27th October 1972

"Any more for Miss Andromeda?" the house elf squeaked.

"Mm, yes please, Binky," Andromeda replied enthusiastically, and the house elf spooned more shepherd's pie onto her plate, which she had cleaned quickly. The sickness had got better and Andromeda was getting more and more of an appetite recently. She was eating for two, after all.

Bellatrix still had a significant amount remaining on her plate. "Is the food not to Miss Bella's liking?" the house elf asked, slightly fearfully.

"No, it's fine. I'm just... watching my weight," Bellatrix said, looking pointedly across the table at Andromeda's stomach. Yes, the pregnancy was beginning to show. Not much, Andromeda was managing to cover it up with loose fitting clothing, but you couldn't miss it if you knew to look for it.

"Bella!" Andromeda hissed. It had been more than a few weeks since Andromeda had told Bellatrix that she was having an abortion, and Bellatrix was starting to get suspicious that she hadn't had it yet. Andromeda didn't know what to tell her, so she had been avoiding her, and the only chance Bellatrix got to ask about it was by dropping pointed hints into conversations around the dinner table. Andromeda was starting to worry that her parents would piece them together.

"Now, Bellatrix, there's no need to be rude," her mother scolded, although Andromeda did notice her mother eyeing her stomach a little. "Honestly, it's like you're thirteen again! And you don't need to watch your weight, there's nothing there to watch. Eat up."

Bellatrix rolled her eyes and picked her fork back up. "Just because I don't want to look like a whale at my wedding," she muttered.

"What was that?" her mother demanded.

"Nothing, nothing," said Bellatrix.

"Good. Now, girls, I think we have some decisions to make."

"Like what?" Andromeda asked, confused.

"Like I think it's time you girls got married and out of this house," their mother said, to Andromeda's horror. "Bellatrix, you're far too old to still be living with your parents. Now Andromeda's out of school, what's stopping you getting married?"

"Nothing, nothing at all, is there, Andromeda?" Bellatrix asked deliberately, flashing her a sickening smile.

"No, no, of course," said Andromeda distractedly. This was all she needed.

"Great!" said their mother happily. "Well then, why don't we book you both in for a dress fitting at Madam Malkin's sometime next week then?"

A dress fitting? Her mother would definitely notice her bump then. "I - I can't," Andromeda said quickly.

"Why on Earth not?" her mother demanded. "Andromeda, what is wrong with you today? You're acting very strangely."

"Nothing, I'm fine. It's just that I have to go to a... a conference," she lied desperately.

"Oh?"

"Yeah, for work. It's from... Tuesday until Friday."

"Why don't we get an appointment before Tuesday, then?" her mother asked.

"There are only three days left," Bellatrix supplied helpfully. "You have to book appointments at least a week in advance. I told you that before Cissy's engagement party." Andromeda shot her a grateful look - she hadn't thought that Bellatrix would have dug her out of that little hole. Bellatrix always surprised her, though.

"Oh," their mother said disappointedly. "Well, I'll send an owl and book you in for next Saturday, then." That was okay. She had no intention of hanging around for that long. Andromeda's next payday was on Friday. And she had arranged for her work to pay her last few months' wages to her directly, rather than into the family vault. Her parents wouldn't notice. It wasn't like they actually needed the money - the only reason they'd wanted Andromeda to have a job in the first place was that it got her out of the house.

After dinner, Andromeda went up to her room and grabbed some parchment and a quill.

T -

I need to see you urgently. Meet at midnight in the usual place.

A.B. xx

Andromeda arrived to see Ted already waiting, worry written all over his face. "Dromeda, is everything all right? How are you doing? Is the sickness better? I -"

She cut across him."Ted. Bella knows."

"Bella - what?"

"She knows I'm pregnant. She's known for a while actually. She worked it out. I thought she would keep quiet, but she keeps dropping hints in front of my parents, and now Mother's talking about wedding dress fittings, and -"

"Hang on," he interrupted. "Slow down. You thought she wouldn't tell? How in Merlin's name could you think that?"

"Because I threatened to tell our parents that she's been going to Death Eater meetings. And she thinks it's Rabastan's, anyway, so it's not such a big deal. But I told her about six weeks ago that I was going to have an abortion, and now she doesn't understand why I haven't yet. And now Mother's booked us a dress fitting session for next Saturday, and she's bound to notice I've gone up a few sizes."

"So what are you going to do?"

There was a gleam in Andromeda's eyes. "I'm going to do it, Ted. My payday is on Friday. Then we'll have a bit of money to get us started, and I can run away! We can be together, finally. We won't have to hide any more!"

Ted looked thrilled, but also uneasy. "We can't get a house in a week. You'll have to come and stay with my parents for the time being."

"That's fine," said Andromeda. "If they're happy with it."

"Of course they will be," Ted reassured her. "Although I haven't exactly asked them yet... I didn't think it would be this soon."

"Nor did I," Andromeda admitted. "But I'm so glad it is. I love you, Ted. I can't wait until we become a proper family."

"I love you, Dromeda. And I know I'll love our baby, too."

Their lips met in a beautiful, unhurried kiss. Andromeda looked forward to the blank slate that was the future ahead of her. Some people might have been afraid of this, but Andromeda thought it was wonderful.

A/N: Thanks to all my wonderful reviewers, without whom I would not have feverishly typed this update. More reviews will make my day!

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I am not the beautiful, talented woman who owns Harry Potter.

Thank you again to kci47!