their way."

They walked hand in hand to the front of the manor. High hedgerows shielded the estate on the front, and an imposing gate stood between them and the walk to the residence. "How do we let them know we're here?"

Andromeda pulled her wand once again and tapped on the crest in a particular order. Within seconds, a young house elf was standing before them. "Mistress Andromeda, so good to see you."

"Binky. How are you?"

"Well, madame. I do warn you, your parents are most displeased at your tardy arrival." Binky the elf turned to Ted standing next her. "Who is this young man with you?"

"This is Edward. He's with me."

"Very good. Hold my hand and we'll arrive inside the manor."

They apparated via elf magic to the front foyer of the Black residence. Marble floors and decorative furnishing lined the walls of the entryway. "Cloaks?"

"I doubt we'll be very long, Binky."

The elf turned and made her way to the Study on the back of the house. Andromeda and Ted followed, holding hands. Ted looked at the little bit of residence before them. Walls were adorned with oil portraits and other custom commissioned works of art. Fine rugs were beneath their feet as they walked into the wood paneled study.

"Master, Mistress Black. I bring Mistress Andromeda and her companion, Edward."

Two faces looked up, one from a letter her Mum was writing at a desk and her father from his copy of the morning Daily Prophet. Cygnus scowled almost immediately while Druella's expression changed from concern to growing outrage.

"Finally. Whom is this with you?" Cygnus looked closer at how they were standing together. "Did you bring home a pet with you? Did you hire a butler to assist you for your pending nuptials?"

"Please tell me that you didn't bring home a stray from school, begging us to help provide for the chap so he can get an appointment somewhere."

Andromeda pointedly ignored her mother's quips to address her father before her. "This is Edward Tonks the second. He is not an employee, nor is he a pet, as you so rudely commented." Ted squeezed her hand in support. "Ted is my husband."

Cygnus spoke up first. "You sullied our home with this Mudblood? And you had the bloody cheek to tell us you married this sod?"

Andromeda stood under the harsh gaze of her family. Ted was standing next to her, shaking in barely repressed frustration and anger.

"You would have been better off throwing yourself in front of a train than coming home to inform us of this news."

Andromeda flinched at that insult from her Mother. She felt her hand squeezed in support.

Cygnus pulled parchment and a quill from the drawer next to his chair. "We'll see about that. I'll owl the Solicitor today and have this marriage annulled. Silly Muggle marriage laws don't trump a binding Wizard contract. You've been betrothed to Rabastan since Bellatrix was married to his brother. You can't break the contract."

Andromeda squared her shoulders and coldly retorted, "I have and there is nothing you can do to break our marriage, much less our binding."

"Who would bind you without our consent?" Druella hissed.

The two of them stood silent for an answer. "I'm a witch of marriageable age. I can decide to get married without your consent."

"You are obviously confounded and confused. You're acting like a child barely away from my apron, much less a witch married to this boy? He's nothing worth your eye or your attention." Druella flung her arm in Ted's general direction. "He's a Mudblood and barely worth scraping your shoes on. I wonder if he imperio'd you for this."

"Ted has done nothing to me. I did this of my own free will, which is more than what you even considered or offered me. Ted has more integrity and honesty in his finger than either of you have in the whole family."

Druella scoffed at the statement. "We'll have this sham of a marriage annulled and you will be wed to Rabastan on the first of August. You will be married to him and that's final."

"You can't annul the marriage. It's impossible now."

"So you say? What do you know about such things?"

"I know how to research and study. I read the laws and the way the law works. There is nothing you can do to break our binding – absolutely nothing now."

"Oh that's rubbish. He's a Mudblood and ignorant of our ways."

"And yet I am the one who made this decision and went through it."

Druella pulled her wand and pointed it at Andromeda. "We'll just see about that." She cast a particular spell – one of which was used on pureblood women for centuries – to verify her virginity. She hissed as the spell glowed red instead of gold around Andromeda.

"I told you, Mother, there was nothing you could do to break our binding. We consummated our marriage two nights ago."

Cygnus hissed in response. "You are a harlot and no daughter of mine. But I can change you from a blushing bride to a widow in an instant."

Cygnus pulled his wand but was disarmed almost immediately. "The next time you pull your wand on me or my wife will be the last time," Ted growled fiercely. "It's bad enough that I had to humiliate you in front of your wife and mine. Try me again and you'll see my resolve on the matter."

Andromeda glared back. "You offered no choice. You told me I was to do nothing more than sit bored at home with a ponce of a husband, to be content as a breeding sow so you would continue to look accordingly in polite society. That isn't the life I wanted or chose to live."

Druella glared back. "You had no right to go against what we set out for you."

"I certainly did when you offered me no say in the life I wanted to lead. Well now I will."

"Get out. You are banished from this house and you are certainly never welcome on our estates." Cygnus stood up from his highback chair by the fire. "If anyone now asks, I only have two daughters. When you betrayed us, you died. Do not call on us again, or the daughters we have. You are now an orphan of your own choosing. Now get out."

Andromeda scoffed at their comments. "Good. I didn't want your endorsement, especially since you refused to consider what I wanted."

"Get out!"

Andromeda lifted her chin at her mother for the last time. "Good riddance, Father. Adieu, Mother."

The newlywed couple turned and walked to the front door. Standing at the door was a house elf. "I am to escort you off the property, Madame."

"Thank you Binky. We will accept your request."

The elf took both of their hands and apparated them outside the gate. "Goodbye Madame. I shall miss you."

Andromeda smiled. "Look after Cissy, please, as best as you can."

"I shall," she replied before winking out.

The couple stood silently on the dirt path outside the wrought iron gates of her ancestral home. The only connection now that she had to the Wizarding world was the hand attached to her own. Her hand was clammy and his was shaking. Her stoic façade was starting to melt into the stark reality before her. She was banished, never to see her favorite sister again. That hurt the worst – losing Cissy.

She eventually turned to the wizard standing next to her. Her husband.

"It's bollocks the way they treated you. I expected better of them."

"You didn't expect them to accept you, did you?"

"I expected them to treat you better than what just happened," Ted replied in a low growl.

"They feel betrayed, that I made choices for our best interests and not theirs."

"But tossing you out of your own home in only the clothes on your back? House elves are treated better than that!"

"I expected nothing less. They don't know how to deal with people who think for themselves."

"But threatening me? Who do they think they are?"

Andromeda turned to her husband and smiled. "I think you disabused them of that idea almost immediately. I warned them not to mess with you. You are sweet and wonderful to me – but I've seen you dueling at school and I know that I'm no match with you."

"What do you want to do now? It's not like we're coming back to this place."

Andromeda stood up on her toes and pressed a gentle kiss into her husband's cheek. "You mentioned that your Mum was expecting us at her house this evening. I don't know about you but I certainly could use something to eat."

"Are you comfortable going back up to Cumbria? I realize it's so far away from what you might be accustomed, but – "

"Hush. It's home now. We'll work on the rest this month. Healer school still awaits, yes?"

Ted pulled her hand to his lips and kissed the knuckles. "Let's go home and introduce you to a loving family. My parents are dying to meet you."

"They know, about us, right?"

"Of course. They support my decision. That's why they are dying to meet you." Ted kissed her gently. "They know that I found my soulmate."