A/N: Yes, it's been a while. But it's also Ted and Andromeda week for HPshipweeks on Tumblr. So I made some time and have this update - along with one going up tomorrow night. - DG

An irregular rattle woke Andromeda from her slumber. She blinked in the darkness, wondering what the ruckus was. The rattle broke the silence once again. Ted's snoring woke her and it wasn't a comfort. It broke the hum of the rain pelting the roof above their head.

She gave up sleeping as a bad job since his snoring would wake people downstairs even at this early morning hour. And it was terribly early, from the very faint glow outside their room on the third floor.

Andromeda retired to their room before nine last night while Ted stayed up late, helping his mum with chores well into the evening. Not even a book from their study – a fanciful one that she'd never pick up while deep in her academic pursuits, much less earning cheek from the others in her group – was enough distraction from the dark thoughts plaguing her mind well into the night.

The only way she finally slipped into the blissful sleep she craved was when Ted slid into bed with her, curling his much-larger frame into the double bed and snuggling up behind her. Like the trashy novels that Bellatrix secretly liked to read, she had grown comfortable sleeping with a man only after 2 nights. So much for her vaunted upbringing, she thought.

Andromeda slipped from their shared bed and threw on a housecoat she wisely packed. It was one of the few luxuries she had remaining, now that she was without means for the next couple of months. Ted couldn't understand why she was so lost. Reliant on the charity of his parents grated tremendously. But this was the consequence of her choice, choosing a man for love over one provided for her that would have left her comfortable yet bereft of a potentially happy marriage.

She wiped away two stray tears in the darkness of their room and padded softly towards the door. She closed the door, not seeing that he had been awake and watched everything transpire in the early morning darkness.

No, she'd learn to cope without adding additional burden to her husband. He had enough on his plate right now, seeing to their needs at home before they embarked to London and their apprenticeships. Crawling back to her parents was an iron door closed to her forever. They would never forgive her for betraying them, as they would see what choice she made.

Andromeda stepped into the loo across the hallway and eventually made her way downstairs. A smell of fresh bread wafted up the stairwell as well as other smells. She was drawn to the kitchen, behind the dining room to find Mrs. Tonks in the kitchen, working dough on a counter.

Andromeda slipped into the kitchen to the tea kettle on the cooker and poured a cup.

"Oh," Mrs. Tonks erupted. "I didn't hear you come in." She went quiet for a moment. "Rough night, dear?"

"I had trouble sleeping. The rain kept me awake a bit and I kept thinking too much."

"Well enjoy your cup of tea while I get breakfast ready for our guests."

Andromeda sat quietly, regarding her tea and considering what to do next.

"Mrs. Tonks?" she asked quietly.

"You can call me Estelle, dear, especially since your own Mum is being terrible to you."

"Estelle," she said, trying out the word and finding it uncomfortable escaping her tongue, "would you teach me how to cook?"

Estelle picked up a flannel from the counter and wiped her hands on it, rather than the voluminous apron on her. "Let me ask this: what do you know how to do, Andromeda?"

Andromeda blushed slightly, trying to hide her ignorance yet realizing that honesty would be the best policy. "I know how to make tea."

Estelle stood still and regarded her daughter in law. "You grew up well-to-do, with servants, right?"

"We had house-elves but yes, they were servants. I wasn't expected to do much except make appearances for my parents at dinner parties then to keep quiet and out of their hair. I wasn't expected to do much around the house since it would offend our elves so I didn't learn much except making tea." She looked at her soft hands, only calloused from holding her wand. "I'm sure you're disappointed." She looked up, expecting some sort of berating from her mother-in-law.

Tsk Tsk, Estelle huffed. "Your mother failed you, then."

"She didn't know better, considering she grew up privileged too," Andromeda retorted while regretting protecting her Mum who didn't protect her.

"Well, I'm going to fix that straightaway. You're obviously smart and a quick study so you will be ready when you and Ted move down to London and start your life together." Estelle smiled and Andromeda relaxed. "Consider this your apprenticeship. Unfortunately, I can't teach you how to do things via magic but knowing the Muggle way will give you the base of knowledge you will need, I reckon."

"An apprenticeship?"

Estelle ignored Andromeda's query. "Yes, two months will have to suffice since you and Ted will be living on your own without much support. Frank and I will help as we can, but being so far away, it won't be immediate. And London is dreadfully expensive but if that's where both of you are working, you'll make a go of it. Once you start your Healer apprenticeship in September, things might be a little easier. So yes, two months will have to do, to get you ready to live on your own."

"And what all will that entail, Mrs. Tonks?"

"Well, you're going to sit in here and have breakfast and then help me serve breakfast to the guests. Once we tidy the kitchen, you'll come with me to the market to get a side of beef and other staples for lunch and dinner and tea. And when you have a break, you'll help Ted change the sheets on the beds for the guests who are leaving and assist Ted in picking herbs for the meals and collecting eggs for in the morning and other sundry things around here. It's not an easy life but Frank and I make a go of it as best as we can." She turned back towards the oven and pulled a loaf of bread out before putting another one into the oven. "And I reckon that by the end of next week, you'll be cooking meals for the guests. It won't be hard, but just mindful of the time."

"And what if I mess something up?"

"You will and that's fine. I've burned my share of loaves of bread before and I've messed up in here from time to time. You will too and we'll go from there."

Estelle handed over the hot loaf of bread, some churned butter, a jar of jam, and a plate with two fried eggs and some beans and tomatoes. "Now tuck in and then we'll serve the guests in the next room once you're finished with breakfast."

Andromeda did as asked, refusing to inform Mrs. Tonks that she hated beans. But she took a bite and couldn't help but smile. "The beans are good, Mrs. Tonks."

"Oh those? They're tinned. I never got the hang of making my own beans when they are pretty cheap at the market. If I'm going to spend my time wisely cooking, it won't be making a pot of beans."

"Mum?" Ted walked in, looking like he just woke. His shirt was wrinkled and his dirty blonde hair was sticking straight up. He saw his wife tucking into breakfast and smiled before looking gobsmacked at her eating beans. "You're eating beans?"

"Yes, I am. Mum says they're tinned beans and they are good."

"But you hate beans."

"I did. Maybe I didn't like who was making the beans or how they made them."

Estelle smiled and went back to making breakfast for Ted and the guests.